Lord of the Rings tour, North Island New Zealand
Description of Lord of the Rings tour, North Island New Zealand
Whilst there’s a lot more to New Zealand than Lord of the Rings and a lot more to the films than their locations, this nine-day self driving tour takes in the best and most well known LOTR locations on North Island. Taking you from where the films started – at Hobbiton – to where they end – Mount Doom, you’ll visit the real-life locations that became River Anduin, the Gardens of Isengard and Rivendell.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed in New Zealand across 150 filming locations in North and South Island. Filming took around 14 months between 1999 and 2000. Director Peter Jackson, a New Zealand native, did what many directors had failed to accomplish before him, and fully realised the books on screen to critical and audience acclaim – it helped that he had some of the most incredible scenery in the world to help him.
One of the highlights of this tour is a trip to Hobbiton – the set was built in secret before filming, in part by the New Zealand army – on a farm near Matamata in Waikato. The village has been left intact today in its pretty farming landscape, so that you can wander between its charming, round-doored houses – and have lunch in the ‘inn’, too.
Whilst Frodo and the other hobbits set out from Hobbiton in the film, the dramatic finale of the film trilogy is at Mount Doom. In real life, this is Mount Tongariro, one of three active volcanos that form the centrepiece of Tongariro National Park. Aside from being a cinematic inspiration, the area is an amazing and unique hiking destination, thanks to the unusual volcanic landscape of steaming craters and lakes coloured by volcanic minerals. You can enjoy it on this trip as part of a private guided tour.
As well as amazing scenery, you’ll also enjoy a visit to Weta Workshop in Wellington. This special effects and props company created the vast array of weaponry and armour, as well as the prosthetics, creatures – and even whole cities in miniature. The films famously used a lot of impressive prosthetics – 19,000 costumes, and 48,000 pieces of armour, and everything from elves’ ears to hobbits’ feet. A lot of this ‘movie magic’ can still be seen today. Weta Workshop run tours where you can see the props – and even touch and try some of them.
You’ll also spend time in Auckland and Wellington, and locations so stunning that they really should be filmed – or at least photographed – such as Waitomo’s ‘glowworm’ caves, where an underground river flows below thousands of glowworms that twinkle like a night sky. On your days travelling between locations, the drives are no more than a few hours; there’s plenty of time for stops on the way.
This trip is well designed around all the most accessible film highlights on North Island – and does both New Zealand and Lord of the Rings credit in doing so. There’s probably not time for a nine-hour movie marathon in this carefully-designed itinerary – save that for the flight back.
Price information
Departure information
Travel guides
Holiday information
Responsible Travel
Planet
Our economic responsibility lies in giving you holiday choices that encompass protecting, preserving and promoting local communities, with careful consideration into the destinations you visit, the way you travel, and the services you choose once you arrive.We recognise the importance of supporting local cultures through tourism, and are proud to use local companies on the ground which give jobs to people in the area, maintaining the heritage and localised knowledge, as well as supporting families. We wish for tourism to have a positive effect on the local communities you visit, helping them to thrive by giving revenue directly to the people. By using locally owned and operated accommodation, local expert guides, and local producers we can ensure this happens. We also support the Department of Conservation National Parks which provide employment across the country in conservation, research and tourism.
The Maori cultural heritage is an integral part of New Zealand, and we give you the chance to experience it first-hand with visits to craft markets, Maori cultural performances and a traditional hangi feast, giving economic benefits to the community.
There is no better way to learn about the area and community than through the people, and New Zealand excels in small, family-run bed and breakfasts and farm accommodations with eco-friendly outlooks. Feel the warmth of the Kiwi people as they open their homes and share their passion for their homeland. We have carefully selected properties that follow responsible tourism principles; respecting and benefiting local communities and cultures. Here are examples of some of the ways the properties contribute to the community:
Employing a local manuka honey beekeeper who provides 100% certified manuka honey
Giving redundant appliances and furniture to a local support group
Sponsoring a local Orchestra and Theatre, Arts and Music Festivals, and RISE - Women Seriously in Business
Buying local produce and amenities, and using local service and trades people.
Through initiatives in sustainable tourism, such as the Sustainable Tourism Commitment, and
Qualmark Sustainability Awards, businesses and properties in New Zealand are going one step further to ensure that the economy, people and environment are better off because of tourism. Many of the suppliers and accommodation we use, adhere to this ethos and have achieved these awards.
With every booking, we donate to the The Kiwi Trust, a community-based conservation trust led by Te Puke Forest & Bird and the local community. Following the concern of the declining North Island brown kiwi in the Otanewainuku Forest, the trust works to protect and restore the indigenous ecosystem and biodiversity in the forest to enable the kiwi birds to thrive.
Following New Zealand’s lead, we want to offer environmentally sustainable tours that care for land, sea and nature, ‘treading lightly and leaving no trace’. We believe when we travel, we have a responsibility to ensure the countries we visit are left in the same or better state than we found them. To do this we are dedicated to educate our clients on the principles set out by the country, and support businesses that have an environmental and social commitment.
New Zealand is a very environmentally friendly country and the properties we have selected are excelling in their environmental efforts, conscious of having as little impact on the environment as possible. Some examples are through recycling and reducing plastic use, minimising energy consumption through energy efficient housing, using sustainable materials, solar power and rainwater collecting and water conservation initiatives. Also through zero waste management and composting, and use pesticide free and/or biodegradable products.
Some properties are also leading local conservation efforts with ecosystem restoration, continuous planting programmes of native trees, creating wilderness areas to attract bird life, supporting Conservation projects such as the Birdsong Trust, and encouraging clean ecosystems and biodiversity conservation. We also use some properties which are Kiwi Green Certified, using only eco-friendly products in cleaning and offsetting your carbon footprint through Kiwi Green Regeneration.
Others have gone the extra mile to join initiatives such, as Qualmark and The Tourism Sustainability Commitment, to establish that they operate in an ethical, professional and environmentally sustainable way.
For our self-drive itineraries we have chosen a hire car company in lie with the principles we believe in, also supporting the Tiaki promise. The company offers Hybrid cars and is a carboNZero certified business and uses its credits to support the Hinewai Reserve – an ecological restoration project in the Banks Peninsula.
New Zealand is abundant with beautiful National Parks which are protected to preserve native wildlife and plant species. The Department of Conservation manages the largest areas of these, running programmes to restore species and heritage, and provide opportunities for people to engage with nature. They also manage threats to places and species, including fire, biosecurity and climate change
Throughout our tours there are many visits to DOC areas, offering education on environmental issues and how to travel responsibly through the area. We urge our clients to follow their guidelines for the protection of New Zealand’s national parks, wildlife and marine mammals. Through DOC we can offer a wealth of information including maps, policies, alerts, weather, track information, safety outdoors, litter guidelines, wildlife protection, and care codes. And any money for entrance fees and DOC guides mean we are supporting the ongoing conservation efforts on research and development ideas, and summer scholarship projects, and native species-specific protection programmes.
For our part in the UK, we are a small, independent family run business with our office in our home, so avoid commuting fuel consumption. And our main vehicle is a hybrid car. We are actively reducing the waste we produce. All printer cartridges and paper is recycled, we recycle and where possible reuse plastic, and use composting methods for waste.
We volunteer locally for Marah Trust, a charitable drop-in centre that supports vulnerable families, and do volunteer work for a Longfield Care Hospice. We are Rotary members and donate to one of their partner projects ShelterBox which offers support to communities in desperate need of emergency temporary shelter and vital supplies following natural disasters.
People
We aim to give an authentic Kiwi experience, following the lead from the people of New Zealand who are committed to protect and preserve their land, for now, and for future generations.To do this, we are dedicated to operating environmentally sustainable tours and following responsible tourism principles; respecting, protecting and benefiting local communities, cultures and the environment.
We aim to give an authentic Kiwi experience, following the lead from the people of New Zealand who are committed to protect and preserve their land, for now, and for future generations.
To do this, we are dedicated to operating environmentally sustainable tours and following responsible tourism principles; respecting, protecting and benefiting local communities, cultures and the environment.
With respect of the native land at the forefront, we support our clients to show care and consideration when travelling, regard local cultures and explore new places with an open and welcoming heart.
With respect of the native land at the forefront, we support our clients to show care and consideration when travelling, regard local cultures and explore new places with an open and welcoming heart.
Popular similar holidays
New Zealand self drive holidays
From £9500 19 days including UK flights
Spectacular scenery and dynamic culture
New Zealand classic self drive tour
From £3350 21 days excluding flights
Explore the North and South Islands on an 21 day tour
New Zealand South Island self drive holiday
From £1790 10 days excluding flights
Turquoise waters, mountain exploration and stunning scenery
