lord of the rings tour in new zealand

Hobbiton Movie Set is open 7 days. Availability is very limited. Bookings essential.

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• Departing from Tour from The Shire's Rest™ From Matamata I-Site
• Date Selected
• Group size 1
• Departing from Hobbiton™ Beer Festival - Saturday Hobbiton™ Beer Festival - Friday

Step into the enchanting village of Hobbiton

• Experiences
• Venture Beyond The Door
• Frequently Asked Questions

Experience the magic of Hobbiton Movie Set

Adult (18+ years) $120 | Youth (11-17 years) $60 | Children (0-10) FREE | NEW Family Pass (2x Adults + 2x Youth) $306 | NZ Gold Card $110

• duration: 2.5 hours

Selected weekend and weekday departures available.

Adult (18+ years) $230 | Youth (11-17 years) $177 | Children (5-10) $119 | Infant (0-4) FREE

• duration: 4.5 hours

Selected weekend departures available.

Adult (18+ years) $180 | Youth (11-17 years) $114 | Children (5-8) $64 | Infant (0-4) FREE*

• Duration: 3.5 hours

Escape the winter chill and warm up with a special feast in the Shire™ on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 July 2024

All bookings $290.00

• DURATION: 5 HOURS

The door has opened on a new adventure and we invite you to step inside and explore the humble home of a typical Hobbit™ family. 

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Explore Hobbiton™ Movie Set & Beyond

Getting to Hobbiton™ Movie Set

TEL: +64 7 888 1505

The Shire's Rest: 501 Buckland Road, Hinuera

Tours depart daily from The Shire's Rest and Matamata i-SITE

Tour Experiences

The Green Dragon™ Inn

The Shire's Rest™

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Trails of Middle Earth

The Lord of the Rings Sightseeing Experts/ NERDS!

Queenstown, New Zealand

Epic Adventures to the Real Middle Earth and Back Again

We’ll take you to the original film locations and put YOU in the scene while narrating humorous and intriguing tales from the time of filming. Join us for your personalised journey through the real Middle Earth.

Epic Scenery

Experience in person the panoramic wonders that were used to portray Middle Earth in the movies. From mountain ranges to green pastures and bush walks. Discover New Zealand at its best.

Knowledgeable Guides

Our superior knowledge and passion are unsurpassed. In fact we call ourselves “ NERDS ” because of our obsession with everything “Rings”. We will wow you with stories, anecdotes and a wealth of background information of all things Lord of the Rings.

Authentic Props

We have the largest range of authentic licensed replica props including swords, axes, daggers, helmets and much more. We also have copies of the original scripts and production call sheets, adding so much more depth to your Middle Earth experience!

An introduction to Lord of the Rings Tours

Half Day in Middle Earth

Join us for our captivating half-day Lord of the Rings tour. Travel to locations used for filming the Lord of the Rings trilogy around the Queenstown region. See and experience spectacular landscapes featured in the films.

Full Day in Middle Earth

Gift Voucher

Give your friends and family an experience they’ll never forget! Purchase one of our Tour gift vouchers for them to redeem at their convenience. They then have the flexibility to choose a date that suits their schedule.

Private Tour – Half Day in Middle Earth

Your very own personal half-day Lord of the Rings tour. Travel to locations used for filming the Lord of the Rings trilogy around the Queenstown region. See and experience spectacular landscapes featured in the films.

Private Tour – Full Day in Middle Earth

Your very own personal tour that combines our Half Day in Middle Earth tour with a second half day adventure that explores even more epic Middle Earth landscapes and film locations. A must-have experience for die-hard LOTR fans.

Phone +64-3-428 2192

[email protected]

Locally Family Owned & Operated

Trusted LOTR Experts Since 2005

Access to Exclusive Filming Locations

Epic movie locations.

Lord of the Rings Tours, Queenstown & Glenorchy

Journey with our expert guides deep into Middle Earth and explore unique Lord Of The Rings locations around Queenstown and Glenorchy.

Feel the LOTR trilogy come to life as you visit the jaw-dropping landscapes that inspired Peter Jackson’s film locations for The Lord Of The Rings movies & Hollywood blockbusters like X-men Origins, Wolverine & The Chronicles of Narnia.

You’ll be granted exclusive access to the awe inspiring scenery of Arcadia Station & Paradise, right in the heart of the Southern Lakes region.

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Lord of the Rings Scenic Tour

Journey deep into middle earth and explore lord of the rings locations from queenstown to glenorchy. on your lotr guided tour, you will discover breathtaking and iconic lotr scenery from isengard, amon hen, lothlorien forest, the misty mountains and ithilien.

Encounter stunning ancient beech forest, braided rivers and glacier carved valleys as you roam through UNESCO World Heritage Listed – Mt Aspiring National Park.

Explore the unique flora and fauna and get up close to birdlife and animals. Discover the staggering beauty of the Dart River Valley, Paradise and Arcadia Station.

Take the opportunity to dress up in Lord of the Rings costume in Lothlorien Forest. Come away with amazing photos and lasting memories from this unforgettable experience.

Tour Details

Morning or afternoon tea included.

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LORD OF THE RINGS TOUR INCLUSIONS

We are the only company with access to the actual filming locations on private land for; the hobbit, lord of the rings, x-men origins: wolverine and the chronicles of narnia: prince caspian. don’t miss out, book today .

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED

As a local family we take pride in each and every tour.

Light morning/ afternoon tea inc.

This is morning or afternoon tea normally around 10.15am or 3.30pm.

SMALL GROUPS IN COMFORT

Small personalised groups per guide / vehicle – our vehicles are 4WD with forward seats

AWESOME  VALUE

One of the very best value tours you’ll find.Adult $189 Child $99 (5-14yrs)

OPTIONAL COSTUME DRESS UP

Pretend you are a LOTR star, dress up in capes and re-enact sword play in Lothlorien forest.

INTERPRETATION BOOKLET

We have a booklet with our full commentary in both English and Chinese

ACCOMMODATION PICK UP

We pick up at some central Queenstown accommodation locations.

DEPARTS QUEENSTOWN

Our tour departs Queenstown at 8.00am and 1.30pm

Intimate Tour Groups

Travel in small intimate groups with our local guides, who have a real passion and knowledge of the area.

Take in the diverse landscape of ancient beech forest, braided rivers and glacier carved valleys. Explore the unique flora and fauna and get up close to New Zealand’s unique birdlife.

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World Heritage Park

Experience some of the world’s most spectacular scenery in the Mt Aspiring World Heritage Park and along NZ’s most scenic highway; the Glenorchy Road.

You will come away with the most breathtaking scenic photos and magical memories. We are one of the few tour companies approved by the Department of Conservation to enter the World Heritage Park.

LET US SHOW YOU

Exclusive access to film locations in Arcadia Station

That’s right… Middle Earth is right on our doorstep and we have exclusive access to its heart. Join us in exploring filming locations on private land for; The Hobbit, Lord Of The Rings, X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

Stories and secrets will be shared by our guides who have great insight into the filming and the local areas involved.

TAKE ME THERE!

Travellers’ Choice 2022

Pure Glenorchy have always received fantastic ratings on Tripadvisor, thanks to our enthusiastic customers and passionate tour guides.

This year we are delighted to have been awarded the Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award. Our Lord Of The Rings Tour was voted #8 in the Top Experiences category for the whole of New Zealand! The perfect reason to experience it for yourself…

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Pure Glenorchy – Pure New Zealand

Pure Glenorchy is one of the few companies to have DOC Concession and to be also Qualmark Silver Endorsed, meaning we deliver a genuine, constantly improving sustainable experience.

We are committed to keeping our environment pristine. We feel privileged to operate in such an untouched environment and adhere to strict environmental guidelines.

Explore the unique flora and fauna and get up close to birdlife and animals. Discover the absolute beauty of the Dart River Valley, Paradise and The Mt Aspiring National Park.

From Our Guests...

Talking to the guides joel and kate about the area, watching the dress up and having sword fights was my favourite part and the views were awesome – brilliant tour would have given it 7 stars if i could – thanks for the great time..

R Waugh, Tripadvisor

“Fantastic tour! Our guide picked us up from our hotel and made us feel at home immediately, James is a very entertaining guy full of heaps of info, enjoyed every moment with him. The tour and scenery is breathtaking it makes you remember parts of the movie and you can picture the scenes right where you’re standing. Dressing up in the costumes was great fun. Thank you James for a wonderful tour and for being a great host!”

Miranda, Australia

“Well worth the time. Our guides were well versed in the geography of the Lord of the Rings and were able to put what we saw into context. The natural beauty seen on the trip was an added bonus. 5 stars!”

Michael, TripAdvisor

“Thank you for taking our little group of six on an adventure. Being Lord of the Ring’s enthusiasts it was wonderful being part of where a lot of the scenes took place. As soon as I get home I am watching it again just knowing I was there. Loved getting dressed as Gandalf. Thank you for helping me personally as it was a little difficult for me to get around.”

Mary, Sydney

“Booked last minute with my partner and we had a GREAT time! Very knowledgable on LOTR and New Zealand landscape, culture etc. I recommend taking this tour even if you are not a huge LOTR fan since it is a smaller group, but the guides can answer any questions you have, so be ready to nerd out if you want to 🙂 ”

mnovasel, TripAdvisor

“Queenstown based tours are more heavenly than one can imagine. On the way to Glenorchy we come across the million dollar scene of the mountains and the blue water lake. You can spend a whole day photographing in Glenorchy. As we go to explore the various spots where Lord of the Rings was shot you get to reach Paradise too, a truely remarkable spot aptly named so. Overall experience was excellent.”

Aapen, India

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• Lord of the Rings Tours

Lord of the Rings Tours of New Zealand

Escorted, independent and self drive tours to middle earth.

The Lord of the Rings films were filmed by Peter Jackson using the spectacular backdrop of New Zealand's mystical scenery. Our escorted, independent and private group Lord of the Rings tours; and self drive Lord of the Rings Tours allow you to visit the breathtaking locations that make up Middle Earth and the LOTR. You can follow in the footsteps of Frodo, Sam and Gollum (Smeagol) and visit the Shire, Misty Mountains and Mount Doom. Though all the original sets and buildings have disappeared; you can relive the stunning back drop of New Zealand that is Middle Earth. For those with less time to explore Middle Earth we also have a great range of Lord of the Rings and Hobbiton day tours .

• 6-9 Day Self Drive
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Explore New Zealand & Middle Earth

Tailor-made lotr itineraries & packages.

When the movie makers decided that New Zealand was going to be the location for the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, no one really understood the impact this would have on tourism in New Zealand. The scenery and landscape were perfect - almost as if Tolkien had modelled his tales on this very country. Luckily many of the locations used are very accessible and in some cases scenes and locations recreated so that fans and followers can once again immerse themselves in the fantastic world created back in 1937.

The self drive itinerary examples below all travel through scenery and locations that were used in the movies. Activities and attractions such as Hobbiton, Weta Workshops, local 4WD tours to locations and much more can be built into our tailor-made packages. Every New Zealand experience we create is tailor-made to suit you. We have hundreds of accommodation options and iconic New Zealand locations and attractions that can be designed into the perfect itinerary. So take a look at our sample itineraries and then get in touch with us to chat about your ideal New Zealand & Lord of the Rings adventure.

A whirlwind adventure in the central North Island. Take a tour to Hobbiton, home of the Bilbo Baggins, explore a Maori village through song and dance. Then onto Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake for some jet boat thrills. New Zealand first national park. Waitomo is next and the amazing cave systems. Explore the glow worm cave and Aranui Cave before heading to Auckland city and your onward journey.

Bring the Lord of the Rings and Hobbiton to life with this 10 day tour of the key filming locations in the North Island. Highlights include Mt Doom and Mordor,  a visit to the living village of Hobbiton, and a behind the scenes tour of Weta Cave - the creative genius behind the movies, and in Waitomo, you'll head descend into a lost underground world.

You’ll enjoy visiting some of the filming locations for the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies including Hobbiton Village, Mt. Potts and Mt. Sunday which were transformed into Edoras and remarkable locations such as Forest of Lothlorien and the Ithilien Camp.

Explore the South Island and experience its role in creating Tolkien's Middle Earth. During your 2 week adventure you’ll explore a variety of landscapes from the films, including Beorn’s House, the Anduin River and the Misty Mountains to name a few.  With many guided tours, scenic flights and jet boat rides, this is a thrilling way to discover Middle Earth for yourself.

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Fine Tours New Zealand is part of the New Zealand Fine Touring Group of Businesses. We are proud members of Tourism Industry Aotearoa and The Tourism Export Council of New Zealand. We are also Qualmark Gold certified and all our team have completed the 100% Pure New Zealand specialist program.

Lord of the Rings 14-Day New Zealand Tour

Take a once-in-a-lifetime journey to middle-earth, travelling from auckland to queenstown via many exciting lord of the rings filming locations, movie studios, and adventures. you will also meet those involved in the making of the movies, and get off the beaten track into the breath-taking landscapes and natural attractions new zealand has to offer..

Along the way, there are opportunities to helicopter over and land on mountains used in the films, kayak in stunning film locations, visit wineries, tramp, skydive or 4-wheel drive into amazing locations. All within a small fellowship of like-minded travellers, led by our passionate  Lord of the Rings guides.

Hobbit , Lord of the Rings

• Public tour

From $ 4,166 per person

• Takapuna, Auckland
• Hobbiton Movie Set
• Hairy Feet Waitomo / Trollshaws Forest
• Tongariro National Park / Mordor
• Tawhai Falls / Gollum's Fishing Pool
• Mount Ruapehu / Secret Entrance to the Lonely Mountain
• Weta Workshop
• Wellington Town Belt / Get off the Road scene
• Pelorus River / Dwarfs Barrel Ride
• Jens Hansen, The Ringmaker
• Mount Sunday / Edoras
• Twizel / Pelennor Fields
• Lake Pukaki / Lake-town
• North Mavora Lake / Nen Hithoel (Breaking of the Fellowship)
• Bog Pine Paddock / Fangorn Forest
• Mavora / The Burnt Orc Mound
• Arrowtown / Gladden Fields
• Arrowtown / Ford of Bruinen
• Kawarau River / Pillars of the Kings
• Explore Bilbo's Shire!
• Climb the magnificent Edoras
• Visit the makers of the 'One Ring'
• Experience breathtaking Mordor
• Movie guest presentations
• Behind the scenes: Weta Workshop tour

Tour details

A NZ$ 500 per person deposit is required to confirm a booking. Deposits are non-refundable , but are transferable to another month should you need to alter your plans.

We strongly recommend you take out adequate travel insurance to cover personal accident, baggage, cancellation fees, delays or missed flights, sickness and medical expenses.

Meeting point

Auckland. You’ll get the exact meeting point on confirmation.

Tour departs

Click the “Book this tour” button to see the available tour dates.

Queenstown. You will need a domestic airfare from Queenstown to Auckland.

Live guide speaks

Max group size, tour operator.

Red Carpet Tours

Cancellation policy

45 days or more before start: full refund less NZ$ 500 per person (non-refundable deposit). 21 days or more before start: 75% refund . 11 days or more before start: 50% refund . After that time or no-show: no refund .

Accommodation Breakfast Entry fees Costumes & Props Professional live guide Transport and driver Free gift set

Optional activities International airfare

Film series

Full description, day 1: auckland.

The Lord of the Rings 14-Day New Zealand Tour begins in a central Auckland location in the evening, with a complimentary welcome dinner to get to know the other guests venturing to Middle-Earth with you. Visiting the tour during winter months will include a special movie guest presentation. The evening ends when you settle into your Auckland City hotel, with an early start beginning on Day 2.

Day 2: Auckland to Rotorua

Following a full cooked breakfast (provided from day 2 until day 14) guests will need to be ready for an 8:00 am departure, with transport taking the group to Hobbiton along the Rotorua route. You will see some fantastic scenery on the way to Hobbiton Movie Set . The stunning  Waikato  farming location provides unimaginable beauty, with fertile pastures, picturesque green countryside and a wealth of miniature village towns holding a heap of history behind them.

Once you arrive in  Hobbiton,  you will be able to explore the famous  Hobbit Village,  where the fantastic Middle-earth stories first came to life. Explore the  Hobbit Holes  which were dug into the sides of the hills in  The Shire , before paying a visit to Bag End , Bilbo Baggins’ home . You might also like to get an inside look at the  Green Dragon Inn  that  Frodo  and  Samwise  often visited with friends ,  and enjoy a cold beverage or two while you are there. Lunch is on us, which you can enjoy in the Marquee located next to the Green Dragon Inn.

The rest of the day is yours to explore Rotorua, so you might like to relax in the Polynesian spa or enjoy a Maori Cultural evening with dinner and a show (at an extra cost). Night 2 is in Rotorua accommodation.

Day 3: Rotorua to Trollshaw Forest

We depart for day 3 leaving Rotorua on a journey to the picturesque  Trollshaws which appeared in  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey ,  located just west of Rivendell. Here you’ll witness some breathtaking scenery featuring a wealth of beech trees, and the filming location where trolls roamed to terrorise any passers-by. Heading towards Mt. Ruapehu and the  Mordor  filming location, enjoy a complimentary lunch before an overnight visit of  Emyn Muil  and  Mt Doom  where the stars from the movies stayed.

Day 4: Ohakune to Wellington

The morning of Day four sets off with a visit to the location of Gollum’s fishing pool , where Andy Serkis almost met his demise plunging over a waterfall. We also visit the  Secret Entrance to Erebor  before Smaug destroyed it in the movie. We then depart for Wellywood, located in Wellington City. An optional visit to dine at The Green Parrot Restaurant which is well-know as being one of Viggo’s favourites. You will spend the next three nights in Wellington accommodation.

Day 5: Wellywood Day

Day five commences experiencing the movie capital of New Zealand in Miramar . Visit the Windows into Workshop tour to Marvel at the spectacular weapon and armour displays from the movies, purchase a souvenir and watch behind the scenes footage detailing the Weta company’s history. Experience the Wellywood location as a guided tour shows you some of the special effects used in some of the biggest movies ever. Experience the Weta Cave before heading to the Roxy Theatre for lunch on the house. The latter part of day 5 consists of visiting the filming location of the Get of the Road scene featured in The LOTR, offering stunning views of the city.

Day 6: Presentation day with Daniel Reeve

Day six of the Lord of the Rings 14-Day New Zealand Tour won’t involve as much travelling,  as we enjoy an extensive and interactive presentation from Daniel Reeve , The LOTR and The Hobbit Calligrapher and Cartographer. For those visiting during the winter months, day two will also include a presentation from an additional special movie guest. Following the performances, you’ll have ample time to explore the attractions nearby. You might like to visit the  Te Papa Museum , watching a movie at the  Special Embassy Theatre  or the stunning scenery around Wellington.

Day 7: Wellington to Nelson

After finishing breakfast on day seven, we depart the Northern area of the island and make our way to the Southern Island for the next part of the adventure. We’ll set sail from Wellington on the Inter-Island Ferry to the Southern island which takes around 3½ hours. Lunch will be served (included with the tour), and we’ll then head for Nelson City as our next destination. While travelling to the city, you might like to stop off to see the filming location of the famous scene where the Elves moved in barrels along the river. As an optional extra you might also like to get a closer look at this location taking a kayak down the river. The day ends with an inclusive stay at an accommodation in Nelson.

Day 8: Nelson Day

Day eight is yours to explore at your leisure. We’d highly recommend the famous helicopter ride which showcases the LOTR sites located South of Rivendell  (at an additional cost). The next step of the tour begins with heading back into Nelson City to meet the creators of the famous  One Ring . While there you’ll meet Halfdan Hansen, Jens Hansen’s son to marvel at his breathtaking Hobbit and LOTR jewellery. Night eight is in Nelson accommodation.

Day 9: Nelson to Christchurch

Day nine will commence with an early start following breakfast to head South towards the Kaikoura Coast . While on the route you’ll stop for a second breakfast (or lunch) to witness the beautiful fur seals having fun. Day nine boasts some fantastic photo opportunities, and you’ll also get to enjoy an RCT coach quiz. Finally, we depart for our next stop at Christchurch, where we spend the night before a busy day ahead.

Day 10: Edoras

With an early morning departure, we’ll embark for the filming location of  Edoras , set upon a hill in a valley of the White Mountains. Making our way up to the top of the area is where we find the site of the Golden Hall, and here is where we’ll fly our Rohan Banner. Afterwards, we experience Tekapo and Pukaki, the breathtaking mountain fed-lakes before witnessing the highest mountain in New Zealand – Mt. Cook. The evening will include an inclusive dinner while enjoying a presentation from a Hobbit-inspired special guest,  before settling into the Twizel accommodation.

Day 11: Pelennor Fields

The Lord of the Rings 14-Day New Zealand Tour day eleven kicks off with a visit to the Pelennor Fields , the location that’s known for the powerful sound of 250 horses charging after  King Théoden made his battle speech. After experiencing this location, we move on to the Lake-town filming location before sitting down for lunch in Omarama. Following lunch, you might like to try your hand at archery before unwinding in your accommodation in Cromwell.

Day 12: Arrowtown, Queenstown

Venturing deeper into Middle-earth, we visit a variety of LOTR filming locations at Mavora Lakes. Purchase a picnic lunch to take along as we explore  The calling up of Shadowfax, The Silverlode bridge, The Orc funeral pyre, and Fangorn Forest. Visit  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. You’ll have a wealth of astonishing scenery to take in here before being transported to Queenstown in the afternoon. Accommodation will continue in Queenstown for the remaining nights.

Day 13: Queenstown

Our next destination is in Arrowtown, and along the way, we take a route which follows the direction of a gold mining road, and we continue up the Arrow River. One of the highlights of Arrowtown is the filming location of where the  One Ring  dropped among the  Gladden fields . You might like to try bungy jumping (at an extra cost) before heading to the Elements Restaurant for an farewell dinner.

Day 14: Optional Activities

Day fourteen is all about you. After enjoying breakfast, you might like to experience some optional Lord of the Rings activities. Ride the Dart river jet which heads past LOTR and Hobbit sites, or perhaps a helicopter flight over the  Ford of Bruinen . You could enjoy a hot air balloon drive, or keep your feet on the ground with a Routeburn Track guided walk. If retail therapy is more appealing, then Queenstown shopping is the perfect treat. Your tour guide will be able to discuss all of the options available, and help with a booking should you wish.

Departure day

Waking up to the final breakfast of the Lord of the Rings 14-Day New Zealand Tour will see your Middle-Earth  journey coming to an end. As you depart from Queenstown, you will require a domestic airfare to return to Auckland, followed by an international flight for your journey home from Auckland.

Locations (19)

1. takapuna, auckland, 2. hobbiton movie set.

3. Hairy Feet Waitomo / Trollshaws Forest

Major filming locations from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey :

The Company arriving at a destroyed farmhouse The exit from the cave containing the troll hoard Gandalf bestowing the sword, “Sting” upon Bilbo Radagast arriving The Orcs and Wargs attacking

4. Tongariro National Park / Mordor

5. tawhai falls / gollum's fishing pool, 6. mount ruapehu / secret entrance to the lonely mountain, 7. weta workshop, 8. wellington town belt / get off the road scene, 9. pelorus river / dwarfs barrel ride, 10. jens hansen, the ringmaker, 11. mount sunday / edoras, 12. twizel / pelennor fields, 13. lake pukaki / lake-town, 14. north mavora lake / nen hithoel (breaking of the fellowship), 15. bog pine paddock / fangorn forest, 16. mavora / the burnt orc mound, 17. arrowtown / gladden fields, 18. arrowtown / ford of bruinen, 19. kawarau river / pillars of the kings, reviews (0).

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Glenorchy Lord of the Rings

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A Glenorchy 4WD safari packed with breathtaking Lord Of The Rings filming locations and thrilling 4WD action. Along this magical journey, we will travel along one of New Zealand’s most scenic drives. As a result, there are stunning vistas and panoramic views of the Southern Alps. As well as visiting the filming locations for Isengard we will also discover the Ithilien Camp, Lothlorien & Fanghorn forest, Battle of Amon Hen and many more. If your preferred date and time are unavailable, please feel free to contact us.

• See filming locations from LOTR, The Hobbit, X-men Origins: Wolverine, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and others
• Bring the films to life - dress up and take photos in our replica props
• Visit Paradise Forest - the Forest of Middle-earth

Tour Details

Adult $270   Child $135

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Home » All Guided Tours » 07 Day Lord of the Rings Guided Tour

07 Day Lord of the Rings Guided Tour

Guided tours includes.

  Nights

  4 Star

  Tour Guide

Private Driver

  Private Driver

Luxury Vehicle

  Luxury Vehicle

 Private Escort / Tour Guide-Driver & Private Mercedes Touring Vehicle  4-Star Accommodation 7 Nights (option to upgrade), 8 Days Touring  Included North Island Tours: • Waitomo Glowworm Caves Tour • Mt Doom Scenic Floatplane Flight • Hobbiton Movie Set Tour Included South Island Tours: • Queenstown, New Zealand Lord of the Rings Tour • Queenstown Jet Boat Tour + Isengard

Guided Tours Activities

Scenic Flight

  Scenic Flight

  Jet Boat

Glow Worm Caves

  Glow Worm Caves

Lord of the Rings

  Lord of the Rings

Hobbiton Movie Set

  Hobbiton Movie Set

Guided Tours Price

As our Guided Tour prices are split between travellers, pricing will vary depending on the number of travellers on the tour. Please make a tour enquiry to receive your personal quote.

*Please note USD pricing and conversions vary.

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If you’re short on time, this is the New Zealand Lord of the Rings Tour package you can’t miss. See the most iconic Lord of the Rings filming locations on both islands on this must do New Zealand guided holiday. Your private guide will meet you at the airport and take you on an insider’s tour of Middle-earth! Offering the best flexible New Zealand escorted tours with no date or itinerary restrictions.

Read on for the full details of the 7 Day Lord of the Rings Tour Package.

7 Day Lord of the Rings Guided Tour Package Itinerary (Updated 2023/24)

Day 1 auckland.

Your fantastic guided Lord of the Rings holiday begins in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland.

Auckland is a multi-cultural urban oasis of food, music, arts and culture. World-class shopping and phenomenal dining is never too far from harbours, islands, native bush and black-sand beaches.

Explore Auckland with your guide. The Auckland Museum is well worth a visit with internationally significant Māori and Pacific collections to explore.

If you would like to get straight into nature; skipper an America’s Cup Yacht or experience Whale Watching . Or visit top attractions such as the Sky Tower and Mt Eden’s volcanic crater.

In the evening the fairy lights of Federal Street will lure you into some of the finest restaurants in Auckland or head down to The Viaduct, a food and drinks hub in central Auckland.

Stay 1 night in Auckland.

Day 2 Waitomo Glowworm Caves Tour + Taupo

Travel time Auckland to Waitomo Caves – 2.5 hours

Venture off the beaten track as your guide takes you on a scenic drive to the Waitomo Caves. Witness the marvels of these vast caverns as you explore the Waitomo Glowworm Caves where you will be dazzled by a galaxy of glowworms overhead.

Travel time Waitomo Caves to Taupo – 2 hours 

Enjoy the scenic drive to Taupo, a small town set beside New Zealand’s largest lake. With the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park looming in the distance, and the lake itself formed from an ancient volcanic crater, you will get a close-up look at the immense forces that shaped New Zealand.

Taupo is rich in natural beauty with attractions such as the Huka Falls. Visit this stunning natural attraction with your guide.

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland is a real hidden gem. Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland is a spectacular showcase of New Zealand’s most colourful and unique geothermal elements.

Stay 1 night in Taupo.

Day 3 Mount Doom Scenic Flight + Rotorua

In the morning, lift-off high above Lake Taupo to soar around the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park. Fly over Mt Doom as you explore the craters and colourful volcanic lakes on a scenic floatplane flight.

Travel time Taupo to Rotorua – 1 hour

Your geothermal experience will continue as you enjoy the short drive to Rotorua. Tour the exciting geothermal attractions with your guide, visiting sulphur springs, mud pools, geysers, and sinter terraces.

In the afternoon, you have the option to visit Hell’s Gate Geothermal Reserve to soak in a relaxing sulphur spa. Other options include visiting the Redwoods Treewalk , which features 23 suspension bridges through 115-year-old redwood trees.

Top recommendations for the evening include a Maori Culture Experience inclusive of a Hangi Dinner (traditional Maori Earth Oven Dinner). Or taking the Skyline Gondola with a delicious dinner atop the Skyline Complex.

Stay 1 night in Rotorua.

Day 4 Hobbiton Movie Set Tour + Auckland

Travel time Rotorua to Matamata – 1 hour

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

Fall in love with the Alexander family sheep farm, just as acclaimed director Sir Peter Jackson did. Your guide will escort you around the set, pointing out famous locations and explaining how the movie was made.

You will be fully guided around the 12 acre set; past Hobbit Holes™, the Mill and into the world-famous Green Dragon™ Inn, where you will be presented with a complimentary, exclusive Hobbit™ Southfarthing™ beverage.

Travel time Matamata to Auckland – 2 h ours

Explore Auckland with your guide this evening. You may want to do a spot of shopping at the Britomart Shopping Precinct or discover Auckland’s diverse range of cuisine and check out the buzzing nightlife of the central city. Favourite spots include the Viaduct Harbour, the Britomart Precinct and Federal Street.

Day 5 Auckland > Queenstown

Today, take a domestic flight from Auckland to Queenstown. (Price of flight not included in holiday package, please enquire for indicative pricing.)

Queenstown sits on the shore of Lake Wakatipu among dramatic alpine ranges. Let Queenstown awaken your inner-explorer. Whether you’re interested in exploring Lord of the Rings Film Locations, indulging in food and wine, or seeking adrenaline thrills – there are adventures to be found here of all tastes and tempos.

Tour Queenstown with your guide in the afternoon, with the option to visit a winery or two in the Gibbston Valley of Vines, or ride the Skyline Gondola to the top of Bob’s Peak for panoramic views over Lake Wakatipu.

Or choose from any adventure activity on offer in Queenstown; bungy jumping, skydiving, paragliding, quad biking, zip lining and more. If you’re looking for a slightly slower pace there’s plenty of recreational activities like the Kiwi Birdlife Park, or spa and wellness options to help you truly feel worlds away.

Stay 3 nights in Queenstown.

Day 6 Queenstown, New Zealand Lord of the Rings Tour

Explore the Lord of the Rings filming locations around Queenstown today on a Safari of the Scenes 4WD tour.

The Queenstown tour takes you to see The Remarkables, which were used as the Misty Mountains. Travelling part way up Queenstown hill you get a birds-eye view onto Deer Park Heights, which was used for the refugees of Rohan and the Battle of the Wargs scenes. Travelling from The Queenstown hill viewpoint head to the Kawarau Gorge where the filming took place for the Argonath, or Pillars of the Kings.

Leaving the Kawarau Gorge the trip heads to Arrowtown where the loss of The One Ring at Gladden Fields was shot. Near Arrowtown, you will experience a true off-road adventure. Follow a historic gold mining road up the Arrow River, you will cross the river many times to get to the Ford of Bruinen. Indulge in morning tea and try gold panning. From Arrowtown, you will travel to the entrance of Skippers Canyon where you will be offered spectacular panoramic views of Queenstown and into Skippers Canyon.

In the afternoon, you have the option to add on a helicopter flight to see remote filming locations tucked in spectacular mountain valleys and ridges throughout the region, or to enjoy a steamship cruise and high country farm dinner with the TSS Earnslaw.

Day 7 Jet Boat Queenstown + Isengard

Bring your fantastic holiday to a close today with an unforgettable wilderness jet boat safari.

Your guide will drive you to the stunning township of Glenorchy, nestled at the head of Lake Wakatipu, stopping for views along the way. The jet boat safari continues past Glenorchy up the Dart River, which passes into the Paradise Valley (easily recognisable as Isengard). Stop for a nature walk through the forest used as Lothlorien, and marvel at the snow-capped mountain peaks and stunning turquoise river.

Relax and explore Glenorchy with your guide. Enjoy a forest walk, visit more filming locations (including the Ithilien Camp, the location of the Battle of Amon Hen, and the setting for Beorn’s house from The Hobbit).

Day 8 Depart Queenstown

Your guide will deliver you to Queenstown Airport for your departing flight.

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The lord of the rings - a musical tale is coming to new zealand.

Photo: Pamela Raith

Lord of the Rings - A Musical Tale will open at Auckland's Civic Theatre in November - but you'll need to go on a waitlist for tickets .

The journey to the magical realm of Middle-earth tells the story of The Lord of the Rings from the Hobbits' perspective. A bit of background - as the Hobbits celebrate Bilbo Baggins' eleventy-first birthday in the Shire, he gifts his nephew Frodo his most precious belonging - a gold ring.

This fateful moment launches Frodo on a legendary and perilous quest across Middle-earth to the darkest realms of Mordor, to vanquish evil with his loyal Fellowship.

The dynamic folk-inspired score is performed live by the company on stage, weaving together original music with storytelling.

The New Zealand premiere comes fresh off the 70th anniversary of the publication of The Fellowship of the Ring , the first book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which debuted in 1954.

The highly anticipated production first opened at the Watermill Theatre in the UK to rave reviews - The Guardian called it the "Greatest Show on Middle Earth".

It will open this month at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, in the US.

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The Lord of the Rings musical to open in New Zealand

The Watermill Theatre’s award-winning production is heading across the sea – twice!

The award-winning production of The Lord of the Rings — A Musical Tale will open in New Zealand.

Directed by Paul Hart, the production began life at the Watermill Theatre in England in the summer of 2023, where it received a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Regional Production.

Inspired by the novels by J R R Tolkien, the musical has book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus and music by A.R. Rahman, Värttinä, and Christopher Nightingale.

This musical adaptation was first performed at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto in 2006, which was followed by a run at the Drury Lane in London’s West End in 2007.

It will have its New Zealand premiere at the Civic in Auckland, where it will play for a limited season from 5 November 2024. Tickets will go on sale soon.

An American production is also due to run from 19 July to 1 September, and is due to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the publication of The Fellowship of the Ring , the first book in the  Lord of the Rings trilogy, which was published on 29 July 1954.

‘The greatest show on Middle-earth comes home to Middle-earth!” declared Fredrica Drotos today (though today in the UK is tomorrow in New Zealand, but hey ho. Drotos, Middle-earth Enterprises’ steward of brand and licensing, added: “We are very much looking forward to sharing the Hobbits’ epic re-telling with all our friends there; when The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale , premieres in Auckland, New Zealand this November.”

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The Lord of the Rings Tour - 10 day

Journey to Middle-earth!

Our 10 day The Lord of the Rings Tours will take you from the capital Wellington to New Zealand’s adventure capital Queenstown.

• Overview & highlights
• Inclusions & Add ons

Our 10-day The Lord of the Rings Tours will take you from the capital Wellington to New Zealand’s adventure capital Queenstown.

On the way, you’ll discover captivating scenery, visit unique filming locations, meet characters involved in the making of the films, and experience a whirlwind adventure through Middle-earth.

Along the way, there are opportunities for helicopter flights and landings on iconic mountains used in the films, blacksmithing workshops, kayaking down rivers in stunning The Lord of the Rings movie locations, bungee jumping, skydiving or 4-wheel drive tours to amazing and remote film locations. All within a small fellowship of like-minded travellers, led by our passionate Lord Of The Rings guides.

• Direct Bookings: Receive a Red Carpet Tours welcome pack.
• Climb the magnificent Edoras
• Special presentation and custom souvenirs from the LOTR and The Hobbit Calligrapher and map maker, Daniel Reeve!
• Behind-the-scenes Weta Workshop Tour and exclusive discounts for Red Carpet Tours passengers!
• Relax and enjoy a scenic cruise ( 3.5 hours ) between the North and South Islands
• Meet the makers of the 'One Ring'
• Experience the magnificent Laketown
• Charge across the Pelennor Fields
• Experience the beautiful Queenstown - the fun and adventure capital of New Zealand
• Visit beautiful Rohan country
• Kayak down the same river as the Dwarves in Barrels scene from The Hobbit
• Meet people involved with both The Lord Of The Rings & The Hobbit Trilogies!

Take a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Middle-earth.

2025 Tour Prices

Single NZ$ 7,300 (approx USD $4,385) 

Double: NZ$6,200 per person (2 people sharing a room)  (approx USD $3,730) 

Triple: NZ$6,200 per person (3 people sharing a room)  (approx USD $3,730) 

Please check a current exchange website for your currency.

Arrival Day

- Wellington

Check in at the Tour Hotel in Wellington at any time from 2 p.m. onwards and enjoy some free time in the city until you meet with your Tour Leader at 5.30pm. This evening you may like to dine at “The Green Parrot Restaurant” - said to be a favourite of Viggo’s. Accommodation: In Wellington city for the next 3 nights.

- Wellywood Day

Wellywood Day in New Zealand's movie capital! Extended Weta Workshop Tour, Weta Cave shopping and Weta Workshop hands on activities, The beautiful Roxy Theatre for lunch ~ included in the tour. Later today we check out the "Get off the road!" location from FOTR, overlooking the city. A full cooked Breakfast is included from Day 1 to 9.

- Presentation day with Daniel Reeve

Presentation day with LOTR / Hobbit Calligrapher Daniel Reeve, purchase custom souvenirs . Winter months a special movie guest is included as well. Later today is yours to explore Te Papa Museum / see a movie at the special Embassy Theatre / or visit other Wellington places of interest.

- Wellington to Nelson

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

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

- Kaikoura to Christchurch

An early start south via the very scenic Kaikoura Coast stopping along the way for second breakfast, lunch and to see the beautiful fur seals at play. A great photography day and our RCT coach quiz! We then travel on south to Christchurch. An early night tonight for a big day tomorrow. Accommodation: Christchurch

It's time to head for the site (remote magnificence) that is EDORAS! We trek to the top and fly our Rohan Banner on the site of the Golden Hall! Later we’ll view beautiful, mountain-fed lakes - Tekapo and Pukaki and see N.Z’s highest Mountain - Aoraki / Mt. Cook, over 12,500 ft high. Accommodation: Twizel (Buffet Dinner included tonight.) This is a great place to study the night sky - and see the Southern Cross. Special guest tonight is a local Hobbit inspired seamstress, you may like to buy your own cloak.

- Pelennor Fields & Laketown

We depart for 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 have a guided tour of the stunning Laketown film location and then Omarama for lunch. After lunch we make time to try your archery skills - perhaps we have a budding Bard or Tauriel amongst us? Afternoon tea at Mrs Jones's orchard, with amazing ice creams. Overnight - Cromwell.

- Cromwell to Queenstown

This morning there are opportunities to Bungy at the famous Kawarau AJ Hackett Bungy bridge. Keen to jump above the river Anduin? Then onto Queenstown to enjoy this beautiful location, here we have time to pay for our Sunday activities and buy some lunch to take with us tomorrow on our big locations day. Our last 3 nights are in picturesque Queenstown, many great restaurants to explore.

- Queenstown

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.

- Optional LOTR Activities

Devote today to optional activities! A guided walk on the Routeburn Track? -A Nomad Safari 4 Wheel drive half day tour ! - A relaxing Wine and Food Tour. Perhaps a cruise on Lake Wakatipu. -A parasail over the lake. -A coach & cruise trip to Milford Sound. --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.

Departure Day

- Thank you for travelling with us!

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

• Private Bus Transportation
• All Hotel accommodations during the Tour
• Welcome pack
• All private guiding
• Extended Weta Workshop Special activity day!
• 10 full cooked Breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 Dinners
• Department of Conservation fees
• Entry Fees to private The Lord of the Ring locations
• Inter-Island Ferry (3.5-hour scenic cruise ) Wellington - Picton
• Special movie guest presentations

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. 

2024 Dates - Fully Booked

NEW 2025 Dates - Fully Booked

2026 Dates Coming Soon...

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...

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...

Just returned as part of the February 2023 Fellowship with Red Carpet Tours and it was one of the best trips of my life. I've been wanting to do this for years and was worried my expectations might be too high, but it was amazing and I wish it didn't have to end! Love the family...

This was a trip of a lifetime. I honestly couldn’t imagine seeing Middle Earth any other way. Julie is amazing and truly cultivated an experience that I will treasure forever. If you’re thinking about booking this trip—just do it. I promise that you will have the time of your life.

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

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

I went solo and am a bit of an introvert, but Julie and the rest of the tour members made this an unforgettable experience and made me feel right at home. This was number one on my bucket list and it exceeded my expectations across the board. If you're contemplating booking this tour, just...

Everything about this tour was amazing! Our tour guide Julie is a true LOTR fan, and made sure everybody was looked after. The locations were well researched and meaningful. Even after the tour ended, Julie has kept in touch as we all went our separate ways and travelled home to various parts of...

Traveling New Zealand with RCT and Julie was amazing. It was the trip of a lifetime (but I hope to do it again!). It was very well put together and we got to see such amazing sites and do so many awesome things. I can't even name what my favorite part of the whole tour was because it was...

THE LORD OF THE RINGS - A MUSICAL TALE to Transfer to New Zealand This Fall

The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed in New Zealand.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater's upcoming production of The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale will transfer this fall to The Civic Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand, beginning November 5. Ever since the release of Peter Jackson ’s Oscar-winning The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, New Zealand has become the embodiment of Middle-earth, making the production’s journey to Auckland a homecoming for the story. This engagement follows a highly anticipated US premiere at CST this summer, directed by Paul Hart and running July 19‑September 1, 2024 in The Yard.

LATEST NEWS

“We’re thrilled that Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of The Lord of The Rings will continue its journey in Auckland,” said Artistic Director Edward Hall . “The Chicago-based ensemble that Paul and our team have put together promises to take us on an extraordinary adventure through Middle-earth, and we look forward to sharing their incredible work with audiences in New Zealand.”

Annie Dundas, Director Destination at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, shared, “This production not only celebrates our unique connection to Middle‑earth but also showcases Auckland as a vibrant hub for world-class theatre. We look forward to sharing this extraordinary experience with locals and visitors alike.” Glen Crighton, Acting Director Performing Arts at Auckland Live, continues, “I’m excited that The Civic will be hosting the Australasian premiere of The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale. The iconic status of Tolkien’s epic tale can’t be understated, and we look forward to welcoming local and international audiences alike into Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s own iconic venue to embark on what promises to be a remarkable theatrical experience.”

Based on J.R.R. Tolkien ’s beloved trilogy, with book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna (Maddie, La Cava) and Matthew Warchus (Groundhog Day) and original music by Academy Award winner A.R. Rahman (Bombay Dreams, Slumdog Millionaire), Finnish folk band Värttinä, and Tony Award winner Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical), this theatrical event celebrates community, courage, and camaraderie to create an unforgettable experience for longtime fans and newcomers alike.

“The greatest show on Middle‑earth comes home to Middle‑earth!” proclaimed Fredrica Drotos, of Middle-earth Enterprises. “We are very much looking forward to sharing the Hobbits’ epic re‑telling with all our friends there when The Lord of the Rings - A Musical Tale premieres in Auckland, New Zealand this November.”

As the Hobbits celebrate Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday in the Shire, he gifts his nephew Frodo his most precious belonging—a gold ring. This fateful moment launches Frodo on a legendary and perilous quest across Middle-earth to the darkest realms of Mordor, to vanquish evil with his loyal Fellowship. The folk‑inspired score is performed live by the company onstage, weaving together original music with storytelling. The US premiere this summer coincides with the 70th anniversary of the publication of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which debuted July 29, 1954.

“We are delighted to share Director Paul Hart’s imagining of The Lord of the Rings on stage with New Zealand audiences before it embarks on its journey to entertain audiences around the world,” said Kevin Wallace on behalf of the producers. “This production that originated in the English Shires, before its US premiere in Chicago, comes to Auckland where we invite New Zealand to join us for Bilbo Baggins’ Long‑expected Party.” 

The waitlist for Auckland tickets is now open at www.LOTRonstage.com . 

Recommended For You

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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

While Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron's new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard. While Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron's new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard. While Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron's new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard.

• Peter Jackson
• J.R.R. Tolkien
• Philippa Boyens
• Elijah Wood
• Ian McKellen
• Viggo Mortensen
• 2.7K User reviews
• 181 Critic reviews
• 87 Metascore
• 132 wins & 138 nominations total

• Man Flesh Uruk

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia The filming of the Helm's Deep sequences was so grueling and went on for so many months, that Jackson gave all the extras a free T-shirt to commemorate the experience. There were so many extras that they would often recognize each other other extras in New Zealand's main cities, by wearing the shirts. On the front of the shirt was the statement "I Survived Helm's Deep", with the letter M is struck out, indicating "hell" of the experience. Two versions existed. One was in black, with red printing on the back that read "Lord of the Rings Uruk-Hai Battalion", The other was in blue with silver printing on the back that read "The Lord of the Rings "Elf Regiment".
• Goofs Just as Ugluk and the troop of Uruk-Hai stop and Uruk asks, "What is it? What do you smell?" one of the Uruk-Hai fails to notice a bump in the terrain and goes sprawling to the floor.

Frodo : I can't do this, Sam.

Sam : I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo : What are we holding onto, Sam?

Sam : That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for.

• Crazy credits "Cute Rohan Refugee Children . . . . . . . . Billy Jackson and Katie Jackson" (Peter Jackson's son and daughter)
• Alternate versions In the US theatrical and DVD releases (both versions), the New Line Cinema logo at the beginning says "An AOL Time Warner Company" underneath it. For the US Blu Ray release (both versions), the logo has been changed to simply say "A TimeWarner Company" underneath it.
• Connections Edited from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
• Soundtracks Gollum's Song Performed by Emiliana Torrini Courtesy of Virgin Records America, Inc. Music by Howard Shore Lyrics by Fran Walsh

User reviews 2.7K

• Sep 27, 2020
• Is this movie based on a book?
• To what does "Two Towers" in the title refer?
• What's the music heard in the last half of the trailer?
• December 18, 2002 (United States)
• New Zealand
• United States
• New Line Cinema
• Official Facebook
• Old English
• The Two Towers
• Hinuera Valley, Matamata, Waikato, New Zealand
• WingNut Films
• The Saul Zaentz Company
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $94,000,000 (estimated)
• $345,518,923
• $62,007,528
• Dec 22, 2002
• $951,550,637

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 59 minutes
• Dolby Digital EX
• Dolby Atmos

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Classic New Zealand Lord of the Rings Adventure

Our Classic Lord of the Rings Adventure will see you embarking on an incredible journey through Middle Earth

While enjoying the stunning scenery of the diverse lands of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Explore Hobbiton, raft down the mighty Anduin, stay overnight at the foot of Mount Doom, fly up to South of Rivendell, visit the Lothlorien Forest and more! This trip is the most efficient way to see as much of New Zealand as possible in just over 2 weeks.

You can experience our Classic Lord of the Rings Tour as a self-driven or privately guided tour. If you’re comfortable navigating New Zealand’s terrain and prefer setting your own pace, a self-driven tour is perfect. But, if you want a personalised, tailored experience with local expertise, a privately guided tour is ideal. Everything we do is custom and bespoke to meet your needs and desires.

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Estimate is fine but the more detailed the better

Top attractions in this tour

Hobbiton Movie Set

Tongariro National Park

Abel Tasman National Park

The Lindis Pass

The Remarkables, Queenstown

The Pancake Rocks and Blowholes, Punakaiki

Your 16-day road trip itinerary.

Guided: Upon arrival at Auckland Airport, a private shuttle driver will take you to your accommodation in the city. The day and night are free to spend at your leisure and your guide will meet you tomorrow morning.

Self Drive: Upon arrival at Auckland Airport you will collect your rental vehicle within the airport terminal. Make your way to your inner city accommodation where the day and night are free to spend at your leisure and prepare for the adventure ahead.

Our recommendations for your time in Auckland: A walk up Mt Eden; a stunning viewpoint and one of Auckland’s most famous volcanic craters, a wander along the shops of vibrant Queen Street or a drink at the Viaduct Harbour. Perhaps also venture out to Muriwai Beach to visit a large Gannet colony on the seaside cliffs and experience the Kauri forests of the Waitakere Ranges (time permitting).

250km, 3.5 hours driving

Today you farewell the ‘City of Sails’ and head south to Rotorua; a hot spot for Māori culture and geothermal activity.

En route you will visit Hobbiton and The Shire’s Rest, the only remaining film set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies. You’ll also enjoy a buffet style feast in the festive marquee next to the Green Dragon!

Arrive in Rotorua in the late afternoon and perhaps explore Kuirau Park mud pool reserve and view the stunning government gardens and lakefront.

216km, 2 hours 45 minutes driving

Heading south and stopping at the mighty Huka Falls en route, you will reach Lake Taupō, New Zealand’s largest lake. Winding your way around Lake Taupō, you will eventually reach Tongariro National Park where you may wish to take a hike in the National Park itself. One of The Road Trip’s favourites is 2 hours long featuring native bush, volcanic views and stunning waterfalls. In clear weather there is a great opportunity to spot 3 of New Zealand’s most active volcanoes – Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngaurauhoe (also known as Mt Doom). There will be plenty of time to explore LOTR filming locations today before continuing on to Ohakune.

Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit filming locations that can be visited today:

Last Alliance Battle/Mordor

79km, 1 hour 10 minutes driving

Today you will drive to River Valley Lodge. Before leaving the Tongariro National Park, you may wish to enjoy a hike. One of The Road Trip’s favourites is 2 hours long featuring native bush, volcanic views and stunning waterfalls. In clear weather there is a great opportunity to spot New Zealand’s 3 most active volcanoes – Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngaurauhoe (also known as Mt Doom). There is lots to explore in this area and your trip guide will provide many options for beautiful short walks! From here you will have a relaxed drive to River Valley Lodge, deep in the wilderness of the central North Island!

Gollum’s Pool (Mangawhero Falls)

Today you will be taken on a full day scenic rafting trip down the Rangitikei River (grade 3 maximum rapids) which will see you drifting through dramatic landscapes which portrayed the stunning “River Anduin.” in the Lord of the Rings. This is not specifically a Lord of the Rings tour but is on the same river which filming was undertaken on and the scenery is breath-taking! This evening you will be staying overnight at River Valley Lodge. Enjoy a complimentary dinner at the lodge tonight.

If rafting isn’t your thing, you can instead explore River Valley by e-bike or horseback! We can provide several options.

Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit filming locations that will be visited today:

River Anduin (Rangitikei River – one of several rivers used for filming)

Please note that if you choose a guided tour, today will be a full day off as legally required for your driver/guide.

307km, 4 hours 10 minutes driving

You will leave River Valley Lodge and head for Taihape – The gumboot throwing capital of the world! Give gumboot throwing a go at their specially designed gumboot throwing lane! Further down the road you will enjoy the picturesque drive through Martinborough and neighbouring towns in the Wairarapa, famous for it’s wine production. Perhaps pop in to Poppie’s for a delightful wine tasting!

Next up, drive out to the Putangirua Pinnacles; a stunning yet unusual canyon like landscape surrounded by tall, thin pinnacle rock formations. Walk straight through the Pinnacles or take the walk up to the lookout and view this bizarre but beautiful landscape from above. These impressive weathered pillars of rock were used in the scenes for Dimholt Road where Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli search for the Army of the Undead in The Return of the King. Heading over the Remutaka Ranges, you arrive in Wellington in the afternoon to discover New Zealand’s capital city where you can explore some LOTR filming sites on your own.

Paths of the Dead 

Nazgul Hobbits Tree

Frodo Reading Tree

Today you will be taken on a full day Lord of the Rings tour with Capital Personalised Tours to see many filming locations in the greater Wellington area! Sites today include Dunharrow, the Outer Shire, parts of the Hutt River used to also portray The River Anduin, the Gardens of Isengard and the glorious Rivendell! You will also see where Helms Deep and Minas Tirith were filmed. Today’s tour also includes a tour through the Weta Cave at Weta Workshop where post production for LOTR and The Hobbit trilogies was completed.

Isengard Gardens

The Outer Shire

Minas Tirith

3.5 hour ferry ride + 180km, 2.5 hours driving

It’s time to journey over the Cook Strait and wave goodbye to the North Island today, as you sail toward the mainland of New Zealand; the South Island. The Northern coast of the South Island is simply beautiful and you will be able to take it all in as you sit back and relax on the ferry through the picturesque Marlborough Sounds. There is a possibility today of having lunch at a vineyard in the wine growing region of Marlborough (optional), before you make your way to the beautiful golden sands of the Abel Tasman National Park.

Abel Tasman is New Zealand’s smallest National Park and is famous for its golden beaches, turquoise waters, native bush and spectacular scenery. Today you’ll explore the best of this region with a stunning half day kayaking trip that covers part of a marine reserve. Board a cruise to Medlands Beach where you can relax, swim and explore, then cruise back to Kaiteriteri to kayak in the shelter of one of of New Zealand’s most popular bays. Observe the marine reserve’s playful inhabitants – dolphins, fur seals, penguins and sea birds.

The rest of the afternoon is free to spend at leisure.

You will also have the opportunity to head further North to see Chetwood Forest and other LOTR/The Hobbit filming locations as below!

Chetwood Forest

Anduin Grasslands and Beorn’s House

278 km, 4 hours driving

This morning you farewell the sunny North Coast and head southwest to the lush rainforest of the West Coast. En route you could enjoy a scenic helicopter flight to Mount Owen. Fly southwest before entering the Kahurangi National Park for a landing on Mt Owen. Filming was undertaken here for 10 days with the result being one of the most moving moments in the film.  It was here, distraught at the loss of Gandalf, the remaining members of the Fellowship escaped the mines of Moria and threw themselves to the ground in their grief (optional – talk to us about adding in this flight if you’d like to experience it).

Next up on the road you can explore Westport and Mangatini Falls on the Charming Creek Walkway (small detour). Next perhaps check out Cape Foulwind. Upon arrival in Punakaiki, you can explore the pancake rocks and blowholes situated right next to the village; a bizarre, rugged, rocky landscape which impresses thousands of visitors each year with its powerful forces of nature!

Moria East Gate/Dimrill Dale (Mount Owen) (Optional – can only be reached by helicopter)

281km, 3 hours 45 minutes driving

This morning you will detour 30 minutes North to Underworld Adventures in Charleston. Here they will kit you up for the trip of a lifetime through their glowworm caves. The journey starts with a trip on their rainforest train, a walk through the rainforest and a journey into their large limestone cave. Following this you will lie on a tube and drift under the light of thousands upon thousands of glow worms on the cave ceiling. This particular cave has more glowworms than any other cave in NZ and the experience is truly cathartic.

Driving South down the coast from Punakaiki, check out the stunning Hokitika Gorge with its beautiful bright blue waters and surrounding native forest. Arrive in Franz Josef Glacier this afternoon/evening, a beautiful village nestled at the base of the mighty Southern Alps.

Please note there is the option to do a glow worm cave tour (without rafting or getting wet!) if you would prefer.

The White Mountains (Ered Nimrais) from Gondor to Rohan 

350km, 5 hours driving

Today you will take a journey south through the beautiful towering mountains of the Haast Pass, as well as the huge gleaming blue waters of Lake Wānaka and Lake Hawea, toward New Zealand’s adventure capital; Queenstown. Along the way you’ll enjoy views of waterfalls and take in the sights and sounds of the centuries-old native forest.

Also along the way is the picturesque lakeside holiday town of Wānaka. Looking across the lake, you will see the backdrop used for Gandalf’s flight to Rohan with Gwaihir, after his rescue from Orthanc. You also have the option today of walking the Diamond Lake walking track to see this location up close.

Following this, conquer New Zealand’s highest altitude highway and possibly stop in at one of New Zealand’s oldest pubs; the Cardrona Hotel, for a drink. Make your descent down the mountain into Queenstown where you will be bombarded by familiar Lord of the Rings scenery, including the spectacular Remarkables Mountain Range, another of the unforgiving landscapes used to portray the journey through the slopes of Dimrill Dale.

Today you’ll enjoy a Glenorchy 4WD safari packed with breathtaking Lord Of The Rings filming locations and thrilling 4WD action. Along this magical journey, you will travel along one of New Zealand’s most scenic drives. As well as visiting the filming locations for Isengard you will also discover the Ithilien Camp, Lothlorien & Fanghorn forest, Battle of Amon Hen and many more.

After you return to Queenstown in the early afternoon, the rest of the day is free to spend as you wish.

263 km, 3 hours 15 minutes driving

You leave Central Otago today through the Kawarau Gorge and Cromwell where you can make a stop en route at a local fruit shop to try real fruit ice cream and perhaps sample New Zealand famous manuka honey products. From there, cross the Lindis Pass to the Mackenzie Country and travel alongside the stunning turquoise Lake Pukaki towards Aoraki/Mt Cook Village.

Spend the afternoon in Aoraki/Mount Cook Village, nestled in the Southern Alps. Here you can enjoy several nature walks in the national park such as the famous Hooker Valley track. Another option in summer months is boat ride on Tasman Lake around icebergs to the terminal face of the glacier!

Minas Tirith Mountains

*Please note that the Pelennor Fields (near Twizel – en route today) is no longer accessible as tours here no longer operate and the site is on private land.

357km, 4.5 hours driving

Today you head to our final destination on your epic journey through Middle Earth; Edoras! The filming location for Edoras is at the remote and beautiful Mt Potts High Country station, home of Mt Sunday. Hassle Free Tours will show you how this peaceful mountain was transformed into Edoras, the capital city of the Rohan people in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Immerse yourself in the natural, unspoilt beauty of this breathtaking area with its sparkling clear lakes, glistening blue rivers and fresh, crisp mountain air.

Following this tour, you will travel to Christchurch.

Helms Deep Mountains

Today you will transfer to your onward travel arrangements. We trust that you have enjoyed your epic journey through Middle Earth with us!

Onward flight is not included.

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RELATED CATEGORIES

'Rings of Power' Season 2 Is All About the Villains

• Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the Second Age of Middle-earth, revealing the origin of the powerful rings and diverse characters.
• In this interview, Cynthia Addai-Robinson discusses the challenges her character, Mriel, will face in Season 2.
• Addai-Robinsons also talks about how Season 2 delves into darker themes and the villain's journey, highlighting Mriel's struggles and hope for the future.

Adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien 's beloved fantasy series, The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power brings the Second Age dwellers of Middle-earth to the screen for the first time. Set thousands of years before Frodo Baggins and co., Rings of Power provides the origin story of the powerful rings at the center of Tolkien's famed adventures, intertwining Elves, Dwarves, and Man.

As the Queen-regent of Númenor, Cynthia Addai-Robinson 's Míriel made major sacrifices in Season 1. Leading her people into a losing battle, Míriel had no choice but to retreat home after losing her father, King Tar-Palantir, in the season finale. That wasn't her only defeat — Míriel's premonitory visions have always provided her valuable foresight, but her recent blindness threatens to keep her in the dark. In addition to Addai-Robinson, the series also stars Morfydd Clark , Charlie Vickers , Ismael Cruz Córdova , Robert Aramayo , and Daniel Weyman .

When Season 2 returns to Amazon on August 29, Addai-Robinson will be back as the reigning leader of Númenoreans, seeking vengeance while defending her people and their island from Sauron and the other villains of Middle-earth. Last year, when The Rings of Power Season 2 was filming in England, Collider's Steve Weintraub and a few other reporters got to visit the production. During a group interview, Addai-Robinson discussed Míriel's Season 2 journey, filming in Tolkien's U.K., performing her own stunts, and more.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Epic drama set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.

Release Date September 1, 2022

Cast Markella Kavenagh, Owain Arthur, Ema Horvath, Lenny Henry, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Nazanin Boniadi, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Robert Aramayo, Morfydd Clark, Joseph Mawle, Peter Mullan, Benjamin Walker

Main Genre Fantasy

Rating TV-14

Studio Amazon

Franchise The Lord of The Rings

Characters By J.R.R. Tolkien

Story By J.R.R. Tolkien

Have you started shooting yet?

CYNTHIA ADDAI-ROBINSON: The production has been filming, and I have been filming since, I believe, October 2022 is when we went back into production after launching the first season after our press tour. We started production here in the U.K., our first time only here. We continue to film up to the minute.

Is there any time jump between the first season and the second season?

ADDAI-ROBINSON: I don't know if I would say there's a time jump in some significant sense, but obviously when we left things off at the end of Season 1, you've had two major things that we would introduce in Season 2. So we've got the forging of the rings — obviously a major moment, major event, and there are implications for now that these rings have been forged, how they play into the storyline in Season 2. Obviously, our lovely Charlie Vickers is being revealed as the one and only Sauron, and now we're gonna really track Sauron and all of his adventures, or misadventures, in Middle-earth through the second season.

Really, in the first season, you think of the hero's journey, and we have, obviously, many heroes in their various parts of the world and different storylines. Season 2, I call it the villain's journey. So really, we're looking at not just Sauron's journey and his plans and manipulations in this part of the story, but just that tracking of the influence of the rings and also different characters' journeys through the darkness — I'll say that very vaguely — and just corruption, betrayal, and all of these darker themes and a slightly darker tone in general for the second season overall.

There are so many things happening on the grand scale in Middle-earth, but your character has so many large things just happening very specifically in her world — like you're blind now. How did that change your approach in Season 2?

ADDAI-ROBINSON: As you say, Míriel, specifically within Númenor, when we last leave her, she not only is blind, but she is returning to Númenor in defeat, and the end note for her storyline in Season 1 is essentially the flags at proverbial half-mast to signify the king's death, her father's death. So that's quite a lot in the first season and sets the story for Season 2 for Míriel and Númenor in general.

In our part of the world, the political ramifications and the divisions in society that we started to see in Season 1 are only exacerbated in Season 2, and really, where Míriel is starting from in the second season is in a place of deep loss and Númenorian society's reaction to all the events from Season 1 and the essentially losing battle that occurred and people's feelings around that.

Cynthia Addai-Robinson Addresses Mriel's 'Place of Deep Loss'

At the end of Season 1, the king revealed the palantír. How does that play into Season 2?

ADDAI-ROBINSON: You really saw a throughline for Míriel and the visions within the palantír that the king had seen, that Míriel had been seeing, and what she eventually then showed to Galadriel. So, this throughline vision is a sense of Númenor's fate — we will definitely see the continuation of that track through Season 2. People who are familiar with Númenor and the legend of that story, which is essentially Tolkien's take on Atlantis, things are not necessarily looking good in the grand scheme of things for Númenor. And certainly, it continues to weigh on Míriel's mind in terms of her next steps.

When we start Season 1, because the king has passed, the implication there is what happens to Queen Regent Míriel, and what is her journey through her father's passing, the king's passing? So, without getting too into the spoilers and the details, there definitely is the unfolding of what progresses when the king passes away.

Mriel Must Lean on Other Senses in Season 2

Whenever we lose one of our senses, there's another sense that is heightened. So, in Season 2, will we see another sense that Míriel develops that's heightened?

ADDAI-ROBINSON: I was told early on last season that this literal and allegorical blindness was gonna play a part throughout. What was interesting for me is trying to figure out for Míriel how she could consider it almost as an asset that the loss of her sight was potentially an opportunity to kind of have a heightened awareness using her other senses and abilities — and not just for herself, but also now with her relationship to Elendil. He's essentially, I'll say, her eyes and ears, but they both have something to teach the other.

It was always gonna be something interesting for me, knowing that there was this blind element to the character. I wondered to myself, "OK, well, how does that play through into Season 2?" Because, aside from that aspect of the character, myself, as the actor having to represent that and play that, I knew it was gonna be an interesting challenge, and I wanted to continue to make sure that it wasn't going to come across in any way that felt weak or diminishing; that this was about tapping into the, the strength of the character who, despite this setback, still has the qualities of leadership and the desire to lead her people and is gonna have to do it through this challenging situation.

With both huge pivotal losses that happen in Míriel's life and all the betrayals that we see coming in Season 2, non-specifically, does that help bring Galadriel and Míriel closer, or does it drive a huge wedge between their already tumultuous relationship?

ADDAI-ROBINSON: It'll be interesting to see. To kind of refresh, the fact that upon Galadriel's arrival, Númenorians hadn't seen an Elf. People had very strong feelings about an Elf showing up and also having influence over the queen's decision-making, and ultimately, that sense was the catalyst for Míriel taking Númenorians into battle and losing. So, there's still a lot of strong feelings about that. And, again, we'll see in Season 2 how, in Númenorian society, that division continues to deepen. And in terms of how that plays out between Galadriel, I would say you just have to watch and find out.

How Audience Response to The Rings of Power Shaped Season 2 of the Lord of the Rings Prequel

J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay explain the lessons they've learned ahead of making Season 2.

Your character was so determined to come back and fight. Suffering defeat, she goes home. How much are the regular people ready to go into battle? And is that one of the divisive things where a lot of people are like, "Why are we gonna go fight this? Why don't we just stay here?"

ADDAI-ROBINSON: What was interesting in terms of the division in society in Season 1, and arguably, I'll say two factions, was there were people who lean toward maintaining Elven tradition and not seeing it as an existential threat the fact that an Elf would show up, or that that would make people feel a certain way. There are a lot of people who want to hold on to that; they don't want to lose sight of their origins, as it were. Then, you have another segment of society that is ready to leave that behind. When you think of Elven tradition or magic, or almost the equivalent of witchcraft, that is viewed as this negative thing, and the way forward is really to lean into and focus on modernization, Man, and "leaving that Elven stuff behind," so to speak. And, again, you'll see this hardening of those two ideas happen on the back of this return from defeat, that ultimately, Númenorians lost a lot in this battle, and that battle was really motivated by Galadriel's plea to Míriel in the first place. So, I think a lot of people will not forget that fact.

Season 2 of 'Rings of Power' Gets Dark

We're told that this is a darker season in Season 2. How does that impact Queen Míriel's decisions?

ADDAI-ROBINSON: I think what's always interesting to me, just in general, about Tolkien and his works, or any really good dramatic work, is the yin and the yang. So, you have darkness, but you have this counterbalance of light, and people at least trying to work their way to the light, work their way to something hopeful. If you're going to be battling and fighting, what is it ultimately for?

So, I would say that despite the fact that this does take a darker tone, there are still gonna be those elements that speak to hope and light and even levity because, obviously, people want to still have those moments of pause amongst the relentless push of darkness. Without getting into specifics, even though things are taking a dark turn, when I think about it, if cynicism sets in, then all is lost. People still need a reason to feel like the fight is worth fighting and that circumstances could be changed. So I would say that very generally, but I do think it applies in general to a story like this, that you have to feel like there's a light at the end of the tunnel, that there's hope that the fight can be ultimately won. Because at this point, Season 1 was a time of peace. Now evil has emerged, and how are all of these characters trying to fight against that, essentially?

Specifically for your character, how do you find that balance of the remembering of the light?

ADDAI-ROBINSON: When I think about it just as myself, as a person, as a human being, I think cynicism is a very sinister, sneaky thing, and sometimes you can even catch yourself in that moment, and it's about returning again to things that sometimes can feel very earnest. Arguably, you could even say we're in a bit of a cynical time in society, and so to try to counter that with a different narrative at times can feel naive, earnest, old-fashioned. But there's a reason why certainly this story over many, many many years has continued to endure.

My take personally is that I think you're always trying to find the best in people and hope that people have good intentions of fighting the good fight. Maybe that's kind of corny, but that speaks to me personally. This story endures because, ultimately, that's one of many themes that you don't wanna just let evil win because people decided to be complacent or turn fully cynical; that this is a fight worth fighting for, to know that evil doesn't have to win the day ultimately.

I want to compare and contrast filming in England to filming in New Zealand.

ADDAI-ROBINSON: As you said, in Season 2 we're now in the U.K. We're utilizing, essentially, the landscape of Tolkien. He spent quite a bit of time here. A lot of his references to certain fictional lands are based on landscapes in England and the rest of the U.K. as well. Really, it's taking advantage of that, taking advantage of the proximity of being in the U.K. to other locations we're portraying in addition to the lands that we've shown in the first season. We're portraying a few other new landscapes, and so we've had the benefit of being geographically in proximity to, speaking again, very, very generally to some very specific landscapes that you will see in the second season.

Filming Season 1 in New Zealand — which obviously New Zealand is so strongly affiliated with Middle-earth as well — for me, it was a place that I've worked in before that I have a deep love for, and love that it really set the tone and set the look and feel of the first season. So it's exciting to continue and move to another place. We also have a lot of new crew in addition to some of our returning crew that worked with us back in New Zealand. With any show, there's always gonna be an evolution in trying to utilize the aspects that are new to your advantage, so I think you'll see all of those things on screen as well.

So we spoke to the stunt coordinator, and I'm still surprised to know that all of the principal cast do all of their own stunts. Did you participate in a lot more stunts this season than last season? Can you kind of walk us through what your experience is so far filming stunts?

ADDAI-ROBINSON: I definitely can't get into any specifics. What's great about working on a show like this is there are all these different skill sets, things that you hope that you get to do, or you never thought you'd do. Maybe you're on a horse. I'm a city girl, so the idea of riding a horse, even, is a big deal to me. And in Season 1, with our wonderful stunt department in New Zealand, we had these almost like a kind of summer camp of horse riding and sword fighting and tumbling or whatever was specific to you in your world. So, we're just continuing that into the second season. As for me specifically, if I said much more, it would give some things away, so I'll just leave it at that.

Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power is set to premiere on Amazon Prime on August 29, 2024.

Watch on Prime

Middle Earth Discovered

Embark on a journey of Middle Earth and New Zealand. Visit official sites used in the filming of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies, whilst visiting some of New Zealand's most stunning attractions including glowworm caves, active geysers, dramatic mountains and deep fiords.

Independent tour (bus & coach)

This suggested tour costs from NZD$4,575 per person (twin share, low season)

Starts in Auckland, finishes in Christchurch

8 days/7 nights

Hotel 4 star

  Customisable? YES

  Viewed 1186 times in the last 7 days

Tour Inclusions

At a glance - Middle Earth Discovered

Day 1 : Auckland to Rotorua via Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Accommodation: Millennium Hotel Rotorua

Day 2 : Cultural evening at Te Pa Tu Accommodation: Millennium Hotel Rotorua

Day 3 : Rotorua to Wellington, the coolest little capital in the world Accommodation: Copthorne Hotel Wellington Oriental Bay

Day 4 : A full day Lord of The Rings focussed tour Accommodation: Copthorne Hotel Wellington Oriental Bay

Day 5 : Today you fly to Queenstown Accommodation: Millennium Hotel Queenstown

Day 6 : Full day tour into Milford Sound including cruise Accommodation: Millennium Hotel Queenstown

Day 7 : Take a 4WD LOTR safari than free time in Queenstown Accommodation: Millennium Hotel Queenstown

Day 8 : Queenstown to Christchurch

Travel from Auckland to Hobbiton and the Waitomo Caves on your way to Rotorua. Become immersed in The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit films when you visit the actual Hobbiton movie set. On this 2.5 hour tour you will be taken through Hobbit Holes, The Green Dragon Inn where you will enjoy a complimentary drink, The Mill and the Party Tree while your guide shares behind-the-scenes tales and fascinating insight into the making of the films. At Waitomo, explore a 30 million year old cave network spread across three levels. You'll travel deep underground through the limestone caves viewing stalactites and stalagmites as well as hearing about the cave's historical and geological significance. You'll then hop into a boat and glide silently through the glow worm grotto - a galaxy of tiny living lights. Your included lunch is at 'The Homestead'. From Waitomo, you'll head to Rotorua, your destination for the day.

Luxuriate your senses in a Restorative Journey (Wai Whakaora), a carefully thought-out therapeutic pilgrimage experience as you undertake the benefits...

Luxuriate your senses in a Restorative Journey (Wai Whakaora), a carefully thought-out therapeutic pilgrimage experience as you undertake the benefits of the natural environment by drawing on the Ngāti Whakaue practices and culture. Throughout the journey, your senses will be awoken through the hot and cold experiences. Begin the session under the waterfall - cleansing your body, before immersing in the Te Ahi Tupua- a sequence of hot and colds. Moving onto the Geothermal pool- relax in the water drawn from the Rachel Spring. Moving on immerse your body in a cold plunge- this will loosen your muscles and decrease inflammation. The final stage of the restorative journey is the Kohu Wai Arik steam room, heated stones allowing you to relax and reflect on the journey you have undertaken.

Your accommodation: Millennium Hotel Rotorua

This 30 minute highlights tour is a rare opportunity to spend time with New Zealand Jade artists. New Zealand Jade known as Greenstone, but more commonly known in New Zealand as Pounamu has a rich history within Maori culture. The expert guide will show you the intricate process of Pounamu carving first hand in the Mountain Jade studio. The local artist will be there to personally demonstrate the carving process and share their stories and knowledge with you. To top off the tour, you will get to select your very own piece of Pounamu and learn to string it yourself so you can take it home.

New Zealand’s Most Awarded Cultural Attraction, presenting Te Pā Tū. Feast on song, drama, tradition, and divine seasonal kai (cuisine) within the forest Pā (village) blanketed by towering Tawa trees, blazing bonfires, and a forest-formed amphitheatre. Te Pā Tū shares Māori history, traditions, and cultural aspirations across 4-hours of celebration and feasting. These events change with each season of the maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar.

You will be collected from your accommodation and transferred to Rotorua Intercity Coach Depot.

Your coach journey from Rotorua to Wellington takes you via the township of Taupō and New Zealand's largest lake. The lake itself is actually a gigantic volcanic caldera formed during one of the worlds largest ever eruptions. Skirting Tongariro National Park, one of New Zealand's three world heritage sites and clouds permitting you can see the 2,500 metre peak of the still volcanically active Mt. Ruapehu. You might recognise the symmetrical shape of Mt. Ngauruhoe as this was used as the scenery of Mt. Doom in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Heading south you pass through the rural towns of Taihape, Mangaweka and Bulls before arriving on the Kapiti Coast, with its coastal seaside towns of Paraparaumu, Paekakariki and Plimmerton. The Kapiti Coast leads into Wellington, New Zealand's capital. Wellington sits on a wonderful deep natural harbour and is surrounded by bush clad hills. The city centre itself is quite compact (only around 1 square kilometre), so exploring on foot is relatively easy. From your city centre accommodation you can easily stroll the cafes and restaurants around Courtenay Place and explore New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa, which is also close by.

You will be met on arrival into Wellington train station and transferred to your hotel.

Your accommodation: Copthorne Hotel Wellington Oriental Bay

With some of the best Lord of the Rings tours Wellington has to offer, you will not be disappointed on this tour. You'll visit local filming locations, view a short documentary showing the filmmaking exploits of Peter Jackson and his remarkable team and be guided through the sights and sounds of the Weta Workshop in Miramar. This is followed by a fascinating 'Window into the workshop' exhibition, showing film props and weaponry, with the artists themselves describing how the artefacts were created. After a local lunch, head north into the Hutt Valley following the 'River Anduin' and take in the sights of 'Helms Deep', before stopping at the 'Gardens of Isengard'. Your final destination is 'Rivendell and the Legolas tree' before returning to Wellywood.

You will be collected from your Wellington hotel and transferred to the airport.

On arrival you will be met by a private driver and delivered to your Queenstown accommodation.

Although celebrated as New Zealand's ‘adventure capital’ Queenstown offers far more than a fast-paced action-packed holiday. Settled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu beneath a soaring panorama of the Remarkables Mountain Range, this alpine town is surrounded by a plethora of historic, gastronomic and scenic wonders. Head down the Gibbston Valley wine trail to sample some of the region’s best Pinot or catch a ride on the 100 year old Steamship - the TSS Earnslaw -  to Walter Peak Station for dinner and a farm tour. Browse the waterfront cafes and have lunch at Michelin star chef Josh Emett's ‘Rata.’ Check out nearby historic Arrowtown and enhance your experience with a four wheel drive trip to Macetown. Take a leisurely lakeside stroll or ride the gondola for breathtaking views. Drive through Lord Of The Rings country - or for the really fanatic, jump aboard one of many dedicated LOTR tours. If you do really want the adrenaline rush Queenstown is known for, take your pick from the Shotover Jet , Bungy , Canyon Swing , Zipline , Luge or Heli-ski . Finally, if you're lucky enough to visit in winter (July-September) there are four ski resorts close by. You can head up to Coronet Peak and the Remarkables close to Queenstown, or head to Wanaka for Cardrona and Treble Cone .

Your accommodation: Millennium Hotel Queenstown

Return luxury coach transport from Queenstown to Milford Sound, with a 1 hour 40 minute Cruise along the full length of the fiord. On boarding a Real Journeys luxury glass-roofed coach in Queenstown or Te Anau, you will enjoy a relaxing trip along the shores of Lake Wakatipu and through the rolling countryside to Te Anau. The coach driver provides an informative commentary. After a morning tea break in Te Anau, where you have the option of purchasing refreshments, the coach continues along the spectacular Milford Road. There is time for photo stops and short walks along the way. On reaching Milford Sound, you board the modern, spacious vessel for a leisurely cruise in the fiord. The cruise provides excellent viewing opportunities and plenty of time is available to enjoy waterfalls, rainforest, mountains and the wildlife. During the cruise your friendly crew provide commentaries in several languages and point out the sights such as Mitre Peak and the Pembroke Glacier.

For those keen on Lord Of The Rings this is the tour for you. Go on a scenic adventure through some of the iconic locations used in the filming. Although none of the sets are left behind, the landscapes will be instantly recognisable. Follow the shores of Lake Wakatipu to the small town of Glenorchy and enjoy the spectacular views of the Remarkables Range as you drive. From Glenorchy you'll head into the beech forests of Paradise, located on the outskirts of Mount Aspiring National Park - before heading up the dart valley and back. Film locations you'll see include Isengard, Lothlorien, Ithilien Camp and the Seat of Seeing.

The Queenstown Gardens are just a few minutes walk from central Queenstown and offer a beautiful and tranquil setting away from the hustle and bustle. The landscaped gardens include plenty of places to sit down and admire the beauty of the gardens. Pristine lawns, a large water feature, a wide variety of trees and plants, a rose garden and a couple of significant memorials all combine to provide that perfect escape from downtown Queenstown. The gardens are a popular place to take a picnic, relax with friends and family and enjoy the views of Lake Wakatipu. The most visible tree is the Douglas Fir which provides a protective cover around the gardens and seclusion from the lively downtown area of Queenstown. The gardens are also a popular place for enthusiasts of disc golf where 18 holes are laid out for you to complete a round of 'golf' with your disc. Metal baskets act as the holes with 'pars' offered for each hole and tees adding to the experience. Frisbees can easily be purchased from most outdoor shops in the town centre.

Queenstown is well known for its adventure sports and activities but it also a great network of walking tracks and trails to suit all abilities and time frames. The department of conservation office located on Shotover Street can offer local advice on the conditions of walking tracks. Some of the more popular walks are listed below. Queenstown Hill - around 3 hours return (4 kilometres). Gravel path and then trail. A 500 metre climb through pine forest to the summit of Te Tapu-nui (mountain of intense sacredness). The climb is well rewarded with 360 degree views of Remarkables Mountain Range, the Kawarau River, Cecil Peak, and of course Lake Wakatipu. The track starts on Belfast Terrace which is just 1 km from the city centre. Ben Lomond - around 2 hours (4 1/2 kms return). Take the Skyline Gondola ride to the terminal and the track is signposted from here. This is quite a steep climb and not recommended for children. Also take note of weather forecasts as the summit sits at 1748 metres. The effort is rewarded with spectacular views and on clear days you can see Mt Earnslaw and Mt Aspiring. Bobs Cove - 20 minutes of easy lakeshore walks. Bobs Cove is 14 kilometres from Queenstown along the Glenorchy Road. Take the drive along the road and Bobs Cove is signposted.

This small group, fully-guided day trip combines all of the key highlights in the area with magnificent views of the famous Lake Tekapo, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park and Tasman Glacier. The ultimate way to get from Queenstown to Christchurch. Led by famously passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life by sharing their stories and rich background knowledge and run in modern, comfortable minibuses packed with extras ensuring your comfort and safety.

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Den of Geek

The Rings of Power Season 2: First Look at the Drama and Betrayals Coming to Numenor

The cast and crew of The Rings of Power walk us through all the high drama and court intrigue we should expect from Numenor in season two.

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Last year we went on a flying visit to Middle-earth, otherwise known as the set of Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two. Beyond learning about the epic Second Age battles to come between Elves and Orcs, we also had a chance to set sail across the Great Sea to the island of Númenor where darkness grows in the kingdom of Men after the death of King Tar-Palantir. During our tour, we learned a few things about the power struggles, drama, and betrayals to come.

The first season was shot in New Zealand, but production shifted to primarily to the UK for season two—with a bit of help from hotter places, including Tenerife for the desert scenes in the land of Rhun, where the Stranger and Nori will be spending most of their time. But although many of the behind the scenes crew have newly joined the show for season two, their overall commitment to creating a spectacularly rich environment hasn’t changed. And the same beauty that marked out season one can be seen most clearly when we visit the show’s fanciest set, the royal court of Númenor.

Stepping into the royal court at Númenor feels like stepping into a church or a temple from the Roman Empire. The entrance is flanked by pools of real water—shallower that they were in season one, according to actor Trystan Gravelle (Pharazôn), because some people fell in. Step through the arched entrance and you find yourself in a huge, round space, with raised areas all around the edges and the throne of the kingdom looming up in front of you. Lines of gold paneling rise up around the walls and everywhere is richly decorated. The feeling of being completely immersed in Middle-earth is only broken if you tilt your head back to look directly at the ceiling, which is of course a black hole filled with studio lights.

It’s a very appropriate look for Tolkien’s Númenor. Although the island kingdom is inspired by the Greek myth of Atlantis, the story of the fall of Númenor is more about Imperial Roman-style politicking in the court, something we will see more of this year. Showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne promise that season two in Númenor will bring “a civil war and a battle of ideologies.”

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As Gravelle puts it, “not only have the Númenoreans lost the [battle] that they went over [to fight] with an expeditionary force, but they’ve been embarrassed as well in that the Queen Regent has lost her sight.”

Cynthia Addai-Robinson, who plays Queen Regent Míriel, adds that with increasing civil strife in the kingdom, “there’s a, no pun intended, real sea change because there’s these two directions in which society can go. The time of relative peace is over and things are shifting.”

While Míriel is the rightful heir to the throne of Númenor, fans of J.R.R. Tolkien ‘s books know that the question of succession is a much more complicated one than it would appear, especially when other parties scheme to take the kingdom of Men in a different direction. That power struggle will eventually lead to some very dark days for Númenor. We’re speculating here, but it’s probably safe to expect quite a bit of court intrigue in season two.

As far as the stage where part of the succession drama will unfold, the throne room will look mostly as it did in the first season, as the whole set was shipped over from New Zealand. But there are some small changes to look out for. Most of them won’t be visible on screen, and Addai-Robinson mentions that “whenever I see the sets and you look up close, I always have that appreciation for how much work goes into the detail and for things that the camera maybe doesn’t necessarily pick up.”

“We added more gilded details on the panels, and the back wall had a bit more of a uniform turquoise tone to it. And then the columns were gilded,” set decorator Tina Jones explains. “It’s more about finishes and texture really than anything else. The floor is a bit more detailed. We copied the lights from season one, but each chandelier had about 18 different individual lights. It looked very, very busy. So we just enlarged them and made them bigger. It’s like taking those season one sets and just pushing them to the limit.” Overall, though, Jones emphasized that the whole team loved the original designs from the New Zealand crew, saying, “If I had designed season one, I would probably have designed it in exactly the same way.”

The same is true of the costumes the Númenoreans will be wearing. Addai-Robinson tells us, “We all spoke lovingly of Kate Haley’s original [costume] designs and in season two [costume designer] Luca Mosca is continuing in this tradition. And I still continue to have epic, amazing costumes. It’s a department that I spend a lot of time with and so that hasn’t changed.”

We got a chance to see some of those costumes up close, all of which have been handmade and are intricately detailed (we had to be careful not to step on Míriel’s long and beautiful train!). Mosca pointed out a detail on Galadriel and Míriel’s dresses that likely will not be visible on screen, but that enriches the costumes for both the actors wearing them and the audience, even if they don’t realize it. “You may not notice,” he tells us, “but the silk satin underneath has been braided, meaning the dye goes from one color to the other. It can go from light to dark, and I think it is just fantastic because it’s not in your face but it is there.”

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The same attention to detail goes into hair and make-up as well, although, in Gravelle’s case, hair and make-up designer Flora Moody had one less thing to make, as he came with one hair-piece of his own—his prominent eyebrows! “[Trystan] likes his eyebrows,” Moody tells us, “and we shaped up his beard and gave him a sort of 300 Persian-esque beard, you know, a bit stronger; in this season his character is becoming a bit more powerful.”

One addition to the royal court that might be visible on screen is a small shrine that has been added in the corner of the set, making it feel even more like a temple or a church. Production designer Kirstian Milsted tells us that the design of the shrine was inspired by an Eastern European church, particularly in the scallop-shaped details around it. “I really like to build sets that people believe in,” Milsted says. “You actually believe that you’re in a real place, not a film set or TV set.”

All of these rich details give the whole space a feeling of beauty and wealth and power that matches Númenor’s upcoming political storyline perfectly. Gravelle also emphasises Númenor’s island status and how that has an impact on his character, Chancellor Pharazôn.

“I think where his mind is,” Gravelle says, “because [Númenor] has been so insular, maybe it’s time to get on the front foot with things.” Unsurprisingly, Gravelle reveals he’s done a huge amount of background research into political theory to inform the character, including reading up on leaders like Henry Kissinger and Charles de Gaulle, reading books by former foreign correspondent Tim Marshall, and a book by David Fry titled Walls that left a big impression. “It was about people who lived inside walls, and then the so-called barbarians on the outside,” Gravelle explains. “And there’s definitely a difference of perspective and how they see the world. So when you build these walls, your reputation inside those counts for nothing in the outside world. And so it’s up to you to build that again. And there comes a fear, I think, and there’s a lot to lose. And so the height that you fall from is greater.”

The sense of political theatre in Númenor’s season two storyline is also helped by how much the 360° set, which is an unusual luxury on a TV show, feels like a live theatre on the day of shooting. The space can be used for intimate scenes with a few people, but it is also big enough to fill for a crowd scene, and Jones tell us that a few big crowd scenes have been shot there.

“It’s absolutely wonderful when [the royal court] fills up. I love that. It’s like a bear pit,” Gravelle says. “I worked at the Globe Theatre [the recreation of Shakespeare’s theatre in London] for three years and it felt like that, you know, because that’s in the round [a type of theatre where the stage is surrounded by the audience]. Everything is just really lucid and you either let it swallow you up or you really give it some and take the bull by the horns.”

Addai-Robinson agrees: “It’s very evocative. You step onto that set, and you look out onto a group of Númenoreans [in] regalia. And it’s just so easy to get into that mode and really, it’s just a continuation of what we established in season one.”

Of course, not all of the action in season one will take place at the royal court. We will also be visiting the Old Quarter of the city, as the story takes us to new places and explores more aspects of Númenorean society. Patrick and Payne tell us, “We’re going into the [ideology] of the faithful and starting to set up [the question], what does their faith mean to them? And, you know, what did Old Númenor mean to these people? So that’s a whole new side of that world.”

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two premieres on Aug. 29 on Prime Video.

Juliette Harrisson | @ClassicalJG

Juliette Harrisson is a writer and historian, and a lifelong Trekkie whose childhood heroes were JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis. She runs a YouTube channel called…