Known for its untamed nature and marvellous landscapes, New Zealand has become one of the world’s most popular destinations for film-making. The scenery is just perfect for a movie, which is why many blockbusters have started their journey right here, in the heart of Aotearoa. Listed below are some of the most popular movies filmed in our stunning country, that you can go visit among one of our free rental car or campervan!

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

No other place in the world could portrait Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth as did New Zealand. The entire trilogy was shot solely here, as it had everything the movie director needed to create this breathtaking blockbuster. It all began in the dairy farming landscape around the Waikato town of Matamata, which has now been  transformed into a peaceful and adorable touristic destination known as the Shire, or Hobbiton. Once the necessary movie shooting was performed at this location, the place remained pretty much untouched and is today visited by people and fans from all over the world.

Wellington and the  South Island were used to portray the gardens of Isengard, Anduin River, Rivendell and Osgiliath Wood. Grassy area surrounded by naked forest served its purpose, and we saw many epic fights in this scenery, including the one where Boromir died and the two Hobbits were captured. Some other known locations are the Southern Lakes, Fiordland and Mackenzie country.

The Hobbit Trilogy

Following the LOTR trilogy, kiwi director Peter Jackson continued his ascension by filming the prequels known as the Hobbit trilogy. Once again, all three movies were filmed solely within New Zealand. This time, the filming locations started from Hobbiton and were followed by Mangaotaki Rocks and Piopio, where Bilbo Bagins acquired the Sting and defeated the ogres.

The Hidden Bay and the entrance to the Lonely Mountain were filmed in Turoa, Mt Ruapehu, as well as the Tongariro Crossing.  Twizel’s alpine charm was captured in both Hobbit and LOTR, and we saw the warg chase scenes and Aragorn falling into the river canyon. Some other memorable destinations were Nelson, Wanaka and Queenstown, as well as the Pelorus River which the dwarves used to travel down inside barrels.

The Last Samurai

The first challenge which the movie crew had was to discover a place which will resemble Japanese culture and attributes. They found exactly that in Uruti Valley, which was modeled to mimic Japanese rural life back in the 1860s. No one watching the movie realized that it was not actually mount Fujiyama where the movie was filmed. Pukekura Park and its natural bliss were used to portrait the Imperial army gardens and the area around the Palace.

Lake Mangamahoe was the place where the horse battles took place. The crater below Mount Taranaki has many plains surrounded by high trees, where the movie producer Edward Zwick placed the ending battle, which took the lives of all remaining samurai, except for the one of our protagonist, Tom Cruise. Other places worth mentioning are Port Taranaki, which was transformed into Japanese fishing village, and the Sugar Loaf Islands and Paritutu, which are inhabited by eight different Maori tribes.

The Chronicles of Narnia

Yet another trilogy was completely filmed on the plains and landscapes of New Zealand, the chronicles of Narnia, directed by another kiwi director, Andrew Adamson. The filming started at the Coromandel Peninsula, just east of Auckland, with the kids taking their first steps back into Narnia. The Ruins of Cair Paravel were filmed on the eastern shore of the Peninsula, at Cathedral Cove. Woodhill Forest, located north-west from Auckland, was transformed into the dark camp of the White Witch of Narnia. This forest is known for its many mountain bike trails and usually you can find a few daring adventurers passing by.

In the walking distance from Woodhill Forest you can see Muriwai Beach, known for its black sand and gannet colony and widely popular among surfers. The Great Battle took place in the Flock Hill, located on the Southern part of the South Island. Elephant Rocks that sprout from the rocky hills were used as Aslan’s Camp. This entire area was under the sea millions of years ago, which is why the area is rich in fossils and limestone outcrops. Waitaki Valley is an excellent place to start your exploration journey, and if you are looking to see the heart of New Zealand’s forming history, this is the place to go.

There are many other movies filmed in New Zealand, such as Avatar, King Kong, The World’s fastest Indian and 30 Days of Night. The whole country is spectacular, and it holds some of the nature’s greatest treasures, untamed greenery and dreamy landscapes. When I heard from a friend that I could rent a free car, I almost momentarily decided to set on a moviegoer road trip!

Article by Lillian Connors, Photos sourced ‘labeled for reuse’.