Middle Earth Tour: Explore LOTR Filming Sites

Embark on a legendary LOTR tour from Queenstown, exploring iconic filming locations with authentic props. Relive epic moments in Middle Earth.

Duration: 10 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Queenstown - The journey begins in Queenstown, embarking on a picturesque drive along the Devils Staircase beside Lake Wakatipu, heading towards the Southland Region. Along the way, travelers will delve into the area’s rich history and explore a nearby site featured in The Hobbit.
  • Manapouri - (1 November - 31 March Itinerary only)
    The…
What's Included
  • Lunch
  • English Speaking Guide
  • Photos with Authentic Props - We have the largest selection of Authentic Replica swords, axes, daggers & Helmets. Along with costumes to dress up.
  • Limited time offer: receive a FREE Souvenir Trails of Middle Earth LOTR themed Tote Bag per guest.
  • We also have copies of the original scripts and production call sheets
What's Not Included
  • For children under 7 please bring child seat or message us to arrange one at an additional charge
Additional Information

Embark on a Legendary Lord of the Rings Adventure from Queenstown

Join this exclusive Lord of the Rings tour, available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, and explore the Southland region, renowned for its breathtaking and iconic filming locations in Middle Earth.
The adventure takes you to the magnificent Mavora Lakes in Fiordland National Park,…

Location
The Station - Home of Adventure in Queenstown
Shotover Street
Near the Corner of Camp and Shotover Street, the Station Building (AJ Hackett, Shotover Jet). There are some wooden benches to wait next to where the tour buses stop on the Camp St side.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(11 Ratings)
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Connector16361193522
Apr 6, 2025
Best birthday this nerd could ask for - Best birthday gift to myself ever 🙂 I splurged on both the full day tour and the mavora lakes tour. It was such a rush to recognize certain scenes, in particular during the mavora lakes tour - the locations for the Anduin River and the orc mound/Fangorn Forest felt as though nothing had changed in 25 years! Annie was my tour guide during the morning half of the all day tour and was an absolute gem! Not only did she share a breadth of LOTRs knowledge and nerdom but also local New Zealand history and lore, which only added to the overall experience. I loved getting to peruse the screenplays and would go back just to look through them again 🤩 The weta crew calendar as well! The notes and jokes throughout felt like getting to peak behind the curtain, furthering my insight into the hard work and process of making middle earth and its characters come to life. Shane was my incredibly knowledgeable tour guide during the mavora lakes tour - we had communicated back and forth a bit before the tour and he was extremely accommodating and polite. I loved listening to him talk lord of the rings lore and New Zealand mythology. Plus, the timing and organization of such a long day is impressive. I would 100% join again! Whether Tolkien obsessed or unsure who that is, Trails of Middle Earth is a fabulous way to visit the many wondrous areas of the South Island and our imagined middle earth. Thank you for having me! Angela
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pareshjha15
Mar 11, 2025
Amazing tour curated and led by true fans. - This was a fantastic full day tour exploring various filming locations from the LOTR trilogy. Francesco, our guide, was fantastic and very knowledgeable. He's a true fan and his enthusiasm was contagious. The highlight was definitely the field outside Fanghorn forest and then spots on Mavora itself. Would highly recommend any of their tours for fans of the movies and books.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jonathan_l
Feb 25, 2025
Fantastic Tour - If you want a LotR tour away from the hustle and bustle of the other sites surrounding Queenstown, this is the one for you! It does take longer to get down to the locations, but the areas visited are stunning, and a lot of historical facts about the region were shared. Shane also guided us exactly to where we needed to go, in contrast to another couple who were self-guiding on the same day and ended up at a few wrong spots. Lots of fun on the trip, and as with all tours from this company, lots of props to look at and handle. This is one tour I wouldn't mind doing again in a different season, or even revisit some sites to camp at. - Copied from my TripAdvisor review
Review provided by Viator
Jshlau
Feb 25, 2025
Fantastic Tour - If you want a LotR tour away from the hustle and bustle of the other sites surrounding Queenstown, this is the one for you! It does take longer to get down to the locations, but the areas visited are stunning, and a lot of historical facts about the region were shared. Shane also guided us exactly to where we needed to go, in contrast to another couple who were self-guiding on the same day and ended up at a few wrong spots. Lots of fun on the trip, and as with all tours from this company, lots of props to look at and handle. This is one tour I wouldn't mind doing again in a different season, or even revisit some sites to camp at.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mirandaak26
Feb 14, 2025
Fantastic experience!! - Had an absolute blast on this tour! The scenery is breathtaking and the guide was very knowledgeable about all things LOTR as well as the surrounding area! Highly recommend!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Companion47224571818
Feb 3, 2025
Terrific Tour! - Fabulous trip with a terrific guide. In depth knowledge about not just LOTR, but New Zealand in general. Iconic locations from the films, one of a kind props and replicas, generous parting gifts, etc. Full marks!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jonas
Jan 23, 2025
Great LOTR experience - I had an amazing experience on the Lord of the Rings full-day tour in Queenstown and the surrounding areas. The breathtaking landscapes truly brought Middle-earth to life! Ian was an excellent guide—knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about the locations and their connection to the movies. His storytelling and attention to detail made the tour even more enjoyable. Highly recommend this for any LOTR fan or nature lover!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
671rapha_lb
Jan 22, 2025
An unforgettable journey! - Sumptuous landscapes, completely passionate guide! Enriching visit, fun and with a bunch of amazing anecdotes! It's an intense rhythm, you have to be in good shape for this beautiful day, but no particular difficulty on the way! I sincerely recommend this place to all lovers of the Lord of the Rings! There are huge bonuses on the road that the guide shows us, but if I name them here we would lose these incredible surprises! Let yourself be tempted is unforgettable!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
528xanderr
Dec 29, 2024
Te Anau & Mavora Lakes LOTR Tour - I recently did the Te Anau & Mavora Lakes Tour with family and it was an amazing experience. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and made the whole experience very entertaining. Whilst driving up and back we were able to see some incredibly beautiful New Zealand Countryside and learnt some cool facts along the way. All in all it was a great day, and very well worth the time. A big thanks for a great day: we would strongly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $165
up to 8 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).