07 Day Lord of the Rings Guided Tour

If you’re short on time, this is the New Zealand Lord of the Rings Tour package you can’t miss. See the most iconic Lord of the Rings filming locations on both islands on this must do New Zealand guided holiday. Your private guide will meet you at the airport and take you on an insider’s tour of Middle-earth! Offering the best flexible New Zealand escorted tours with no date or itinerary restrictions.

Read on for the full details of the 7 Day Lord of the Rings Tour Package.

7 Day Lord of the Rings Guided Tour Package Itinerary (Updated 2026)

Day 1 Auckland

Your fantastic guided Lord of the Rings holiday begins in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland.

Auckland is a multi-cultural urban oasis of food, music, arts and culture. World-class shopping and phenomenal dining is never too far from harbours, islands, native bush and black-sand beaches.

Explore Auckland with your guide. The Auckland Museum is well worth a visit with internationally significant Māori and Pacific collections to explore.

If you would like to get straight into nature; skipper an America’s Cup Yacht or experience Whale Watching. Or visit top attractions such as the Sky Tower and Mt Eden’s volcanic crater.

In the evening the fairy lights of Federal Street will lure you into some of the finest restaurants in Auckland or head down to The Viaduct, a food and drinks hub in central Auckland.

Stay 1 night in Auckland.

Day 2 Waitomo Glowworm Caves Tour + Taupo

Travel time Auckland to Waitomo Caves – 3 hours

Venture off the beaten track as your guide takes you on a scenic drive to the Waitomo Caves. Witness the marvels of these vast caverns as you explore the Waitomo Glowworm Caves where you will be dazzled by a galaxy of glowworms overhead.

Travel time Waitomo Caves to Taupo – 2 hours

Enjoy the scenic drive to Taupo, a small town set beside New Zealand’s largest lake. With the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park looming in the distance, and the lake itself formed from an ancient volcanic crater, you will get a close-up look at the immense forces that shaped New Zealand.

Taupo is rich in natural beauty with attractions such as the Huka Falls. Visit this stunning natural attraction with your guide.

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland is a real hidden gem. Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland is a spectacular showcase of New Zealand’s most colourful and unique geothermal elements.

Filming locations you can visit on an add-on tour today:

Trollshaw Forest / Staddle Farm (Hairy Feet tour of Denize Bluffs)

This add-on tour option near Waitomo has a check-in time of 9:45am, so you will need to get an early start from Auckland if you want to include this.

Stay 1 night in Taupo.

Day 3 Mount Doom Scenic Flight + Rotorua

taupo new zealand — Mount Doom Scenic Flight

In the morning, lift-off high above Lake Taupo to soar around the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park. Fly over Mt Doom as you explore the craters and colourful volcanic lakes on a scenic floatplane flight.

Travel time Taupo to Rotorua – 1 hour

Your geothermal experience will continue as you enjoy the short drive to Rotorua. Tour the exciting geothermal attractions with your guide, visiting sulphur springs, mud pools, geysers, and sinter terraces.

In the afternoon, you have the option to visit Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa to soak in geothermal mineral waters. Other options include visiting the Redwoods Treewalk, which features 23 suspension bridges through 115-year-old redwood trees.

Top recommendations for the evening include a Maori Culture Experience inclusive of a Hangi Dinner (traditional Maori Earth Oven Dinner). Or taking the Skyline Gondola with a delicious dinner atop the Skyline Complex.

Filming locations included today:

Mount Doom (Mount Ngauruhoe, Tongariro National Park)

Optional filming locations you can visit with your guide today:

Gollum’s Pool (Tawhai Falls, Tongariro National Park, 15-minute return walk)
Emyn Muil (Meads Wall, Tongariro National Park, 20-minute return walk)
Forest River where the hobbits escaped on barrels (Aratiatia Rapids)

Stay 1 night in Rotorua.

Day 4 Hobbiton Movie Set Tour + Auckland

Travel time Rotorua to Matamata – 1 hour

hobbiton lord of the rings tour package — Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

Experience the real Middle-earth™ at the Hobbiton™ Movie Set, where you can step into the lush pastures of the Shire™, as seen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.

Fall in love with the Alexander family sheep farm, just as acclaimed director Sir Peter Jackson did. Your guide will escort you around the set, pointing out famous locations and explaining how the movie was made.

You will be fully guided around the 12 acre set; past Hobbit Holes™, the Mill and into the world-famous Green Dragon™ Inn, where you will be presented with a complimentary, exclusive Hobbit™ Southfarthing™ beverage.

Travel time Matamata to Auckland – 2 hours

Explore Auckland with your guide this evening. You may want to do a spot of shopping at the Britomart Shopping Precinct or discover Auckland’s diverse range of cuisine and check out the buzzing nightlife of the central city. Favourite spots include the Viaduct Harbour, the Britomart Precinct and Federal Street.

Filming locations included today:

Hobbiton Movie Set

Stay 1 night in Auckland.

Day 5 Auckland > Queenstown

Today, take a domestic flight from Auckland to Queenstown. (Price of flight not included in holiday package, please enquire for indicative pricing.)

Queenstown sits on the shore of Lake Wakatipu among dramatic alpine ranges. Let Queenstown awaken your inner-explorer. Whether you’re interested in exploring Lord of the Rings Film Locations, indulging in food and wine, or seeking adrenaline thrills – there are adventures to be found here of all tastes and tempos.

Tour Queenstown with your guide in the afternoon, with the option to visit a winery or two in the Gibbston Valley of Vines, or ride the Skyline Gondola to the top of Bob’s Peak for panoramic views over Lake Wakatipu.

Or choose from any adventure activity on offer in Queenstown; bungy jumping, skydiving, paragliding, quad biking, zip lining and more. If you’re looking for a slightly slower pace there’s plenty of recreational activities like the Kiwi Birdlife Park, or spa and wellness options to help you truly feel worlds away.

Filming locations you can visit on an add-on tour today:

Misty Mountains, Redhorn Pass, and Earnslaw Burn – used as a location in both the Hobbit trilogy and the Rings of Power (if you add a 70-minute Lord of the Rings helicopter flight)

Stay 3 nights in Queenstown.

Day 6 Half Day In Middle Earth Tour + Queenstown

Step into Middle-earth on this unforgettable half-day adventure from Queenstown. Travel through dramatic landscapes to iconic filming locations including the Ford of Bruinen, Gladden Fields and the Pillars of the Kings, with expert guides bringing the magic of The Lord of the Rings to life through behind-the-scenes stories and authentic props.

From rugged canyons to sweeping river valleys, this immersive journey blends epic scenery, movie magic, and pure adventure into one legendary experience.

In the afternoon, you have the option to add on a helicopter flight to see remote filming locations tucked in spectacular mountain valleys and ridges throughout the region, or to enjoy a steamship cruise and high country farm dinner with the TSS Earnslaw.

Filming locations included today:

The Ford of Bruinen (Skippers Canyon and the Arrow River)
The Argonath – Pillars of the Kings (Kawarau River)
The Gladden Fields (Arrowtown)

Filming locations you can visit on an add-on tour today:

Lothlorien, Battle of Amon Hen, Isengard, and Beorn’s House (if you add the afternoon Lord of the Rings tour of Glenorchy to your half-day tour of Queenstown)

Please note some of the locations are duplicated if you choose to add on the Glenorchy Lord of the Rings tour in addition to the included Dart River Jet Wilderness Safari. If you want to do the full-day driving tour on Day 6 instead of the jet-boat tour on Day 7, please see Day 7 for additional Lord of the Rings tours you can swap the jet-boat tour for.

Day 7 Jet Boat Queenstown + Isengard

jet boat queenstown lord of the rings tour package — Jet Boat Queenstown

Bring your fantastic holiday to a close today with an unforgettable wilderness jet boat safari.

Your guide will drive you to the stunning township of Glenorchy, nestled at the head of Lake Wakatipu, stopping for views along the way. The jet boat safari continues past Glenorchy up the Dart River, which passes into the Paradise Valley (easily recognisable as Isengard). Marvel at the snow-capped mountain peaks and stunning turquoise river.

Relax and explore Glenorchy with your guide. Enjoy a forest walk, visit more filming locations (including the Ithilien Camp, the location of the Battle of Amon Hen, and the setting for Beorn’s house from The Hobbit).

Filming locations included today:

Valley of Isengard (Paradise Valley, Glenorchy)

Optional filming locations you can visit with your guide today:

Ithilien Camp (Twelve Mile Delta)

Filming locations you can visit on an add-on tour today:

Dimril Dale (if you add a private morning hiking tour to Lake Alta)
Fangorn Forest Edge, Breaking of the Fellowship, Nen Hithoel, and the Silverlode River (if you add a full-day Mavora Lakes Lord of the Rings tour)

Please note these tours can ONLY be added on if you remove the jet-boat tour, and it is NOT possible to do both of these tours today. You will need to add an extra day to your Lord of the Rings tour if you wish to add them both on.