The Pelorus River was the filming location for the barrel rider scene in the The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.It is located in the region of Marlborough on South Island, New Zealand.It is 25 miles long and flows from the Richmond Range into Pelorus Sound. The Pelorus Scenic Reserve is home to a flat river forest consisting mainly of Beech, Kahikatia and Rimu trees. Moving to Marlborough in 2008 has been one of the best things that’s happened to me. Since 1885, when a second bridge was built, the route between Nelson and the Wairau Valley followed the course of the present road. In 1865, a township was planned for the area at Pelorus Bridge, however, the plans were delayed in 1912 and the area eventually became a scenic reserve. Pelorus Bridge Hobbit Location Scenic Walk & Havelock Mussel tasting Tour. The river is called the Pelorus River, and we would stay the night at a DoC campsite (DoC = department of conservation, similar to the national trust in England) at Pelorus Bridge, which was conveniently where our kayak tour departed from (the kayaks were launched just metres from our campervan! The pure river cuts through a rocky gorge, surrounded by lush green native beech forest. Check out what people think of Marlborough as a place to visit, and see their first-hand experiences in brilliant Marlborough. Contact the supplier for availability. Part of the pretty Marlborough Sounds at the very top of the South Island, the Pelorus River was filmed as Forest River for the second of The Hobbit trilogy, The Desolation of Smaug. Well the drop was done at Pelorus Bridge. Full view. [4] A rare and primitive beetle, Horelophus walkeri lives in the splash zone of waterfalls in the area. The Pelorus Valley was forested until the early 1880s. In August 2014, the river's name was officially altered to Te Hoiere / Pelorus River. Drink the 10,000 year old natural spring water that flows from the mountains into the wild Pelorus … How to visit: The Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve is about a 20-minute drive from Havelock, or a 40-minute drive from Nelson. Share. Low Price Guarantee. From Havelock we drove to Pelorus Bridge, a famous (it was in The Hobbit) swimming spot near Nelson. The Pelorus River will feature in a scene from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey showing barrels plunging down the river during a perilous … The Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve is home to the beautiful Pelorus River. Pelorus River (at Pelorus Bridge) The Hobbits travel down the river in barrels here in the upcoming Hobbit movie, "The Desolation of Smaug". “A few of us – me, Jimmy Nesbit, Dean O’Gorman - hired a house in Marlborough and went wine tasting. Pelorus River is a 40-minute drive from Blenheim - the main town in the Marlborough wine region. Save. Pelorus Eco Adventures: The Hobbit 'Barrel Run' kayak tour, Pelorus River - See 283 traveler reviews, 31 candid photos, and great deals for Havelock, New Zealand, at Tripadvisor. Pull on your wetsuit and hop aboard your raft, then drift onto the Pelorus River — made famous in the 2013 movie ‘The Desolation of Smaug.’ The lush forest glades near the Pelorus River are connected by the swing bridge called Pelorus River. Copyright 2019 Destination Marlborough Trust, Cape Campbell in The Light Between Oceans. Pelorus Bridge lies halfway between Blenheim and Nelson and is an amazing spot for river swimming, picnics and short walks. Pelorus Bridge is a tiny locality in Marlborough, New Zealand where the Rai River meets Pelorus River. We finally ended a long day of driving at Alfred Stream Reserve, a popular freedom camping spot near Nelson / the Marlborough Sounds. It is a great stop on your road trip between Blenhiem or Picton to Nelson. and just minutes away from the town of Havelock. In The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the epic scene where the dwarves plummet down the river in barrels was filmed down Pelorus River in Marlborough. Take a gander at the river from the bridge and then descend to it’s banks using the path at the side of the bridge. Share. Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve, Marlborough. A short, inviting pathway took us down to the riverside, where some people were swimming in the blue-green water. Follow in the wake of Bilbo and his friends from the world-famous film The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, while … The crystal clear waters of the Pelorus River, and the iconic bridge above was the film location of the barrel scene in The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug. The Pelorus River in New Zealand contains a large range of flora and fauna as native birds, hard woods, silver ferns or watercress. All photos (18) This product is unavailable to book via Tripadvisor. All this biodiversity makes this place unique in New Zealand. Others were soaking in the sun on the huge boulders. tour is a bit cheaper when you ask the camp manager at pelorus bridge. Scenes filmed here: The Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve acts as Forest River in The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, the second film in The Hobbit trilogy. On SH6 between Blenheim and Nelson is the Pelorus Bridge. Lucky for you, you can experience it for yourself on a fully guided kayak tour of the famous film location with Pelorus Eco Tours. It was an absolutely glorious, amazing way to spend a weekend. The Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve offers visitors the opportunity to relax and enjoy forest and river scenery, in one of the last stands of river flat forest in Marlborough. By: Picton Cruise Ship Excursions / Pelorus Bridge Scenic Walk Tour. The scenic reserve contains one of the last stands of original river flat forest in the area. The crystal clear waters of the Pelorus River, and the iconic bridge above was the film location of the barrel scene in The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug. The reserve is located midway between Blenheim and Nelson, on SH6, 18 km west of Havelock. Although known as the Pelorus Bridge, the bridge is nothing special, the river, the crystal clear water and the nature make this place worth visiting. A circular walk leads over a pedestrian suspension bridge over the Rai River. You can take a guided kayak tour to experience this Hobbit filming location. that line the riverbank. Visitors will certainly welcome a change from the urban environment to these green vegetation and clean air. Read more. It was so nice and quiet… The only sound you heard was the moving water and of course the kids having fun! You know the bit where they escape the Wood-elves in barrels and float down the river … Find things to do and places to stay Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve. Pelorus bridge is an easy drive from Blenheim, taking you past seemingly endless rows of vines as you drive past many cellar doors, a brilliant opportunity to stop for a winery lunch. Kayak and see the location where the barrel scene was filmed, and stand where Sir Peter Jackson stood. So picture time again! Overview Channel your inner Hobbit and enjoy outdoor adventure in the heart of New Zealand on this 4-hour Hobbit barrel run rafting tour on the Pelorus River. The first Pelorus Bridge was built in 1863. The river runs through the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve, a beautiful forested area with a series of tracks leading to waterfalls and swimming holes. Contact the supplier for availability. Visit places that have been in the spotlight, such as Cape Campbell in the DreamWorks film, The Light Between Oceans. [2], The lowland forest at Pelorus Bridge consists of mature podocarps like rimu, kahikatea, miro, mataī and tōtara and black, hard, red and silver beech trees. Blenheim is a 25-minute flight from Wellington International Airport. The Wither Hills Farm Park upper tracks are currently closed. This is where the Pelorus Bridge was built in 1863, where the reserve takes its name from. It's where the barrel scene takes place. All photos (18) This product is unavailable to book via Tripadvisor. If you can't pry yourself away from the stunning views out towards the Marlborough Sounds, jump on the Queen Charlotte Drive from Picton, which hugs the Marlborough Sounds through to Havelock, before arriving at the Pelorus Scenic Reserve. We pull up to Kahikatea Flat a.k.a the Pelorus Bridge Campground and the start of our kayaking trip. Our HOBBIT kayaking tour on the beautiful Pelorus River includes a fully guided tour through the exact same locations as where the wild river barrel scene in “The Hobbit – The Desolation of Smaug” was filmed. Shaun even calls it the best campsite in New Zealand! Head off on a fun adventure with our Hobbit Kayak Tour, a unique kayaking experience on the most beautiful river in New Zealand, the Pelorus river. The Pelorus River was used as an escape plan as a way to free the dwarves from Elvish imprisonment, and today is best visited as part of a guided kayak tour. Stephen Hunter, who played Bombur, said filming there was 'his favorite day on set'.. )We had managed to join a kayaking trip at the last minute and found out the rest of the … By: Picton Cruise Ship Excursions / Pelorus Bridge Scenic Walk Tour. You can take an epic kayaking tour to the exact filming location (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor ) or get the idea of it safely from the river banks of the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve ! After passing the Pelorus bridge, we went through a small canyon with a nice little waterfall. The Pelorus Bridge is on the way from Nelson to Kaikoura and Christchurch, perfect for your first stop along the way - jump in the river just like the Hobbistses and Dwarves did in the Desolatation of Smaug, when they were escaping the orcs and floated away down the river in the barrels. The almost week long filming at Pelorus river was a real treat for Stephen Hunter (Bombur) who said "My favourite day on set, unquestionably, was floating down the Pelorus River in barrels … way cool, and if they ever make it a ride… life time pass please".