When kiwi director Peter Jackson began filming The Lord of the rings film trilogy in his native land in 1999, one of the spinoffs of the effort was the promotion New Zealand as a tourist destination.
Movie goers were awed by the natural beauty that formed a backdrop for the movies, and began visiting New Zealand in large numbers to experience “Middle Earth” for themselves.
Fans of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit movies can visit several Tolkien-themed sites on the North Island.
They include:
Hobbiton
Situated on a family farm in Waikato, Hobbiton was a movie set for the films that has become a major Lord of the Rings tourist destination, with guided tours being offered to Tolkien fans. The tour costs approximately $90 per adult.
Tongariro National Park
Located in the centre of the North Island, Tongariro National Park is a must see in its own right. It is home to three active volcanoes, and features majestic landscapes and plenty of outdoor recreational options (including two of the largest ski fields in the country). Mount Ngauruhoe (with a little digital magic) became Mount Doom in the two trilogies. Film crews kept filming restricted to the lower slopes of the mountain, out of respect to the fact the peak of the mountain is sacred in Maori culture. Scenes featuring Mordor and Emyn Muil were also filmed in the park.
Mangaotaki Valley
Located in Waikato, the Mangaotaki Valley features boasts a rugged landscape and limestone outcrops. It is also familiar to Tolkien movie fans as the location of Trollshaw Forest and Straddle Farm. Guided tours with a Hobbit-theme are available.
Weta Workshop
Wellington’s Weta Workshop is a special effects company that was heavily involved in making the Lord of the Rings movies. It now offers tours for film buffs that will be of special interest to fans of Middle Earth.
