Travel New Zealands LOTR Sites and Locations
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New Zealand LOTR sites and locations:
- Visit original New Zealand's LOTR film locations
- Hart of 'Mordor'
- River Anduin
- WETA studios
- Gardens of Lothlorien
- Edoras and Meduseld
- and more guided location tours
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Itinerary Summary:
| Day 1 |
Arrive Auckland > Rotorua |
| Day 2 |
Rotorua > Tongariro |
| Day 3 |
Tongariro |
| Day 4 |
Tongariro > Wellington |
| Day 5 |
Wellington > Nelson |
| Day 6 |
Nelson |
| Day 7 |
Nelson > Methven |
| Day 8 |
Methven |
| Day 9 |
Methven > Wanaka |
| Day 10 |
Wanaka > Queenstown |
| Day 11 |
Queenstown |
| Day 12 |
Queeenstown |
| Day 13 |
Queenstown > Te Anau |
| Day 14 |
Te Anau |
| Day 15 |
Te Anau > Depart |
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your travel Package options with included services are:
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bronze option
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Silver option
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Gold option
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| Accommodation: |
14 nights / *** Star |
14 nights / **** Star |
14 nights / ***** Star |
| Breakfast included |
12 x breakfast |
10 x breakfast |
10 x breakfast |
| Dinner included |
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4 x dinner |
9 x dinner |
| Tours included |
Edoras Guided Tour |
Edoras Guided Tour |
Edoras Guided Tour |
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Middle Earth Wanaka |
Middle Earth Wanaka |
Middle Earth Wanaka |
| Rental Car included |
Yes - 1.6 litre Automatic |
Yes - 2.0 litre Automatic |
Yes - 3.5 litre Automatic |
| Ferry |
Yes - Wellington-Picton |
Yes - Wellington-Picton |
Yes - Wellington-Picton |
| Your Bonus |
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Airport to City Transfer |
Airport to City Transfer |
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Complem. NZ Map book |
Complem. NZ Map book |
Complem. NZ Map book |
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Detailed Itinerary Plan |
Detailed Itinerary Plan |
Detailed Itinerary Plan |
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Free Courier Service |
Free Courier Service |
Free Courier Service |
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0800-Freephone in NZ |
0800-Freephone in NZ |
0800-Freephone in NZ |
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Bronze option
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Silver option
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Gold option
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PRICES (p. person):
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| (Two in one room) |
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Day 1.
- An easy drive south of Auckland into the verdant Waikato to Matamata, home to 'Hobbiton' and 'The Shire'.
- Join a 2 hour guided tour of the Movie Set which leaves Matamata 3 times a day. The set has been returned to its natural state but some structures are still present and your guide will escort you through the 10 acre site, recounting details on how it was created.
- From Matamata, drive into Rotorua.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Ngongotaha B&B / Silver: Koura Lodge / Gold: Kawaha Point Lodge
- Total driving time today: 3.5 hours
Day 2.
- Head south through Taupo to Turangi, a popular area for anglers. Stay for 2 nights at the Bayview Chateau, 'The Grand Chateau' at the foot of Mt Ruapehu in the Tongariro National park, the Lord of the Rings Cast and crew used the conference room as their headquarters and stayed here during filming in the area.
- From here it is a 15 minute drive to the heart of 'Mordor'. The location for the filming of the battle marking the end of the second age of middle earth is easily accessible but stout walking shoes are recommended.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Tairoa B&B / Silver: Bayview Chateau (Room)/ Gold: Bayview Chateau (Suite)
- Total Driving time today: 2 hours
Day 3.
- To really experience the isolation and immerse yourself in 'Mordor', the Tongariro Crossing is a recommended 7-8 hour day walk. Alternatively, take a short drive to Ohakune to reach the general area of filming for the 'Ithilien Camp'. The exact filming site is not publicly accessible but take a drive up the road to Mangawhero Falls to experience Mountain Beech Forest close to the filming area.
- One of the rivers used in the scenes for the River Anduin is the Rangitikei, a further hours drive to Taihape via Waiouru where you can take a gentle rafting trip with Rangitikei River Rafting and drift through the scenery. The full day eco-tour, 'Grand Canyons of the Rangitikei', takes you past the exact sites.
- Accommodation: Same.
Day 4.
- Wellington to any Rings enthusiast is production Central. Home to the cast and crew for over 3 years and the base for WETA Workshops and Peter Jackson, several areas within the region were used for filming. Mt Victoria was used as the outer reaches of the shire and where the Hobbits hid to escape the Nazgul. Other areas easily reached from Wellington are the hidden refuge of Rivendell and the encampment of Dunharrow.
- From Wellington it is an easy drive over the hill to the Wairarapa where the eerie Putanguria Pinnacles were filmed. The vineyards in this area were also a favourite recreational haunt for the cast. Book a tour with Flat Earth New Zealand to Fernside if you wish to visit the beautiful gardens of Lothlorien where the filming took place. You may wish to extend your Wellington stay to take in the many sites and areas around here used for filming.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Tinakori B&B / Silver: Wellesley Boutique Hotel / Gold: Bolton Boutique Hotel
- Total Driving time today: 4.5 hours
Day 5.
- Fly from Wellington across to Nelson, a 35 minute flight. Visit Harrington Brewers in Richmond where scenes from The Prancing Pony were filmed and a special beer for Hobbiton was brewed. Over 20,000 litres of the brew were provided to the film crew and enthusiasts can purchase Harrington's Stout from the brewery in Richmond.
- Jens Hansen Gold and Silversmith in central Nelson submitted designs for the 'One Ring' and went on to produce the 40 rings required in production, one almost 16 cm in diameter. One of the rings is on display there and you can buy copies in both 9 and 18 ct gold.
- Stay the next 2 nights in the Nelson/ Abe Tasman area.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Bayview B&B / Silver: The Resurgence / Gold: Eden House
Day 6.
- A two hour drive will take you to Takaha Hill, the area used as Chetwood Forest. Climb to the 972 m summit of the Takaha Hill where a number of Rocky outcrops can be seen - the only place outside of Italy where such formations exist. Just past the signposted Ngarua Caves is Canaan Road, an unpaved road which will take you on an 11 km journey through ghostly trees to the general location of filming. For the energetic, there is a 2 hour return walk to Harwards Hole, a 176 m deep and 15 m wide sinkhole in the limestone rock. After returning to the main road continue to the summit of Takaha Hill for great views of the Tasman and Golden Bays and continue onto Takaha, the starting point for the Abel Tasman - Kahurangi National Park. Two of the most spectacular landscapes in the Fellowship are situated here, Mt Olympus and Mt Owen. This is where the fellowship hide from Saruman's crebain who were searching for the Nine.The location is remote and spectacular and the best way to view it is with the help of Nelson Helicopters who provided logistical support and crew transport during the filming. They operate a 'Lord of the Rings location tour' from Nelson which flies over The Chetwood Forest, Mt Olympus and Mt Owen.
- Accommodation: Same.
Day 7.
- This is a drive of around 450 km and you should allow a full day with stops. This drive will take you along the spectacular Buller River and on through the Lewis Pass, past Hanmer Springs, over the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch.
- Stay in Christchurch for 2 nights.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Elizas B&B (Room) / Silver: Elizas B&B (Suite) / Gold: The George Hotel
Day 8.
- Methven is the closest town to Erewhon the landscape that became Edoras, the capital of Rohan for eleven months. Situated in a large mountain valley 85 km from Methven, the treeless golden tussockland with its shingle sloped alpine peaks providing a jagged backdrop, is a lonely prospect. From Methven, travel South to Mt Somers and then up the unpaved Ashburton Gorge past Lakes Camp and Clearwater. Descending into the Rangitata Valley Mt Sunday can be seen straight ahead.This was used to create Edoras and Meduseld, King Theoden's hall in the realm of Rohan. There is no access to the mountain itself and the best views are obtained from the road at the entrance to Mt Potts Station.
- Accommodation: Same.
Day 9.
- Around 400 km, allow 5 hours driving with stops at Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki to view Aoraki - Mt Cook. Looking towards the Alps from the town of Wanaka, at the end of the lake you can see the backdrop used when Gandalf flew to Rohan with Gwaihir after his rescue from the Orthanc. The town is beautiful and well worth a overnight stay.
- Take a drive past Glendhu Bay, Treble Cone Ski Field towards the head of the Matukituki Valley. Stay in Wanaka tonight.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Te Wanaka B&B / Silver: Mountain Range / Gold: Wharekea Lodge
Day 10.
- Only around 120 km but lots of stops and very scenic driving. Take State Highway 89 to Queenstown through the Cardrona Valley and stop off at the Cardrona Hotel, one of New Zealand's oldest. When you enter the bar, the Prancing Pony at Bree comes to mind. Following the Cardrona River the road climbs to the summit where the view is expansive. To the left below is the River Anduin and the Pillars of the Aronath and high in the hills straight ahead is the Dimrill Dale. At the bottom of the hill, turn right and follow the signs to Arrowtown and the Ford of Bruinen. The Ford is only minutes from the centre of the village on the Arrow River, about 200m upstream.
- Base yourself in Queenstown for the next 3 nights.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Browns Boutique Hotel / Silver: St. Moritz Hotel / Gold: Matakauri Lodge
Day 11.
- Drive on via the Coronet Peak Road to Queenstown. A trip up the Skippers Canyon Road, where the magical flood of Arwen occurred is spectacular but it is recommended that you use a local 4WD drive operator as the road is closed to rental cars and it is steep and difficult in places. The scenic drive to Glenorchy follows the shores of Lake Wakatipu for 45 km. Closeburn is 8 km from Queenstown and while the actual location of Amon Hen is not accessible, a stop on the lake shore is suggested - the area for filming was set amongst the pine trees on the peninsula to the left of here. Filming for the dramatic finale of 'The Fellowship of the Ring' was undertaken at Closeburn, Paradise and Mavora Lakes. In summer Closeburn is reminiscent of the scented forests of Ithlien and nearby Twelve Mile Delta , 4 km on down the road was used to portray the Ithlien Camp. There are a number of walks and mountain bike tracks that will take you into Ithlien Camp. Carry on to the village of Glenorchy at the Northern end of lake Wakatipu where the jagged peaks of the snowcapped misty mountains act as a spectacular backdrop. A couple of days can easily be spent in the area, walking, jet boating and horse trekking to Isengard, Amon hen and Lothlorien.
- Highly recommended is a Dart River Jet Boat Safari and Dart Stables Horse Trek.
- Accommodation: Same.
Day 12.
- Take a 45 minute Middle Earth Helicopter Explorer Tour with Heliworks. Leaving the airport, you'll climb the steep slopes of the MistyMountains to The Dimrill Dale and the gates of Khazad-dum. The source of the River Silverlode lies below and there are opportunities to stop for photographs before continuing westward to Fangorn Forest and a landing on top of Dol Baran. Fly over the outskirts of Lothlorien and Fangorn returning towards Queenstown via the Great River. A longer Heliworks Tour can also take you into the Fiordland National Park to include the Kepler Mountains and Norwest lakes and this is a good option for those without extra days to travel to Te Anau. From the airport, drive on to Deer Park Heights where a short climb uphill will give you grand views of several locations.
- Accommodation: Same.
Day 13.
- If time allows, allocate at least 3 days here to fully experience Fiordland including Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound and Lake Manapouri. Flowing from Lake Te Anau to Lake Manapouri, the Waiau River was used to portray parts of the River Anduin. The high mountain tops above Lake Manapouri by Freeman Burn are the Norwest lakes, accessible only by Helicopter and are the locations for the Fellowship heading south from Rivendell.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Dunluce B&B / Silver: Fiordland Lodge / Gold: Corstophine House
Day 14.
- Return from Te Anau to Queenstown and depart by air to any main centre.
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