Great – You’ve Booked!

Below you will find step-by-step information to help you prepare for your 3-Day Walk at Real Native.

Arrival 10am: We provide morning tea on arrival and a packed lunch ready for transfer into your lunch box.

Location: 418 Duncan Road, Te Awamutu. There are only a couple of farms up Duncan Road. There is plenty of signage, but look for the Red Woolshed at the end of the road – this is where we hold the Meet & Greet.

Below are some tips to make your stay a touch more enjoyable.

Downloads

• Night One at the Puniu has no cell phone coverage but does have an open Starlink internet connection. So please download a wifi calling app or enable wifi calling on your phone if you’d like to stay in touch with others while you are here. We can help with this if needed. Whatsapp is most commonly used.
• We are on the Great Hikes App. This contains our official track map and contains a lot of information about the points of interest and information about the area. It is well worth a download. It is free and you can search for it from your phones relevant app store or download it onto your phone from the bottom of our walk page here. The app is called ‘Great Hikes’ (orange and white boot – black background). Once downloaded, you will find us on the private walk tab near the bottom of the home screen.
• I also use an app called ‘Bird Nerd’ if you are interested in getting to know some of the rarer birds and their calls while you are here!

Essential Items

• Bring an empty lunch box in your day pack, capacity to carry 2L of water, one over-night bag and a separate chilly bag if you would like us to chill your own drinks/snacks separately.
• Please bring a light waterproof parka to carry with you at all times (even on sunny days). The weather can often be unsettled…. so we do encourage walkers to come prepared for all four seasons!!
• Your stay is fully catered. We will provide you with ample food and all bedding and towels – but we ask that you bring your own personal facecloth and any additional food and drink items you just can’t do without??!!!
• Bring plenty of socks/or a change of shoes/boots if you have them. The grass can be long at times and often even the morning dew can keep conditions damp.
• Gaiters are highly recommended. It is likely your shoes/boots and socks will become laden with seedheads from the bush grasses and can be problematic to remove…. So we highly recommend gaiters to avoid the frustration!!
• Slip-on shoes for around the camp-sites. Our facilities are connected with light gravel paths which can be quite hard on soft feet after a day tramping.

Here is our full packing list:

• Day pack: with lunchbox and drink bottle (minimum 2L)
• Skin protection: sunhat, sunblock, SPF lip balm, and insect repellent (essential for the sandflies at the Puniu)!
• Footwear: sturdy tramping boots or trail shoes with good tread and slip-on shoes for after hours around the lodgings and gators.
• Clothing: warm and lightweight weatherproof layers (merino base layers are ideal), plus swimwear for river dips (towels provided)
• Refreshments: bring your own alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (cans preferred over glass), we’ll chill them for you.
• Other essentials: walking poles, camera or smartphone, charger, binoculars, toiletries, and personal items
• Safety: personal locator beacons are optional — each group will be provided with a Real Native personal locator tab with help/SOS functions to monitor your progress safely
• Extras: multiple pairs of socks! For the native grass seeds and wet days.

Luggage: Your luggage transfer is all part of the service, so you only need to carry a day pack for your daily walk! But we ask you still pack light — one medium-sized bag per person (maximum 12kg) and one chilly bag per couple/pair due to limited space in our transfer vehicles.

Dietary Requirements

We cater for a variety of dietary requirements(as per our FAQ’s) which are necessary to be notified at the time of booking. If you have a severe intolerance – please touch base with us a week prior to your arrival so we can be as well prepared as possible.

While we try to cater for most needs – however we can’t 100% guarantee an allergen free environment in the communal/group settings of our accommodations.

Accommodations & Linen

Real Native offers a premium off-grid adventure accommodation experience with purpose built accommodations, made up of 5 sleeping chalets, 3 independent bathrooms and one main shared area at each site.

Sleeping arrangements are configured with 4 chalets at each site accommodating a couple/pair, with one larger accommodating up to 3 people at each site. Rooms are allocated prior to your arrival according to group configurations. You will not be sharing sleeping accommodations with guests from outside of your group.

A full linen service is provided and beds are made up in either Single or Super King configurations (depending on your preference), with fresh premium white sheets at each lodging, 100% wool duvets and Foxtrot Home Linen Coverlets, along with 2 pillows of either medium and soft fill. Towels, handtowels and bathmats are also provided – we ask that you bring your own personal facecloth.

There are three bathrooms at each site which are conveniently located to be paired with their adjacent sleeping chalets for additional privacy. These contain separate toilet/showers and hand basins, and all contain complementary Real World care products for your convenience which we encourage you to use!

Travel & Accommodation

To come.
Travel descriptions and options for overnight stays en-route.

We look forward to your arrival,

Nicola, Karen & the REAL  NATIVE Team