Private Tour
Waitomo Glowworm & Ruakuri Twin Cave - Private Tour From Auckland
Overview
Available languages
11 hours
Mobile ticket
Take a trip through the magical underground world of sparkling glowworms and fascinating caverns with a private day tour from Auckland to Waitomo Caves. Visiting the Waitomo Glowworm Caves is a must-do experience, with the Arachnocampa Luminosa species of glowworm only found in New Zealand. Get the most out of your visit with a package to explore more than just one unforgettable cave in Waitomo. The Most popular combo combines the famous Waitomo glowworm cave with a walking tour of the Ruakuri Cave for the ultimate Waitomo experience including a delicious BBQ buffet lunch before we finish the trip.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please wear comfortable clothing suitable for the conditions, Sun protection, jacket/warm layer, & any essential personal items.
Easy and good fitness level required.
This is a guided walking tour and sensible walking footwear is recommended.
No photography is permitted inside the Waitomo caves, and cameras and Go Pros cannot be taken on the tour.
Photography is permitted in Ruakuri Cave so bring your camera to click the best shots
No backpacks or large bags allowed in cave due to delicate formations.
Please do not touch the formation in the cave as it discoloured easily, please help us protect our cave.
Tours are suitable for people of all ages and average fitness. Our scenic walks are short and optional. Please let our guide know at check in if you have any fitness concerns.
The caves are accessible to those with reasonable mobility, as there are good handrails and paths. There is no wheelchair access.
Caves average at a temperature of 16-17 degrees Celcius year round
You must be able to climb and descend stairs and walk on unpaved or uneven terrain
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
What To Expect
Auckland Central
We pickup travellers from most locations in the Auckland CBD location. If your pickup location is not available on the list, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our very best to accommodate your request.
The Bombay Hills are a range of hills to the south of Auckland, New Zealand. Though only a small and seemingly insignificant range of hills, they lie at the southern boundary of the Auckland region, and serve as a divide between Auckland and the Waikato region. directly named after the ship Bombay, The ship itself was named after the Indian city of Bombay (now Mumbai). Bombay Means: a breed of black short-haired medium-sized cat.
What‘s Included
Private transportation
Leave you open-mouthed, awe-struck and humbled by the sheer majesty of nature
Stare up at thousands of glowing glow-worms above you
Complimentary refreshments and water on board
Fully guided return transfers from Auckland
Be captivated by thousands of magical glow-worms as you glide silently by boat
Luxurious temperature controlled transportation in a minibus
All Fees and Taxes
Walk through the Cathedral Cave and experience the amazing acoustics
Air-conditioned vehicle
Boat ride on an underground stream through the Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Cafe Style Lunch Included
Marvel at awe-inspiring stalactites and stalagmites during the iconic Glow-worm Caves tour
Admission to 90 minutes guided experience at Waitomo Ruakuri Cave
WiFi on board
Discover Waitomo’s longest underground guided walking tour as you explore Ruakuri Cave
A local English-speaking tour escort throughout the tour
Complimentary pick up and drop off from Auckland CBD
See more glow-worms than you could ever imagine all lighting up above your head!
Immerse yourself in geology and history of the Waitomo caves with the help of a tour guide
Admission to 45 minutes guided experience at Waitomo Glow Worm Cave
Breakfast
Dinner
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
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Waitomo Glowworm & Ruakuri Twin Cave - Private Tour From Auckland
Pickup included
Reviews
17 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Both caves are a Must See.
MikeS0,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Both caves are very different, and both are a "Must See". Both have Gloworms, but they are very different. (don't do just one cave) Our guide Mary was very educational and entertaining. She made the drive go by quickly as she told us all about New Zealand, and the areas we drove through.
Great way to see the country without worrying about the driving
Gretchen251,Jan 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent private tour from Auckland to Waitomo and Ruakuri caves with Marty as our intrepid guide. Ruakuri is an amazing cave - one of the nicest we've seen. We are cavers so take our underground experiences seriosly.
Great service
ericjH3437IR,Dec 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Marty was a great tour guide. He was friendly and shared a lot about the area. The caves were a great experience, well worth the trip.
Amazing trip!!
U9031ELgeralds,Oct 31, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Waitomo was amazing, I’ve never seen anything like it before! Our guide was great, I can’t recommend the service or the experience enough!
Great Day to see 2 Caves!
CanadianChick2016,Apr 20, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour is a great way to see 2 caves in New Zealand. We were picked up from Auckland at our AirBnb, driven to the caves, was able to see the difference in the 2 caves and back. The 1st cave was a little shorter tour but the 2nd cave as a long tour. It was described in Viator as we expected with bio breaks, lunch and snacks provided which was really nice! Karthik was a great driver and provided lots of information as we drove up to the sites... although, it was a little early but necessary if both caves are to be seen! Thanks for a great tour!
Great Journey
Culture118674,Apr 20, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very excellent services with good tour guide. Timeliness ,informative and friendly team. Easy travel and we'll arranged vehicle for seating. Had a wonderful tie😊 Thanks
Wonderful day!
Anna G,Feb 17, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00Ama was great! Knowledgeable friendly! Provided snack bag of local favorites. Communication of schedule and efficiency perfect! Car comfortable and clean. Will always book when in Auckland
Perfect day! Ama amazing!
U6610IWannag,Feb 13, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ama was amazing! Provided NZ snacks, culture knowledgeable, local knowledge, other country knowledge, wonderful car, driving, flexible, knew best way to make most of day, will book again!
Glow worm magic
X1835TKelizabethb,Feb 4, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Seeing the glow worms has been the dream of a lifetime, and Experience Kart and AMA made it happen. It was a perfect day, start to finish. Not only did Ama make everything seamless, she answered all of the questions, found excellent places to eat (go Hokey Pokey ice cream!) and knew how to take care of a group! The caves were unique - gliding in a boat under the spectacle of glow worms is indelibly etched in my heart. And being able to get really close to them at the second cave helped but their tiny but bright light in perspective. We did this trip less than 24 hours after we arrived and it set the tone for our whole vacation. Ama taught us how to pronounce a few words of Māori, gave us advice of places to eat, and became a friend over the course of the day. Thank you Ama!
Great tour with Experience Kart!
V6538ACsoniac,Jan 27, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ama was our driver and tour guide. She was very knowledgeable and professional. Showed up on time to pick us up at our hotel and the drive to and from the caves was wonderful! We look forward to our next tour with Experience Kart!
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