Ok, I have to admit that for my age, Hobbiton shouldn’t have been on my main agenda for a first visit to New Zealand. Though when planning my one-month route across the country, I had focal points that – among other things – consisted of LOTR filming location – and Hobbiton was a must of course.

When Peter Jackson flew over New Zealand scouting film locations for “The Lord of the Rings“, he was impressed by the green hills and peaceful pastures surrounding the little farming town of Matamata. He knew that he had found the perfect location for the Shire…

Personally, I felt like Hobbiton was not as exciting as I thought it would be. I mean the site itself is cute and all, but I guess only real LOTR geeks feel a tingle when crossing Bag End, The Old Mill or the Green Dragon Inn. I much rather got that feeling while climbing up Mt. Doom during the Tongariro Alpine Crossing or trekking around Mount Sunday (aka Edoras) in the Rangitata Valley.

… Although, after watching “The Fellowship on the Ring” last night (for the first time after my trip), I’m happy for having seen it at least one time.

Bag End – home of Bilbo Baggins – at Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand.

The Green Dragon Inn at Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand.

The Old Mill at Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand.

Sam’s House at Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand.

Hobbiton is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges, and is a thriving farming area.

Even if you are not a LOTR fan, Hobbiton is still a unique place, found nowhere else.

I knew that I wanted to visit the Rangitata Valley from the moment I booked my ticket. Not only because the images from the Lord of the Rings films were amazing (yes I booked some of the destinations in NZ according to the LOTR), but also because Mt Potts station looked like a hell of a place to stay at.

Mount Potts is on private land, yet still has an easy access point from the Mount Somers road. Driving those approx. 50km to Mt Potts station gave me an absolute adrenaline rush, because I’ve never been so impressed with my surroundings… Imagine driving along a gravel road, all by yourself, no cell phone reception and no cars or houses in sight for kilometres, while listening to “The Fellowship Reunited“… then you turn around a left corner when all over sudden you’re in the centre of the vast Rangitata Valley; the Southern Alps in the background, the river plains in the front and Mount Sunday right in the centre without any connection to the outer world.

Mount Sunday sits all alone in an expansive river plain surrounded by the dramatic mountains. In the LOTR, Rangitata Valley is known as Rohan with Edoras (Mount Sunday) as its capital city. Quite an impressive site. I spent 4 full days in this area and I must say that apart from the Milford Track, this my the highlight of my New Zealand adventure!

I really did my best to capture the moment through my photos, but in this case they will only give you an impression & can never give you the full-on experience.

Driving along the gravel road to the Rangitata Valley will give you the chills…

Stunning landscape along Mount Somers road just before approaching the Rangitata Valley…

… and then you turn and suddenly you’re in the centre of the Rangitata Valley – aka Rohan – in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Here you can see the famous Mt. Sunday; for Lord of the Rings fans, this place is known as Edoras, the capital of Rohan.

Mount Potts is the highest mountain of Mount Potts range and great for a long day hike (rather for experiences trekkers only).

The river formed the Rangitata Valley, in the center of the Southern Alps, and the on-location photography of the Edoras.

The landscape of the Rangitata Valley – aka Rohan – in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Panorama of the landscape of the Rangitata Valley – aka Rohan – in Canterbury, New Zealand.

But before I go into detail, I was ordered to clarify something though: Ulli would very much like to distance herself from this post. LOTR is not really her thing. I tried to convince her to watch the 12 hours with me before I leave (after all it’s almost a documentary film at this stage haha), but she wasn’t too amused about my suggestion after I showed her the trailers. So, this post is entirely on my head only…

North Island.

The Shire – Hobbiton Set in Matamata.

The Shire is the home of the Hobbits and my real Middle-earth adventure stars right here!

A visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set, featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, is a real must for every Lord of the Rings fan. It’s a picturesque 1.250 acre sheep farm with spectacular views across to the Kaimai Ranges. You can look at Bag End, where Frodo and Bilbo’s adventures began and get lost among the hobbit holes and visit the Green Dragon Inn.

Mordor & Mount Doom – Mount Ruapehu & Mount Ngauruhoe, Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

Mordor was chosen to be Sauron’s fortress, creating a natural fortress against his enemies. During the War of the Ring, Sauron gathered all his forces to Mordor. The Battle of the Black Gate or Battle of the Morannon was the final major battle during the War of the Ring.

“Draw out Sauron’s armies. Empty his lands. We will march our full strength on the Black Gate” - Aragorn

Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Puapehu were digitally altered to appear as Mt Doom and is a feature of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. In 2012, the Tongariro National Park was again used as a backdrop for the prequel ‘The Hobbit‘.

Paths of the Dead – Putangirua Pinnacles, Aorangi Forest Park.

The Paths of the Dead is a haunted pass through the White Mountains. The Army of the Dead accompanied Aragorn to Minas Tirith to defeat Sauron’s orcs, after which Aragorn declared their curse lifted. Filmed was this at the Putangirua Pinnacles Scenic Reserve in the Aorangi Forest Park, where I will be at the beginning of March as part of my journey to Cape Palliser Lighthouse.

Paths of the Dead.

South Island.

Rohan’s Capital Edoras – Mount Sunday, Rangitata Valley.

Edoras was the capital city of Rohan (The Kingdom of Men). The city was built on a hill in a valley of the White Mountains by Rohan’s second King. The city was built on Mount Sunday in the Rangitata Valley near Mt Potts Station and it took about 9 months to do so. Today, nothing remains of the set, yet the landscape in this area is supposed to be one of the most amazing in New Zealand. It will definitely be one of my highlights during this trip!

The Pillars of Argonath – Kawarau River, Queenstown.

The Argonath, also known as The Gates of Argonath or The Pillars of Kings, is a monument comprising of two enormous statues carved in the likenesses of Isildur and Anárion, standing upon either side of the River Anduin at the northern approach to Nen Hithoel. It marked the northern border of Gondor, as nearby down south were previous outposts, the Amon Hen and the Amon Lhaw.

Ford of Bruinen – Arrowtown.

The Ford of Bruinen was a way of crossing the river Bruinen, which was located in Eriador. In the Fellowship of the Ring film, Arwen carries Frodo on her horse while the Nazgul follow her on an epic chase. She then summons the flood to get away. The Arrow River is located just upstream of Arrowtown and is easily accessible.

Different Scenes from Middle-Earth – Rockburn Chasm, Glenorchy.

The film industry has fallen in love with the landscapes surrounding Glenorchy. Locations for Isengard, Lothlorien and Amon Hen for The Lord of the Rings trilogy were all filmed nearby.

Isengard, Lothlorien & Rivendell – Milford Track.

Milford Track is considered on of the finest walks in the world. It’s a 53.5 km walk over 4 days in the beautiful Fiordland National Park. Several scenes from the Lord of the Rings films where shot here, including scenes involving Isengard, Lothlorien and Rivendell.

And for all you Lord of the Rings fans, here’s a little something to dive into: A journey through Middle Earth.

I have 28 full days in New Zealand. This means that I’m on a pretty tight schedule, cause I want to see a lot (plus I’ll be travelling in the footsteps of LOTR)! After all, the distance between Vienna and Auckland is 17.841 kilometres/11.086 miles (!) so who knows when I’ll fly down there again. Usually this kind of tight planning gives me the creeps even before the trip starts, but not this time… Ok, that’s a lie, I hate being on a schedule! But since February is high season in Kiwi land, a lot of things need to be pre-booked.

Right now, the plan is as follows:

• Arrival from Sydney in Auckland on 21st February 2014
• Auckland – Cathedral Cove – Matamata (Hobbiton)
• Matamata – Tongariro National Park (via Lake Taupo)
• Tongariro National Park – Cape Palliser (including the Putangirua Pinnacles)
• Cape Palliser – Wellington
• Wellington – Picton (via Cook Strait)
• Picton – Nelson Lakes National Park
• Nelson Lakes National Park – Christchurch
• Christchurch – Rangitata Valley (Mount Sunday)
• Rangitata Valley – Franz Josef Glacier (via Arthur’s Pass)
• Franz Josef Glacier – Queenstown
• Queenstown – Milford Track (4 days of trekking)
• Milford Sound – Queenstown
• Queenstown – Lake Tekapo
• Lake Tekapo – Christchurch
• Departure from Christchurch to Sydney on March 22nd 2014

My One-Month Travel Route Through New Zealand. I’m focusing on the South island for my first trip to NZ due to the amazing landscape.

28 days & 3.750km by myself, with my 4×4 car, road map, trekking gear and of course my camera equipment. So looking forward to this adventure!