This immersive five-day course is designed to give new and aspiring trampers the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to plan and undertake safe, enjoyable multi-day hiking trips. Combining practical instruction, guided backcountry travel, and real-world scenarios, the course builds strong foundations in clothing and equipment selection, navigation, trip planning, campcraft, river safety, and emergency management.

The course progresses from classroom-based learning to a supported backcountry journey, allowing participants to apply skills in realistic conditions while guided by experienced instructors. The course is run in a relaxed, friendly, and supportive environment, encouraging questions, discussion, and learning at a pace that suits the group. By the end of the course, participants will be able to plan their own trips, navigate confidently using map and compass, manage camps safely, assess river crossings, and respond effectively to common backcountry problems.

Who This Course Is For

This course is ideal for:

People new to hiking or tramping who want to build skills safely
Day walkers looking to step up to overnight or multi-day trips
Those returning to the outdoors after a long break
Anyone wanting to better understand risk, decision-making, and safety in the backcountry

No prior backcountry experience is required. A reasonable level of fitness and a willingness to learn and participate in outdoor conditions are expected.

Course Location

This course is based in St Arnaud in the Nelson Lakes National Park. Practical sessions are run in the Lake Rotoiti area, and the wild camp is in the Richmond Forrest Park at Red Hill.

Free Transport from Nelson

You can either meet us in St Arnaud or we can pick up and drop off in Nelson and Richmond for free!

Timings

The course starts at 9am on the first day and finishes at 5pm on the last day.

Pre-Course Chat

There will be an online, pre-course chat to discuss what kit to bring. Timings for this will be sent out after booking.

Fitness Level

The walking pace will be very relaxed with frequent stops, but there is a moderately steep hill (approximately 2-3 hours) to be climbed at the start of our wild camp journey. You should be comfortable doing this with a pack containing camping gear, food, water and spare clothing. This will be approximately 10-12kgs.

Accommodation

Your accommodation is included in the booking fee, and includes:

2 nights in batch (cottage) accommodation in St Arnaud. This is backcountry hut type accommodation and has mixed gender dorms with a shared bathroom. There is a fully equipped kitchen for making self-catering meals and a fridge.
2 nights camping in Richmond Forrest Park. We supply tents, cookers and gas for your use.

Food

This is a self-catered course so please bring all the food you will need for the week. That includes lunches that don’t require cooking, 2 x dehydrated meals for camping, and plenty of snacks. There is also an option to eat in the Alpine Lodge on the first two nights.

We will dicuss food choices at our pre-course meeting so you know what to bring.

Course Programme

Day 1 – Foundations: Equipment, Clothing & Risk

Morning (0830–1200)

Welcome, introductions & course overview
Safety systems and risk management
Clothing systems (layering, footwear)
Packs, fit, and load management
Equipment choices: tents, stoves, lightweight vs ultralight

Afternoon (1300–1630)

Personal & group equipment checklist
Trip research and goal setting
Assessing terrain, hazards, and conditions
Leaving intentions and emergency planning
Case study discussion

Evening (1800–1900)

Gear preparation and questions

Day 2 – Navigation & Journey Planning

Morning (0830–1200)

Navigation systems: map & compass vs GPS
Map symbols, scale, contours & terrain interpretation
Grid references and distance measurement
Weather forecasting and its impact on trip planning

Afternoon (1300–1630)

Field navigation practice
Map orientation and handrails/tick features
Bearings (grid and magnetic)
Route choice and planning a journey

Evening (1800–1900)

Route planning exercise for backcountry trip

Day 3 – Backcountry Travel & Campcraft

Morning (0830–1200)

Pack up and depart on backcountry journey
Practical navigation on track and off-track

Afternoon (1300–1630)

Campcraft:
- Cooking systems and food strategies
- Water treatment
- Hygiene and toileting in the outdoors
Hut booking, etiquette & wild camping principles

Evening (1800–1900)