14 Day Lord of the Rings Tour

We gather this evening for our Welcome Dinner, to meet each other and prepare for our early start tomorrow. Winter months include a special movie guest. Accommodation: Auckland City hotel.

Be ready to depart at 08.00 ~ Auckland to Rotorua via Hobbiton. (A full cooked Breakfast is included from Day 2 to 14.) Prepare to be enchanted by Hobbiton - a very special site to visit. Have your camera batteries charged for photos of the tranquil Shire, Bag End, Sam & Rosie’s cottage, the Party Tree. Enjoy a cool drink at The Green Dragon followed by lunch in a Marquee beside The Green Dragon (included in tour cost). In Rotorua later today you will have the option of the beautiful Polynesian Spa and / or a fantastic Maori Cultural evening, dinner and show ( cost additional). Overnight Rotorua.

Rotorua to Trollshaw Forest and a wonderful guided tour of this Hobbit location - stunning scenery. We will enjoy a picnic lunch (included) on our way to Mt. Ruapehu and the sites of Mordor, Emyn Muil and Mt Doom. Overnight - Where the Stars stayed!

This morning a Hobbit location of the Secret Entrance to Erebor and Lotr location of Gollum’s fishing pool, where Andy Serkis was careful not to plunge over the waterfall! Then, it's on to Wellywood ~ Wellington City. Tonight you may like to dine at “The Green Parrot Restaurant” (Optional) - said to be a favourite of Viggo’s. Accommodation: Wellington, for the next 3 nights.

Wellywood Day, Miramar - New Zealand's movie capital! Weta Workshop extended tour, Weta Cave, The beautiful Roxy Theatre for lunch ~ included in the tour. Later today we check out the 'Get off the road!' location from Fellowship Of The Ring, overlooking the city. Dinner tonight? So many choices, your Guide will help you. Visit the Embassy Theatre, where the ROTK and The Hobbit World Premiere were held.

Presentation day with LOTR / Hobbit Calligrapher and Cartographer Daniel Reeve. This is your opportunity to purchase some very special souvenirs. In Winter months we add a special movie guest presentation. Later today is yours to explore Te Papa Museum / see a movie at the special Embassy Theatre / or visit other Wellington places of interest.

Our North Island Adventure concludes and our South Island Adventure begins! We catch the Inter-Island ferry from Wellington, sail to Picton in the South Island (approx. 3.5 hrs). After lunch, on our way to Nelson, stopping along the way to view the famous river, where the Dwarfs escaped from the Elves, in barrels! How about a fantastic 1 hour easy kayak down this amazing river and movie location with experienced local guides!! (optional extra) Accommodation tonight: Nelson.

Nelson day: This morning we meet and chat with the makers of the "One Ring". There, we meet Jens Hansen's son, Halfdan Hansen and see the wonderful range Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit jewellery. From lunchtime, weather permitting, there is a two hour ‘optional extra’ helicopter ride to the LOTR sites of 'South of Rivendell' and 'Dimrill Dale'. More than highly recommended! Accommodation tonight: Nelson

An early start south through the very scenic South Island, stopping along the way for second breakfast, viewing of the Fur Seal colony and lunch via the beautiful wild Kaikoura Coast. Time for our coach quiz! We then travel south to Christchurch. An early night tonight for a big day tomorrow. Accommodation: Christchurch.

It's time to head for the magnificence that is EDORAS - a very spiritual experience! It’s a 35-minute trek to reach the summit. 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 will be reluctant to leave. Refreshment awaits us in the township of Geraldine, before we drive south past the stunning Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki. Keep a lookout for our highest mountain; Aoraki, Mt Cook – the Cloud Piercer of 12,500 feet. Overnight; Twizel. (Buffet Dinner included tonight.) This is a great place to study the night sky - and see the Southern Cross. Special Guest a local Hobbit inspired seamstress - you may like to buy your own cloak.

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 visit the stunning location of Laketown and enjoy a guided tour there. Time to try your archery skills - perhaps we have a budding Bard or Tauriel amongst us? Then head to Omarama for lunch. This afternoon a special visit to Mrs Jones's orchard. Overnight - Cromwell. The Harvest Hotel.

Arrowtown ~ a charming old settlement, historically significant in the gold rush days of the 1860s. We visit our Jeweller to collect our pre ordered Lotr Jewellery. Enjoy second breakfast near the beautiful Arrow river. This afternoon there are opportunities to Bungy at the famous Kawarau AJ Hackett Bungy bridge. Keen to jump above the river Anduin? Back to Queenstown to enjoy this beautiful location. Our last 3 nights are in picturesque Queenstown, many great restaurants to explore.

The breaking of the Fellowship. Buy a picnic lunch today to take to Mavora Lakes, where we visit several Lord of The Rings NZ sites - The calling up of Shadowfax - The Silverlode bridge - The Orc funeral pyre - Fangorn Forest - Nen Hithoel - 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! Tonight is our farewell dinner at our Hotel, feast like Hobbits ! Tomorrow is our Optional activity day in Queenstown.

Devote today to optional activities! -A Dart River Jet Wilderness Safari past LOTR & Hobbit sites. -Take a helicopter flight to the Ford of Bruinen. -Perhaps a cruise on Lake Wakatipu. -A parasail over the lake. -A coach & cruise trip to Milford Sound. -A guided walk on the Routeburn Track? -A Nomad Safari 4 Wheel drive half day tour -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.

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 ~ Good-bye from us all at Red Carpet Tours. "Nai tiruvantel ar varyuvantel i Valar tielyanna nu vilya: May the Valar protect you on your path under the sky." On departure day you will need a domestic airfare from Queenstown to Auckland and then your international flight home from Auckland. We can recommend Air New Zealand for this domestic flight: www.airnewzealand.co.nz