Journey with tripatlas.com/new as we take you through the stunning countryside of New Zealand – from Matamata, Queenstown, and Wellington – to the filming locations of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
Lord of the Rings tours & driving routes in New Zealand
Today, you can visit New Zealand on a Lord of the Rings guided tour with companies like Lord of the Rings Tours, Red Carpet Tours or FirstLightTravel.com. Aside from visiting the locations where many scenes were filmed, some tours offer costumes and prop weapons to make the experience even more exciting and interactive.
For travellers on a budget, you can visit New Zealand Tourism for a list of driving routes that will take you through a few of the regions where the filming of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy took place. You can also pick up The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook by Ian Brodie, which pinpoints and guides you through the locations.
Filming locations/regions of Lord of the Rings in New Zealand
Matamata: Hobbiton, the Shire & Bag End
Here in the Matamata region, the town of Waikato was used as the setting for the Shire. The chosen location was Alexander Farms, a New Zealand sheep farm that was transformed into the Shire. Almost 40 hobbit homes (holes) were built, including Bag End, home to Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. Waikato is a 2.5-hour drive from Auckland. Find out more about Visiting Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand today.
Tongariro National Park: Mordor & Mount Doom
Here at Tongariro National Park in North Island, the park’s volcanoes were used as Mordor and Mount Doom. Mount Ngauruhoe, a popular hiking spot, was used as Mount Doom; while Mount Ruapehu, the park’s largest volcano was used as Mordor. On Mount Ruapehu, you’ll find Whakapapa Skifield and in its parking lot – the final battle between orcs and elves/men. Tongariro National Park is a 4-hour drive from Auckland.
Wellington: The Shire, Gardens of Isengard, Rivendell, Osgiliath Wood, Paths of the Dead
Many scenes of the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed in the Wellington Region. Here, the forests nearby Mount Victoria were used as Hobbiton Woods in the Fellowship of the Rings when the hobbits run from the black riders. Harcourt Park was transformed into the Gardens of Isengard. Wellington’s Kaitoke Regional Park was turned into Rivendell. It was also here that the quarry for Helms Deep was filmed. It was at the Wairarapa region’s Putangirua Pinnacles that scenes of the Paths of the Dead were filmed when Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli go to find the dead living in the mountain.
Southern Lakes: Misty Mountains, Ford of Bruinen, Middle Earth
Visit the village of Glenorchy, located on the north side of Lake Wakatipu, and you’ll see the mountain ranges used as the Misty Mountains. Here, you can also discover Lothlorien, a beech forest used for elves of the woods. If you go to the Cardrona Valley and to the summit of Mount Cardona, you can get a panoramic view of Middle-Earth.
Canterbury: Edoras
The fortressed city of Edoras, where the Rohan people lived, was built over 9 months on the side of Mount Sunday in the Ashburton District of Canterbury. Unfortunately, nothing is left of the set, but you can still visit and stay at Mount Potts Station.
Mackenzie country: Pelennor Fields
It was on the fields of Mackenzie country that the epic Battle of Pelennor Fields, the battle for Minas Tirith, took place in the Return of the King. The fields are just outside the town of Twizel and tours can be arranged from there.
Fiordland: River Anduin & Fanghorn Forest
It was the Waiau River between Te Anau and Manapouri that was used as the River Anduin in the Fellowship of the Ring when the group paddle from Lothlorien. Here at Takaro Road, you’ll find Fanghorn Forest.
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