Mt Owen, New Zealand: 3-day solo hiking adventure through The Lord of the Rings country

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Is visiting Mt Owen now on your list?! Or have you already been? Hope you enjoyed watching, let me know what you think of the vid in the comments.

[@GirlVersusWild]

It might be now!

[@cctrailrunningnz]

Yep! Who provided the most accurate weather forecast?

[@iamrlaxed]

Amazing video. Thanks for taking us along! "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlórien. Come, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, get them up."

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks for watching, and love your quote!

[@shinji112]

Thanks for taking us along for the journey. NZ is unbelievably beautiful, it really is like another world.

[@philipwilkie3239]

In the 70's and 80's I used to carry an original Olympus OM with a 135mm prime, and have a number of treasured shots from it. Film forced you to make each click of the shutter count. Even now with digital I'm still no fan of sifting through dozens of shots just to find one good one. And seeing that same tightly framed, flattened, layered effect of shade and tone across ridgelines and cloud is dramatic and perfectly done. Especially useful as you say when cloud or harsh lighting makes it hard to get interesting framing otherwise. Mt Owen was always on my hit list, but sadly an autoimmune condition means it's unlikely I'll ever be strong enough to get to these places now. So I'm extra grateful to people like yourself for making it possible to have a glimpse. Many thanks.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

I found the foregrounds really fascinating up there, but like other karst landscapes I've visited, found it really challenging to use in compositions. I think I'd need a lot more time up there to work that through. With the limited time I had, the long shots were the lower hanging fruit. Thanks for viewing and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@peoplenotabigfan.2008]

There were moments I was really expecting the Fellowship of the Ring to appear :-D Amazing views, and this sunset ❤ Thanks for sharing!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Same here! You can actually see some of the rock and landscape features when the fellowship exit the Mines of Moria (at the start of my video) throughout my video - although curiously in the movie the scene has been horizontally flipped so the landscape is back to front.

[@louisaklimentos7583]

Very beautiful landscapes and you are so lucky to visit this part of New Zealand . I am not in a position to be able to do that but I can at least visit Wollemi National Park in NSW Australia and it is nice . I guess I have to make it my goal to visit New Zealand in the future . Thank you for this amazing video !

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks for watching! You should definitely come to New Zealand if you get the chance, we have beautiful spots like this everywhere :-)

[@louisaklimentos7583]

@@DanielMurrayPhotography Yes I know !

[@MrMartena56]

Really loving the more vlog approach mixed in with your traditional gorgeous landscape videography Daniel!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Tried a different approach with this one, glad you liked it :-)

[@OutdoorsmanDave]

Stunning 👏👏👏

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Cheers Dave

[@gerrydavies8034]

I lived and worked for a year in Nelson Lakes National Park and looked across to Mt Owen on many occasions but never had the chance to visit. Now back in UK it was great to see this wonderful video. Thanks so much.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks for watching, hope it brought back some great memories of the area

[@BrettWoodPhoto]

Really enjoyed that Daniel, Well put together & what a magnificent place.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks Brett, glad you enjoyed it mate

[@rupak-travelmoments]

It's really a fascinating presentation, a thrilling exploration of those magical places !! Greetings from India.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks very much :-)

[@downunderandrightabit]

Nice! Love the light in the clouds. I was supposed to visit here this month, but weather postponed it, nice to visit virtually until I can get out there. I've started making videos of my tramps, but on my 7 year old phone. What did you use to shoot your video? - the quality is amazing!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

I carry a lot of camera gear, something close to 5kg worth. This vid was shot around 60% on a DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and 40% on a Nikon Z 7II (with 3 lenses). Hope you get there soon, can be challenging at times getting a good weather window here!

[@hamiltoncitylibraries7803]

Watching on a big screen was good advice! Fantastic scenery beautifully filmed Dan.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Glad you found a big screen! Watching these grand landscapes on a mobile phone just doesn't have the same impact.

[@peterarcher9688]

Excellent video Daniel, with beautiful composition !. Thank you very much. I hiked up Mt. Owen in 1958 with a friend when working in Murchison. All we took with us were a few peanuts! Of course we didn't make the top, but thoroughly enjoyed it. Nelson has magnificent mountains, forests, and beaches. I'm lucky to have lived there. Cheers. Old Pete

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks so much, Pete. I bet plenty has changed around Murchison way since 1958, though hopefully Mt Owen is the way you remember it. That's classic you went off on a big walk with just peanuts to eat! 😆

[@LukeHasaart]

absolutely beautiful stuff mate!! What an adventure! And you certainly came away with some stunning images.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks Luke, much appreciated mate

[@graemehelleur1627]

I have climbed up there many times. It was great to watch and remember. Thank you.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Happy to hear the video brought back some great memories 😊

[@ameliahayes-sp1yu]

Incredible footage! I love the way you’ve filmed this, it really feels like we’re tagging along on the journey with you!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it :-)

[@elanorsybille]

Stunning! Thank you for this beautiful video. I truly hope to be able to return to NZ one day.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks very much, hope you make it here!

[@tenleywallace-walkingteara1303]

Beautiful video nicely done. I’ve been to the top twice - both times staying at Granity Pass Hut and then doing the day walk. Cloud came in and stole the view the first time. Second time was gorgeously clear. I’m impressed you carried 21 kg up that steep ascent! Thanks for the great footage that transported me back to Mt Owen.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks for the nice words, glad you got to see those amazing views the second time around! I'll need to take a look at your Te Araroa vids, that's on my list to do in a few years' time :-)

[@tenleywallace-walkingteara1303]

@@DanielMurrayPhotography 🙂

[@wawrzynieckorzen78]

I hope one day I would have as nice hike there as you had. Thank you for this great adventure and see you in the next one!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thank you, fingers crossed you have good weather when you do it!

[@ervinslens]

Absolutely breathtaking episode bud, this whole area looks stunning! Love it 🥾

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks very much, certainly a unique and beautiful location :-)

[@StephenPatiencePhotography]

Always good to see your adventures and efforts to get the great places like Mt. Owen. So good that the fog went and the sunset colours performed for you.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Cheers Stephen. Mt Owen was my plan B behind Titiroa, but the weather shaped up better in Kahurangi NP so off I went!

[@kiwigecko1]

Wonderful!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

thanks for watching :-)

[@Fellmandave1]

Thanks for sharing your adventure so beautifully. . As a Wildcamper and LOTR fan, this was excellent

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks, happy to hear I've got a fellow LOTR fan watching!

[@jacquiscully9661]

Thank you for sharing your glorious adventure, such a magnificent landscape. Truly awe inspiring!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Glad you enjoyed it, was such an amazing trip

[@mountain_goat1]

Wow! I’ve been to your country many times and I still get impressed. Great adventure and beautifully captured 👏🏼👏🏼

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks so much!

[@susanrogers7709]

Woohoo loved this video. Beautifully portrayed and I'll think I'll add Mt Owen to my trip list. Great content, not many channels I follow on both YT and Insta. Well done Daniel.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

thanks for the kind words, definitely add Owen to your list ... well worth it and then some!

[@MonkeyandScout]

Beautiful video, mate. Such a surreal landscape at the top. This is getting me super pumped for some tramping over there this year.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks heaps Josh, so magical up there!

[@KanceRimbe]

Stunning view! Cheers from neighborhood country

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

G'day, thanks for watching :-)

[@aleksander7630]

Thank you for this magnificent video! It reassured me to try my best to visit New Zealand one day!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thank you, hope you make it here!

[@robynclements4242]

Your photography is mesmerising. I particularly enjoyed the historical narrative of this a stunning area. I love your videos for a visual reconnaissance for trips into the hills!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks for the nice words. It’s a slightly strange feeling wandering through these areas which feel untouched, but knowing of all the pioneers and explorers who have walked the same paths before, some of them over 150 years ago!

[@robynclements4242]

@@DanielMurrayPhotography Yes I agree. I enjoyed reading Explorer Douglas’ adventures in the South Island in the 1800’s. They were tough back then.

[@RickB50SS]

Visited in 1989 90 via the Fyfe river. Camped among the marble on top, back the steep route. Fab but lethal in low viz. Fab video tx

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

thanks for watching :-)

[@Capfka]

A nother great video of an area I haven't spent much time in - never been up Mt Owen. You canunderstand why various scenes from LOTR were filmed in the area. Peter Jackson never saw a landscape he couldn't improve and he tried, quite obviously!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks very much. Peter sure didn't need to do much digital work at this place, is amazing without any manipulation :-)

[@mathewmacpherson857]

Great video and amazing photographs. Thank you.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thank you for watching 🙏😊

[@filmbynatelachmann8510]

fantastic video Daniel. i'm wondering how you made those map animations at 2:09? they are wicked!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thank you! The base 3D map was made in Google Earth Pro, and the tilt shift blur effect was added in DaVinci ☺️

[@scott_howes]

Huge shift!! Great work mate

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Cheers Scott! Wish I had longer there, such an amazing spot.

[@nickcrarer4484]

Another great video. I enjoyed the little bit of history you added about the area. Don't all the layers look so good in your final photos too?!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks Nick. Yeah the area has a fascinating history, I wasn't really aware of the mining stuff that went on there until I visited ... would've been a tough gig living there back in the day!

[@studio4d1]

Fantastic! Well done and thank you for letting us all tag along. I can only dream!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks heaps, glad you enjoyed!

[@frankblangeard8865]

That Radix meal shown at 5:34 probably contains about 400 calories. You would only need to eat eight of those each day to maintain your energy. The Real Meal shown at 12:18 probably contains about 600 calories so you could eat five of the Radix and two of the Real Meal each day and survive. Better would be four Radix and three Real Meal to prosper!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Agreed, need to be eating a lot more than that, which I duly was; plenty of high energy food not shown in the video :-)

[@GypsyGirl317]

Newer Radix Ultra meals contain 800 calories. It's also easy to add calories with snacks and fats. 😊

[@shoutatthesky]

Freeze dried is a waste of time.

[@johnsy59]

Beautifully shot ❤

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

thank you :-)

[@nathanbates1260]

Awesome vid bro. And your pronunciation on point. Will try this same route one of these days cheers

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Hey thanks so much for watching. Hope you make it there one day, it’s well worth the effort

[@robinsmith9734]

Great journey, Nikon on song throughout, close many times to getting there, can I do it at plus 80, YES! Thanks...........

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Hope you make it up there!

[@Scasmussenify]

Amazing video as always. Looks like a phenomenal place to visit.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks, certainly a magical place - so much more to explore too, hope to get back there one day

[@chrisj8764]

Amazing hike and video!

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

thank you :-)

[@philipwilkie3239]

To save expensive bandwidth on my hotspot I usually watch YT on 360p. But for you I bump it up to 2160p (4k) to do it justice! (Only trap is to remember to drop it down again afterwards.)

[@richardzajkowski3834]

Walk looks amazing, and spectacular filming, but wow a 20kg+ pack? Why was it so heavy? Cameras?

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thank you. Yip, around 5 kg of that weight is the camera gear used to do the filming and take the photographs. Also carried a few luxuries on this trip :-)

[@Ollee2013]

Incredible 🔥🔥 but how u know which route to take to get to ur destination? Was this trip planned months in advance? What's the heaviest thing in ur backpack?

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

Thanks so much :-). I always research my trips well in advance, and carry maps and GPS so I know where I am at any given moment. On this trip, the route is fairly obvious (a well worn track), although the final climb to Mt Owen summit would have its challenges in low visibility and/or with snow on the ground. Heaviest items are my camera gear, makes up around 25% of the weight on my back.

[@shoutatthesky]

That ford over the Dart River has been repaired now and is far better.

[@DanielMurrayPhotography]

That's awesome,. thanks for the update!