Lord of the Rings Location Itinerary

Wellington was the main filming and production location for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Shot in New Zealand between October 1999 and December 2000, you should experience Middle Earth in all its diversity whilst in Wellington.

Conservation and legal requirements mean no film sets from the Lord of the Rings remain. However, there are many Wellington tour operators who know the secrets of the making of these movies, and can even take you into places the public does not have access to.

Lord of the Rings tour operators include:
Wellington Rover Tours
Flat Earth New Zealand Experiences
Hammonds Scenic Tours
Adventure Safari Movie Tour
 

Day 1
Hop on one of the tours of Middle Earth.
 

Lunch - depending on the length and itinerary of your tour, you may want to enjoy a relaxing lunch at the Chocolate Fish Cafe or Eva Dixon's. Both places are popular with the cast and crew given the proximity to Weta Studios.
 

If you have some time for shopping, check out Zambesi, Starfish, Robyn Mathieson and Voon, as well as Hema facial products at Nature Unplugged - all popular with Liv Tyler (Arwen).
 

Dinner - Green Parrot was popular with Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) who also launched one of his books there. Otherwise visit the Hobbits' hangout - Matterhorn, a Wellington institution.
 

After dinner, check out Wellington's vibrant nightlife. Make sure you make a stop at Motel, where Liv Tyler was reputedly turned away.
 

Day 2
Spend some time at Te Papa - the first world venue for the Lord of the Rings exhibition or take a short trip to Seaview, Lower Hutt and visit Stansborough Experience who made the beautiful fabrics used in the costuming of LOTR.
 

When you return to Wellington, treat yourself to some fine dining at Logan Brown or The White House, popular with Elijah Wood (Frodo) and Liv Tyler. Otherwise scope out the more laid-back Molly Malones, Wellington's original Irish Pub, a favourite of Sean Bean's (Boromir).
 

Then catch a movie at The Embassy, the venue of the World Premier of the Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King. Be sure to look out for the name plates with the actors' and characters' names by the engulfing leather seats.
 

If time permits, here are some more ideas:

Eastbourne on the East by West Ferry. Sir Ian McKellan (Gandalf) stayed there during the filming and he reportedly  enjoyed the ferry ride to the city. Enjoy a nice meal at one of the many bouqtique cafes and a picturesque walk by the beach.
 
Take a drive to Mount Victoria – numerous scenes were shot in Mount Victoria’s city belt – it also has fantastic views of Wellington city and harbour.

If you are interested in horses, get in touch with Lord of the Rings Movie Horses NZ to spend time with Princess Arwen's stallion, Brego, the Ring Wraith horses and Gandalf's cart pony!

Drive along the south coast of Wellington, where you will come to the quaint seaside suburb of Seatoun. Most of the cast and crew stayed there during filming. Seatoun is also home to Peter Jackson – you can sometimes catch him hanging out in his garden or on the beach.

Continuing on the South Coast past Breaker Bay and the Wellington Airport, you will get to Lyall Bay. This was where Billy Boyd (Pippin) and Viggo Mortensen learned to surf!

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