5 Lord Of The Rings Filming Locations To Visit In New Zealand

Some say that stepping off a plane into New Zealand feels like walking straight into Middle-earth and we agree! As soon as you venture outside the big cities, you’ll spot rolling hills that look like they could be home to The Shire and atmospheric mountains, all of which could very well be secluding Mordor itself.

As much as we recommend living like a Hobbit (second breakfast, anyone?!) across NZ, visiting some of the actual filming locations are going to elevate your New Zealand road trip from incredible to unbeatable!

1. Say Hello To Mount Doom

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Okay, so it’s actually called Mount Mgauruhoe, but honestly who doesn’t want to go and catch a glimpse of where the ring was forged and (spoiler!) destroyed?! The Tongariro Crossing will give you some of the best views, but you can also climb the mountain itself if you’re up for it!

2. Wellington

As well as incredible views from the top of Mount Victoria across Wellington, you may also recognise the forested areas as Hobbiton Woods! Wellington is also home to the digital effects company who worked on The Hobbit and you can head to their workshop to have a peek at some of the props and lots of other super interesting behind the scenes stuff.

3. Lake Tekapo

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Pretty much the most gorgeous coffee spot I've ever seen ☕️❄️ #NZMustDo

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You’ll quickly recognise the breathtakingly beautiful, otherworldly landscape of Lake Tekapo as Lake-town, which Bilbo and the Dwarves travel through on their journey to Lonely Mountain in The Desolation of Smaug.

4. Twelve Mile Delta

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There’s something mystical about the banks of the stunningly beautiful Lake Wakatipu. You also get bonus points if you recreate Sam and Gollum’s PO TAY TOES scene while you’re there! Oh, you know the scene! ‘Boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew. Lovely big golden chips!’ Yeah, that one!

5. Don’t Skip Hobbiton On Your New Zealand Road Trip

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#Hobbiton #TheShire #NewZealand #WildKiwi

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Because if you can visit The Shire for real (and you can, it’s totally real!), why wouldn’t you?! Especially as you can even kick back and have a drink in the Green Dragon!

Ready to see these sites for yourself? Book onto our 24-day Discovery tour from only $3,500 NZD per person.