Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour

Recommended by 98% of travelers

Queenstown, New Zealand

1 hour 10 minutes (approx.)
Flight time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

*Lord of the Rings* fans will feel like they're on Middle Earth during this air tour. Fly above beautiful Queenstown, and see the spots filmed for the fictional places of Isengard, Amon Hen, Lothlorien; then land on a glacier alongside the Misty Mountains and get a sense of what it might be like to cross The Redhorn Pass.

Soak in unique views of Queenstown you won’t get anywhere else
A small group size ensures an intimate experience you won’t find in larger groups
Hassle-free Queenstown hotel pickup and drop-off included
Enjoy scenic views from both panoramic and up-close perspectives

What's Included

Landing and facility fees
Hotel pickup and drop-off
70 minutes of flight time
GST (Goods and Services Tax)

Souvenir photos (available to purchase)

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Will self-drive Pick up location TBC Kamana Lakehouse Mercure Queenstown Resort Heritage Queenstown Crowne Plaza Queenstown I-Site Millennium Hotel Pounamu Apartments The Rees Hotel Sherwood Bus Stop (Frankton Rd) The Hilton Resort & Spa

Meeting point

35 Lucas Place, Frankton, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Arranged start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

10/01/2025 - 09/30/2026
Monday - Sunday : 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Itinerary

Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters werre involved in the filming of "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogies, and now, you can step into the world of Middle-earth on a breathtaking helicopter adventure.

Soar over the stunning Shotover River Gorge, the iconic "Ford of Bruinen", and glide above the awe-inspiring landscapes of "Isengard", "Lothlórien", and more.

Land high on a glacier, surrounded by the majestic "Misty Mountains", and feel the thrill of standing in the heart of the "Redhorn Pass". With a second alpine landing, immerse yourself in another unforgettable movie locations.

Throughout your flight, use a booklet to help identify and learn about the famous filming spots.

Whether you're a "Lord of the Rings" fan or simply seeking an extraordinary adventure, this once-in-a-lifetime experience is not to be missed.

Mount Aspiring National Park (Pass By)

Additional Info

Total weight per passenger: 265 lbs
Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation

Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
Due to comfort and weight / balance of the aircraft, passengers must advise of weight at the time of booking
Infants will be charged at the child rate (0-3 years old sit on adults lap)
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Eugene_W

Worth every Penny. My Wife and Granddaughter loved it!! It was absolutely breathtaking! The people running this operation are as wonderful as the views!

Reviews

4.9

based on 46 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Fantastic!

Eugene_W, Feb 2026

Worth every Penny. My Wife and Granddaughter loved it!! It was absolutely breathtaking! The people running this operation are as wonderful as the views!

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you Eugene! We really appreciate your lovely review and that you had a great time flying with us! We'd love to have you back again for another helicopter flight on your next visit to Queenstown. Kind regards, the GSLH team.

Hojo

Howard_L, Feb 2025

Great experience and amazing scenery - our first helicopter ride. Improvements could be made tho in sound quality as both of us heard very little of what the pilot said during the trip, which was a LOTR trip with a pilot who worked there during filming, so that communication was to be part of what we paid for as we're huge LOTR fans. And we got very very little of that. Addl - don't know if headphones are sanitized between rides, but each of us wore 3 different ones during the trip, so if someone had communicate disease issues, it was certainly passed around through handling and wearing of those. Pilot was almost too professional/aloof -and was clock watching - too keep on schedule I'm sure - but we were delayed before taking off and he was visibly upset by that

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Dear Hojo, Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you enjoyed the scenery during your first helicopter ride. We're sorry to hear that the sound quality didn't meet your expectations, especially for the LOTR commentary. The headphones we use do have volume control, so guests can adjust them to their preferred level. We will also make sure to remind everyone to do so before each flight. We appreciate your comments about the pilot’s professionalism. Our pilots are dedicated to maintaining a safe and timely schedule, but we always aim to ensure a personable and relaxed experience. Thank you again for your review – we really appreciate you taking the time to provide this insight, and we hope to have the chance to welcome you back for another flight in the future! Kind regards, Tegan

A must flying experience in Queenstown

Tim_F, Jan 2025

Excellent pre flight communication and seamless check-in! Overall flight experience exceeded expectations!!! Pilot was very nice, provided outstanding commentary and demonstrated a true love for flying!

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Hi Tim, Thank you very much for your recent review on our LOTR + Glacier experience. We are thrilled to read that you had a seamless experience from start to finish! Your amazing Pilot Jeremy does have a love for flying, I will be sure to pass along your kind words to him. thank you very much for choosing to fly with us. Kind regards, Tegan

Rare and beautiful experience with awesome people

AleksVujovic, Jan 2024

These folks are professionals! What a strong start to my trip! We landed in a couple of amazing places which just took my breath away. I feel privileged to have landed atop a glacier, since they're melting, seize the opportunity! I came away with great feelings, a friendly chat with the pilot who is an absolute MVP and 980 photos total. Mind-blowing, courteous and absolutely amazing! Go fly with them!

Amazing

Sage_W, Dec 2023

I came with high expectations and they were easily exceeded. Ernie's effortless skill was evident and he showed us the LOTR locations and their stories from his personal experience. He made sure to approach from every angle to ensure everyone had a good view. The scenery was stunning. Coming over the pass very low, then rising up over it at the last minute created a surreal effect of the glaciated peak to pop up right before our eyes, with cascading waterfalls, yawning crevasses, and sparkling snow fields.... Then we landed on it. I usually have to backpack for days, then climb for hours for such vistas... It seemed almost unreal that we just popped up there in a heli in just a few minutes. Even if you are not an LOTR fan you must do this flight if you are any where near the area.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Hi Sage, Thank you so much for your review and sharing the wonderful experience you had on your recent LOTR + Glacier flight with Alfie. We love hearing that we exceeded your expectations! We hope you took plenty of photos and videos. Thank you for choosing to fly with GSLH. Kind regards, Tegan

Incredible

Rachel_S, Nov 2023

Incredible experience!! My inner LOTR nerd was freaking out. The pilot was awesome!! Highly recommend!!

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Hi Rachel, Thank you for your review. Great to hear that you loved our LOTR flight! Thank you very much for choosing to fly with us. Kind regards, Tegan

Would do it again

Rily_J, Oct 2023

Amazing experience! Loads of know about lord of the rings and the filming locations! The team were friendly and helpful. Amazing views the whole way!

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Hi Rily, Thank you very much for your review. Great to hear that you had an amazing experience during our LOTR + Glacier Explorer flight. We hope you were able to spot many filming locations from the movies! Thank you for choosing to fly with GSLH. Kind regards, Tegan

THE BEST TIME EVER

Caten_A, Dec 2022

INCREDIBLE! Once in a lifetime kinda moment. My husband is a huge lord of the rings fan but honestly this flight was so much more than just getting to see the film locations. Getting to land on a glacier and on top of mountains was just amazing. Words and pictures will never do justice to just how incredible this experience was. My husband and I will never forget this moment. We highly recommend doing this. It’s worth every penny! Honestly, one of the best experiences of our lives.

Simply amazing

BichThuy_D, Nov 2022

The flight was postponed to another day due to bad weather, thankfully on the new date the weather was great, and I had one of the best flights ever. The views are breathtaking and left me quite speechless, especially when we approached the glaciers. We landed twice for pictures, including once on the snowy mountains where my feet sank mid-calf into the snow :D I kept grinning like an idiot throughout the entire flight. Many thanks to our pilot Michael for, I quote, "making dreams come true"!! This experience was a blast and I'd gladly do it again (though I'd have to ask my bank first :D)

Exciting Tour

Robert K, Oct 2019

It was all and more than we hoped for. The day was beautiful and the pilot was fantastic. We would take it again if we were back in Queenstown.

Response from Host, Nov 2019

Kia ora Robert K Many thanks for your comments following your flight with us. We look forward to seeing you again in the future. Kind regards, Trish

Magnifique survol en...

Sophie_M, Mar 2025

Magnifique survol en hélicoptère de la région avec un pilote exceptionnel ! Des vues à couper le souffle et 2 arrêts incroyables !!! Pour tous les fans du Seigneur des Anneaux mais pas seulement car les paysages peuvent plaire à tous.