We visited Deer Park Heights, a phenomenal working farm with sweeping views of Queenstown and The Remarkables, and home to several iconic Rohan filming locations from The Lord of the Rings. After standing atop Mount Sunday (Edoras) earlier in our trip, it was easy to see why this equally dramatic landscape was chosen for so many scenes in Rohan. At Deer Park Heights, we explored the exact spots used for the Rohan Refugee March (where Gimli falls off his horse), the Rohan Refugee Camp (where Éowyn offers Aragorn her stew), the Warg Scout sighting, Legolas killing the Warg, Legolas’ lookout over the valley, and the cliffside area where Aragorn is swept over the edge. Walking through each location with the movie moments in mind made the whole experience feel like stepping straight into Middle-earth.
Our fly-cruise-fly excursion to Milford Sound with Milford Sound Scenic Flights was one of the most spectacular experiences of our trip. Instead of the long bus ride, we opted for a small prop plane – and it was absolutely the right call. With guaranteed window seats, we enjoyed nonstop views over the Southern Alps and Fiordland National Park, with scenery every bit as dramatic as our helicopter tour but spread across a much larger area. At Milford Sound, we boarded a small boat that cruised all the way out to the Tasman Sea, passing countless waterfalls and even a pod of dolphins along the way. This particular cruise goes farther than many others, which was one of the reasons we chose it. From start to finish, the journey was just as breathtaking as the destination.
Our Heliworks Queenstown Earnslaw Burn Explorer tour was one of the most unforgettable experiences of our entire trip. We first landed on top of the Grant Glacier, surrounded by pristine ice and sweeping alpine views. Then we flew to Earnslaw Burn, an otherworldly valley at the base of the Earnslaw Glacier that’s accessible only by helicopter or a very long hike. In summer, the melting glacier creates countless cascading waterfalls, making the landscape even more breathtaking than we imagined. This spot is also a bit of cinematic history – briefly seen from above in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and featured prominently in The Rings of Power as the dwarven entrance to Khazad-dûm. It was, without question, one of the most phenomenal moments of our New Zealand adventure.
Our Pure Glenorchy LOTR Scenic Tour truly lived up to its name – it carried us straight into Paradise, the breathtaking Glenorchy region that Sir Ian McKellen famously calls his favorite place on Earth. The drive from Queenstown along the shimmering shores of Lake Wakatipu was stunning enough, but the real magic unfolded as we stepped into iconic filming locations: 12 Mile Delta (“What’s taters, Precious?” and “It’s an oliphant!”), the sweeping landscapes of Arcadia Station used for Isengard and Beorn’s house, and the ethereal beech forest along the road to Paradise where Lothlórien came to life. As a perfect finishing touch, our guides even brought out costumes and props, turning our Middle-earth adventure into something wonderfully immersive and unforgettable.
We visited 12 Mile Delta on our Pure Glenorchy Lord of the Rings Scenic Tour to explore the filming locations for Amon Hen and Ithilien, where Gollum and Sam argue over “What’s taters, Precious?” and the hobbits witness the mighty oliphants. Set along the Bob’s Cove Track in the Mount Creighton area, this peaceful reserve looks surprisingly close to the film version of Ithilien, with its rugged hillsides and forested nooks. We loved it so much that we returned later on our own to spend extra time wandering the exact spots where Frodo, Sam, and Gollum cooked their “stew with taters” and watched the Haradrim pass. (Check out our Paradise [Arcadia Station] blog for more stops from the same tour!)
One of the highlights of our New Zealand trip was our first-ever bungy jump off the historic Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge—the birthplace of commercial bungy (never “bungee,” according to the Kiwis). The bridge has been standing since 1880, and AJ Hackett launched the world’s first commercial jump site here in 1988. Even better, the turquoise river below is also a Lord of the Rings filming location for the River Anduin and the Argonath, just around the bend from the road to the wineries. Before taking the plunge, we stopped at Chard Farm for a little liquid courage; its Pinot Noirs were fantastic, and the winery sits perched above the gorge with stunning views of vineyards, rugged bluffs, and the rushing water below. After our jump, we celebrated at Gibbston Valley Winery, known for its cellar door, beautiful grounds, and equally excellent Pinots—an unforgettable combination of adrenaline, scenery, and world-class wine.
Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki are two of the most stunning alpine lakes in the Canterbury region, each showcasing that unreal South Island turquoise glow. At Lake Tekapo, we were lucky to catch the lupines in bloom, painting the shoreline in pinks and purples. At Lake Pukaki, we dipped our feet into icy glacier-fed water for the first time – a refreshing shock and a perfect way to take in the sweeping views toward Aoraki/Mount Cook.
Twizel charmed us with its rolling foothills and majestic peaks – so epic it’s no surprise this region became the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in LOTR The Return of the King. We enjoyed a leisurely hike along the Dusky Trail that passes near Pelennor Fields where Éowyn famously defeats the Witch-king of Angmar. We then rested at the tranquil Manuka Retreat, Middle‑earth’s very own cozy hideaway.
Mount Sunday was one of the absolute highlights of our New Zealand trip and ended up being my favorite hike of the entire vacation. This remote, windswept hill served as the filming location for Edoras, the capital of Rohan in The Two Towers, and even though the set is long gone, you can still recognize several iconic spots—including Éowyn’s lookout from the Golden Hall. We stayed at Mt Potts Lodge, the only hint of civilization for miles, and had perfect weather plus the trail almost entirely to ourselves. The hike to the summit is only about a mile, but the payoff is immense: panoramic views of braided rivers, jagged peaks, and open plains that feel straight out of Middle-earth. It was incredibly windy at the top, which made for gorgeous photos with my dress and hair whipping dramatically in the gusts as we recreated Éowyn’s famous scene.