Wellington's Original LOTR Experience - includes Weta and Lunch
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
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!
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Not recommended for participants with walkers or limited mobility
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Weta Workshop
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
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!
What‘s Included
Weta Workshop tour and a lunch feast fit for a Hobbit included in tour price
Visit the best LOTR filming locations - Please note that no sets remain from the filming
Pick up and drop off available direct from cruise ships - we've never missed a drop off
Owned and operated by genuine fans, several of whom worked on the films
Expert guides with film industry experience
Guaranteed drop off back to Cruise Ship on time. We haven't missed a drop off in 15 years
Bonus native forest walk in a 1000-year-old temperate rainforest
Central Wellington pick up
Gratuities
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
LOTR FD for CRUISE PAX ONLY
Pickup included
LOTR FD for ARCADIA Passengers
Pickup included
Wellington's Original LOTR FD
Pickup included
Reviews
522 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Not to miss even in the rain!
S685LVbenm,,Dec 31, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Hamish made our day, weather and all. This is such a great tour, and needed since almost all filming locations have reverted to natural habitat. The stories are not to miss. We had a really great lunch at the café, the bread pudding was a knockout! The Weta Workshop tour is also a must see. So great!
A Very Fun and Exciting Tour.
Pak C,,Dec 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a wonderful experience. Our guide/driver, Grant, did a superb job in showing us all the various locations/sites where the movie scenes were made. His comments on sites were excellent and describe the exact details about what took place on the movie set. The visit to the Studio was very good. We were able to see the different replicate characters of the movie and how the production team put them together to create exciting scenes. Overall, we highly recommend this tour.
Great tour with a personable guide
John B,,Dec 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00A wonderful well-paced day. Everything was well thought out, we got to see lots of sites but did not feel rushed! Lots of time to take pictures and enjoy the moments.
We stopped at several...
Janet H,,Dec 29, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We stopped at several filming locations where the guide told us about filming and showed us lots of pictures to give us the right context. The guide was very knowledgeable and gave us tons of background information. We also toured the Weta Cave, which was just an awesome experience for any movie fan. We had a really great time.
Fantastic experience --...
Jennifer C,,Dec 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Fantastic experience -- from ironing out the logistics with Chewy to going on the tour with Robbie! The attention to detail and transparency were spot on, and they bent over backwards to accommodate our pick-up and drop-off locations. This was particularly important since we had to catch a plane immediately after our tour. Robbie had a special connection with the LOTR franchise as an extra, and his personal experiences and anecdotes added a complexity that were so unique and appreciated. Shout out also to Taylor at Weta Workshop! It was so nice to see guides who had such passion and connection to the industry. As birders and nature lovers, we also appreciated Robbie sharing his knowledge of native flora & fauna as well as Maori cultural facts. Thank you for a wonderful full day of touring, and I'll definitely be bringing my other family members to this tour in the future!
Stunningly beautiful
Anastasiia P,,Dec 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Unbelievably wonderful experience! I loved every second of that. Many interesting facts and stories, great timing, many sightseeings, and everything is dedicated with a great love to The Lord of the Rings! As a big fan, I highly recommend this tour! Many thanks to our guide - Gina, who even participated in creating the films!
Incredible and memorable day!
Camper55695145909,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Natalie was an incredible tour guide. She was very knowledgeable and passionate of New Zealand. The WETA workshop was incredible and our guide Taylor from WETA was unforgettable. If you’re a fan of lord or the rings or movie production, you can’t miss this one!
Amazing, fun adventure!!
W3771EZthomasp,,Dec 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Awesome day out and well worth it! Our guide Natalie was great, really sweet and funny, her passion shone through and we all had a great time getting to know each other, all the locations were cool and she went above and beyond for us! The food was far better than I ever expected too!! I’m still feeling stuffed now! Loved the props and the info cards Natalie brought along to help identify the locations a little easier. If you’re a fan then book on, you won’t regret it.
Brilliant day out for LOTR fans
Meriel A,,Dec 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Really loved this day. Our guide Grant was super friendly and so knowledgeable, telling us lots about New Zealand’s wild life and history as well as all about the making of LOTR. Lots of fun anecdotes as well as really interesting details about the movies. The trip to Weta workshop was also great - only bad thing is you’re not allowed to take any pictures past the entrance which is a shame when they have such an incredible collection of cool things.
Amazing Day Trip
Relax20414171366,,Dec 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had an amazing day tour with Welly Rings Tours! From the stunning Mount Victoria lookout to various filming locations, the Wētā Workshop, and a beautiful short walk through the forest. Everything was exciting and well put together. A big shout-out to James, our tour guide. He was incredibly friendly and you can really feel his passion for film. Even though it rained a lot that day, the tour had a unique and really enjoyable vibe. It was great fun! I was also very glad they offered umbrellas to borrow since I forgot my rain jacket. Absolutely recommend! Thank you so much :)
From NZ$325.00
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