Celebrate Hobbits Day in style!
This particular tour includes the special International Hobbit's Day celebration in Hobbiton that only happens once a year!
Our special 12-day The Lord Of The Rings tour will take you on a Middle-earth adventure from Queenstown through to Auckland. This particular tour includes the special International Hobbit's Day celebration in Hobbiton that only happens once a year!
This tour is unlike any of our other LOTR tours because it begins in the stunning adventure capital of Queenstown, and finishes in New Zealand's largest city, Auckland.
Along the way, you will meet those involved in the making of the movies, such as artists from Weta Workshop on our special extended behind-the-scenes Weta Workshop tour! Enjoy an amazing presentation by Daniel Reeve who was the LOTR and The Hobbit Calligrapher and map maker. Travel off the beaten track into the breathtaking landscapes and natural attractions New Zealand has to offer.
There are also many opportunities to experience unique New Zealand activities such as: flying over The Remarkables and Skippers Canyon, experiencing our native Maori culture, panning for gold, visiting wineries, adventuring through Rohan country and climbing the magnificent Edoras, skydiving or rafting down a white water river. All within a fellowship of like-minded travellers, led by our passionate LOTR guide.
Costumes are encouraged and always lots of fun. There will be prizes for the best costumes at Hobbiton on the 22nd!
This Lord of the Rings tour is perfect if you have travelled with us before – bringing you new and exciting LOTR experiences and other New Zealand activities. Newcomers are also completely welcome and we promise you will love this tour!
A hard copy of your itinerary will be given to you on arrival in Queenstown. Please note that itineraries can be subject to occasional late changes should new exciting opportunities arise or unexpected events occur. We strive to make each month’s itinerary as good as it can be. This Tour starts in Queenstown, finishes in Auckland and includes special Hobbit Celebrations.
Highlights
- Mavora Lakes, Fangorn Forest and 6 other The Lord of the Rings movie locations in Queenstown
- Explore the stunning Pelennor Fields and Laketown locations
- Climb to the top of the magnificent Edoras & fly the Rohan Flag
- Flight from Christchurch to Wellington
- Weta Workshop extended behind the scenes Tour and and visit with Weta artists
- Exclusive Red Carpet Tours discount at Weta Cave!
- Roxy Theatre themed lunch
- Movie guest presentation!
- Iconic "Get Off the Road" movie location from Fellowship of the Ring
- Gollums Fishing Pool
- Weta Workshop Unleashed experience in Auckland
- Explore Bilbo's Shire and the Green Dragon
- Trollshaw Forest experience
- 'International Hobbits Day Celebration' with costume competition and banquet dinner at Hobbiton
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Arrival Day and Welcome Dinner in Queenstown. Meet your fellow travellers and enjoy a buffet dinner. Accommodation:Queenstown.
(Cooked / Buffet Breakfasts included.) Be ready to depart at 08.00 ~Queenstown - Mavora Lakes - Queenstown. Big Locations day! A picnic lunch is required today. We take a picnic lunch to the Mavora Lakes today and several LOTR sites *the Orc funeral pyre, *Silverlode Bridge, *Fangorn Forest, *the log which concealed Merry & Pippin before Frodo left the fellowship, *and where Sam and Frodo paddled away on the next stage of their journey. Stunning scenery! This afternoon we travel back to beautiful Queenstown. Accommodation: Queenstown.
Devote today to optional activities! A guided walk on the Routeburn Track? -A Nomad Safari 4 Wheel drive half day tour ! - A relaxing Wine and Food Tour. Perhaps a cruise on Lake Wakatipu. -A parasail over the lake. -A coach & cruise trip to Milford Sound. --An adrenalin Jet Boat ride or a Bungy jump? -Para-sailing? Para-gliding? White water rafting? A hot air balloon ride? Trout fishing? Relaxation at Onsen Hot Pools? -Or retail therapy ~ shopping in Queenstown. The list "goes ever on" and your Guide will discuss the many options available and assist with bookings.
Queenstown - Laketown - Pelennor - Twizel. This morning we head through the very scenic Lindis Pass to our morning activity, time to try your archery skills! Perhaps we have a budding Bard or Tauriel amongst us! First stop is Laketown, a stunning location from the Hobbit set on the shores of Lake Pukaki. Breathtaking scenery and original props abound. Before you leave you and Alfrid will be checked to see if you have any stolen any gold (wink). Then follow on with 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. Overnight: Twizel, The Mackenzie Country Inn (Buffet Dinner included).
Twizel - Edoras - Christchurch This morning we drive north past Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki. Look for our highest mountain ~ Aoraki, Mt Cook the Cloud Piercer. 12,300 feet. stop for second breakfast and to purchase a picnic lunch on our way out of Twizel this morning. It's time to head for the site and magnificence that is EDORAS - a very spiritual experience! It's a 30 minute trek to reach the summit of Mt Sunday. The 360 degree views are breathtaking ! You will stand where the Golden Hall once stood and survey the mountain panorama all around you as you fly the Rohan flag! You'll be reluctant to leave. Overnight: Christchurch, The Sudima Hotel.
Christchurch - Wellington. Domestic flight from Christchurch to Wellington (included) . In Wellington we visit the FOTR "Get off the road" location. Afternoon free time, we suggest you visit the amazing Te Papa Museum and or Zealandia wildlife park.
Visit the Wellington Weta Cave for some retail therapy.Soak up the magnificence of Weta Workshop's extended Tour and workshop activity. Lunch at the beautiful Roxy Theatre's CoCo restaurant , feast like Hobbits!
Presentation by very talented guest artists from our beloved films. Opportunity to purchase some of their work, amazing custom souvenirs!
Wellington - Mt Ruapehu - Taupo. Travel day, RCT coach quiz, Gollums Fishing Pool and Secret Entrance to Erebor movie locations, staying in the geothermal capital of New Zealand; Taupo.
Taupo - Trollshaws - Rotorua. We travel to the stunning Trollshaws film location from the Hobbit. Guided Tour in Trollshaws by the enthusiastic land owners. This afternoon making our way to Rotorua. Fancy a soak in the hot mineral pools tonight? Opportunity this evening to experience our Maori Culture (additional). Overnight in Rotorua.
Rotorua - Matamata - Rotorua. Optional Activities available or relaxing in Rotorua this morning , leaving for Hobbiton in the early afternoon for International Hobbits Day Celebrations in Hobbiton; including special film guest, entertainment, Costume Competition and dinner in the Green Dragon marquee and marketplace !
Rotorua - Auckland. We depart for Auckland this morning and tour the Weta Workshop Unleashed experience. Farewell Dinner this evening at our hotel (included). Overnight in Auckland, with breakfast tomorrow morning included.
Alas ~ your journey through Middle-earth with Red Carpet Tours, is at an end. Thank you for traveling with us... there and back again... Haere ra ~ Goodbye from us all at Red Carpet Tours.
- Private bus transportation
- Welcome pack on arrival
- All guiding services
- Hotel Accommodation
- 13 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches & 4 buffet Dinners
- Entry Fees to private Lord Of The Rings New Zealand sites
- Department of Conservation fees
- Entry fees for Hobbiton International Hobbits day celebrations event, food and costume competition
- Weta Workshop extended Tour and workshop
- Domestic flight Christchurch - Wellington
- Special guest presentation from the films
September 2025 - Fully Booked
September 2026 - Fully Booked
What 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
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
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
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
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
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
"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
Everything about this tour was amazing! Our tour guide Julie is a true LOTR fan, and made sure everybody was looked after. The locations were well researched and meaningful. Even after the tour ended, Julie has kept in touch as we all went our separate ways and travelled home to various parts of...
Jody R
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
Just concluded my third trip with Red Carpet Tours. 5 stars for the 3rd time running! Excellent planning and attention to detail by the James Family and fabulous guiding by Julie. Once again, a very lovely, friendly ‘Fellowship’ of travellers with a common interest. You might expect...
Sue B