20 travel destinations inspired by Lord of the Rings

Mt. Sunday – Ashburton Lakes, New Zealand

Mt. Sunday, located in the Hakatere Conservation Park in the Canterbury region of New Zealand, makes for a great hike and offers stunning views of the Rangitata River and the surrounding countryside. Nature lovers will want to make this a stop on their journey through New Zealand, as its one of the most popular hiking and biking locations to visit there.

Not only does a trip to Mt. Sunday means visitors will have an active day filled with beautiful views, but it also will allow The Lord of the Rings fans to see the backdrop for Edoras, the capital of Rohan in Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Edoras is featured most prominently during the second installment in the trilogy, The Two Towers.

Much happens when our heroes visit the city of Edoras. They discover that Rohan’s current ruler, Théoden, is possessed and under the control of Sauron, something they must rectify before rallying the city to their cause. Eventually, Gandalf does arrive to free Théoden from the powers of Sauron, allowing him to answer Gondor’s call for aid.

Peter Jackson, as well as the cast and crew of The Lord of the Rings reportedly worked from inside the Edoras set that was built on Mt. Sunday. The buildings that made up King Théoden’s hall served as shelter for at least a hundred cast and crew members.

Sadly, the set was not left standing when filming was finished. Fans won’t see King Théoden’s hall or the Riders of Rohan during their visit to Mt. Sunday, but they will have plenty of other things to do during their visit. There are plenty of trails to explore, as well as tours and recreational activities.