Hoplosternum posted:

Hiking here is different to that found in most countries due to the severe influence of Marine Weather on the weather of our country.
Make sure that you check the weather two days either side of the trip on https://www.metvuw.com AND https://www.metservice.com

Always carry a wind and rainproof layer - regardless of how nice the weather looks. It snowed at 1800m around New Years (ie technically the middle of summer).

Always carry enough layers to deal with sudden temperature drops - its common for drops of 20°C to occur.

Make sure someone knows where you're going and when you're due out. Report back to them when you're out. They need to contact police if you don't report back.

Finally, bridged river crossings are a luxury in NZ, so only cross rivers if you are absolutely sure it is safe. There has already been an fatality this year due to river crossings (http://www.stuff.co.nz/.../second-tramper-dies-on-the...)

All of this said, NZ is a fantastic place to hike and I hope you enjoy your time here.

edit: Oh and check the DOC website to see what facilities/beds your hut had. They are NOT like a backpackers by the way, they are very basic and will often just be bunks, an outdoor toilet, rainwater tank and fireplace (for heating, not cooking) They do not contain cooking facilities, showers, bedding etc. Posting this as many international friends think hut = hotel.