Guided Tours

Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour with Optional Ruakuri Cave Tour

Name: Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour with Optional Ruakuri Cave Tour
Start: 2024-05-09T12:00:00
End: 2024-05-09T13:30:00
Location: Waitomo

waitomo glowworm caves guided tour with optional ruakuri cave tour-2

waitomo glowworm caves guided tour with optional ruakuri cave tour-3

waitomo glowworm caves guided tour with optional ruakuri cave tour-4

waitomo glowworm caves guided tour with optional ruakuri cave tour-5

Instant confirmation
Mobile ticket

Discover a moment of magic under the luminescent light in Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Explore an ancient world hidden away in New Zealand's unique, natural beauty.

Highlights

Enjoy a slow-paced 45-minute tour through 250 meters of the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, exploring the ancient dual-level system.
Witness tiny creatures creating a celestial galaxy in the Glowworm Grotto with their radiant luminescence.
Walk through the upper chamber of the 30-million-year-old cave system, then sail through the lower level encountering glowworms and the Cathedral.
Discover the cave's history, features, and legends with Maori chief descendants, who bring it to life through storytelling.
Care to explore more of this glowing haven? Opt for the 1.5-hour Ruakuri Caves tour, the longest underground walking experience available in this cave system.
Did you know? Glowworms found in New Zealand's Waitomo Caves are a unique species, and cannot be found anywhere else in the world!

Inclusions

Maori descendant expert tour guide
Small group tour
45-minute tour of Waitomo Glowworm Caves (optional)
Boat ride along Waitomo River (optional)
Guided walk inside Waitomo Grotto (optional)
Extended 1.5-hour guided walking tour of Ruakuri Cave (optional)
Exclusive access to deeper and untouched areas of the cave (optional)
Access to Holdens Cavern, the Drum Passage, the Pretties & the Ghost Passage (optional)
Up close views of glowworms, stalagmites & stalactites (optional)
Entry & exit through the grand spiral staircase (optional)

Note: The inclusions may vary depending on the package you select during the next step of your booking.

Cancellation policy

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

Ratings & Reviews

4.5

303 Ratings

5/5

190

4/5

3/5

2/5

1/5

Guests from Australia, United States, Germany and over 22 countries have loved this experience

Heather

5/5

May, 2024

loved the 'other worldiy' feeling. we really appreciated Glen's untiring and persistent efforts to try and get everyone to keep silent.

Ann

5/5

Apr, 2024

Our Waitomo Caves guide was knowledgeable, kind and catering to the group. She even sang in the caves cathedral as it was Anzac Day. She sang a moving song sung to the Māori battalion before leaving our shores. Stephen, our guide for the Kuakuri Cave was awesome. He knew the cave extremely well, his knowledge was excellent enhancing our trip experience. His obvious cave experience was reassuring too. Highly recommend.

Janice

5/5

Apr, 2024

Loved the caves and the guides were amazing. I bought my grandkids and they enjoyed it to. We had joe and he was a great guide. My experience booking with head out was confusing. I paid and it said the tickets would come through in 2 hours but they still hadn't in 2 days.

Lian

5/5

Apr, 2024

Our tour guide was very entertaining, singing in the cathedral chamber, and seeing the glow worms, such a magical experience

Lydene

5/5

Apr, 2024

We had a great informative guide who had a great sense of humour. Can't remember his name though. But he took us for the Ruakuri Tour at 1:30pm on Thurs 18th April. Loved learning about the different natural structures down there and how they were formed. A well structured walkway/path. Loved the glow worms and learning about them and their life cycle too. Highly recommended trip.

Your experience

Explore the Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Join this 45-minute guided tour of one of New Zealand's best natural attractions. See the ancient limestone formations and the tiny glowworms lighting up the caves.

Your guide, a Maori descendant, will narrate legends and stories, enhancing your understanding of the caves' sacredness in Maori culture. Explore a 30-million-year-old landscape, learning about the glowworms' unique biology and their bioluminescence. The tour covers 2 levels of the caves: the dry upper level, showcasing delicate cave formations, and the lower level, featuring stream passages and the majestic Cathedral, the cave's tallest chamber.

Marvel at upper chamber carvings

Before setting sail, explore the upper chamber of the caves by foot. Here, you'll witness limestone formations, carved over millennia into stalactites, stalagmites, and intricate columns. Walking in the upper chamber offers a chance to appreciate the artistic mastery of nature in sculpting these delicate structures.

Sail through the Glowworm Grotto

The tour's highlight is a slow-paced boat ride through the Glowworm Grotto. As you glide along the water, you will see thousands of glowworms shining their blue-green light on the cave ceiling. Experience a magical atmosphere as you witness a galaxy of tiny living lights. These glowworms, known as Archanocampa Luminosa, are unique to New Zealand and make the Waitomo Glowworm Caves a must-see attraction.

Know before you go

What's not allowed

Photography is permitted in designated areas of the Ruakuri Caves. However, in the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, photography is strictly prohibited.

Accessibility

Ruakuri Caves are accessible for wheelchair users, in contrast to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves which are accessible to those with reasonable mobility.

Additional information

It's recommended to wear a warm jacket along with comfortable shoes.

My tickets

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.
Please arrive at the meeting point 30 minutes 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.