Hobbiton™ in Matamata, New Zealand.  Photo courtesy of New Zealand Tourism/Ian Brodie

The Ultimate Lord of the Rings Tour: A 60th Anniversary Celebration

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

New Zealand

Places Visited

 Hobbiton,  Rotorua,  Wellington,  Queenstown...

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Suggested Duration

11 Days

On your 11-day New Zealand tour.  Zicasso, together with a fellowship of Lord of the Rings experts in Middle Earth, has forged the One Tour to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the epic Lord of the Rings series. This customizable journey showcases New Zealand’s quintessential destinations while celebrating the iconic filming locations. Traverse the majesty of Middle Earth the way Tolkien imagined it and the way Peter Jackson captured it.

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Uncover hard to reach filming locations by private helicopter and have exclusive access to movie costumes, weapons, and props in Queenstown
  • Transport to Middle Earth during a full day private Lord of the Rings tour in Wellington including a helicopter ride and lunch at a New Zealand winery
  • Learn how the creatures, weapons, and props for the films were created from an insider during the private after-hours tour of Weta Workshop
  • Visit the hobbits’ favorite haunts on a behind-the-scenes private tour of the Hobbiton set
  • Stay at luxury hotels, including New Zealand’s only Lord of the Rings-themed room for a complete hobbit experience.
  • Customize your trip with a variety of optional excursions that showcase the best of New Zealand.

Detailed Description

The enticement of the One Ring calls you on this 11-day adventure that gives you Tolkien’s imaginative world of Middle Earth within the stunning reality of New Zealand’s landscapes. Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Lord of the Rings trilogy luxuriously with Dwarves, Elves, Hobbits, humans and more that populate the diverse landscapes. From the towering peak of Mount Doom to the vast plains of Rohan, this journey through Middle Earth is more than just a vacation, it is an adventure that “YOU SHALL NOT PASS” up.

Begin your tremendous journey through Middle Earth in Auckland, New Zealand where the city welcomes you with open arms and fabulous luxury. Depart for Rotorua where you will experience a delightful behind-the-scenes tour of Hobbiton, the shire that Frodo called home as the nefarious terrain of Mordor sits in the geothermal wonderland just beyond the city.

Continue on to Wellington where the famous Weta Workshop is situated. An after hours tour of the workshop brings you on a private guided exploration of the facility’s massive collection with an actual Weta technician. While in Wellington, you will also experience a full day of private Lord of the Rings tour, taking you to exceptional filming locations such as Rivendell and Minas Tirith, followed by lunch in the serene surroundings of a leading New Zealand winery, and finishing in the film production center of Miramar.

Your adventure continues on the South Island as you land in Queenstown. The alpine city located at the foothills of the Southern Alps brings the adventure of the Lord of the Rings along with the beauty of Middle Earth. You will venture to the extraordinary nature outside of Queenstown on a scenic helicopter flight around some of Middle Earth’s most notable sights, including the rocky ground of Helm’s Deep. The terrain is rigid and tough to reach by any other means. Weapons from previous clashes can still be found in this land (at the tour’s final secret location), giving you a perfect opportunity to set down, explore, and grasp a sword, axe, or bow used in an epic battle.

Once you make your way to Wanaka, the time is yours to do with as you please, from relaxing along the lake to jet boating along the river, but any choice you make is sure to be enchanting and spotlight the ineffable beauty of Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Settle into the one of a kind hobbit inspired accommodation in the Barlimans Room, where the hobbit-hole that you can call home makes your earlier presence in the shire feel more appropriate than ever.

Your adventure through Tolkien’s imagination and Jackson’s enrapturing films is innate in New Zealand’s stunning scenery, giving it the true setting as Middle Earth in its natural beauty and inviting atmosphere.

Note: Zicasso and “The Ultimate Lord of the Rings Tour" are not affiliated with, or sponsored or endorsed by, Middle-earth Enterprises, The Saul Zaentz Company, New Line Cinema, WingNut Films.

Starting Price

$3,570 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

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