lord of the rings movie locations Archives

Day 143: One morning in Hobbiton

May 18, 2014

Today, I’m set to explore a fantastic movie location from The Lord of the Rings—none other than Hobbiton! I rose around 9:00 am, a bit later than planned. Despite the chilly night, I managed to sleep well with my jacket on. After a quick bathroom break to freshen up, I headed out swiftly, en route to Matamata, or at least somewhere in its vicinity. Initially, my GPS was functional, but later it failed, causing some anxiety. These roads stretched for 20 kilometers without any safe spots for a u-turn. I decided to keep going and relied on the…

by Maarten

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New-Zealand

Day 141: ‘Let’s face it mr. Frodo, we’re lost!

May 16, 2014

Today, I planned to explore Emyn Muil, the iconic movie location featured in the opening scenes of “The Two Towers” from Lord of the Rings, where Frodo and Sam are seen lost in Mordor. Rising at 9 am, I had ample time for breakfast and to step out of my room. The weather was splendid! While the past two days were decent, today presented a cloudless sky, signaling the perfect moment to visit Emyn Muil, my chosen Lord of the Rings movie location. I headed towards Whakapapa Village, a roughly 50-kilometer drive from Turangi, reaching there by 10:30 am…

by Maarten

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New-Zealand

Day 137: The Putangirua Pinnacles

May 12, 2014

Today, my destination is the Putangirua Pinnacles, the filming location of the Dimholt Road scene from Lord of the Rings. Yesterday, I arrived here to sleep in my car, ensuring I would be the first and sole adventurer on the trail this morning. And it looks like my plan has worked out perfectly! Around 10 am, I awoke to a delightful day, exactly as forecasted by Google. The sky was clear, bathed in a brilliant blue, and the sun cast its warmth. The car held a comfortable temperature, and the previous night’s chill had subsided. After attending to morning rituals…

by Maarten

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New-Zealand

Day 136: Chasing the movie locations, part II

May 11, 2014

Today, I planned to explore more than one Lord of the Rings movie location on New Zealand’s North Island. I woke up at 7:45 am feeling tired but knew I had to get up. The plan was to buy a parking ticket for two hours, then return to bed. By 8:15 am, I hadn’t been asked to pay yet, which seemed odd. Since I couldn’t insert any coins, I chose to go back and catch some more sleep.At 9:40 am, I woke up, feeling refreshed after some much-needed sleep. The bed was incredibly comfortable. After checking out…

by Maarten

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New-Zealand

Day 128: The journey to Lake Wanaka

May 3, 2014

Today, my agenda included a visit to the majestic Lake Wanaka, but before that, there was something else I needed to attend to. As the clock struck 9 am, I stirred from my slumber to the lively symphony of the girls bustling about, packing and chattering away. The air was filled with an excited energy, a precursor to the day’s adventures. It wasn’t until 9:45 am that I managed to peel myself from the coziness of my bed, eagerly anticipating my turn in the bustling bathroom. After a refreshing tooth-brushing session, I descended to the lobby and gracefully bid…

by Maarten

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New-Zealand

Day 124: Arrow River and Queenstown

April 29, 2014

I woke up early around 8:30 am in the chilly morning, knowing that a visit to the breathtaking Arrow River and Queenstown awaited me. The night had been rough; it was bitterly cold. I regretted not heating up the car before going to sleep last night; the cold woke me up four times. Each time I was awake, I started the engine and turned on the heater. While waiting for the car to warm up, I rolled up my sleeping bag and took a moment for a quick bathroom break. I left immediately, planning to brush my teeth later…

by Maarten

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New-Zealand

Day 123: Through the lands of Rohan

April 28, 2014

Today I would visit Lord of the Rings land of Rohan near Poolburn dam. I initially woke up at 8:30 am but decided to reset my alarm for 9:30 am. At the designated time, I roused myself and headed to the toilet block with my laptop and phone. Plugging them into a power socket, I took my time there, attending to various morning rituals such as peeing, brushing my teeth, and styling my hair with some gel. Following that, I returned to my car to fetch some soup. Carrying my belongings, including recharging my devices, I made my…

by Maarten

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New-Zealand

Day 122: Chasing the Lord of the Rings movie locations

April 27, 2014

Today I would visit a Lord of the Rings movie location. I woke up around 10:30 am, having purposely turned off my alarm set for 8:30 am to enjoy a bit of extra sleep. After getting up, I took care of my morning routine—brushed my teeth and applied some gel to my hair. A group of friendly New Zealanders arrived at the site, using the toilets and exchanging cheerful greetings with me. Intrigued by their enthusiasm, I joined in and decided to take some pictures of the river. To my delight, the river turned out to be…

by Maarten

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New-Zealand

Day 120: Trying to find Edoras

April 25, 2014

I woke up around 9:30 am, feeling puzzled as the entire dorm was empty, my thoughts lingering on the elusive Mt. Sunday, the mountain I sought to visit today. There were five people sleeping here yesterday, and now they were all gone. Did I get confused again about the timezone change, like I did in Bali? No, I was sure I didn’t. Yesterday, I made sure to check the time online. With only 30 minutes left to check out, I hurried to the kitchen, grabbed some bread, and finished the leftover egg salad from yesterday. I ate as quickly…

by Maarten

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