As well as taking your clients on scenic helicopter trips around our pristine national parks and Milford Sound, Queenstown-based Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters have also been flying movie stars!
Did you know that up to four Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters were dedicated for the filming of “Tenzing” in the Southern Alps of New Zealand’s South Island in June/July 2025? And who were the stars, you may ask?
· Genden Phuntsok as Tenzing Norgay
· Tom Hiddleston as our very own Sir Edmund Hillary
· Willem Dafoe as expedition leader John Hunt
Movie Story
he film itself is a poignant journey through the life of Tenzing Norgay, a humble yet remarkable man who, alongside Sir Edmund Hillary, became the first to reach the summit of Mt Everest and return safely, on 29 May 1953.
The South Island is a long way from the Himalayas, but our Southern Alps stood in for Mt Everest. Specifically, the ascent scenes were filmed at Aoraki/Mt Cook, the Tasman Glacier, the Remarkables and Mt Aspiring National Park.
The Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters pilots, safety and ground teams transported cast and crew around these remote mountain filming locations, filmed majestic mountain shots from the helicopters, long-lined film equipment into crevasses and even used the rotor wash to create a snowstorm on cue. Such a talented team.
Movie Trailer Here
Scenic Flights for your Clients
Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters’ many scenic flights over Queenstown, Milford Sound, Mt Aspiring, and Fiordland give your clients the chance to see some of these cinematic masterpieces for themselves.
Book your clients on a shared flight (with up to six other passengers) or on a private trip just for them, whether there are one or five of them. And don’t forget that Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters have in their fleet a nine-seater, twin-engine H145 helicopter, for your most discerning of clients.