Lord Of The Rings: 12 Real Life Locations You Need To Visit

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Lord Of The Rings: 10 Real Life Locations You Need To Visit

Few films have boosted tourism to a single nation like the The Lord of the Rings. To capture the realism of this fantasy story franchise, New Zealand director Peter Jackson used his own backyard as the backdrop to Middle Earth. The result was mystifying, displaying the untouched and otherworldly beauty of this island nation.

Since then, tourists and Tolkien fanatics have made pilgrimages to get just a small taste of what the real Middle Earth might feel like. It has certainly increased tourists' numbers to New Zealand, and opened the world's eyes to the majestic beauty it has to offer. Below are 10 must-see, Lord of the Rings franchise film locations visitors can slot on their New Zealand tour itinerary.

UPDATE: 2022/10/09 22:31 EST BY JAMES KARUGA

Lord Of The Rings: 10 Real Life Locations You Need To Visit

To the original article, we've corrected several grammatical errors, edited out ambiguous phrases, revised it to fit AP style and removed inconsistent hyperlinking. But all the information on locations where Lord of the Rings (LOTR) films were shot remains the same. We've also embedded Instagram photos to replace the stock ones that were there initially, and have added paragraphs with two additional locations where the Lord of the Rings was filmed and are visited.

12 Paradise, Otago

The Paradise region earned its apt name for a reason, and has some of the most scenic landscapes in New Zealand. This lush valley is dotted with tall mountains peaks with a dramatic skyline perfectly fitted for The Lord of the Rings films.

The different areas around Paradise were used to film multiple sequences. When Gandalf rides into Isengard in The Fellowship of the Ring, the mountains and valley were used as a backdrop. Other local forested areas were used to film sequences for Amon Hen and Lothlórien movie locations.

11 Mount Ngauruhoe, North Island

Ever wanted to visit Mount Doom? It might not be the most welcoming sights in Middle Earth, but it's certainly one of the most memorable. Mount Doom and Mordor required a lot more CGI enhancements than for other landscape scenes, due to the constantly explosive volcano at its center. But, that didn't get in the way of Peter Jackson's commitment to artistic realism.

Mount Ngauruhoe and the surrounding area was also used to film multiple shots of Frodo and Sam traversing Mordor. The rocky and barren landscapes were perfect placeholders and starting points for the panoramic Mordor shots.

10 Twizel, Canterbury, NZ

So much of The Lord of the Rings films involved running, hiking, riding horses, or battling in big open fields. In fact, it's one of the more defining traits of the horse riding peoples of Rohan Kingdom and Twizel was perfect for those scenes.

Large open plains of the area, and a few of their solitary hills and peaks, were just what the filming team needed for the Rohan Kingdom landscape scenes. Apart from being the land of the horse riders, Gondor, and the final battle of Pelennor Fields were filmed at Twizel.

9 Port Waikato, North Island

In The Fellowship of the Ring, a band of hobbits is left stranded by Aragorn character atop a lonely peak. The site of long-forgotten ruins, Weathertop was a safe vantage point from the dark riders and among the most memorable location in the entire film franchise.

Luckily, although the ruins on top were fabricated both on set and in CGI, the real-life hill can be found in Port Waikato on the North Island. Though located on private land, visitors can still spot the hill from a distance.

8 Kawarau Gorge, Queenstown

The crystal teal waters of the Kawarau Gorge are a must-see, even for non Lord of the Rings fan. In the films, the Kawarau Gorge served as the backdrop of Anduin River, the location of the Pillars of the Kings, and the gargantuan statues at the gateway at the near Amon Hen.

While the statues were added in post, the actual river and surrounding area are as authentic as they can get. It is a short drive from Queenstown, and the river is home to a suspension bridge, trails, and river rafting.

7 The Putangirua Pinnacles, Wellington, NZ

The Putangirua Pinnacles have few moments in the films, they are among the most striking landscapes of the film franchise. Facing the daunting final battle of Pelennor Fields, characters Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas travel to the kingdom of the dead at the White mountains.

Putangirua Pinnacles were used as the Path of the Dead which leads the way to their kingdom. They are a striking geological site that gives off the perfect spooky vibe. Not too far off from Wellington, the Pinnacles are one of the unique Lord of the Rings sites to see.

6 Snowdon Forest, Te Anau Downs, NZ

One of the most puzzling creatures of Tolkien's world are the Ents, living trees that traverse the Fangorn Forest. In the films, Pippin and Merry are rescued by the Ent Treebeard, who assists them in their fight against Saruman. There are many fans of these creatures due to their eco-friendly message and simple demeanor.

Snowdon Forest was used for many of the scenes in Fangorn, thanks to its lush green sights. Exploring the hiking trails while taking in the beauty of this lush forest is worth experiencing.

5 Mount Sunday, Canterbury, NZ

While the open fields of Twizel enact the landscapes of Rohan Kingdom, it's the region's Mount Sunday that's the ideal spot, to capture the fictional essence of the Rohirrim horse people. Mount Sunday was used as the home of Edoras, the capital of the kingdom of Rohan, and its rocky peak had an entire city built on it.

While the film scene buildings are gone, it is still an incredibly dramatic spot to visit. It is surrounded by snowcapped peaks and dusty plain, made it an ideal cinematic spot for the fictional kingdom.

4 Weta Workshop, Wellington

Though it's not a filming location, the Weta Workshop is a must stop for any fans of The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit. Admission to the Weta Cave is free and gives fans a glimpse of the scenes artifacts from the films. It features a small museum, props, and a behind the scenes film, that plays every half hour.

Inside the workshop, visitors can book tours to visit the actual production studio or the prop workshops. Tours to see more behind the scenes, or learn some tools of the trade when it comes to makeup and prop building are charged.

3 Hobbiton™ Movie Set, Matamata

No spot fascinates fans of The Lord of the Rings than this movie set. The Hobbiton Movie Set was restored after the filming of The Hobbit for fans to visit. Located in Matamata, these are the real sets and locations that brought Hobbiton and the Shire to theatrical life.

Walk in the footsteps of Gandalf, Bilbo, and Frodo and frolic through the footpaths and hills of this fantasy landscape. It is one of the most immersive stops for fans of the films, movie lovers, and fantasy nuts.

2 The Hauraki Gulf

The Hauraki Gulf also called Tikapa Moana consists of islands and five marine reserves suited for recreation activities like photography, hiking or relaxing. Lord of the Rings' movie The Rings of Power was filmed at one of the rugged beaches here called, Anawhata Beach.

Scenes filmed here show Galadriel the fearsome warrior, and one of the great elves of the Middle Earth and Lord Elendil riding their horses here against the backdrop of the beach and the imposing cliff.

1 Mangawhero River And Falls

In the Lord of the Rings film The Two Towers the Mangawhero River is the setting for Ithilien fiefdom, the region before Mordor in western Middle-earth. This is also where Gollum tries caught a fish in the river as Faramir threatens to shoot him with a bow and arrow. Today this popular pool below the waterfall is dubbed Gollum's pool. The Mangawhero River is also where hobbits Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee passed by a ruined a column.

NEXT: 10 Movie Museums Every Film Fan Should Visit