Prizmi Tripathi
Directed by Jennifer Peedom, Apple TV’s ‘Tenzing’ is a biographical adventure drama movie based on the inspirational life of the legendary Himalayan Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay, who, along with Sir Edmund Hillary, became the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Set in the 1950s, the narrative centers on Tenzing, who is encouraged by his wife, Dawa, to join the British Everest expedition team after convincing Colonel John Hunt. Considering Everest a sacred mother goddess, Tenzing embarks on an adventurous journey alongside New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary to fulfill his lifelong dream of summiting Mount Everest.
Having overcome many odds, such as class-based prejudices and the marginalization of Sherpa climbers, Tenzing, AKA Tiger of the Snows, must also navigate the perils of the climb with unwavering determination while grappling with the mountain’s cultural and spiritual significance. The visual canvas of the mountaineering drama is packed with breathtaking scenery, from panoramic shots of the snow-capped Himalayan peaks to treacherous icefalls and rugged mountain terrain. The striking locations lend the narrative a sense of grandeur, raw beauty, and spiritual essence, while shedding light on the physical challenges and emotional turmoil Tenzing endures throughout his expedition.
Tenzing Filming Locations
The shooting for ‘Tenzing’ took place in Nepal and New Zealand, particularly in Mustang, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and the South Island. A few portions were also likely shot in Bhaktapur and Bandipur. According to reports, principal photography for the Tom Hiddleston starrer got underway in May 2025 and continued for about three months before wrapping up in August of the same year.
Mustang, Nepal
A significant chunk of ‘Tenzing,’ especially the scenes depicting the early life of the titular character, was lensed in the Mustang district of northern Nepal’s Gandaki Province. The district doubled as the Khumbu region, where Tenzing grows up. During the six-week shoot, the production team utilized the scenic beauty of Mustang to bring the inspiring tale to life. During a conversation with Condé Nast Traveller, filmmaker Jennifer Peedom talked about shooting the movie in Mustang. She said, “Tenzing was born on the high Tibetan plateau, which is now China. We shot in Mustang, near the Tibetan border, for scenes showing Tenzing’s early life. The villages up there doubled beautifully for Sherpa communities, which we’d originally thought to shoot in the Khumbu region.”
Other Locations in Nepal
The capital of Nepal, Kathmandu, served as a prominent production location for the Apple TV production. Situated within the Kathmandu Valley, the city is known as Nepal’s financial, cultural, and industrial center. In the establishing shots, you might spot a few popular landmarks, such as the Ghanta Ghar, Boudha Stupa, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Dharahara, and Pashupatinath Temple. For the purpose of shooting, the filming unit of ‘Tenzing’ also set up camp in the city of Bhaktapur and the rural municipality of Bandipur. They also shot important scenes in real monasteries across Nepal.
In the city of Lalitpur, the cast and crew members reportedly utilized the area of Patan Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the aforementioned interview, Jennifer explained, “Patan Durbar Square (city center in Yala) is an active place of worship and ritual for thousands of people. We managed to carve out two hours to shoot two major scenes – with a huge amount of extras. Getting around various religious holidays and finding days to work together – these were challenges from our first day of shooting.”
Over the years, Nepal has earned a reputation as a favorable filming spot for productions like ‘Tenzing,’ thanks to its unique natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and diverse visual landscape. From lush green landscapes of forests, jungles, valleys, and mountains to the towering Himalayan peaks, the rugged expanse of the Everest region, serene rivers, ancient caves and other heritage sites, the country offers an adaptable setting for a variety of projects.
South Island, New Zealand
Several pivotal sequences for ‘Tenzing’ were reportedly taped in the South Island, also known as Te Waipounamu. The scenes set around Mount Everest were mostly shot across the southern Alps, including Mount Cook, with the help of a mountaineering team. During the Condé Nast Traveller interview, Jennifer revealed that they had to find new locations due to the unpredictable snowfall in the area. “You’re navigating changing weather all the time. We also had to rehearse the scenes that were up on the mountain on safe ground. So when we got up to the actual locations, everyone knew what they were doing because they’d done it at base camp,” she added.
The production team lensed the summit scene on Mount Cook on a clear day, with the cast and crew finding the shoot physically demanding. In the same interview, Tom Hiddleston, who portrays Edmund Hillary, also said, “We were shooting in very remote villages. Being in New Zealand was like shooting a different movie. You’re on snow and ice, and safety gear has to double for props.” To shoot a certain scene involving Mount Everest, the filming unit set up camp in the Darwin Glacier in Arakiman Cook, as the crew “drilled a safety line into the mountain.”
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