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Guided Tours

Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

Family exploring stalactites in Waitomo Glowworm Caves, New Zealand.
Visitors exploring Waitomo Glowworm Caves with a guide holding a flashlight.
Glowworms hanging in Waitomo Caves during a guided tour.
Visitors admiring glowworms in Waitomo Glowworm Caves during guided tour.

Duration

45 min - 7 hr

Open today

09:00am - 05:00pm

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 48 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

4.6/5

(1,428)

Birgitta Schiller

Birgitta

Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
One of the best things I ever done! It's such an amazing experience to go through the cave- and to be guided in a smal group makes it personal and an unforgettable moment in life. The caves are astonoshing beautyful, and of course the highlight are the glowworms. I hope I rate the right tour - I did another one as well- but the eco tour, down to earth is special. Everything is provided, the outfit is incredible and that it is in family business makes me thankfull to have the opportunity to even be invited to this wonder of nature.
Gregor Schmidle

Gregor

Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
The tour is considerably more expensive than the classic "Gloworm Cave Tour" in Waitomo. However, it is worth every penny. The small group size and the experienced tour guide Ash make this couple of hours unforgettable. From logistics, safety, friendlyness, empathy, professinal photos, all adds up to a perfect package. And for those who struggle a bit in dark confined spaces, Ash literally walks and talks you through so that every step is a safe one. Highly recommended!
Denise Gerraty

Denise

Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
managed to change up the tickets to an earlier session on the same day which was great as we were going to travel back to wellington after. really impressed with the tour guide and amazed by the cave system and glow worms. the only thing that would enhance the experience is to be able to touch one of the rocks inside the cave to know what it feels like but fully understand why we can not.

    • Explore the Waitomo Glowworm Caves on a 45-minute guided tour featuring a serene boat ride beneath thousands of glowing worms.

    • Walk through stunning limestone formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and the towering Cathedral chamber.

    • Hear captivating stories and legends from expert guides descended from the Māori chief who first explored the caves.

    • Upgrade to the 1.5-hour Ruakuri accessible cave tour or the full-day Waitomo tour from Auckland with transfers for a longer, richer experience.

  • Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

    • 45-minute guided tour of Waitomo Gloworm Cave

    • English-speaking guide of Maori descent

    • Waitomo River boat ride

    Ruakuri Cave Guided Tour (as per option selected)

    • 1.5-hour guided tour of Ruakuri Cave

    • English-speaking guide of Maori descent

    Offbeat Waitomo Glowworm Cave Small-Group Guided Tour (as per option selected)

    • 3.5-hour guided tour of Waitomo Glowworm Cave

    • Exclusive access to a private cave system on a family farm

    • Expert local guide

    • Small group of up to 8 people

    • Safety equipment & warm clothing

    • Snack & hot drinks

    From Auckland: Waitomo Glowworm Cave Guided Tour (as per option selected)

    • 45-minute guided tour of Waitomo Gloworm Cave

    • Round-trip hotel transfers from Auckland CBD

    • English-speaking guide/driver

    • Waitomo River boat ride

    • Snacks & water

  • You can cancel these tickets up to 48 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

  • 4.6
    1,428 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.

    1K
    291
    76
    30
    25
    Guests from Australia, United States, United Kingdom and over 10 countries have loved this experience

    What our guests say

    Andrew Whitehead

    Andrew

    Jan 2026
    Verified booking
    5/5
    Would thoroughly recommend this tour!!! Right from the moment we pulled into the carpark, till when we left, all the interactions with the staff were super positive!! Our tour guide was great, incredibly informative (and a great sense of humour), and the cave, glowworms and boat trip was spectacular!!!! Was an incredible experience!!!
    Caroline Adelmann

    Caroline

    Jan 2026
    Verified booking
    5/5
    This is not a touristic place, this is the real thing!! It's an incredible adventure. Be prepared for the time of your life !! The crew was also super kind, prepared and professional, in a way we felt completely safe and confident, yet with loads of room for adrenaline, awe and pure joy. Not to be missed !!
    Ichiro Nakane

    Ichiro

    Jan 2026
    Verified booking
    3/5
    The guide's explanations are difficult to hear due to the echoing voices of other tour groups.
    Ajith Babu

    Ajith

    Jan 2026
    Verified booking
    5/5
    Awesome experience, lifetime achievement
    Rochelle Patten

    Rochelle

    Dec 2025
    Verified booking
    3/5
    The alternate tour was amazing and our guide Joseph was awesome. He was great at taking us through the cave and was engaging and fantastic at involving to group. We had issues with our initial booking with Headout however. All our emails and app info showed that our booking was on the 20th Dec 2025, however when we came into the Waitomo Cave for our experience, we were told that our tickets were actually for the 20th Nov 2025. The PDF ticket showed the incorrect dates. We had to pay an additional 239.00 for another tour two hours later which was not what we booked. We were very happy with the tour we went on and the staff at Waitomo were fantastic, but we were really disappointed with our booking system. Both myself and Waitomo have emailed the support team at Headout without response at this time and hope for a quick response to resolve this error and obtain a refund of the tour price we were unable to attend. At this time, we would not be recommending Headout to others due to the major error we experienced. It put a lot of undue stress and anxiety on us along with another financial burden of purchasing extra tour tickets.

  • Sail through an underground wonder on a tranquil boat ride beneath thousands of glowworms on a 45-minute tour of Waitomo Glowworm Cave, guided by an expert guide and surrounded by the cave’s beauty.

    Getting started

    Your ticket includes a 45-minute guided tour of the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Arrive 30-minutes earlier to check in and meet your group before following your guide into the cave.

    What to expect

    • Towering Kahikatea canopy: Kick off your adventure zipping between 100-year-old native trees, surrounded by sweeping views of Waitomo’s limestone hills.

    • Building the thrill: Ease in with shorter, gentler lines before graduating to longer, faster rides, hitting speeds of up to 80 km/h.

    • Stories of the land: Learn Māori legends and local history from guides whose knowledge and passion bring the landscape to life.

    • Show-stopping finale: Conquer the 280m signature zipline, soaring over the Waitomo Caves with panoramic views you’ll never forget.

    • Guided every step: Relax knowing expert guides handle your safety gear, offer tips, and capture the highlights along the way.

    • After the ride: Return to base buzzing with adrenaline, ready to share epic photos and stories from your high-flying Waitomo adventure.

  • Waitomo Caves

    Monday09:00am - 05:00pm
    Tuesday09:00am - 05:00pm
    Wednesday09:00am - 05:00pm
    Thursday09:00am - 05:00pm
    Friday09:00am - 05:00pm
    Saturday09:00am - 05:00pm
    Sunday09:00am - 05:00pm

  • What to bring

    • 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

    • 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

    • 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.

    • Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.
    • Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the starting point.
    • Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.
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