The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Filming Locations

Otago is a southeastern region on New Zealand's South Island. Its terrain encompasses snow-capped mountains, glacial lakes and a rugged peninsula sheltering sandy beaches and wildlife like penguins. Queenstown, a lakeside resort town framed by the dramatic Southern Alps, is famous for adventure sports like bungee jumping and paragliding. Outside Queenstown are dozens of wineries

Canterbury is a region on New Zealand’s South Island marked by grassy plains, clear lakes and snow-capped mountains. Its largest city, Christchurch, is famed for its art scene and green spaces like the riverside Botanic Gardens, recovering after earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. To the west, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park hosts the country's highest mountain as well as 27km-long Tasman Glacier.

Glenorchy is a small settlement at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu in the South Island region of Otago, New Zealand. It is approximately 45 km by road or boat from Queenstown, the nearest large town.

Southland, on New Zealand's South Island, is the country's southernmost region. It's known for Fiordland National Park, home to snow-capped mountains and fjords like the famed Milford Sound, which has high vertical rock walls and is traversed by sightseeing boats. The Milford Track hiking route runs between the sound and Lake Te Anau. Nearby, a subterranean cave network shelters glowworms and waterfalls.

Matamata is a town in the shadow of the Kaimai Range Mountains, on New Zealand’s North Island. Southwest of town, the Hobbiton Movie Set was created for Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” films. To the northeast, a trail leads to Wairere Falls, with views over the Waikato Plains. The Firth Tower Museum has heritage buildings, including a school and a jail, that chronicle the region’s settler history.

Waikato is a region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupō District, and parts of the Rotorua Lakes District.

New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island and the South Island —and over 700 smaller islands.