What To Expect

What‘s Included

Reviews

• Wow! What an experience!

  Rachel N,,Jan 4, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  I must admit if I'd known exactly what I was going to do I probably would have chickened out, but boy I'm glad I didn't! It was amazing, Christina our guide was lovely and helped guide us through these wondrous caves. The wet suits were thick and comfortable, it was challenging for me and the drink and chocolate half way through was very much welcomed. Thanks for another unique NZ experience.

• Amazing adventure through Waitomo caves

  hobbeshere,,Jan 2, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Unforgettable experience through the caves on Xmas eve 2025. Out guide, John, Was great. He was able to tailor the adventure to accommodate an inexperienced swimmer. The cave layout, the rock jumps, the floats in the dark gazing up on the glow worms, the narrow crawls - everything was spooky perfect. Highly recommend. Note that there is a ~5km unpaved road to get to the location, so make sure you have the right rental for this.

• Highlight of our NZ trip

  David H,,Jan 1, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  This was the best cave tour we have ever done and we have done quite a few (in the US). Of course the glow worms were the highlight, but this would have been a fantastic caving adventure even if they didn't have glowworms. Ollie was our guide and he was great and is actually related to the land owners so he has been exploring this cave since he was a child. They only recently opened it to tourists which is why you can't find much information about it on the Internet. This is a somewhat strenuous tour and you will be wading or even swimming through most of it. The private tour format made it extra special for my family. I cannot recommend this enough!

• Best Cave Tour Ever for Adventure Seekers

  TanaWeeks,,Dec 28, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Johnny was our phenomenal guide for this epic adventure through the caves. We ended up having a private tour with only the guide, our 12 yr. old girl and 14 yr. old boy, my husband and I when there was a late cancelation. It is on private land, owned by a local family, and Ollie was so helpful in accommodating our booking so that we didn't have to stress and could enjoy the full NZ experience!! We felt absolutely safe throughout swimming, tubing, jumping off ledges and being pulled through the darkness on tubes while we gazed at thousands of glowworms! That water is COLD but refreshing! Hankful for all the wetsuits and for the cedar hot tub soak at the end! Johnny absolutely made a unique journey for us allowing us to crawl through tight spaces and slide through the caves in water. We made it extra adventurous after we lost my kid's gumboot.! But he made the experience memorable despite thr hiccup! (Make sure those boots fit tight) The boots get heavy with water so plan for a good adrenaline workout that's good for the soul and the hammies! We absolutely recommend this Waitamo experience with this team! 10 outta 10 for friendliness, customer service and memory making caving! We've explored caves all over the world and this was our favorite tour yet! Mahalo! Kia ora!

• Amazing

  richhM2877EW,,Dec 28, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Family from Nelson NZ, Arizona USA &Brazil did it. Epic way to spend an afternoon, Ollie, Vaughan and Kristina were fantastic! Natural wonder and a must do when in the North Island!

• Floating the caves glowworms

  jamie z,,Dec 26, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  It was great Ollie are guide was amazing It’s a must do. The Glow worms are very spectacular. It’s nice too because it’s a small group.

  

• An exceptional and truly unique experience. Highly recommend!

  Kannon1017,,Dec 11, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  My husband and I had an amazing adventure with The Waitomo Experience. Our guide, Ollie, was knowledgeable, kind, and professional. He outfitted us with great gear, and we stayed surprisingly warm throughout the tour. He also captured photos along the way and shared them with us immediately afterward. As an amateur photographer, I am usually busy recording everything, so it was a treat to be fully present and immersed in the moment. Hearing the story of how his father and a friend discovered Okohua Cave made the experience even more special. Ollie ensured we were always comfortable and never pushed beyond our limits. We chose The Waitomo Experience because it felt more intimate and off the beaten path—and it absolutely delivered. We had the cave entirely to ourselves and saw countless glowworms. Ending the tour with a soak in the cedar hot tub was a nice finishing touch. An exceptional and truly unique experience. Highly recommend!

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely Outstanding Waitomo Experience

  jemmafarrell,,Dec 11, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely Outstanding Waitomo Experience We absolutely loved our Waitomo adventure yesterday — what an incredible experience from start to finish. The set-up is fantastic and impressively professional, especially considering the business is new this year. The location itself is stunning, and it was heartening to learn that the cave is on the family farm where the owners grew up. It adds a really special, personal touch. Communication beforehand was excellent, with prompt and clear emails. When we arrived, Olly welcomed us warmly. He was knowledgeable, reassuring, and genuinely attentive to members of our group who weren’t as confident. He explained everything clearly, never rushed us, and created a relaxed, supportive atmosphere the whole way through. The onsite facilities are great — clean toilets, hot showers, and even lovely shower gel provided. There are free lockers for your belongings, which is super handy. All you need to bring is your swimsuit, a towel, socks (highly recommended!), and a sense of adventure. Oh and the Cedar hot tubs to relax in at the end - what a treat! A lovely surprise was that Olly also took photos for us during the experience (as cameras aren’t allowed in the cave). Even better, he sent them to us right away after the tour — completely free of charge. Such a nice touch. The experience itself was fantastic. We suited up in wetsuits, jackets, helmets with torches, and gumboots (all provided), then took a short walk to the cave entrance. From there, we climbed down a sturdy 7-metre ladder — safely with a rope around us — and immediately saw glowworms as soon as we reached the bottom. A magical start! Throughout the tour, we walked through ankle-deep water, chest high water, explored drier sections of the cave, clambered over rocks, slid down a few on our bums, ducked beneath stalactites, and even wriggled on our stomachs through a narrow gap that opened into a pool on the other side — such a cool moment. The cave varied between wide, soaring chambers and fun narrow passages, keeping everything exciting but never intimidating. As the cave deepened and darkened, we reached the chest-deep water where we floated along using a rope for support. At no point did we feel unsafe — Olly kept a constant eye on us, and the small group size (maximum of six) made the experience wonderfully personal. Several times, we switched off our lights completely. Sitting in total darkness as our eyes adjusted and thousands of glowworms slowly appeared all around us was truly special. Olly shared fascinating insights into their life cycle and also interesting facts about the cave formations and history, and answered all our questions with enthusiasm. About halfway through, we were given tubes (rubber rings). You could jump backwards into the water in them — great fun — or simply ease yourself in from the side. We linked together like a long chain and floated gently through the cave, headlamps off, watching the glowworms overhead. It was silent, peaceful, and utterly magical. We had such a good time. While the experience isn’t overly strenuous (we’re middle-aged and reasonably active), you do need an adventurous spirit and some confidence in water and enclosed spaces. We stayed surprisingly warm, apart from slightly chilly feet — socks definitely help — and the hot drink and piece of chocolate halfway through were a very welcome treat. All in all, this was an excellent experience — one we wholeheartedly recommend and hope to return to again soon. Jemma & Grant ZigZag Tours

• Amazing experience!

  Shauna F,,Nov 24, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Very fun and adventurous activity. It was so much fun exploring the caves and the glowworm sightings exceeded my expectations. Great company to book with!

• Definitely put this on your must do list!

  Z9891AIleanned,,Nov 6, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  The most amazing experience of caving! Spectacular glow worms lighting up the caves in their natural environment. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, helpful and experienced. He led us safely through the incredible passages and waterways. Was nice to stop for a hot drink and chocolate. Good pace and fun to float in tyre tubes and buoyant wetsuits. Loved every minute of this experience, well worth every cent. 100% recommend.

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