MIDDLE EARTH HELI-FLIGHTS
Flying like Gwaihir around the Southern Alps on your own Middle-earth adventure is a very special experience, one that comes highly recommended and is sure to be the best part of your Middle-earth New Zealand tour.
At Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters Queenstown, pilot Alfie Speight was the principal film pilot for both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. You may even fly with Alfie, or one of our pilots who can share stories with you from life on the film sets!
Experts in our field, we now know this part of Middle-earth intimately, and our experienced pilots can transport you to the many different film locations around Queenstown and the Southern Alps.
MIDDLE-EARTH QUEENSTOWN
(FLIGHT 108)
A fantastic scenic flight combining the best of Queenstown and Middle-earth.
From Queenstown airport, like a giant eagle we fly you safely over the rugged Remarkables to Lake Alta and the crumbly schist slopes used to film Dimrill Dale which the Fellowship fled down towards Lothlórien.
As we continue across the Wakatipu basin we can glimpse the Kawarau River before crossing into the historic gold mining valley of Skippers Canyon. We land here high above the Shotover River which can be recognised as the Ford of Bruinen, the site where Arwen conjured the magical flood to dispel the Nazgûl.
We return over Ben Lomond Saddle for magnificent views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu before passing over Deer Park Heights to view the mountain tarn which featured when the Rohirrim Refugees were led on a clear and pristine winter morning and the view Legolas had of the approaching Wargs.
| Price: | Adult $520, Child $365 |
| Time Away: | 45 minutes |
| Landing: |  Alpine landing |
LORD OF THE RINGS + GLACIER EXPLORER
(FLIGHT 107)
Come fly through the land where many parts of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey were filmed along with the possibility of flying with our most experienced pilot, Alfie Speight, who was the aerial filming pilot for the movies.
Like a giant eagle we soar above the Shotover River and swoop through Skippers Canyon, which can be recognised as the Ford of Bruinen and the location where Arwen conjured the magical flood to dispel the Nazgûl.
Fly over the mountain range which featured in the opening scene of The Two Towers on the way to a glacier landing via Mt Earnslaw and get a sense of what it might be like to cross The Redhorn Pass.
Next head across to Glenorchy via the Dart Valley to see the natural features you may better recognise as the film locations for Isengard, Amon Hen and Lothlórien from The Lord of the Rings. Experience a second landing amongst one of these locations to truly feel immersed in Middle-earth.
| Price: | Adult $790 Child $550 |
| Time Away: | 1 hour, 10 minutes |
| Landing: |  Alpine & Glacier landings |
MIDDLE-EARTH PRIVATE CHARTERS
The unique and diverse geography of New Zealand’s Southern Lakes is naturally the nearest thing on earth to Middle-earth.
This region is home to rare wildlife, ice-age glaciers, rugged mountains, deep lakes, meandering rivers and native forests – much of it unchanged since ancient times, yet all of it accessible by helicopter.
To venture further afield and experience even more of the environment that forms the backdrop to Peter Jackson’s movies and brings Tolkien’s visions into reality, ask us about designing your own Middle-earth private charter. Flying with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters you will also receive precious behind-the-scenes insights from our expert pilots who were members of Peter Jackson’s production crews.
Itineraries can include glacier landings and remote alpine picnics within National Parks as well as your choice of The Lord of the Rings film locations. Please more details and quotes please contact our friendly team.
