Lord of the Rings - Set-Locations in New Zealand
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit: New Zealand is middle earth! The amazing and divers scenery of the joungest country on earth is the only place, where this great storys of hope by J.R.R. Tolkien could be filmed. A lot of the locations are the unknown New Zealand, far away from known tourist attractions but so beautiful in scenery and nature. Breathtaking views, scenic landscapes, awesome nature: mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, tussok grassland, green hills, woods, bush, wilderness: Discover 100% Pure New Zealand. It is 100% middle earth experience. A must do for Tolkien-Fans who like to travel.
World-famous film director Peter Jackson used New Zealands unspoilt scenery to make middle earth remarkably real. While he is proud New Zealander, he chose to film in his country because NZ geography can provide a huge variety of filming locations. From snowy mountains and desolate volcanic wasteland to serene beaches and enchanted forest, New Zealand is a cinematic paradise. The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy is one of the biggest cinema projects ever undertaken. It had a budget of $280 million and was filmed in some of New Zealands most beautiful places.
LotR-cast and crew about New Zealand: Elijah Wood: I have never seen a country in wich there are so many different gorgeous landscapes. Peter Jackson: Because we are making the movies I got to see incredibly magical remote places in New Zealand. Its the just most amazingly stunning place, beautiful. Richard Taylor: In New Zealand is still an innocence within the landscape a untouched blessed feel. This environment that feels as though mankind has not yet visited it. Sir Ian Mc Kellen: Middleearth is a real place and its New Zealand.
The most Set-Locations are easy accessible by road or walk. Some locations are only Helicopter-accessible and I did it with Nelson Helicopters (Nelson) and Southern Lakes Helicopters (Te Anau). The Helicopter-only locations are the favorites of director Peter Jackson. During 3 trips I vistited the most of the Set-Locations of the Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy in New Zealand. I have seen breathtaking scenerys. Great experience! I can not say whats my favorite Location, because there are so much Highlights. Its the best way to try out yourself what you like the most. At some locations it is possible to make guided tours to explore Middle-earth in New Zealand. The LotR-Set-locations are located on both Islands, North Island and South Island.
The following places and sites are seen in this video or are nearby: Mount Ruapehu, Iwikau Village, Whakapapa Ski Field, Tongariro National Park, Arrow River, Arrowtown, Mount Solitary, Mount Chrisholm, Mount Vera, Seaforth River, Fiordland National Park, Matamata, Alexander Farm, Harcourt Park, Upper Hutt, Birchville, Brown Owl, Lower Hutt, Wellington, Manakau, Keeling Farm, Otaki Gorge, Takaka Hill, Kanaan Road, Abel Tasman National Park, Ford, Bush Creek, German Hill, Turret Range, Precipice Peak, Mount Olympus, Clark Peak, Mount Owen, Hope Range, Kahurangi Natonal Park, The Remarkables, Double Cone, Lake Alta, Rastus Burn, Paradise, Mount Alfred, Mount Earnslaw, Mill Flat, Sugar Loaf, Humbold Mountains, Dundas Creek, Waiau River, Rangitikei River, Omatane, Closeburn, Lake Wakatipu, Cecil Peak, North Mavora Lake, Mount Eldon, Mount Aspiring, Popes Nose, Aeroplane Peak, Moncrieff Peak, Rainbow Col, Waiatoto Lake, Volta Glacier, Mount Aspiring National Park, Whakapanui Stream, Mount Ngauruhoe, Pinnacle Ridge, Meads Wall, Poolburn Reservoir, Raggedy Range, Dunstan Mountains, Smooth Peak, Hummock Peak, Bald Hill, Franz Josef Glacier, Mount Campbell, Mount Sunday, Erewhon, Mount D' Archiac, Black Mountain, Havelock River, Rangitata River, Mount Potts, Deer Park Heights, Mountain Tarn, Peninsula Hill, Frankton, Queenstoen, Fernside, Featherston, Tauherenikau River, Putangirua Pinnacles, Ben Ohau Station, Ben Ohau Range, The Pyramid, Fraser Stream, Tukino Ski Field, Rangipo Desert, Upper Waikato Stream
10. June 2009: 10.000 Views
Mount Aspiring National Park - 100% Pure New Zealand by Motorhome
Day 14 – 4th January 2019 - Wanaka to Fox Glacier
06:13 Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park, Wanaka and walked 3.5 mi (15 mins) to photograph and fly my drove around the Wanaka Tree, before returning to the Motorhome.
07:29 We drove into Wanaka and had a lovely breakfast at Kai Whakapai (
09:46 I had to drive back to the Wanaka Tree, so the wife could get a picture.
11:00 Lake Hawea Lookout
12:30 Blue Pools Walk, people were jumping off the swing bridge into glacial blue freezing waters.
13:00 Thunder Creek Falls
15:00 Mount Pleasant Flat, here I flew my DJI Spark drone (Yes I had acquired the appropriate licence from the DOC, apparently the only British person to bother this year).
15:30 Haast River here I flew my DJI Spark drone. (Captured my favourite drone shots ever)
16:15 Roaring Billy Falls, here I flew my DJI Spark drone.
17:00 Ship Creek, there was a wooden tower with multiple ladders inside to climb, well worth it the views were stunning over the tropical looking bay.
17:10 Knights Point Lookout, winding with crazy birds
18:13 Stopped at Bruce Bay Coffee Cart for an ice cream and a coffee
19:19 Checked in to Fox Glacier Top 10 Holiday Park & Motels, and drove straight back out to the Cook Saddle Cafe & Saloon for dinner, it was very busy but good service and food.
20:36 back to the Holiday Park for the night, where we met a lovely German couple, we shared a bottle of wine, we showed each other our motorhomes.