Terminally ill anti-1080 protester Chris Short arrived home tonight after a six-day vigil atop of Mt Tongariro in the central North Island.
His wife, Leanne, said her husband was "very tired" after his time on the mountain.
Mr Short had earlier said he was prepared to die on the mountain unless Clyde and Steve Graf's documentary on 1080, Poisoning Paradise, was broadcast on TV.
The man had driven himself back after walking down from the mountain, calling his wife from towns on his way back to Taupo.
"Like a friend told me, if he can walk six kilometres down a mountain, he will be able to drive home," Mrs Short said.
Mr Short decided yesterday to leave the mountain after a visit from a representative from the local Tuwharetoa tribe yesterday.
He had decided to end his stand out of respect for local Maori, he said.
"It's all happened so quick, I probably achieved my objective and now it's just important to not turn this magical place into a circus," he told 3News.