Amr Binsadiq (20), Alwala Althagafi (20) and Mohammad Algahatni (18) set off for a short walk in bush near their base at the Tautuku Outdoor Education Centre just before breakfast on Tuesday morning, but became disoriented after walking off a track.
A search and rescue operation, based at the camp 30km southwest of Owaka, was launched on Tuesday afternoon and the trio were found by a search party about 12.30am yesterday.
While grateful for the efforts to find them, all three are adamant they will not return to the bush for some time, if ever.
Mr Binsadiq returned to his Dunedin base soon after being found, while the other two chose to stay with the rest of their Otago University group at a camp house before returning to the city yesterday as planned.
In an interview at the camp yesterday, Messrs Althagafi and Algahatni said they were very relieved and happy to have been found. The three had no food or water and were wearing only light jackets for what was meant to be a 10-minute walk.
Mr Althagafi revealed he had not wanted to go on the walk initially, but his friends encouraged him to stretch his legs before breakfast.
‘‘I thought they knew where they were going, but I got a bit suspicious a bit later on when we lost the track, turned back and then got lost somehow.''
For the next eight hours, the group walked around in the bush, desperate to find a track which would take them back to their friends.
Mr Althagafi, who had been walking without shoes for five hours, said he insisted his friends stop at 4.30pm and find a sheltered spot ‘‘and stay there until someone finds us''.
They camped under some large trees and built a fire to keep warm as the dark descended.
Then they waited.
Mr Althagafi said he was starving after not having eaten since Monday night. The group started their walk before breakfast and all three were ‘‘quite weak'' when they were found.
Emotions fluctuated wildly throughout their ordeal, he said.
‘‘One minute, we were all positive and happy, thinking we would be found and then, the very next minute, we started to feel the cold and became certain we would be out there for a very long time.''
The group were all asleep when Mr Althagafi thought he heard voices.
‘‘I thought I was dreaming, but then the others heard them too.''
The group began yelling, but there was no response for nearly three hours.
About midnight, they heard more voices, including the voice of one of their friends, who was calling out in Arabic. Minutes later, searchers found the men and wrapped them in blankets, feeding them energy bars and hot drinks.
‘‘We were so relieved. It was so cold. It was just a great feeling,'' Mr Althagafi said.
The trio arrived back at their camp house about 1.30am and a small celebration was held before the weary group and their friends, who had been worried sick all day, went to sleep.
Mr Althagafi was very keen to get home and try and forget the previous 48 hours.
‘‘I'm so glad to be found. I won't be going back into the bush though. I prefer the city now.''
