Blog
With Christmas and New Year's fast approaching, we wanted to finish off the year with a recap of some of our adventures from 2019! What a fantastic year it has been, we have loved getting to know each months Fellowships and what a talented bunch you
2019 Highlights
Kia Ora Friends,
With Christmas and New Year's fast approaching, we wanted to finish off the year with a recap of some of our adventures from 2019! What a fantastic year it has been, we have loved getting to know each months Fellowships and what a talented bunch you all are.
April
In April, our passenger Runar, from Iceland was the first person to get to the top of Edoras in a wheelchair! Along with his supportive family, he made it all the way to the top to fly the Rohan flag! This was such an achievement for Runar and an inspiration to us all.
July
In July this year we worked with Weta Workshop artists to create our very own Hobbit doors to take home.
September
This September we had our first special International Hobbits celebration Tour, and first tour in reverse! Our Fellowship made costumes for our special Weta Workshop Costume competition and Hobbiton International Hobbits celebration event on Bilbo's birthday in Hobbiton!
December
In December we had another 12 day reverse tour where we met with Shane Rangi, stuntman and actor for both trilogies! He is most known for his work as the Witch King, several Uruk-hai and a Harad leader.
Here is some of the feedback we have received from our Fellowships this year:
"Thank you everyone for the greatest trip of my life! You are all as fantastic as New Zealand is beautiful! Novaer and Kia Ora Fellowship! (Or until we meet again)"
"I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Julie for organizing this amazing adventure for us! Seeing the magical filming locations of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit being brought to life in this wonderful country was breathtaking! Your knowledge, expertise and love of the series made this experience one I’ll never forget! Also to everyone who came on this journey, this isn’t goodbye, as I’m sure we’ll meet again one day! ✨❤️"
"I was really looking forward to this trip, but I was apprehensive about coming all by myself. I worried that my inner hermit would take over and it would be a lonely two weeks. I could not have been more wrong. All of you awesome people welcomed me into your lives and I couldn’t be happier. Thanks for making the trip so memorable."
"This was my ultimate dream trip and I'm sure some of you know how much effort planning and executing this whole thing actually was. This trip and tour lived up to and surpassed my hopes and dreams and doing this with awesome people like you was incredible. So big thanks to everyone and Julie. You made this trip better and I literally couldn't have done this without you (Edoras). Kind Regards from Iceland and my door is marked ;)"
Now it’s time to plan your adventure to Middle earth!
Contact us now and to those Fellowships planning a reunion Tour we have lots of great things in store for 2020 and 2021!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all the Team at Red Carpet Tours!
Raewyn, Vic, Melissa, Sasha and Julie (aka Lady Gandalf)
What people have said
My second tour through Middle Earth (New Zealand) was just as wonderful as the first, the locations you are taken to are just amazing. Best suited for people with interest in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, you make so many friends throughout your journey that you become your own...
Lisa S
Just returned as part of the February 2023 Fellowship with Red Carpet Tours and it was one of the best trips of my life. I've been wanting to do this for years and was worried my expectations might be too high, but it was amazing and I wish it didn't have to end! Love the family...
Emily V
"Exceptional! Marvellous! Outstanding! Just a few of the words I could use to describe how fabulous the Red Carpet Tours winter Lord of the Rings tour was. The organisation from beginning to end couldn’t be faulted. Hotels were carefully selected for location and quality. The days...
Judith S
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
With Julie James as our guide (Feb. 2018) on the 14 day tour... it was excellent! She always took every effort and opportunity to see to everyone's requests. The hotels we stayed in were wonderful. The meals were delicious. But the tour itself??? Awesome!!! We had big LOTR and the Hobbit...
Katherine C
Traveling New Zealand with RCT and Julie was amazing. It was the trip of a lifetime (but I hope to do it again!). It was very well put together and we got to see such amazing sites and do so many awesome things. I can't even name what my favorite part of the whole tour was because it was...
Lynn S
I don’t have enough good things to say about this incredible experience. Our guide Julie is so knowledgeable and fun about everything LOTR AND New Zealand in general! My husband and I went for our belated honeymoon and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. You’re fed like Hobbits...
Taylor & Nick L
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
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
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