The Lord of the Rings Filming Locations
Journey through the real Middle-earth. From the rolling hills of the Shire to the volcanic slopes of Mordor, explore the New Zealand landscapes where Peter Jackson brought Tolkien's world to life across all six films.
Explore All The Lord of the Rings Filming Locations
Where were the The Lord of the Rings movies filmed?
The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies were filmed almost entirely in New Zealand.
Across the 6 productions in the series, released between 2001 and 2014, we've mapped 150 real filming locations. Explore every one on the interactive map above, or browse each title below for its individual shooting locations, scene notes and visiting tips.
A guide to the Lord of the Rings filming locations
Both Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies were filmed almost entirely in New Zealand, using the country's extraordinary range of landscapes - rolling farmland, snow-capped mountains, ancient forests and volcanic plateaus - as the real Middle-earth. Studio work and Weta's effects were based in Wellington. Here is where Tolkien's world was really brought to life.
The Shire: Hobbiton
The most visited location of all, Hobbiton, sits on a working sheep farm near Matamata on the North Island. Built for the films and made permanent for The Hobbit, its 44 hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn and the Party Tree are open to visitors as the Hobbiton Movie Set - the single most popular Middle-earth site in the world.
Mountains and Mordor: the volcanic plateau
The volcanic heart of the North Island became the darkest corners of Middle-earth. Mount Ngauruhoe in Tongariro National Park stood in for Mount Doom, while the surrounding Rangipo Desert and the slopes of Mount Ruapehu became the plains of Mordor and Emyn Muil. In the South Island, the lonely peak of Mount Sunday in Canterbury was transformed into Edoras, capital of Rohan.
Forests and rivers near Wellington
Close to the Wellington studios, Kaitoke Regional Park became the elven refuge of Rivendell, and nearby forests stood in for the woods where the hobbits hid from the Nazgul. The braided rivers and beech forests of the South Island provided Fangorn Forest, the Ford of Bruinen and the great river Anduin.
The South Island: mountains and Fiordland
The dramatic scenery of the South Island supplied many of the saga's sweeping shots - the mountains around Queenstown became the Misty Mountains and the approach to Isengard, while the remote valleys of Fiordland stood in for the wilds south of the Shire.
Planning a Middle-earth trip
New Zealand embraces its Middle-earth heritage. The Hobbiton Movie Set near Matamata runs daily guided tours; Tongariro National Park (Mordor) has famous hiking trails including the Tongariro Alpine Crossing; and Queenstown is the hub for the South Island locations, many of them free to explore. Use the interactive map above to plan a journey across the real Middle-earth.
