Our trip was incredible! Our agent, Michelle, put together an excellent itinerary and each reservation went off without any issue. I enjoyed each activity, with only a couple being less than incredible when compared to the others. The glow worm cave/black water rafting at Black Labyrinth was perfect; the guides were very engaging and facilitated a great experience. Hobbiton was exactly what I wanted it to be. Rotorua Canopy Tours did an excellent job and that experience was perfect, as was...
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Our trip was incredible! Our agent, Michelle, put together an excellent itinerary and each reservation went off without any issue. I enjoyed each activity, with only a couple being less than incredible when compared to the others. The glow worm cave/black water rafting at Black Labyrinth was perfect; the guides were very engaging and facilitated a great experience. Hobbiton was exactly what I wanted it to be. Rotorua Canopy Tours did an excellent job and that experience was perfect, as was the Te Pa Tu - Mauri cultural experience. The Weta Workshop Experience in Wellington and the Edoras tour with Hassle Free Tours outside of Christchurch were fantastic and are not be missed as a Lord of the Rings fan. The Milford Sound Scenic Flights in Queenstown were breathtaking and provided a chance to see the beauty of the area from amazing perspectives. All in all, the trip was a 10/10 for my wife and I, and we are already counting down the days to be able to return to New Zealand.
Hotel Reviews
Sudima Auckland City
Auckland
Very well located in the city, allowing for short walks to nearby activities and areas. The accommodations were solid, as was the food. The rooftop bar area was also really cool.
Location
Short walk to nearby activities
The front desk person was very friendly and the accommodations were great. The area was quiet and was only a short drive/walk to the center of town.
The Prince's Gate Hotel
Rotorua
The accommodations were great; the bed was a little uncomfortable.
Authenticity & Character
The decor was very unique and eclectic
Location
Close to plenty of restaurants
Naumi Hotel Wellington
6141
The accommodations were great overall. The room was larger than the rest of the ones we had on our trip. Parking was somewhat difficult and driving to/from was a little stressful due to traffic.
Location
Parking was a little difficult and limited capacity; we left the car parked the whole time so as not to have to deal with it again
Christchurch City Hotel
Christchurch
The room accommodations were solid overall; parking was offsite and a short walk, but had a fee each time you left and came back.
Location
Short walks to nearby attractions; parking can be difficult
Staff
The food was good and the restaurant was nice
Lake Tekapo Holiday Homes
Lake Tekapo
The room was cozy and had one of the larger bathrooms compared to other hotels on our trip. The location was fantastic, with a great restaurant right downstairs.
Location
Able to walk to nearby stores and restaurants, as well as the lake itself.
Kamana Lakehouse
Queenstown
The room was excellent, as were the views from the restaurant overlooking the water and mountains. The breakfast provided was the best we had on our entire trip.
Location
Great views with enough parking available; slightly too far away for an easy walk to Queenstown itself
Activity Reviews
Weta Unleashed Auckland
Auckland
This experience seemed great for those interested in aspects of movie making. However, the movies they use for the tour are 3 different "unreleased (made for this)" movies, which was a little disappointing. The tour itself was well done.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Able to walk from our hotel
Black Water Rafting - Black Labyrinth
Waitomo
I would consider this experience necessary for anyone that hasn't done it. It was incredible. The guides were excellent and personable, and enriched the experience further.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
New Zealand
Hobbiton was exactly what I hoped it would be; the views were beautiful, the tour was excellent, and it was surreal to get to explore and experience.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Te Pā Tū - Maori Cultural Experience
Rotorua
I thoroughly enjoyed this Maori cultural experience; the individuals leading each part of it did a great job of providing history and information about the culture.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The bus driver was quite funny and engaging
Zipline Canopy Tour
Rotorua
The staff was wonderful and the entire experience was amazing. Getting to see such a beautiful part of nature combined with the ziplines was awesome.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
I loved getting to walk through and learn more about the geothermal areas; it was absolutely beautiful.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Redwoods treewalk by night
Rotorua
The trees themselves were awesome to see up close and the set ups for the walkways and decorations were really cool.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Weta Workshop Wellington
Wellington
Fantastic! As a huge Lord of the Rings fan, this is a must. The store (Weta Cave) has awesome displays and a great selection of items to purchase. The staff were super helpful and the tour was perfect.
Quality of Experience
Exactly what I wanted from the experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The tour guide was very energetic and did an amazing job, while providing tons of cool facts about the movies Weta has worked on
Lord of the Rings Edoras Tour
Christchurch
I would consider this a "must-do" for any fan of The Lord of the Rings movies. The drive is a bit long (about 2 hours from Christchurch), but the scenery and the tour guide made it feel like nothing. The actual experience of seeing and getting to walk up Mt Sunday and be in the spots from The Two Towers was surreal.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our tour guide was fantastic; tons of interesting stories related to Lord of the Rings as well as the local area
Tekapo Springs - StarGazing
Lake Tekapo
The experience itself is awesome; the guides provide you with information about the stars and planets, and have telescopes to view some of the celestial bodies, followed by time in the hot pool.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Kayak Tasman Glacier Lake
New Zealand
The surrounding area and the lake/glaciers themselves are stunning. I highly recommend this activity.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Fly Cruise Fly – Queenstown to Milford Sound by scenic flight
Queenstown (NZ)
This is another activity I would consider a "must-do." The views from both the plane and the ship were incredible, providing a perspective of the area that just can't be experienced another way.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Soak in the Onsen Natural Outdoor Hot Tubs
Queenstown (NZ)
The experience itself was relaxing; your party is provided with a private hot tub with an awesome backdrop of a field and hills/mountain. They provide a drink and small snack.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Skyline Gondola transport & optional Luge
Queenstown (NZ)
This was a great way to see Queenstown from up high; the views were great.
Safari of the scenes Glenorchy (LOTR)
Queenstown (NZ)
Compared to the other Lord of the Rings related experiences we did on our trip, this was the least exciting. Some of that was due to the weather, as it changed what our tour got to see, while the rest was the overall experience. The guides provided some information about the scenes and surrounding area, but not nearly as much as other tours on our trip.
Quality of Experience
More engagement for the participants (the main guide had a picture book, but our group was in a different vehicle that did not have that)
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The seating in the vehicle was not comfortable; there were 3 seats kinda crammed together in the back, one of which had the wheel well where my leg would rest. The guides had us rotate seats after each stop, but that doesn't solve the actual problem.
Local specialist: Michelle Srzich