Private: Full Day Lord Of The Rings Experience

Private: Full Day Lord Of The Rings Experience Photo #1 of 2 Photo copyright ShoreTrips.com.

Overview

Walk in the footsteps of the world's most famous Hobbit and visit WETA Cave.

This private, full day tour for you and up to 6 of your closest LOTR fans will leave you feeling like you've been to Middle Earth. Standing in the same locations as Frodo, Samwise, Aragorn, and Gandalf, you'll be immersed in the adventures of your favorite J.R.R Tolkien characters, brought to life in various locations around Wellington by filmmaker Peter Jackson. At the Weta Workshop, learn how special effects, creatures, editing and more were seamlessly blended together to bring beloved stories of Hobbits, Wizards, Orcs and more, to the big screen.

Thanks to the genius of Peter Jackson, filmmaker and creative force behind the Lord of the Rings movies, who envisioned Middle Earth in the beauty, variety, and richness of the land around Wellington, you get to experience Middle Earth for yourself, a bucket-list activity for all LOTR fans. With a Lord of the Rings specialist as your guide, you're in for the tour of a lifetime.

We begin at the Hutt River, where the members of the Fellowship of the Ring (yes, including Legolas!) traveled down the Great River Anduin toward Amon Hen after leaving Lothlorien.

We proceed to the peaceful, green Gardens of Isengard, where Gandalf rides to meet Saruman in the Fellowship of the Ring and they discuss the finding of the ONE ring. This is also the place where, in "The Two Towers" at Saruman's orders, the Orcs begin destroying the forest by chopping down its trees.

Kaitoke Regional Park, our next stop, is a stunningly beautiful New Zealand rainforest that became Rivendell, the ethereal, dream-like home of the Elvin realm. Trace the path of Elrond, Arwen, and the members of the Fellowship and see a replica of the elvish archway where Arwen and Aragorn shared that special kiss as well as the "Last Homely House East of the Sea" where Elrond and his daughter Arwen, lived.

From here we take a beautiful, scenic drive over the Rimutaka mountains and into the rural area of Wairarapa. Here you'll find the majestic Fernside Country Gardens, which was transformed into part of Lothlorien. Your tour company has exclusive access to this private garden and is the only company that allows you to see Galadriel’s home. Find out where Smeagol and Deagol, after a fishing mishap, found the Ring in the Gladden Fields (as you know, this does not end well for Deagol).

It's time to take a lunch break at a nearby restaurant. You'll have time to refresh and absorb what you’ve seen and learned so far while enjoying a delicious lunch. Then sit back and relax as we take you back towards the city.

On the road again we will pass by the quarry used as the site of Helm's Deep, where King Théoden inspired his vastly outnumbered troops into the epic battle against Saruman and his brutal Orc-army. You'll thrill to see the location used for the city of Minas Tirith, the glistening capital of Gondor. The awe-inspiring Mont Saint-Michel, situated high on a mountain, glistening in the sun or shrouded in fog, is the perfect embodiment of Minas Tirith.

As we make our way up to Mt. Victoria, we'll stop at the Outer Shire, where our four Hobbit friends find a "Shortcut to Mushrooms" (Hobbits are always hungry, you know), see the site of the famous "Get Off the Road" scene as well as the location of the “Race to the Buckleberry ferry" scene, where the Hobbits barely escape the Nazgul.

We will also see where Aragorn and Théoden overlook their troops at the “Dunharrow Encampment” before finishing the tour at the fantastic Mt Victoria lookout with breath-taking views of Wellington, the surrounding area and “Wellywood,” home of the Wellington Film Industry.

Our final stop takes the WETA Workshop, the heart of the entire New Zealand Film Industry. Here you'll see where the "magic" really happens as you discover props, costumes, weapons, and vehicles created for not only Lord of the Rings movies, but others such as District 9, The Chronicles of Narnia and the Ghost in the Shell. Tour the inside of a converted area of the WETA Workshop and wander through Manufacture Alley where you can interact with tools of the trade and see examples of artistry from the WETA creative departments. Your guide will fill you in on the secrets behind special effects and watch WETA artists hard at work on their tour stage. Take a selfie with your favorite Orc (?) and find the perfect souvenir in their shop of props and collectibles.

- All entry fees and taxes are included in the price of the tour.
- Since this tour takes place entirely outdoors, please dress for the weather.

- Due to uneven terrain, this tour is not available to those with limited mobility.
- This tour is not available on Christmas Day.

Days offered: 7 days a week

Departures:

• 08:30 AM, duration: 8.5 hours Tour length includes transfer time.