Duration: 4 hours
Timings: 8:15am & 1:30pm
Operates:Year-round, conditions permitting
Walking: Minimal walking
Options: Standard:Max 6 guests per vehicle
                Upgrade:Guaranteed window seat with max of 4 guests
                Private:Exclusive vehicle for your group with max 6 guests

Rediscover the magic of Tolkien’s Middle-earth on a small-group 4WD adventure through the spectacular landscapes surrounding Queenstown.

View The Remarkables from Queenstown Hill, featured as the Misty Mountains, and look across to Deer Park Heights, used for the Refugees of Rohan and Battle of the Wargs scenes. Continue to Kawarau Gorge, filming location for the Pillars of the Kings (Argonath), before travelling towards Arrowtown and Gladden Fields, where the loss of the One Ring was filmed.

Then it's time to head off-road. Follow a historic gold-mining road alongside the Arrow River, crossing the river as you make your way towards the Ford of Bruinen. Stop for morning or afternoon tea, try your hand at traditional gold panning and learn about the history of the gold mining era. Then journey up Coronet Peak and travel along the famous Skippers Canyon Road towards Lighthouse Rock and take in spectacular panoramic views.

Throughout the journey, your local guide brings Middle-earth to life with behind-the-scenes stories, filming insights and tales from the making of the trilogy.

Tour Highlights

• Visit locations Misty Mountains, Pillars of the Kings, Gladden Fields and Ford of Bruinen

• Genuine off-road 4WD adventure and Arrow River crossings

• Traditional gold panning on the Arrow River

• Travel part of the historic Skippers Canyon Road to Lighthouse Rock

• Spectacular panoramic views across the Whakatipu Basin

• Behind-the-scenes filming stories from your local guide

• Morning or afternoon tea included

What's Included

Travel in a 6-seater 4WD Land Cruiser or Land Rover, experienced local guide, Lord of the Rings filming locations, off-road driving and river crossings, gold panning equipment, morning or afternoon tea.

What to Bring

Water, camera or phone, sun protection, comfortable shoes and suitable clothing

Pick up & Drop off

The main departure point is Nomad Safaris, 37 Shotover Street, Queenstown, with complimentary pick-up and drop-off also available from selected central Queenstown accommodation.

Prefer to Explore Privately with a More Personalised Experience?

Book this experience as a Private Tour and enjoy exclusive use of the 4WD vehicle and guide, private accommodation pick-up and a more personalised experience for up to 6 guests. 

Important Information

This tour visits filming locations rather than movie sets. The original sets were removed after filming, but many of the landscapes featured in the trilogy remain instantly recognisable. Minimal walking is required and guests can stay in or near the vehicle at stops if preferred.  Itineraries may change due to weather, river levels, road or track conditions which may affect river crossings or access to some locations. Please review our Disclosure of Risks and Weather Cancellation Policy before booking.

Private Quad Bike Tour - max 5 pax. Participants must be over 16yo and conversant in English. Not suitable for pregnant women. No alcohol and drugs 12h prior departure.

Quad Bike Riding and Safety

Training and Safety Protocol:

To ensure everyone's safety, we offer training at the beginning of your quad bike experience. If you're unable to demonstrate safe riding or cannot communicate with our guides during the training in plain English, for your safety and the safety of others, we won't allow you to participate in the quad bike activity.

Alternative Options:

If you can't ride the quad bike safely, you have two options:

• Partial Refund: We'll provide a refund of $50 for your quad bike activity and will return you to the Queenstown CBD. 

• Buggy Ride (driven by our guide): You can join the tour in our safer buggy option for no additional charge. Note our guide(s) will drive the buggy. 

Credit Card Policy:

To cover potential damage to equipment in case of an accident, we require a credit card from all participants before the activity. This is to take a security deposit in the incident of an accident.

Check out our Weather Cancellation Policy, Disclosure of Risks and FAQs

 IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Please, read the following. 

Nomad Adventures Limited (t/a Nomad Safaris) Disclosure of Risk for Quad Safaris 

 We, Nomad Adventures Limited, are committed to the protection of our employees, clients &
property from accidental injury or damage from work carried out by, and on behalf of, the
business. We, Nomad Adventures Limited, adopt health, safety, and welfare as a fundamental
business objective.
In meeting this commitment, management will comply with all legislative requirements and
take all practicable steps to:
● Provide a safe place of work, safe equipment, and proper materials.
● Activities are reviewed by competent staff (internal technical advisors).
● Establish and insist that safe work methods be always practiced.
● Provide supervision and training.
● Ensure employees and clients understand and accept their responsibility to promote a
safe and healthy place of work and are part of the safety management process.
● Comply with all Health and Safety Legislation.
● Prevention of serious harm.
● Continually improve.
Whilst we undertake all reasonably practicable steps to minimize, remove, or isolate risks
during our tours, it still exists as it does in everyday life.
Risks you may be exposed to during your tour include, but are not limited to:
• Motor vehicle accident including veering from the track, rolling or flipping the quad,
collision with other vehicles, stock, stationary objects, or the land, rollovers, or vehicle
fires, or mechanical failure.
• Your own failure to heed safety warnings, both verbal and written.
• Risk of falling or injury due to uneven, loose, or slippery terrain.
• Dangers associated with the working farm, including unpredictable actions of stock or
wildlife.
• Actions of other users of the property.
• Actions of other tour participants or members of the public.
• Risk of Drowning.
• Risk of injury or death due to natural events such as Earthquakes, Landslide, Flash
Flooding, Treefall, Wildfire, Lightning, Blizzards, Volcanic Eruption, Tsunami, Cyclones
and any ongoing consequences of these events.
Disclosure of Risk Quads v 1.0 Nov 2025