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Jayden Headley says he and his grandfather slept under canvas and hunted wild birds for food while on the run.
The 6-year-old also told his father Chris Jones the pair wore disguises to sneak into town and shop.
The two strongest theories over where Dick Headley hid with
Jayden for 158 days point to Northland and an area just north of Huntly.
Dick Headley, Jayden's maternal grandfather, is in custody on a charge of kidnapping. The boy's mother, Kay Skelton, faces a similar charge, and police say there are "strong possibilities" of further arrests.
Mark Jones, Jayden's uncle, told the Herald his nephew read a book with Chris Jones on Tuesday night before going to sleep.
"We've got no idea where they have been, but there was quite a lot of travel before they got to the Hamilton police station.
"On the way back they stopped at a hotel. Jayden was told by Dick to clean his bangers, which is a word for his feet. He told his Dad his bangers were muddy from being in the bush."
Jayden told his father he had been staying in a tent.
Mr Jones said he and his brother believed the stay in the bush had been only for the last few nights.
Jayden had seen his cousins on television, welcoming him home. He had squealed with delight, and had become aware he was at the centre of something big, Mr Jones said.
"That's when the word 'famous' came out."
In Huntly, rumours are circulating that the pair had hidden somewhere near Ohinewai, 5km north of the town.
Within a week of the boy's disappearance, Dick Headley's silver Holden Commodore car was found near Ngaruawahia, 10 minutes' drive south of Huntly.
Dick Headley worked at the Huntly coal mines as an engineer and fitter, and has many friends there. Kay Skelton is married to a mine rescuer.
A source at the mine said he remembered Headley as "like a gentle bear".
"He was a heck of a nice guy. A bit stubborn and stuck in his ways. There are a few people related to Dick Headley at the mines. It's a pretty tight group.
"Unfortunately Brett [Kay Skelton's husband] has got caught up in this. He's gone very quiet and it's taking a big toll on him."
Dick Headley also worked on a project that saw the development of new sewage ponds in Manukau, and a former colleague there described him as a "nice old guy" who was loyal and had a good sense of humour.
Not far north of Ohinewai is Te Kauwhata, where Kay Skelton's brother Bryce lives.
However, a big focus is still on Northland, where police for months suspected the pair were.
Their suspicion is based on a telephone call received within days of the kidnapping, in which a man purporting to be Dick Headley assured police of Jayden's safety.
Mark Jones said he had studied a video sent to the programme Close Up in November, which convinced him the pair had been in Northland.
In the video were clues, such as Jayden's observations about kauri snails, only found in the far north.
"It [the background] was also extremely dry and it doesn't get that dry around here in November. He talks about growing strawberries, lettuce and tomatoes."