Skills

Alpine Safety

Many of New Zealand's National Parks and the tracks and huts within them can take participants into alpine areas. Here you can learn some of the key ways you can prepare for the harsher conditions that are in these areas due to their exposure to weather and their remoteness in the backcountry.

Avalanche Safety

Backcountry avalanche terrain is neither patrolled nor controlled by professionals, so if you’re planning to go beyond the ski area boundary into the backcountry, it’s vital to be well trained in avalanche safety and rescue techniques, no matter what the time of year. This is equally important for s

Camping

Camping is an excellent way to have fun and enjoy New Zealand's outdoors. With a combination of solid planning and the right equipment you can bring the comfort of home to the outdoors.

Explore our resources below to make your New Zealand camping trip a success!

Clothing and Equipment

A list of essentials to guide your trip packing. The list will change depending on where you're going, how long you’re going for and the weather forecast.

Communications

A range of suitable communication devices are available in Aotearoa New Zealand, and we explore some options in more detail.

Drinking Water

While water in NZ’s outdoors is often safe to drink, there’s no simple on-the-spot test to find out. Even if the water looks clear, it could still be contaminated. There are some common-sense ways to reduce your risk, but treating water is the only way you can be absolutely certain it is safe.

Emergencies and Survival

Emergency situations can happen at any time in the outdoors. The New Zealand Police, Rescue Coordination Centre and Land Search and Rescue provide free emergency assistance in the outdoors. It's important to understand when their services are required, and how to reach them.

Emergency Shelters

In the outdoors, the unexpected can catch us off guard and mean our plans need to change, sometimes forcing us to spend an unexpected night out. This could be due to an injury, bad weather, a flooded river or taking longer than expected to reach the final destination for the day. In these situations

Environmental Care

New Zealanders take a lot of pride in their wild places and we try to keep them as clean and tidy as possible, you can help with that too. We love people exploring the outdoors, to ensure the future generations get the same experience as us - it pays to leave no trace of you being there.

Fire Safety

Campfires, where permitted, and indoor fires can be one of the real joys of an outdoor adventure, especially when it’s cold or for an evening of social connection and entertainment. However, with hotter, drier and windy weather, wildfires become an increasing risk. To avoid a fire getting out of con

Firearms Safety

Safety is our collective responsibility. It is up to every participant to ensure the future for firearms users in New Zealand. We do this by following the firearms safety code and keeping yourself and everyone else safe while using firearms. A key part of being a safe hunter is fully understanding a

First Aid

Medical emergencies can happen in the outdoors when you least expect them – be that an injury or health issue. If you’re in a remote location with challenging terrain and unpredictable weather, outside help might not be available when you need it. Having a group member with up-to-date outdoor first

Food and Cooking

As with cooking at home, there are safety precautions when you’re cooking in the outdoors. It is important to be aware of these and how to mitigate the risks to prevent injuries and damage to your environment– as well as to ensure you don’t spill your meal on the ground!

Hiking and Tramping Safety

Many hiking and tramping skills come with practise, but regardless of your experience there are a few key things you can do before you set off, and while you’re on the track, to make your trip safer and more enjoyable.

Leaving Trip Intentions

Telling someone your plans (commonly called ‘leaving your intentions’) is a crucial part of your trip preparation. Leaving your intentions with an emergency contact takes just a few minutes but is key to getting help if something goes wrong.

Rob Frost | Figuring out if were on route or not in Sudden Valley

Mental Shortcuts

Mental Shortcuts, or heuristic traps, are subconscious actions or decisions. While they can be helpful in low-risk everyday scenarios, they become dangerous in high-risk and dynamic environments like Aotearoa’s backcountry.

Navigation

Learning basic navigation will help keep you safe when venturing into the great outdoors. From planning your route on a map before you leave, to knowing how to find the way to your destination and back – even if you lose the track – are essential skills for any trip.