Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour
5
Full view
Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour
By Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters
Recommended by 92% of travelers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
Soar above 'Lord of the Rings' film sites on this helicopter tour, flying above the fictional Middle-earth locations of the Misty Mountains, Isengard, Lothlórien, and more. Make two spectacular landings, on Clarke Glacier in Mount Aspiring National Park and in Skippers Canyon. Your pilot—who worked on the 'LOTR' and 'Hobbit' trilogies—shares stories and commentary throughout the scenic flight.
from per adult
$524.59
from per adult
$524.59
Lowest price guaranteeFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 15 per group
Duration:1h 10m
Start time: Check availability
Ticket type:Mobile
English
Highlights
- Thrilling scenic 'Lord of the Rings'Â helicopter tour with two landings
- Get both panoramic and up-close views of key film sites
- Gain an insider perspective by flying with 'Lord of the Rings'Â film crew
- Convenient round-trip transportation from select Queenstown hotels
- Landing and facility fees
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- 70 minutes of flight time
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
What's not included- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
- After pickup at your Queenstown hotel, head to the airport to meet pilot Alfie Speight, who completed aerial film work for the 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit.' Once your helicopter lifts off, cover some gorgeous terrain, starting with the mountain range whose peaks became the films’ Misty Mountains and Redhorn Pass, then cross to Glenorchy via Dart Valley and Mount Earnslaw. Along the way, your pilot points out the places that Peter Jackson transformed into Isengard, Amon Hen, and Lothlórien. Two separate landings let you see the remote terrain up close! First, touch down on the massive Clarke Glacier, and then land in Skippers Canyon, a beautiful gorge with towering sides. Lift off a final time for the return trip to Queenstown Airport, where a shuttle meets you for transfer back to your hotel.
- Departure details
- Traveler pickup is offered.
- Will self-drive Pick up location TBC Kamana Lakehouse Mercure Queenstown Resort Heritage Queenstown (bus stop) Crowne Plaza Queenstown I-Site Millennium Hotel (Bus stop) Pounamu Apartments The Rees Hotel Sherwood Bus Stop (Frankton Rd) The Hilton Resort & Spa
- 35 Lucas Place, Frankton, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
- Hotel pickup is offered. View the hotel list on our checkout page to see if yours is included among the pickup points.
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- Wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Infant seats available
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 9180P9- Due to comfort and weight / balance of the aircraft, passengers must advise of weight at the time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- How much is Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour?
- Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour price starts from $585.54. Discover and book Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour on Tripadvisor
- What is the Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour cancellation policy?
- Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour on Tripadvisor
- Which company provides Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour?
- Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour is hosted by Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour on Tripadvisor
- How much time do I need for Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour?
- On average, this experience will take approximately 1h 10m. Discover and book Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour on Tripadvisor
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 9180P9
Itinerary
- You'll start at35 Lucas PlaceOr, you can also get picked upSee departure details
- Pass byMount Aspiring National Park
- You'll return to the starting point
+
–
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator.
Pjplm
0010/10
An absolute highlight of the trip and worth every dollar. Staff and Polit were amazing and they even let me change …
ABR151517
00Outstanding experience!
Everything was incredible! Views speak for itself but Michael our pilot was full of knowledge! Can’t wait to do thi…
mag068
00The Wow Factor!
What a fabulous experience, Luke our pilot was very knowledgeable of the area, excellent flying skills! Spectacular…
RoslynE886
00Amazing experience!
Great experience run by professional group and expert pilot. The helicopter was spacious and everyone had great vie…
J K
00Wow
Pilot was really knowledgeable and friendly, pointed out lots of view points and potential wildlife. Very smooth fl…
Scrapmad01
00Super snow experience.
Amazing experience with a professional company. Excellent pilot who was also a terrific host. Breath taking views. …
CathyA154
00Bloody Awesome!!
Thanks to the friendly and professional team at Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters we had a marvellous experience, …
NeilK482
00Queenstown and Milford from the air
This was an absolutely fantastic experience. I thoroughly enjoyed it. A fantastic way to see the country. Landin…
maddisonw957
00Fantastic!
Buck (pilot) was fantastic with his knowledge of the area and courtesy for us on the helicopter. Great experience a…
MyriamS422
00Amazing
Amazing!!! Trip of a life time beautiful flying over the Milford land on the Glacier just amazing loved it every mi…
Don N
00AWESOME!
We did the Remarkables Sundown Tour and it was one of the the highlights of our trip. Landing on Double Cone & enjo…
thomaspK5166BK
00BEST HELI RIDE EVER
Simply the most amazing experience!! We will always remember it with such fond memories. Jeremy the pilot was great…
MaureenF760
00Glacier flight
This was a magical experience, and worth every dollar. We flew up to the top of Lake Wakitipu, landed and spent tim…
Maddie D
00Highly recommend!
Amazing experience! The girls at the front desk were lovely, very helpful when booking and made check in a smooth a…
BlueJewelExplorer
00Highlight of my Queenstown Holiday
I flew solo while my wife and daughter were skiing which is a shame as this was more remarkable than their skiing o…
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
14 reviews
Excellent
13
Very good
0
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Nat
Perth, Australia2 contributions
Alfie was so skilled and knowledgeable. I was anxious as we had our 5 and 8 yr old kids with us. He soon put us at ease with his expertise and skill. Todays weather was perfect, glacier was so breathtaking and such a breathtaking view of Queenstown and surrounds. Alfie’s local knowledge and passion made it an experience we will never forget. Zipping low through the river and waving to the rafters at the end was awesome!
Written October 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hi Cruiser35974636837,
Thank you very much for your review on your recent flight with us.
I am pleased to hear Alfie put you at ease during the flight. We live in an incredible part of the world and we love to share it with people like you! Alfie did alot of the filming for the LOTR and Hobbit movies, so his knowledge of the filming locations and the surrounding areas is pretty amazing.
Thank you again for choosing GSLH and we hope to see you again soon!
Kind regards,
Tegan
Written October 2, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
youngkiwicouple
7 contributions
We originally booked the 50 minute glacier flight but were upgraded to the Lord of the Rings and Glacier Flight. We did two mountain landings, one on a grassy mountain and the other in knee-deep snow. The pilot was very nice and had lots of stories to tell. Such an awesome experience, highly recommend!
Written July 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
GlacierSouthernLakes
Hi youngkiwicouple,
Thank you for your review, I am glad we were able to show you some of the best LOTR sights on your flight. We hope to see you again one day!
Kind regards,
Ruby
Written September 6, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
mbs5
Lansdale, PA155 contributions
Dec 2019
Our family of 8 traveled to New Zealand and spent New Years Eve 2020 in Queenstown. We were split into 2 helicopter and given a tour of a lifetime! Matt and Jono showed us the breathtaking landscape of Queenstown and pointed our Lord of the Rings sites throughout our trip. They took pictures of our group and were so friendly! I like Lord of the Rings but really signed up because it was the longest tour. You see so much!!! We landed twice....once on a snow covered peak/glacier!! There is no better way to take in the beauty of Queenstown and surrounding areas! I would recommend everyone do this!! Thank you!
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kia ora!
I am so pleased to hear what a wonderful experience you had with us! Queenstown certainly has breathtaking views!
Matt and Jono are great pilot with a huge amount of experience and I am glad it was a great memorable experience for you all - what a way to enter 2020!
We hope to welcome you back in the future!
Written February 2, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jodie B
Whangarei, New Zealand8 contributions
Michael the pilot was great. The views were stunning and being able to land on a glacier and walk around was pure magic. Great to have a couple of landing to settle the tummy was great. The blue ice glaciers will be something I will always remember.
Written October 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hi Jodie,
Thank you for taking the time to review your recent flight with us.
The glaciers in Mt Aspiring National Park are something else! We are so happy to hear that you had a wonderful flight with Pilot Michael.
Thank you so much for choosing GSLH, and we hope to see you in the near future.
Kind regards,
Tegan
Written October 9, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jodie B
Whangarei, New Zealand5 contributions
The pilot Michael was great. Awesome flight with great details of the area. Loved being able to land on the glacier and the blue of the glacier was stunning
Written October 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hi Jodie B,
Thank you very much for taking the time to review your recent flight with us.
We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your flight with Michael and had an incredible landing on the Glacier!
Thank you so much for flying with GSLH!
Kind regards,
Tegan
Written October 9, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hope
2 contributions
Jan 2020
The views were gorgeous on the ride, but I was disappointed that our pilot Chris seemed pretty uninterested in Lord of the Rings, cursorily pointing out different filming locations but giving none of the insider perspective advertised.
Written January 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Karl
10 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
This is a must do, we took the plunge and did a much longer flight but in reality there is one for any budget, chances are you've done the shotover Jet. This is another level. I have been to QT 3 previous times, and the place just amazes me. I thought I had seeing it from every aspect, till I flew.
While the LOTR /Glacier flight is altered in the warmer month as you can not land on a Glacier. We were told as soon as we booked, and all options to change etc were offered. Communication was great and prompt.
Our flight then became more or less a susprise. I do believe in the fact that the local guys know better than me, so let them choose. I wasn't wrong, and even got to fly with Alfie, in the Helicopter you see on the brochures. So it does happen!
I'm a LOTR fan and Alfie pointed out where many of the filming locations were, some not on the usual LOTR location maps you would find through google. Alfie also explained where the production units were setup, how some of the equipment were ferried in, how long it was just facinating.
It was a smooth, stunning ride in total safe hands. Will do again in the colder month for a Glacier landing, and other locations. A must do!
While the LOTR /Glacier flight is altered in the warmer month as you can not land on a Glacier. We were told as soon as we booked, and all options to change etc were offered. Communication was great and prompt.
Our flight then became more or less a susprise. I do believe in the fact that the local guys know better than me, so let them choose. I wasn't wrong, and even got to fly with Alfie, in the Helicopter you see on the brochures. So it does happen!
I'm a LOTR fan and Alfie pointed out where many of the filming locations were, some not on the usual LOTR location maps you would find through google. Alfie also explained where the production units were setup, how some of the equipment were ferried in, how long it was just facinating.
It was a smooth, stunning ride in total safe hands. Will do again in the colder month for a Glacier landing, and other locations. A must do!
Written April 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kia ora stomsoffate
Thanks for writing such a detailed review.
Alfie is certainly your man when it comes to insights from the filming of Lord of the Rings.
So pleased you enjoyed your time with us.
Sounds like Queenstown will welcome you again in the future.
Kind regards
Trish
Written April 26, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
siena douglas
Queenstown, New Zealand1 contribution
Mar 2019 • Solo
The helicopter ride involved both an alpine and glacial landing. Both of these landings were in awesome locations. The views were incredible from here! The views from above were even better! We had a very helpful and informative pilot, Jeremy. He told us a lot about the area and engaged with all passengers. Very cool for lord of the rings fans too, you get to see iconic scene locations! Overall a 10/10 experience, value for money, would strongly recommend, Thankyou!
Written March 1, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
John K
Knaresborough, UK1,576 contributions
Wow, we booked this months ago and was worried that may be the weather may get in the way. Well we couldn't have picked a better day. Beautiful blue skies.
Picked up from our accommodation on time for the 10 minute drive to the airfield.
Signed in and weighed and had our safety briefing.
Had around a 10 minute wait for another trip to finish.
Our pilot Stu came in and we were all introduced. Made our way to the helicopter and Stu strapped us all in.
There were 5 of us so 1 seat was empty up front. Stu told us we'd all swap places to get a chance of a window seat.
Took of and we set of for the mountains, absolutely amazing views. Photos cannot do the view justice. Stunning.
Really smooth ride over the peaks and then we put down on a dry mountain top. Views were superb.
Then we all changed seats as promised and then flew upto the snowy peaks.
Just amazing views, such a privilege.
Landed on the glacier, funny when you sink into the snow upto your knee.
Stu took photos for us all and then took his own.
The flight back to the airfield was just as good as the journey up.
We passed over several lord of the rings locations. Big fans so that was a huge plus for us.
Landed back at the airfield and got to see the photos Stu had taken.
Taxi was organised for out return..
Stunning.
Picked up from our accommodation on time for the 10 minute drive to the airfield.
Signed in and weighed and had our safety briefing.
Had around a 10 minute wait for another trip to finish.
Our pilot Stu came in and we were all introduced. Made our way to the helicopter and Stu strapped us all in.
There were 5 of us so 1 seat was empty up front. Stu told us we'd all swap places to get a chance of a window seat.
Took of and we set of for the mountains, absolutely amazing views. Photos cannot do the view justice. Stunning.
Really smooth ride over the peaks and then we put down on a dry mountain top. Views were superb.
Then we all changed seats as promised and then flew upto the snowy peaks.
Just amazing views, such a privilege.
Landed on the glacier, funny when you sink into the snow upto your knee.
Stu took photos for us all and then took his own.
The flight back to the airfield was just as good as the journey up.
We passed over several lord of the rings locations. Big fans so that was a huge plus for us.
Landed back at the airfield and got to see the photos Stu had taken.
Taxi was organised for out return..
Stunning.
Written October 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kia ora John K
Thanks so much for such an extensive review.
Sounds like you had a great time and pleased that the day presented with blue skies for you.
I'll pass your comments onto pilot Stu.
Kind regards
Trish
Written October 28, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Vicki R
Goulburn, Australia8 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
Amazing flight with pilot Luke. Incredible scenery. Small group of 4. Personalised service from the free hotel pick up to delivery back to our front door. What a bonus. 2 landings for photos. Luke was kind enough to take some couples shots for us. Reasonably priced. Well done all round guys.
Written August 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kia ora Vicki R
We appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences with us. And it sounds like you got some great photos!
Thanks so much :-)
Written September 2, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
