Fangorn Forest

If any country can claim to possess forests comparable to Tolkien's ancient and mystical Fangorn Forest, it is certainly New Zealand. Due to their geographical isolation, the islands are home to many species of trees that cannot be found anywhere else in the world - and some of those are survivours from a much earlier period in the planet's history. Driving throught the fern tree forests in the central North Island, one wouldn't be surprized to see a dinosaur poke out its neck!

But it is the province of Fjordland, the southwestern tip of the South Island, that is home to the most impressive virgin forest on earth - acres upon acres of native bush, undisturbed by any human being. Most of that area is not accessible except on foot, or by helicopter - in fact, much of it is not accessible at all. The area around Manapouri served for some of the aerial shots of Fangorn Forest, and the edges of the forest were filmed, again, at the Mavora lakes (see the Nen Hithoel slideshow).
If you have the time, take the road down to Milford Sound - it is the only road that actually leads into Fjordland National Park, and there are various beautiful DOC campsites in the middle of the forest - my favorite one is at Lake Gun. Don't forget your insect repellent though - Fjordland is riddled with that one pest in paradise, the sandflies. And don't walk into the forest barefoot or in sandals - those nasty little bloodsuckers go first for the feet, and on my first trip to Fjordland I spent a few days not being able to wear any shoes, because they had been so badly bitten! Also remember to bring your own provisions, and to fuel up in Te Anau - there are no shops along the road, and Milford only offers very basic service - there is a cafeteria, a bar and a gas station, but they are expensive, and close at 5 pm - or is it 4 pm?
If you are into hiking, Fjordland is the place to be - there are numerous tracks through the National Park, among them the world famous Milford track and the Kepler track, which starts from the road between Manapouri and Te Anau. They all take several days to complete, you need to book your place in the huts in advance, and bring professional walking equipment, as well as your own provisions. Get in touch with New Zealand tourist information to find out more! Manapouri is also the starting point for boat or kayak trips to Doubtful Sound, which is not accessible by car - unfortunately, the tours were too expensive for my slender pocket, but if you have the money, they are probably worth the while.

Ironically, it proved impossible to find a location that would serve convincingly for the shots inside Fangorn Forest - in the end, the forest was build in the studio at Stone Street in Wellington. However, New Zealand's extraordinary trees certainly served as an inspiration - glimpses of Fangorn can be had all over the country, from the last surviving kauri forests in Northland and on the Coromandel peninsula, to the giant rimu in Tongariro National Park, the fern trees around Wanganui and the southern beech forests just outside Wellington. I haven't spotted any Ents yet, but I am sure they are still around here in this country!