Guided Tours

Te Anau Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

Tourist walking through illuminated Te Anau Glowworm Caves on guided tour.

Tourists on boat exploring Te Anau Glowworm Caves in New Zealand.

Tourists on a walkway exploring Te Anau Glowworm Caves with illuminated rock formations.

Glowworms illuminating the Te Anau Caves in New Zealand.

Duration

2 hr 15 min

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience

Book now, pay later

Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.

Guided tour

Discover the luminary magic of Te Anau's Glowworm Caves on a guided tour that combines a tranquil lake cruise, forest walk, and underground spectacle.

4.6/5

(36)

Kathleen M

Group

Verified booking

Oct 2025

This tour was informative, well organised, well run, very interesting and overall great experience to see glow worms up close. Well worth the travel time to Te Anau. Even the tour guide on the boat was very professional and didn't load us up with too much information.

Gabriel G

Couple

Verified booking

2 days ago

The cave with the river and waterfalls were amazing. The gloworms are not as impressive as Waitomo caves, but still beautiful to see. The staff are great and friendly

Diane S

Group

Verified booking

Last week

The tour was magical and our guide was fantastic! I would highly recommend this tour and would happily experience again myself!

Theresa B

Family

Verified booking

Jan 2026

Loved seeing the glow worms, learning about their life cycle and understanding the historical formation of the caves and the lake, very informative and so interesting!

Enjoy a small-group guided tour of the Te Anau Glowworm Caves with your family, a 2.5-hour journey exploring New Zealand's famed subterranean wonder.

Begin with a scenic cruise across Lake Te Anau, leading to the Cavern House on the Western shore, featuring informative displays about the caves.

Venture into the heart of the Glowworm Caves, a mesmerizing natural light show created by bioluminescent gnats, a quintessential Fiordland experience.

Go on a serene forest walk with your guide, learning about native flora and fauna, before cruising back and enjoying complimentary tea or coffee.

Did you know? These caves are relatively young, at just 12,000 years old, and are still being sculpted by the river flowing within them.

Glowworm Caves tour

Forest walk

Return cruise across Lake Te Anau

Expert guide

Small group (max 14 people)

Complimentary tea & coffee

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

36 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
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3
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Guests from Australia, United States, Germany and over 7 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Gabriel G
Couple
Verified booking
2 days ago
The cave with the river and waterfalls were amazing. The gloworms are not as impressive as Waitomo caves, but still beautiful to see. The staff are great and friendly
Diane S
Group
Verified booking
Last week
The tour was magical and our guide was fantastic! I would highly recommend this tour and would happily experience again myself!
Deborah N
Couple
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
We greatly enjoyed the tour to this exceptional site.
Brian M
Group
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
Great boat ride with amazing cave experience.
Theresa B
Family
Verified booking
Jan 2026
Loved seeing the glow worms, learning about their life cycle and understanding the historical formation of the caves and the lake, very informative and so interesting!

A journey into nature’s nightlight

Are you looking for an offbeat family experience? Hop on this 2.5-hour tour of Te Anau Glowworm Caves with a small group for an intimate and personalized experience. Your guided tour begins with a refreshing cruise across the serene Lake Te Anau, aboard a purpose-built vessel. As you soak in the tranquil beauty of the lake, prepare to be intrigued by the informative and engaging displays at the Cavern House, your first stop on the Western shore. On this astounding journey, you'll be accompanied by an expert nature guide who will illuminate the wonders of this unique ecosystem.

A luminary exploration

Descend into the heart of the Glowworm Caves, a place where hundreds of bioluminescent gnats, mistakenly called glow worms, create an ethereal light show. Traversing the underground network, you'll pass by the rushing water of an underground stream, an experience that is sure to leave you awestruck. Post the subterranean adventure, complimentary tea and coffee serve as a warm, comforting conclusion. This tour beautifully combines the tranquility of Lake Te Anau, the enchantment of the Glowworm Caves, and a fascinating forest walk, promising a memorable exploration of New Zealand's Fiordland region.

What to bring

It is recommended to wear non-slip shoes or boots, a waterproof jacket, and a warm sweater or fleece jacket.

It is advised to carry sunscreen, sunglasses, and insect repellent.

What's not allowed

Photography and video filming are not permitted inside the cave.

Accessibility

This experience is not suitable for wheelchair passengers or those wearing heeled shoes.

A reasonable agility level is necessary as some bending is required due to low cave entrances, and steps are involved.

This experience is not suitable for infants.

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

Please arrive at the meeting point 20 mins before the scheduled time of your tour to avoid any delays.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the meeting point.

Meeting point

Meet your guide at RealNZ - Te Anau Visitor Centre.

Address: 85 Lakefront Drive, Te Anau 9640, New Zealand.

Get directions to the meeting point