Used as a filming location for “The Lord of the Rings”, Kaitoke Regional Park is an area of native bushland along the Upper Hutt River. It comprises pristine rainforest and crystal-clear streams traversed by hiking trails and dotted with picnic areas.
Discover the elfish atmosphere of the Kaitoke Regional Park along one of its walking trails, which wind through a forest of beech and kamahi. It was here that the valley of Rivendell and the Fords of Isen were filmed for “The Fellowship of the Ring”.
Learn about the Maori walking routes that once travelled through the park, connecting the fertile plains of Wairarapa and Wellington while listening to the songs of yellow-crowned parakeets. Visiting during summer? There are numerous swimming holes along the Pakuratahi River, as well as scenic kayaking along the Hutt River Gorge.
Getting there
Kaitoke Regional Park is a 15-minute drive from Upper Hutt and around an hour’s drive from the centre of Wellington. Wellington International Airport is just over an hour away.