Bushwalker Michael Lane was airlifted out of Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve after being bitten by the snake as he stopped for a mid-morning snack.

The 27-year-old was only hours into a two-day solo trek when the snake struck without warning.

''I put my bag down and went to sit down and moved to position myself and felt the snake hit me on the leg,'' Mr Lane said.

After being bitten on his left leg, Mr Lane was able to identify the reptile as a type of brown snake as it slithered off.

''I was very disappointed because I didn't get to eat my Mars bar,'' he joked just a few hours after his ordeal.

Mobile phone reception helped Mr Lane contact 000 to start the process of securing help.

As he waited about 20 minutes for paramedics to arrive, he said he started to feel the effects of the bite.

''I was more just feeling very ill in the stomach, quite light-headed and nauseated. I think only 90 per cent of that was panic,'' Mr Lane said.

The bushwalker was well prepared, bringing a GPS and emergency beacon in his bag of supplies. The GPS unit helped guide paramedics and the South Care helicopter service to Mr Lane's location. Intensive-care paramedics Robert Katey and Ian Davis were first on the scene providing initial treatment.

Mr Katey said Mr Lane's preparation was key to the quick response.

Peter Deck and his colleague Helen Petrou used GPS coordinates to help guide the paramedics to MrLane.

''His saving grace in this circumstance was having GPS, he's a smart fella and anyone who bushwalks without one should rethink it,'' Mr Deck said.

SouthCare paramedics arrived on the scene a short time later, airlifting Mr Lane to the Canberra Hospital.

Speaking from the hospital a few hours after the incident, Mr Lane said he was feeling very tired but relieved.

''They [paramedics] do a remarkable job. They are extremely unrecognised for what they do, their professionalism is outstanding ... they did a great job,'' he said.

RSPCA chief executive Michael Linke said with the weather warming up, people needed to be on the lookout for snakes. ''Brown snakes are on the move; they're looking for food, water and homes,'' Mr Linke said.

He said if a snake was spotted it should be allowed to move on. If a snake was cornered, people should call Canberra Connect for a snake catcher to relocate it.