Skip to main content

Welcome to New Zealand, Home of Middle Earth.

As we all know, the real star of Peter Jackson's trilogy of films based on J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is the beautiful country of New Zealand (plus of course, a number of "human" actors in "supporting" roles)."

Tourism New Zealand even issues postcards saying "Welcome to New Zealand, Home of Middle Earth" that are distributed to cinema goers watching the films around the world. New Zealand, being a relatively young country (from a geological perspective), has a stunning diverse set of landscapes that seem to fit the various locations of Middle Earth as described by Tolkien perfectly, ranging from the idyllic and rustic Hobbiton, the rugged Misty Mountains, the mighty River Anduin to the forbidding Mordor.

I first read the book(s) when I was 15, and have always felt that they would someday make a great film. Ralph Bakshi's animated version, released in 1978, was a disappointment, but my hope was finally realised when New Zealand born director Peter Jackson made the definitive trilogy, with the backing of New Line Cinema, released over 2001-2003.

Red Carpet Tours does a very comprehensive tour of the locations in New Zealand used to shoot the film, so we decided to take the tour commencing around Easter 2004. This web site is a "travel diary" of my experiences on the tour that I shared with the other members of the "Fellowship" as we journeyed across New Zealand.

This is a travel diary consisting of images and personal commentaries for each day of the tour. The images of locations used in the films are also accompanied by frames from the movies (where possible) and quotes from the book(s). We did not visit all the known locations. Also, not all scenes in the film were in the book(s) so some images do not have corresponding quotes. All quotes from the book are taken from the illustrated single volume hardback edition published by HarperCollinsPublishers (1991) ISBN 0-261-10230-3. All frames from the movies are taken from the Region 1 Extended Edition DVDs of The Fellowship Of The Ring, Twin Towers and The Return of the King - the images remain the copyright of New Line Cinema.

Travel Itinerary

Bonus Features

Latest updates

23 July 2010
Filled in missing content and included Youtube video of jetboat ride.
3 December 2009
Brand new 5th Anniversary Extended Remastered version of the website. All photos have undergone digital enhancement via Photoshop and additional photos have been included.
31 July 2005
Updated web page on "Cultic." Added frames from ROTK:EE (to days 1, 3-7).
22 July 2005
Added Windows Media movies of the Dart River Safari. Also added web page on "Cultic" - a movie shot in Taupo, NZ.
2 May 2004
Added Day 0, various maps and additional photos.
22-24 April 2004
Added scenes from movies, completed web design. Initial publication.
20 April 2004
Added quotes from book.
11-22 April 2004
Initial creation of web pages during tour.

Comments

  1. thingoJanuary 2, 2014 at 12:40 AM

    Chris,

    Thank you for a lovley tour around New Zealand ^H^H^H^H^H^H^H ^H^H^H Middleearth.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 10 (Wed 21 April) - Te Anau to Queenstown

Today is the last day of the guided tour as we visit several locations around Queenstown on SH 94, then 6. We travelled from Te Anau in the morning, stopping by at various locations including Deer Park Heights (Rohan), Arrowtown (Ford of Bruinen), Twelve Mile Delta (Ithilien), and Amon Hen. In the evening, we had a farewell dinner for the Fellowship at the Skyline buffet restaurant perched on top of Bob's Peak. On the way from Te Anau to Queenstown We stopped by again for a short break in the town of Garston , supposedly the most inland town in the South Island. [Tip: clicking on the image allows you to view it in Live Spaces and download it in high resolution (1280x800)] This is the view from another picturesque stop, at Devils Staircase on SH 6. Anwen at Devils Staircase. This sheep station nestled amidst mountains is only accessible via a boat. Deer Park Heights Queenstown as seen from Deer Heights Station. Queenstown airport as seen fr
Post a Comment
Read more

Day 8 (Mon 19 April) Cromwell to Te Anau

We head off towards Mavora Lakes, where several scenes were filmed, including the breaking of the Fellowship. In the afternoon, we arrived at the lakeside town of Te Anau . On the way to Mavora Lakes (Fangorn Forest) Sunrise in Cromwell. "Blood has been spilled in the night." [Tip: clicking on the image allows you to view it in Live Spaces and download it in high resolution (1280x800)] Garden next to a fruit shop on the way to Mavora Lakes. Row of poplar trees with yellow leaves. This is where Gandalf called for Shadowfax on the edge of Fangorn Forest. If you look at his feet carefully you will notice he is wearing modern sports shoes. "He sprang away, calling Shadowfax as he ran." "The great horse tossed his head. His flowing tail flicked in the moonlight. Then he leapt forward, spurning the earth, and was gone like the north wind from the mountains." (LOTR, Book III, Chapter XI, page 619) This is the location
Post a Comment
Read more

Day 6 (Sat 17 April) Christchurch to Twizel

We left Christchurch and headed wes on SH 73, then south on SH 72. The main location visited today is the Courts of Edoras (actually, Mt. Sunday, located at Mt. Potts Station). After that, we journeyed on to Twizel via the beautiful Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki. On the way to Edoras We left Christchurch on SH 73 (Yaldhurst Road). After Darfield, where we stopped to buy lunch, we turned onto SH 72 ( Inland Scenic Highway ). This is Rakaia River, flowing through Rakaia Gorge . [Tip: clicking on the image allows you to view it in Live Spaces and download it in high resolution (1280x800)] First of two bridges going across the Gorge. View of the river from the bridge. The view from the other side of the bridge. View of the gorge. View from the second bridge. View from the other side of the bridge. Note the car parked at a very unique location. View from Lake Clearwater. "Mallorn" trees (in reality black poplars) glistening in the sun at
Post a Comment
Read more