We are so fortunate in New Zealand to have such an incredible hut network. There are more than 900 huts scattered around the country, smoothing so much outdoor adventure and offering a chance of escape into the wilderness, a place of reinvigoration, refreshment and nourishment for body and the soul.

I’ve travelled far and wide and have yet to encounter anything like the huts we have here. In the European alps you’ll find often-glamorous refugios; Scotland has its basic bothies. But I’ve not been anywhere that can compete with the number, character and cultural significance of New Zealand’s backcountry huts. We are indeed fortunate to have had such organisations as the Forest Service, Department of Conservation, individual tramping, alpine and hunting clubs, and, lately, the Back Country Trust – all have built huts and fostered, and ensured the continuity of an outdoors way of life here.

In May 2020, we published the Wilderness 100 – our pick of the 100 best trips in the country. This month, we turn our focus to huts and after much discussion between staff and contributors, we believe we have found the 40 ‘best’ huts in the country. Of course, there are more than 900 ‘best’ huts in New Zealand, so these 40 won’t tickle everyone’s fancy and you are entitled to your own opinion on which huts deserve to be shown in a feature such as this. If you think we’ve missed a hut or two, I’d love to know which should have been on our list – and, maybe, those that didn’t deserve to be there.

Or perhaps you would like to share a memory or two of visiting the huts we’ve included. It would be an absolute pleasure to hear your memories of these places, for in sharing stories we acknowledge and strengthen the unique outdoor culture huts have given us.