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.
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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.
![Hobbiton alt text](https://www.redcarpet-tours.com/uploads/71581522_763437374113777_5253137769177284608_n-q7mx2.jpg)
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
Read More![Trollshaw](https://www.redcarpet-tours.com/uploads/red-carpet-tours52-nx6y0.jpg)
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![Barrel Rider River](https://www.redcarpet-tours.com/uploads/emily-5q2x7.jpg)
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
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
Traveling New Zealand with RCT and Julie was amazing. It was the trip of a lifetime (but I hope to do it again!). It was very well put together and we got to see such amazing sites and do so many awesome things. I can't even name what my favorite part of the whole tour was because it was...
Lynn S
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
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
This was a trip of a lifetime. I honestly couldn’t imagine seeing Middle Earth any other way. Julie is amazing and truly cultivated an experience that I will treasure forever. If you’re thinking about booking this trip—just do it. I promise that you will have the time of your life.
Brenna M
Red Carpet Tours is a fabulous company - been with them 3 times. I agree with others posted here that it is the BEST way to see New Zealand, especially if you are a "Lord of the Rings" and "Hobbit" fan - and even if you're not! From all the Magnificent New Zealand...
John N
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
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
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
From first contact with the James family, and the Lord of the Rings-Red Carpet Tours, you are in the best of hands. You expect so much on the tour but you receive so much more. I came back from my first tour believing I'd never have a better, truly satisfying experience, and they could...
Barbara S