Five men in their late teens have been found alive and uninjured after getting lost in bush near Kaiate Falls east of Tauranga.
Acting Senior Sergeant Dan Roser says a search team found them just before 8am on Saturday.
They are from Tauranga and had three pig dogs with them.
Police earlier said they had limited bush experience, were lightly clothed and had no food or water with them.
A member of the group had made contact via cell phone just on nightfall to advise of their plight, but could not give any indication of where they were.
Police said they were expected to have an uncomfortable night with the temperature down to 8 degrees and the wind and rain.
The Mountain Safety Council says people need to plan before entering the bush as they may put their lives at risk.
The council says checking the weather is crucial as it can change so quickly.
