Waitomo’s Hidden Gem: Small-Group Off the Beaten Track Tour

Tổng quát

Ngôn ngữ có sẵn

Tiếng Anh

3 giờ 15 phút

Vé di động

Set out on an adventure into our private caves, hidden in the rolling hills of Waitomo — untouched, unspoiled, and alive with glowworms.

This is caving as it was meant to be: immersive, awe-inspiring, and just a little bit magical.

Gear up and follow your guide through native forest before stepping into our secluded cave system. With your headlamp lighting the way, you’ll scramble around giant boulders, wade through shallow streams, and admire ancient limestone formations — all while millions of glowworms light up the walls around you.

Step away from the crowds — our small-group tours offer a truly authentic experience.

Pocket-sized cameras welcome — with plenty of time and space to capture the magic.

Connect with a guide who shares the caves’ secrets and stories, making your journey personal and unforgettable.

Loved by travellers worldwide, with thousands of glowing 5-star reviews.

Thông tin khác

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Not suitable for elderly or those with mobility issues — involves climbing, hills, and wading through streams.

Maximum of 8 people per tour.

Minimum age is 12 years.

Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult.

A reasonable/good level of fitness is required.

NO large cameras or tripods. Phones or pocket sized cameras are welcome.

Safety First — if flooding means we need to cancel, you’ll receive a full refund.

Not recommended for travelers with a low level of fitness

Chính sách hủy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Bao gồm

Genuine Kiwi hospitality at its best

See the caves just as nature intended

All caving equipment & warm clothing provided

Adventure photos emailed after your tour

Coffee and/or Tea

Guided by a local with deep knowledge & connection

Pick-up and drop-off services

Public transport (not available in this area)

Cần Quan Tâm

You’ll be underground for about 2 hours, with the entire experience lasting around 3 hours. Here’s how it’s broken down: -We’ll start with about 20 minutes of preparation and safety briefing. -Then, a 10-minute walk to the cave entrance. -Enjoy a 10-15 minute stroll through the stunning New Zealand bush and Mangapu gorge—this is your warm-up. -Explore the caves for just over 2 hours, with glowworm displays along the way. -After the cave, we’ll take a 10-minute walk back through the bush to our office/house. -Feel free to take a little extra time to change and enjoy a well-deserved tea or coffee with some delicious cookies.

3 hours • Bao Gồm Vé

Tùy chọn

Off the Beaten Track Tour

Đánh giá

4.98

414 đánh giá

Tổng số đánh giá và xếp hạng từ Viator & TripAdvisor

409

Magical!! Loved exploring the caves with a small group. We saw eels, learned a lot, and saw so many glowworms!!
deannaprince,
3 thg 12, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00
Magical! We loved exploring the caves with a small group. We saw eels and lots of glowworms!! We learned so much and it was all so scenic! Thank you!
Beautiful, and lovely photos
Middlefiddle,
2 thg 12, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00
Fantastic! Thank you Ash, for a great experience. We clambered over rocks and through passages and waded through the stream. All the while Ash kept up an informative commentary which was really funny. This is not a trip for those with mobility problems or if you’re rather wide, but Ash was chivalrous enough to help me over the worst boulders. And then the glow worm cave was so beautiful. ( Well the whole trek was but the glow worm cavern was something else. Thank you too for all those lovely photos too, Ash, you knew just where to take them.
Mesmerizing from start to finish
Getaway56192207369,
2 thg 12, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00
We had an amazing time on this tour! Our guide, Ash, was absolutely fantastic — funny, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the cave and its glowworms. He explained everything in an engaging and easy-to-understand way, making the experience both fun and informative. One of the highlights was that Ash took incredible photos of us with the glowworms — something we never could have captured on our own. He was patient, helpful, and made sure everyone felt comfortable throughout the tour. Overall, this was one of the best experiences of our trip. Highly recommended!
Adventurous Afternoon of Exploring
Leanne2504,
28 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00
An adventurous afternoon spent in good company (small group) exploring the interesting wonders of nature. Our guide, Ash, being a family member, knew a lot about the caves and their inhabitants. He kept us safe and reassured and was very helpful in those tricky parts when we were scrambling over and in between large boulders. The glow worms were brilliant. Being family owned, there was an evident personal touch in the management, especially the cuppa at the end. I don’t hesitate to recommend this tour to others!
Excellent family run tour business with lots of glow worms
Megan Z,
28 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00
This is the tour to take of glow worm caves! Away from the larger tour groups, you can really enjoy the views in the cave. We were lucky enough to be the only group on the tour! It is a lovely family run business. Ash was great as a guide; funny, safe, patient, and really knows his stuff. There are a lot of glow worms in the cave and you are able to take pictures. Ash also sent pictures that he took of us for free. You will need a moderate fitness level for the stairs back up to the office and for climbing over/between rocks, bending down for low hanging rocks, and wading through the stream. They even provide water, tea, and biscuits after the walk which was a nice cool down. The views from the office were so scenic and calm that I could have spent all afternoon there.
This is the best tour to...
Megan D,
24 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00
This is the best tour to experience the glow worm caves with an authentic, small group, family run business!
Glowworms caving
birgittas832,
13 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00
One of the best experiences ever! The cave is amazingly beautyful. Having a small group and an individual guided tour makes it very personal. It's a family property and business, and the connection and dedication to the place is special. Beeing there with glowworms is an unforgettable moment and an incredible adventure, specialy with the outfits. There is everything provided and I felt extremly safe, even though it was my first caving experience. Something you definatly have to do!
Amazing but very wet cave tour
Kate H,
13 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00
I did expect to get a bit wet but more than once I was emerged in the river up to my hips (to be fair I am not the tallest). We were provided with a full set of clothing so it was all ok but it might be a good idea to bring a dry pair of underwear :-)
Great family operated business 10/10
Antonios Z,
11 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00
Ash and Michelle are amazing hosts. The tour itself was great, Ash had great energy and went above and beyond to make the tour enjoyable for us. Afterwards, Michelle and Ash treated us to coffee and biscuits and talked with us for a good half hour. You just don't get this kind of family like experience with bigger companies. I recommend that everyone try to support these smaller businesses that put in the extra effort to make our experience as pleasant as possible. 10/10 from me, true Kiwi hospitality!
Ingenious
FarAway66508200473,
7 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00
Ingenious excursion into the wonderful cave world of fireflies with a very nice guide (Ash). The untouched nature was impressive, the fireflies fascinating. Excursion is HIGHLY recommended!