Flat Earth Tours

This half day tour, run in conjunction with Rover Rings Tours, takes you to the best locations in Wellington City. Explore key sites in the film-making process with your specialist Lord of the Rings guide.

After we pick you up in the city, you see the Embassy Cinema, which hosted the world premieres of The Return of the King and An Unexpected Journey. You then visit the Mt Victoria lookout for stunning views across Wellington City and Harbour, before a short descent into a unique pine forest where Peter Jackson began the filming of his epic trilogy. You see such scenes as the “Dunharrow Encampment,” “Shortcut to Mushrooms,” “Race to the Buckleberry Ferry,” and the iconic “Get off the Road” scene, where the Hobbits hid from the Black Riders.

Following this, you’ll take a short trip to Miramar, the home of the Wellington film industry, to visit Weta – the company who designed and fabricated almost everything Middle-earth. We show you the studios and post production facilities that helped bring these films to screen before settling at the Weta Cave. Here you have a chance to pose for photos with various characters and marvel at the craftsmanship of the sculptures, armour and weapons on display, and pick up those essential souvenirs and gifts.

Here you watch a behind the scenes documentary that details the history of the Weta company, from it’s origins through to present day, and enjoy the “Windows into Workshop” tour. Guided by an actual Weta technician, this tour delves into the creativity and ingenuity needed to create the physical effects for some of the biggest and best movies ever, not just Middle-earth. It will leave you amazed at the vast influence Weta has had on the film industry and in no doubt why we call the area “Wellywood.”

You then finish the tour with a scenic drive around the harbour back to the city.

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A half day of touring

Four hours duration, pick up 8.30am or 1.30pm

Return: 12.30pm or 5.30pm

Hotel or Wellington Central pick ups

Weta Workshop & Workshop Tour

Entry fees and GST included

Air-conditioned vehicles

Full day tours available

Adult Rate:
NZ $95 per person
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HALF DAY MIDDLE-EARTH TOUR:
FILMING LOCATIONS
White Triangle divider
A small group tour operated by an expert Lord of the Rings guide, this half day tour explores the very best filming locations the Wellington Region has to offer. After your hotel pick-up, you leave the city behind and seek out the beautiful, natural settings that made New Zealand into Middle-earth. Although no sets remain on any of the locations, you will be astounded how these places were transformed into some of your favourite scenes from the films.

Starting at the Hutt River, see where the Fellowship voyaged down the Great River Anduin towards Amon Hen after leaving Lothlorien. Then the Gardens of Isengard where Gandalf sought advice from Saruman the White about the Ring and Saruman’s orc army destroy the gardens to fuel the fires to build weapons. Continuing up Highway 2, you then visit Kaitoke Regional Park, a stunning New Zealand rain forest that became Rivendell. Wander the paths walked by Elrond and Arwen, and the newly formed Fellowship of the Ring.

You then pause for a moment with a refreshing morning/afternoon tea before heading back to the city, passing by the quarry used for Helm’s Deep and Minas Tirith on the way.

Making your way up Mt Victoria you stop to see the Outer Shire, where the four Hobbits find a “Shortcut to Mushrooms,” famously “Get off the road,” and “Race to the Buckleberry ferry.” You also see where Aragorn and Theoden overlook their troops at the “Dunharrow Encampment” before finishing the tour at the fantastic Mt Victoria lookout with breath-taking views of Wellington City, region, and “Wellywood,” the home of the Wellington Film Industry