Do Your Own 5 Lord of the Rings Stops in New Zealand
New Zealand or Mãori Aotearoa is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses ‒ the North and South Islands ‒ and numerous smaller islands. New Zealand has gained a lot of fame from the Lord of the Rings and when you are doing a road-trip here why not stop on a few nerdy stops along the way. Not only is it the scene of the movie, it is also amazing scenery in its own rights.
1. Matamata, North Island: The Shire, Middle Earth
The Peter Jackson movies ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘the Hobbit’ set of the Shire is right outside Matamata. There and back again - in a couple of hours:
Visit the life-size hobbit holes in the green shire, take photos, fall in love with the holes and taste a ginger-beer in the hobbit bar and be as nerdy as you want here. I took around a thousand pictures in front of all the little hobbit-holes and I was as excited about the 150 frame as the first. The Shire is a visit to make time for. Touristy but quaint. You get a guided tour around the setting and are presented to the different homes of the different Baggins, Underhills, and Big-feet. As if you didn’t know which home belongs to what hobbit… Please.
The shire is located in a beautiful green dairy farming landscape around the Waikato town of Matamata. Peter Jackson picked the place out himself. After the Lord of the Rings, the entire set was taken down. When they decided to film the Hobbit it was rebuilt and is now a permanent attraction. I personally went completely dork, and posed in front of half the hobbit-holes in the Shire… and I loved it.
2. Tongariro Crossing, North Island, Mordor
Tongariro National Park is a volcanic park with important Maori sites located in the middle of the North Island. It is more or less in the middle of nowhere. You need a car to get here because it is located far from everything. Don’t fear getting lost, because there are no other roads so the chance of taking a wrong turn is slim.
Tongariro National Park is a world heritage site, and when visiting you have a chance to see spectacular and unique volcanic landscape.
For overnight stays, it depends on your budget but Whakapapa Village is an excellent, and kind of only, choice. Here accommodation ranges from beautiful chateaus’ with views over the landscape to camping spots inside the woods. Remember to register with the visitor center when you set out for the crossing. The weather changes very rapidly here and one minute you are walking in the sunshine while the next it will start to snow, even in the middle of February.
When visiting the Tongariro National Park you get a chance to see three volcanoes, Mt Tongariro, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Ruapehu. Mt. Ngauruhoe is also known as the Mt. Doom where Frodo ends up more or less voluntarily throwing the ring into and releasing the world of Sauron, with Gollum’s help of course. Nature here is astonishing and very unique to anything I’ve ever seen before. Also check out the iconic lakes: Emerald Lakes, the Blue Lake, and the Tama Lake.
While staying in Whakapapa Village don’t miss out on the nature around the area. Tongariro National Park is huge and contains so much more than just the crossing. It looks like the Marsh Lands Frodo and Sam walk through on their way to Mordor, with mist and clouds hanging low, and gives the feeling of spirits and ghosts.
3. Aorangi Forest Park, North Island, Paths of the Dead
Around 5 hours south of Tongariro National Park you can find Putangirua Pinnacles, located in Aorangi Forest Park. This is where Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli sought the Paths of the Dead. Where Aragorn had to find the Dead Men of Dunharrow to get them to keep the oath they made to Isildur. The park is remotely located but Wellington is only about two hours drive from here, where the next stop is.
4. Wellington, North Island, Hobbiton Woods
Charming Wellington is the home to quite a few of the locations for The Lord of the Rings. There are probably more, but not being Kiwi, I don’t know all of the settings. The city of Wellington is very lovely and like all over New Zealand people are very nice and helpful, so if you need any help, or find yourself lost, just ask the locals and you will be on your way soon enough. On to the quest… The first of the settings can be easily accessed by foot from the city. Walk straight to Mount Victoria, the little peak located in the city center of Wellington. This Peak will give your forehead sweat-drops and show you beautiful nature and good views. Go at night to get the full LOTR feeling. Because the forested areas of the mountain are the place used to film Hobbiton Woods. Here Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pipin had to hide from the black riders on their way to the Prancing Pony in the Fellowship of the Ring. It isn’t as spooky without all the special effects or black riders but you can get a sense of chill down your spine.
Other Wellington locations include the Harcourt Park. This was the home of Saruman the White aka the Gardens of Isengard.
The Wellington’s Kaitoke Regional Park was where Rivendell was filmed. The home of the Elves where Elron helps Frodo recover from being stabbed with the morgul-blade and where Bilbo ends up spending the autumn of his life amongst friends.
Last but not least spend some time driving up the West coast to the Waitarere Forest. This Forest was where Frodo, Sam, and Smeagol walked, after leaving Faramir, when they were freed to go and destroy the ring. This is where Smeagol finally becomes Gollum and decides to kill Frodo and take the ring for himself.
5. Te Anau, South Island, Fanghorn Fores
Here you can explore some of New Zealand’s most beautiful natural landscapes: the Fiordland Te Anau and Milford Sounds, or Piopiotahi, as the Mãoris call it.
Located in the South West of New Zealand’s South Island, within Fiordland National Park. Discover Fanghorn Forest, one out of many spectacular pieces of nature in the Fiordlands. Put in Takaro Road on google maps. Both sides of the road were used to create Fangorn Forest. Also located close by is the Waiau River. The area between Te Anau and Manapouri were used at the River Anduin. There are unfortunately no giant statues of warriors as there were in the movie when the Fellowship paddled south from Lothlórien.
Pictures from the various destinations:
* All photos are private and taken by me.
Maps:
 |
| Hobbiton, the Shire, Middle Earth |
1. Matamata, North Island: The Shire, Middle Earth
The Peter Jackson movies ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘the Hobbit’ set of the Shire is right outside Matamata. There and back again - in a couple of hours:
Visit the life-size hobbit holes in the green shire, take photos, fall in love with the holes and taste a ginger-beer in the hobbit bar and be as nerdy as you want here. I took around a thousand pictures in front of all the little hobbit-holes and I was as excited about the 150 frame as the first. The Shire is a visit to make time for. Touristy but quaint. You get a guided tour around the setting and are presented to the different homes of the different Baggins, Underhills, and Big-feet. As if you didn’t know which home belongs to what hobbit… Please.
The shire is located in a beautiful green dairy farming landscape around the Waikato town of Matamata. Peter Jackson picked the place out himself. After the Lord of the Rings, the entire set was taken down. When they decided to film the Hobbit it was rebuilt and is now a permanent attraction. I personally went completely dork, and posed in front of half the hobbit-holes in the Shire… and I loved it.
 |
| Hobbiton, the Shire, Middle Earth |
 |
| Hobbiton, the Shire, Middle Earth |
2. Tongariro Crossing, North Island, Mordor
Tongariro National Park is a volcanic park with important Maori sites located in the middle of the North Island. It is more or less in the middle of nowhere. You need a car to get here because it is located far from everything. Don’t fear getting lost, because there are no other roads so the chance of taking a wrong turn is slim.
Tongariro National Park is a world heritage site, and when visiting you have a chance to see spectacular and unique volcanic landscape.
For overnight stays, it depends on your budget but Whakapapa Village is an excellent, and kind of only, choice. Here accommodation ranges from beautiful chateaus’ with views over the landscape to camping spots inside the woods. Remember to register with the visitor center when you set out for the crossing. The weather changes very rapidly here and one minute you are walking in the sunshine while the next it will start to snow, even in the middle of February.
 |
| Togariro National Park |
When visiting the Tongariro National Park you get a chance to see three volcanoes, Mt Tongariro, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Ruapehu. Mt. Ngauruhoe is also known as the Mt. Doom where Frodo ends up more or less voluntarily throwing the ring into and releasing the world of Sauron, with Gollum’s help of course. Nature here is astonishing and very unique to anything I’ve ever seen before. Also check out the iconic lakes: Emerald Lakes, the Blue Lake, and the Tama Lake.
While staying in Whakapapa Village don’t miss out on the nature around the area. Tongariro National Park is huge and contains so much more than just the crossing. It looks like the Marsh Lands Frodo and Sam walk through on their way to Mordor, with mist and clouds hanging low, and gives the feeling of spirits and ghosts.
 |
| Togariro National Park |
 |
| Togariro National Park |
3. Aorangi Forest Park, North Island, Paths of the Dead
Around 5 hours south of Tongariro National Park you can find Putangirua Pinnacles, located in Aorangi Forest Park. This is where Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli sought the Paths of the Dead. Where Aragorn had to find the Dead Men of Dunharrow to get them to keep the oath they made to Isildur. The park is remotely located but Wellington is only about two hours drive from here, where the next stop is.
4. Wellington, North Island, Hobbiton Woods
Charming Wellington is the home to quite a few of the locations for The Lord of the Rings. There are probably more, but not being Kiwi, I don’t know all of the settings. The city of Wellington is very lovely and like all over New Zealand people are very nice and helpful, so if you need any help, or find yourself lost, just ask the locals and you will be on your way soon enough. On to the quest… The first of the settings can be easily accessed by foot from the city. Walk straight to Mount Victoria, the little peak located in the city center of Wellington. This Peak will give your forehead sweat-drops and show you beautiful nature and good views. Go at night to get the full LOTR feeling. Because the forested areas of the mountain are the place used to film Hobbiton Woods. Here Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pipin had to hide from the black riders on their way to the Prancing Pony in the Fellowship of the Ring. It isn’t as spooky without all the special effects or black riders but you can get a sense of chill down your spine.
 |
| Mount Victoria Woods |
 |
| Hobbiton, the Shire, Middle Earth |
Other Wellington locations include the Harcourt Park. This was the home of Saruman the White aka the Gardens of Isengard.
The Wellington’s Kaitoke Regional Park was where Rivendell was filmed. The home of the Elves where Elron helps Frodo recover from being stabbed with the morgul-blade and where Bilbo ends up spending the autumn of his life amongst friends.
Last but not least spend some time driving up the West coast to the Waitarere Forest. This Forest was where Frodo, Sam, and Smeagol walked, after leaving Faramir, when they were freed to go and destroy the ring. This is where Smeagol finally becomes Gollum and decides to kill Frodo and take the ring for himself.
 |
| Kaitoke Park |
5. Te Anau, South Island, Fanghorn Fores
Here you can explore some of New Zealand’s most beautiful natural landscapes: the Fiordland Te Anau and Milford Sounds, or Piopiotahi, as the Mãoris call it.
Located in the South West of New Zealand’s South Island, within Fiordland National Park. Discover Fanghorn Forest, one out of many spectacular pieces of nature in the Fiordlands. Put in Takaro Road on google maps. Both sides of the road were used to create Fangorn Forest. Also located close by is the Waiau River. The area between Te Anau and Manapouri were used at the River Anduin. There are unfortunately no giant statues of warriors as there were in the movie when the Fellowship paddled south from Lothlórien.
Pictures from the various destinations:
* All photos are private and taken by me.
Maps:
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