14 day Lord of the Rings tour from Auckland

This tour takes in the best of the North Island's Lord of the Rings' locations, plus some of the New Zealand's most scenic areas, in a 14 day self drive tour from Auckland.

Day one  Auckland - The City of Sails
Upon arrival at Auckland Airport, you will pick up your rental vehicle and drive to your central city accommodation.
This day is free for you to unpack, relax and explore the city area.
Places to visit:
Viaduct Basin.  This vibrant waterfront precinct was developed to provide a focus for America's Cup Yacht Race.  This is also a great place for nighttime entertainment with it's many cafes and bars.
Sky City. Standing 328 meters tall, this is one of New Zealand's most popular entertainment destinations.  Having 2 casinos, ten restaurants and bars and from the Observation level the best view of Auckland City and surrounding areas.
Shopping. Queen Street, Vulcan Lane, High Street, O'Connell Street and Chancery.
Your accommodation tonight has been arranged in Auckland City

Day two  Auckland - Hobbition

Today you will drive to Hobbiton (Alias Matamata).  Check-in to your Matamata Accommodation that has been pre-arranged for you.
Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, 2 Hours - Cost: NZ$150.00 per Adult
Hobbiton is situated on a privately owned 10 hectare working sheep farm that was transformed into the Shire for the Lord of the Rings.  Here your tour guide will escort you through the site, recounting fascinating details of how the Hobbiton set was created and the area was tranformed into the Shire.  A few Hobbit holes are still remaining, as are some of the paths and the Party tree.  There is plenty of opportunities for photographs.
N.B. Tour times must be pre-arranged.  The first one departs from the Matamata Information Centre at 9.30am and they leave every 75 minutes thereafter with the last tour departing at 3.45pm. - Times can vary according to the season.

Day three   Hobbiton - Rotorua

Today you drive south to Rotorua.  Approx. 3.5 hours.  Rotorua is one of the Pacific's most active thermal areas and is a place of vibrant Maori culture and great natural beauty.  You can view magnificent examples of mud pools, geyers and steaming fumaroles. Some of the many geothermal areas are Wai-o-tapu, Waimangu or Hell's Gate.  Surrounding Rotorua are 14 beautiful lakes offering fishing, water sports or try your hand at whitewater rafting, lunging or tandem skydiving.  Let us know your choice so we can book for you.  Tonight you will visit a marae, enjoy a concert and hangi (traditional Maori meal).  This is your chance to experience traditional Maori culture.

Your accommodation has been arranged for 2 nights in Rotorua

Day four   Rotorua

Today is free for you to explore this exciting area.  Stand upon active volcanoes, peer into massive craters, see boiling mud, exploding geysers and the unspoiled native forests.

Day five   Rotorua - Taupo
Today you will drive toTaupo.  This area is were scenes involving the dark lord Sauron's domain of Mordor are represented in the films by the rocky plateau of Tongariro National Park just a short drive from Taupo.  View Mount Tongariro, which served as the menacing Mount Doom and Whakapapa ski area, on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu, were the battle marking the end of the Second Age of Middle Earth was filmed during the off-season.
Your accommodation has been arranged overnight in Taupo

Day six   Taupo to Wellington
Today you will drive to Middle Earth (Alias Wellington) - Approx 5-1/2 hours driving time, enjoying some of New Zealand's finest scenery along the way.  Wellington is New Zealand's capital city and home to our Parliament Buildings.  It is set between a magnificent harbour and rolling green hills.
Your Accommodation has been arranged in Wellington City for 3 nights

Day seven   Wellington
Visit Middle Earth.  Visit many of the Lord of the Rings filming locations.  Whilst most of the film sets have since been removed, the scenery of Wellington mirrors that of Middle Earth.
Your Option of:
+A Half Day Tour of Filming Locations - Cost: NZ$ P.O.A.
Visit the filming locations of the Gardens of Isengrad, the felling of the Orc Tree, Anduin River, Helms Deep and Minas Tirith, the Fords of Isen, Dunharrow and Rivendel.  Go to the Mount Victoria lookout and Hobbiton Woods where you can race to the Ferry and get off the Road.
Rover Ring Tour - Cost: NZ$150.00 per Adult
On this Full Day tour you will explore Greater Wellington with a focus on the film locations used during filming of Lord of the Rings including the Outskirts of the Shire, The Race to the Ferry, Dunharrow, Village of Bree, Rivendell,  Fords of Isen, Gardens of Isengard,  River Anduin,  Minas Tirth and Helms Deep.  You will cover a lot of ground, but there is enough time to explore for yourself how the movies were made.
Middle Earth Deluxe Tour - Cost: NZ$  P.O.A.
This tour has the added exhilaration of a helicopter trip over the amazing limestone formations that formed the Dimholt Road.  Your lunch is served in luxurious vineyard surroundings before you are whisked back to Wellington to resume your tour.  These tours are fun, organised, personal and relaxing.

Day eight   Wellington
Today is free for you to Explore our Capital City
Te Papa - Te Papa is more than a museum.  Te Papa tells the stories of a living nation - our land, people, culture and history.  Check for special displays.  Te Papa also has a fully licenced café, an intimate espresso bar and a world-class restaurant.

The Wellington Cable Car - Cable Car Lane, 280 Lambton Quay.  This is one of Wellington's most popular attractions.  Your journey will begin at Lambton Quay with the cable car running to the top of the Botanical Gardens where the Cable Car Museum the Observatory and the Planetarium are located.  From here you can either take a return trip or take a walk through the beautiful gardens and the historic suburb of Thorndon.

Visitor Tours of Parliament - Free Tours of our Parliament Buildings operate every day on the hour.  Tours take approximately 1 hour.  Weekdays tours commence at 10.am with the last tour at 4pm.  Saturdays and Public Holidays tours commence at 10am with the last tour at 3pm.  Sundays tours commence at 12 noon with the last our at 3pm.

Day nine   Wellington - Taupo
Today driving North via Kapiti Coast to Taupo.  Kapiti Coast is a popular stretch of coastline north of Wellington with many beachside communities.  An hour's drive north of Wellington the countryside near Otaki became the East Road from Hobbiton, and the last homely house of the Elves, Rivendell.  Waitarere Forest, just south of Foxton, was used for filming scenes in Osgiliath Wood and Trollshaw Forest.  Continue your drive to Taupo .
Your accommodation has been arranged for the next 2 nights in Taupo.

Day ten   Taupo
Today is free for you to relax and enjoy more of Tongariro National Park or the many thermal areas surrounding Taupo.

Your accommodation as before.

Day eleven   Taupo - Waitomo
Today you are to drive across to Waitomo, home to the famous Waitomo Caves.  Approx. 2-1/2 hours driving time.  The Caves are the area's best-known natural attraction with their vast caverns full of eerie stalactite and stalagmite formations.  A network of limestone caves, they are home to thousands of glowworms.  Additional:  Take a tour of the caves to admire the glowworms by boat, walks or blackwater rafting.

Your accommodation is arranged overnight in Waitomo.

Day twelve and thirteen   Waitomo - Auckland
Today you are to drive back to Auckland.  The next 2 days are free to Explore Auckland City.
Your accommodation has been arranged for 2 nights in Auckland City.

Day fourteen   Auckland
Drop off your rental vehicle as per your Rental Agreement.  Check-in in time for your return flight home.

Price: NZ$2106.00 includes accommodation twin share and rental car, price will vary depending on accommodation and rental car selection.

Click here to enter your request into our enquiry/booking form.