Waitomo Caves

You won't be afraid of the dark in the Waitomo Caves, thanks to tiny natural lightbulbs (glow worms) who light the way through the labrynth of underground grottos. The cave has the best possible conditions for a glowworm to exist, so prepare to be astounded by the large population here.

The caves were formed more than 30 million years ago, but the first person to explore the underground and open it up to tours was local Maori chief Tane Tinorau in 1887. Some of the chief's direct descendants work at the caves today.

Visiting the cave is therefore a very educational experience, you'll get to know more about the glowworms, the formation of the caves, the history behind the tours or simply gawk at thousands of glowworms lighting the ceiling. Did you know that limestone is a fossil rock made up of the hard remains of countless millions of marine animals?