Weta Workshop
Wellington is in many ways the heart of the movie fan's experience, being the home to the Weta Workshop, Cave and Stone Street Studios.
Wellington is in many ways the heart of the movie fan's experience, being the home to the Weta Workshop. Named after a native New Zealand species of insect ancient enough to have seen dinosaurs come and go, Weta has been responsible for the remarkable digital and special effects, costuming and weaponry that have helped bring The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies to life. Besides being the base for Weta, Wellington is also New Zealand's capital city with a reputation as the place to go for a culture fix due to its world-class cafés, bars, restaurants, art galleries and New Zealand's National Museum, Te Papa.
The Weta group is made up of a huge number of talented artists including the Weta Cave Workshop where they are responsible for all the Special effects, Motion Capture, costuming and weaponry, its shop front, the Weta Cave and Weta Digital where the digital visual effects wizards are based, the Stone Street Studios and Park Road Post Production. During the production of The Lord of the Rings, the artists turned out thousands of items including 1200 suits of armour and 10,000 arrows among many others. When travelling with Red Carpet Tours, you'll get a taste of these props and the people who made them and their stories on our action-packed Weta Day.
Close to the centre of Wellington, on the forested slopes of Mount Victoria, is the 'Get off the road' location where the Hobbits hid from the menacing Black Rider. On tour, together we will recreate these scenes.
The Lord of The Rings Filming Locations Visited
Our New Zealand The Lord of the Rings tours include many movie locations such as Hobbiton and Trollshaw in The North Island, to Laketown and Edoras in the South Island! All of these beautiful places are instantly recognisable in real life.
In the midst of endless rolling green hills flecked with white sheep is the village of Hobbiton. Be prepared to be transported to the peaceful region of Middle-earth™ where Bilbo Baggins lived and the
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Although the area is better known for the Waitomo Caves and glow worms, the Mangaotaki Valley near Piopio also featured in The Hobbit where it became the location for Staddle Farm and Trollshaw Forest
Trollshaw
Pelorus River is a stunning location where Bilbo and the 13 Dwarves had to ride down the rapids in their barrels!
Learn MoreWhat people have said
Passion has been forged into the Red Carpet tours. Years of relationships with the artists, land owners, and businesses has created an unforgettable experience. The Red Carpet team guide you on a journey that is not just visiting locations, but creating a sense of joy and wonder for New Zealand....
Joshua W
With Julie James as our guide (Feb. 2018) on the 14 day tour... it was excellent! She always took every effort and opportunity to see to everyone's requests. The hotels we stayed in were wonderful. The meals were delicious. But the tour itself??? Awesome!!! We had big LOTR and the Hobbit...
Katherine C
I will start my review by saying it was the best trip I’ve ever had. The Red Carpet Tours can offer you the best about Lord of the Rings in New Zealand. Julie is so knowledgeable and passionate about the movies and that makes our experience unforgettable. I loved listening to her talk...
Isabele P
"Exceptional! Marvellous! Outstanding! Just a few of the words I could use to describe how fabulous the Red Carpet Tours winter Lord of the Rings tour was. The organisation from beginning to end couldn’t be faulted. Hotels were carefully selected for location and quality. The days...
Judith S
There is a reason that this company is the premier in its field. I’ve been home for almost a week now and I’m still struggling to comprehend how incredible my experience with Red Carpet Tours was. This was hands down one of the best things I ever have, and likely ever will do in my...
Taylor K
Amazing and so well worth it! Days in a row of just being excited for something alone was something special to me but also meeting like-minded people who were so accepting and fun was fantastic! Julie James is a treasure - handles everything with grace and was just everything you want in a tour...
Tracy E
My second tour through Middle Earth (New Zealand) was just as wonderful as the first, the locations you are taken to are just amazing. Best suited for people with interest in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, you make so many friends throughout your journey that you become your own...
Lisa S
I don’t have enough good things to say about this incredible experience. Our guide Julie is so knowledgeable and fun about everything LOTR AND New Zealand in general! My husband and I went for our belated honeymoon and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. You’re fed like Hobbits...
Taylor & Nick L
Just returned as part of the February 2023 Fellowship with Red Carpet Tours and it was one of the best trips of my life. I've been wanting to do this for years and was worried my expectations might be too high, but it was amazing and I wish it didn't have to end! Love the family...
Emily V
This is the best and ONLY way for a LOtR/Hobbit fan to experience New Zealand. Julie and her team are fantastic, knowledgeable people who, you can tell, put so much time and effort into making sure your experience with them is an amazing one! You will not regret choosing them as your guides...
Stephanie B