Do you have any idea where the Hobbit was filmed? No?

Well, no worries. Today we are going to tell you where the Hobbit was filmed.

Have you ever wondered how the scenes we see in movies might appear in real life? The vibrant blue color of the sky, breathtaking mountains, and the lakes give such an aesthetic look to the movie.  

This is New Zealand we are talking about, which also happens to be Middle Earth which might excite you to come and embrace the natural beauty of the mesmerizing sceneries that these locations have for you to witness.

So you might not want to miss looking for these spectacular views from the filming locations of the Hobbit film series in New Zealand.

Oh, by the way, did you know that, If you are in any city in New Zealand, you are in the middle of the earth too? Adding to that, Queenstown is one of the major locations for Hollywood movies.

From Lake Wakatipu to snowcapped Mt Cook, these are just 2 famous names from the Hobbit film locations that might excite you to visit as a tourist attraction.

This article will give you a glimpse of some more locations from The Hobbit movie set. If you are not in New Zealand to witness the Hobbit filming locations, you can always visit these places for some amazing sceneries.

About The Hobbit film series

The Hobbit film series consists of three fantasy movies, all of them directed by Peter Jackson. The first one was The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), the second movie was released in 2013- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the third and final film of the trilogy was The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies was released in 2014.

It was produced by the New Line Cinema, a film production studio under the label of Warner Bros. Entertainment. These films are based on the novel written by J.R.R Tolkien in 1937.

Director Peter Jackson’s film series The Lord of the Rings makes up The Hobbit trilogy’s prequel. The Hobbit Trilogy created history by being remarked as one of the highest-grossing films in the film industry, earning around $3 billion.

A great film comes with a great setup. So, The Hobbit’s filming locations made the film trilogy such a masterpiece. 

Now, let’s take a look at these movie locations.

Keep reading to find your answers about the filming locations for The Hobbit trilogy. And make sure you read it till the end to add some perfect places from Middle Earth to your travel list.

Different Locations

1. The Shire– Hobbiton Movie set

Location: Waikato, North Island

If you are a true Hobbit fan, there is no way you can forget this prime and the most classic place from the film. This is the place where you find Bilbo’s Hobbit hole, the Washing line of Hobbit.

This location looks exactly like it was shown in the film. Did you know that this set was initially built for the Lord of the Rings trilogy filming but then reconstructed for the movie set up of The Hobbit?

After successfully delivering this film and gaining great recognition, this spot was established as a tourist attraction.

2. Turoa– The Lonely Mountain

Location- Ohakune, Mt Ruapehu, North Island

The second location from the Hobbit Films series is Turoa. This was seen in the second movie of the Hobbit trilogy – The Desolation of Smaug.

If you observe the movie closely, you might find that the entrance to the Lonely Mountain was shown partly in the film, giving you a very slight glimpse of it.

Even though this is not a very prominent film location, you can visit the site and enjoy the spectacular view of its surrounding sceneries.

3. The lake town

Location- Canterbury, south island

This location is majorly seen in the last two films of the trilogy. If you may recollect the Braemar farm from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the warg chase scene was shot in this film location.

This lake and the southern Alps served as a backdrop in the last 2 movies. This is a good lake to stop by while on your way to explore the tourist spots nearby.

4. Misty Mountains of Treble Cone

Location- It is near the Mt. Aspiring road, 14 miles away from Wanaka, South Island

This is another film location from the Hobbit films that is quite underrated in the list of film locations for Hobbit movies. The misty mountains led the way to the ski area in Wanaka.

It is an excellent place to visit during the winter months if you are looking for a ski area or access the road via the state highway for a nice stroll.

5. Misty Mountains of Pass Burn

Location-Mavora tracks lie between Queenstown and Te Anau, South Island.

This is another place to view the misty mountains like Bilbo while walking through the Mavora Greenstone.

This is an excellent hiking place and the perfect location for campsites surrounded by misty mountains to the Greenstone Road end near Glenorchy Paradise Road.

6. The Barrel Run scene from Pelorus River

Location- This river can be spotted from Havelock, Canvastown, and the state highway

Do you remember the most adventurous scene from the second movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey? Well, this is the place where this scene was filmed. This is the scene where the dwarves hurtle down the river using barrels.

Add this to your list if you want to go for an adventurous Kayaking ride. This is the place you should go to. The kayaking ride will take you to the exact location of the movie set where this scene was shot.

7. Fiordland National Park – The Eagles’ Flight

Location- Fiordland national park, south island

This is the place where you get a perfect view across Lake Wanaka. If you remember the epic scene, where the eagles save the dwarves after they conflict with the oaks, they flew over the Sutherland waterfalls in Fiordland National Park.

This beautiful scene was shot in this location. You will have to take a flight from Wanaka, Milford track, or Queenstown to witness the exact scene and embrace this mesmerizing view from the top.

8. Rivendell from Earnslaw Burn

Location- Near Glenorchy Paradise Road, Otago, South Island

The place with immersive waterfalls from where Bilbo left for Rivendell. This is that place with all those breathtaking waterfalls.

The best way to reach this destination is by flight, or it could also be an excellent spot to hike at Earnslaw burn track.

If you go by chopper, you will see the long valley from the top.

9. Orc and Warg Chase from Twizel

Location- State highway 8, Canter highway, south island

The Orc Chase scene from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was shot here. This location also portrays the final battle scene from the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Many guided tours take the die-hard fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to actual filming locations that also feature the real props and costumes used in these movies.

If you are one of those fans who want to see these in real-time, you should not miss this major fan moment and view this fantastic location.

10. Trollshaw Forest Piopio

Location- Waitomo, North Island

This place has played a major role in the second movie’s film location. A major section of the second film has been shot here.

You will recollect the scene from this location where Bilbo and the squad camp here on their journey to Trollshaw forest and later were attacked by the orcs. But don’t worry, they won’t attack you if you visit this place!

Well, you can always go to this place to experience the feeling the dwarves had amid the forest.

11. Glacial lakes

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is where this location was featured. It served as a backdrop for the chase scenes in which Thorin guides the dwarves through Milford Track.

This Laketown location encourages favorite fishing, walking, cycling spots, and various recreational activities. Glacial lakes give a vibrant blue color to Lake Pukaki- another major filming location from the three movies.

It is a busy area during the winter months as many ski enthusiasts come to this place to enjoy skiing in snowcapped Mt Cook overlooking.

Knowing that this is a winery spot might interest you, so if you are ever in the mood for a winery, you know which location to look for.

Undoubtedly, New Zealand is covered with diverse surroundings of mountains and lakes. There should be no question why it is called the middle earth.

A place that has so much to offer and lets us connect directly with Mother Nature is worth being an excellent filming location and an excellent location for just embracing the natural beauty.

The surrounding area of these locations is also worth exploring as a tourist attraction place in New Zealand.

Suppose you are ever going to New Zealand to explore and visit the filming locations of The Hobbit films, The Lord of the Rings, and other films. Make sure to add these major film locations. You can take help from any guided tour to help you reach the exact filming location and view the movie set up.

More such destinations are from the hobbit filming locations like Mangaotaki rocks, looming cliffs, Mt. Cook, Prehistoric forest, Beorn’s house, and many more.

These are the best places from the hobbit filming locations that we have covered for you. So if you want a visual treat, these are the places you must visit in New Zealand.

So what are you waiting for? Explore these places and geek on to your fan moments from The Hobbit filming locations.

In the comments, let us know what your favorite location was from all the places we have listed for you above!!.

Last Updated on March 27, 2024 by Pragya Chakrapani