13 Places Every Lord Of The Rings Fan Must Visit

7. Kawarau River And Gorge, NZ (The Argonath)

The Kawarau River of Otago plays a crucial role in 'The Fellowship Of The Ring': it stands as the River Anduin, flowing from the Misty Mountains to the Mouths Of Anduin, and this spot in particular was the setting for the grand Pillars Of The Kings. In the book, the enormous monuments bore the likenesses of Isildur and Anárion, the High Kings Of Gondor; however, Anárion was removed entirely from the movies and replaced with his father Elendil, who can be seen in Peter Jackson's model. The statues themselves were computer generated and mixed with live action footage; so you'll have to use your imagination if you ever visit the gorge. It's also home to the world's oldest Bungy Jump site; if you're interested in throwing yourself from tall things. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMTueuVIIGc
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Human woman. Content Manager at What Culture. Lover of many "ologies", punk rock and cats. My god is Ilúvatar. Follow me on Twitter: @nina_cresswell