Blog
2018 is shaping up to be an exciting year with special behind the scenes actives with Weta Workshop & new experiences coming. Join us in 2018 for a life time adventure!
Highlights of 2017
Highlights of 2017
We are nearing the end of 2017 and what a wonderful year it has been!
There have been some amazing Fellowships and friendships made along the way.
Achievements this year on tour:
- 240,000 steps on Edoras
- 5 marriage proposals
- 51 people completed their second or third trip with us
- 12 honeymoons celebrated
- 72 hours of helicopter flights to Rivendell
- 240 pints consumed at the Green dragon
- 223 Kayakers took on the Pelorus river
- 36 rousing King Theoden battle speeches
- 960 arrows fired at Smaug in Laketown
We have also had many wonderful guest presentations from the likes of Sarah McLeod (Rosie Cotton), Mark Hadlow (Dori), John Callen (Oin) and Jed Brophy (Nori).
2018 is shaping up to be an exciting year with special behind the scenes actives with Weta Workshop and new experiences coming.
All direct bookings through our website will now receive a welcome package worth NZ$100 which includes: a free airport transfer to the tour hotel.
So join us in 2018 for an adventure of a life time!
What people have said
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
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
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
Red Carpet Tours is a fabulous company - been with them 3 times. I agree with others posted here that it is the BEST way to see New Zealand, especially if you are a "Lord of the Rings" and "Hobbit" fan - and even if you're not! From all the Magnificent New Zealand...
John N
Just concluded my third trip with Red Carpet Tours. 5 stars for the 3rd time running! Excellent planning and attention to detail by the James Family and fabulous guiding by Julie. Once again, a very lovely, friendly ‘Fellowship’ of travellers with a common interest. You might expect...
Sue B
"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
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
Everything about this tour was amazing! Our tour guide Julie is a true LOTR fan, and made sure everybody was looked after. The locations were well researched and meaningful. Even after the tour ended, Julie has kept in touch as we all went our separate ways and travelled home to various parts of...
Jody R
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