21 Day Middle Earth Adventure Tour for our Lord of the Rings Fans

21 Days / 20 Nights - North to South Islands Middle Earth Adventure for Our Lord of the Rings Fans for 2 Adults to Include GPS Navigations with your pre-load Itinerary

We can amend or add additional days, change accommodations to better suit your requirements or budget, this itinerary is a suggested itinerary for Self Drive Hire allowing you to experience the South Island followed by the North Island or can be done vice versa

Day 1 - Auckland - Arrival Arrival Auckland International - Meet & Greet with Transfer to Hotel

Day 1 - Auckland - Central Hotel for 1 Night with 1 Bedroom Apartment Suite with Bedroom, Lounge with Dining / Kitchen and Bathroom to include Breakfast 

Day 2 - Auckland - Collect Rental Vehicle 10.00am from City Office (We will try to have your Car Rental delivered to your Hotel) - Drive to Lake Taupo via Matamata for Hobbiton Tour

Day 2 - Matamata - Movie and Shire Tour with Marquee Lunch for 2 Adults - Filming didn't start until late 1999, a year after the building was completed, to allow time for the small village to age and the gardens to grow. While much of the set has been dismantled you will enjoy a guided tour of the site. - Continue on to Taupo

Day 2 - Taupo - Deluxe Motel for 1 Night with Lake View Spa Studio with Balcony 

Day 3 - Taupo - Drive to Tongariro National Park  -  In the distance Mordor and Mt Doom beckon - the powerful images of Mt Tongariro National Park will forever be etched in your memory as you drive south. The Ithilien Camp was filmed at Ohakune which is located on the edge of the Park.

Day 3 - Ohakune - Bed & Breakfast for 2 Nights with Queen Double and En-suite - Guest Lounge to include Evening Drink and Breakfast (Dinner options are additional)

Day 4 - Ohakune & Tongariro - Spend the day exploring the Tongariro National Park region including the volcano Tongariro where the scenes of Mt Doom and Mordor were shot. Most of the filming was done on the volcano Tongariro for these scenes and our famous volcano Ruapehu which has erupted a few times in recent years, was not used at all. Tongariro National Park has some great walking tracks that take you to the very top of the mountain from which spectacular views of Ruapehu, Ngaruahoe and Lake Taupo can be seen. You can choose either a more demanding hike up Mount Ruapehu to the crater lake, or easier walks on the lower slopes of the mountain. Both are guided. There is a chair lift that can take you from the car park to 2,000 metres - 6,560ft)for the start of many trails or simply enjoy the great views.

Day 5 - Tongariro - Drive to Marton - It is a short drive from the National Park to the Mokai Valley and your accommodation for the next two nights.

Day 5 - Marton - Bed & Breakfast Heritage 1905 Accommodation fully restored for 2 Nights with Queen Double Room and Private Bathrooms to include Breakfast

Day 6 - Marton - A full day to explore the beautiful Rangitikei region where scenes from the movie for the Anduin River were shot. Your options for today are a full or half-day guided trout fishing trip, bungee jump, river rafting, walking, or just taking in the breath-taking scenery.

Day 7 - Marton - Drive to Wellington the Coolest Little Capital in the World - It's a straight-forward picturesque drive skirting the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges down Highway 1 to Wellington. To experience the mystery of Trollshaw Forest & Osgiliath Wood, turn right just prior to reaching Levin and visit Waitarere Forest.

Day 7 - Wellington - Central Hotel for 3 Nights with 1 Bedroom Premium Apartment to Include King Bedroom, Living/Dining/Kitchen and Bathroom with Washing Machine and Dryer to include Parking and Breakfast (Please note Breakfast is for 2 days only as 3rd day taken on the ferry)

Day 8 - Wellington - Today you will have a Private Tour - During your full-day tour you will see the Gardens of Isengard, the felling of the Orc Tree, Anduin River, Helms Deep and Minas Tirith, the Fords of Isen, Dunharrow and Rivendell. Your tour includes stunning and exclusive Lothlorien - you will see where Smeagol fought Deagol beside the Gladden fields. Your gourmet lunch is included and so is the trip to Miramar and Seatoun; NZs Hollywood and Production Central. See where the cast and crew lived, where the Village of Bree was and follow the path of the World Premiers. Lunch is included and will be at Coco's at the Roxy theatre in Mirimar

Day 9 - Wellington - You have a full day to explore the many scenic and civic highlights this beautiful city has to offer; including the new Te Papa museum, The Beehive (New Zealand's Parliament Building), the shops and restaurants of Lambton Quay and Cuba Street.

Day 10 - Wellington - This morning you will drive the short distance to the Wellington Ferry Terminal, we arrange for you to drop your vehicle right outside Check-in which is at 8.00am for 09.00am departure

Day 10 - Wellington - Ferry from Wellington to Picton is one of the Worlds most scenic Cruises as you pass the Marlborough Sounds into Picton, You will be seated in Premium Lounge  Here you will collect your South Island Renal Car and drive to Nelson.

Day 10 - Nelson - Bed & Breakfast for 3 Nights with Garden Suite, King Bed and En-suite with sitting area to include Breakfast 

Day 11 - Nelson - This morning you will drive to Kerikeri Beach for 09.00am Check-in and day in the Abel Tasman National Park - The Abel Tasman Park is only one hour from Nelson and offers a lovely coastline, a fabulous walking track and glorious beaches. Close to Abel Tasman is Takaka Hill where scenes for the Chetwood Forest were filmed in Lord of the Rings. A very popular and highly recommended way to enjoy the region is on a kayak excursion. The Park is usually very calm due to the mountains blocking the prevailing wind. The day trip gives the opportunity to see the many bays, coves and wildlife of the region. Travel by water taxi from Marahau to Anchorage Bay in the heart of the park. From there, kayak north exploring the magnificent beaches & peaceful lagoons. We include a picnic hamper that you can enjoy a beachside lunch, hoist the sail on your kayak and sail back to Anchorage Bay on the afternoon breeze. Return to Marahau with the water taxi.

Day 12 - Nelson - Today you may choose to enjoy the city of Nelson with its' picturesque and charming city centre, many craft outlets, art galleries and easily accessible beaches. Mt Olympus, in Golden Bay, is a remote location in the Kahurangi National Park. This location provided footage for scenes in the Eregion Hills, along with the rough country south of the Elven stronghold of Rivendell, home of Elrong. Frodo recovers here and the Fellowship of the Rings was formed here. Visit Jens Hansen's studio in Nelson where "The Ring" was created.

Day 13 - Nelson - This morning you will make your way the short distance to Nelson Airport where you will drop off your rental car and fly to Queenstown - (Flights are not included in our Quote but can be added and quoted and booked once we have your dates)

Day 13 - Queenstown - On arrival at Queenstown you will collect your rental car and drive the short distance to your accommodation 

Day 13 - Queenstown - Bed & Breakfast for 3 Nights with Queen Garden Room and En-suite to include Guest Lounge with Evening Drink and Breakfast 

Day 14 - Queenstown - Full Day Lord of the Rings Tour - Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-earth stands upon the brink of destruction; none can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo. Apologies to Elrond, Half-elven. “Guests from distant lands, become friends of old, desire has summoned you here to discover the real Middle-earth of Tolkien’s imagination.   Do not let the dream be destroyed, unite in the footsteps of The Fellowship on the journey through the Third Age to the Undying Lands” 

Day 15 - Queenstown - This morning you will drive to Glenorchy for the start of your full-day Day Dart River Safari - Your amazing journey begins with an exhilarating jet boat ride up the Dart River deep into the heart of the world-renowned Mt Aspiring National Park. From here you’ll then travel back downriver at your own pace in our unique Funyaks exploring pristine waters as they flow from the Southern Alps to Lake Wakatipu, hidden side streams with amazing rock pools and dramatic chasms. Just when you think your Funyaks adventure is over, you will enjoy a gourmet buffet lunch before heading via 4 wheel drive coach to locations used in the movies to illustrate Middle Earth from ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’.

Day 16 - Queenstown - Drive to Te Anua & the Fiordland National Park - Today you depart the bustle of Queenstown and head south to the wonders of the Fiordland National Park and two Lord of the Rings film sites.  Just before entering the National Park you will take a short detour to the Mavora Lakes. The beautiful Mavora Lakes was the setting for 6 sites including Nen Hithoel. In the movie, hairy-footed hobbits and stench-ridden Orcs can be seen against the backdrop of these lakes and impressive mountains. Then it's onto Lake Te Anau and the small township of Te Anau. Once settled into your accommodation you may then want to drive to the start of the Kepler Track where the Kepler Mire is located. The Kepler Mire was used to shoot scenes of the Dead Marshes. Kepler Mire is the largest of the wetlands in the Te Anau Basin wetland complex and is the largest known string bog in New Zealand. It is a very rare type of wetland in the Southern Hemisphere as it is found mostly in arctic conifer forests in high northern latitudes. You may also want to visit the nearby bird park to see the Takahe birds. They were once thought to be extinct until a tramper in the 1950s found one of these large, friendly and colourful birds.

Day 16 - Te Anua - Bed and Breakfast for 2 Nights with Queen Lake View Room and En-suite with Guest Lounge to include Evening Drink and Breakfast 

Day 17 - Te Anua - Today you will travel on New Zealand's most scenic drive on route to Milford Sound, the journey will take you 2 hours each way. On arrival at Milford Sound, you will enjoy a Nature cruise with Lunch and a visit to the Discovery Centre. On route back you have many short and medium walks to scenic vistas.

Day 18 - Te Anua - Drive to Lake Tekapo, you return bypassing Queenstown then north, The smooth velvety mountains of the Lindis Pass are the highlight of this drive. Just past Omarama on your left, you will see the Clay Cliffs. They are quite dramatic, if you want a detour there is a turn off to the cliffs and a walkway amongst the cliffs. Twizel is a small service town in the Mackenzie Country between Queenstown and Lake Tekapo and was used for filming scenes of the Pelennor Fields. the township sits at the southern end of the lake facing north with remarkable views across the turquoise coloured lake towards the mountains beyond. The setting is both majestic and awe-inspiring.

Day 18 - Lake Tekapo - Self Contained Accommodation with Stunning Lake Views for 2 Nights, your accommodation is the perfect place to relax and look at the Lake by day and the Stars by night. 

Day 19 - Lake Tekapo - Today you will drive 1 Hour 15 Minutes to Arokai Mt Cook, the journey will take you back to just before Twizel then north alongside stunning Lake Pukaki film site of Lake-Town in the Hobbit. On arrival at Mt Cook Village you will join the Glacier Explorers Tour - By boat, you explore the huge dripping ice face of New Zealand's largest glacier. Watch and listen to the ice melting before your eyes in this tranquil glacial lake nestled in the Southern Alps. On your return, you have the remainder of the afternoon to explore some of the beautiful short to medium walks. You can also visit the Sir Edmund Hillary Center and choose to dine at Mt Cook or return to Lake Tekapo to dine.

Day 20 - Lake Tekapo - Drive to Christchurch through the sprawling plains of Southern Canterbury, with the Southern Alps spread out across the Western horizon. The drive will take you to Methven, then onto Mount Sommers where you follow a gravel road to the location for Edoras which is set on the summit of Mt Sunday. 

Day 20 - Christchurch - Central Bed & Breakfast for 1 Night with King Room, En-suite to include Breakfast 

Day 21 - Christchurch - Depending on your International departure flight, you may have time today to explore the garden city of Christchurch. Rental Car is returned to Christchurch Airport - A domestic flight to Auckland may be required for those departing New Zealand from Auckland and we can quote for this if required. (For those who can, we suggest adding another day so you can enjoy this charming city)