Home > Wellington > Middle-Earth Filming Location Lord of The Rings Trilogy Tours
USD $128.00
Middle-Earth Filming Location Lord of The Rings Trilogy Tours
Wellington, New Zealand
See Middle-earth for yourself on this scenic tour of The Lord of the Rings outdoor filming locations in the Wellington area. Travel around in a comfortable vehicle, stopping at locations that served as the Shire, River Anduin, Helm Deep, Rivendell and more. As you channel your inner Gandalf or Frodo, hear fun facts and insider commentary from a guide. Refreshments are included. Choose either a half-day or full-day tour; each is limited to only six passengers, ensuring you enjoy a small-group experience.
While most of the structures from The Lord of the Rings films have been removed, the scenery surrounding Wellington remains an image of Middle-earth. Tour the area by comfortable air-conditioned bus, listening to commentary and behind-the-scenes stories from your guide, a knowledgeable Middle-earth enthusiast.
Half-Day Tour (4 hours): Your Middle-earth film locations tour starts with pickup in Wellington in either the morning or afternoon, depending on option selected. With your guide, set off into the countryside to see the spectacular North Island locations where scenes from The Lord of the Rings trilogy were filmed.
Visit the filming sites for the outskirts of the Shire, the Gardens of Isengard and the River Anduin; discover the quarry used for the filming of Helms Deep in Rohan and Minas Tirith in Gondor; and see where the Hobbits raced to the ferry. See the site that served as Rivendell when Frodo recovered from his knife attack, the location of the river where Aragorn washed up after the Warg attack and the place where Gandalf rode to see Saruman.
You’ll also head up to the Mt Victoria lookout for photo ops and panoramic views of the city. During the tour, morning or afternoon tea is provided.
Your tour ends when you return to your departure point in Wellington.
Full-Day Tour (8 hours): After departing Wellington in the morning with your guide, take off on an entertaining journey through the Wellington region. This full-day tour takes in all of the Middle-earth sites from the half-day tour, as well as a few others.
The morning portion of your adventure follows the same itinerary as the half-day tour, including a snack for morning tea. Then enjoy an outdoor lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, visit beautiful Fernside Lake, which was used during filming as part of Lothlorien and the Gladden fields. Admire the lakeside spot where Smeagol and Deagol fought for the ring, and see the white bridge that serves as a reminder of the Lothlorien bridge.
The full-day tour also includes a visit to Miramar, where many of the films’ stars and crew, including Peter Jackson, lived and worked during production. Your last stop is Weta Cave, a souvenir shop and mini-museum where you can purchase collectibles and watch an interview with Peter Jackson and a behind-the-scenes video of the making of the film trilogy.
Your day tour ends with return to your departure point in Wellington.
The tour was about what we expected EXCEPT that the info on the tour promised a group size of up to six. There were about 16 people in the group. We felt that we paid a premium price for a small group tour, and that was not what we received. Very disappointing.
Review by: Amy d, July 2015
It was a decent tour and the guide was very friendly and enthusiastic. I took the full-day tour expecting to see more sites, but ended up not seeing more. Rather we listened to guide talk more at each one which is not my style. Feel like the time could have been more efficiently spent.
Review by: Hamish B, March 2015
The tour was amazing and so was my guide Michael. We went to heaps of locations and he gave us lots of information regarding The Lord Of The Rings, and to go to weta workshop as well was amazing. To top it all off you get to go somewhere special at the end. It's after your main tour around Wellington and weta workshop that you go to an iconic place, but I'll let you figure it out what it is. So do the tour!
Review by: Kerri W, February 2015
Was very expensive for what it was. Could use more modern technology to enhance the experience, e.g. short video clips from the movie. Felt like we could have seen one or two more locations within the time allotted considering they appeared to be on the way. _br/_
Was promised afternoon tea as advertised on the web-page, but did not deliver._br/_
Tour guide was good, knowledgeable, but yes felt like we could have got more out of it for spending 170 and all they did was drive us to locations, a little petrol etc and cans of soft drink. _br/_
It was definitely better than if we had gone to those locations on our own, but maybe considering the cost it would have been justifiable to do that instead. Car was comfy
Review by: alison p, December 2014
Tour guide was very good and no complaints about him at all. Trip was very much overpriced for what was received. Did not find the Middle Earth worth the money as there was very little to see due to nothing being left behind following filming. Hobbiton movie set was a better option for Lord of the Rings fans in our opinion.
Review by: Jordan P, December 2014
The tour was good. Was expecting a bit more as what the website describes. Was a bit disappointed that your website shows photos of the hobbit holes yet you don't see them. Think the website needs to be updated.
Review by: Carolyn M, March 2014
We lived it but did not realize in advance it was a tour in a bus of the outside sites of the movie locations. There was no real description of the event. But we loved it
Review by: Anne B, January 2013
Our guide had an excellent knowledge of the LOTR movies and his behind the scenes stories were really interesting. Having the photos and film clips on the ipod really showed the locations. The 4 hours went so fast and the muffin for morning tea was a lovely surprise. Well worth going if you are a fan of the movies.
Review by: Annaleis D, December 2012
Very informative guide and the locations were so very real it felt like I was truly in Middle Earth. Morning Tea was a bonus.
Review by: Jane K, November 2012
Comfortable vehicle and provision of morning refreshments very welcome. Not too much time spent driving from location to location. Very knowledgable tour guide.
Review by: Hayley C, January 2012
Great small tour size with a great tour guide. Lots of information and video clips at each location.
Review by: John B, August 2011
one word excellent
Review by: Buddy M, July 2011
If you are a LOTR fan, then this is the tour for you. Although the weather didn't cooperate, it rained, they really recreated some of the scenery from the movies. We actually caravanned with another group so we had 2 tour guides for the day and they were very knowledgeable about the movies and the country. We went to several different sites and they showed up pictures from the movies and explained how they fit into the place where we were. There was a stop under covered shelter at one of the sites where we had hot drinks and cookies. The cookies were good for dunking but the hot chocolate that I had wasn't very good. It could have used more cocoa mix. Even though it was very windy and rainy at times, it was a very enjoyable tour.
Review by: Buddy M, January 2011
If you are a LOTR fan, then this is the tour for you. Although the weather didn't cooperate, it rained, they really recreated some of the scenery from the movies. We actually caravanned with another group so we had 2 tour guides for the day and they were very knowledgeable about the movies and the country. We went to several different sites and they showed up pictures from the movies and explained how they fit into the place where we were. There was a stop under covered shelter at one of the sites where we had hot drinks and cookies. The cookies were good for dunking but the hot chocolate that I had wasn't very good. It could have used more cocoa mix. Even though it was very windy and rainy at times, it was a very enjoyable tour.
Review by: Dianne G, May 2010
Andrea our guide was fun, informative and we had an unforgettable experience. Loved every minute of it and would highly recommend it to anyone thinking of doing the same tour we did. Thank you for making our holiday that much better.
Review by: Craig H, Australia, April 2010
Fantastic - the guide really knew his stuff and made the trip so worthwhile. Thanks and recommended.
Review by: Dianne G, Australia, March 2010
Andrea our guide was fun, informative and we had an unforgettable experience. Loved every minute of it and would highly recommend it to anyone thinking of doing the same tour we did. Thank you for making our holiday that much better.
Review by: Dean T, Australia, December 2009
Our guide was lovely, however it certainly wasn't worth the money paid. We saw three places where filming took place.
Review by: Anonymous, United Kingdom, December 2009
A very enjoyable tour! We took the half day tour, and for any Lord of the Rings fan we think that it is a big must-do whilst in Wellington. Our tour guide picked us up from the hotel and gave us an informative tour regarding every aspect of the Lord of the Rings. We would highly recommend it!
Review by: W L N, December 2009
A very enjoyable tour! We took the half day tour, and for any Lord of the Rings fan we think that it is a big must-do whilst in Wellington. Our tour guide picked us up from the hotel and gave us an informative tour regarding every aspect of the Lord of the Rings. We would highly recommend it!
Review by: , December 2009
A very enjoyable tour! We took the half day tour, and for any Lord of the Rings fan we think that it is a big must-do whilst in Wellington. Our tour guide picked us up from the hotel and gave us an informative tour regarding every aspect of the Lord of the Rings. We would highly recommend it!
Review by: Elizabeth E, August 2008
It was very interesting and informative and enjoyable.
Review by: , August 2008
Excellent! A must see tour for anybody who saw the movies and even for those
who didn't, just for the sake of saying I have been there and make friends
jealous. It allowed me to see the locations from a real-life and naked angle
as nothing replaces an on-site experience!
Review by: Anonymous, August 2008
Excellent! A must see tour for anybody who saw the movies and even for those who didn't, just for the sake of saying I have been there and make friends jealous. It allowed me to see the locations from a real-life and naked angle as nothing replaces an on-site experience!
Review by: Elizabeth E, United Kingdom, April 2007
It was very interesting and informative and enjoyable.
Review by: Steven B, United Kingdom, December 2006
A very enjoyable day with a brilliant guide.
Review by: Morrie L, United States of America, December 2006
Tour guides were excellent! They kept things interesting and exciting. They were knowledgeable about the movie locations as well as Wellington sights and surroundings, including plant life.
Review by: Olivier F, Australia, November 2006
Excellent! A must see tour for anybody who saw the movies and even for those
who didn't, just for the sake of saying I have been there and make friends
jealous. It allowed me to see the locations from a real-life and naked angle
as nothing replaces an on-site experience!
Review by: Anonymous, November 2006
Excellent! A must see tour for anybody who saw the movies and even for those
who didn't, just for the sake of saying I have been there and make friends
jealous. It allowed me to see the locations from a real-life and naked angle
as nothing replaces an on-site experience!
RSS Feed