A survival expert thinks a positive attitude would have helped a Czech woman survive for five weeks in a hut on the Routeburn track.

Her partner fell to his death then she was injured so couldn't leave the hut.

The woman was rescued on Wednesday after people noticed the couple was overdue.

Stu Gilbert told Rachel Smalley the hut would have provided her with the basics of warmth, food and water.

"What gets you through the ordeal is maintaining a will to survive, a positive mental attitude and a strong desire to want to live."