film
One of the best places to catch spectacular sights of The Remarkables mountain range in Queenstown is Deer Park Heights. This lesser-known spot just recently reopened after several years out of operation. It is a photographer’s dream, and also full of famous locations from the Lord of the Rings movies. More information on the locations and how to book your visit can be found here.
Although the Clay Cliffs near Lake Tekapo were mostly unknown when I visited, they can now be admired from screens all around the world. This stunning location was featured in Disney’s Mulan movie, making it yet another famous shooting location in New Zealand’s South Island. It now joins the ranks of Hobbiton, Mount Cook, and Tongariro National Park, as one of many internationally-recognised “kiwi” landscapes.
The final stop on our North Island Roadtrip was Hobbiton, the movie set used in the Lord of the Rings trilogy (and subsequently in The Hobbit trilogy) directed by Peter Jackson.
As a huge Tolkien fan, this was something I was incredibly excited about. Walking through Hobbiton was a magical experience, taking me right back to the fantastical stories of Middle Earth. The tour (the only way to visit this location) was unfortunately very rushed and not particularly interesting (I didn't learn much), so I wish I could have visited of my own accord or at least had longer to walk through the scenery.
Even so, I did come out of it with some lovely photos.
