Safety in the outdoors

The country’s unique environment and conditions mean it’s critical to thoroughly prepare for any outdoor adventure, whether you’re planning a short walk, demanding day hike, an overnight tramp or challenging multi-day trip.

• Choose the right trip for you. Learn about the route and make sure you have the skills(opens in new window) for it. 
• Understand the weather(opens in new window) – it can change fast. Check the forecast and change your plans if needed.
• Pack warm clothes and extra food so you’re prepared for bad weather and an unexpected night out. Learn more about clothing and equipment.(opens in new window)
• Share your plans and take ways to get help. Telling a trusted person your trip details and taking a distress beacon can save your life. Find out more about leaving trip intentions(opens in new window).
• Take care of yourself and each other. Eat, drink and rest, stick with your group, and make decisions together.

See more hiking and tramping safety essentials(opens in new window).

Here’s a list of things the NZ Mountain Safety Council. This list is a good starting point, but what you take will change depending on the trip you are planning.

1. Good quality solid footwear designed for the outdoors.
2. Waterproof jacket, warm layers, a warm hat, and gloves. Don’t wear cotton.
3. Food and plenty of water
4. Emergency gear, including extra food, an emergency shelter and a reliable communication device. Find out more here(opens in new window).

New Zealand is a relatively small island with highly changeable weather and unique terrain. As well as golden sandy beaches and crystal-clear lakes, our national parks are renowned for dramatic landscapes, rugged mountains, scree slopes, deep gorges and mighty rivers. 

Before you go on any outdoor trip, it’s critical that you understand the landscape and environment, have the correct skills and experience for the conditions, and check the weather will be suitable.

Plan My Walk

Plan My Walk(opens in new window) is a free trip planning app and website from NZ Mountain Safety Council. It lists over 3,000 tracks, huts and campsites, providing essential information and tools to help you have a safe and successful adventure. It includes detailed track descriptions, weather forecasts and warnings from MetService, official track alerts, customisable gear lists, topo and satellite maps, and useful reviews and photos from other hikers.

Safety videos

The NZ Hiking and Tramping Video Series is an essential guide to many popular tracks in Aotearoa and is designed to help hikers effectively prepare for an adventure. Each video provides an overview of the track, highlighting the terrain and track conditions, potential hazards and seasonal factors, along with the necessary gear and safety information. Find the full playlist(opens in new window).

Virtual track guidesLearn what to expect on your next New Zealand tramp or hike with the Virtual Track Guide video series, created by NZ Mountain Safety Council. These videos bring New Zealand walking tracks to life using animated fly-over satellite imagery, graphics and expert commentary. Check out the guides(opens in new window).

Multi-language safety guides

NZ Mountain Safety Council has hiking safety guides in five languages. Available in English, Korean, Japanese, Spanish and German, these guides will help you plan and prepare for New Zealand’s conditions. See all the multi-language safety guides(opens in new window).