Wanaka

Misty Mountains and the Prancing Pony
 

Leaving the rough West Coast behind, your journey winds on to Lake Wanaka, from where you can see the backdrop used for Gandalf’s flight to Rohan with Gwaihir after his rescue from Orthanc.

Treble cone ski-field is another location. Just before the ski-field turn-off you’ll reach a view of the location. On the large brown hill on the right a ruined structure was digitally imposed and used in an aerial sequence, as the Fellowship headed south. The Kawaru River, another representation of the Anduin twists its way south towards Queenstown.

Info:
The pub, ‘Prancing Pony’ is actually called the ‘Cardrona Hotel’. Brewing its own beer, the pub was built on the road between Wanaka and Queestown in 1892. A large crackling fire warms up snow boarders fresh from Cardrona skifield.

Tip/Hint:
Stop at Stuart Landsborough’s Puzzling World and Great Maze to experience how point of view scenes were filmed in the trilogy. Wanaka is home to the ‘Flying Trestles’, caterers for Lord of the Rings.