Lord of the Rings

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Much of the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed around Queenstown, and there are many tours capitalizing on this. We were recommended one that included a jetboat ride - Dart River Safaris. The tour was really fun - it started with a bus ride to Glenorchy and lunch. On the 45 minute bus ride, a small boy of about 8 started talking with J and thought he was super cool. The rest of the trip he kept running up and telling J what he had just done. After lunch we rode an off road vehicle around to various LOTR locations. Then we hiked around an old forest and arrived at a jetboat dock.

Our jetboat driver was really cool - he zipped the boat right next to large boulders and did 360 turns, splashing our sister boat. About halfway into the 45 minute ride, the rain started to come down, and let me tell you - it really stings! Everyone was squinting behind their sunglasses and pulling their coats around their heads. It was a wild ride, and we definitely recommend this tour.

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Photos

Rivendell
Where the Elf forest was filmed.

Valley of Doom
I think this is the valley towards Mordor, however the mountains were highly enhanced for the LOTR movie.

Rival Jetboat
And the rain began...

Comments

[angela]

jealous
hubby and i are sooo keen to do that!!! my friend lives there so we'll have to go visit them soon!!! i love the pictures!!! great stuff! i am so jealous! cannot wait to go there!