On the North Island there are relatively few DOC-Huts. Nevertheless it is worth to buy the Backcrountry Hut Pass already at the beginning. One night in a hut usually costs between 6-15 Euro. With the Backcrountry Pass almost all of these huts are included though! It can be obtained from a the Department of Conservation (DOC) for example in Auckland. 6 months costs about 55 Euro. Thus after only few overnight stays in the huts the price is already neutralized again.

This is a very special point and makes a big part of the hike. The Trail Angels in New Zealand are absolutely incredible. They offer hikers sometimes a patch of land to camp on, sometimes a roof over their heads, sometimes a warm meal, sometimes a beer, sometimes a warm shower or just a good conversation. The loving gestures are countless and it really shows the beauty in the human race!

HYOH means Hike your own hike which means not to be influenced too much by other hikers and to enjoy your own hike.

Sandflys are not only found near sand as the name suggests. They are more or less the Scottish Mitches of New Zealand. These little mosquitoes are incredibly troublesome. The bites still bite after days and sometimes weeks. They are very present on both the North and South Island. The South Island, however, is significantly more populated by the pesky creatures and almost continuously until the end. Ideally, you can cover your entire body with clothes and use a mosquito head net. Food is best…