One of the hikers who found bushwalker Hadi Nazari after he spent 13 days lost in Kosciuszko National Park has credited divine intervention for the long-shot rescue.
Mr Nazari, 23, who was found in the Australian Alps on Wednesday following an almost two-week search, was discharged from Cooma Hospital on Friday and given the all-clear to return home to Melbourne.
The experienced hiker, who went missing on a trail in the vast NSW park on Boxing Day, praised the hundreds of emergency crew who searched tirelessly for him in tough alpine conditions.
"I would also like to thank members of the public, family and friends for their well wishes and prayers," he said.
The emergency crew included amateur hiker Joshua Dart, 30, who said his group quickly realised it had found the lost bushwalker after spotting a "small dot" near the park's Blue Lake.
Mr Nazari, badly sunburnt and dehydrated but otherwise in good health, climbed towards the group and said "I need help", Mr Dart said.
"We just happened to be there. It was really a miracle. It was divine intervention," he said.
"We were in shock and we couldn't really believe it.
"He was joking with us and it was clear to me that with his survival instincts and skills, his head was in a good place."
Mr Nazari's cousin Hussain Ali told reporters outside Cooma Hospital he had tried to talk his relative out of another trek.
"When he's completely fit and fine then we'll see how he goes," Mr Ali said.
Search and rescue specialist Paul Luckin said he was glad his earlier doubts about the prospect of Mr Nazari being found alive after almost two weeks were incorrect.
"I love being wrong when I'm being pessimistic," he told AAP.
"I'm always delighted when we have a survivor."
