Tent, sleeping bag, and a plane ticket.

The 500m restriction on camping only applies to the Great Walk Tracks. They are specific tracks like the Routeburn, Milford, Heaphy etc. See http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/great-walks/ for more info. Also I wouldn't assume you can camp anywhere. You can on DOC land, with the exception of some scenic reserves, but you won't be too popular camping on private land or in picnic areas etc. When hitchhiking, don't assume all Kiwis are nice friendly people. We have our share of axe murderers too and there is an underclass who prey on vulnerable tourists. Have fun, but take care too.

Please please make sure you are also well prepared with more than just a tent and sleeping bag. Our backcountry has a lot more extremes than most tracks around the world including weather and terrain. A LOT of tourists come unprepared and unfortunately the outcome isnt always a happy one. The weather is deteriorating as we come in to winter so you will need lots of thermals! (and extra food if you get held up along the way due to bad weather). Please also make sure you advise DOC (Dept of Conservation) and others of your "intentions" so that if anything does happen others know where to come looking. That said, happy tramping, the South Island is magnificent at this time of year! :o) Delete

FYI Upcoming weather forecast ... http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/5546048/hunker-weekend/

thanks for the info guys! and not to worry, I do have more than a tent and a sleeping bag ;) One thing about Canadian winters is that you'll always have spare thermals! That's a good idea about advising the DOC about a general direction I might be heading and I think I'll look into maps of DOC land - thanks for that. as for axe murderers, I guess I'll have to trust my instincts on that one. If some dirty old man with one eye and an axe on the passenger seat pulls over, I'll politely decline haha thanks again guys

Good luck getting map showing what is DOC land and what isn't. Apart from the national parks they own or manage areas from huge swathes of the back-country, to small undistinguished paddocks and gullys. I've gone to considerable trouble to extract one from the LINZ land titles database (probably copyright, and if so not postable here). On the PC its useful as an overlay on digital maps for planning purposes, but as such no help in the field. Even that's not up to date though, given the rate of land changing hands in the high country 'tender review process'. Hitch-hiking the South island is generally very easy - I seem to average about 10 minutes for a lift on the east coast. That said, the west coast is VERY difficult. Most people are in camper vans and as a rule camper vans don't stop. Waiting more than a day is possible. If desperate, there's a milk delivery truck (as in bottles, not tanks) which heads from Greymouth to Haast and back overnight (ask in any shop en-route) who appreciates help loading and unloading (or did 5 years ago, anyhow)!

thumbing a ride on the east coast, south island. your pretty sweet for a ride on state highway 1, as madpom said i have never come across anyone who has waited more than 10mins. highways off the main (SH1) are abit harder work to get a ride. make sure your getting dropped off in a major township where you can get another thumb to your destination. i herd of one guy getting dropped off in taras, the ass end of no where and he couldnt get a ride to carry on!

awesome guys...thanks for the good advice.

Regarding getting information on who owns what land: Freshmap do a Cadastral map add on. I think it cost me around $100 for the South Island and I had to double my RAM. It's good fun to study. Fascinating to find out stuff like who owns the land up the Taipo from 7 Mile Creek. It's not DoC!