The glow worms were spectacular and stunning. This was one of my top things I wanted to do during my time in New Zealand, especially after seeing beautiful photos online while I was planning my itinerary. However, I would be hesitant to recommend visiting here. The explanation behind the poor rating was because of the duration of the tour that you are actually in the cave system. The tour group I was in was too large for the guide to manage and felt super impersonal, which ultimately ruined it. Overall, it seemed like a tourist trap capitalizing on a natural attraction. We spent roughly 5-7 minutes under the glow worms in the boat, and photography was not allowed (understandable). If you are heading through Waitomo, stop by and check it out if you have the money. But I would not recommend driving 3hrs one way from Aukland to solely see the glow worms, like I did. read more

It was my 2nd time seeing the glow worm cave. It costs $51 NZD and is around 2.5 hours drive from Auckland. Upon arrival, there are plenty of parking spots. You get brought into a cave for a bunch of introduction and history behind the whole cave. The tour guide was able to crack a few funny jokes which made the crowd laugh. In the cave, you're not allowed to take photos which sucks. After 30 minutes of history and chit chat, you get to go load onto a boat in which you experience around 15 minutes of going through the ( smaller than I remembered ) cave. I was able to see a few bunch of glow worms but was expecting more. You eventually get led out of the cave on the boat where you load off and end the tour. The second time, it didn't feel as appealing. I wanted to average my 5 star on my first visit and my 3-star rating on my 2nd visit for an average of 4 stars. Recommended for those who haven't been. The second time around, it's just the same stuff, different day. read more

In A Nutshell: -The Waitomo Glowworm Caves is definitely worth a visit if you are on the North Island of New Zealand. -The drive from Auckland is about 2 1/2 hours and very pleasant. -Once you arrive, the parking lot is small, but I had no issues finding a spot. -The main cave is the Waitomo Glowworm Cave, Waitomo translates to "water" & "sinkhole" in the Maori language. -This cave, along w/ the majority of the support staff (i.e. kitchen, guides, etc...) are actual family members of the Maori cave. -As you enter the cave, you will see many stalactites (ceiling formations) & stalagmites (floor formations). -You eventually get on a boat and will see hundreds, if not thousands of glowworms hanging from the ceiling. -Glowworms only live in caves, they have a short life cycle. -The first 9 months is as a larvae, where they emit a light due to chemical reaction. -They use a long sticky thread to trap flying insects and reel them up to eat once caught. -They are only adults for a few days, where they have no mouth or stomach so they can only mate in short period of time then die. Overall, this was a very educational experience not only about glowworms, but the Maori people. They can sing very well, especially in the caves! read more

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Generally, I like it The stalagtite and stalagmite, and everything. Wasnt something that special. Pretty small cave. About the glowing worms. I was a bit disgusted by it. Until we rode the boat... It looks like we were gazing at the stars. A bit hazy feeling, and lost in a moment. Beautiful... But it was shorter than i thought. I thought we were gonna see more of the glowing worms, but it was only at 1 big area befire the exit. A bit too expensive for such a short exp. But worth a try read more

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Worth seeing? Yes, if you're close to it. Must see? No. I decided to visit the caves while in New Zealand because it's on just about every flyer and advertisement you come across. It's quite a long journey from Auckland, around 3 hours one way! Tickets are a little on the expensive side too, $50, and the tour only runs about an hour. When you get there you check in and go on a guided tour of the cave. The cave was pretty basic, if you can imagine a cave. After the cave tour, you go on a short 5 minute boat ride to see the glow worms. Although it's cool, I wouldn't say it was amazing. Just imagine a bunch of Christmas lights in a dark room. That's about it and then it's over. I wouldn't recommend the cave if you're in a time crunch and want to see other things in the country. 3 out of 5 stars for me! read more

Waitomo Glowworm Caves - Waitomo Cave welcome signs! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Waitomo, WKO

I was really excited for this tour, probably more than anything I planned to see on the North Island. But what a let down. The caves themselves are absolutely magical - 5 stars. There's something truly enchanting about the soft calming blue glow emanating from the worms. But you really can't enjoy it on this tour. You sign up and pay at the window. They assign you a tour time and tell you to show up 10-15 minutes early. It would be awesome if you could go in groups of two and enjoy the caves with the company of your significant other, but that's not an option. They're trying to make as much money as possible so they send through as many people as possible at a time. They somehow cram about 20 people in a tiny tin boat. The tour guide lays down the ground rules first - no pictures whatsoever, no talking so you don't startle the worms, stay inside the boat at all times, the usual... The pictures wouldn't come out anyway since it's so dark, but they won't even let you whisper to your partner, plus knocking elbows with strangers takes the enchantment away real fast. The tour guide said a couple things about the caves as we approached the darkness but we couldn't ask questions since NO TALKING! The worst part was how short it was, I was expecting a 30-45 minute ride through the caves but I swear we went in one end and out the other into daylight in under 20 minutes. I can check it off the bucket list but man, hugely overpriced for this tour of Nazi New Zealand. read more

Definitely worth the day trip to check out these worms. They illuminate the ceiling like stars in the sky as you move through the cave. The history is interesting as well, including every worker there being related to one of the founders of the cave. I will note that you are not able to use your camera until the final push to the exit of the cave. This is to no disturb the glowworms in addition to helping preserve the limestone. read more

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This was a very cool sight, and it was very interesting to hear about the worms. After the ride/drive through a pretty region of rolling hills to reach Waitomo, you join a group tour to access the small, but interesting, cave via a short walk on a paved, covered path between hill and forest. Do not expect an extensive cave tour! The tour inside is primarily focused on giving guests an introduction to Waitomo and the glowworms and then getting the guests to the boats to really see the worms. The friendly, lively guides are full of information. The silent boat trip was very cool -- in the pitch dark, the worms were like stars in the sky, and it was peaceful floating mostly silently beneath them. (One note: My wife felt a bit disoriented in the boat, between the dark, the glowing points of light, and the spinning around as the boat moved through the cave. 'Just something to be aware of.) I enjoyed the experience, but I think I expected more after the hype I'd heard for years. In particular, more cave time and/or a longer boat trip --. I'm very glad to have had the opportunity to visit here though, and I would recommend it. One additional thought: For most of the world, the glowworms here are a unique sight; however, in New Zealand there seem to be at least a few locations where you can see them. This added entertainment as the staff at Waitomo took great pride in praising their own better-known location over the others. read more

This was on my bucket list and I'm so glad I got to check it off!!! Before going, I saw pictures and thought to myself that there was no way that the worms could look like that. But when I got there I was in awe! To start, they take everyone to get wet suit and water shoes. This is because the tour I did we'd be getting to go in the water. You're also given a helmet with a light so that you can see where you are gojng in the cave. Next, everyone gets in a car and get driven out to the water. Everyone then needs to pick a water tube that fits them. The guides will then take you to a small river to show you the proper way to jump with your tube in to the water. This was really important for this tour. We all practiced and then everyone got their tubes and we headed down a little trail and in to a cave. We stopped at a big part in the cave and took a group picture. Next, we finally got to use our tube. Everyone laid in their tube as the instructor pulled us down the river. And in a few minutes, we saw the worms!!! But we were told that the glowing substance was actually from their poop lol As more started to appear as we headed more down the river, everyone turned their head lights off and it looked like a bunch of turquoise stars! With in the ride, we hadd have to stop and one-by-one we jumped with our tube in to the water. When they asked for vollunteers to go first, I was the only one who wanted to go lol I did it with out a problem. And we pretty much did this the whole tour which ended up being a couple of hours. After the tour, they fed us with toast and soup which was perfect after freezing our buns off in the water lol read more

Whoa!!! This place was awesome and well worth the two hour drive out from the city. We found this tour that was included with the hobbiton tour. The tour inside the cave was very informative. If you are claustrophobic or scared of the dark/have trouble seeing in the dark I suggest not going on this tour. No photos or video allowed of the glowworms since light disrupts them. Hopefully I can make my way back to this area for some black water rafting! read more

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The glow worms are incredible: eerie, strange, beautiful... My only regret is not booking the tubing tour.

This was a neat experience! We did this on the day we drove from Lake Taupo up to Cape Reinga (don't do this...literally took a few days to get rested) and it was the nice break we needed. We went only a few months after the caves were flooded, so the glow worms supposedly weren't as abundant as usual but had they not told us this we would of never known. It's amazing how bright it got in the main cave! Sadly no photography inside, so leave your cameras at the door! read more

Very very very disappointed. A group of us drove 2.5 hours from Auckland to get to the caves only to be told by the cashier we cannot go in because of the cave conditions (temperature / people / co2 etc). The cashier told us this does happen often. Nothing wrong with wanting to preserve the cave. The sad thing about this was that I was on the waitomo caves website only 2 hours ago and there was no mention (if it was it was well hidden) of the site temporarily closing because of conditions. This is a blind spot on behalf of Waitomo management and at the very least a daily / hourly update on cave conditions / opening. If we knew this would have been the case, we would have rescheduled and not waste our day. They lost out on hundreds of dollars on entry fees, we will not be returning. read more

Really was looking forward to this excursion, but ended up being a HUGE disappointment. Glowworms are nothing like the pictures you see floating around the Internet, plus, you can't take ANY pictures inside. Had we known this was a tourist trap, we would not have gone. read more

Sometimes you have to chose between beauty & brains but the glow worm caves are loaded with both! The tour takes less than an hour but I learned a lot in a gorgeous setting. Zero stars for the rude people who couldn't keep their mouths shut and ruined it for everyone else over and over but I can't blame the tour for that. I would do it again in a heartbeat (with a quieter group)!!! A few things to know: -You can't take photos, which for most of us is a huge negative, but in this case I can understand why. -It's damp and you may get wet, especially your booty when you get on the boat. -Be quiet! Sound carries in the caves and chatty people can really ruin the ambiance of the cruise as well. -Ask the price before you take the "souvenir photo" to the register. I played $35 for a green screen pic with the caves superimposed behind me. -No food or drink either and it was a bit of a drive for us so make sure to have something on the way... Otherwise just relax and enjoy the tour :) read more

Spectacular, a sight to be seen, never to be missed! The Waitomo Caves have such history and beauty, the best part is the boat ride in darkness and silence. It is the illumination of the glow worms that guide your eyes as if you are staring up into the night sky. Enjoy the 15 minute video prior to your tour. The tours are available every 30 minutes and lasts up to 45 minutes. The tour includes a walk down into the caves with a guided tour, then you board a boat that the tour guide maneuvers with a rope system that merely pulls the boat quietly into the short directions and is done ever so lightly. Be sure to look up and even down into the water to see the reflection of the luminescent glow worms. No photography allowed inside the caves so as to not disturb the precious environment. I purchased the special edition book that celebrates the 125 years of the cave being discovered, in it there are photos of the glow worms. There is an opportunity to take photos in the beginning with a computer generated background that includes the glow worms, but I opted out because it wasn't realistic in my opinion. I enjoyed the kiwi hamburger which came with fries, very tasty! So if you are in New Zealand, make sure you stop at the Waitomo Caves and be prepared for an eye opening experience! read more

It was a waste of money! It looks nothing like online !!! That's why they don't allow filming and photos inside

This place is equal parts amazing and frustrating. The cave itself was beautiful. The worms? AMAZING. It was so much better than we expected. The worms are entirely worth seeing. However, they run too many tours. At one point there were five tours all around the same area. It was hard to hear our guide and we spent most of the 45 minute tour waiting for other tours to move. I appreciate they want to get a lot of people through, but this was a little much. Still worth seeing! read more

A must see while in New Zealand. This is a natural wonder- I was speechless the entire time. Tour guide was excellent.

Great to see HOWEVER! Great to see the glow worms, however the time spend in the caves is very short compared to the cave and talk beforehand! Our guide was great however we had to walk around the cave and listen to the blurb for a long time before actually going on the boat! We came to see the glowworms not really the rest! Gave the next cave tour a miss as we really could not face another 2 hours of spot the elephant face or whatever!!. Other problem was the parking, we had two camper vans and we had to go up a very steep hill to get out and we tried 5 times to get up but cars were whizzing down in both lanes, although they had staff at the top the were doing nothing, it needs a one way system! read more

Yep, worth it! Explored the caves on the 45 minute tour the first day of Winter this year. Our host, the friendly tour guide leading our group of about 20, gave out some good information, including the life cycle and nature of glow worms. and she has been in the job for around 10 years. We were lead on the the tour partly on foot, then by boat; this latter part of the tour we were asked to be in slence, which I appreciated as it allowed the whole atmosphere to become more fitting. After our return home I was searching for some further information on the net about this region of New Zealand and I came across a site that said the local Maori use to bury their dead in these caves a long time ago, whether this warrants any truth I am not sure, but it was a tad disconcerting, and would have liked to know this before the tour if it is true. read more

Driving to the Waitomo is a haul, but it is so worth it. I'm a huge nature buff. I melt when I see things so beautiful and magical, and the Glowworm caves did just that. I don't want to give away spoilers, but I'm very happy that I went on this tour. As your walking through it, just be sure to try and take it all in, be present, because it's not a very long tour. Goes by fast and I was left wanting more. read more

Worth the drive. I've been in a few caves in my life but never seen anything like this. The cave is smaller than I expected. The tour guides are knowledgeable and funny. read more

One of the adventures I was most excited about while visiting New Zealand was going to the Waitomo Glow Worm caves. We only did the specific glow worm cave, not the additional 2. I can get slightly clausterphobic, so I thought doing one cave would keep my stress levels at a minimum :) The limestone caves were great! But, then we got into the boat. And the glow worms were...everywhere. This made the trip. It was so beautiful. our guide was fantastic - she took her time taking us through the limestone caverns, giving us great explainations and stories, and also took her time guiding our boat through the water to see the glow worms. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. If you are going as a visitor - be prepared to not take pictures. You can take them at the very end, but not around the glowworms. (I've been told you can in the other 2 caves) read more

To start, I want to clarify that we went for the cheapest package: just a 45 minute tour of one glowworm cave for ~$50. We also went in late February which, being summer in New Zealand, may be the height of the tourist season and likely contributed to the crowds. That being said, I would not have opted to experience glowworms through this underwhelming and heavily commercialized venue, in retrospect. I came for an immersive engagement with nature, and my stomach sank as soon as they shuffled us in front of a photographer and forced us to pose with a plush cartoon glowworm. I had read about glowworm caves long before I came to New Zealand and it was one of the primary things I wanted to experience while there. For the advertised 45 minute tour, they led us on foot in large groups of ~50 people into a cave. Other groups were directly ahead of and behind us as we shuffled along trying not to bump into each other in the close quarters. This, in combination with the screaming infants and children present, made it difficult to impossible to hear our guide in the echoing chamber. What we did manage to hear, however, was predominately a feeble attempt at humor, or random bits of trivia designed to flush out the tour. Our guide highlighted various shapes among the stalactites, for example, which he said bore a resemblance to animals or celebrities. He also sang a traditional hymn to demonstrate the acoustics of the cavern, which might have been interesting had we not already heard preceding groups make the same demonstration, and had it not been eclipsed by the incessant peals of screaming children. Walking at a very slow pace, we eventually arrived at a platform where we were directed to look over the rail at the webs created by the glowworms. The angle was awkward and all that we could see were some sticky threads hanging down from a low ceiling beneath us. We then started walking back in the direction we had come, and I was beginning to fear this was the extent of the tour. Fortunately, as we neared the entrance they led us in another direction, and we decended down a staircase to the boats. There was a long delay here as our guide apparently attempted to put all of the infants and children on one boat, but ultimately had to ask the mother of one particularly unhappy infant to leave the way she'd come in. Had this been done earlier, it would have spared many a shattered nerve and eardrum, considerably. At last we were loaded into a boat and drifted into a dark cavern where the main event was finally revealed. This part of the tour met with expectations, and my mood was just beginning to lift as the boat was navigated back out of the cavern and we were directed to disembark. The main event that we had paid to see was restricted to a single small cave which we drifted in and out of in under five minutes. After the torment of being crushed into an echo chamber for nearly an hour with shrill, disinterested youngsters and a young guide groping awkwardly for anything to entertain us with, a brief sip of splendor was not enough to restore the high spirits I'd arrived in. They then channeled us out through a large cafe and gift shop which would be right at home in the mall, further emphasizing that the whole affair was fundamentally a commercial enterprise. Had I the chance to do it over, I would have researched the options more thoroughly, as I understand there are much less exploitative, self-guided alternatives. Still, this experience would have been significantly improved had they instituted an age limit and separated the crowds into significantly smaller groups. Children under the age of ten are unlikely to appreciate the tour, and the excessive amount of money that has been poured into this venue could easily have accommodated a small day-care. It could only have been saved, however, if they had spent more time on the glowworms and charged a more reasonable fee for the proportion allotted to the primary attraction. read more

This is a great experience if you don't want to do too much, but still see the glow worms. You purchase your tickets and they offer tours every 20 minutes. You are given a guided tour of the caves to learn about the history of the caves and worms. Then you are taken to a boat ride under the ceiling full of glow worms. It's like looking under the stars, but in reality you're looking at worms and their spit. lol If you're looking for a more interactive way to see the worms, I would recommend the Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. They offer packages which include the Waitomo Gloworm Cave tour. read more

Waitomo Gloworm Caves are the highly recommended caves but personally I preferred the Rurukari Caves more. Gloworm caves is the short tour (30 minutes) with last 5 minute boat ride being the most exciting. Photography is prohibited but the professional pictures posted should give you a good idea of the place. read more

Cool to check out and experience. Amazing how its still preserved and Mother Nature still owned. Tour lasts about 45 minutes and includes a non motor powered boat rides. Will set you back about $48USD which is kind of expensive but then again you're in New Zealand and everything is expensive. If you're scared of the dark this tour isn't for you, but who is still scared of the dark? read more

The glowworms are very interesting, one of those 'gee whiz' kinda moments, but it only lasts a moment. The core of the tour is getting on a boat to float thru the cave to see the bulk of the glowworms; this boat ride lasts about 5 minutes, and then you're done. So while it's cool and interesting, it is way way way too short to be considered any kind of decent value. Wish I could give it a better review, but I just can't... read more

No pics or video allowed, but the tour was informative and our tour guide sang for us (Amazing Grace in Maori)! Because our group was too shy to sing with the amazing acoustics in the cave. What an amazing experience to see these glowworms. Definitely worth the visit. read more

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Very unique experience! It's pretty amazing to see these little glowworms light up a pitch dark space. If you decide to do an excursion, I would totally recommend going with The Legendary Black Water Rafting Company - Black Labyrinth tour (the easiest/beginner level of the three tours offered). The entire excursion only takes about 3 hours which involves trekking through the caves, tubing, and little jumps down little waterfalls. Great for the family, but if you have an injury or someone with limited mobility, I would not recommend this tour. The water is also quite cold, but with all the adrenaline pumping through your veins, it'll be just fine! If you don't have time to do an excursion, you can always just buy tickets to tour the cave by foot - you stay dry this way :) Totally recommend it if you're in the area! read more

While in New Zealand, we had to see the Glowworms, and opted for the tour at this particular location. We ended up being the last tour group and the people that were supposed to be in the next group joined us since there was room. This turned out to be a nuisance since they were quite rowdy. =( Nevertheless, this was one beautiful place. The caves were gorgeous both when lit and you can see its grandeur, and unlit as you see all the glowworms chilling. Our guide was great, informative, and a complete master in navigating the boat using the ropes. Those ropes were a great idea! It is disappointing to not be able to take pictures while inside the cave, but in a way it allowed us to be fully focused on the nature around us. Definitely see the glowworms in any fashion you desire while in New Zealand. read more

I was able to take a day excursion to explore New Zealand from my busy work schedule. I took a bus tour which brought me to Waitomo Caves and Hobbiton. The caves, especially the boat ride, was magnificent. Uncle Jarvis was our tour guide. He was spectacular! I have never felt true quiet and peace until we were on the boat looking up at the beautiful glow of the glowworms. Magical place indeed! read more

We chose just to visit the cave on the "simple" tour. But we should have chosen another tour like rafting for example, because we were really disappointed. The guide was nice, but the tour was really quick. The first part, you discover the cave, so nothing really impressive. And at the end, you take a boat in the dark to see the glowworms. That part was amazing of course, because we were there to see that. So the place is really nice, but admission fee is just excessive!!! read more

The glow worms are cool and this cave is making a fortune running people through. Face it, without the worms they wouldn't have much. My buddy said the adventurous tour is pretty cool but you have to sign up and pay in advance. We ended up taking the cheap way out and getting a ride on the boat which was enough for us to say we've been there and done that for about a third of the price. I would still recommend it if you're looking for something unique to do. Afterward have a beer at Curly's and play a game of pool on the infamous small pool table with small balls that we saw throughout the country. So fascinating that all the balls in the country are small even the striped ones, haha! read more

You're paying $50 a head to look at insects with a crowd of Asian tourists. No, you can't take photos. Suck it up and do it for the kids' sake, at least. read more

Pros: Incredible tour, lasts about 40minutes to 1hour. They teach you about the history and science of the caves. The glow worms are like no sight I've ever seen before. It really was a wonderous experience. They don't allow photography at all. At first I was bummed because I wanted to get pictures, but then realized the whole thing would be dominated with people using flashes. Without photography, we can all focus on the moment and enjoy the incredible experience. Worth every penny. Cons: Offer a 'no kids allowed' tour? Can't wait to go back! read more

Today we drove about an hour from Hamilton to get to the Waitomo Glow Worm caves. We had been told, and read, that they are the best place to see glow worms in NZ. We did visit some caves in Te Anau, but this cave was quite different in some ways. The Waitomo caves are much better "developed" ..... with tile floors in the cave, better lighting when walking through the caves, and more glow worms. On the other hand, the Te Anau caves felt more authentic in some ways, and the boat ride through the caves was longer. The only way to get to the cave entrance in Te Anau was by boat, so that limited tourism. In Waitomo you were able to drive to the caves. It is very important while in the caves.....and especially when on the boat in the caves where most of the glow worms are..... to be VERY quiet. The glow worms will "turn off" their luminescence if they hear loud noises, so everyone is told not to talk and to be silent. This leads to my "gripe of the day". Unfortunately, there is no minimum age for going through the caves, and there is no way to ensure that a baby will be quiet at any given moment. On today's tour was a very vocal 6-8 month old baby. Even before we went into the caves this child was non-stop loud. It seems to me that a considerate person would have not gone on the tour with the baby...... and just let the spouse go with their older child while they stayed behind. It seems very narcissistic to me to decide that her desire to see the caves was more important than the enjoyment of the 25 other people who paid for that experience. I understand the challenge of having a baby/small child, but when there is a choice/opportunity to be considerate of others, I think that is the choice that should be made. Fortunately for us, the group ended up being divided for the boat portion of the tour, and we were on a different boat than the vocal baby. However, I personally feel that no one under 3 should be allowed on the tour. read more

This is a very touristy tour and barely 40 minutes but heck, it is a cool sight to behold. I loved the guide singing in the cathedral. It gave me goosebumps. The glow worms (actually maggots!) are very cool to see. Just be aware the boat ride is actually about 100 meters or so with 40 or so of your best friends squeezed in small boat with you. Even had guide ask for my friend's 11 yr old to sit on her lap. Not cheap but a cool NZ bucket list item. read more

The tour and the glow worms are super cool! Definitely worth checking out- maybe a little pricey but there aren't glow works everywhere so it's worth it. Our tour guide was fabulous and the boat ride was amazing. My only issue with this place was in the gift shop- you can purchase photos that are taken against a back drop which we declined to purchase. The man running the photo area then gave us a slip with a tiny photo of us on it and a bar code and told us that we can take that and order online. When we went to check out at the register with something we were actually buying the lady informed us that that piece of paper with the barcode and tiny photo ACTUALLY costs $20 because it has the picture on it. I was extremely annoyed that the man working the photo area gave us misleading information, and really didn't appreciate the sneakiness of the whole situation. It's a shame because the tour is so cool and then the experience is dampened by one man who tries to con you into buying something in the gift shop. read more