Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour
Overview
Available languages
45 minutes
Mobile ticket
Be amazed by the thousands of magical glowworms above on this 45-minute group guided tour, as you glide silently by boat in the world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Many of the current guides are descendants of the Maori chief who originally explored the cave and can share with you the remarkable history of the area. Guided since the late 1880s, this is the original, iconic New Zealand attraction.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Bring comfortable waking shoes and a warm jacket
You must check in 30 minutes before the tour departs .
Due to high demand and limited capacity, if you are late or miss your scheduled tour time your ticket(s) are forfeited and non refundable. New bookings will incur the full tour cost and are subject to availability
No photography allowed
Not suitable for those who have difficulty navigating stairs
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Discover your moment of magic in the Waitomo Glowworm Caves tour. Known as one of New Zealand’s best natural attractions, take a boat ride through the glow worm grotto, marvel at thousands of magical glowworms and become part of over 130 years of cultural and natural history.World renowned and a magnet for both local and overseas visitors, the Waitomo Glowworm Caves occupy a high placing in the New Zealand vacation wish-list. The glow worm, Arachnocampa luminosa, is unique to New Zealand. Thousands of these tiny creatures radiate their unmistakable luminescent light as the expert guides provide informative commentary on their historical and geological significance to the region. Waitomo Glowworm Caves are a must see for any traveler. Enjoy the world famous boat ride under thousands of magical glowworms and become a part of over 125 years of cultural and natural history. Walk through the majestic Cathedral Cave famous for its spectacular formations and acoustics. Marvel at Mother Nature's light display as you glide silently through the starry wonderland of the Glowworm Grotto. Meander underground along the Waitomo River and gaze in silence at the myriad of glow worm lights that make up the Glowworm Grotto. As you enter this galaxy of tiny living lights, you'll immediately experience a serene ambience and be fascinated and intrigued by tiny glowworms that light your way.
What‘s Included
Local guide
GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Options
Waitomo Glowworm Cave
Waitomo Glowworm Cave Tour: Be amazed by thousands of magical glowworms above, as you glide silently by boat in the world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves.
Reviews
1,008 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
One of the most...
Mateusz O,,Jan 11, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00One of the most spectacular caves I have ever seen and Glowworms part on the boat was absolutely magical😊 Highly recommend!
Poor experience
Dipti N,,Jan 11, 2026
- Review from Viator
1.00Very poor experience- is there no age restriction? there were 4 toddlers in our group. One of them barely months old. this tour has health and safety concerns of staircase in the dark and boat ride in the dark. How can you permit toddlers! One of them was either scared or hungry and wouldn’t stop crying. And that was for 45 min ! We couldn’t hear our guide or anything at all.
Very interesting...
Sandra F,,Jan 10, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Very interesting information during the walk and breathtakingly beautiful inside the caves on theboat.
Good to tick off the bucket list
Roxanne H,,Jan 10, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Awesome experience on the Waitomo Glowworm Cave boat tour! The caves were magical, the glowworms were stunning, and the guides were great. A truly unforgettable and unique experience — highly recommend! ✨
The Caves
Ranu C,,Jan 9, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Long drive. Noone answers the phone before 9 so if you're running late there's noone you can inform. On arrival friendly staff, friendly designated tour guide. Be careful of steps inside, can be slippery. Also quite dark. Not recommended for people with knee or leg issues
Amazing experience
Jacquelyn B,,Jan 9, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Hard to put in words how good this was. An absolutely amazing experience and a must see for all the family
A Magical One-Time Experience
Maulik H,,Jan 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Nice place to visit only for once, but definitely a bucket-list item for those traveling through New Zealand! We took the family to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, and it was a hit with the kids. The highlight is undoubtedly the silent boat ride through the starry cavern; seeing the ceiling illuminated by thousands of glowworms is truly a "wow" moment that feels like something out of a movie.
Too expensive
danielalG9467EI,,Jan 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00The trip was ok, in my opinion it's very expensive. Is it beautiful? Yes but the real trip it takes only 8 minutes on the boat and around 25 walking inside of the cave. In Australia we have few places like that to go for free except for the boat, you just walk. But it doesn't worth $81 , our tour guide was very disappointing.She was very low energy saying I don't know what to say not engaging at all. Photos are not allowed.
FYI - You can’t take photographs
Paul W,,Jan 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00The drive to these caves is approximately 2.5 hours from Auckland. We did it as a day trip. The tour lasts about 45 minutes. You walk through the caves. The guide was interesting. You are told that photography / videography is not permitted until the guide tells you. At first I assumed this was due to it being harmful for the glo worms. Towards the end of the tour you get into a boat and see thousands of glo worms in the pitch dark. They look amazing. Just before you exit the caves the guide told us “ we can take a quick photo now”. ( no flash) This was when there were semi day light and only about 20 glo worms above us, instead of the thousands we had seen. So I came away with no photos. Disappointing and no doubt a ploy to get you to buy the photo we were made to pose for, before we entered the caves.
Amazing and different...
Sanya S,,Jan 8, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Amazing and different experience had lots of fun.. if they could have allowed us to use camera inside would be great
From NZ$81.00
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Operated by THL - Waitomo Caves Group