wellington film studio tour

Wētā Workshop Tours & Wētā Cave

21 Camperdown Road, Miramar, Wellington

Visit the home of movie-making magic in the heart of Wellywood, and see behind the scenes of world-renowned films and television.

Tucked away in a quiet suburban Miramar street, a short drive from Wellington’s city centre lies a cinematic gem. Wētā Workshop crafts special effects and props for some of the world’s most renowned films and TV shows.

The design and manufacturing facility combines cutting-edge technology with hand-crafted artistry to serve up Oscar-winning props, costumes, and creature effects. And, best of all, it opens its doors to fans who want to see exactly how the magic is made.

On the big screen

Wētā Workshop is best known for its Academy Award®-winning work on ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ trilogies. But there are plenty of other movies and shows its had a hand in. Its constantly growing list of blockbuster credits includes ‘Blade Runner 2049’, ‘Avatar’, ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’, ‘Dune’, ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, and many more.

Weta Workshop

Take a tour

The Wētā team are happy to take the public behind the scenes in their creative workshop tours. Guests can explore different sorts of prop-making, costumes, and special effects that go into making movie magic. There are plenty of recognisable props, intricate models and set pieces along the way, including items from Middle-Earth and beyond. If you’re lucky, you’ll spy an artist at work on the tour stage.

The tour departs from the Wētā Cave retail store. A cavern of creativity in its own right, the shop features plenty of photo opportunities. Sneak past the giant trolls who guard the front door and don’t forget to check out the mini-museum where a particularly hairy pair of Hobbit feet are on display.

If you want to get hands-on yourself, try a creative workshop. Roll up your sleeves and learn the magic of sculpting with household materials and modelling clay. Refine, design, and dye a leather keepsake in an introduction to leather work. Or, try your hand at special effects makeup. You’ll learn to create gruesome wounds, fake blood, scars and scrapes. Workshops are introductory and no creative experience is necessary.

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Troll selfie.

A visit to the Weta Cave is included.

Hollywood no, Wellywood sign

Wellington Movie Tour

145 Wakefield Street, Te Aro, Wellington , Wellington Central , New Zealand .

An experience that takes you to the heart of "Wellywood".

Pricing and Conditions

Optional add-on Weta Cave Workshop Tour - $28/adult.

We begin with a drive up to the Mt Victoria Lookout for views over the city, Miramar & further. We then continue past the forest where Lord of the Rings filming began in the "Hobbiton Woods" & onto Miramar - home to New Zealand's filming industry. We can make a stop at the local version of the Hollywood sign before continuing to the historic Roxy Cinema. Here we enjoy a drink & tour and this is where you have the chance to view a real Oscar, won by Jamie Selkirk for Lord of the Rings. From the Roxy, we continue past numerous studios before arriving at the Weta Cave - tourism and retail arm of special-fx company, Weta Workshop. Here you can take many pictures & purchase some of their movie memorabilia. The Weta Experience is optional too.

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• Cruise Visitors

Wellington Rings Tours

-original movie locations, -nature experience, -expert fun guides, -great food, -comfortable coach.

the home of Middle Earth, since 2002

The Original tours

an epic journey through

Middle-eartH. Movie locations of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Explore the stunning Wellington Region that inspired Film Maker Peter Jackson and his team to create the worlds of hobbits, elves & Orcs. Visit the WETA Workshops where it all began.

Movie Locations & the Weta Workshops

Departures: 8.30 or 9.30 daily

Duration: 4 hours

Pickup: Central Wellington iSITE

+Lunch Feast & more Spectacular Movie Locations

Start: 8.30 or 9.30 daily

Duration: 7.5 hours

How to book

Tours start daily at 8.30 or 9.30 am

Full & 1/2 day guests may be seated on the same coach

We recommend booking early for summer 2023.

What to bring

Suitable clothing: A windbreak or light raincoat may be your best companion. It is generally not cold but can be windy

Personal medicines/requirements

Reusable water bottle/if required

FREE WiFi: During lunch (Full Day only) you enjoy free WiFi to connect with your family and friends

All tour expenses included

"A wonderful day. Stunning coastline, film locations and beautiful rainforests and rivers with trout.

After the studio visits, we enjoyed a big Hobbit Lunch and went to discovered a swing bridge to beautiful NZ rainforest locations with rivers & native birds. Thanks! It was magical!"

Jan & Marina de V.

Netherlands

Welcome, to middle earth.

One For All!

One form for all inquiries. Please use this form.

We look forward to hearing from you.

We are Wellingtons expert tour operator

wi th over 20 years of experience.

Expert guides and dedicated vehicles for our legacy Lord Of The Rings location tours. We welcome

independent travelers, cruise guests and agent inquiries.

Wellington Rings Tours is a brand of the Wanderlust Tourism Group Ltd .

Registered Address

Lower Hutt, 5010 Wellington, New Zealand

Formally Rover Rings Tours

Our original Movie Tours started back in 2005 with Lord of the Rings filming location visits, studio spotting and such. The tours still continue today, with somewhat updated formats but with the very best bits still included.

Wellington Movie Tour

The original 4-hour movie tour in New Zealand's movie capital.

Mt Victoria Lookout

The Roxy tour and beverage

Weta Cave shopping with optional Weta Workshop Experience

Exclusive group size up to 10

NZ$490*. *Entry to Weta Workshop Experience additional cost.

Fitness requirement:     Low.

Walks are easy on flat to mild slopes.

Exclusive Bubble.  

1 - 10 people NZ$ 490 + entry fee to Weta Workshop Experience .

What to bring:

     Comfortable shoes

     Camera

     Small bottle of drinking water is always a good idea.

     Payment method for purchases at Weta Cave.

     Clothing suitable for the weather on the day.  Due to frequently windy conditions, we don't provide umbrellas if wet.

Wellington Movie Tour extended

Our extended 6.5-hour Wellington Movie Tour directors cut .

Drive out of the city to visit "Rivendell"

Have pictures at the "Rivendell" arch we built

Drinks, snacks

Walk over a swing bridge and through massive native trees to view our giant 1,200 year-old Rata.

NZ$690*. *Entry to Weta Workshop Experience additional cost.

Fitness Requirement:     Low.

1 - 10 people NZ$ 690 + entry fee to Weta Workshop Experience .

We are sorry to advise all our Ultimate Movie and Wairarapa South Coast tours remain postponed at this time due to storm damage at the Putangirua Pinnacles early 2023. As at January 2024, The Department of Conservation advises access to Putangirua Pinnacles remains closed. Because the Pinnacles is a major part of our experience, we have unfortunately been forced to cancel our Ultimate and Wairarapa tours until further notice.

Ultimate Movie Tour

Currently paused due to storm damage. Our newly designed full-day Ultimate Movie Tour including the Wairarapa South Coast.

Picnic lunch at the Putangirua Pinnacles

Walk the Pinnacles for spectacular views - see where LOTR  "Paths of the Dead" was filmed

Climb the steps for spectacular views at the lighthouse

North Islands largest fur seal colony at Cape Palliser

Fitness:     Good.

The Putangirua Pinnacles walk is steep, slippery in places and on sharp jagged rocks elsewhere.  To climb the steps to the Cape Palliser Lighthouse, you will need to count higher than 250.

Price includes all travel, guiding and park entry fees plus picnic lunch.

1 - 10 people NZ$ 980 + NZ$ 10pp.

     Sturdy walking shoes.  We will be walking on slippery slopes and sharp jagged rocks on steep inclines.

    1-litre bottle of drinking water.

Providing small-group experiences since 2005

Weta Workshop

Wellington is in many ways the heart of the movie fan's experience, being the home to the Weta Workshop, Cave and Stone Street Studios.

Wellington is in many ways the heart of the movie fan's experience, being the home to the Weta Workshop . Named after a native New Zealand species of insect ancient enough to have seen dinosaurs come and go, Weta has been responsible for the remarkable digital and special effects, costuming and weaponry that have helped bring The Lord of the Rings  and Hobbit trilogies to life. Besides being the base for Weta, Wellington is also New Zealand's capital city with a reputation as the place to go for a culture fix due to its world-class cafés, bars, restaurants, art galleries and New Zealand's National Museum, Te Papa.

The Weta group is made up of a huge number of talented artists including the Weta Cave Workshop where they are responsible for all the Special effects, Motion Capture, costuming and weaponry, its shop front, the Weta Cave and Weta Digital where the digital visual effects wizards are based, the Stone Street Studios and Park Road Post Production. During the production of The Lord of the Rings, the artists turned out thousands of items including 1200 suits of armour and 10,000 arrows among many others. When travelling with Red Carpet Tours, you'll get a taste of these props and the people who made them and their stories on our action-packed Weta Day.

Close to the centre of Wellington, on the forested slopes of Mount Victoria, is the 'Get off the road' location where the Hobbits hid from the menacing Black Rider. On tour, together we will recreate these scenes.

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.

In the midst of endless rolling green hills flecked with white sheep is the village of Hobbiton. Be prepared to be transported to the peaceful region of Middle-earth™ where Bilbo Baggins lived and the

Although the area is better known for the Waitomo Caves and glow worms, the Mangaotaki Valley near Piopio also featured in The Hobbit where it became the location for Staddle Farm and Trollshaw Forest

Pelorus River is a stunning location where Bilbo and the 13 Dwarves had to ride down the rapids in their barrels!

What people have said

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...

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

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

"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...

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...

There is a reason that this company is the premier in its field. I’ve been home for almost a week now and I’m still struggling to comprehend how incredible my experience with Red Carpet Tours was. This was hands down one of the best things I ever have, and likely ever will do in my...

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

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.

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...

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...

Wellington Movie Tour

Take a journey with us on the  wellington movie tour, as we explore some of the most fantastic filming locations featured in the lotr and the hobbit movies..

The Wellington Movie Tour  promises a fantastic experience for fans of the movies and guests looking for an enjoyable and memorable day out. Our Lord of the Rings guides have extensive knowledge about the films and the filming locations and are on-hand to answer any questions guests have during the tour. Enjoy a thorough visit to the Weta cave, an introduction to movie making, and behind-the-scenes LOTR stories.

Lord of the Rings

• Public tour

From € 73 per person

• Pick-up area: Wellington city centre
• Mount Victoria Lookout
• Miramar, Wellington
• The Roxy Cinema
• Weta Workshop

Tour details

We reserve the right to adjust the tour schedule should it be necessary due to road, weather or tide conditions.

The film sets are gone but let us bring it back to life with our exclusive movie clips and behind-the-scenes stories.

Meeting point

Wellington city centre pick-up. Please arrive at your chosen pickup location 15 minutes prior to your tour time.

Tour departs

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:00 pm

Wellington city centre

Live guide speaks

Max group size, tour operator.

Adventure Safari

Cancellation policy

48 hours  or more before start: full refund less 5% booking fees. After that time or no-show: no refund .

Accessibility

All ages welcome Suitable for children Children must be accompanied by an adult

Tour and beverage at The Roxy Weta’s “Workshop Experience” Tour Wellington city centre pick-up Transport and driver/guide

Things to bring

Appropriate clothing Comfortable shoes Bottle of water

Film series

Full description.

The Wellington Movie Tour  starts after you are picked up from a central city location, witnessing fantastic views of Wellington City as you pass the famous Embassy cinema. The Embassy Cinema became well-know for premiering The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King when they were first released.

You will then visit Mt Victoria, where you will experience picturesque viewpoints of the Harbour.

The next part of the tour will begin once we arrive in Weta. Upon arrival, you might like to experience where The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies were brought to life at the Wellington film industry in Miramar . Once you are ready, your tour guide will show you into the Weta Cave.

You can experience the Wellywood location as a tour guide shows you some of the special effects used in some of the biggest movies ever, not just the films set in Middle-Earth. Marvel at the spectacular weapon and armour displays which featured in the films, and you might like to purchase a souvenir and watch behind the scenes footage detailing the Weta company’s history.

The Wellington Movie Tour will draw to a close when you return to your central city dropoff location. On your return journey, you will have one last opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the filming locations that you have experienced.

Locations (5)

1. pick-up area: wellington city centre, 2. mount victoria lookout, 3. miramar, wellington, 4. the roxy cinema, 5. weta workshop, reviews (0).

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STONE STREET STUDIOS  |  WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND

Stone street sits at the hub of the film making community in wellington, new zealand., the complex includes four purpose-built stages, including the massive 24,100 square foot ‘kong’ sound stage., stone street studios has hosted productions such as the lord of the rings trilogy, king kong, avatar, the hobbit trilogy, pete’s dragon, ghost in the shell and mortal engines and are a short distance from the multi-award winning facilities of wētā fx, park road post production, wētā workshop and portsmouth rentals., if you want to make your film in a place that has not forgotten the magic of film making, come to wellington and stone street studios..

At the heart of Stone Street Studios are four purpose-built sound stages ready to transport your production to it’s cinematic destination.

Used in countless International productions, this state-of-the-art film studio, is specially designed to provide filmmakers with the facilities they need along with the best people and technology on offer.

At 24,100sq ft, K Stage is the largest purpose-built fully soundproofed stage. It comes equipped with house lighting, power outlets and compressed air reticulation. The stage has an air handling system for fresh air and extraction, a grid of catwalks for set and lighting rigs, plus a grid level dimmer room and three purpose-built rails for green, white and solid screens.

A Stage was Stone Street’s first purpose built studio and is 12,600sq ft in size and has been partially soundproofed to achieve a reverb time of approx 1.2 seconds. The stage has been equipped with an air extraction system, compressed air reticulation, an aircooling system and a grid of catwalks for set and lighting rigs. Includes three purpose-built rails for green. white and solid screens. The attached covered annex (3900sq ft) has been used by previous productions for either truck access or for still shoots.

F and G Stages deliver 17,500sq ft of fully sound proofed stage space each with an air handling system for fresh air and extraction, a grid of catwalks for set and lighting rigs, a grid level dimmer room and three purpose-built rails for green, white and solid screens.

Supporting the stages are a paintshop and construction warehouse, offices for production, prop workshop, wardrobe and make up, as well as a large backlot usable for outside green-screen, or use as a wet stage.

‘The Paint Shop’ warehouse, established for set and prop finishing work, has attached offices and an OSH (Occupational Safety & Health) approved Spraybooth.  Construction space for lighting/grip storage has standard warehouse lighting and power outlets plus offices, kitchen & washrooms.

Three production office blocks are available. All come equipped with standard lighting and power points. They are air-conditioned and security alarmed, and are furnished with a selection of desks, credenzas, chairs and filing cabinets/cupboards.

The prop workshop can be utilised for building or storage. It has standard warehouse lighting and power outlets. Its’ laundry is equipped with commercial washing and drying machines and associated benches and tubs.

The wardrobe’s open plan costume making and fitting areas have ceiling lighting for fine-work quality, power outlets and various large workbenches as well as wardrobe equipment available for rental. Makeup boasts 13 workstations with standard mirror/lighting setup and power points, 3 hair washing stations and a separate area for greenroom or cast and extras processing.

The 50,000sq ft backlot is accompanied by a 50,000sq ft parking area.

Some previous productions that made use of the Stone Street Studio facilities.

Check out our past production diaries, including an in-depth archive of The Hobbit presented by Director Peter Jackson.

New Zealand is one of the most film-friendly countries on the globe, with excellent production bases and facilities in key locations.

Filming here is famous for diverse landscapes; snowy mountain ranges, vast greenery and volcanoes, and white-sand beaches, all surrounded by miles of rugged coastline. You can also find gritty industrial backdrops and urban cityscapes which have doubled for everything from Middle-Earth to Post-WWII Japan to futuristic cyber-driven dystopias.

The New Zealand Film Commission, the industry’s governing body, is supported by four regional constituencies; Film Auckland, Film Hawke’s Bay, Screen Wellington and Film Otago Southland.

For more information about filming in New Zealand, follow the button below.

Stone Street Studios is part of a network of creative companies in Wellington. The suburb of Miramar has become home to some of the world’s finest filmmaking talent and technology.

The Wētā Group of Companies are all situated in our film-haven of Wellington’s South Coast Peninsula, allowing filmmaking to blossom with the ease of our one-stop-shop facilities.

Our creative community of Park Road Post Production, Portsmouth Rentals, Wētā FX, and Wētā Workshop, are conveniently within a few minutes of each other. Focused on inventiveness and quality, this collective community works together to provide a comprehensive range of services:

Park Road Post Production

On-set, digital dailies, sound mixing, sound design, digital intermediate, deliverables..

Park Road Post Production is a premier post production facility located 5 minutes from Stone Street Studios.

Developed by filmmakers for filmmakers, Park Road offers a relaxing and inspiring environment for filmmakers to realise their vision.

Park Road was established as a one-stop post production solution and is uniquely placed to supply all post services for TV and feature films.  Digital rushes, on-set dailies, stereoscopic alignment, film scanning, restoration services, DI, sound editorial including foley, ADR, sound mixing, Dolby® Atmos™ and Vision capable and digital deliveries in all formats for final distribution.

Portsmouth Rentals

Film equipment hire.

Portsmouth Rentals is a complete film equipment rental company with a vast range of lighting, lighting trucks, grip, unit (craft service), location and special effects equipment for hire. It has a consumables outlet that sells everything from gaffer tape to technician accessories.

Wētā Workshop

Design, miniatures, creatures, prosthetics, makeup effects, weapons, armour..

Wētā Workshop houses a complete one-stop physical effects workshop under one roof, offering services in design, makeup effects and prosthetics, creatures, museum display models, armour and chain mail, weapons and sculpture.

As a five-time Academy Award-winning concept design studio, Workshop is made possible through intense collaboration by multi-skilled artists and craftsmen between these departments. The creativity, passion and tenacity of the Wētā Workshop crew is second to none.

Visual Effects

Wētā FX provides a full site of digital production services for feature films and high end commercials, from concept design to cutting edge 3D animation. Wētā FX’s team of artists are world-leaders in all areas of visual effects production, including animation, motion capture, crowd generation, modelling and compositing.

They are known for characters such as Gollum, Kong, and Caesar from The Planet of the Apes, as well as the extraordinary environments of Middle-Earth and the Na’vi’s home of Pandora.

Copyright © 2021 Stone Street Studios, All Rights Reserved.

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Lord of the Rings Fans – Wellington Movie Tours

Let us show you the sights of New Zealand’s movie capital with a slant on the local movie industry. As part of our full-day ultimate movie tour, you can expect a wide variety of Lord of the Rings scenes and associations. 

Our tours are unique in that only with us will you experience on-location movie clips. We also include behind-the-scenes information and stories only someone with a link to the local movie industry can provide.

Hear all the latest Hobbit news. See the latest production diary. Enjoy our special fx explanations and unique props for those ‘Rings pictures. We then finish with a visit to the Weta Cave plus enjoy the Weta Workshop Tour.

The biggest Lord of the Rings tour in New Zealand’s movie capital. Unique on-location movie clips, props for pictures, special effects explanations, inside stories and a visit to the Weta Cave plus Workshop Tour.

Wellington Movie Tour  – $60.00 

(including weta cave workshop tour option at additional cost).

We will show you where the production studios are situated and give you some idea as to what is happening inside.

Another big highlight for this tour is our 70-minute visit to the Weta Cave.  The shop/museum opened by special fx company Weta Workshop displays many props and miniatures from the films they have been involved in over the years.  

You will also have the chance to enjoy their popular behind-the-scenes video before making any purchases if you choose.

Our standard tour will allow you to enjoy the Weta behind-the-scenes video.  Those on our Wellington Movie Tour plus+ will replace the video with the Weta Cave Workshop Tour.

Please note a moderate to good level of fitness is recommended for this tour as we will be walking up and down bush tracks. The tracks are slippery in places so we recommend passengers wear suitable footwear as they feel necessary.

Valley Movie Tour – $110.00

Highlights include: Helms Deep, Minas Tirith, Gardens of Isengard, Hinged trees of Isengard, “Aragorn Washed Ashore” and Rivendell.

Only with us will you get to review the movie clips on location, hear how the scenes were shot, learn about the special effects used and hear many behind-the-scenes stories. 

A variety of props are provided for pictures. Have your picture taken at our famous “Legolas Tree”. As part of the Valley Movie Tour, we also have lunch in Rivendell (included in the cost).

If possible, please try to leave a phone number for when you are in Wellington in case we need to contact you last minute. Departures from 9:55am Back by 2:30pm *This is a film-location tour. All original film sets have been removed by the studios*.

Ultimate Movie Tour  – $150.00

Combine the Valley and Wellington Movie Tours to enjoy a full-on day of fun.

Included are walks in parks and natural areas and of course, lunch at Rivendell.

You will also be shown the famous movie production studios in Miramar and we’ll visit the famous Weta Cave.  

Our standard tour will allow you to enjoy the Weta behind-the-scenes video.  Those on our Ultimate Movie Tour plus+ will replace the video with the Weta Cave Workshop Tour.

All our film location tours include explanations on filming techniques used, behind-the-scenes stories and information on current and future filming projects.

N.B. Please note a moderate to good level of fitness is recommended for this tour as we will be walking up and down bush tracks. The tracks are slippery in places so we recommend passengers wear suitable footwear as they feel necessary.

                 Return to Wellington Page

Booking for Lord of the Rings Fans – Wellington Movie Tours

+64 21 280 2406

• Wine /Food/ Beer
• Lord of the Rings
• Sustainability

Discover Wellington's Lord of the Rings locations and tour behind the scenes at Weta Workshop

Lord of the rings half day tour.

• We pick you up at 9.30am or 1pm and head for the hills. After admiring the view from the top of Mt Victoria we head into the  'Outer Shire'  for our first stop.
• Then it's onto the  Weta Cave in Miramar  where you tour the museum, before viewing a short documentary showing the film making exploits of Peter Jackson and his remarkable team.
• This is followed with a fascinating  'Window into the workshop' exhibition, showing film props and weaponry, with the artists themselves describing how the artefacts were created. 
• We return you to your home base at 1:00 or 4:30pm.

Lord of the Rings full day tour

• We pick you up at 9.30am and head for the hills. After admiring the view from the top of Mt Victoria we head into the  'Outer Shire'  for our first stop.
• Then it's on to the  Weta Cave in Miramar  where you tour the museum, before viewing a short documentary showing the film making exploits of Peter Jackson and his remarkable team. 
• This is followed by a fascinating  'Window into the workshop' exhibition, showing film props and weaponry, with the artists themselves describing how the artefacts were created.
• We lunch locally then head north into the Hutt Valley following the  'River Anduin'  and taking in the sights of  'Helms Deep' , before stopping at the  'Gardens of Isengard' .
• Your final destination is  'Rivendell and the Legolas tree ' before returning to Wellywood at 4.30pm.

If you love Lord of the Rings you'll love these Wellington tours to visit the famous Weta Cave workshop and local filming locations

• We pick you up at 9.30am or 1pm and head for the hills. After admiring the view from the top of Mt Victoria we head into the 'Outer Shire' for our first stop at the Hobbit's Hideaway.
• Then it's onto the Weta Cave in Miramar where you tour the museum and shop and have ample time for photo opportunities of the props on display.
• This is followed with a fascinating 'Weta Experience', taking you behind the scenes and showing film props and weaponry, with the artists themselves describing how the artefacts were created. You also get an insight into the world of miniatures and modelmaking.
• We return you to your home base at 1:00pm or 4:30pm.
• We pick you up at 9.30am and head north into the Hutt Valley following the 'River Anduin' and taking in the sights of 'Helms Deep', before stopping at the 'Gardens of Isengard'.
• Next stop is Rivendell and the Legolas Tree before we head back to Wellywood.
• Then it's on to the Weta Cave in Miramar where you visit the museum and shop and have ample time for photo opportunities of the exhibits on display. 
• This is followed by a fascinating 'Weta Experience', taking you behind the scenes and showing film props and weaponry, with the artists themselves describing how the artefacts were created. You also get an insight into the world of miniatures and modelmaking.
• We have lunch locally at a seaside cafe, before heading for the hills to the stunning view from the top of Mt Victoria.
• Your final destination is  the 'Outer Shire' and the Hobbit's Hideaway. 
• We return you to your home base at 4.30pm.

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10 of the best film studio tours around the world

From Rome to LA, Mumbai to Tokyo, live out your movie dreams on guided tours and behind-the-scenes visits at some of the most iconic film studios

Warner Bros,Los Angeles

While Universal Studios is now a theme park, Warner Bros offers a chance to explore LA’s cinema history with behind-the-scenes visits at its working studio. The tour includes a walk through some of WB’s backlots – used for films and TV shows ranging from Casablanca to Friends – while the studio archive is filled with memorabilia from more hit productions, with a special exhibition dedicated to recent blockbuster franchises Batman and Harry Potter. The props department, which is also open to visitors, is the largest in the world, with more than 450,000 registered artefacts.

Adults $62, child 8-12 $52, wbstudiotour.com . Open daily 9am-3.15pm

Cinecittà, Rome

Associated with the making of movie classics such as Ben Hur, Cleopatra and La Dolce Vita, this major studio – the largest in Europe – offers the chance to walk in the footsteps of glamorous stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. Built in the 1930s by Benito Mussolini and a base for renowned Italian director Federico Fellini, the studio has an exhibition called Cinecittà Shows Off, which charts cinematic history with the help of costumes, design sketches and more – while tours take you through sets such as the reconstruction of Broadway used for Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York. Adults €20 (for exhibition and outdoor set visit), child (6-10) €10. Guided tours in Italian and English, check website for times, cinecittasimostra.it . Open daily, except Tues, 9.30am-6.30pm

Weta, Wellington

We all know that New Zealand was the location for director Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Ring’s and Hobbit films, and you can visit the Shire and other spots from Middle Earth with a tour of the Hobbiton movie set in Waikato, on the North Island. But for a different NZ film experience, try a tour of the Weta Workshop; the special effects and prop company in Wellington where the stunning costumes for Jackson’s films were created. Famed for innovations such as PVC chainmail (12.5 million links were manufactured for Lord of the Rings), the workshop also produced designs for Thunderbirds Are Go and King Kong. Tours take you behind the scenes of the workshop in action, as well as inside the “Weta Cave”, an incredible shop-meets-archive of props and collectibles. Weta Cave and workshop tour, adults £12, children 6-12 £6, wetaworkshop.com . Open daily 9am-5.30pm.

La Cité du Cinéma, Saint Denis, France

Visits to La Cité du Cinéma start in the “ Nef ”, a breathtaking nave-like industrial space that wasan electric power plant until 1981. Inside the 220m-long, 18m-high space are displays of sets and costumes from films such as the Fifth Element, and behind-the-scenes stories of “Hollywood sur Seine”. The studiowas the brainchild of leading French director Luc Besson, who came across the abandoned plant during the shooting of Léon, and was inspired to create a film-making hub to compete with Pinewood and Cinecittà. It opened in 2012 and since then has been used for shooting films including The Family, Taken 2 and 3 and the Transporter Refuelled. Tours last one hour 45 minutes, a dults €14.90, children under 16 €9.90, citeducinema.org . Open daily 10.30am-8pm

Film City, Mumbai

Bollywood’s spiritual homeland, Film City (almost all Bollywood films have, in part, been filmed here) opened to the public just two years ago. Since 2014, it’s been possible to go on tours of the vast complex, which produces more than 100 films a year across 42 outdoor shooting locations and 16 studios. Guided tours venture to some of these locations, including a helipad, a temple and a church and – if possible – stop by a set while a shoot is in action.

Two-hour guided tour in Hindi and English, £6, mumbaifilmcitytours.com

Paramount, Los Angeles

The US’s oldest running studio, Paramount is behind mega-hits such as Titanic, Forrest Gump … and Transformers. Today, the studio covers 65 acres with 30 stages (superstition dictates that there’s no stage 13, however). There’s a $1.5m reconstruction of a New York street – with 10 distinct backdrops – as well as a huge Blue Sky Tank. Visitors are led by a guide behind the scenes on the lot; there’s also an option to do a late-night after-dark tour, with torches provided. Two-hour tours $55, advance booking required. paramountstudiotour.com . Open daily, tours take place every half hour from 9am-4pm

Atlas Film Studios, Morocco

In terms of acreage, Atlas is the world’s largest film studio. Of course, it’s easy to spread out when you’re in the middle of the desert. Located 5km west of the city of Ouarzazate, Atlas saw the filming of various dusty location-set movies: the Mummy, Alexander the Great, Black Hawk Down and several of the Star Wars saga. There are giant Egyptian-style statues guarding a replica tomb, and a huge colosseum used for the filming of Gladiator. It’s fair to say this studio is epic by name and epic by nature.

Adult £9.60, children 6-12 £6.75, studiosatlas.com . Open daily 8.15am-5.15pm (Oct-Feb) and 8.15am-6.45pm (Mar-Sept)

Warner Bros Studio, Leavesden, UK

New Zealand may be a hotspot for Hobbit hunters but in the UK the Harry Potter films have turned Warner Bros Studios near Watford into a pilgrimage site for fans. The walking tour takes visitors up close to the sets, costumes and props used in the films. You can step inside Dumbledore’s office and wander down Diagon Alley, as well as taking a look at well-known magical items such as Harry’s Nimbus 2000 and Hagrid’s motorcycle. You’ll also learn about the technical side of creating one of the most successful film series of all time, with insight into the special effects and animatronics. Adults £35, children 5-15 £27, under 4s free (but ticket booking still required), family ticket £107 (two adults, two children), wbstudiotour.co.uk . Open daily, opening times vary, check website for details

Studio Ghibli Museum, Tokyo

The character Totoro awaits visitors at the entrance of this shrine to the work of Japan’s leading animation studio. The museum is designed to recreate the essence of the magic worlds found in many of Studio Ghibli’s films, with forest animals and sprites tucked away and waiting to be discovered by eagle-eyed visitors. Executive director Hayao Miyazaki stipulated that the museum should be “put together as if it were a film” and small children should be “treated as if they were grownups”, and these threads run through the design of each vibrant room. Fans will be pleased to know that a giant stuffed version of the Cat Bus - the grinning, hollow-bodied cat that transports the characters in My Neighbour Totoro – can be found on the second floor. Adults £6.50, children 7-12 £2.50, 13-18 £4.50, ghibli-museum.jp . Open daily, except Tues, from 10am-6pm

Filmpark Babelsberg, Germany

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