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Middle-earth Tour: Explore LOTR Film Sites
4.6
252 Ratings
Queenstown
Immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscapes of Queenstown and explore the iconic film locations from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ films. Join this small-group tour and discover the enchanting Middle-earth settings that brought Peter Jackson’s vision to life.
Immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscapes of Queenstown and explore the iconic film locations from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ films. Join this small-group tour and discover the enchanting Middle-earth settings that brought Peter Jackson’s vision to life.
Duration:
4 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Glenorchy-Queenstown Road - The driver will make stops at various scenic viewpoints for photo opportunities, sharing engaging and informative facts along the way to enhance your connection with the environment.
- Paradise - Follow the Dart River to the breathtaking filming site of Isengard, offering magnificent views of Mt Earnslaw. As you head…
- Glenorchy-Queenstown Road - The driver will make stops at various scenic viewpoints for photo opportunities, sharing engaging and informative facts along the way to enhance your connection with the environment.
- Paradise - Follow the Dart River to the breathtaking filming site of Isengard, offering magnificent views of Mt Earnslaw. As you head to Paradise, explore the location of the Forest of Lothlorien.
- 12 Mile Delta - On the return journey to Queenstown, pause at 12 Mile Delta to visit the site of the Ithilien Camp, the no-man’s land between Gondor and Mordor.
What's Included
- Driver/guide
- Transport by 4WD vehicle
- Selected Queenstown Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Light refreshments (including tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cake and cookies)
- Driver/guide
- Transport by 4WD vehicle
- Selected Queenstown Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Light refreshments (including tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cake and cookies)
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Gratuities
Additional Information
If cinema and breathtaking panoramas captivate you, seize the chance to explore the film sites of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ on this Middle-earth journey from Queenstown. Navigate the rural terrain in a 4WD, visiting the spots where the Fortress of Isengard, Forest of Lothlorien, and other iconic Peter Jackson scenes were captured on film. Find out why New…
If cinema and breathtaking panoramas captivate you, seize the chance to explore the film sites of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ on this Middle-earth journey from Queenstown. Navigate the rural terrain in a 4WD, visiting the spots where the Fortress of Isengard, Forest of Lothlorien, and other iconic Peter Jackson scenes were captured on film. Find out why New Zealand is a favored destination for film directors, and benefit from a more personal experience with your guide on this intimate group tour.
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Pickup from all central Queenstown accommodations. Hilton pickup on request
- Minimum numbers apply (min 2 per tour for confirmed departure, min 4 on NZ public holidays). There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- Please Note: Pickup from central Queenstown accommodations is included. Surround suburbs (Kelvin Heights, Frankton, Arthur’s Point, Fernhill and others) by arrangement. Please contact to reconfirm pick up arrangement and time.
Location
37 Shotover Street
Shotover Street
Pick up is from Info & Track, 37 Shotover Street. We may be able to offer pick up from your accomodation in central Queenstown, however please contact us on 034426699 to confirm.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(252 Ratings)
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Diana
Apr 19, 2026
Seeing is believing. You’re in Lord of the Rings - If you want to see all the places that were used to film Lord of the Rings, do it with this company Ask for Fin
Was so
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Courtneycarson
Apr 12, 2026
Great day seeing famous filming locations and learning about LOTR - We had the best half day tour with Nomad Safaris. Our guide Justin was the best- we talked about LOTR books and movies, filming locations, other movies filmed in the area, general history about Queenstown and the surrounding areas, etc. He went above and beyond to get the best photos for us to bring home and was great to have as a guide.
We were served biscuits, banana bread, and options of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate at one of our last stops. We then had the opportunity to put on elven cloaks and do some pretend sword fighting where the battle of Isengard was filmed.
We were dropped off in Glenorchy, and Justin again gave us wonderful recommendations for lunch and what to do for a couple of hours until our afternoon adventure. We would absolutely book another tour for different filming locations if we go back to Queenstown.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stephen_k
Mar 31, 2026
Great tour - A great tour! We got to see several of the locations where the LOTR was filmed and even act out a couple of scenes. And the tour was also great for fabulous scenery and informative information on the history of the Queenstown and Glenorchy region in addition to LOTR lore.
Review provided by Viator
Stephenkb8399yl
Mar 28, 2026
Great LOTR lore and spectacular New Zealand Southern Alps scenery - We thoroughly enjoyed this tour, both from the commentary of our guides, Justin and Ellen, on Lord of the Rings lore, and also for the spectacular scenery and information on the history of the Queenstown area. We highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
26tulsib
Mar 4, 2026
Stunning Glenorchy-ParadiseViews - Michael was an excellent tour guide, telling us all about the flora and fauna of the area. He had a lot of jokes for us and took great pictures of the different areas: Dan’s Paddock, Mount Crichton trail etc. This was our last tour in Queenstown but second Nomad Safaris tour. Definitely recommend if you’re a LOTR fan. This time we were joined by two other couples that booked the trip so we had a full vehicle. The scenery was stunning of course. Great bang for your buck with tea, coffee, banana bread & biscuits break.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L9644mbaidanm
Mar 4, 2026
Half Day Tour - This trip was fantastic. As a Lord of the Rings enthusiast, this is a must.
Our guide Tom was very knowledgeable and helpful.
The scenery was incredible even without Lord of the Rings, but it was very cool seeing where everything was filmed. I didn't realise how much was filmed in the Queenstown/Glenorchy area, it was great.
The weather was good and it was clear, so we had a lovely view overlooking the lakes and the Remarkable Mountains (that is actually what they are called).
It was just me and my parents on this trip so it was a nice crowd size, and Tom (guide) was making jokes and informing us about the scenes and where we visited, as well as providing local information about the area.
I would very much recommend this activitiy
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gregory_m
Mar 19, 2026
Mostly positive - Great tour of LOTR film shooting locations. Tour guide should not let a guest on the tour dominate the tour discussion.
Review provided by Viator
Katharinabu5607rx
Mar 14, 2026
We had a nice afternoon - We really enjoyed the Four Wheel Drive Lord of the Rings tour to Glenorchy. The drive to Glenorchy and beyond is absolutely breathtaking and one of the most beautiful scenic routes. We stopped a few times along the way to take in the views before continuing through the small settlement of Paradise, where we were able to see several filming locations from The Lord of the Rings as well as other movies.
Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, which made the tour enjoyable. I had imagined there might be even more detailed information about the film productions themselves, but overall it was still a very pleasant and memorable afternoon in a stunning landscape.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Margaret
Mar 5, 2026
A must for LOTR enthusiast ! - So much information, beautiful and stunning scenery and real insights into LOTR production . South African Ben, Bengy, really knew his stuff and not just about LOTR. We visited Arrowtown and learnt about the gold and Chinese workers, saw the bungy jump bridge from across the valley - fab tour - would heartily recommend. Only minus - what happened to the cakes, Ben ? You mentioned coffee and cakes at the outset, but, the cakes failed to appear ! Ring of invisibility?
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Onair534900
May 3, 2026
Don't go if it is raining - The tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly,
and he did pick us up from our hotel. However, there
were no drinks or snacks provided which was
advertized and shown in the picture. They said the
tour could be cancelled due to bad weather but
despite heavy rain, the tour went on and it was too
late for us to cancel and get a refund. With the heavy
rain, you could not see much from many of the sites. The view of the mountains was completely washed out and we froze in the cold rain.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
