Filmed in New Zealand, and not on soundstages, the Oscar-winning motion picture took advantage of the diverse landscape. Travelers on a South Pacific vacation can go on an adventure, following in the footsteps of the Fellowship.
The opening of the trilogy takes place in Tolkein’s envisioned land of the hobbits, the Shire. The rolling hills of Matamata, near Auckland, seemed like the perfect area for director Peter Jackson. Visitors to this area can not see the houses built into the hills anymore, but they’ll recognize the beautiful landscape.
For guests on the island nation looking to find filming locations that stood in for darker places, like Mordor, Tongariro National Park is the place to visit. It is also close to Auckland.
Queenstown, considered New Zealand’s adventure capital, served as the shooting place for the scenes near Rivendell, such as Arwen’s fight to save Frodo against the Black Riders crossing the river.
Tours are available which take travelers across the nation to see the best and most scenic Lord of the Rings former set locations.
Planning Your Next Trip with Atlas Travel Center
At Atlas Travel Center, we’ve spent over 35 years helping travelers turn ideas like the one in this post into fully realized journeys. Whether you’re reading this as inspiration for a trip you’re already planning or as the first seed of a travel dream, our advisors are here to take it from concept to confirmation — handling every detail along the way.
What sets Atlas apart isn’t just our longevity in the business — it’s the depth of expertise we bring to every booking. Our agents are specialists, not generalists. Many have personal experience at the destinations they recommend, onboard the ships they book, and with the tour operators they partner with. When you work with an Atlas advisor, you’re getting counsel grounded in real experience, not just what’s on a website.
Why Work with a Travel Advisor in the Age of Online Booking?
Online booking tools have made it easier than ever to assemble a trip — and also easier than ever to make an expensive mistake. The lowest price on a comparison site often omits a resort fee, books a room category you wouldn’t choose if you saw the photos, or locks you into a cancellation policy that offers no flexibility. Our advisors know the inventory, the fine print, and the suppliers well enough to navigate all of it on your behalf.
More importantly, when something goes wrong — a flight cancels, a ship changes its itinerary, a resort overbooks — a travel advisor is the difference between hours on hold with an 800 number and a quick call to someone who knows exactly who to call. We’ve been solving those problems for clients since 1987, and we’re very good at it.
Start Planning with Atlas
Contact Atlas Travel Center to speak with one of our experienced travel advisors. We’re CLIA-certified, ARC-accredited, and have maintained an A+ BBB rating for over 35 years. Whatever kind of travel experience you’re envisioning, we’d love to help you make it happen.
