The Lord of the Rings · Filming location
Arrow River (Arrowtown)
In the story · The Fellowship of the Ring (the Ford of Bruinen)
The Ford of Bruinen: the elf Arwen races across the river with the wounded Frodo, and the Black Riders who follow are swept away by a flood. The crossing was filmed here; the flood was filmed in Skippers Canyon.
Where to stay nearby
Book a hotel hereMap with prices from several sites
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- Day by day
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Are you here?
More to do here
Things to do
The Lord of the Rings: a tour linked to the story
Small-group tour by vehicle · from 43 Camp Street, Queenstown · about 4 h 30 min · Guide in English
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More The Lord of the Rings places nearby
All 28 places of The Lord of the Rings →
Famous places nearby
Not places of the story, but worth seeing in the area.
Lake Hayes
5.5 kmA small lake between Queenstown and Arrowtown, with a track all the way round for walking or cycling and a grassy picnic area at the north end.
Coronet Peak
7.9 kmQueenstown's ski area on the slopes west of Arrowtown, for skiing and snowboarding in winter, with night skiing on some evenings.
Queenstown Hill (Te Tapunui)
13.5 kmA hill walk from town to the Basket of Dreams sculpture, with views of the lake.
Where to stand for the photo
From the riverside path just below the town, shoot across the shallow water toward the far bank.
Getting there
- Address: Arrow River, Arrowtown
- Transport
- By car, about 25 minutes from Queenstown.
- Access
- Public: a short walk from the main street of Arrowtown.
Public sources (1)
Sources found on October 21, 2026.
Every place checked against public sources
Production · film commissions · tourist boards · guides
We always say if it is:
- The real filming location
- A place standing in for it
- Inspired by the story
Where to eat nearby
Provisions of Arrowtown
70 m away · 1 min on footcafé€Café in a historic miners' cottage on Arrowtown's main street, near the river used for the Ford of Bruinen
The Fork and Tap
70 m away · 1 min on footgastropub€€Gastropub in a historic building on Arrowtown's Buckingham Street, with local beers on tap and a beer garden
Postmasters Kitchen + Bar
70 m away · 1 min on footgastropub€€Gastropub in an 1860s cottage once home to the postmasters, near the Arrow River used as the Ford of Bruinen
Part of the trip
Every place checked against public sources
Production · film commissions · tourist boards · guides
We always say if it is:
- The real filming location
- A place standing in for it
- Inspired by the story
Every place checked against public sources
Production · film commissions · tourist boards · guides
We always say if it is:
- The real filming location
- A place standing in for it
- Inspired by the story