Full Day in Middle Earth - Lord of the Rings Tour
Overview
Available languages
10 hours
Mobile ticket
Combine our Half Day in Middle Earth with a second Half Day Adventure into another part of Middle Earth with our partner company. We have a 1 hour lunch break back in Queenstown and change buses for the afternoon tour. Morning and Afternoon Tour itineraries are interchangeable and can be switched due to availability or weather conditions.
You will be visiting the Skippers Canyon Lookout (weather permitting), Arrowtown, The Gibbston Valley, Glenorchy and Paradise.
You will admire LOTR locations such as The Ford of Bruinen, The Gladden Fields, Pillars of the Kings, Ithilien, Isengard, Beorn's House, Lothlorien, Amon Hen and more!
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Travel time between locations is included on the total tour duration.
Not recommended for travelers who cannot walk more than 20mins on uneven ground. There is 1 walk where people unable to walk may have to wait for up to 20 mins.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Photos with Authentic Props - We have the largest selection of Authentic Replica swords, axes, daggers & Helmets. Along with costumes to dress up.
1 % of all proceeds go to the Love Queenstown Community Fund preserving our breathtaking landscapes.
Morning/Afternoon Tea and a snacks
We also have copies of the original scripts and production call sheets
Lunch
For children under 7 please bring child seat or message us to arrange one at an additional charge
What To Expect
Skippers Canyon
We head to the Skippers Canyon Lookout to view New Zealand's "Most Dangerous Road". Not only a spectacular view but also a Lord of the Rings Filming location located further within the Canyon. We stop afterwards at the nearby Coronet Viewpoint to taking in the surrounding views of the Wakatipu Basin and navigate our journeys plan from a birds eye perspective. (These stops are weather permitting)
Arrowtown
Awarded New Zealand's 'Most Beautiful Small Town' award in 2020 and 2023. We learn about the gold rush history of this rustic yet charming village the seems to appear right out of the 1800's. We explore 2 Lord of the Rings filming locations a short walk from town, followed by morning or afternoon tea in this quaint village.
Options
Full Day in Middle Earth - Lord of the Rings Tour
Reviews
50 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Lord of the Rings diehards or scenery lovers
MICHELLE R,
May 16, 2025
- Viator
4.00We did full day tour (you can opt for full or half day tours). First half of the day, with Ian of Trail of Lord of the Rings, was fantastic. He was very knowledgeable about all things Lord of the Rings (obviously a keen fan) and showed us some fantastic places around the Queenstown area. It was great to see photos held up to locations to make the connection. There are plenty of stops and photo ops and if you are only wanting a little experience, then totally recommend this 4hr tour. Even if you are not a diehard fan, you get to see some great scenery. It was also fun to touch and hold some of the real props used in the movie and to have photos taken in some of the outfits. If you would like a little more to the experience, you can spend the other half of the day on another tour, this time to Glenorchy and surrounds. Same sort of experience, just very different locations. There is a bit more driving in this half of the day, and not as many photo stops. If you had to pick one, then definitely the 1/2 day morning tour (with Trail of Lord of Rings) would be our pick.
Great full day tour
Jonathan L,
Feb 22, 2025
- Viator
5.00I had a blast on this tour. Ian for the morning half, and Dan for the afternoon. It was slightly overcast in the morning of the day I went, but the cloud cover cleared up as the day went on, which meant a lot of great photo opportunities. Both guides were really knowledgeable about LotR, as well as the ecology and wildlife in the area. A big collection of props were available for photography, which makes it stand out even more from the other tours in the area. Even if you aren't a LotR fan, the tour does take you around the region and visit various photogenic sights without having to do the research and drive yourself (and risk breaking down!). Some of the facts/trivia were the same between both sessions, but there only is so much LotR lore for people to talk about. The best part was hearing each guide's personal take on the lore. - Copied from my TripAdvisor review
Good guides, but repetitive tour
Eyal M,
Feb 2, 2025
- Viator
3.00The three-star review is because I think this shouldn't be a full-day offering. This tour is essentially two separate tours, and while the tour guides and the locations were great for each tour, a lot of the content was similar. The reason anyone would go to a tour instead of just visiting the site themselves is to get more information and a whole tour from a guide, but if, in the end, the two tours end up sharing the same movie factoids or doing the same photoshoot with props, then a lot of it feels repetitive. I'm sure people who want a full-day tour would like more time in paradise because there is a lot more to see there. I'll just say that both tour guides were wonderful, with impressive knowledge of both Tolkien's work, the geography, and real fans, which is what you want from a tour like this.
Rohan, Isengard, Misty Mountains, Anduin and more
Stefan I,
Nov 7, 2024
- Viator
5.00We had an excellent day from Queenstown and as big Lotr fans we absolutely enjoyed it. You get to see many filming locations like Rohan, Isengard, Misty Mountains, Anduin and more. The guide told us interesting funny stories from the movie set, showed the actual scripts that were used while filming and more. The tour had a lunch break around noon back in Queenstown city center which was well timed. It is a must do if you are a true Lotr fan!
Related Experiences
Operated by Trails of Middle Earth - Lord of the Rings Sightseeing Tours