- 1The New Zealand part of Mission: Impossible Fallout was centred on the Queenstown region. The NZ Film Commission says production filmed on location in Queenstown and Milford Sound, and built a medical camp and part of a Kashmiri village in the Rees Valley.
- 2A location manager quoted by KFTV says the aerial sequences took place in Fiordland National Park, Mount Aspiring National Park and Skippers Canyon. New Zealand stood in for Kashmir.
- 3Not everything was shot here. Wikipedia and KFTV both place the final cliff fight at Pulpit Rock in Norway, and the film also used Paris, London and Abu Dhabi.
- 4You can reach Milford Sound by road or by air, and Skippers Canyon by a rough road with its own rental car rules, but the sources say nothing about public access to the Rees Valley set. This guide is independent and not affiliated with Paramount or the filmmakers.
01 / Short answer
Queenstown stood in for Kashmir, and the helicopters did the rest
The NZ Film Commission says Mission: Impossible Fallout filmed on location in Queenstown and Milford Sound, and that the helicopter sequences were shot there with New Zealand doubling as Kashmir. A mobile medical camp and a section of a Kashmiri village were filmed in the Rees Valley, which it puts about an hour and a half's drive from Queenstown. KFTV quotes the film's New Zealand location manager saying the aerial sequences took place in Fiordland National Park, Mount Aspiring National Park and Skippers Canyon, with Queenstown as the production base. Wikipedia says the opening wedding sequence was filmed at Milford Sound. They name areas rather than exact spots, so this guide does not pin any scene to a particular corner of a valley.
02 / The places
Where the New Zealand sources put the filming
| Place | What the sources say | Getting there, per the sources |
|---|---|---|
| Queenstown region | The NZ Film Commission says the helicopter sequences were filmed in Queenstown and Milford Sound. Tom Cruise describes the long-line stunt as filmed in the Wakatipu (ODT, 2018). | Queenstown was the production base (KFTV). |
| Milford Sound | The NZ Film Commission says the helicopter chase culminates at Milford Sound. Wikipedia says the opening wedding sequence was filmed there. | Wikipedia gives 291 km by road from Queenstown, and says scenic flights run to Milford Sound Airport. |
| Skippers Canyon | The ODT quotes the producer saying the helicopter chase was filmed in Skippers Canyon. KFTV lists it among the aerial locations. | Wikipedia says the road is the one that leads to the Coronet Peak skifield, and Skippers Road is mostly one lane, narrow and steep. |
| Rees Valley | KFTV says the Kashmiri village set was built there. The NZ Film Commission says a mobile medical camp and part of a village were filmed there. | About an hour and a half's drive from Queenstown (NZ Film Commission). Wikipedia says the lower valley is a beef and sheep farm. |
| Fiordland National Park | KFTV lists it among the aerial locations. The ODT says the wingover manoeuvre over a lake and waterfall was performed in Fiordland. | DOC lists the Milford Road and Milford Sound area among the park's places to go. |
| Mount Aspiring National Park | KFTV lists it among the aerial locations. | DOC says its closest towns are Wānaka, Queenstown, Glenorchy and Te Anau. |
03 / The scenes
Four pieces of the New Zealand shoot
Descriptions are from the NZ Film Commission, KFTV, the Otago Daily Times and Wikipedia, as named. The guide does not describe plot beyond what they say.
Long-line
The rope stunt
Chase
Canyons and a culmination
Wingover
Lake and waterfall
Camp
A village in a farm valley
04 / Not all here
Other places filled in the rest of the film
Wikipedia says the final fight between Ethan Hunt and August Walker took place at Pulpit Rock in Norway, and KFTV agrees, calling it Preikestolen. KFTV also says the film's Halo parachute jump was filmed over Abu Dhabi, and that much of the film was shot in London, including at St Paul's Cathedral and the Tate Modern. Wikipedia lists Paris among the early locations. The sources also give different lengths for the New Zealand shoot. The NZ Film Commission says six weeks in the South Island and 25 main unit days, KFTV says a shoot of four weeks including the aerial work, the ODT says about two months of work for the aerial unit, and Wikipedia says 6 to 8 weeks. This guide does not try to reconcile those figures, which probably count different parts of the work.
05 / Seeing it
How to see these places, in order of ease
- 01Start with Milford Sound
Wikipedia says tour buses to the sound mostly leave from Queenstown, with the drive covering 291 km, and that scenic flights by light aircraft and helicopter run to Milford Sound Airport. Our helicopter and Milford guides cover the options.
- 02Check Skippers Canyon before you drive it
Wikipedia says Skippers Road is the main New Zealand road where rental car insurance is not honoured, and that it is mostly one lane, narrow and steep. In this guide's reasoning, read your rental agreement first, or look at a guided Skippers Canyon tour.
- 03Treat the Rees Valley as farmland
Wikipedia says the lower valley is a working farm. The sources do not say whether any part of the set remains or whether the public can visit. In this guide's reasoning, do not assume access, and respect fences and landholders.
- 04Fly over the rest
The film's aerial locations were reached by helicopter. In this guide's reasoning, a scenic flight is one way to see Fiordland or Mount Aspiring country from above, though no source says which routes match the film.
- 05Leave the drone at home
DOC says flying a drone without a permit is strictly prohibited in both Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks.
06 / Before you go
Check these first
These come from the sources named above and from our tour listings. Conditions change, so confirm on the day.
- Winter road
Wikipedia says the Milford road is very prone to avalanches and closures during the winter half of the year. Check road status before you set out, and see our winter Milford road guide.
- Which places are public
DOC manages Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks, and says roads lead to main access points from Queenstown, Glenorchy and Te Anau. In this guide's reasoning, private farmland in the Rees Valley is a different matter, so check access.
- Guided options
We list Skippers Canyon small-group trips and Milford flight and cruise trips. Prices are not shown here, and details differ between listings, so read the one you plan to book.
- What this guide is
An independent guide to where a film was made, not an official guide to the film or its sets, and not affiliated with Paramount or anyone who made it.