We did this cave as a combo with Waitomo cave. Waitomo is really focused on the glowworms and this cave (while it has some glowworms as well) its highlights are the many rock formations. The ribbon or sheet formations were stunning. The white rock is so beautiful. The cave is fully accessible with no steps. The beginning walk down to the cave door reminds me of being in the sci film, The Silo. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the cave and the area. They encourage photos so we took a few. I really enjoyed this tour. read more

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Came here with the grandparents and the kids and everyone loved it. Our guide, Jetta, was excellent - she was knowledgable about the history of the place, some of the science behind the worms, and managed the tour from start to finish really well. The caves themselves are really impressive - with the Ruakuri cave you get both the glowworms (including fairly up close) and the stalactite and stalagmite formations on an accessible walking tour. Yes, it is also accessible with a wheelchair and it's great that it was a priority for the owners to make it that way. Definitely book in advance so that you know you have a spot. Also, to clarify this is actually a separate cave to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves where you take a boat - so if you are torn on which one to do you can do both without a lot of overlap. read more

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Another activity on our New Zealand trip that was so much fun. Walking in the dark cave and seeing the glow worms and other natural wonders was such a great experience. Our guide was also amazing and patient with the whole group. Would definitely recommend this as a stop on any New Zealand adventure. read more

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Alright everyone - if you're even thinking about going to Waitomo Glowworm Caves, you should ensure you're tacking on the Ruakuri Cave Tour as well. In fact, I might even recommend you skip Waitomo altogether and just check out Ruakuri. But seriously... We got a package deal for Waitomo and Ruakuri for $91 total. The visit to Waitomo was very... eh. But Ruakuri on the other hand... Ruakuri is a two-hour walking tour and it just so happens to be New Zealand's longest underground walking tour! Rob from The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. was our tour guide and he was awesome. Casual yet informative. Another thing I loved was he encouraged us to take photos and my friend who had a tripod and DSLR was allowed to stay behind for a little while to try to capture the perfect shot with a long exposure and little people - pretty cool. Unlike Waitomo, you can actually take photos at Ruakuri. The tour was the perfect length and the cave system was one of the best I've ever been in. Everything was pristine, alive, and beautiful. I saw some formations at Ruakuri that I haven't seen elsewhere in the world. This is an under-appreciated gem that needs to be put your list. If you visit Waitomo without checking out Ruakuri, you should be disappointed!!! I highly, highly recommend the mysterious yet enchanting Ruakrui Cave! read more

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We had an excellent tour of the Ruakuri Cave. Our guide was friendly and very knowledgeable. The walkways are well made and maintained. We saw many different types of rock formations as well as glowworms. At one point the guide turned out the lights and had us walk for a short period of time in the dark - very interesting experience! read more

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