Planning a Lord of the Rings trip in New Zealand

Hobbiton is the easy part

The Hobbiton Movie Set near Matamata is the one place where the films left something behind for you. The Shire was built on a working sheep and beef farm for the trilogy and mostly taken down afterwards. When The Hobbit films came along, the village was rebuilt in permanent materials, and it has been open to visitors ever since.

You see 44 hobbit holes, the gardens, the party field, the mill and the bridge, and you finish at the Green Dragon Inn with a drink. A few things to know:

• You can only go in on a guided tour. The set runs the tours itself, about two hours, and they book out weeks ahead between December and February. We buy our tickets the same way you would.
• Most hobbit holes are facades. There are a few feet behind the door, no more. The guides show you which doors you can step up to for a photo.
• Go in the morning. The light is softer, the paths are quieter, and you have the afternoon to drive on south.

Mount Doom is a real mountain

Tongariro National Park is my favorite day of the trip, and I am biased, because I spent several winters on the ski patrol on Ruapehu. Three volcanoes stand there. The neat, steep cone of Ngauruhoe played Mount Doom in the long shots. The ski field at Whakapapa, on the slopes of Ruapehu, became Mordor, including the battle in the prologue where Isildur cuts the Ring from Sauron's hand. Tawhai Falls, a short walk from the road below Whakapapa Village, is one of the two waterfalls used for Gollum's Forbidden Pool; the other is Mangawhero Falls near Ohakune.

Two things I always say on the bus. First, the summit of Ngauruhoe is sacred to Ngāti Tūwharetoa, the local iwi, and they ask people not to climb it. Please do not. You will get a better view of it from the trails anyway. Second, this is alpine country. I have seen a blue morning turn into sleet by lunchtime in January. Bring a proper waterproof jacket, a warm layer, a hat and gloves, whatever the calendar says.

If you are a strong walker, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is about 12 miles and 7 to 8 hours, past red craters and the Emerald Lakes. It is a serious mountain walk, not a stroll, and it should only be done in good weather.

Wellington, where it was made

Wellington is the film's hometown. Principal photography started in October 1999 in the pine woods on Mount Victoria, the hill behind the city, and the scenes there include the hobbits leaving the road to hide under a tree root from a Black Rider. The woods are an ordinary public park with walking paths. Find the right bend in the track, hold up a still on your phone, and you will see why it worked.

On the other side of the hill, in Miramar, Wētā Workshop made the weapons, armor and creatures for the trilogy. The Wētā Cave shop and mini museum are free; the workshop's guided tours are paid and worth it if you like to see how things are made.

Forty-five minutes north is Kaitoke Regional Park, the setting of Rivendell. Nothing of the set is left: the elves' houses were built for the shoot and finished on screen with digital paintings. What you find is clear water, tall forest, a signposted path and a replica archway the park put up for visitors. Bring a picnic. It is one of the calmest places on the whole trip.

The South Island: Isengard and more

Most people think of the South Island as the place for big scenery, and they are right. We fly from Wellington to Queenstown rather than spend two days on the road and the ferry, and base ourselves there for three nights.

• Glenorchy and the Dart River. Forty-five minutes along the lake, the mountains above the Dart River flats are the backdrop of Isengard. Orthanc was added digitally, so you are looking for the peaks, not the tower. Mount Earnslaw, the big snow peak above the village, is in the opening of The Two Towers.
• Twelve Mile Delta. On the drive back to Queenstown, a short walk leads to the slope used for the Ithilien camp.
• Arrowtown. A gold-rush town twenty minutes away, with the Arrow River running past it. The stretch used for the Ford of Bruinen is upstream on a rough four-wheel-drive track, but the river trail by town gives you the same water and willows.

People often ask me about Edoras. The set stood on Mount Sunday, inland from Christchurch, and it was removed long ago. The hill itself is still there and is a lovely place, but it is a long day from anywhere, so we leave it for travelers with extra time.

When to go to New Zealand

Remember that our seasons are upside down. November to April is the time: spring, summer and early autumn here. December to February brings the warmest days, 70 to 78 F in Auckland and Queenstown, and light until after 9 p.m. March and April are quieter, and in April the trees around Queenstown and Arrowtown turn gold. From May to September the Mordor slopes are a working ski field, some mountain roads close in snow, and the days are short.

Practical notes for Middle-earth

• US citizens need an NZeTA, the electronic travel authority, before they fly. Apply online or in the official app well ahead.
• Clean your hiking boots before you pack them. Customs checks footwear for soil, and you must declare all food on arrival.
• The sun here burns quickly, even on cool days. Pack sunscreen and a hat.
• Download the scenes you love before you come. I carry stills from all six films on a tablet, but matching your own frame is half the fun.

And when you stand on the Dart River flats with the wind coming down the valley, put the phone away for a minute. The films got the landscape right, and it is even better without a screen in front of it.