Lord of the Rings tourist spots through New Zealand
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films have literally changed the tourism industry for New Zealand. The country itself has embraced the cultural impact that these films have had on their land. It also
It is an experience that no fan of the Hobbit and Lord of the Ring trilogies can miss. New Zealand itself is already a sight to behold. With everything from rugged mountains, rolling hillsides, and volcanic vistas. This is a country that has literal glaciers as well as subtropic forests at once.
It’s no wonder Peter Jackson decided to incorporate the landscapes of his homeland in his famous trilogies. To travel there and see for yourself, you need a New Zealand visa. Take a tour through spots around the world following in the footsteps of your favourite characters.
Where to go
There are also countless spots throughout the capital, Wellington, that all represented parts of Tolkien’s world. Kaitoke Regional Park is Rivendell, and Harcourt Park became the Gardens of Isengard. Don’t be surprised if you find a few other fans picking up branches and taking photos as wizards in this neck of the woods. Mt. Victoria is walking distance from the main city. Upon walking up the forested hill, you are taken to different scenes where the Hobbits hid from the Ringwraiths. The best thing about this particular trip through Lord of the Rings territory is that it is easily walkable for everyone, so you can bring little ones along quite easily.
In Wellington, you can also visit the Weta Workshop, which was the digital effects company that brought the two trilogies to life. The Weta Workshop is comprised of a number of highly talented artists responsible for the costuming and weaponry of the films, as well as the motion capture and special effects. A visit to this workshop means a peak at some of the props, images, and people who made the magic happen.
In case you were wondering, yes, you can visit Hobbiton! Located in Matamata, you can literally take a tour of the actual sets where Hobbiton was filmed. You can actually go to Bilbo Baggin’s house in the “Shire”. There are tours that will take you through the area and explain everything to you and make you feel as though you are in the film yourself.
One of the highlights of visiting Hobbiton is taking a Second Breakfast Tour! On this tour you will visit the Green Dragon Inn and partake in a Hobbit beverage with your other tour mates. Then you will have a second breakfast feast inspired by the film.
If you love nature and have always wanted to visit Mordor, a hiking trek to Mount Ngauruhoe is an experience of a lifetime. Located in Tongrariro National Park, Mount Ngauruhoe is an active volcano that is highly important to the Māori people. It was chosen to represent Mordor because of its striking volcanic rock formations and ash ridden landscapes. This national park is one of the first national parks in the world, and it is also a world heritage site. When you purchase a New Zealand visa, the cost of the visa includes the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy tax, which considers the impact that travel has on their ecosystem.
New Zealand Visa
New Zealand may be a ways off, but there is so much more to it than just a background for these films. Although that is honestly reason enough to visit. In order to travel to New Zealand, you need a New Zealand visa, also referred to as the NZeTA. Applying for a New Zealand visa takes a matter of minutes, and can easily be applied for online. If you are travelling with the whole family, or a group of friends, applying is even easier because you only need to fill in most of the information once, and there will be only one point of contact for the whole group.
Travelling has always been about adventure, so it only makes sense to combine that excitement of travelling somewhere that reminds you of one of the most famous adventures, the Lord of the Rings. The New Zealand visa is also valid for 2 years, which means that if you feel that your first trip wasn’t enough, you can always come back another time to visit Middle Earth again!
