This 6-day itinerary takes you from Auckland to Taupo and highlights the best of… This self-drive itinerary hits the highlights of New Zealand’s North… takes you to the North of New Zealand.

Tours of the movie set allow visitors to relive the magic of the movies where it doesn’t take much imagination to see where the movie was shot right in front of your eyes. It’s by far the most popular Lord of the Rings attraction in New Zealand and a must-do on a Lord of the Rings vacation. The Guide to The Lord of the Rings, Wellington has more information about where to find these LOTR locations. Guided day tours to most of these locations are available with Rover Rings Tours. Wellington doesn’t have the nickname “Wellywood” for no reason. Not only is Wellington New Zealand’s capital city, but it’s also a hub for film-making in New Zealand.

Can You Rent A Hobbit Hole In New Zealand?

At the hotel in Auckland, receive your tour packet, which contains everything you need for a successful and exciting adventure. The Hobbiton Movie Set is located on private farmland, so you will need to book a tour to visit. However, you do have the option to book a private tour if you prefer. Our 14 Day Lord of the Rings Luxury Holiday Package includes several notable Lord of the Rings location tours. However if a privately guided Lord of the Rings tour is not what you are looking for – you can check out our top New Zealand Self Drive Tours here. New Zealand’s stunning landscapes captivated movie fans around the world as the unbilled star of the hugely successful The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

More specifically, the volcanic landscape made the perfect location to depict Mordor. While many scenes were filmed around the slopes of Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand’s largest volcano, the most iconic site has to be Mt Ngauruhoe used to play “Mt Doom” itself. The Hobbiton Movie Set, a short drive from Matamata, is the last remaining built set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

On this full-day Lord of the Rings South Island tour, visit Edoras from Christchurch. If you turn your back from the ski lifts, and forget about the parking lot, you can see this place as the home for darkness and evil. The mountain is made from hardened blacklava, which is a volcano. It was also surrounded by eerie mist on the day we visited.

Take a private transfer from the airport to Auckland. From there, you will pick up your rental car to head to Taupo. Set in private landscaped grounds, only 10 minutes’ drive from Taupo town center, this boutique lodge features floor-to-ceiling glass windows, wide terraces with lake and mountain views. Also in this area, you’ll see the setting of Isengard castle and enter an old forest where Merry and Pippin were capturd by Orcs.

Your personal tour guide will ensure you really do discover Middle-earth! By offering a wealth of information you will discover hidden gems throughout your land tour. In addition you will get to travel like a local, experiencing special moments that are often missed on conventional land tours. Ask us about special Evening Banquet Tours, Private Hobbiton Tours(tm) and Farm Stay experiences!

Descriptions of the powerful natural forces that shaped our dramatic landscape will abound. A good dose of Kiwi charm will ensure that you return home with lasting memories. Wellington is home to Weta Workshop, the design studio for all Lord of the Rings and Hobbiton movies. Check the weather and road conditions and head to Queenstown through the winter skiing and summer mountain biking and area of Cardronaand be sure to get your photo taken outside the famous Cardrona Hotel. Be ready to depart at 08.00 ~ Auckland to Rotorua via Hobbiton. (A full cooked Breakfast is included from Day 2 to 14.) Prepare to be enchanted by Hobbiton – a very special site to visit.

I didn’t know it at the moment, but this is where Jackson filmed the Fangorn Forest; the deep, dark woodland full of Ents that grew beneath the Misty Mountains. It is funny how, despite being a “large” location, it is actually quite small in comparison to the scenes that were shot there. While it appears that they walked for miles in the movie, they actually walked in circles in one spot. New Zealand slowly awakened my inner hobbit obsession when I came across random filming locations at its beginning.