New Zealand's mountain ranges, wild rivers and grassy fields provided the perfect setting for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Here is where you can find Middle‑earth™ for yourself. Whether or not you're a Tolkien fan, you'll find it almost impossible not to compare New Zealand to Middle‑earth™.
Nestled in the lush rolling hills of Matamata, in New Zealand's North Island, the set was originally taken apart after filming of the LOTR trilogy finished. But when Peter Jackson and Co. recreated it to film the Hobbit, they realised this was something that deserved to be preserved. And they were right.
Among many incredible Lord of the Rings film sites surrounding Glenorchy, you can find: Isengard: feel like you're strolling through the Gardens of Isengard in Glenorchy and Paradise, or stop at the Isengard Lookout on the Glenorchy-Routeburn Road for the best spot to take in the Dart Valley, Saruman's on-screen home.
Certain areas of Middle-Earth were filmed in certain areas of New Zealand. The Land of Mordor (where the shadows lie) was filmed primarily in Tongariro National Park. With black rocks, towering peaks and desolate plains, it made the perfect place for Sauron to call home.
A Tour of The Lord of the Rings Filming Locations | Nerd in New Zealand
Is Rivendell a real place?
Of course, most of the castle and city of Rivendell were created by CGI, but the grassy area in the forest that was used for filming can easily be spotted by a signpost explaining that Lord of the Rings filming took place there.
Originally, it was a tongue used by the Dúnedain — humans of the West. However, by the end of the Third Age, it became more of a universal language for the people of the West. Westron was spoken, for instance, by the Hobbits.
Set at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu in the Otago region, Glenorchy is the real world location of some of the most exquisite places in Middle Earth. Here you'll find the sites of Lothlorien, Ithilien Camp and Amon Hen.
For your own Middle‑earth™ adventure, daily tours are available to visit the original Hobbiton Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy and The Hobbit films.
Principal photography for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy was conducted concurrently in New Zealand for 438 days from 11 October 1999 through 22 December 2000.
Southern Lakes. New Zealand's spectacular Southern Lakes region is where many scenes for both trilogies were filmed, and the area features some of the country's most experienced Tolkien-focused tour operators.
Most snow in New Zealand falls in the mountain areas. Snow rarely falls in the coastal areas of the North Island and west of the South Island, although the east and south of the South Island may experience some snow in winter.
What was the first scene filmed in the Lord of the Rings?
Late 1999. The first scene filmed was the "Wooded Road" sequence in The Fellowship of the Ring, where the Hobbits hide beneath a tree from a mounted Ringwraith.
The three films were shot simultaneously in Jackson's native New Zealand from 11 October 1999 until 22 December 2000, with pick-up shots from 2001 to 2003. It was one of the biggest and most ambitious film projects ever undertaken, with a budget of $281 million (equivalent to $530 million in 2024).
How much did Peter Jackson make from Lord of the Rings?
He made $10 million up front for each of the three "Lord of the Rings" films (2001-2003), with at least another 10% of profits earned from each film's box office receipts. For the "Hobbit" movies, he likely made $20 million per film with 20% backend.
The tallest member of The Lord of the Rings' main cast was Sir Christopher Lee, who portrayed Saruman; he stood at six feet five inches. There was a second, smaller version of the Bag End set that was identical in all ways except for its size; this set was used to make Gandalf look taller.
Absolutely! The food is great but the best thing is that the 2nd breakfast tour is the first tour of the day so you get to Middle Earth before it gets crowded. I've seen all the movies and a fan of them, so it was well worth it for me. I would not go to NZ without seeing it as a fan.
The Tongariro National Park in New Zealand IS Mordor in the Lord of the Rings films and a dual world heritage site. I am not sure which accolade is cooler. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a 19km trek renowned for its beauty and its unpredictable weather.
The lush dairy farming landscape around the Waikato town of Matamata was used to portray the peaceful Shire region of Middle‑earth™. The village of Hobbiton was created here with brilliant attention to detail. It was later rebuilt for the filming of The Hobbit Trilogy and is now a permanent attraction.
Home of Fangorn Forest and Nen Hithoel, Mavora Lakes is the location for the iconic scene at the very end of the Fellowship of the Ring film where Frodo and Sam separate from the rest of the group and sail across the lake at Nen Hithoel. It is also the same location where Boromir died.
The inside of Mornay's castle was captured in Edinburgh at the Edinburgh Council Chamber on the city's High Street. The remaining shots in this popular film were all done in Ireland. The majority of the film was shot at locations found within a 30-mile radius of metropolitan Dublin.
While Matamata is the closest town to the Hobbiton Movie Set and they also do pick-ups from there, Cambridge and Karapiro is also another option since it's only a bit more of a drive than Matamata. Both are good options. I would suggest Karapiro if you also want to couple a visit with staying along the Waikato River.
Gandalf and Saruman here actually speak Quenya, not Sindarin. It's an older form of Elvish, and not spoken as much in Middle-earth. It's kind of like Latin is to us.
Still, Tolkien clearly states in "Concerning Hobbits" that hobbits are not technically a distinct race from Men, the way that Elves or Dwarves are, but branched off from other humans in the distant past of the Elder Days.
Besides Westron, he is quoted as speaking both Sindarin (at Cerin Amroth) and Quenya (at his coronation). And he recites a poem in Rohirric/Old English to Legolas and Gimli, and then translates it -- into what is for my money the best poem in LotR.
