Why choose this tour ?
Enjoy a full day, all-inclusive adventure in Wellington, the home of middle-Earth. Visit some amazing locations from the Lord of the Rings movies, enjoy a delicious lunch and visit the famous Weta Workshop, where the films were created. We are Wellington's original Lord of the Rings tour and have been operating since 2002. Formerly Rover Rings Tours [before Covid], Welly Rings Tours is proud to show you Wellington as Middle-earth. Our fans-turned-guides will share with you fascinating stories of the making of these movies that you likely won't hear anywhere else - mainly because some of our guides were actually there!
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What makes Wellington's Original LOTR Experience - includes Weta and Lunch a unique experience ?
Delve into the heart of Wellywood and visit the Weta Workshop, a physical effects workshop who created all the props, armour, weapons, costumes, miniatures and prosthetics for the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. Learn the secrets of movie magic on a behind-the-scenes tour by a Weta employee, who will explain the creative process behind bringing these films to life. You'll also have chance to take photos with various characters and weapons, as well as treating yourself to a souvenir or two, if desired.
Enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the harbour and city from the Mt Victoria lookout. Your guide will talk about the landmarks you can see from the top and help you take photos. Mt Victoria is always on the list of things to do in Wellington, so we thought we'd save you the trouble of walking up the hill to get there!
Drive past the Embassy Theatre that was used to host two world premieres of the Middle-earth movies - The Return of the King and An Unexpected Journey. Your guide will share stories and pictures of how Wellington was transformed literally into the middle of Middle-earth.
Descend into the forested slopes of the nearby Outer Shire, where our expert guides will explain the process of film making and entertain you with stories of how the Lord of the Rings movies were brought to life. You will 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 Riders before fleeing to the Buckleberry Ferry. You will have the chance to recreate some of the most famous scenes from The Fellowship of the Ring and make your social media streams go crazy!
Enjoy a feast fit for a Hobbit to recharge your batteries for more film locations in the afternoon
See a section of the Great River Anduin as the Fellowship make their way to Parth Galen
Harcourt Park aka The Gardens of Isengard. Here you will see how this normal, everyday park was transformed into the scenes where Gandalf rode to Saruman seeking council and the wizards walked through the gardens discussing their situation. This is also where the orcs began felling the trees once it was revealed Saruman had turned to the dark side...
Kaitoke Regional Park, a stunning, thousand year old, temperate rain forest. This was used as the location for the beautiful Rivendell, the last homely house east of the sea. Here you will immerse yourself in the magical setting and learn how the area was transformed into Elrond's house, Frodo's bedroom and the bridge where Arwen and Aragorn share a kiss. You can release your inner Elf and snap a photo reenacting a famous Legolas image and then recreate the scene where Frodo leads the newly formed Fellowship towards Mordor by posing in front of the Rivendell gate tower which is the only Lord of the Rings replica structure in the whole of New Zealand outside of Hobbiton. You will also see a scene from the Fords of Isen, where Eomund was found by Eomer at the start of The Two Towers, and have a chance to cross a swing bridge and visit a giant 800-year-old native Rimu tree and learn something of New Zealand's flora and fauna.
Tour Description & Additional Info:
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not recommended for participants with walkers or limited mobility
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Options To Choose for Your Trip:
Wellington's Original LOTR Experience - includes Weta and Lunch Inclusions:
Included with Your Ticket
- Weta Workshop tour and a lunch feast fit for a Hobbit included in tour price
- Pick up and drop off available direct from cruise ships - we've never missed a drop off
- Owned and operated by genuine fans, several of whom worked on the films
- Expert guides with film industry experience
- Guaranteed drop off back to Cruise Ship on time. We haven't missed a drop off in 15 years
- Visit the best LOTR filming locations
- Bonus native forest walk in a 1000-year-old temperate rainforest
- Central Wellington pick up
Trending Nearby Tours Likely To Sell Out
Special Instructions:
- This Tour is Provided by Wellington Rings Tours.
- Tour Timezone & Starts at Pacific/Auckland.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- This Tour is Rated 5 Stars based on 387 valid reviews on VIATOR.
- Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
- Maximum 15 Travelers is accepted for booking.
Pick-ups may be slightly later than the advertised start time depending on how many bookings we have. If joining from the cruise terminal, please be ready 15mins before the scheduled departure time.
