The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movie trilogies were both filmed throughout New Zealand, making use of the country’s naturally fantastical landscapes.

While traveling and temporarily living in New Zealand, I was lucky enough to visit almost every Lord of the Rings filming location. Here I’ve put together the most efficient Lord of the Rings road trip that hits many of the most recognizable, quintessential filming locations.

North Island Road Trip

This portion of the road trip begins in Auckland where most international flights come in. It ends in Wellington where there is also a major airport or a ferry to the South Island where the road trip could be continued.

1. Weathertop in Port Waikato

About 1 hr. 10 mins. from Auckland.
Weathertop (Amon Sûl) is the hill where the Hobbits are attacked by Ringwraiths in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Though the ruins were computer generated, the hill itself is very recognizable. The filming location is on private farmland but can be seen from Waikaretu Road just South of Port Waikato.

2. Hobbiton in Matamata

About 2 hrs. from Port Waikato
Hobbiton was originally built in 1999 for The Lord of the Rings trilogy and mostly demolished after filming. Thankfully it was rebuilt for The Hobbit trilogy and has remained as a tourist attraction ever since. Walking into the Hobbiton Movie Set is like walking into the actual Hobbiton and is a must-do for fans and non-fans alike. Read more about Hobbiton…

Recommended non-LOTR Stop: The Tongariro Alpine Crossing

3. Mordor on Mt. Ruapehu

About 2.5 hrs. from Matamata
The area around the Whakapapa Ski Resort on Mount Ruapehu and a rock formation named Mead’s Wall served as Mordor in quite a few scenes in all three Lord of the Rings movies. These scenes include the War of the Last Alliance in the prologue, Frodo and Sam seeing Mordor in the distance for the first time, Gollum attacking Sam and Frodo, and more. From Whakapapa you can also get an amazing view of Mount Ngauruhoe, the volcano that played the part of Mount Doom.

4. Gollum’s Pool on Mt. Ruapehu

Directly on the way to/from Whakapapa
Tawhai Falls on Mount Ruapehu is also referred to as “Gollum’s Pool” for the role it played as The Forbidden Pool in Ithilien in The Two Towers. Here you can get a view of the falls from Gollum’s perspective as well as from Frodo and Faramir’s view from above.

Recommended non-LOTR Stop: Palmerston North

5. Rivendell in Kaitoke Regional Park

About 4.5 hrs. from Tawhai Falls
Kaitoke Regional Park is the only Lord of the Rings filming location that still has references to its role in the movies (the road signs even say Rivendell!). There are signs and maps all over the park pointing out where buildings like Frodo’s bedroom were constructed and which trees can be seen in the movies. There’s even a reconstruction of an Elven archway dedicated to all Lord of the Rings fans.

7. Valley of Harrowdale at the Putangirua Pinnacles

About 2.5 hrs. out of the way (including there and back to Kaitoke)
These awe-inspiring pinnacles served as the Valley of Harrowdale where the Paths of the Dead are located in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. There are multiple trails that allow visitors to hike into the valley or up to a lookout above the formations. These formations truly make you feel as though you are in an entirely different world. Though it is quite off the beaten track and somewhat far from the rest of these filming locations, it is absolutely worth the journey out to see it.

6. Anduin River in Upper Hut

About 25 mins. from Kaitoke Regional Park
The Hutt River throughout Upper Hutt was used to portray the Anduin River in The Fellowship of the Ring when the Fellowship paddles along the Anduin in Elven canoes. You can get a great view of the Hutt River and the surrounding scenery and skip some pebbles in Poet’s Park.

8. The Shire in Wellington

About 40 mins. from Upper Hut
Mount Victoria in Wellington is home to several locations where the Hobbits were filmed leaving the Shire and escaping the Ringwraiths. It is easy to get to from anywhere in Wellington and is a great place to recreate some scenes from The Fellowship of the Ring. Mount Victoria and its popular Hobbit’s Hideaway trail will make you feel as though you’re traversing the woods surrounding the Shire. Read more about Hobbit’s Hideaway…

9. The Weta Cave in Wellington

About 10 mins. from Hobbit’s Hideaway
Although much of the filming was actually done at a studio a couple minutes down the street, Weta Workshop created the majority of the props, scenery, costumes, and special effects for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. The Weta Cave tour has an extensive display of props from many of Peter Jackson’s movies (including LotR and The Hobbit) and other movies the workshop has worked on. Even the gift shop is a true marvel, with tons of elaborate, handcrafted miniatures available for purchase. Book your own tour of the Weta Cave here. (Not sponsored, I just love this tour.)

South Island Road Trip

The South Island portion of this road trip could be a stand-alone trip or continued from the North Island portion by ferry. The South Island trip begins in the North in Picton, where the interisland ferry docks, and ends in Queenstown, a major city with an international airport. This trip includes the most enjoyable filming locations and passes through some amazing South Island scenery.

1. Dimrill Dale via Nelson Helicopter Tours OR Mount Owen Hike

About 2 or 2.5 hrs. from Picton Ferry, respectively
Perhaps the most insanely difficult filming location to get to, Mount Owen played the part of Dimrill Dale in the Fellowship of the Ring when the fellowship exits Moria and mourns the death of Gandalf. There are two ways to access this location but neither is easy: by helicopter tour from Nelson or via a 9 hour advanced hike. I’ve never had the opportunity to do either, but both seem amazing depending on your budget and hiking capabilities.

Recommended non-LOTR Stop: Arthur’s Pass

2. Edoras on Mt. Sunday

About 7.5 hrs from Mount Owen/Nelson
Mount Sunday played the role of the city of Edoras in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The hill where Edoras was built is easily accessible via a short hike and without a tour. None of the set remains, but you can clearly see where The Golden Hall once was and can easily spot scenery from the movies. The surrounding mountains make for an unbeatable view. Read more about visiting Edoras…

Though this is quite the drive, there are many amazing places to stop in-between, including Nelson Lakes National Park, Christchurch, and Arthur’s Pass.

3. Lake-town/Lonely Mountain on Lake Pukaki

About 3.5 hrs. from Mount Sunday
Though technically a filming location for The Hobbit, not Lord of the Rings, anyone visiting New Zealand’s South Island should stop to take in the view of Lake Pukaki and Mount Cook. In The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the beautifully blue Lake Pukaki played the Long Lake where Lake-Town was computer generated. Mount Cook, the tallest peak in New Zealand, appropriately played the part of The Lonely Mountain. You can get a great view of both Lake Pukaki and Mount Cook from the Lake Pukaki lookout, but I highly recommend doing the Hooker Valley hike to get some really amazing views of Mount Cook and its glaciers.

4. Pelennor Fields in Twizel

About 15 mins. from Lake Pukaki lookout
Pelennor Fields is the location outside of Minas Tirith where the largest battle of the War of the Ring took place. Most of the area where this was filmed is on private farmland, so the only way to visit is with a tour, which I would highly recommend for any dedicated LotR fans. The tour guide is extremely knowledgeable about the filming of the movies and how the town was involved. The tour includes comparison photos, reenactments of the Rohirrim’s charge, and other reenactments you can participate in, with costumes and props included.

Edit: As of July 2023, it appears this tour of Pelennor Fields is no longer available. A tour of this location is still available as part of some multi-day Lord of the Rings tours. Please let me know if you know of a Pelennor Fields only tour that I can link to!

Recommended non-LOTR Stop: Wanaka

5. Ford of Bruinen in Arrowtown

About 2 hrs. 15 mins. from Twizel
In The Fellowship of the Ring, Arwen (or Glorfindel in the book) carries an injured Frodo over the Bruinen River in an attempt to escape the Ringwraiths. The Arrow River just North of the Lakes District Museum in Arrowtown was used to film the majority of this scene. Though the exact location can be difficult to identify depending on the time of year, it is easy to imagine the Ringwraiths getting washed away as Arwen and Frodo flee.

6. Dimrill Dale in The Remarkables

About 40 mins. from Arrowtown to car park
The Lake Alta area in The Remarkables mountain range also plays the part of Dimrill Dale in The Fellowship of the Ring when the Fellowship exits Moria. Aragorn stands in front of the lake as shown above, looking out towards Lothlorien. The Lake Alta track begins at The Remarkables skifield and is about 2 miles (~3.2 km) out and back. This hike is a bit steep but not difficult, and gives amazing views of the Remarkables range and the Queenstown area below. The drive up to the car park can be hazardous, so I recommend only doing this hike in good weather.

7. Ithilien in Mount Creighton

About 45 mins. from The Remarkables
On the Bob’s Cove Track in Mount Creighton is the lookout where Frodo and Sam see the men of Harad and the Oliphaunts in The Two Towers. The entire Mount Creighton area is gorgeous and you can get great views of Lake Wakatipu.

8. Isengard in Glenorchy

About 45 mins. from Ithilien Lookout
In my opinion, the drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy is one of the most scenic drives in New Zealand. It’s no surprise that it was chosen as the beautiful backdrop for Isengard. Though Isengard was computer generated, the mountains are easily recognizable. The “Isengard Lookout” is marked on google maps, but I recommend going over the bridge to the corner of Routeburn road for an even better view.

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Would you rather road trip the North Island, South Island, or both? Think I missed something? Let me know in the comments below!

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