Combos

Combo: Ruakuri Cave Guided Tour + Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

Name: Combo: Ruakuri Cave Guided Tour + Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour
Start: 2026-10-25T13:00:00
End: 2026-10-25T14:30:00
Location: Waitomo

4.6/5(1,578)

Thomas H

Couple

Verified booking

Last week

Firstly, The show was spectacular and I would highly reccomend it. Great performance and excellent actors. I must also unfortunatley comment on my experience with the headout app, which was abyssmal. Nowhere in the app or booking did it state that that the provided 'tickets' with QR codes and seat numbers were not the actual tickets for the show! I was turned away at the stage door and had to rush across the theatre to the box office and back to redeem the paper tickets they actually use at the stage doors. Very stressful and dissapointing.

Helenl P

Couple

Verified booking

Yesterday

Bubba was an informative, funny host who performed a waiata in the cathedral part of the caves for us and provided heaps of interesting facts about glow worms. We really enjoyed our tour.

Linda P

Family

Verified booking

3 weeks ago

Very informative, learned a lot about the life cycle of the glow worms, lovely and friendly guide, surreal seeing the glow worms gently floating on the water, just beautiful!

Victoria A

Couple

Verified booking

5 days ago

Breathtaking limestone foundations and glow worm colonies. Cup-of-tea (tour guide) was very knowledgeable and charismatic which made the experience even better.

Tracy M

Couple

Verified booking

3 weeks ago

Amazing seeing ancient nature that has such wonderful cultural significance for the Māori people. Our hosts were incredibly friendly, a little bit cheeky, and very knowledgeable.

Lyndel W

Couple

Verified booking

Sep 2026

Ruakuri Cave A magnificent tour, easy walking with no stairs, the circular walkway down is beautiful. Our guide "Scuba" was excellent with commentary and answering questions.

Explore the magical Ruakuri Cave and Waitomo Glowworm Caves with expert local guides and save 3% when you book both together.

Journey through Ruakuri Cave’s twisting passages, crystal-lined walls, and flowing streams on a 1.5-hour guided tour with just 14 people.

Glide silently on a boat beneath thousands of glowworms lighting up the cave ceiling, on a 45-minute tour led by a local Māori guide.

Ruakuri Cave

1.5-hour guided tour of Ruakuri Cave

English-speaking guide of Maori descent

Waitomo Glowworm Cave

45-minute guided tour of Waitomo Glowworm Cave

English-speaking guide of Maori descent

Waitomo River boat ride

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

1,578 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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Guests from Australia, United States, United Kingdom and over 30 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Tracy M
Couple
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
Amazing seeing ancient nature that has such wonderful cultural significance for the Māori people. Our hosts were incredibly friendly, a little bit cheeky, and very knowledgeable.
Thomas H
Couple
Verified booking
Last week
Firstly, The show was spectacular and I would highly reccomend it. Great performance and excellent actors. I must also unfortunatley comment on my experience with the headout app, which was abyssmal. Nowhere in the app or booking did it state that that the provided 'tickets' with QR codes and seat numbers were not the actual tickets for the show! I was turned away at the stage door and had to rush across the theatre to the box office and back to redeem the paper tickets they actually use at the stage doors. Very stressful and dissapointing.
Abigail C
Couple
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
We had a new tour guide who was on his first week. You could tell at the start he was nervous but really grew into it as the tour progressed. He was so sweet and interactive with the children and even handled the situation of a special needs individual needing a little bit more space and time
Helenl P
Couple
Verified booking
Yesterday
Bubba was an informative, funny host who performed a waiata in the cathedral part of the caves for us and provided heaps of interesting facts about glow worms. We really enjoyed our tour.
Linda P
Family
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
Very informative, learned a lot about the life cycle of the glow worms, lovely and friendly guide, surreal seeing the glow worms gently floating on the water, just beautiful!

Explore two epic experiences just 15 minutes apart and save 3%. Cruise through the glowworm-lit grotto of Waitomo Glowworm Caves, then dive deep into New Zealand’s longest underground walking tour at Ruakari Cave, all in one day.

Getting started

Your combo ticket gives you access to Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Ruakuri Cave. Both tours are led by local guides of Māori descent, who bring the stories and science of the caves to life. Arrive at each cave at least 30 minutes early and have your ticket ready for check in.

What to expect

Ruakuri Cave

Descend through a spiral entrance: Start your journey with a walk down a lit spiral ramp into the depths of Ruakuri Cave.

Walk through ancient formations: Follow your guide through sculpted tunnels lined with stalactites, stalagmites, and unique ribbon-like formations—some shaped like cascading crystal drapes.

Hear nature at work: Listen to the rumble of distant underground waterfalls and feel the temperature drop as you go deeper below the surface.

Learn sacred stories: Along the way, listen to your guide share Māori legends and the cultural significance of this sacred place.

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Explore nature’s underground artwork: Begin by walking through the upper levels of the cave system, where you’ll see limestone columns and delicately carved formations.

Stand in the Cathedral: Enter the tallest chamber in the caves, known for its natural acoustics and incredible scale.

Float beneath the glowworms: Take a boat ride through the Glowworm Grotto where thousands of tiny glowworms light up the ceiling, creating a scene that feels like sailing under a galaxy of stars.

What to bring

Ruakari Cave

Bring a warm jacket as the cave can get cool.

When you visit, make sure you've got a credit card or your phone set up for contactless payments (like Apple Pay or Google Pay).

Waitomo Glowworm Cave

Wear non-slip shoes as the cave floors are wet and slippery.

Bring a warm jacket as the temperature of the cave can be cool.

When you visit, make sure you've got a credit card or your phone set up for contactless payments (like Apple Pay or Google Pay).

What's not allowed

Ruakari Cave

Large backpacks are not allowed inside the cave.

Smoking, food, drink or litter are not allowed inside the cave.

Pets are not allowed inside the cave.

Waitomo Glowworm Cave

Photography and videography are strictly prohibited in the Waitomo Glowworm Caves.

Smoking, food, drink or litter are not allowed inside the cave.

Pets are not allowed inside the cave.

Accessibility

Ruakari Cave

This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible. Please note that the wheelchair and pram/ stroller should not exceed a width of 65cm due to the narrow passageways in the cave.

Waitomo Glowworm Cave

This experience is suitable for guests with reasonable mobility, with well-maintained paths and sturdy handrails throughout. However, it is not accessible for wheelchairs or prams/strollers.

Additional information

Ruakari Cave

Photography and video are permitted in selected areas of the cave.

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

Please display the same at each meeting point along with a valid photo ID.

Meeting points

Ruakuri Cave Guided Tour

Meet your guide at Ruakuri Visitor Centre.

Address: 204 Tumutumu Road, Waitomo Caves 3985, New Zealand.

Get directions to the meeting point

Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

Meet your guide at Waitomo Glowworm Caves.

Address: 39 Waitomo Village Road, Waitomo Caves 3977, New Zealand.

Get directions to the meeting point