Nearly all of the 950 Backcountry huts in New Zealand are maintained by New Zealands Department of Conservation. Often referred to as Tramping Huts (the New Zealand term for backpacking is Tramping), these are intended to provide overnight accomodation for backpackers and vary from small bivouac shelters made of wood to large modern huts that can sleep up to 40 people, with separate cooking areas, utilities and gas. Initially some of these huts were built to serve the deer culler's of the New Zealand Forest Service [1], but the larger and more modern ones (like some found on the Great Walks) have been purpose designed and built.
Huts are assigned one of four categories:
The cost of staying overnight at these huts varies according to the category of the hut with Great Walk Huts being the most expensive and requiring booking in adavance. [2]. For frequent users of the hut system, the Department of Conservation sells a Hut Pass which is similar in operation to a season ticket and permits access to many of their huts.
Nearly all of the 950 Backcountry huts in New Zealand are maintained by New Zealands Department of Conservation. Often referred to as Tramping Huts (the New Zealand term for backpacking is Tramping), these are intended to provide overnight accomodation for backpackers and vary from small bivouac shelters made of wood to large modern huts that can sleep up to 40 people, with separate cooking areas, utilities and gas. Initially some of these huts were built to serve the deer culler's of the New Zealand Forest Service [1], but the larger and more modern ones (like some found on the Great Walks) have been purpose designed and built.
Huts are assigned one of four categories:
The cost of staying overnight at these huts varies according to the category of the hut with Great Walk Huts being the most expensive and requiring booking in adavance. [2]. For frequent users of the hut system, the Department of Conservation sells a Hut Pass which is similar in operation to a season ticket and permits access to many of their huts.