Lord of the Rings experiences in New Zealand for fans across the globe

In 2019, The Return of the King, the third and final instalment in JRR Tolkien’s world-famous fantasy trilogy completed 64 years. And to mark this momentous milestone, all fans want to do is feel The Lord of the Rings experiences in real life. Here are six must-visit locations in the Land of the Long White Cloud or, Middle Earth.

Rotorua

This place is also known as Hobbiton. Rotorua is known to be a great gateway spot from which one could take a tour of Matamata, aka Hobbiton. Visitors can take a tour of this lush, scenic region and explore cluttered Hobbit holes, and discover the abundant buildings and structures that make up the Shire. It’s a necessity for fans of the franchise, not to mention nature lovers: such as rolling green hills, emerald hedgerows, and sheep by the field-load.

Tongariro National Park

Also known as Mordor and Hidden Bay, the entrance to The Lonely Mountain in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Tongariro National Park is home to the Dark Lord Sauron and his crimson. Tolkien fanatics will recognise the lava-clad Mount Ngauruhoe, which is an active stratovolcano in the heart of the park. Fans may know it as the infamous Mount Doom, although in reality it’s often topped with white powder rather than spewing red-hot magma.

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Wellington

This is also known as Lord of the Rings – behind the scenes. Wellington is where the real movie magic happens. All the shots right from SFX to post-production and editing is done in Wellington. Both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies were finished up here and it’s where most of the cast, including the wondrous Elijah Wood, spent a lot of their shooting time.

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Queenstown

Also known as Lothlorien. Queenstown is full of picturesque scenes, no more so than those at Lake Wakatipu, a surreal turquoise lagoon where The Lord Of The Rings ancient forest Lothlorien was brought to life. It’s an almost ethereal place, and it’s easy to see why Peter Jackson fell in love with it.

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Image courtesy: Hobbitontours Instagram