How was that last shot filmed?

There are many amazing shots in the production, but the very last blows me away. I'm perplexed at how it was done.
It starts with a tight group shot of Gulliver, his wife and child as they walk on the hill. The camera moves around and away from them extremely gracefully, widening out and continuing to circle around and away from them until they are a small dot on the gorgeous landscape. It's one of the most beautiful camera moves I've ever seen.
I'm sure a lot of CGI is used here; it's far too smooth to be a helicopter shot, but just exactly how was this done? I'd love to hear an accurate, detailed explanation.
It's also an extraordinarily moving finale. The grandeur of the shot coupled with the speech Danson reads and his delivery of it leaves me breathless.