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Description
The ornately detailed world of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth was portrayed in spectacular fashion in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Now you can see many of the amazing filming locations yourself – presented in all their amazing beauty by Wellington Rover Tours.
As the first company in North Island to operate Lord of the Rings tours, Wellington Rover Tours are considered on of the best by Ring's fans. With the tour staffed by fun and knowledgeable guides, who themselves are Lord of the Rings fans, as well as roomy, comfortable vans and intimate group sizes, you are assured of a great time. The two tour options are structured in a way to guarantee the best experience, from the order locations are visited to the order the scenes are visited; Wellington Rover Tours have it all sorted out.
Half Day Tour
This half day tour 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.
Full Day Tour
This is the ultimate tour for Lord of the Rings fans and includes a few more location, 25 scenes and many more Rings stories than on the half-day tour. First, you will tour the southern suburbs to look at the Bree and Dunharrow locations. You will also see Seatoun, Miramar and the South Coast where some of the main stars of Lord of the Rings lived during filming. You will then stop at WETA CAVE (except during public holidays), where you will see the amazing statues, models and memorabilia created by the brilliant artists there. You will also learn about current and future Peter Jackson/WETA creations and get all the gossip about who is currently in town from Hollywood!
As with the half-day tour, you will explore Hutt Valley, including Hutt River (Anduin) and Harcourt Park (Isengard). Enjoy morning or afternoon tea under the gorgeous Rivendell Elvish trees at Kaitoke Regional Park and enjoy an amazing 45 minute walk through the NZ native forest. If weather is poor, the tour is shuffled to include morning tea muffins in Rivendell and lunch at Scorch-O-Rama instead.
Trip Includes
- Complimentary Wellington city hotel transfers
- Full day or half day guided tour to film locations
- Picnic lunch (full day tour)
- Visit to the Weta Cave (full day tour)
- Morning & afternoon tea
- Souvenir map
Duration
- Full day tour- allow 7.5 hours
- Half day tour - allow 4 hours
Departures
- Full day tour departs at 8.30am (returns by 4pm)
- Half day tour departs at 8.30am & 1.30pm
- Departs from the Wellington i-Site Visitor Centre on Wakefield street
- Free pick up from your city accommodation is available
- Operates daily year
Other Information
- No matter how many locations other companies promise, you can be sure Rover Tours are showing you the most
- Cruise ship passengers must book directly with your cruise ship booking desk
- BE THE ELF YOU ARE! We carry ears in our vans so you can wear them during the day
- Operates all year round
- We search for and intensively train up the best individuals we can find into great guides so we can offer the best small group interactive tours in Wellington
- Full day tour visits: Outskirts of the Shire, Race to the Ferry, Dunharrow, Village of Bree, Rivendell, Fords of Isen, Gardens of Isengard, River Anduin, Minas Tirith
Helms Deep, as well as Miramar Peninsula for Movie Studio Drive, Wellywood Suburbs & a visit the WETA CAVE
- Half day tour visits: Outskirts of the Shire, Race to the Ferry, Rivendell, Gardens of Isengard, Great River Anduin, Fords of Isen, Minas Tirith, Helms Deep
