Maps of Movies

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003)

Where Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

A Greek island, a Welsh lake standing in for China, a Shanghai set and Kenya playing Tanzania: where the Cradle of Life was really filmed.

Scenes and places

The earthquake that opens the Luna Temple (2003)

Lara and her team find a glowing orb inside the newly uncovered temple. Chen and Xien Lo ambush them and take it, but Lara escapes with a strange medallion.

Set in Luna Temple, Santorini — A strong earthquake on Santorini uncovers a temple built by Alexander the Great. Google Maps · Apple Maps

A Greek volcanic island; the temple itself is a story invention.

Filmed at Oia, Santorini (Oia, Santorini, Greece) — Santorini was shot on location; the temple interior was not. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

MI6 asks Lara for help (2003)

MI6 tells Lara that the stolen orb is a map to Pandora's box. She agrees to help on one condition: they must release her old flame Terry Sheridan.

Set in MI6, United Kingdom — MI6 approaches Lara with information about Pandora's box.

The British intelligence service; no specific shooting location is recorded, the rest was shot on UK soundstages.

Chen Lo's lair of smuggled terracotta soldiers (2003)

Lara and Terry go undercover into Chen Lo's criminal operation. Lara beats Chen Lo in a fight and learns where the orb has gone.

Set in Chen Lo's lair, mainland China — Lara and Terry infiltrate the crime lord's lair, where Terracotta Soldiers are smuggled.

A hideout in China in the story; the film's mainland China was partly played by North Wales.

Filmed at Llyn Gwynant, Snowdonia (Snowdonia, Wales, United Kingdom) — The Welsh lake doubled for mainland China. Which scene was shot here is not stated in the source. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Shanghai: the orb changes hands (2003)

Lara tracks the orb to Shanghai and watches Xien hand it to Dr. Reiss. She manages to put a tracker on the crate holding it.

Set in Shanghai — Xien Lo tries to give the orb to Dr. Reiss. Google Maps · Apple Maps

China's largest city; the film's Shanghai scene was shot on a set.

Hong Kong lab and skyscraper leap (2003)

Lara and Terry find the orb, but Reiss captures her and reveals his plan to unleash a plague. Terry saves her, they destroy the computer, take the orb and flee in wingsuits.

Set in Hong Kong laboratory — The orb is kept in a lab housed in Hong Kong. Google Maps · Apple Maps

A dense harbor city; the filmmakers had six days of shooting on location here.

Filmed at Two International Finance Centre (Central, Hong Kong) — Hong Kong was shot on location over six days; the building detail comes from the film's location research. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Croft Manor: decoding the orb (2003)

The next day Lara decodes the orb and learns where the Cradle of Life lies near Mount Kilimanjaro. Bryce and Hillary are abducted by Reiss's henchmen.

Set in Croft Manor — Lara, her assistant Bryce and her butler Hillary decode the orb.

Lara's fictional family house; the source does not name a real building.

Tanzania: the tribe and the Shadow Guardians' warning (2003)

Lara meets her old friend Kosa and asks a local tribe about the Cradle of Life. The chief says it lies in a crater guarded by the Shadow Guardians.

Set in Near Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania — Lara questions a local tribe about the Cradle of Life. Google Maps · Apple Maps

The Tanzanian side of the Kilimanjaro region; the film was shot across the border in Kenya.

Filmed at Amboseli National Park, Kenya (Amboseli, Kenya) — Kenya stood in for Tanzania; the shoot there lasted two weeks. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The crater and the Cradle of Life (2003)

Reiss uses hostages to make Lara and Kosa lead him to the crater, where the Shadow Guardians appear. Lara finds the keyhole and drops the orb in it.

Set in Crater of the Shadow Guardians — Reiss forces Lara and Kosa to lead him to the Cradle of Life crater.

A crater protected by legend; the Cradle's crystal interior was a built set.

Filmed at Hell's Gate National Park, Kenya (Hell's Gate, Kenya) — Kenya filming covered Amboseli and Hell's Gate; which scene was shot here is not stated. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Characters

• Lara Croft — A treasure-hunting archaeologist who agrees to help MI6 find Pandora's box.
• Terry Sheridan — Lara's old flame, a former Marine turned mercenary, who knows Chen Lo's operation.
• Dr. Jonathan Reiss — A Nobel Prize-winning scientist turned bioweapons dealer who wants the orb.