Come and visit The Shire!
Our 6 Day North Island LOTR tour whisks you away from Auckland on an adventure exploring Hobbiton, Trollshaws, Gollum's fishing pool, the secret entrance to Erebor and Wellington with Weta Workshop, Weta Cave and much more!
Our 6-Day The Lord of the Rings North Island Tour whisks you away from Auckland on an adventure exploring Hobbiton, Trollshaw Forest, Gollum's fishing pool, the Secret Entrance to Erebor, Weta Workshop, Weta Cave, Roxy Theater and the iconic "Get off the road" location from The Fellowship of the Ring. Enjoy all of this while driving through stunning New Zealand Middle-earth scenery.
This Tour includes special presentations by Daniel Reeve, the calligrapher and map maker for both LOTR and Hobbit Trilogies as well as another special movie guest (during our Winter months).
All within a small fellowship of like-minded travellers, led by our passionate LOTR guide.
Highlights
- Visit Trollshaw Forest and its stunning scenery
- Explore Bilbo's Shire and Hobbiton Tour and lunch!
- Experience breathtaking Gollum's fishing pool film locations
- Behind-the-scenes Weta Workshop tour and exclusive discounts for Red Carpet Tours passengers!
- Daniel Reeve presentation, The Lord of the Rings Calligrapher and Cartographer - buy exclusive souvenirs.
- 'Get off the road' location from Fellowship of the Ring.
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Direct bookings. You receive a Red Carpet Tours Welcome pack. We gather this evening for our Welcome Dinner , to meet each other and prepare for our early start tomorrow. Accommodation: Auckland City.
Be ready to depart at 08.00 ~ Auckland to Rotorua via Hobbiton. (A full cooked Breakfast is included from Day 2 to 7.) 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). Optional evening Maori concert and hangi dinner, highly recommended!
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 the majestic Huka Falls and the geothermal capital of New Zealand; Taupo. Overnight -Lakeside Taupo accomodation.
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 ! Extended Weta Workshop Tour, Weta Cave, The beautiful Roxy Theatre for lunch ~ included in tour. Later today we check out the "Get off the road!" location from FOTR, overlooking the city.
Presentation morning with LOTR / Film Guest. They will blow you away with their amazing talents! This is your opportunity to purchase some very special souvenirs. In Winter months we add a second 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. Thank you for travelling with us... there and back again...
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 Wellington to Auckland and then your international flight home from Auckland. We can recommend Air New Zealand for this domestic flight: www.airnewzealand.co.nz
- Private bus transportation with unlimited free Wifi onboard
- Welcome pack for direct bookings
- All guiding services
- 4 Star Hotel Accommodation
- 6 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches & 1 buffet Dinner
- Entry Fees to private The Lord Of The Rings New Zealand sites
- Department of Conservation fees
- Entry fees for Hobbiton and festive feast lunch
- Tour fees at Trollshaws
- Weta Workshop extended Tour and workshop
- Special guest presentation from the films
Being in the Southern Hemisphere, our seasons here in New Zealand may be at different times of the year to yours (depending on where you live). Therefore, we have found it necessary to have seasonal itineraries to enhance your experience of Middle Earth. These comprise of the following months, please email us for a copy of your chosen New Zealand season itinerary.
2025 Dates
NEW - 2026 Dates
What people have said
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 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
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 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
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
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
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
This tour changed my life, Julie and Josh were amazing tour guides, everywhere we went was stunning. I could not have asked for anything more from them. Even where there were some hiccups outside of anyone’s control Julie and the team worked tirelessly to ensure we had the best experience...
Jon
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
"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