Teams searching for a Dunedin tramper who failed to return from a short walk on Saturday have found items of interest in the area where he is missing.

David Charles Palmer, 53, hasn't been seen since heading for what was meant to be a three- to four-hour tramp in the remote and rugged Ahuriri Valley east of Omarama.

Search teams with the help of an airforce helicopter and army personnel have been searching an area more than 200 sq km since his disappearance.

On Thursday searchers found small items of interest in the Ahuriri Valley but police are yet confirm whether these belong to Mr Palmer.

A ground crew of 35 will continue looking for Mr Palmer on Friday when they will scale the near 2000-metre high Mt Gladwish.

Mr Palmer's family visited the search base on Wednesday.

He is believed to have a pre-existing medical condition and searchers said they were becoming less hopeful of finding him after five days.