A tramper who survived three cold nights lost in the Hunua Ranges, south of Auckland, told his rescuers he walked non-stop to keep warm and stay alive.
Ronnie Fong, 38, who was formerly known as Ronnie Kumar, was found by search and rescue staff on Tuesday evening.
He was poorly prepared for cold nights outdoors when he set out for a walk on Saturday, wearing a lightweight jacket and three-quarter-length shorts and carrying a day pack, police said.
When Mr Fong was found, he was cold, tired and hungry.
"He was still walking... and talking. It seemed he had just kept going through sheer determination," Sergeant Dene Duthie told the NZ Herald.
"His feet were in pretty bad shape as they had been wet for most of the time... but he had a little more food than we initially thought so that kept him going."
Sgt Duthie said Mr Fong told rescuers he tried to stay active while he was in the bush, because he was afraid of getting cold.
"He tried to take shelter on the first night but said it just got too cold, so he decided to just keep moving."
Mr Fong was given the all-clear by medical staff on Tuesday evening, but it's expected he'll be seen by a doctor on Wednesday.
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