Lord of the Rings Tours through Middle-Earthtm New Zealand
Red Carpet Tours are the original and leading Lord of the Rings tour company, proudly operating since 2001. Join us on our next epic adventure and become part of a fellowship full of like-minded fans as we journey through the breathtaking landscapes of Middle-earth — right here in New Zealand.
Middle-earth, LOTR, The Hobbit, One Ring and The Lord of The Rings, and the characters, places, items and events therein are trademarks of Middle-earth Enterprises and are used with permission by Red Carpet Tours.
The Lord of The Rings Filming Locations Visited
Our New Zealand The Lord of the Rings tours include many movie locations such as Hobbiton and Trollshaw in The North Island, to Laketown and Edoras in the South Island! All of these beautiful places are instantly recognisable in real life.
What makes our tours special
100% kiwi guides
The only authorised LOTR Tour company
Family owned and operated
Exclusive access to LOTR movie locations
Fan based and focused
Operating since 2001 with 5 star reviews
Our Tours
Our Tour options range from 6 to 14 days long and feature amazing key filming locations from both movie trilogies!

7 Day Behind the Scenes Tour
Our new 7-day tour features the new Hobbiton Behind-the-Scenes tour, key North Island movie locations, Weta Workshop activities and an authentic...

14 Day The Lord of the Rings Tour
This 14-day LOTR New Zealand adventure is our most popular tour. Take a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Middle-earth, travelling from Auckland to...

12 Day Winter The Lord of the Rings Tour
This 12 day New Zealand Winter The Lord of the Rings Tour is not to be missed. Take a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Middle-earth, traveling from...
Deals and Specials
2027 Tour Dates Available Soon!
Join us in 2027 for the adventure of a lifetime on one of our Lord of the...
Winter Tours of Middle-earth
This 12 day Lord of the Rings New Zealand adventure is designed specially...
Featured Posts
Read our latest blog to keep up to date with Middle-earth news
Step Inside The First Ever Hobbit Hole
03 October 2023
As of this December, a new Hobbit hole interior will be a part of our tour through Hobbiton, which will transport you into the heart of Tolkien's
Weta Workshop Unleashed
02 January 2021
Weta Workshop Unleashed is an extension of their creative work and reflects all the talented people who work on the films
Artists of Film
28 August 2020
A Weta Workshop Artist, Reece Dixon shares with us some insights into his career with Weta and the pieces of art he has worked on for films.
What people have said
Red Carpet Tours truly delivered something special. From the moment it began, everything felt smooth and easy. I never had to worry about logistics or timing, which let me fully enjoy the experience. Julie guided us through the North Island with incredible knowledge of Aotearoa and Māori...
Bradley S
Amazing and so well worth it! Days in a row of just being excited for something alone was something special to me but also meeting like-minded people who were so accepting and fun was fantastic! Julie James is a treasure - handles everything with grace and was just everything you want in a tour...
Tracy E
Passion has been forged into the Red Carpet tours. Years of relationships with the artists, land owners, and businesses has created an unforgettable experience. The Red Carpet team guide you on a journey that is not just visiting locations, but creating a sense of joy and wonder for New Zealand....
Joshua W
This is the best and ONLY way for a LOtR/Hobbit fan to experience New Zealand. Julie and her team are fantastic, knowledgeable people who, you can tell, put so much time and effort into making sure your experience with them is an amazing one! You will not regret choosing them as your guides...
Stephanie B
Genuinely the best guided trip I've ever taken! Julie and Josh are amazing and so welcoming! Red Carpet Tours were so accommodating, fun, and had everything well planned. Our bus drivers and peers in the tours were really really nice and fun. Would strongly suggest taking Red Carpet Tours...
Renin J
This was a trip of a lifetime. I honestly couldn’t imagine seeing Middle Earth any other way. Julie is amazing and truly cultivated an experience that I will treasure forever. If you’re thinking about booking this trip—just do it. I promise that you will have the time of your life.
Brenna M
One Tour to Rule Them All – Red Carpet Tours is Middle-earth Made Real This was not just a holiday. It was a quest, and our Fellowship—36 true Lord of the Rings fans from around the globe—was led by none other than Julie, our gracious Gandalf. Wise, hilarious, full of...
Matt J
I will start my review by saying it was the best trip I’ve ever had. The Red Carpet Tours can offer you the best about Lord of the Rings in New Zealand. Julie is so knowledgeable and passionate about the movies and that makes our experience unforgettable. I loved listening to her talk...
Isabele P
From first contact with the James family, and the Lord of the Rings-Red Carpet Tours, you are in the best of hands. You expect so much on the tour but you receive so much more. I came back from my first tour believing I'd never have a better, truly satisfying experience, and they could...
Barbara S
This tour changed my life, Julie and Josh were amazing tour guides, everywhere we went was stunning. I could not have asked for anything more from them. Even where there were some hiccups outside of anyone’s control Julie and the team worked tirelessly to ensure we had the best experience...
Jon