Top Wellington Walking Tours

Get a behind-the-scenes look at nine ‘The Lord of the Rings’ locations around Wellington and learn about the filming of movies based on the popular books. On a tour of the New Zealand countryside, see re-created scenes of Middle-earth including the Hutt Valley and the Greenbelt, take a forest walk through Tolkien’s Rivendell, and step into Weta Studios for a movie production tour of digital special effects. Your guide shares insider gossip on how the movies were made and takes you to a themed lunch.

Spend the morning or afternoon visiting Middle-earth on this half-day 'The Lord of the Rings' tour from Wellington. A guide with insider knowledge entertains Frodo fans on a journey into the scenic New Zealand countryside. Get a behind-the-scenes look at LOTR movie production on a tour of Weta Studios and discover why director Peter Jackson selected this region to film the renowned trilogy along with ‘The Hobbit’ movies.

Wellington, New Zealand, is home to an entire community of creative Wētā Workshop artisans who’ve brought life to such films as The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies, King Kong, The Chronicles of Narnia, Avatar, and many others. Wētā Workshop is your gateway to filmmaking creativity. Join our guided tours and learn about the making of movie effects, from armour to weapons, creatures to costumes, make-up to miniatures, and more!

Wellington’s south coast is both a popular choice and a missed opportunity for visitors; although a visit to Weta Workshop is a popular choice, many visitors pass up the chance to see the rocky beaches and rough surf that Wellington locals have learned to love. From the Weta Cave to the Taputarenga Marine Reserve, this small group tour offers the full south coast experience.

Zealandia is the world’s first fully fenced urban eco-sanctuary and home to some of New Zealand’s most extraordinary wildlife. This 2-hour guided walking tour will introduce you to native birds such as kakariki, tui, and bellbirds; rare species like takahē; and unique reptiles including green gecko and tuatara. Entrance fees are included.

Enter the world of Wētā Workshop with the Wētā Workshop Experience + Guided Transfers, a guided round trip by Wētā Workshop! You’ll enjoy return transfers from Wellington i-SITE to Wētā Workshop, where you’ll explore our two unique tour spaces. Your driver will highlight iconic film sites during your journey to the Wētā Cave (a cavern of creativity in it's own right!) On arrival, a Wētā Workshop crew member will show you incredible props and costumes from films like The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia.

Get a personal introduction to Te Papa Tongarewa, New Zealand’s premier museum based in Wellington. This 1-hour guided tour provides an overview of the museum’s interactive exhibits, artifacts, fine art and natural history displays so that you can better explore the collection on your own. You’ll get a deeper look at Maori cultural heritage and colonial history with an expert guide who share insights and offers suggestions for galleries that might suit your interests.

Lovers of good food and drink will enjoy this small-group food walking tour of Wellington. Sample some of the capital’s finest cuisine, including local specialties. Your guide will show you the best spots, and eat at places that you might miss when touring independently. Whether you’re a first-time or repeat visitor to Wellington, you’re sure to try something new.

Gain entry to Zealandia at night and take a guided tour of Zealandia: The Exhibition, which showcases New Zealand’s natural history. Interact with a life-size model moa and Haast’s eagle — both extinct — and learn about the country’s conservation efforts to preserve other native species. Located just minutes from central Wellington, Zealandia includes a night tour of Sanctuary Valley, a fenced eco-sanctuary and safe haven for endemic animal and bird species such as the nocturnal little spotted kiwi.

Experience the wildlife of New Zealand in the early evening with a guided 2,5-hour tour of Zealandia, a wildlife sanctuary located on the outskirts of Wellington. This after-hours tour takes place during the most active period for many resident animals, when they transition from daytime to nighttime activity. You may observe birds returning to their nests, hear nocturnal birds waking up, and learn how the sanctuary restores native habitat.

This is an introduction to Wellington, fun and informative, you will discover the real Wellington. Leaving from the grand Neo-classical train station, a quick walk to the Parliament grounds will provide insight into New Zealand and Wellington politics. From here we'll take a walk atop the major fault line to the botanic gardens, these gardens marry the exotic with the native beautifully, and we shall garner an understanding of New Zealand's unique flora and fauna as we walk through some dense New Zealand bush. Reaching the top of the gardens, at the top of the cable car, we'll take in the beautiful view, point out some landmarks and generally orientate ourselves. From here we will walk through suburbs and places 90 percent of tourists never see, winding up on Cuba st, the heart of the city, for a quick refreshment. We will finish at the national Museum on the waterfront. Guests are guaranteed to come away from this tour with a better understanding of Wellington and New Zealand.

Get a 60-minute introduction to the highlights of Te Papa’s ‘taonga,’ meaning a ‘cultural treasures’ in the Māori language. While admission to the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is free, a small-group tour with a museum guide offers more insight on the enrich your understanding of this unique culture.

Beat the crowds and explore this award-winning exhibitions before opening. Explore Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War with the peace and stillness this subject matter deserves by entering the exhibit half an hour before the public. Te Papa has joined forces with Weta Workshop to create an exhibition like no other. After a short introduction from a Te Papa Host, you will wander freely at your own pace through this gallery. Garnering international acclaim and various awards, this space is best experienced before the museum's doors are opened for general admission. * See eight extraordinary New Zealanders captured frozen in time on a monumental scale - 2.4 times human size * Learn about the battles that took place in this culturally-defining event * Discover more about the ANZAC story through 3D maps and projections, miniatures, models, dioramas, and a range of interactive experiences.

Have fun with your friends while testing your teamwork skills during this 90-minute problem-solving adventure. Enter a spaceship, where you get the news of an impending alien invasion. Race against the clock to solve the puzzles and stop the invasion. This is an interactive game that’s suitable for almost everyone, including kids.

Experience the best of Wellington nightlife by going on this fascinating cocktail tour. You’ll save hours researching nightlife spots, and instead have a guide to take you past the tourist traps, and to the best local haunts. Learn about the city’s best bars, meet master mixologists, and try inventive cocktails. Conveniently, this tour includes at least four craft cocktails and nibbles too.

With a professional guide visitors will be taken to visit the most charming places that Wellington has to offer. This is the ideal opportunity to explore the city while hearing fascinating facts and hidden stories. This service is perfect for those visiting the city for the first time and want to get the most out of Wellington in a reasonable time frame.

Join the locals on the fortnightly Saturday morning Walk & Talk an Art Precinct. Explore art the best way, with other art lovers and an expert guide. Find the contemporary dealer art galleries in the city. Each Walk is to a different cluster of galleries. We are introduced to the gallery, gallerist, exhibition and sometimes we are lucky to get to talk with an artist. We get all the extras of being with a person the gallerists know and respect. Sometimes we go to art auction houses and/or artist studios. Returning several weeks later we find new exhibitions and therefore new experiences. Guides are chosen for their intimate knowledge of the region’s art scene, galleries and artists. As the exhibitions are constantly changing, no Walk is the same. Returning to the precinct will always take us to different exhibitions, deepening and extending our knowledge of the art. We always find a good place for coffee and more talking.

An exclusive tour for all the romantics of the world! Together with the professional local guide, you will visit the most romantic places in the city. Did you know Wellington is the most beautiful and coolest little capital for couples to visit? You will feel spellbound in a charming atmosphere. What is considered as one of the best places to have a date in the city? Where can you make lovely photos? You will be surprised how many historical love stories are hidden in the streets, buildings, parks of the city. From heartbreaking and tragic, to the hilarious or spicy ones. What is so special about Mount Victoria? The Mount Victoria Lookout is situated within the Town Belt, and offers panoramic views of the greater Wellington area. Wellington is a land of beauty making it the perfect city to take your significant partner. This tour is especially recommended in the Saint Valentine period!

Get a hands of view of key Lord of the Rings film locations around the Wellington region with a true local. Enjoy a Gourmet lunch with Aaron your French trained chef before heading for a 90 minute experience in the Weta Workshop home of Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor and James Cameron. Why not dress in costume and have a true Larping/Cosplay experience as your favourite character Gandalf or Frodo

Gear up for an extraordinary photographic journey through one of Wellington's world-renowned destinations! We're set to guide you on a leisurely exploration of these iconic locations, highlighting the most picturesque landmarks that Wellington, New Zealand, has to offer and unveiling some hidden gems that may have eluded many travelers. In addition to our professional photography services, we're thrilled to share insider tips and tricks to enhance your holiday experience! Join us as we uncover the well-kept secrets and treasures of Wellington, all while immortalizing those precious moments of your vacation. We're eagerly anticipating meeting you and embarking on this unforgettable adventure together!

Looking for something different? Get an exclusive Star Safari—just for you and your special ones! We invested in the best equipment so you can enjoy an exceptional experience. For stargazing, we have powerful telescopes and top-quality attachments. For your entertainment, we have VR headsets and the best planetarium software. And a bonus—we are in the middle of an internationally recognised Dark Sky Reserve on a hill with outstanding night sky views. It's as dark as it gets, only 10 minutes from Martinborough. Bring your observing list, or let us make one for you. By the end of the session, you will know what's in the sky and how to orient yourself to the stars. Star Safari is a 90-minute experience with the Universe while seeing the best the amazing southern sky offers. If the weather is unsuitable for stargazing, we explore our sky in virtual reality. You get to ask questions. We deliver a learning experience just for you. We are Hari and Sam, and we look forward to hosting you.