Mumbai 06th September 2022: New Zealand’s dramatic landscapes captivated movie fans around the world as it became the unbilled star of the hugely successful The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Home to rare wildlife, ice-age glaciers, rugged mountains, deep lakes, meandering rivers and native forests, much of it unchanged since ancient times. A visit to these stunning locations will transport you deep into the heart of Middle earth.
Over 150 locations were used around the country and while most of the sets are now a distant dream, the unique and diverse geography of New Zealand’s North and South Island is naturally the nearest thing on earth to this captivating fictional world. If the new Rings of Power series has inspired you to seek Middle-earth adventures, check out our top recommended filming locations to visit, to have you living out your Tolkien dreams in New Zealand.
North Island
Stop #1:
Hamilton Waikato | Hobbiton Movie Set
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It’s impossible to experience a Middle-earth guided journey around New Zealand without starting it off at the mecca of hobbits – Hobbiton. In the heart of the Hamilton-Waikato region, you can explore the lush pastures of the Shire™ with a guided walking tour of Hobbiton™, as featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies. This privately-owned family farm was spotted by Sir Peter Jackson in 1998 during an aerial search for filming locations for the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. It became the infamous setting for Hobbiton and was rebuilt in 2011 for The Hobbit Trilogy to remain a permanent tourist attraction.
Stop #2:
Queenstown | Mount Earnslaw, the Ford of Bruinen
Queenstown's spectacular, diverse scenery and easy access made it a popular choice for many of The Lord of the Rings filming locations. Skippers Canyon became the Ford of Bruinen where Arwen summoned a magical flood to defeat Nazgul. Earnslaw Burn is one of the most magical locations in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; Earnslaw Burn is a glacier with cascading waterfalls that tumble down a huge rock face. Here, Bilbo and The Company are filmed continuing their quest after departing Rivendell.
There are lots of different ways to experience the abundant filming locations in the Queenstown area. From a 4WD tour with Pure Glenorchy or Nomad Safaris to a helicopter tour with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters.
Stop #3:
Wellington and Wairarapa | Gardens of Isengard, the River Anduin, Putangirua Pinnacles, Osgiliath Wood, Paths of the Dead
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Known also as ‘Wellywood’ for its movie-making expertise, it was a key location for the production of The Lord of the Rings. The most accessible filming location in Wellington is Mount Victoria, which is within walking distance of the central city. The forested areas of the mountain were used to depict Hobbiton Woods, where the hobbits hid from the black riders. This also lays claim to where the very first footage for the Fellowship of the Ring was filmed in 1999.
A drive over the hills to the Wairarapa region will take you to the eerie Putangirua Pinnacles, where Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli sought the Paths of the Dead. Take the train and make a day of it, the Wairarapa is known as Wellington’s wine region so there’s plenty to eat and drink after your hard work film spotting.
Stop #4:
Mount Ruapehu | Mordor, Mount Doom, and Gollum’s Pool
The desolate, volcanic atmosphere of Tongariro National Park and Mount Ruapehu provided the perfect environment for orc-ridden Mordor and Mount Doom (Mount Ngauruhoe), where it all began with the forging of the Great Ring, in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Visitors have been known to trek to the summit of Mt Ngauruhoe on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing to imagine the fiery peaks of Mt Doom. The hike is no small feat, so heading off on a guided tour, such as Adrift Tongariro, is the way to go. See the craters, glistening lakes, mountain springs and volcanic rock as you trek throughout the National Park, covering more filming locations as you go.
Stop #5:
Nelson Tasman | Dimrill Dale, Exit from the Mines of Moria, and the creator of The One Ring
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The South Island is filled with drama, from its towering mountain ranges, dense wilderness areas and wide-open valleys, all close to urban centres, it is a filmmaker's dream. The stunning natural landscapes of the Nelson Tasman region are popular with Lord of the Rings fans and capture their hearts in the same way they captured Sir Peter Jackson’s. Kahurangi National Park is home to Mount Olympus and Mount Owen, aka Dimrill Dale. Mount Olympus and its Boulder Lake feature in the scene where The Fellowship hides from Saruman’s black crows. It was here, as the nine rested and cooked a meal, that the crebain crows of Saruman, searching for news of the One Ring, spied the travellers below. Mount Owen is the place where the fellowship escaped the Mines of Moria in the Fellowship of the Ring. Beyond the scenery, in Nelson you can visit the artisanal talent of Jens Hansen.
Stop #6
Fiordland | Fangorn Forest
Fiordland National Park is one of New Zealand’s most treasured natural icons and is internationally recognised as part of the wider UNESCO World Heritage site, Te Wāhipounamu (Place of the Greenstone). The park covers 1.2 million hectares of mountains, lakes, fiords and rainforest environments, and is an iconic backdrop to many scenes in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, including Fangorn Forest. Ask for directions to Takaro Road – both sides of the road were filmed as Fangorn Forest and remote cameras were strung from high wires to film the hobbits moving through the trees. It is where Merry and Pippin meet Treebeard and is the home of the Ents. It's also where Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli enter the forest and encounter the White Rider, whom they believed to be Saruman, but was Gandalf returning from his battle at Khazad-dum.
With the New Zealand borders open since August, why not come and experience the land that holds the grandiose essence and magic of The Lord Of The Rings.
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