Hobbit village
Hobbiton Movie Set is the real-life location of the idyllic home of hobbits in the film. It is located in the town of Matamata in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. The movie set took the crew 9 months to create and is a popular tourist attraction. Visitors from all over the world are drawn to this picturesque farm, whether or not they are Lord of the Rings fans. Today, Hobbiton welcomes thousands of tourists daily who can experience the charming allure of Middle-earth with the help of a guide and even have a drink at the Green Dragon Inn.
Kawalau Valley
Kawarau Gorge. The Fellowship of the Ring leaves Galadriel behind and takes a boat to Amon Hen. The filming location for the Anduin River in the movie was in different parts of New Zealand, and this scene was filmed in Kawarau Gorge in Queenstown, South Island. Kawarau Gorge is known for its rich extreme sports but its magnificent scenery is also not to be missed. However, the giant statues on either side of the riverbank in the movie were composited in post-production and cannot be seen in reality.
Huaiao River
Waiau River is another filming location of the Anduin River located 13 kilometers away from Te Anau in the South Island. The Waiau River is located in the southwest of the South Island, flowing out of Lake Manapouri and into Te Waewae Bay to the south. In the movie, scenes shot on the Waiau River were mainly used for the opening section of the first film.
Lake Ma'wola
Mavora Lakes were the filming location for the scene where Frodo and Sam cross a lake and have a confrontation. This scene takes place approximately 30 km from Te Anau, and it is also the filming location for the fictitious Ramsay Lake in the movie.
Queenstown Deer Park Highlands
Deer Park Heights Queenstown was the filming location for many of the scenes in Rohan, the kingdom of horsemen, where Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas pursued Pippin and Merry in the movie. The capital city of Rohan, Edoras, was filmed at Mt Sunday in the Canterbury region of the South Island.
Fiordland National Park
Fiordland National Park was the filming location for the Fangorn Forest in The Lord of the Rings, where Pippin and Merry encountered the Ents and where Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli reunited with Gandalf. This UNESCO World Heritage site is New Zealand's largest national park, covering an area of 12,120 square kilometers and home to the famous Milford Sound, which is considered the 8th wonder of the world.
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu. In the movie, Pippin and Merry, aided by the Ents, travel to the stronghold of the villainous White Wizard Saruman, Isengard. Along the way, they pass through the area where the army of orcs roams, which is actually located in the Dart River valley upstream of Lake Wakatipu.
Heaven's Ranch
Paradise Trust is actually not far from Edoras and Grinnoch, located in a place called Paradise. Unlike the desolate landscape shown in the movies, the real scenery of Paradise is picturesque and breathtaking, fully deserving of its name. Therefore, Paradise is also a must-visit place for Lord of the Rings fans. Riding horses here is a unique experience.
Mount Arapiles in Wellington
Aorangi Range
Gandalf led reinforcements to arrive in time, temporarily resolving the dilemma of Helm's Deep, but the enemy was not yet eliminated and the fate of humanity remained uncertain. Aragorn, Legolas the elf prince, and Gimli the dwarf traveled to Gondor via the Dimholt Road. On this road, they battled the army of the dead and ultimately succeeded in lifting their curse. At the same time, the army of the dead also helped Aragorn stop another group of enemies - the Corsairs of Umbar. The shooting location of the Dimholt Road was Putangirua Pinnacles in Aorangi Range, Wairarapa District, Wellington, New Zealand.
Nauru Hooia Volcano
Mt Ngauruhoe is the location of Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. It is a volcanic peak located in Tongariro National Park on the North Island of New Zealand, with a height of 2,291 meters and a cone-shaped crater. It is said to have formed around 2,500 years ago and was where Sauron forged the One Ring. Tongariro National Park also has two other volcanoes, Ruapehu and Tongariro.
Vita Studio
Weta Cave & Workshop is a very important place for Lord of the Rings fans in Wellington, not only as a filming location for the films, but also as a studio responsible for makeup and styling of characters such as orcs, elves, dwarves, and hobbits. The amazing special effects presented in the movies are all works of this studio.
