The Lord of the Rings · Filming location
Tawhai Falls
In the story · The Two Towers (the Forbidden Pool)
Gollum's pool: Faramir's men find Gollum catching a fish in the pool under this waterfall, and Frodo coaxes him out to save his life.
Where to stay nearby
Book a hotel hereMap with prices from several sites
or on Booking.com- With this place
- Day by day
- Free
Are you here?
More to do here
Things to doParis: all activities on GetYourGuide
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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.
Where to stand for the photo
From the viewing spot, shoot the curtain of water with the pool in front of it.
Getting there
- Address: State Highway 48, near Whakapapa Village
- Transport
- By car, about 4 hours from Auckland or Wellington.
- Access
- Public: about 10 minutes on foot from the roadside car park, about 4 km from Whakapapa Village. Take the photo from the bank: don't go into the pool.
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
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