Middle-earth Adventure: Explore LOTR Filming Sites

Embark on a thrilling half-day Lord of the Rings tour in Wellington. Follow in the footsteps of Frodo and the Hobbits as you explore the Outer Shire and recreate iconic scenes. Then, discover the secrets of movie magic at the Weta Workshop. Book now!

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Embassy Theatre - Pass by the Embassy Theatre, renowned for hosting the world premieres of two Middle-earth films: The Return of the King and An Unexpected Journey. The guide will share fascinating stories and images of how Wellington was transformed into the heart of Middle-earth.
  • Mount Victoria Lookout - Relish a breathtaking panoramic view…
What's Included
  • Weta Workshop exhibition tour
  • Pick up from Central Wellington or cruise terminal
  • Local and professional guide
  • Native forest walk
  • Pick up available directly from ships for cruise passengers. Select CentrePort when booking
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Descend into the forested slopes of the Outer Shire, where our expert guides will entertain you with stories of how the Lord of the Rings movies were brought to life. Follow in the footsteps of Frodo and the Hobbits as they began their quest to destroy the One Ring. You will see the ‘shortcut to mushrooms’, ‘get off the road’ and hide from the Black…

Location
Embassy Theatre
Kent Terrace, Mt Victoria
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(297 Ratings)
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Jeff_f
Jun 26, 2025
Loved it. - The driver/guide was super knowledgeable and entertaining. He really made the journey enjoyable. I had originally booked just the half day tour but I was enjoying the experience so much I asked to change my booking to the full day tour. The driver/guide had a QR code that allowed me to change my booking in 5 minutes. I'm glad I did!
Review provided by Viator
N2960gvpablof
May 20, 2025
Get Hamish, he’s Amazing - Hamish was an excellent tour guide. Very knowledgeable of the locations in which he is presenting, told many jokes and kept us involved by asking questions about LOTR. Gave us tips of ensuring our safety and showed concern if anyone got injured, which we did not. If we had time today, I would have asked for the same tour with him all over again. Get Hamish, no one does it better.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patrick
Apr 14, 2025
Get going on an adventure! - A wonderful time indeed. Had a great day and learned much of LotR and general Wellington/NZ history. We opted at the last minute to go for a full day instead of half and they were very accomodating. So glad we did! Our guide, Andy, was charming, passionate, insightful and possessed of first hand experience of the LotR moviemaking lore. We saw tons of the greater city and countryside from a comfy bus, with a satisfying lunch of hot meats, roasted and steamed veg and fresh salad, with refreshing chilled juice to drink then tea, coffee and cakes for afters. Weta Studios was incredible. The props and artwork they showed us, it was a genuine thrill. I mean, for crying out loud, they have Aragorn’s sword on the wall!! Can’t recommend highly enough!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cheryl_b
Apr 13, 2025
Great tour - Fabulous day the guide was so informative. Loved the places we visited so awesome that we also went to places where Lord of the Rings was filmed. Loved the Weta workshop amazing.
Review provided by Viator
0zonex
Apr 12, 2025
Friendly, knowledgeable and lots of fun - Ross was our tour guide for the half day tour. He was a great host and knew a lot about the LOTR franchise, New Zealand filmmaking and facts about Wellington and New Zealand. We had a lot of fun and I wish Ross all the best with his Firefighting adventures.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Angela_b
Apr 12, 2025
Fantastic - It was very thorough and Ross was awesome. He was very knowledgeable and had fantastic information. The excursion covered all major scenes and production involved with LOTR.
Review provided by Viator
Matt
Apr 11, 2025
Excellent LOTR tour, would book again. - Excellent tour, highly recommend. Our tour guide Marc was an actor in the LOTR films and gave some great behind the scenes information about the locations. Was great fun and a true geek paradise. Weta was incredible. A great tour package.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
C7037kwsophieh
Apr 7, 2025
Great day for my little nerd heart - The best experience ever! The guide was amazing and lovely, she made my experience so comfortable and was so knowledgeable! I will definitely return and do the full day next time I’m in New Zealand!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Navigate55703613967
Apr 3, 2025
A Must-Do for Any LOTR Fan – Incredible Weta Experience! - We had an absolute blast on the Wellington's Original HD LOTR Experience – it was one of the best parts of our New Zealand trip! This half-day tour was packed with iconic sights from the Lord of the Rings films, and seeing the actual locations in person was such a thrill. Our guide was engaging and informative, adding lots of fun facts and behind-the-scenes details that made the whole experience even better. The real standout, though, was the tour of the Weta Workshop. It was hands-down the highlight of my entire time in New Zealand. Getting a peek behind the curtain to see how the props, creatures, and effects were brought to life was absolutely mind-blowing. The creativity and craftsmanship on display were just next-level. If you're a LOTR fan (or even just a movie buff), this tour is a must. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lilian_x
Apr 19, 2025
Disappointing Experience – Not What We Expected - We were really looking forward to the half-day Lord of the Rings tour, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to expectations. The studio portion was underwhelming. While it’s interesting to see where some of the magic happened, we weren’t allowed to touch anything or take any photos—a restriction that wasn’t clearly communicated at the time of booking. That really took away from the experience, especially for fans hoping to bring back even a small memento. The visit to a filming location was also a letdown. Since the films relied heavily on CGI, being there without the set-piece didn’t feel very immersive or visually connected to what we saw on screen. To make matters worse, our guide - though friendly - was only a background extra in the films and didn’t bring much depth or storytelling to the experience. He also seemed rushed, hurrying the group along to make it to his next (full-day) tour. It felt more like a checkbox experience than a true fan journey. If you're a die-hard fan, you may still find some value, but we’d recommend looking into more in-depth tours with professional guides and better access. This one felt more like a missed opportunity than a Middle-earth adventure.
Review provided by Viator
From $103
up to 14 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).