Queenstown Lord of the Rings 4WD Tour

The perfect tour for those that want the thrills of an off-road adventure but also want to discover exciting Lord of the Rings filming locations.

The Queenstown tour takes you to see The Remarkables, which were used as various mountains throughout the three movies including the Misty Mountains. Travelling part way up Queenstown hill you get a birds-eye view onto Deer Park Heights, which was used for the refugees of Rohan and the Battle of the Wargs scenes.

Travelling from The Queenstown hill viewpoint we head to the Kawarau Gorge where the filming took place for the Argonath, or Pillars of the Kings.

Leaving the Kawarau Gorge the trip heads to Arrowtown where the loss of The One Ring at Gladden Fields was shot. Near Arrowtown, you will experience a true off-road adventure. Following a historic gold mining road up the Arrow River, you will cross the river many times to get to the Ford of Bruinen.

At this point, you can indulge in morning or afternoon tea and try your hand at a spot of gold panning. From Arrowtown, you will travel to the entrance of Skippers Canyon where you will be offered spectacular panoramic views of Queenstown and into Skippers Canyon.

Private Charters
If you’d like a more private trip, you can book a whole vehicle for your group, our maximum group size is 6.
4 Pax max
Choose this option to guarantee everyone a window seat. A maximum of four passengers per vehicle, each guest enjoys their own window seat. This differs from our standard tours, which accommodate up to six passengers per vehicle, and do not guarantee a window seat throughout the experience. Please note, our guides always encourage seat rotation so everyone has the opportunity to enjoy a different window view during the tour.
Will I see sets from Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit?
No. As part of gaining permission to film in the spectacular locations, the producers were required to dismantle all sets (except for Hobbiton in the North Island). Instead we specialise in showing you where specific scenes were filmed. Many of the movie locations are recognisable on our trips and your guide will give you insights into the stories behind them.
How long is the Lord of the Rings Tour?
4 hours. This makes it an ideal half day excursion.
Where do you pick up and drop off?
Your tour guide can pick you up and drop you at any central accommodation or information centres in Queenstown.
Is it possible to do 2 Nomad Safari trips in one day?
Yes, this is totally possible – we can drop you off after your morning trip to have lunch in Queenstown and then collect you at 1.30pm for your afternoon tour.
Is any walking involved on this tour?
Not a lot of walking is required. Clients have the option of staying in or near the vehicle if they wish at any of the stops on any of our tours.
What type of vehicles do you use?
6 seater 4WD Land Rover or Land Cruisers.
Which trip contains the most LOTR scenes?
If your main focus is to see as much LOTR scenes as possible we recommend our Glenorchy Lord of The Rings tour. This trip takes you to Glenorchy on a very scenic drive and takes in the Paradise Valley, where LOTR and other movies were filmed. Our Queenstown Lord of The Rings Tour (Safari of the Scenes) offers a good mixture of LOTR movie locations, stunning scenery and gold panning history.
What are your child rates/ child ages?
We have child rates available for our trips. Infants (0-3 years) travel for free on our tours and children (4-14 years) travel at a discounted price. Our 4WD tours in Queenstown welcome all ages; there’s no minimum age requirement. We can provide child and booster seats upon request at booking.

Queenstown Half day tour (LOTR)
"An unforgettable experience with the basin 4WD tour. Fantastic host, Adriene Lima; he made sure we had an amazing time. The roads were a little bumpy, rocky, only brought you excitement.
The river crossing was awesome with morning tea at the river. Unreal! The views on Coronet Peak was breathtaking. Our host was our driver, tour guide, photographer and barista. He was friendly, fun with the tour knowledge.
Might be a challenge for people with a fear of height, but you are in good hands with a Nomad Safaris driver such as Adriene. Thank you so much."
– Hai N, Sydney, Australia via Trip Advisor
Queenstown Tour
"We did the Queenstown 4WD tour. This tour has something for everyone. Both adults and kids. Great for LOTR fans but also a great way to see the full beauty of Queenstown. The drive through the river is a highlight.
Our host Laura was friendly, knowledgable and great fun!
– eddmo55a, Sydney, Australia via Trip Advisor
Safari of the Scenes - Queenstown
"Thanks, Michelle for a fantastic tour! We are so glad we did this trip. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves & Michelle took great care of us. It was wonderful to go to places such as up the Arrow River & on some of the Skippers Canyon Rd, that we couldn't otherwise get to on our own.
We also learned a lot of interesting things about The Lord of the Rings filming as well as local history. Michelle was very knowledgeable & highly skilled at driving the 4WD! Highly recommend to anybody.
– Annalyce via Trip Advisor