The green door and gate of Bag End — Welcome home!

New Zealand is a stunning country to visit. With friendly people, tasty food and mind-blowing nature, there is so much to explore and to do there. You could spend months on each island and find something new every single day. As well as all that New Zealand has to offer, however, there is a little cherry on top of the cake; New Zealand is home to Middle Earth, with the entirety of all six Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films shot across the North and South Islands. More than 20 years later, many of the filming locations are still in exactly the same state as in the films themselves. Come with us as we take you to some of the best spots on the North Island, where you can see these locations and walk in the footsteps of the Fellowship for yourself. Now, where to begin?

A hobbit hole with a brown door — Ah, yes. Concerning Hobbits…

1. Hobbiton

OF COURSE we’re starting at Hobbiton! The films do so (prologue aside), so let’s keep it on-theme. You’ll find the village of Hobbiton just outside of the town of Matamata, just 2 hours south of Auckland. It’s nestled in the hills, cozy, quiet and peaceful - until you arrive! You’ll be driven in on a tour bus and guided around this magical little slice of Middle Earth. For The Lord of the Rings films, they built the entire set out of temporary materials, and the entire structure was torn down after filming wrapped. For The Hobbit movies, however, they rebuilt 44 different hobbit holes, exactly as they had been in the original films. Each has a different character and personality, and is constructed out of wood and stone, to stand the test of time.

We cannot explain to you just how authentic the whole place feels - there are two trees in the entire area that aren’t real but, otherwise, every branch, flower, and hedgerow has been planted by hand. You can go inside a Hobbit hole to see how the residents would have lived their day-to-day lives, get a pint in the Green Dragon pub, or even enjoy the lunch of a lifetime in the party tent next door! Apparently, 55% of people who take a tour have not seen the films so, even if you’re not a fan of the movies, it’s still a grand day out.

Find it on Maps: Hobbiton

2. Tawhai Falls: Gollum’s Pool

Just over 2.5 hours south of Hobbiton, you’ll find Tongariro National Park, featuring several locations from the Lord of the Rings films. One small, unassuming spot is a lovely pool. Nice and cool. So juicy sweeeeeeeet. Sorry. It is this pool though, in which Gollum took a swim and did a spot of fishing, before almost being shot dead by Faramir’s rangers.

Tawhai Falls run down onto the rocks below — Tawhai Falls rumble down onto the rocks below

Gollum sits beside the forbidden pool with a fish — All rights belong to Middle Earth Enterprises™. Photography from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers™ is utilised for informative purposes only.

The place has hardly changed, and you can replicate some stills from the film almost exactly! The water is an incredible colour of blue too so, even if you’re not into the films, it’s a tranquil, beautiful place to stop off at all the same. With only a 10-minute walk needed to reach it, it’s not too far out of the way either.

Find it on Maps: Gollum’s Pool

3. Tongariro National Park: Mordor/Mount Doom

Whakapapa ski fields with Mount Ngauruhoe in the distance — Making our way toward the fires of Mount Doom (ft. snow)

Carry on toward the mountain and you’ll soon find yourself meandering up Mount Ruapehu toward Whakapapa ski fields. When you see the land around you transform from green and brown grassland to black volcanic rock, congratulations, you’re in Mordor! It’s a 15-minute drive from Tawhai Falls (not the sort of place you simply walk into).

If, however, you’re looking to get a taste of the arduous pain that Frodo and Sam went through on foot, as the two heroes made their way to Mount Doom, you can walk the Tongariro Crossing - a 19.4km hike that will take you through the land of Mordor, past some quite beautiful blue mountain lakes (which do not appear in the films).

Find it on Maps: Mordor

4. Mangawhero Falls - Gollum’s Pool/Ithilien

Again, 15 minutes on, you’ll find yet another filming location. At Mangawhero falls, two separate scenes were shot. The first is a classic scene from The Two Towers, in which Gollum throws himself down a river in an attempt to catch a fish, and the second is the scene following Sam and Frodo’s first sighting of the Haradrim and their Mûmakil in Ithilien, in which they are captured by Faramir and his rangers.

Both sites appear on the same short path, mere minutes from the car park. You can jump out and explore, and be on your way again (without fear of capture this time). There is also a rather impressive waterfall (hence the name Mangawhero Falls), which is worth a look too.

Find it on Maps: Gollum’s Pool/Ithilien

All rights belong to Middle Earth Enterprises™. Photography from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers™ is utilised for informative purposes only.

5. Dry Creek Quarry - Helm’s Deep/Minas Tirith

Now, you might be expecting a colossal, sprawling valley, considering the size and scale of the fortifications and battle scenes that took place here but, in reality, Dry Creek Quarry is much smaller than you might imagine. For the films, miniatures (or, in this case, bigatures) and sets were built at ⅓ scale and ⅔ scale, before being digitally enhanced in post-production.

When you arrive at the quarry, you’ll see just that - a working quarry, unfortunately with no sign of the filming work that took place here. You can, however, see the tall cliff-face that played as the backdrop to these fortresses of fantasy, and imagine where the sets would have been built. It’s worth a quick stop for sure!

You won’t find it directly on Google maps, but if you nav to Dry Creek Waterfall, you’ll come across it. Click here.

6. Upper Hutt - The Anduin River

Another quick stop. This time, a short 15-minute drive up the road to Poets Park, which sits beside the Hutt River, or, if you’re mentally in Middle Earth, the Anduin! This is the site where scenes from the end of The Fellowship of the Ring were filmed, as the group made their way up the Anduin River, before being ambushed by Uruk Hai. It’s a great spot for a calm stroll by the water, especially if you’ve been driving all day, like we had!

You’re not limited to Poets Park if you’re looking for the Anduin, however. All along the Hutt River, you’ll be reminded of the Fellowship making their way downstream, toward the falls of Rauros.

Find it on Maps: The Anduin River

7. Kaitoke Regional Park - Rivendell

A plaque detailing the production of the Rivendell scenes from Lord of the Rings — Plaques featuring info and photography from the production are dotted throughout the park

Another 20 minutes up State Highway no. 2, you’ll find Kaitoke Regional Park, which played home to Rivendell while shooting The Fellowship of the Ring. This spot is unique, as it is the only “natural” place where any significant record of filming remains. It’s also the only filming location to feature on a New Zealand Land Information map, making Rivendell (officially) a real place!

As you stroll through this quaint country park, you’ll see signposts featuring information about the different filming locations, what was shot there, and when. You can recreate some of the promotional material that was shot there during filming, too (who did it better?).

All rights belong to Middle Earth Enterprises™. Photography from The Lord of the Rings™ is utilised for informative purposes only.

Most impressive, however, is the ½-scale Rivendell Gate that was lovingly recreated by the team at Weta Workshop (more on them later) after filming was completed. It was left as a marker of the location for tourists (very excited tourists) to come and see for themselves. Whether you’re a Middle Earth fan or a film buff, this place is a must-see.

Find it on Maps: Rivendell

8. Kaitoke Regional Park - The Fords of Isen

Kaitoke Regional Park plays home to not one, but two filming locations from The Lord of the Rings films! As you walk through the Rivendell garden, you can look down the hill and see another section of the Hutt River flow below you.

All rights belong to Middle Earth Enterprises™. Photography from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers™ is utilised for informative purposes only.

This is the site of a small scene from The Two Towers - the Fords of Isen - where the Rohirrim find Theodred, son of King Theoden, mortally wounded. The only reference to the filming of this particular scene is a small plaque, which you can find up the hill at the Rivendell site. It’s a great spot for a walk down by the river, and there’s also an impressive suspension bridge nearby, with a 15-minute rainforest loop attached.

9. Weta Cave

Weta Cave entrance — The entrance to Weta Cave

A 45-minute drive back the way you came will lead you to the city of Wellington - the real home of Middle Earth in New Zealand. It’s where Peter Jackson and his team developed the screenplays for the films (of course, you can read those anywhere) but, in terms of reasons to visit, it’s home to the original Weta Cave: Weta Workshop, where the props and practical effects for the films were created.

N.b. Weta Cave actually has two sites - one in Auckland and one in Wellington. The Auckland version is where the team can really flex their creative muscles, bringing to life worlds inspired by the genres of science fiction, fantasy and horror. If, however, you’re specifically interested in their work on Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, Wellington is the place to go. It’s where the NZ film industry burst into life!

At Weta Cave Wellington, you can take a tour of each of their creative departments, from make-up, to props, to model-making, and see real props and weaponry from the films themselves. You may even get the chance to meet some of the creators who worked on the films, such as Warren Beaton (above), a model maker, who helped create some of the incredible miniatures you see in the films. As well as Lord of the Rings, they also have items from Avatar, Chappie, The Chronicles of Narnia and Mulan on display, among others. So, even if others in your party aren’t necessarily Lord of the Rings fans, there’s plenty more to dive into.

Weta Cave exterior — If you want to go in, you must make it past the guard

Be advised that visits are by appointment only and you will need to book a tour in advance. Tours last roughly 3 hours and are so worth it if you’re a film fan! Book through their official website here.

10. Mount Victoria - The Shire

The final stop on the North Island tour involves a climb to the summit of Mount Victoria (or a drive, if you’re lazy like us). There, you’ll find three different locations that played home to the edges of The Shire, as Frodo and friends made their way through the woods to Rivendell.

Hobbit’s hideaway

A man sits by the side of the road — The big tree and its sprawling roots are, unfortunately, long gone

The Nazgul arrives in search of the One Ring — All rights belong to Middle Earth Enterprises™. Photography from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring™ is utilised for informative purposes only.

One of, if not the most famous scene in any of the films is the one in which one of the Nazgul almost finds and captures the four Hobbits, as they hide in the undergrowth. The area looks very different now than it did when filming took place. All greenery has vanished and been replaced with a dusty hillside. This will, no doubt, be because of how popular and accessible a location it is - right in the middle of the city, just a short walk from the car park. There is signage and, when you arrive, you can still make out where the iconic scene was filmed!

Find it on Maps: Hobbit’s Hideaway

A shortcut to mushrooms

a man stands at the roadside looking into the distance — Just missing the curly wig

Frodo senses incoming Nazgul — All rights belong to Middle Earth Enterprises™. Photography from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring™ is utilised for informative purposes only.

“I think we should get off the road!” The first half of the classic Nazgul insect-sniffing scene was actually filmed a little way down the path. You can find your way with Google Maps to the spot where the shortcut to mushrooms was filmed - again, significantly dustier than it appears in the films.

As you can see, we weren’t the first people to make our way there! You can even find the exact place of that unnerving Hitchcock zoom as Frodo looks ominously into the distance. If you have the gear, recreate it yourself!

Find it on Maps, marked as “The Way of Nazgul”: Get off the Road

Do you hear singing?

A man reclines in a tree on Mount Victoria — I’m certain there are Elves nearby…

All rights belong to Middle Earth Enterprises™. Photography from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring™ is utilised for informative purposes only.

The final location on Mount Victoria is one short scene in the Fellowship of the Ring, in which Frodo reclines in a tree, reading, while Sam tends to a frying pan full of food. It’s the spot where their ears prick up as they hear the sound of Elves making their way through the forest to the Grey Havens. Just a little part of the films, but special all the same - and very accessible, being right next to the main path.

Find it on Maps: Frodo’s Reading Tree

There are several other places and locations dotted around the North Island that we’ve yet to visit and, of course, there is the entire South Island that we haven’t even touched on yet! This list should be a good starting point, however, for your Middle Earth adventure - the icing on the cake of an already-incredible country. If you can live out the fantasy in real life, all the better, right?

If you’d like to support the site, you can buy us a coffee here or, if you’re looking for more New Zealand inspiration for your trip, check out some of our other blog posts on this beautiful country right here. Cheers!

Mission to Mordor: The Ultimate Lord of the Rings tour of New Zealand’s North Island