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Off the Beaten Track - Glowworm Caving Adventure Tour in Waitomo

star-5155 Reviews
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Te Kuiti, New Zealand
Off the Beaten Track - Glowworm Caving Adventure Tour in Waitomo
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Off the Beaten Track - Glowworm Caving Adventure Tour in Waitomo
Exploring the natural environment
Relaxing under the glow worms
Bring a phone or pocket-sized camera
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From $103.42

Lowest Price Guarantee

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Number of travelers
1 Adult2 Adults3 Adults4 Adults5 Adults6 Adults7 Adults8 Adults
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
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Safety measures
icon3 hours  (approx.)
Mobile ticket
iconOffered in: English

Overview

Experience one of the wonders of New Zealand’s natural world on this glowworm caving adventure in Waitomo. Choose a morning or afternoon tour, then pull on your boots and helmet before heading through the pretty Mangapu Gorge to the Mangarongapu Cave with a guide. With your headlamp to light the way, hike around huge boulders and through shallow streams, and marvel at the millions of bright green glowworms illuminating the rocky limestone. Enjoy personal attention from your guide on this small-group tour, limited to six people.
  • Informative, friendly and professional guide
  • All necessary equipment included
  • Soak up the atmosphere on a walking tour
  • Small group ensures personal service
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From $103.42

Lowest Price Guarantee
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See the caves just as nature intended. All caving equipment and warm clothing including: thermal top, thermal pants, fleece top, shorts, gumboots, socks, helmet and headlamp. A local guide with a deep connection to the caves and a wealth of information to share. Tea, coffee, and a snack. An email with awesome photos of your adventure. Proper Kiwi hospitality!
We can not pick up or drop off. There is no public transport so you will need to have your own transport to 1199 Oparure Road.
1199 Oparure Road , 1199 Oparure Road, Te Kuiti 3985, New Zealand
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1199 Oparure Road, follow the signs.

This activity will end right where it started.
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Minimum of 2 people per tour.
  • Maximum of 8 people per tour.
  • Minimum age is 12 years.
  • Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
  • This tour is not suitable for elderly people or anyone with mobility difficulties as it involves climbing over boulders, walking up hills and wading through streams with rocks underfoot.
  • A reasonable level of fitness is required.
  • Tours may be cancelled in case of flooding. In the unlikely event that your tour is cancelled, you'll receive a full refund.
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
  • OPERATED BY Glowing Adventures
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Off the Beaten Track - Glowworm Caving Adventure Tour in Waitomo?
A:The policies on sanitization are:

  • Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
  • Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
  • Gear/equipment sanitized between use
See all safety measures taken by Off the Beaten Track - Glowworm Caving Adventure Tour in Waitomo.
Q:
What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Off the Beaten Track - Glowworm Caving Adventure Tour in Waitomo?
A:The policies on staff health & safety are:

  • Guides required to regularly wash hands
  • Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
See all safety measures taken by Off the Beaten Track - Glowworm Caving Adventure Tour in Waitomo.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

  • "To see and understand all about glow worms in their natural habitat and to combine it with a true caving experience, rather than just seeing them from a boat or raft, can not be underestimated." See review

Reviews

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star-5
155 Reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers

Showing 1-10 of 155 reviews
star-5
Awesome experience
Tina_W
, Jul 2021
Had an amazing guide who made us feel comfortable. Was extremely lucky as we were the only two on the tour which made it special Had an amazing time and would definitely do it again
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star-5
Amazing experience.
Julian_A
, Feb 2020
Amazing, brilliant, exciting, personal attention. Not enough superlatives to describe this wonderful experience. Best day of the holiday by far. To see and understand all about glow worms in their natural habitat and to combine it with a true caving experience, rather than just seeing them from a boat or raft, can not be underestimated.
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icon Response from Host , Mar 2020
Thanks Julian, we’re so glad you enjoyed your up close encounter with our special glow worms. We have been careful not to modify our caves with electric lights or anything else that would disturb them. It keeps it really authentic for our guests too. We hope you enjoyed your email with the complimentary personal photos of your experience :-)
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star-5
Glowing beauty
Mike
, Feb 2020
Beautiful uncrowned cave tour and knowledgeable guide. Out of this world glowworms and professional photo courtesy of the guide. Thanks!
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star-5
Glow worm phenomenon
bk9572
, Feb 2020
The best experience ever! The climax of our trip to NZ! We’ve hiked quite a few places, but this was next level! I highly recommend and I would do it again when I come back to Visit! You get up close to the glow worms and the guide takes phenomenal photos of you in the cave!
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star-5
Unforgettable experience!
brainybrunettebarbie
, Feb 2020
Not your average tour...way better! The guide (Ash) was so knowledgeable and funny! It ended up being just my boyfriend and I on the tour and we got to see the caves for almost 3 hours! An absolutely unforgettable experience.
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star-5
Great tour, amazing glowworm cave visit--with photos
PuiChi_I
, Jan 2020
The caves are under the ground of a private owned farm. Heath guided us and told us about the environment and the stories. It was a small group private tour. We were provided with all necessary clothes and gears. The clothes were clean. The view of the places that we visited was fantastic. The glowworm cave that Heath took us to see had lots of glowworm, more than another tour that we also joined. The tour was fun. We walked into the water, hiked, climbed and crawled. It was fun but not physically challenged. My whole family enjoyed it very much. And the great bonus is that this tour allowed us to bring phone or pocket-size camera. We took some beautiful photos. The glowworm cave was too dark to take photo, but Health brought his mini-tripod for his phone, and he took a great picture for us, just under the glowworm! I highly recommend this tour!
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star-5
Fun memories exploring a cave in search of glowworms!
Seija_S
, May 2019
My husband and I greatly enjoyed this tour! Our tour guide Heath was funny, knowledgeable about the cave system and ecology, and was supportive and encouraging during the tour. We appreciated the "genuine" caving experience, squeezing past rocks and climbing over boulders! We made our way to a huge cavern and turned off our headlamps, surrounded by the twinkling blue/green lights of glowworms. Definitely recommend this tour to others!
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star-5
So worth it
Go812671
, Apr 2019
This was an amazing adventure with a guide who is well versed in their cave system. From the minute you step into the office, until you leave you are treated like family. We were the last group on our day and they didnt rush us out; instead sat with us while we ate or well earned cookies. Be ready for a true cave experience. No ropes off paths on this tour but SO WORTH IT!!!
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star-5
This tour turned out to be way more...
Janice K
, Feb 2018
This tour turned out to be way more than we expected - but in a great way. Kingey took us down into the caves and into areas that we would have never ventured without his excellent guidance. It was a true adventure and we loved every minute of it. The glow worms were beautiful to see.
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star-5
Loved this experience! I would...
Chantal T
, Jan 2018
Loved this experience! I would recommend this company to everyone. It's a family run operation on private land. The small group was perfect. We moved faster than some people in our group but our guide took care of both parties. Our tour guide was informative and funny and even took pictures of us and sent them to us afterwards. So thoughtful! They give you everything you need helmet with headlamp, clothes to keep warm in even though you can look quite silly, appropriate footwear for wading through water, a place to rinse off afterwards, and coffee/tea and cookies upon return. I read reviews of other people not thinking the glow worm experience was worth it because they weren't that bright, but that was definitely not the case here. It was amazing to sit in complete darkness with tiny bright lights everywhere.
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