Half Day in Middle Earth - Lord of the Rings Tour
Overview
Available languages
4 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Epic Adventures to the Real Middle Earth and Back Again!
Join our Lord of the Rings “Nerds” aka tour guides who have superior knowledge on all things “Rings”. We’ll take you to the original film locations and put YOU in the scene while narrating humorous and intriguing tales from the time of filming. Join us for your personalised journey through the real Middle Earth.
Our scenic Half Day Tour includes visiting Skippers Canyon Lookout (weather permitting), Arrowtown, The Gibbston Valley and Lake Hayes.
You will be able to enjoy Lord Of The Rings locations such as The Ford of Bruinen, The Gladden Fields, The Pillars of the Kings and More!
This tour includes Morning or Afternoon Tea and Snacks, Photos with Authentic Props as we have the largest selection of Authentic Licensed replica props!
We also have copies of the original scripts and production call sheets, adding so much more depth to your Middle Earth experience!
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Travel time between locations was included on the total tour duration.
Not recommended for travelers who cannot walk more than 10mins 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
Morning/Afternoon Tea from the local Arrowtown Bakery
1 % of all proceeds go to the Love Queenstown Community Fund preserving our breathtaking landscapes.
Photos with Authentic Props - We have the largest selection of Authentic Licensed replica props!
We also have copies of the original scripts and production call sheets
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.
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Half Day in Middle Earth - Lord of the Rings Tour
Reviews
217 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Your guide to Mordor
Compass39651743691,
Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ian and Eby were great guides. Ian is especially knowledgeable and passionate about everything from lord of the rings to history to geology and even gold panning. I'm a big lord of the rings fan and my wife hasn't even seen the movies but we both enjoyed our experience a lot and highly recommend this tour for nerds and newbies alike.
Nerd or not, you will enjoy this tour!
Botanybabe28,
Nov 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I was looking for a last minute tour because another activity had been canceled. I was concerned that I might not be enough of a Lord of the Rings fan to fully appreciate it, but Ben (our guide) asked all of us what our “fan level” was and then explained the scenes so we could all understand the context. He had a flip book of the scenes from the movie in the locations we visited and explained how they edited scenes. He had copies of the scripts from the movies and lots of very authentic props and costumes that we were encouraged to pose with. He even did individual videos of each of us “disappearing” when we put on the ring. He was patient with shy guests and made everyone feel like part of the Fellowship! It was a great way to see many interesting sites and learn about the behind the scenes filming of the movies.
Wonderful tour for any LOTR fan
Brad R,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was definitely a great tour for any Lord of the Rings geek. The quality of a tour such as this is obviously heavily dependent on the knowledge and enthusiasm of the tour guide, as many of the movie locations would otherwise not be that recognizable. Shane proved to be an excellent guide with just those qualities. We particularly liked his showing us scenes from the movie set against the specific locations that we visited, thus bringing those locations to life. His extensive knowledge of all things LOTR and various movie filming anecdotes was impressive and very entertaining.
Excellent walk.
CarOlzinha 13,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The walk was fantastic. The guide Francesco was very nice and informative. Each landscape "uau". I speak little English and yet I can understand a lot. I recommend.
Loved the middle earth experience
Coastal51325192423,
Nov 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Loved this tour! Tour guide, Shane, and driver, Eby, were fun and nice. Scenic places and loved the middle earth experience. This was fun & unforgettable!
Highly recommend taking this fun, LOTR-focused tour of middle earth.
W3800FIkathrynd,
Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We were unsure what our tour would be like as it was a last minute change that took us on this tour. What a wonderful surprised it was! Ian was a great guide. He was well-prepared, educational and fun. We learned so much about the filming process, the scenes and how LOTR was created along with other LOTR “nerds”.
Wonderful tour, great tour guide
790saritam,
Oct 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour guide Benji was awesome! He was so knowledgeable about LOTR, entertaining and friendly. He told some great stories about the filming of the movies. Had great discussions about LOTR characters, locations, etc. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Thanks, Benji! Great tour!!
Middle Earth Lord of the Rings with Ben
GoPlaces58121874292,
Oct 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tour Guide Ben was fun, entertaining and engaging. Ben is a true Lord of the Rings fan and was enthusiastic in the cosplay and willing to share local added knowledge.
There and back again
Q2577IUfrankb,
Oct 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide Benji gave everything and gave us a great day. We even got hold of “original” transcripts of the scripts and were allowed to play around with “original” replicas of the weapons.
Excellent interesting tour.
kayer565,
Oct 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent tour. Well informed and engaging guide. Visiting interesting places. Still suitable for those with little knowledge of Lord's of Rings.
From NZ$199.00
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