Deep underground limestone caves illuminate with the blue glow of thousands of arachnocampa luminosa - native glowworms. Guided boat tours float silently beneath these living lights.
Deep beneath New Zealand's North Island, the Waitomo Caves stretch for kilometers through limestone formations. In the Glowworm Cave, thousands of tiny Arachnocampa luminosa create a starry ceiling with their blue-green light. You'll find 100-meter-high caverns in Ruakuri Cave and delicate pink stalactites in Aranui Cave, while underground rivers flow through the darkness.
Exploring the Cave System
The Waitomo network includes three main caves. Ruakuri, the largest, contains spiral limestone formations and Maori burial sites. In Aranui, you'll see brown, pink and white stalactites hanging from 15-meter-high ceilings. The Glowworm Cave has smooth limestone walls carved by underground streams. All caves maintain a steady temperature of 16-17°C year-round. Ruakuri Cave welcomes wheelchair users with paved pathways and adequate lighting.
Cave Adventure Activities
Choose from several ways to explore the caves. During black water rafting, you'll float on rubber tubes through underground streams while glowworms light up the ceiling. For more adventure, try the 5-hour tour where you'll abseil down 100-meter cave walls and navigate narrow passages. The 45-minute boat tour through the Glowworm Grotto takes you silently under thousands of glowing larvae.
Understanding Glowworms
Arachnocampa luminosa, found only in New Zealand, are larvae of fungus gnats. These insects spend up to 12 months as larvae, producing sticky silk threads to catch flying insects. Their bioluminescence comes from a chemical reaction in their tail segment. A local gold miner first spotted these glowing creatures in 1891. The larvae emit blue-green light to attract prey into their hanging silk threads.
Above-Ground Activities
The Waitomo Walkway winds 2 kilometers through farmland and past limestone outcrops, starting at the Waitomo Museum. Walk 10 minutes to reach the Mangapohue Natural Bridge, a 17-meter limestone arch formed from an ancient cave system. The track to Marokopa Falls takes you through native forest to view the 35-meter waterfall. Local sheep farms demonstrate daily shearing techniques and working dog demonstrations.
Getting to Waitomo
Find the caves 200 kilometers south of Auckland. Driving takes 2.5 hours from Auckland, 1 hour from Hamilton, and 2 hours from Rotorua. InterCity buses run daily routes connecting Waitomo with major North Island cities. The caves close only on December 25-26 and December 31-January 1.
