The Lord of the Rings Tour

Haere mai – Welcome to New Zealand! You will be met on arrival at Auckland International Airport before being transferred to your hotel. Auckland is a vibrant cosmopolitan city with a busy nightlife, world-class restaurants, bush-clad mountain ranges and diverse neighbourhoods to explore.  The Waitemata Harbour is a mecca for sailors, and the popularity of sailing on the harbour has led to the affectionate term, ‘City of Sails’. Tonight, a welcome dinner is served at the hotel.

Travel south over the Bombay Hills and cross the Hauraki Plains to Matamata.  Experience the real Middle-earth with a visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set, the bucolic setting for The Shire that featured in the Peter Jackson directed movie trilogy The Lord of the Rings – and more recently, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.  Your guided walking tour commences with a drive through the picturesque 1,250 acre sheep farm with spectacular views across to the Kaimai Ranges.  Your guide will escort you through the ten-acre site recounting fascinating details of how the Hobbiton set was created.  The Hobbit holes, Green Dragon Inn, Mill and other structures created for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films can be viewed and you will see how this beautiful piece of Waikato farmland was transformed into The Shire from Middle earth.  After the tour experience the taste of the Shire™ with a delicious buffet lunch served in the Party Marquee. 

After your Hobbiton tour travel southwest and climb into the bush-clad Mamaku Ranges and through the lush Fitzgerald Glade before reaching the unique geothermal area of Rotorua. On arrival into Rotorua, the remainder of the day and evening is at leisure. 

Travel south to Taupo to the Aratiatia Rapids where cast and crew spent one week shooting the flood scene that features in ‘The Two Towers’. See Huka Falls and marvel as the mighty Waikato River thunders through the narrow canyon. Stop in the resort town of Taupo then retrace your journey back to Rotorua stopping en-route at Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, one of the world’s most colourful thermal areas.  See the Artist’s Palette where different minerals form areas on the pool surface, view the tiny bubbles surfacing in the Champagne Pool and walk down alongside the silica terrace to see the Bridal Veil Falls as well as other thermal activity.  

In the late afternoon visit Te Puia for a guided tour followed by the Te Po (the night) experience – an immersive feast of indigenous cultural storytelling, entertainment, and food.  Your guided tour provides a premier Maori culture experience combined with an introduction to the magnificent geothermal activity in the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley.  Whilst in the valley see the boiling mud pools, steaming silica terraces, hot springs and geysers including the famous Pohutu Geyser which can erupt up to 30 metres high, depending on its mood.  Visit the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute where young Maori are learning the traditional carving and weaving skills of their ancestors.  

Your evening experience will commence with a sumptuous buffet dinner including food from the hangi (traditional Maori method of cooking) served in the Pātaka Kai Restaurant.  

After dinner enjoy a cultural performance in the fully carved Te Aronui-a-Rua meeting house where highlights include waiata (song), mōteatea (traditional chant) poi and haka.  Following the concert, the evening culminates with hot chocolate and steamed pudding served in the geothermal valley bathed in coloured light.

This morning head south to the settlement of Pio Pio (pronounced Pew Pew) home to the ‘Trollshaw Forest’ filming location in the movie ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’. Whilst in Pio Pio, join a guided tour through a stunning working farm, the backdrop to T.V. Commercials, movie trilogy “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and most recently TV series “Lord of the Rings – Rings of Power. From here continue to Taumarunui then south to the Tongariro Volcanic Plateau. Here travel up Mount Ruapehu to ride through the sky on the largest gondola in the country. Journey on the Sky Waka Gondola over waterfalls and ancient lava flows and take in the majestic scenery of Mt Ruapehu and its neighbouring volcanoes, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. Dinner included tonight in the hotel restaurant. 

This morning visit the Mangawhero Falls and the river bed where Smeagol chased and caught a fish, before heading south again across the Central Plateau and through the Manawatu Gorge to arrive at the garden of Fernside, the location of Lothlorién in Featherston. Continue south again before arriving into New Zealand’s capital city Wellington, which was home to many of the LOTR actors and crew during production.  On arrival into Wellington, remainder of the afternoon at leisure. 

Today visit the summit of Mt Victoria (Outer Shire) and see the Embassy Theatre – home to the Australasian premieres of ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ and ‘The Two Towers’ and world premiere of ‘The Return of the King’. Continue out to the Hutt Valley to Harcourt Park which became the Gardens of Isengard, nearby Hutt River where a portion was used to film River Anduin then head to the Kaitoke Regional Park which was used for filming Rivendell in 2000. Visit the Weta Cave where a short movie provides a behind-the-scenes look at Weta and includes interviews with Weta co-founders Peter Jackson & Richard Taylor to give insight into the creativity of Weta. In the mini museum, come face to face with some of the characters, props and displays from your favourite movies. Time permitting, visit Te Papa – New Zealand’s National Museum to learn about the shaping of its land, the spirit of its diverse peoples, its landscapes & distinctive popular culture.   

Today commences with a cruise on board the Interislander Ferry across Wellington Harbour and Cook Strait then through New Zealand’s only true sounds, the picturesque Marlborough Sounds into Picton. Board your coach and drive through to Pelorus Bridge for a walk through the Beech and Podocarp Forest as well as viewing the many sculptured boulders in the Pelorus River. Upon arriving into Nelson there will be time to visit the original jeweller of the Ring; Jens Hansen Jewellers. 

Today depart Nelson travel south through Brightwater, the birthplace of Lord Rutherford, the New Zealand science pioneer who split the atom, then on through the Golden Downs Forest, to Murchison through the Maruia Forest over the Lewis Pass then into Hanmer Springs.  Time out here for lunch in this lovely alpine village (at own expense) before joining the upper reaches of the Canterbury Plains to your accommodation at the foot of the Southern Alps Mountain range.

Head back into the Southern Alps Mountain range to Mt Potts Station where conditions permitting, take a walk to Mt Sunday better known as Meduseld in Rohan in the Lord of the Rings. Travel back down to the Canterbury Plains before crossing Burkes Pass and arriving in Tekapo. See the magnificent blue waters of Lake Tekapo and visit the Church of the Good Shepherd and the statue of the Collie dog then visit Braemar Station, a location from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.  

This morning depart the MacKenzie Country as the road climbs through bleak rugged hills to the summit of the Lindis Pass before descending into Central Otago. Enroute drive to Glendhu Bay to see the backdrop for Gandalf’s flight to Rohan. Continue to the pretty resort town of Wanaka set on the shores of Lake Wanaka. It is particularly popular with New Zealander’s vacationing in the summer months. We’ll take a short wander along the lakeshore to see #ThatWanakaTree – reputably one of the most photographed trees in New Zealand! Remainder of the day at your leisure. 

Departing Wanaka travel to Cromwell then onto visit the site of New Zealand’s first commercial Bungy Jump platform at Kawarau Gorge. There will be time to watch the jumpers and even partake in a jump! Next stop is to historic Arrowtown – a quaint town away from the hustle and bustle of Queenstown with plenty of shops and historic remains from the Gold Rush days. Time out in Arrowtown to purchase lunch before travelling to nearby Queenstown where you’ll stay for the next three nights.  

This morning depart on 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 a result, there are stunning vistas and panoramic views of the Southern Alps. 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.

This evening enjoy a taste of rural life in New Zealand.  Steeped in Queenstown’s pioneering history, the experience commences with a cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard the 1912 vintage steamship, the TSS Earnslaw.  Disembark at Walter Peak High Country Farm, one of the first farms set up in the region and still a working farm.  In the ambience of the Colonel’s Homestead, enjoy a delicious gourmet BBQ dinner which the chef will prepare in front of you.  After dinner enjoy an entertaining brief farm experience including a sheep shearing demonstration.  On the magical night-time cruise home, enjoy the camaraderie of a sing-a-long with the ship’s pianist or breathe in the fresh night air on the moonlit decks as you watch the lights of Queenstown draw nearer.

Today is at leisure to enjoy Queenstown. 

Haere rā from New Zealand. Normal check out time applies at the hotel. Today transfer by coach to Queenstown Airport.