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Written by Mark Wilson of NZ Hikes... When tackling New Zealand’s rugged mountain terrain in a 4WD it is important to have a quality vehicle. Within a few hours of driving, you can find yourself in some of the most remote places on earth. With only a small amount of off-road driving under my belt I have always assumed to gain access to remote areas you need a big lifted truck with a snorkel. For a ‘small truck’ the Suzuki Jimny will go anywhere any ‘big truck’ can go, and I was about to find out that there aren't many...

Wondering what to do for the weekend, I jumped on Airbnb to find the most remote Airbnb I could, and I found a beauty. Only about 2 hours drive from Christchurch is Mt Lyford, which has 4 tiny Airbnb cottages beside a lake. The internet coverage is bad, there is no power (only solar for lights) and the room is tiny - but there was a woodfired hottub!  The road up to this tiny Airbnb is rough, as in, a 4WD is essential. I don't mean a 4wd Subaru Legacy, I mean something capable of getting up some steep loose gravel....

The point of getting a Jimny was to explore and see more of our fine country. What better way to do that, than by joining a local 4x4 club. By being part of a 4x4 club, we go on trips with other 4x4 fans. Many are new to offroading, and the rest are seasoned pros. Joining these guys on a few trips offers so many benefits; We get to see these amazing hidden away places that we wouldn't otherwise see, there are trucks that can tow us when we get stuck and when we forget to bring coffee, someone will have...