Around New Zealand in 13 Hours: Day 6
In the last post, I highlighted some of New Zealand’s features not related to the Lord of the Rings films. For those diehard fans who were disappointed, I’ll make it up to you today! Over the course of a 13 hour drive from Rotorua to Wellington, we visited 5—count ’em—5 film sites from the LotR and Hobbit films. So let’s get started!
Barrel Riding: Huka Falls
Our geothermal wonderland guide told us how to find the wonder of Huka Falls, the site where Bilbo and the dwarves go careening down a rushing river in their escape from the Mirkwood elves. The river roars through a narrow channel with huge frothing waves and shoots out over a small drop with incredible raging force. Forget any attacking foes—I’d be more worried about the river! Fun fact: the Waikato River system containing the falls produces about 15% of New Zealand’s energy.
The frothing waves of Huka Falls, where the dwarves made their escape from Mirkwood! 
Huka Falls in New Zealand
Mount Doom: Ngarahoe Volcano
Believe it or not, Mount Doom is a real volcano—fortunately a dormant one, called Ngarahoe (nah-rah-HOW-ee). Its definitive cone shape is visible for miles across the flatter countryside. Ngarahoe stands between two other volcanoes in Tongariro National Park, the first of which shares its name with the park, and the second of which holds our next film site!
The defined cone of the Ngarahoe volcano used for Mount Doom 
Mount Doom as seen from Emyn Muil
Emyn Muil: Whakapapa Ski Field
Mount Ruapehu, the third volcano, hosts a ski field alongside where Frodo and Sam struggle over the rocky rises of Emyn Muil on the way to Mordor and encounter Gollum. Mount Doom (Ngarahoe) is in fact visible from this location. As devoted LotR fans, we insisted on wearing our cloaks up to the ridge, where the fierce wind quite nearly blew us away!
The rocky ridge of Emyn Muil 
The sheer rock wall akin to the one Frodo and Sam climbed down with Lady Galadriel’s elven rope
Ithilien: Mangawhero Falls
On the other side of Mount Ruapehu, Okahune Road leads up to the lovely Mangawhero Falls. Interestingly, the falls themselves are not featured in the films, but the shallow, rocky stream leading up to them is where Gollum tried to catch a fish in Ithilien on the border of Mordor.
The stream where Gollum tried to catch a fish in Ithilien 
The river just above the drop-off of Mangawhero Falls
Anduin: Mokai Gravity Canyon
Our one-day race across New Zealand’s north island held one last stop, for which we had to search literally high and low. We sought the beautiful canyon where the fellowship sails along the Anduin after leaving Lothlorien—and figured such a huge feature wouldn’t be hard to find. This is the wonder of New Zealand: the incredibly dynamic landscape. As we journeyed along gently rolling hills of sheep and deer pastures in the Rangitikei region and wondered if we’d gone the wrong way, quite suddenly the sheer drop-off of the canyon appeared before us. This site is actually a bungee jumping location, with a bridge over the water hundreds of feet below.
The sheer canyon of the Anduin River 
View of the Anduin from the bungee jump bridge
As if 5 film sites in one day weren’t enough, we’d see 5 more the next day, too! Join me next time as we visit Weta Workship and Rivendell!
Journey to Middle Earth Series:
Day 1: Living Like Hobbits (Auckland)
Day 2: To Middle Earth and Beyond! (Port Waikato & Hot Water Beach)
Day 3-4: Hobbiton (Matamata)
Day 5: Geothermal Wonderland (Rotorua)
Day 6: The Forests and Rivers of Middle Earth (North Island)
Day 7: Weta Workshop & the Forests of Middle Earth (Wellington)
Day 8: Paths of the Dead (Putangirua Pinnacles)
Day 9: Flight of Fantasy (Wellington & Christchurch)
Day 10: Edoras, Capital of Rohan (Mount Sunday)
Day 11: Lake Pukaki (Laketown)
Days 12-14 part 1: Queenstown (Isengard, Lothlorien, Ithilien, and more!)
Days 12-14 part 2: Queenstown (Argonath, Dimrill Dale, Rohan, and more!)
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These pictures are just stunning! It’s neat to see these sites in bright daylight instead of the film’s weather or nighttimes.
Yes! Although we did have our share of torrential rains, too!
Wow! Just wow. All of these places are jaw-dropping. And I love that you wore your costumes!
🙂 Thanks!