Putangirua Pinnacles in Wairarapa - location for The Dimholt Road

Lord of the Rings locations

Introduction

Take a tour of the New Zealand conservation areas that provided locations for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Note on GPS coordinates: These are guidelines only. They based on estimates from DOC staff and coordinates from The Lord of the Rings Location Guide Extended Edition by Ian Brodie (HarperCollins, ISBN 1-86950-530-1).

The New Zealand Road Spiral Atlas (HEMA, ISBN13 9781877302367) features Lord of the Rings locations.

Tongariro/Taupo region

Ithilien

Mangawhero River: Gollum catches a fish.

Ohakune area short walks
Tongariro National Park

Coordinates: 39° 19.161'S 175° 30.158'E - view in Google maps
Access: Ohakune Mountain Rd

Mordor

Mangawhero River: Frodo and Sam pass a ruined column in a clearing.

Ohakune area short walks
Tongariro National Park

Coordinates: 39° 19.217'S 175° 30.315'E - view in Google maps
Access: Ohakune Mountain Rd

Mordor

Whakapapa skifield: Isildur cuts off Sauron's finger and the Ring.

Tongariro National Park

Coordinates:

  • View of location: 39° 14.116'S 175° 33.529'E - view in Google maps
  • Location: 39° 14.114'S 175° 33.522'E - view in Google maps

Access: State Highway 48

Mordor

Whakapapa skifield: Frodo and Sam catch Gollum. Gollum leads the hobbits down the Emyn Muil.

Tongariro National Park

Coordinates: 39° 14.177'S 175° 33.670'E - view in Google maps
Access: State Highway 48

Gates of Mordor

Tukino skifield, Mt Ruapehu: Frodo, Sam and Gollum look out over the Gates of Mordor before setting out to climb around them.

Tongariro National Park

Coordinates: 39° 16.667'S 175° 36.626'E - view in Google maps  
Access: Walk in from gate on Tukino skifield road, off SH1

Wellington region

Dimholt Road

Putangirua Pinnacles: Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli ride to meet the Army of the Dead.

Pinnacles track
Putangirua Pinnacles, Aorangi Forest Park

Coordinates: 41° 26.861'S 175° 14.674'E - view in Google maps
Access: Walk-in access from Whatarangi Rd

Nelson/Marlborough region

Dimrill Dale

Mount Owen: The Fellowship, now without Gandalf, escape Moria.

Mount Owen route
Kahurangi National Park

Coordinates: 41° 33.493'S 172° 32.401'E - view in Google maps
Access: Challenging walk-in only 

Outcrop south of Rivendell

Mount Olympus/Boulder Lake: The Fellowship hide from the crebain, Saruman's black crows.

Kahurangi National Park

Coordinates: 40° 53.456'S 172° 30.654'E - view in Google maps
Access: Challenging walk-in only (unmarked)

West Coast region

Ered Nimrais

Mount Gunn, near Franz Josef Glacier: The beacons that run along The White Mountains from Gondor to Rohan are lit.

Franz Josef Glacier

Coordinates for view of Mt Gunn: 43° 25.720'S 170° 10.105'E - view in Google maps
Access: Views of location may be possible from the Franz Josef Glacier Valley access track. Turn off State Highway 6, 500m south of Franz Josef Village onto the Franz Josef Glacier access road until you reach the car park. Then follow the glacier access track. An alternative would be to take a scenic flight.

Canterbury region

Edoras

Mount Sunday: The capital of Rohan and home to Meduseld, the hall of King Theoden.

Hakatere Conservation Park

Coordinates:

  • View: 43° 34.852'S 170° 58.212'E - view in Google maps
  • Edoras: 43° 32.899'S 170° 53.591'E - view in Google maps

Access to view point: Hakatere Potts Rd
Access to Edoras: Hakatere Potts Rd, walk up Mount Sunday

Otago region

Ford of Bruinen

Skippers Canyon: Arwen defeats the Nazgûl by conjuring up a flood.

Skippers

Coordinates: 44° 50.724'S 168° 41.054'E - view in Google maps
Access: Skippers Rd 

Isengard

Dan's Paddock: Gandalf rides up to Isengard in Nan Curunír.

Rees-Dart Track
Mount Aspiring National Park

Coordinates: 44° 40.417'S 168° 20.457'E - view in Google maps 
Access: Glenorchy Paradise Rd

Ithilien camp

Twelve Mile Delta: Frodo, Sam and Gollum watch the battle between Faramir's Rangers of Gondor and the men (and Oliphaunts) of Harad. Sam and Gollum discuss coney cookery.

Twelve Mile Delta to Bob's Cove Track
Twelve Mile Delta Campsite
Queenstown area

Coordinates:

  • View: 45° 4.008'S 168° 32.683'E - view in Google maps
  • Coney cooking: 45° 4.151'S 168° 32.587'E - view in Google maps

Access: Glenorchy Queenstown Rd

The Argonath on the Anduin River

Kawarau Suspension Bridge: The Fellowship pass the Pillars of the Kings on the Anduin River.

Queenstown area

Coordinates: 45° 0.711'S 168° 53.567'E - view in Google maps
Access: Chard Rd, off Gibbston Highway

Dimrill Dale

Lake Alta: Dimrill Dale, after the Fellowship exits the Mines of Moria.

Lake Alta Track

Coordinates: 45° 03'46.8"S 168°48'41.2"E - view in Google maps 
Access: On the eastern side of Lake Wakatipu, turn off SH6 at the signposted junction to the Remarkables ski area. 

Southland region 

Nen Hithoel

North Mavora Lake: The Fellowship moor at the side of the lake at the end of their journey down the Anduin. The hobbits hide from the Uruk-hai.

Mavora Lakes Park
Mavora Lakes Campsite

Coordinates: 

  • Lakeside: 45° 15.993'S 168° 10.410'E - view in Google maps
  • Hiding: 45° 16.024'S 168° 10.500'E - view in Google maps

Access: Mavora Lakes Rd

Silverlode and Anduin rivers

Mararoa River swingbridge at South Mavora Lake: The Fellowship leave Lothlórien.

Mavora Lakes Park

Coordinates: 45° 18.970'S 168° 10.744'E - view in Google maps
Access: Mavora Lakes Rd  

Fangorn Forest edge

Mavora Lakes: Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli follow Merry and Pippin's trail from the mound of burnt orc bodies left by Eomer's Riders of Rohan.

Mavora Lakes Park

Coordinates: 45° 19.968'S 168° 10.404'E - view in Google maps
Access: Mavora Lakes Rd

South of Rivendell

Norwest Lakes, near St Paul's Dome: The Fellowship move south out of Rivendell.

Mavora Lakes Park
Fiordland National Park

Coordinates: 45° 25.358'S 167° 20.800'E - view in Google maps
Access: Challenging walk-in only (unmarked) 

Fangorn Forest

Bog Pine Paddock: Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli meet Gandalf the White.

Snowdon Forest

Coordinates: 45° 21.087'S 167° 54.477'E - view in Google maps
Access: Takaro Rd 

Anduin River

Waiau River: The opening aerial shot of The Fellowship of the Ring showing the forested banks of the Anduin River.

Fiordland National Park
Kepler Track

Coordinates: 45° 29.755'S 167° 40.159'E - view in Google maps
Access: Rainbow Reach Rd, off Manapouri Te Anau Highway

Dead Marshes

Kepler Mire: Gollum guides Frodo and Sam through the swamp, saving Frodo as he falls under spell of the dead that seem to float within it. 

Fiordland National Park 

Coordinates: 45° 29.567'S 167° 41.897'E - view in Google maps
Access: Manapouri Te Anau Highway

Back to top