Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour
Overview
Available languages
45 minutes
Mobile ticket
Be amazed by the thousands of magical glowworms above on this 45-minute group guided tour, as you glide silently by boat in the world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Many of the current guides are descendants of the Maori chief who originally explored the cave and can share with you the remarkable history of the area. Guided since the late 1880s, this is the original, iconic New Zealand attraction.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Bring comfortable waking shoes and a warm jacket
You must check in 30 minutes before the tour departs .
Due to high demand and limited capacity, if you are late or miss your scheduled tour time your ticket(s) are forfeited and non refundable. New bookings will incur the full tour cost and are subject to availability
No photography allowed
Not suitable for those who have difficulty navigating stairs
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Local guide
GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
What To Expect
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Discover your moment of magic in the Waitomo Glowworm Caves tour. Known as one of New Zealand’s best natural attractions, take a boat ride through the glow worm grotto, marvel at thousands of magical glowworms and become part of over 130 years of cultural and natural history.World renowned and a magnet for both local and overseas visitors, the Waitomo Glowworm Caves occupy a high placing in the New Zealand vacation wish-list. The glow worm, Arachnocampa luminosa, is unique to New Zealand. Thousands of these tiny creatures radiate their unmistakable luminescent light as the expert guides provide informative commentary on their historical and geological significance to the region. Waitomo Glowworm Caves are a must see for any traveler. Enjoy the world famous boat ride under thousands of magical glowworms and become a part of over 125 years of cultural and natural history. Walk through the majestic Cathedral Cave famous for its spectacular formations and acoustics. Marvel at Mother Nature's light display as you glide silently through the starry wonderland of the Glowworm Grotto. Meander underground along the Waitomo River and gaze in silence at the myriad of glow worm lights that make up the Glowworm Grotto. As you enter this galaxy of tiny living lights, you'll immediately experience a serene ambience and be fascinated and intrigued by tiny glowworms that light your way.
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Waitomo Glowworm Cave
Waitomo Glowworm Cave Tour: Be amazed by thousands of magical glowworms above, as you glide silently by boat in the world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves.
Reviews
968 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Lovely experience 🙌🏾
Joana T,
Dec 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Great tour to do with family. Enjoyed learning all about the cave formations and life cycle of the glow worms. Corey is an awesome tour guide Corey 🤩, would highly recommend 🙌🏾☺️
Less than 10 minutes boat ride. Save your money!
ctspam123,
Dec 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
1.00The majority of the tour is spent on the history of the cave. The guide even asked us to sing a Christmas carol in the cave to further delay the boat experience. The time in the boat is less than 10 minutes. The guide pulls the boat forward and backwards along a string to make it appear you’re moving but you’re actually looking at the same spot. Yes you do see glow worms. Pictures are not allowed until the very end when the boat is partially out of the cave. Of course you can purchase the photo they took in front of a green screen before the tour. Save your money. There are plenty of places you can see glow worms for free for the same effect. This was both time and money wasted.
A sense of the sacred
alspan,
Dec 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00George, the guide my group was lucky enough to get, undeniably loves this cave and the community that the proceeds fund. There is an unmissable moment when you are invited to sing in the dark that was as beautiful in a human way as the glowworm lake is in a natural way. Be sure to look at their reflections in the water of the lake too!
Glow worms
Richard B,
Dec 2, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the glow worms and the history behind the discovery. Informative tour.
Very entertaining and...
Malabika B,
Dec 1, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00Very entertaining and informative guide. Wonderful experience visiting the caves, going on the boat trip and viewing the glowworms.
Worth the money
Pam B,
Nov 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very neat experience. Our guide Taylor was amazing. Going inside the cave by boat was a fun way to see the glow worms. Worth the money
Beautiful!
matthewmA1512QN,
Nov 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Awesome time! Really nice centre, good facilities and parking, with a breezily efficient team. We had Ocean tour us through and he was fantastic! Weaved in humour, history, and Maori culture seemlessly which made a really nice time. If anything, I'd go for longer next time.
Well organized fantastic tour
Henk D,
Nov 29, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00It was a very special experience. We enjoyed it very much. Our guide was funny and informative. Thanks!
Bandya Mama - Fantastic experience, great activity to do with the whole family.
bandyamama,
Nov 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We did the combination of the walking tour and boat tour and I’d definitely suggest doing the walking tour at least, as it allows for photos. Our tour guide Jetta was fantastic - her knowledge of the history of the caves was so interesting. There are tons of experiences you can take advantage of at the caves and I think it’s definitely worth the trip! I recently had the opportunity to visit the Waitomo Glowworm Caves with a tour group, and I wanted to share my experience. While it may be a bit of a journey from downtown Auckland, the adventure truly felt worthwhile.
Fake marketing
Eva S,
Nov 27, 2025
- Review from Viator
2.00It was a globally nice experience but honestly we would never have paid that much money if we had known that it’s just a huge tourist catch. They advertise amazing pictures but the reality is totally different… The free caves in New Zealand are equally as good, and you can visit them by yourself without paying so much for a natural phenomenon
From NZ$81.00
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Operated by THL - Waitomo Caves Group