Best Lord of the Rings filming locations in New Zealand

Last Updated: 16 Jul 2025
Publish Date: 13 May 2016

Moatrek

Fiordland, Lord of the Rings, NZ Destinations, Queenstown, Ruapehu

Here’s our guide to the best filming locations from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies in New Zealand, and some tips on how you can visit them on your trip.

The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies were filmed exclusively in New Zealand and without computer generated images. Those scenes of magical landscapes you see on screen are real and you can visit many of the 150 filming locations in New Zealand.

Travelling to New Zealand to visit the famous landscapes of Middle-Earth is the Trip of a Lifetime for many people, and the good thing is that visiting locations and landscapes from the films is easy.

Kia Ora, we’re MoaTrek and we’ve been showing travellers around on our New Zealand small group tours since 1971, including lots of Lord of the Rings and Hobbit fans.

Mt Doom – Tongariro National Park

Where in Middle Earth: Mount Doom (Return of the King)
Scene: Frodo and Sam climb the volcano to destroy the Ring.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: Our North Island tours all visit Tongariro National Park. Mount Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom) is omnipresent and looming, you can sense the tension and drama of that final climb. You won’t need to destroy a ring, but you will gain an unforgettable view.

Hobbiton Woods – Mount Victoria, Wellington

Where in Middle Earth: Hobbiton Woods (Fellowship of the Ring)
Scene: Frodo and the Hobbits hide from a Black Rider under a tree.
How to visit on your MoaTrek: We visit Mount Victoria on our way into Wellington on our North Island tours, following the very trail the Hobbits took. Looking over the same forest, you’ll feel the presence of Middle-Earth all around you.

Weta Workshop, Wellington

Where in Middle Earth: Behind-the-scenes for all Middle-Earth films
Scene: All the weapons, armour, jewellery and creatures you see throughout the films were created at Weta Workshop.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: Our North Island tours spend two nights in Wellington, giving you a full day to explore and many of our travellers visit Weta Workshop. There is an excellent behind-the-scenes tour into the making of magic, you’ll see the artistry and detail that goes into creating all the props for Middle Earth.

MoaTrek Travel Guide to Wellington

Find out more about visiting Wellington in our handy travel guide, everything you need to know about visiting filming locations, the best attractions, where to eat and more.

Read our traveller’s guide to Wellington here.

The Barrel Run – Pelorus River, Marlborough

Where in Middle Earth: Forest River (The Desolation of Smaug)
Scene: Bilbo and the Dwarves escape in barrels down the river.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: Our North Island tours visit the Pelorus River, on route to Nelson. We walk right down to the river and usually end up skimming stones across the water, it’s easy to imagine Bilbo and the dwarves floating past!

Erebor & Lake Town – Lake Pukaki

Where in Middle Earth: Lake Town (The Desolation of Smaug & The Battle of the Five Armies)
Scenes: The Dwarves arrive in Lake Town, Smaug destroys Lake Town.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: We visit Lake Pukaki on our way to Mt Cook on all our South Island tours. The scenery of Lake Pukaki with Mt Cook in the background has long been a highlight for travellers, for Lord of the Rings fans, it feels like standing at the threshold of a mythic journey.

Erebor & Minas Tirith – Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park

Where in Middle Earth: Erebor, the Lonely Mountain (The Hobbit Trilogy) & Minas Tirith (Return of the King)
Scene: The Dwarves ancestral home of Erebor & the lighting of the beacon at Amon Din.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: Our overnight stay in Aoraki Mt Cook is always a highlight on our South Island tours. This landscape is vast, solemn, and humbling. There are fantastic short walks right from your accommodation and exciting glacier tour options to get you right out in Middle Earth.

MoaTrek Travel Guide to Aoraki Mount Cook

Mt Cook is a great place for short walks and scenic flights to get right into real Middle Earth landscapes. Walking up the Hooker Valley or a scenic flight to the Tasman Glacier are wonderful experiences.

Read our Aoraki Mt Cook Travel Guide here for the best walks and activities.

Dimril Dale – The Remarkables, Queenstown

Where in Middle Earth: Dimril Dale near Lothlorien (The Fellowship of the Ring)
Scene: After the Fellowship escapes Moria after losing Gandalf.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: Our South Island tours visit Queenstown. The Remarkables are a towering presence in Queenstown, easily visible from the town and lakefront.

Elven Lands – Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown

Where in Middle Earth: The Elven lands, Lothlorien, Nen Hithoel and the route to Rivendell. (The Fellowship of the Ring)
Scenes: The escape from Moria, Boromir’s death, Sam & Frodo part with the Fellowship, arrival into Rivendell.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: All our South Island tours spend three nights on Queenstown, with a free day to explore the town and surrounding area. Many of the filming locations are nearby and easily accessible on a short tour.

Lothlorien, Isengard – Glenorchy, near Queenstown

Where in Middle Earth: Lothlorien, Isengard, Rivendell (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, Return of the King)
Scene: Meeting Galadriel, Saruman’s stronghold, Ents attack Isengard, Frodo recovers from wounds, Council of Elrond, forming of the Fellowship.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: One of the advantages of our three-night stay in Queenstown is a free day for tours and activities. Glenorchy is one of the most popular and scenic spots on the lake and was a hub for filming activity. We can help you find tours to visit all the famous locations around Glenorchy.

MoaTrek Travel Guide to Queenstown

If there’s one place in New Zealand which feels most like Middle Earth, it’s Queenstown. If you’re a real fan and want to visit as many of the filming locations, plan a few extra days here to join tours and explore the many filming locations.

Read our Queenstown travel guide for tips on the best walks, activities, restaurants and more.

Fangorn Forest, Isengard – Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound

Where in Middle Earth: Fangorn Forest / Isengard surrounds (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, Return of the King)
Scene: Merry & Pippin meet Treebeard, Ents march to Isengard, reunion with Gandalf, Saruman’s betrayal, Gandalf & the Fellowship confront Saruman.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: All our tours travel to Milford Sound and Fiordland National Park. Most of the filming done in this area was used for aerial and landscape shots, on the way to Milford Sound it’s easy to imagine yourself travelling through the wilds of Emyn Muil or the peaceful forested stretches of the Anduin River in Elven lands.

Ford of Bruinen – Arrowtown / Kawarau Gorge

Where in Middle Earth: Ford of Bruinen (The Fellowship of the Ring)
Scene: Arwen summons a flood to stop the Nazgul.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: On our way from Queenstown to Wanaka, all our tours visit Arrowtown, with time to explore and walk down to the river where the filming took place. It’s right behind the town centre, the perfect place for a short walk through Middle Earth!

Gondor, Rohan & Fangorn Forest – Lake Wanaka

Where in Middle Earth: Southern Gondor, Rohan & Fangorn Forest (The Two Towers)
Scenes: Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli track the Uruk-hai who have captured Merry & Pippin. Mountain and forest scenery in Rohan.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: We spend the night in Wanaka on all our tours, with Middle Earth views right out your door. There’s free time for a walk along the lakefront or optional activities to explore more of the filming locations.

The Misty Mountains – Mt Aspiring National Park & Haast Pass

Where in Middle Earth: The Misty Mountains (The Fellowship of the Ring)
Scene: Traveling through the Misty Mountains.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: On our journey to the West Coast, we travel through the scenery that looks right out of Middle Earth. Native rainforest, winding mountain rivers, and cascading waterfalls line the route, this really is Middle Earth.

Minas Tirith & the White Mountains – Mount Gunn, West Coast

Where in Middle Earth: Minas Tirith & the White Mountains (Return of the King)
Scene: Lighting of the Beacon at Amon Din to warn Gondor.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: All our tours stay in Franz Josef Glacier, and we pass by Mt Gunn on our journey from Wanaka. We have a free morning in Franz Josef to enjoy activities such as a walk up the glacier valley, a heli-hike or a scenic flight, the best way to see the White Mountains.

The locations we’ve listed above are filming locations in places we visit right on the itinerary of our New Zealand small group tours, but there are a few others we’ll recommend which you can easily add, either before or after your tour.

Our North Island tours, the Kakapo 21 day tour and the Kaka 17 day tour, start in Auckland and many of our travellers like to spend a few days there to acclimatise and explore the area before their MoaTrek tour starts. A day tour from Auckland to Hobbiton is always a popular option for Lord of the Rings fans.

The Shire – Hobbiton, Matamata, Waikato

Where in Middle Earth: The Shire (The Fellowship of the Ring, Return of the King, An Unexpected Journey)
Scenes: Bilbo’s birthday party, Frodo & Gandalf’s walk, Bag End, Fellowship’s return to the Shire, Bilbo meets Gandalf and the dwarves before his Unexpected Journey.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: Although we don’t visit Hobbiton on our tours, it is a popular day tour option from Auckland, where our North Island tours start. Many of our travellers take the tour to Hobbiton before they join us. The Hobbiton Movie Set features hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn, and the Party Tree.

Our South Island tours all finish in Christchurch and lots of people spend a few nights here before heading home.

From Christchurch, the day tour to Edoras is one of the most popular Lord of the Rings locations in New Zealand. There’s an organized tour which will pick you up from our accommodation and drop you back at the end of the day.

Edoras – Mount Sunday, Canterbury

Where in Middle Earth: Edoras, main city of Rohan (various films)
Scenes: All Edoras scenes were filmed at Mount Sunday.
How to visit on your MoaTrek tour: Mount Sunday is in the foothills of the Southern Alps, a few hours from Christchurch. The easiest way to visit is to join a tour, for Lord of the Rings fans it’s a must. Many of our travellers stay a few days in Christchurch after their tour and tell us this was one of their favourite Lord of the Rings experiences.

Travelling New Zealand with MoaTrek

We hope you’ve found this guide to Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit filming locations in New Zealand useful.

Lots of our travellers tell us one thing they love about our tours is how much they learn about the areas they visit, including lots of local tips and inside knowledge from people who were there when the movies were being made.

Our 21-day Kakapo tour travels through many of these spectacular filming locations. Visit Tongariro National Park, overlooking Mordor and Mount Doom, fly over Middle Earth on a scenic flight to Milford Sound in Fiordland, and spend 3 nights exploring Lord of the Rings locations and landscapes in Queenstown.

See more about New Zealand small group tours here and please get in touch if you have any questions at all about your Dream Trip to New Zealand.

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