Many Lord of the Rings locations were "dressed" for their parts—buildings and facades were added to sites, trees were sprayed with silver paint. All that is long gone, but what is left is epic enough. Most of the filming was concentrated in two places: 13 locations at the southern end of the North Island and 10 in the highlands of the South Island.

"As soon as he set foot on the far bank of the Silverlode, a strange feeling came upon him." So writes Tolkien of Frodo Baggins. This location—one you don't have to go to a mountaintop to see—comes complete with luxurious privacy. The banks of the "Silverlode River" are actually on the grounds of Fernside, a four-suite retreat fashioned from a 1920s country house in the Wairarapa wine region, little more than an hour's drive north of Wellington. An old millstream and an ornamental lake in the gardens became a verdantly spooky piece of Middle-earth. Rates include a five-course gourmet dinner and pickings of a cellar well-stocked with fine local vintages (6-308-8265; www.fernside.co.nz; doubles, $320).

In the southern highlands, you feel like you're actually in Middle-earth, amid some of the planet's own mercurial special effects. Queenstown is the regional center and provides exemplary visitor information on its Web site (www.queenstown-nz.co.nz). Three-quarters of the town's 100,000 visitors come from October through April, many for the summer sports. Snow arrives at nearby ski areas in early June. The May off-season is a smart choice—rates are low and vistas have a misty magic. In summer, Dart River Safaris has boating trips into deep Middle-earth that leave from Glenorchy, 40 minutes from Queenstown (3-442-9992; www.dartriverjet.co.nz; $72–$148 per person). Any time of year, the views afforded by Milford Sound Scenic Flights over the west coast fjords and the mind-boggling Sound outstrip even the Rings locations (3-442-3065; www.milfordflights.co.nz; $98–$185 per person).

All the main thoroughfares are of high quality, but side roads—where the going can get hairy—can lead to places of exceptional beauty. It is essential to use good maps, such as the widely available Holidaymaker InfoMaps ($8), which show unpaved roads and indicate where rental cars are not typically insured. The more challenging South Island requires rugged wheels, of the sort rented by New Zealand Nomad Safaris, in Queenstown (3-442-6699; www.outback.net.nz ). Members of AAA are automatically covered by New Zealand AA, but beware: Its brick-weight accommodations guide is uneven and incomplete. Case motel rooms before you check in.