Lord of the Rings Group Tours
Explore middle earth with your own fellowship
Green velvet hills. Vast snow-capped mountain ranges that fade into purple mist at sunset. Lakes as deep as thought with silver surfaces reflecting wide skies, and forests as old as memory with their tall trees murmuring in the wind. Sun on clouds, mist rising on rivers, air so clear you can pick out the lichen on a rock at fifty paces. Cry of hawk scudding home. This is New Zealand. This is Middle Earth.
Ever since Peter Jackson made his astonishing film trilogy, this has become the place that millions recognize as the living reflection of J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginary world. The vast, wild beauty of the landscape stars in the movies as much as it does in the books and has been billed by the New Zealand tourist officials as 'best supporting country'.
Many people have dreamed about Middle Earth, and these group tours can take you into the dream and it will become reality. Walk in the footsteps of Frodo and Sam from the lush green Shirelands into forests, across rivers and even to the twisted lava and ash fields of the Black Land itself. Along the way you'll easily recognize the sites of epic battles, and imagine you still hear the thudding of horses' hooves, the clash of swords.
Explore moss-shrouded forest glades surrounded by the snowcapped mountain peaks of the Southern Alps - or fly above them with the same people that flew the film crews over the Misty Mountains. Go whitewater rafting between the Pillars of the Argonath (chances are your guide there was once an orc!), and unwind later that evening in the same hotel where the stars stayed, swapping tales with a onetime Rider of Rohan.
ANDREAS
GERMANY
ANDREAS
GERMANY
ANDREAS
GERMANY
- Hobbiton (lunch at 'The Shire's Rest' )
- Geothermal activity
- Emyn Muil, Mordor and Mt. Doom
- Gollum's fishing pool
- Powderhorn Chateau (where the stars stayed)
- The film studios
- Isengard Gardens
- Rivendell
- The Elven cloak factory
- Leaving Lothlorien and Gladden Fields
- Edoras
- The Pelennor Fields
- The Rohan sites
- Fangorn Forest
- River Anduin
- The Misty Mountains
- Amon Hen and Ithilian
Lord of the Rings Group Tours
These highly popular Lord of the Rings Tours have been built for and by fans of The Lord of the Rings. They have unique access to privately owned property that was used in the filming of the trilogy, and their aim is to bring people from all over the world to experience the fellowship of a shared journey to the breathtaking landscapes we all know from the movies. Coming as strangers to this distant land, you will part as a band of companions who have shared a unique experience, exploring the length and breadth of the country that has become Middle Earth.
The tours are a great experience not only because of the natural beauties of the movie locations. You will also discover life in New Zealand. Safe, clean and incredibly entertaining.
Chosen hotels include many where the stars stayed during filming and all have wonderful staff, clean comfortable rooms and some great buffets. New Zealand is justly famous for the pasture-fed beef and lamb which it exports to the world. You might try it out cooked at a traditional Maori 'hangi,' if you care to dive into the local culture. Or you can sample the various delicacies of Japanese, Chinese, and other Asiatic cuisines. Indulge yourself in the local fresh and abundant seafood specialties such as green-lipped mussels that can only be found in New Zealand. Take a shell home as a souvenir - if your pockets aren't already too full with smooth pebbles from the Great River or stones from the place where Edoras was built.
YOUR TOUR ITINERARY
Arrive in Auckland
‘Haere Mai’ … welcome to New Zealand
Auckland to Rotorua via Hobbiton
Be ready to depart at 8.00 a.m. We take a 2 hour drive south of Auckland, through rolling farmland and small towns. Hobbiton is situated on a working sheep farm - you will recognise the Shire immediately ! Rebuilding is now finished in preparation for filming 'The Hobbit'. It's a great start to our tour of Middle-earth, so let it enchant you ! Visit Bag End. Take a stroll through Bagshot Row. Take photos beneath the Party Tree where Bilbo celebrated his 111th Birthday and the Hobbits set off fireworks ! Enjoy the many stories from your experienced guide - and why not have a dance on the party field !!
We return to the 'Shire's Rest' for lunch at the farm.
Later today, in Rotorua, we'll show you some geothermal activity and suggest optional activities ~ such as a riding a Zorb and / or enjoying a relaxing soak in a hot mineral Polynesian Spa Pool. This evening, it's your chance to experience traditional Maori Culture at it's very best, with a Maori concert and Hangi meal at Mitai Village. This is also an opportunity to see live Kiwi birds.
Rotorua to Ohakune
From Rotorua to Ohakune today, via bubbling mud pools and to where a segment of 'Hobbit' filming has happened at Aratiatia Rapids. Next, we' ll view the beautiful Huka Waterfalls at Lake Taupo. Taupo is our stop for 'Second Breakfast' and we' ll stop again to check out floating rocks on the lakeside, on our way to Mt. Ruapehu. The sites of Mordor, Emyn Muil and Mt Doom are here. ( "I will take the ring to Mordor." ) You will see the spot where Sam and Frodo were lost amid volcanic lava flows and where they first met Gollum. ( Conditions on the mountain can occasionally restrict us, but hopefully 'not this day' ! ) Later we'll visit Gollum's fishing pool, where Andy Serkis was careful not to plunge over the waterfall !
Ohakune to Wellington
Ohakune to Wellington. via a 'River Anduin' site, where there's optional extra Flying Fox / Bungy / Canyon Swing activities for the mad and daring ~ great viewing for the rest of us ! Then it's onwards to Wellington City. Dinner tonight ? We've reserved a table at "The Green Parrot" Restaurant - just because it's a favourite of Viggo's !
Wellington
At 8-30 a.m. we head out of town to check out the sites of Helm's Deep & Minis Tirith and then the Gardens of Isengard. We'll drive over the Rimutaka Hills, (weather permitting), to the township of Featherston, to visit the tranquil Leaving Lothlorien site ~ "The heart of Elvendom on Earth." ~ and where Smeagol strangled Deagol !! We retrace our steps and have lunch at the Kaitoke Cafe followed by a stop to see the site of Rivendell.
Wellington to Christchurch
First on the programme today is the "I think we should get off the road" site on Mt Victoria, followed by a drive through "Wellywood!", past Peter Jackson's studios in Stone Street and Park Rd, and a stop off at Weta Workshop's new 'Weta Cave'. Time for souvenirs and viewing their DVD ! By now you will be ready for lunch and the Roxy might be an interesting choice - you never know who you might see there. If we have time to spare before our flight south, we can spend some time at Te Papa Museum - highly recommended - before heading to the airport. At around 3 p.m. it's time to say goodbye to the North Island and to those who are leaving 'the fellowship' in Wellington. At 4 p.m. we fly out ( 45 minutes) to Christchurch in the South Island. Our North Island adventure concludes. Our South Island adventure begins !
Methven
It's time to head for the site and magnificence that is ' EDORAS ' ! We buy a picnic lunch before heading into this remote area. We have three streams to cross on our way to the summit, so for this adventure it will be useful to have a small backpack, with shorts or trousers that roll up to the knees, a hand towel, sturdy footwear and a pair of aqua shoes that will grip on river stones. (No need to buy these - we have supplies donated from previous fellowships.) Later we view the beautiful, mountain fed lakes - Tekapo and Pukaki and see N.Z's highest Mountain - Mt. Cook, which is over 12,000 ft high.
Cromwell
We depart at around 9-00 a.m. for the Pelennor Fields ~ an area that once rang to the thunderous sound of 250 horses on the charge, as King Theoden's battle speech roused men to battle. Moving on, we'll take a 'Second Breakfast' break at Omarama, marvel at the stark beauty of Lindis Pass, check out the site of The Great Chase ~ and then go to scenic Lake Wanaka for lunch ! After lunch it's time to try your archery skills - perhaps we have a budding Legolas amongst us ? We will also make a stop at Mrs Jones's excellent Fruit Stall. Does anyone fancy an icecream with pureed fresh berries ?
Queenstown
Another 'adventure day'. We head out past Alexandra this morning, to the stark landscape of Poolburn and where the Rohan village was burned. "What business does an Elf, a Man and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark ?" We will find the canyon where the leaf brooch was dropped. "Dwarves can be dangerous over short distances .!" "After lunch (at Mt Difficulty Winery perhaps ?) we head into Queenstown, where the remainder of the afternoon is free for you to explore ~ and/or do some optional activities.
Te Anau
Snow levels permitting, we take a picnic lunch to the Mavora Lakes today as we visit: Fangorn Forest, the Orc funeral pyre, the swing bridge at the Silverlode River, the log which concealed Merry & Pippin before Frodo left the fellowship, and the lakeside where Sam and Frodo paddled away on the next stage of their journey. Stunning scenery ! "The forest is old, very old, and full of memory." Later you may like to take a jet boat ride down the River Anduin ( 3 LOTR sites) and / or take a helicopter ride over the dead marshes to P.J.'s favourite location. There is also a Glow Worm Caves tour available this evening.
Queenstown
You have the option of joining a coach & cruise trip to Milford Sound today and catching up with the group in Queenstown this evening. OR - alternatively, on our way out of Te Anau we' ll stop briefly to show you some native birds ~ Takahe (thought to be extinct until recently), Kea (clever mountain parrots) and Native Wood Pigeon and then we head to Arrowtown for lunch ~ a charming old settlement, historically significant in the gold rush days of the 1860s. It's also the location where Isildur was attacked by Orcs at Gladden Fields.
Queenstown
The last day of our "Fellowship" so devote today to further optional activities and last minute shopping. How about Horse trekking with Dart Stables (they still have some movie horses), a 4-wheel drive in Lothlorien country, a Jet boat ride or Bungy jump. Tonight, we meet in the hotel lobby at 7-30 p.m., to ride the Skyline Gondola up for our Farewell Dinner at the Skyline Restaurant ( included in tour costs).
Departure day
Arrive Auckland - Depart Queenstown
Full 12 night tour |
Summer |
Winter |
Single |
NZ$6320 |
NZ$6130 |
Share twin/double |
NZ$4975 pp |
NZ$4800 pp |
North Island only |
||
Single |
NZ$2935 |
NZ$2700 |
Share twin/double |
NZ$2325 pp |
NZ$2130 pp |
South Island only |
||
Single |
NZ$3260 |
NZ$3305 |
Share twin/double |
NZ$2525 pp |
NZ$2545 pp |
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR TOUR
- Coach transport
- All guiding services
- Meet and greet on arrival
- Hotel accommodation
- 10 breakfasts, 2 lunch, 2 dinners
- Entry fees to private LOTR sites
- Airfare Wellington to Christchurch
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR TOUR
- Connecting flight out of Queenstown to Auckland to link with your international departure.
- Accommodation pre or post-tour
- You pay for your meals not covered above
- You pay for any optional extra activities you choose to take part in. Your guide can make bookings for you during the tour
