The Open Road Travel

The Lord of the Rings films are one of the world’s most famous movie trilogies. Filmed entirely in New Zealand, the success of the Lord of the Rings films had a significant impact on tourism in the country and propelled New Zealand into the limelight.

The diverse movie locations captured imaginations and New Zealand’s mountain ranges, barren plains, untouched wilderness, and wild rivers provided the perfect representation of Middle Earth for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, as well as parts of the Hobbit movies.

So, for anyone hoping to explore some of the Lord Of The Rings filming locations for themselves, allow us to show you the 8 best places in New Zealand to visit Middle Earth.

New Zealand is an island country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, which is situated around 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) east of Australia, across the Tasman Sea.

The country consists of two main land masses. One being the North Island and the other the South Island. New Zealand’s South Island is larger than the North Island and both are home to beautiful locations, landmarks, and stunning coastline.

The South Island is known for its mountains, fjords, and breath-taking glaciers, whereas the North Island is filled with volcanic hills, white sandy beaches, and cosmopolitan cities.

New Zealand’s weather varies wildly, and while the country has a mostly wet and temperate maritime climate, the further south you travel, the cooler it gets, due to the country being in the Southern Hemisphere.

The indigenous people of New Zealand are the Māori, and Māori culture plays a big role in everyday life in New Zealand. Their history, language and traditions are central to New Zealand’s identity.

New Zealand offers a multitude of Māori cultural experiences, especially on the country’s North Island, where most Māori tend to live.

Moving on to our list of Lord of the Rings filming locations, I will show you the 8 best places in New Zealand to visit Middle Earth.

I am going to be naming places from both the North and South Island, and should provide plenty of options for LOTR fans to truly immerse themselves in the iconic locations and lore of the legendary trilogy.

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand, located at the south-western tip of the North Island. The city played a huge role in the making of the Lord of the Rings movies, and The Lord Of The Rings’ director, Peter Jackson, grew up just 30 minutes from the city centre.

Wellington was the film location to a number of the fictional areas featured in all three LOTR films, so, for this reason, we are going to give Wellington its own section, divided into subcategories.

Kaitoke Regional Park is nestled along the foothills of the Tararua Ranges in the Wellington Region, just 45 minutes north of the city.

This pristine, ancient rainforest was the perfect filming location for the Elven town of Rivendell in The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.

The nearly 2500 hectares of mature native forest and crystal-clear waters offered a tranquil, elvish feel, which you will still experience today.

Walk the many different trails in the park to experience Rivendell yourself or take a dip in the glistening waters of the Hutt and Pakuratahi Rivers.

Kaitoke Regional Park is a popular spot for picnicking, mountain biking, and kayaking. There are activities to suit all ages groups which can be enjoyed amid this iconic landscape.

There is even an Elven archway replica which is definitely worth a look, whether you’re a Lord of the Rings enthusiast or not.

Mount Victoria, a prominent feature of the Wellington landscape, is situated close to the film studio in Miramar. This spot is probably the easiest to reach Lord Of The Rings filming location of them all.

Mount Victoria offers breath-taking views of Wellington and the harbour. It boasts great walking tracks and it is an easy walk or drive to the area from the city.

The 196-metre-high hill, Mount Victoria, was used in The Fellowship Of The Ring movie when the Hobbits ran and hid from the ringwraiths (also known as Nazgûl or Black Riders) just outside of The Shire.

The forest path with its ancient trees provided the ideal backdrop for the iconic movie scene. While the area is very accessible and easy to explore on your own, if you want to discover the exact locations used in the film, why not join a Wellington Lord Of The Rings tour?

Tours in Wellington usually include a visit to the Weta Workshop, based in Miramar, where the Lord of the Rings special effects, props, and costumes were created.

Located in Upper Hutt, a city in the Wellington Region, is Harcourt Park, the location used to film the gardens of Isengard in The Fellowship of the Ring.

This is where Gandalf the Grey (later known as Gandalf the White) meets with Saruman to talk about the ring in The Fellowship of the Ring. They take a stroll in the pretty, peaceful gardens of Harcourt Park, and you can too.

Harcourt Park is home to activities for all ages, including playgrounds, picnic and barbeque areas, sports field, a paddling pool, as well as botanical and native bush areas. Harcourt Park is also one of many entry points to the Hutt River Trail.

The Hutt River Trail is a 29-kilometre scenic walk and cycle path running alongside the river, which goes from Petone to Upper Hutt. It is a simple route, which also allows access to the river for swimming, fishing, and kayaking.

The Hutt River was also one of the rivers featured in the Lord of the Rings films and was used to depict the River Anduin.

Moving on from Wellington now, we are heading north about 180 miles (290 km), to Tongariro National Park, the filming location of Mordor.

In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world, Mordor is the kingdom of the evil Sauron. The Dark Lord Sauron chose Mordor as his domain as the region was protected from his enemies by large mountain ranges surrounding the area on three sides.

Pay a visit to Tongariro National Park and you will immediately see why it was chosen to be the location of Mordor.

Home to dramatic, barren landscapes, emerald lakes, and even three active volcanoes, New Zealand’s oldest national park is one to add to your travel itinerary, whether you’re a Lord of the Rings fan or not.

One of the volcanoes at Tongariro, Mount Ngauruhoe, was even used as a stand-in for the fictional volcano, Mount Doom, in the LOTR movies.

Mount Doom was an important part of Peter Jackson's film trilogy, as this is where the "One Ring" was forged, and the only place it could be destroyed.

Tongariro National Park is located on New Zealand’s north island. Its vast, untouched landscape is absolutely stunning and very popular with hikers.

It was awarded dual UNESCO World Heritage status for its cultural significance to the Māori people, as well as for its breath-taking natural features.

If you choose to visit Tongariro National Park during your trip to New Zealand, it should be noted that Mount Ngauruhoe, specifically its peak, is sacred to the native Māori people, and therefore, as a sign of respect, climbing it is not encouraged.

Also, because of this, scenes in the LOTR movies containing the mountain's peak were digitally altered.

Just two hours south of Auckland in Waikato, on New Zealand’s north island, lies the small town of Matamata.

In Tolkien’s fictional world, The Shire was the homeland of most of the hobbits and was located in the north-western portion of Middle Earth.

Hobbiton was situated in the centre of the Shire, and a small nearby farm in the real-life town of Matamata was chosen to be the setting for it.

Of course, Matamata did not originally contain the famous hobbit holes from the LOTR and The Hobbit movies, so these were built with superb attention to detail and now remain a permanent fixture.

A guided Hobbiton Movie Set tour is a must for visitors looking for fun things to do in Matamata. You will get to discover over 40 unique hobbit holes, including the famous "Bilbo's House", plus you can even stop for a drink at the Green Dragon Inn.

Once you’ve had your fill of all things Lord Of The Rings, why not take a trip just east of town, where you can discover the North Island’s highest waterfalls, Wairere Falls.

There may be a walk involved to get there but the falls are a magnificent sight, with water plunging 153 metres (502 feet) over them.

The Wairere Falls walking track features a diverse range of natural scenery along a well-maintained track and, from the lookout, you can experience stunning views over the valley and the Waikato Plains.

Staying on New Zealand’s North Island, The Putangirua Pinnacles are a geological formation and one of New Zealand's best examples of Badlands erosion. The otherworldly pinnacles are some of the most incredible rock formations you will ever see.

Two hours east of Wellington, the Putangirua Pinnacles provided the perfect film location for The Paths of the Dead, featured in The Lord Of The Rings - The Return Of The King.

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli rode along the paths, which were depicted with an eerie, ghostly mist, skulls, and macabre mass crypts in the movie. Of course, the real-life location does not include these creepy sights, but it is still a must-visit area for Lord Of The Rings fans.

The Putangirua Pinnacles are unfortunately one of the more difficult movie locations to see, as it can be a bit of a challenge to reach the exact filming spots.

Reaching The Putangirua Pinnacles also involves quite a walk, with the round trip taking a couple of hours. So, if you’re not big on walking, you may want to give this destination a miss.

However, the ancient rock formations are phenomenal and are well worth the trip, even if you aren't a Lord Of The Ring’s fan.

Moving on to New Zealand’s South Island now, and nestled in the Canterbury Plains, lies Mount Sunday.

With expansive views of the Rangitata River and the snow-capped mountain ranges in the distance, Mount Sunday is just one of the many picturesque places the South Island has to offer.

The remote Mount Sunday, with its sheer-sided hill, provided the perfect setting for Tolkien's fictional city of Edoras, Rohan's capital.

Building the Edoras set was no easy feat. Not only was the remoteness of the location problematic, but the high north-west winds that are funnelled through the valley made things even more difficult.

Eventually, the entire town of Edoras was constructed on top of Mount Sunday, including the Golden Hall of Meduseld, which served as a house for the King and a hall for celebratory occasions in the movies.

Unfortunately for Lord Of The Rings fans that travel to the location, the full set has now been removed. However, it is a remarkably charming location all on its own.

Being around a 2-hour drive from Christchurch, Mount Sunday can be visited as a day trip from the city. If you’d like, you can also book a Lord Of The Rings Tour.

Walking to the top of Mount Sunday can take around 45 minutes if you follow the marked tracks and the views along the way are spectacular.

Situated in the heart of Queenstown, on New Zealand’s South Island, Deer Park Heights is the filming location for many of the scenes in Rohan, particularly the ones from the second LOTR movie, The Two Towers.

Scenes filmed here include when the Rohan refugees travel from Edoras to Helms Deep and their battle with the Wargs and Orcs.

Deer Park Heights is a scenic drive and animal encounter attraction that originally opened in 1966.

The 800-hectare farm offers spectacular views over Lake Wakatipu and the nearby Remarkables mountain range, the slopes of which were seen in the Lord of the Rings movies.

The stunning park is home to red and fallow deer, goats, miniature horses, llamas, alpacas, donkeys, and kunekune pigs, and in some cases, you may even be able to feed the animals.

Stroll walkways and take in the breathtaking sights or enjoy a picnic at scenic lookouts.

The combination of the unique animals and beautiful scenery makes Deer Park Heights the perfect attraction for people of all ages and interests, and of course, its role in Peter Jackson’s movies makes it another location to add to the itineraries of Lord of the Rings fans.

Entrance to the grounds can be booked via an online booking system and, although a 5-kilometre road runs through the park, buses, minivans, hikers, and cyclists are not allowed, as they can spook the animals.

New Zealand is a stunning country, where you can find everything from untamed wilderness to rich Māori culture.

Not only do millions of visitors travel to New Zealand each year to experience the countries’ magnificent, natural wonders, but many die-hard Lord of the Rings fans come to seek out the spectacular filming locations.

To make sure you get to see these incredible locations for yourself, get booking your unforgettable trip to New Zealand now. And remember, “Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien