Christchurch: Mount Sunday & Edoras Day Tour with Lunch

Mount Sunday Transformed: The Nine-Hour Journey to Edoras from Christchurch

You're picked up from your Christchurch hotel and driven to Mount Sunday, the actual filming location of Edoras, where you walk the peak, handle movie props, and see behind-the-scenes construction photos. Lunch with sparkling wine is included at a scenic stop, and your guide provides live commentary on the drive and at the site. The full day takes nine hours and returns you to the museum by evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Lord of the Rings Edoras Day Tour

• Depart Canterbury Museum entrance
• Stop at Mount Somers Hall toilets
• Photo stop at Lake Clearwater
• Explore Mount Sunday Edoras site
• Picnic lunch with sparkling wine
• Use toilets at lunch location

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off from your Christchurch accommodation, a driver and guide for the full nine hours, live commentary on the drive and at Mount Sunday, a picnic lunch with a glass of New Zealand sparkling wine, and access to behind-the-scenes photographs and movie replicas at the Edoras location. Toilet facilities are available at Mount Somers Hall and at the lunch stop.

Times

• Every day 08:37

Before you book

Group Up to 16 · max 9 per booking

Live guide English

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point. You can choose from 9 pickup points.

Book up to 12h before

Ages Adult (15 and older) · Child (5 to 14 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund. It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Moderate physical effort Public transport nearby

Operated by Hassle-Free Tours

Prices and times updated today

Traveler reviews

4.76 ★★★★★ Excellent 384 verified traveler reviews 86% rated it 5 stars

5 ★ 331

4 ★ 31

3 ★ 10

2 ★ 7

1 ★ 5

Read all the reviews ›

The experience

"So you're actually going to stand where they filmed it?" That's the question you'll hear before you leave, and yeah, you are. The tour departs from outside the Canterbury Museum at 8am, and from there it's a straight shot south toward Mount Sunday: the real mountain that became Edoras, the capital of Rohan, in the films. Your driver and guide handle the route. You just sit back and listen to the commentary about how Peter Jackson's crew found this place and what they built there. The drive takes a few hours, which means time to settle in, ask questions, and actually absorb the landscape rolling past instead of white-knuckling a rental car.

There's a quick stop at Mount Somers Hall for facilities, then you hit Lake Clearwater: one of those moments where you understand why filmmakers came to this part of New Zealand in the first place. The water sits there, still and reflective, and the mountains behind it don't need any CGI. After that, you arrive at Mount Sunday itself. The walk up is moderate. The view from the top is the thing you came for. You can see the actual filming locations, the remnants of the set, and the guide walks you through how the peaceful mountainside was transformed into a fortress city. There are behind-the-scenes photographs on hand (construction shots, crew moments), and movie replicas: Aragorn's sword, Gimli's axe, the flag of Rohan. You get to hold them, pose with them, take the photos you'll send home.

Lunch happens at another scenic stop, and it's not a sad sandwich in a plastic box. You get a proper picnic with a glass of New Zealand sparkling wine, which is the kind of detail that makes a long day feel less like a checklist and more like something you actually wanted to do. There's another toilet stop here too, because nine hours is a real day and the operator knows it. The whole thing wraps around 5pm when you're back at the museum, tired and full of images that don't quite match the films but somehow feel more real because you stood there.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 14 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time does the tour start and finish?

Departure is 8am from outside the Canterbury Museum. The tour returns around 5pm the same day.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included in the tour price.

What's included in the picnic lunch?

A picnic lunch and a glass of New Zealand sparkling wine are provided at a scenic stop during the day.

How long is the walk up Mount Sunday?

The walk is moderate in difficulty. Wear good footwear and bring a warm jacket, as conditions can change.

Will we see actual Lord of the Rings sets?

You'll see the real Mount Sunday location where Edoras was filmed, along with behind-the-scenes photographs and movie replicas like Aragorn's sword and the flag of Rohan.

Is this tour available for cruise ship passengers?

No, pickup and drop-off from cruise ships are not available. Hotel pickup only.

What should I bring?

Good footwear, a warm jacket, and a camera. The weather can be variable, so layers are a good idea.