The Lord of the Rings ultimate New Zealand road trip guide

 If you’re anything like me, then you’re a serious fan of the Lord of the Rings series of books and movies. For many fans, a trip to New Zealand to check out some of the most famous filming locations is a bucket list adventure. If you’re interested in exploring other famous movie road trip ideas, check out this awesome blog post on the best road trips from TV and film. If you’re interested in seeing Middle Earth and where the perfect backdrop for these movies was, keep reading on!

1. Matamata:

Here you’ll find the original Hobbiton, where you can take a tour that’s jam-packed with great information and ample photo opportunities. This secluded part of New Zealand was chosen for the Shire region because of the beautiful landscape that perfectly coincided with the descriptions in the original book. This is an absolute must-visit location for any Lord of the Rings fan.

2. Wellington:

Head to Wellington for a few reasons if you’re a Lord of the Ring fan. One of the main reasons people visit is to see Mount Wellington, which served as the backdrop for Hobbiton woods during all of the films. But this isn’t the only attraction to see in Wellington, there’s also Weta Studios which was involved with many aspects of the LOTR films, especially costume design. If you have time, it’s worth taking a tour to learn more.

3. Mount Sunday, Canterbury: 

This is the location of the Edoras, which is the city of the Rohan people. These striking natural formations are worth a visit on their own even for a non-LOTR fan, but for those of you familiar with the movies this will be a real treat.

4. Mackenzie Country, Canterbury:

This is famous due to the compelling battle of the Pelennor Fields in the Return of the King. You can opt to do a specific LOTR tour here to see the best of the region and the different filming locations. 

5. Mount Earnslaw, Mount Aspiring National Park

Nestled in New Zealand’s third largest national park, there are shots filmed here that feature in the opening sequences of The Two Towers. This is a must-visit location for any of you who plan to travel down toward Queenstown. 

Hitting these top 5 locations will ensure that you see many of Lord of the Ring’s most famous landscapes around New Zealand.