The hiker who was lost for 13 days in New South Wales’ Kosciuszko National Park has revealed the major mistakes he made while bushwalking.
Hadi Nazari, 23, and his two friends left the Geehi campground on December 23 and within three days had summited Kosciuszko.
The trio lopped around the main range trail and began heading back, embarking on the final leg of their trek on Boxing Day.
Mr Nazari explained that he and his friends, all experienced hikers, often spread out during their hikes to enjoy the solitude of nature.
However, it was on the Hannels Spur – a harsh and treacherous 6.5km stretch on the eastern section of the national park – that Mr Nazari lost his way.
He split from the group and took an unfamiliar, off-track path which in hindsight, increased his chances of getting lost.
‘I realised I was lost when I came across this really thick part of the terrain, and a few moments later I’m just down at the bottom of a hill,’ Mr Nazari told the ABC’s 7.30.
‘I’ve done off-tracking before, I’ve been in other terrains, but the vegetation, the thickness of the jungle, it took me a bit off guard.’
Hadi Nazari, 23, went missing in in the Kosciuszko National Park on December 26 after straying from the hiking path to take photos of the scenery
Mr Nazari explained he and his friends were experienced hikers, however he made several mistakes which got him lost
Mr Nazari said he also made the mistake of hiking with insufficient navigation tools as his phone ran out of battery, leaving him without his navigation app.
He added that he didn’t have a GPS tracking unit, a physical map, or a compass.
Mr Nazari explained he had two different strategies after realising he was lost, but he failed to stick to a clear plan. This indecision contributed to his further disorientation.
‘I had two plans, one that I was going straight up the hills through the bush, the other was to keep going left and get back to the main track but I wasn’t sticking to one particular plan,’ Mr Nazari said.
Mr Nazari said he made yet another error after he ditched his backpack, leaving essential hiking gear behind.
He explained the backpack, which carried food, water and other supplies, kept getting snagged and slowed him down.
‘The thinking with that was I just need to get to the campsite, your stuff is not the most important thing,’ he said.
After 13 days in the gruelling wilderness, Mr Nazari spotted a group of travellers
Mr Nazari told he group he was lost and thirsty, with the hikers contacting authorities
He was winced to safety and taken back to base camp where he was assessed by paramedics and reunited with his family and friends
For the next week, Mr Nazari managed to follow creeks and rivers through the rough terrain and survived on fresh water and a small amount of wild berries.
He also came across a mountain hut known as the Opera House Hut where he found two muesli bars and spent three nights resting by a log fire and sleeping in a bunk bed.
Mr Nazari set off towards Charlotte Pass and was walking towards the peak when he spotted a group of hikers near Blue Lake at about 3pm on January 8.
After 13 gruelling days the Melbourne neurosurgeon student was found and managed to yell out to the group, explaining he was lost and thirsty.
A police helicopter winched Mr Nazari back to base camp, where he was assessed by paramedics and reunited with his family and friends.
Before moving to Australia five years ago, Mr Nazari and his family fled their dangerous life in Mari Abad, Pakistan, where they were part of the Hazara community, also persecuted in Afghanistan.
Since his rescue, Mr Nazari has signed up to join the Victorian SES as a way to repay his gratitude.
The Opera House Hut where Mr Nazari found two muesli bars, warmed himself by a log fire and slept in a bunk bed for three days
