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Where Filmed
Bag End under the party tree at the Hobbiton Movie Set, Matamata

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2 productions

Tongariro: filming locations of 2 productions

Mordor.

SC 00 · MAP OF THE FILMING LOCATIONS

ACT IThe Lord of the RingsFilm · 2001–2003, Hobbit 2012–2014

Mount Ngauruhoe in Tongariro National Park, Mount Doom in The Lord of the RingsEusebius · CC BY 3.0

EXT. MOUNT NGAURUHOE – TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK

Mount Ngauruhoe

as Mount Doom

The cone of Ngauruhoe is Mount Doom in every wide shot; the slopes of Mount Ruapehu next to it were Mordor's plains and the Emyn Muil, filmed on the Whakapapa ski field.

VISITING

Free – it is a national park. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing (19.4 km, seven to eight hours; register through DOC's free online booking, and parking at the road ends is limited to four hours in summer) passes the base; climbing Ngauruhoe itself is discouraged out of respect for its tapu status to Ngāti Tūwharetoa. Shuttle buses from National Park village and Whakapapa.

NOTEThe Crossing is weather-dependent and the shuttle bookings are the way to avoid the car-shuffle. Take it seriously as an alpine walk.

Tongariro Crossing shuttles and guided walks

Most booked

Tongariro Alpine Crossing: Hike Trail Roundtrip Shuttle

★ 4.7 · 881 reviewsvia GetYourGuide
from$40.10Check

Tongariro Alpine Crossing – Park n Ride Ketetahi One Way

★ 4.8 · 648 reviews8 hoursvia GetYourGuide
from$37.23Check

Tongariro Alpine Crossing with Shuttle Transfers

★ 4.7 · 403 reviews8 - 10 hoursvia GetYourGuide
from$37.23Check

See the filming locations: The Lord of the Rings →

ACT IIThe HobbitFilm · 2012–2014

The rocky slopes of the Tūroa ski field on Mount Ruapehu – the hidden bay below the Lonely MountainUmedha Shanka Indranath H… · CC BY-SA 2.0

EXT. TŪROA, MOUNT RUAPEHU – OHAKUNE

Tūroa, Mount Ruapehu

as The hidden bay below the Lonely Mountain

The rocky slopes and tussock above the Tūroa ski field stood in for the approach to the secret door of Erebor in The Desolation of Smaug; the stone head of Thrór was added afterwards. Filming took a single day to protect the alpine vegetation, and the scaffolding came down straight after.

VISITING

Free to reach: the 17 km sealed Ohakune Mountain Road ends at the ski-field car park, 20 to 25 minutes from Ohakune. In winter (season from early July in 2026) the road can be restricted to shuttles and chains, and sightseeing lift passes are sold; in summer the area is open to walkers. National park – stay on the tracks.

NOTEMount Ngauruhoe, Mount Doom, is on the far side of the same national park; Tongariro covers both trilogies.

See the filming locations: The Hobbit →