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 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.
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
Options
Half Day in Middle Earth - Lord of the Rings Tour
Reviews
242 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
You have to do this Tour.
Santiago B,,Dec 27, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00What an amazing experience. It was fun to learn about the moves, New Zealand history and to dress up and have some fun. Kreig (wrong spelling) was an engaging guide.
Middle earth
leandrod142,,Dec 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was an amazing experience… I went because of my friend and I loved it… Kregh is a great tour guide that made me feel wanted to watch the Lord of rings!😅
Fantastic Middle-earth Experience
Beatrice G,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We had such a fantastic time on the Half Day in Middle-earth – Lord of the Rings Tour. We joined this tour in March as a group, and it was an unforgettable adventure from start to finish. It was a real pleasure to meet such a super knowledgeable and passionate (in the best way!) team. Their love for The Lord of the Rings truly shines through, and they made the experience both informative and incredibly fun. We spent half a day exploring the magical locations where the movies were filmed, learning fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and details that only true fans could share. Being able to interact with props and fully immerse ourselves in the experience made us feel like we were truly stepping into Middle-earth. It was engaging, well-organized, and filled with moments that made us smile the entire time. We absolutely recommend this tour to any LOTR fan — it’s a must-do experience and makes you feel like part of a real Fellowship.
Unforgettable LOTR experience
wimvanmeerbeeck,,Dec 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The half-day LOTR tour was an unforgettable experience, both for myself (pretty big LOTR geek) and for my partner (who recently saw the movies for the first time). Everything about this morning was wonderful: the beautiful scenery, the interesting explanations, anecdotes and jokes of our top-notch guide Ian (and his general interaction with the group), the stops at movie locations, the movie props/weapons, other stops (like quaint Arrowtown),... An experience like this I would say is only really worth it with an organization and guide with true drive and passion, and this is absolutely the case for Trails of Middle Earth and Ian. Would absolutely recommend, even for people who do not consider themselves dedicated LOTR fans; as the organization succeeds in making this accessible and interesting for everyone between LOTR novice and superfan.
Small scenic drive and Lore learning
andrewtN8735VZ,,Dec 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A great experience with Ian, our very knowledgeable and fun guide. He was very cool and set us up different locations talking about very interesting facts and stories of behind the scenes from The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. We went through Arrowtown and he set up a spot to play around with Props which are well kept and cleaned. 10/10 half day trip which left us plenty to enjoy the rest of the day
A lovely, pleasant tour of Middle Earth!!
Escape19659500635,,Dec 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Highly recommend this tour to any Lord of the Rings fan - from the newbie to those fluent in Sindarin! Ian is a wonderful tour guide - he transported us from an alpine thrill capital to Middle Earth with his immersive stories, fun facts, and tidbits of New Zealand history. I also loved that we stopped for afternoon tea. This was a perfect cornerstone of our family trip, and it even converted my dad to vow to stay awake on our next run of LoTR!
Highlight of my New Zealand holiday
Navigate33204638445,,Dec 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour guide was Ian, and I ended the tour wonderfully inspired by the story and scenery of the Lord of the Rings. Although I’ve only watched some of the franchise going into the tour, Ian’s wealth of knowledge and charismatic way of guiding us through the scenes made our day heaps worth it! I have a new appreciation for the films and landscapes of New Zealand, and will definitely be watching the rest of the movies to bump up my LOTR geek score. Great tour! Highly recommend!! Not only for the LOTR lore but the great scenery we wouldn’t have seen if we hadn’t gone on the tour. And I got a cool tote bag for the mems!
Fantastic day with amazing views and lots of fun
scerii,,Dec 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful experience! Shane was great and we had so much fun while experiencing the area. Both stunningly beautiful views and some awesome LOTR content
Super,best experience!they have copies of the original scripts of all the LOTR 3 movies!
1membroTripAdv,,Dec 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience, great preparation of our guide Eby who knows a lot of details also from the backstage of the making of LOTR and The Hobbit movies!!!! Actually it is a pity that this experience is a bit unheralded because they have the copies of the origins scripts f the movies , gray knowledge f the locations and their details and copy certified of original weapons and dwarf’s helmet used in the movies!
Join the Fellowship
Go38015874389,,Dec 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing tour. Benji the guide's knowledge was so impressive. Brought the films to life. Cos play lots of fun. Highly recommend.
From NZ$199.00
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Operated by Trails of Middle Earth - Lord of the Rings Sightseeing Tours