New Zealand's First Unyoked Cabin Has Arrived North of Auckland and Is Now Open For Bookings

Does your manic workload or this bitter winter snap have you craving a break? You're in luck — off-grid Australian accommodation offering Unyoked has finally built its first New Zealand cabin: a forest and mountain-adjacent haven for those desperate to get out of the city.

Australian startup Unyoked was founded by twins Cam and Chris Grant back in 2016, as a way to provide the convenience and comforts of four solid walls, alongside the adventure, spontaneity and closeness-to-nature of camping.

Since then, it's been a raging success, with a number of compact cabins located around NSW, Victoria and Queensland catering to burnt-out city slickers looking for some R&R in remote — and sometimes pretty rugged — areas. It was announced back at the beginning of June that they'd be launching their first Aotearoa cabins this year.

It's all in the name of wellness: Cam and Chris believe spending time in the wild is beneficial to the body, mind and soul. The company's ethos is about total immersion in nature — something New Zealand has a lot of, making it a fairly natural fit as their next country to conquer.

Enter Maia, a cosy plywood cabin that offers all the benefits of an off-grid escape — without skimping on creature comforts.

Of course, as with all Unyoked cabins, the exact location of Maia is unknown. But we do it's in Ōkaihau, about three hours north-west of Auckland, and it sits on its own private five-acre meadow surrounded by native bush. Facing west, the cabin has spectacular views of the river and evening sunsets.

The team say they "John Muir'd [their] way off the beaten track and created an epic pathway to find her".

With a minimum two-night stay for Friday and Saturday, Maia will cost you $269 for weeknights or $299 for weekends.

To learn more about Unyoked and to book in a stay, head to the official website.

Images: @johnny_goose