Wellington's Original LOTR Experience - includes Weta and Lunch

4.8 (605 reviews) 8 hours Free cancellation

out of 5

605 reviews

4.8

Elves, Hobbits, Dwarfs — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Join us for a behind the scenes visit to Weta — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Enjoy a full day, all-inclusive adventure in Wellington, the home of middle-Earth. Visit some amazing locations from the Lord of the Rings movies, enjoy a delicious lunch and visit the famous Weta Workshop, where the films were created.

We are Wellington's original Lord of the Rings tour and have been operating since 2002. Formerly Rover Rings Tours [before Covid], Welly Rings Tours is proud to show you Wellington as Middle-earth. Our fans-turned-guides will share with you fascinating stories of the making of these movies that you likely won't hear anywhere else - mainly because some of our guides were actually there!

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At a glance

Duration: 8 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 20 people
People per booking: 1–20
Guide: English
Operated by: Wellington Rings Tours

Ages: Children (3–12 years) · Adults (13–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Weta Workshop tour and a lunch feast fit for a Hobbit included in tour price
Included: Visit the best LOTR filming locations - Please note that no sets remain from the filming
Included: Pick up and drop off available direct from cruise ships - we've never missed a drop off
Included: Owned and operated by genuine fans, several of whom worked on the films
Included: Expert guides with film industry experience
Included: Guaranteed drop off back to Cruise Ship on time. We haven't missed a drop off in 15 years
Included: Bonus native forest walk in a 1000-year-old temperate rainforest
Included: Central Wellington pick up

Not included

Not included: Gratuities

Itinerary

Weta Workshop Experiences

1 h 30 min Admission included

Delve into the heart of Wellywood and visit the Weta Workshop, a physical effects workshop who created all the props, armour, weapons, costumes, miniatures and prosthetics for the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies.

Learn the secrets of movie magic on a behind-the-scenes tour by a Weta employee, who will explain the creative process behind bringing these films to life.

You'll also have chance to take photos with various characters and weapons, as well as treating yourself to a souvenir or two, if desired.
Mount Victoria Lookout

15 min

Enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the harbour and city from the Mt Victoria lookout. Your guide will talk about the landmarks you can see from the top and help you take photos.

Mt Victoria is always on the list of things to do in Wellington, so we thought we'd save you the trouble of walking up the hill to get there!
Embassy Theatre

Passing by

Drive past the Embassy Theatre that was used to host two world premieres of the Middle-earth movies - The Return of the King and An Unexpected Journey. Your guide will share stories and pictures of how Wellington was transformed literally into the middle of Middle-earth.
Mount Victoria

one hour

Descend into the forested slopes of the nearby Outer Shire, where our expert guides will explain the process of film making and entertain you with stories of how the Lord of the Rings movies were brought to life. You will follow in the footsteps of Frodo and the Hobbits as they began their quest to destroy the One Ring. You will see the "shortcut to mushrooms", "get off the road" and hide from the Black Riders before fleeing to the Buckleberry Ferry. You will have the chance to recreate some of the most famous scenes from The Fellowship of the Ring and make your social media streams go crazy!
Aston Norwood Gardens

one hour Admission included

Enjoy a feast fit for a Hobbit to recharge your batteries for more film locations in the afternoon
Poet's Park

15 min

See a section of the Great River Anduin as the Fellowship make their way to Parth Galen
Stop 7

30 min

Harcourt Park aka The Gardens of Isengard. Here you will see how this normal, everyday park was transformed into the scenes where Gandalf rode to Saruman seeking council and the wizards walked through the gardens discussing their situation. This is also where the orcs began felling the trees once it was revealed Saruman had turned to the dark side...
Kaitoke Regional Park

one hour Admission included

Kaitoke Regional Park, a stunning, thousand year old, temperate rain forest. This was used as the location for the beautiful Rivendell, the last homely house east of the sea. Here you will immerse yourself in the magical setting and learn how the area was transformed into Elrond's house, Frodo's bedroom and the bridge where Arwen and Aragorn share a kiss. You can release your inner Elf and snap a photo reenacting a famous Legolas image and then recreate the scene where Frodo leads the newly formed Fellowship towards Mordor by posing in front of the Rivendell gate tower which is the only Lord of the Rings replica structure in the whole of New Zealand outside of Hobbiton.

You will also see a scene from the Fords of Isen, where Eomund was found by Eomer at the start of The Two Towers, and have a chance to cross a swing bridge and visit a giant 800-year-old native Rimu tree and learn something of New Zealand's flora and fauna.

Meeting point and pickup

The operator picks every participant up from their accommodation or the points below.

Pickup points

Travelodge Hotel Wellington
Copthorne Hotel Wellington Oriental Bay
TRYP Hotel Wellington
Willis Wellington Hotel
Quest 256 Lambton
Astelia Apartment Hotel
U Boutique Hotel Wellington
Quest On Thorndon
Gilmer Apartment Hotel
WQ Hotel (Wellington Quarter Hotel)
Haka House Wellington

and 27 more pickup points

Be aware that pick up may be arranged up to 15mins before or after the scheduled departure time. This will be communicated to you 24-48 hours before your tour.

For anyone arriving by cruise ship please select Cruise Ship Independent Tour Car Park when booking.

Please be ready at the main entrance of your hotel unless otherwise informed - some hotel pick ups will involve meeting a few meters away so we can stop safely.

Please note that we can't pick up from every hotel or AirBnBs around the suburbs. If your hotel is not listed, enter your own pick up location and we will contact you to advise the best place to meet. If you are staying outside Wellington City and plan to drive into town, we recommend parking on Barnett Street next to Te Papa Museum.