Wellington: Lord of the Rings Day Tour with Weta & Pickup

4.63

(148 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the wind at Dry Creek Quarry — not cold, just restless, carrying this odd mix of pine needles and dust. Our guide, Pete (who actually worked as an extra — he showed us a blurry screenshot), grinned when someone tried to spot Helm’s Deep in the rock face. “It’s all movie magic,” he said, but you could almost see it if you squinted. We piled back into the van, still arguing about which bit was Minas Tirith.

I didn’t expect the River Anduin to look so… peaceful. The water barely moved. Pete pointed out where the Fellowship paddled toward Amon Hen — apparently Viggo Mortensen fell in here once (he told it like a campfire story). At Isengard’s gardens, there were cicadas buzzing and some wildflowers poking through; hard to picture Saruman’s orcs stomping around. Someone tried to quote Gandalf but got it wrong and we all laughed.

Rivendell was next — honestly, it felt quiet in a way that stuck with me. There’s this swing bridge you can cross if you’re feeling brave (I did, heart pounding). Lunch was somewhere nearby; nothing fancy but everyone shared stories over sandwiches and coffee that tasted slightly burnt. I liked that part more than I expected.

Weta Workshop was like peeking behind the curtain — foam swords everywhere, paint under people’s fingernails. We met Gollum (well, his statue) and I tried out a troll voice for my niece on video. Then Hobbiton Woods: mossy ground, filtered light, someone humming the Shire theme under their breath. Pete led us through “Shortcut to Mushrooms” and made us crouch for photos where Frodo hid from the Black Rider — silly but fun.

We finished at Mount Victoria Lookout with Wellington sprawled below us, city lights starting up as clouds drifted over the harbor. Courtenay Place was buzzing by then; Pete pointed out the Embassy Theatre where they held those world premieres — hard not to imagine crowds in costumes right there on the street. I still think about that view sometimes when I hear Howard Shore’s music.