New Zealand Lord Of The Rings Guided Tours

New Zealand Lord Of The Rings Guided Tours

Guided Lord of the Rings Tours New Zealand (Updated 2024/25)

Our 5* rated New Zealand Guided Lord of the Rings guided tours will show you the best of Middle-earth and The Shire. Visit the Hobbiton movie set, the  Wellington WETA Studios and scenic Lord of the Rings filming locations in Queenstown.  A Lord of the Rings Tour is a popular option for visitors to New Zealand. There are many Lord of the Rings Tour options to explore. Must visit tour locations include the Hobbiton Movie Set located in Matamata on the North Island.

Wellington is home to Weta Workshop, the design studio for all Lord of the Rings and Hobbiton movies. Here you can experience fascinating tours of Weta Workshop with LOTR and Hobbiton highlights.
The South Island of New Zealand is home to many famous Lord of the Rings filming locations. Destinations to put on your list include Queenstown, Glenorchy, Fiordland and Twizel.

Hobbiton is located on a large sheep farm in Matamata, New Zealand. Matamata is located on the North Island of New Zealand, approximately 2 hours drive south of Auckland, 45 minutes drive from both Rotorua and Hamilton and 1.5 hours north of Taupo. The roads to locate Hobbiton offer easy and scenic driving.

Choose the length of the Lord of the Rings escorted tour you would prefer and tell us the number of people in your party. In addition, our Lord of the Rings guided tours are fully customisable and can even include a stay in an actual New Zealand hobbit house! 

New Zealand Middle-earth Tour Magic

From majestic fiords to glowworm grottos, there is no better way to experience the magic of Middle-earth, NZ.  Our escorted New Zealand LOTR itineraries include a private tour guide to show you the best filming locations. In conclusion this will be the vacation of a lifetime!

Hobbiton Tour a must!

Experience the real Middle-earth™ at the Hobbiton™ Movie Set in the heart of the Waikato region. Here you can step into the lush pastures of The Shire™, as seen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies.

Fall in love with the Alexander family sheep farm, just as acclaimed director Sir Peter Jackson did. Journey through the unique beauty of the land, with  mountains towering in the distance. After that your guide will escort you around the movie set, showing you hidden details and pointing out the most famous scenes.

You will be fully guided around this 12 acre movie set; past Hobbit Holes™ and the Mill. After that you will step into the world-famous Green Dragon™ Inn, where you will receive a complimentary, exclusive Hobbit™ Southfarthing™ beverage to round off your own Middle-earth™ adventure.

Ask us about special Evening Banquet Tours, Private Hobbiton Tours™ and Farm Stay experiences! There is even the opportunity to stay in a nearby NZ Hobbit House on your guided tour. Here you will truly experience Middle-earth magic. In conclusion – you will truly experience the never forgotten magic of Hobbiton.

Lord of the Rings Tour Queenstown – Filming Locations & 4WD Trip

In addition you will explore Queenstown, NZ. This beautiful area was chosen to portray Middle-earth in many scenes. The Queenstown area featured prominently in the filming of the Lord of the Rings movies and it is easy to see why. Named the ‘adventure capital of the world” Queenstown offers world class scenery and thrilling activities such as jet boating, bungy jumping and off road 4WD tours.

As part of your New Zealand Guided Tour package you can experience two different LOTR off road tours in Queenstown. The Queenstown Lord of Rings tour combines a thrilling 4WD offroad trip, with filming locations from the LOTR trilogy. The Glenorchy Lord Of the Rings tour is the perfect sightseeing trip through the valleys beyond Glenorchy. This location was used for pivotal Lord of the Rings movie scenes which were cleverly imposed in the movies. However you will instantly recognise the location of Isengard as you drive along the scenic lakeside trail. Both of these tours can also be combined for a truly exciting day out.

Lord of the Rings Tour Wellington – Weta Workshop & Movie Set Tours

Wellington will definitely be on your list of places to visit. Above all, you can experience a definitive Lord of the Rings & Hobbit movie tour. With your expert Lord of the Rings tour guide by your side, you will visit recognisable filming locations.  You can also relive scenes such as “Shortcut to Mushrooms,” “Race to the Buckleberry Ferry,” and the iconic “Get off the Road” scene, where the Hobbits hid from the terrifying Black Riders.

After that Weta Workshop, is next stop on your “must do” itinerary! Here you have a chance to pose for photos with various LOTR movie characters and marvel at the sculptures, armour and weapons on display.  Pick up some essential souvenirs and gifts from the movie themed gift shop. Watch a behind-the-scenes documentary and enjoy a guided behind the scenes tour by an actual Weta technician. This in-depth tour delves into the creativity and ingenuity needed to create the physical effects for some of the biggest and best movies ever. Plus after that you will also enjoy a Lord of the Rings inspired Orc Sized Lunch!

These are just a few guides for your LOTR vacation – ask your New Zealand Guided Tours travel consultant about more LOTR magic spots and filming secrets!

Private Tour Guides

Your personal tour guide will ensure you really do discover Middle-earth! By offering a wealth of information you will discover hidden gems throughout your land tour. In addition you will get to travel like a local, experiencing special moments that are often missed on conventional land tours.

Your escorted guide is a New Zealand travel specialist. In addition to revealing the hidden wonders throughout the North Island and South Island, your guide will enrich your travel experience with stories of New Zealand’s Maori and European history.  Descriptions of the powerful natural forces that shaped our dramatic landscape will abound. Above all a good dose of old-fashioned Kiwi charm will ensure you go home with memories that will last a lifetime.

To conclude, your guide will customise your NZ tour holiday to suit your private group. They will take care of all the transport and accommodation arrangements so you can concentrate on having a great time. If you are travelling as a family, your guide will also offer diversions to keep everyone happy, young and old.

Excellent Accommodation – Lord of The Rings Inspired

Accommodation is such an important part of any vacation. That is why we  personally select all the hotels, motels & inclusive luxury lodges. Plus, as part of your NZ Lord of the Rings Guided Tour we also offer the opportunity to stay in a Hobbit House. This features Lord of the Rings and Hobbit themed guest rooms.  Our travellers also love Kiwi farm stays which give your holiday that extra special touch!

Customised LOTR Itineraries and Tours

The most valuable thing we can offer you is our in depth knowledge of New Zealand and all that it offers. You will have your own Lord of the Rings Guided Consultant that will carefully help you select the destinations you wish to visit. In addition, the special themed tours included within your tour vacation package. They will offer you insider local knowledge to ensure your holiday is extremely well planned. You can be sure that all boxes will be ticked and no details will be missed.

Our 5 Most Popular New Zealand Lord of the Rings Guided Tour Packages:

• 7 Day New Zealand Lord of the Rings Tour
• 10 Day Mountains of Middle-earth Guided Tour
• 10 Day Hobbit Country Guided Tour
• 10 Day Lord of the Rings Guided Tour
• 14 Day Lord of the Rings Guided Tour

However if a privately guided Lord of the Rings tour is not what you are looking for – you can check out our top New Zealand Self Drive Tours here.

The best of the rest of New Zealand!

Of course you will want to see everything else that New Zealand has to offer. So as well as special LOTR and Hobbit movie experiences, we will include many other highlights as well. These may include famous attractions, such as Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound, New Zealand’s volcanic regions and geothermal hot spots. Amazing wildlife activities – swimming with Dolphins, Whale Watching, spotting the native Kiwi Bird can be included. We recommend experiencing Maori Culture too as well as top Wine and Cuisine activities. Your tour guide will recommend top restaurants and wineries that match your interest. Any other special interests will be included for you and carefully designed around your preferences.

We will do all we can to make your Lord of the Rings vacation tour the best it can possibly be!

Frequently Asked Questions About Lord of the Rings Tours

Where is the Lord of the Rings Tour in New Zealand?

A Lord of the Rings Tour is a popular option for visitors to New Zealand. There are many Lord of the Rings Tours to explore. The most popular tour locations include the Hobbiton Movie Set. This is located in Matamata on the North Island. Wellington is home to Weta Workshop, the set studio for all Lord of the Rings and Hobbiton movies. Here you can experience fascinating tours of Weta Workshop with LOTR and Hobbiton highlights. The South Island of New Zealand is home to many famous Lord of the Rings filming locations, key destinations to put on your list include Queenstown, Glenorchy, Fiordland and Twizel.

Where in NZ is Hobbiton?

Hobbiton is located on a large sheep farm in Matamata, New Zealand. Matamata is located on the North Island of New Zealand, approximately 2 hours drive south of Auckland, 45 minutes drive from both Rotorua and Hamilton and 1.5 hours north of Taupo. The roads to locate Hobbiton offer easy and scenic driving. 

How long is the Hobbiton Tour?

The Hobbiton Movie Set Tour is 2 hours in duration. Tours depart daily from 9.00 am until 3.30 pm.

How far is Hobbiton from Queenstown?

Hobbiton is located a fair distance from Queenstown, Hobbiton is located in Matamata on the North Island and Queenstown is located in the lower South Island. The distance between Queenstown and Hobbiton is 1398 kilometres and if driving this distance, the driving time is approximately 20 hours. The best way to access Hobbiton from Queenstown is to either do a self drive tour of New Zealand from Auckland through to Queenstown or take a flight from Queenstown to Auckland or Queenstown to Rotorua. Transport is provided from Rotorua to Hobbiton.

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Or get in touch with Lord of the Rings Guided Tours team directly here. 

Click here to read more about The Top 5 Middle Earth Attractions in New Zealand