Waitomo Underground River Expeditions: Glowworms & Caves

Ruakuri Cave offers a captivating blend of Waitomo's most compelling subterranean experiences. Journey down through the spectacular spiral entrance, and marvel at the softly folding shawl-like limestone formations and crystal tapestries. Hear the distant thunder of the subterranean waterfalls and get up close to the glowworms. Spectacular and unique, Ruakuri Cave offers a captivating blend of Waitomo's most compelling subterranean experiences. In this 1.5 hour sightseeing tour, your guide will bring you up close to glowworms, elaborate cave formations, underground rivers, myths, legends and sacred Maori sites.

We offer two different Blackwater Rafting experiences through the Ruakuri Cave. The Black Labyrinth is the original, 3-hour Blackwater Rafting tour. You will jump off two small waterfalls (highest is 1.5 meters), float on a tube underneath an impressive display of glowworms and navigate through the cave’s natural streamway. All participants must be at least 12 years old and weigh at least 45kgs. The Black Abyss is the ultimate 5-hour Blackwater Rafting tour. Abseil 35 metres into the cave and zipline across a river under a grotto of glowworms. You'll then float on a tube through the caves' natural streamway. All participants must be at least 16 years old and weigh 45kgs. An average level of fitness and mobility is required for both of our tours. It is important to understand that these tours take you into a completely natural cave environment. Please understand that your guides have final discretion of whether you will be able to participate on our tours.

Discover serenity in the most delicate and intimate of the main caves in Waitomo. Begin your tour with a guided walk through an enchanted forest before discovering the most beautiful collection of decorative formations. Cave has a natural cave entrance and is the smallest and most delicate of Waitomo's three main caves. As a dry cave without a running river through it, it houses very little life past its entrance. Walk through the cave with your guide on this 1-hour tour, with an additional 15-minute guided bush walk. Visit soon to see the richly varied cave formations within close-up view and enjoy an experience you will never forget. Choose from one of seven departure times when you book.

This isn’t your average day trip. From secret wildlife encounters to passionate storytelling, we’ll show you the North Island like only a Kiwi can. At Cheeky Kiwi Travel, we don’t just take you to world-famous destinations, we make the journey as unforgettable as the places themselves. This small-group tour is crafted for travellers who want more than a bus ride, it’s a fully guided, immersive experience This small-group, fully guided tour combines two of the North Island’s most iconic attractions: the magical Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Rotorua’s geothermal and cultural treasures. Highlights include: Waitomo Glowworm Caves: Explore ancient limestone formations before gliding by boat through a glowworm-lit grotto. Te Puia Geothermal Park: See Pōhutu Geyser, bubbling mud pools, and experience Māori culture at the National Arts School Rotorua City Highlights: A guided drive past Lake Rotorua, Government Gardens, and the iconic Blue Baths.

In this exclusive luxury tour you will visit the set of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies and the spectacular Waitomo Caves

Explore Waitomo’s hidden glowworm cave on a private, premium tour. As the exclusive operator of the stunning Okohua Glowworm Cave, we offer a small group adventure like no other. Float in tubes along an underground river beneath thousands of glowworms, explore caverns with breathtaking formations found only in the Okohua Glowworm Cave, wade through crystal clear pools and discover small underground waterfalls. Expert guides provide top of the line caving equipment and share their knowledge along the way. After emerging, enjoy a peaceful bush walk back to base and unwind in a cedar hot tub overlooking native forest and farmland. With maximum 6 guests per tour, this eco friendly experience delivers an intimate, adventurous, and unforgettable journey beneath Waitomo’s magical surface.

Get the most out of your visit with a package to explore more than just one unforgettable cave at Waitomo in this small group day tour from Auckland. Visiting the Waitomo Glowworm Caves is a must-do experience, with the Arachnocampa Luminosa species of glowworm only found in New Zealand. This most popular combo combines the famous Waitomo glowworm cave with a walking tour of the stunning Ruakuri Cave providing an ultimate Waitomo caving experience.

On this small group, fully guided One Way trip visit the stunning Waitomo Glowworm Caves and other stops and secret locations on the way from Auckland to Rotorua. Highlights: • Waitomo Glowworm Caves • Wildlife viewing Led by our famously passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life by sharing their stories and rich background knowledge, and run in a modern, comfortable minibuses packed with extras ensuring your comfort and safety. While the destinations you will be visiting are truly spectacular, we at Cheeky Kiwi Travel believe it is our small groups, our guides, the journey and the little details that set our tours well apart. Secret stops, wildlife viewings, specially designed vehicles, complementary refreshments and many other pleasant surprises ensure our tours are an experience to remember.

Embark on a full-day adventure tour on our private luxury vehicle from Auckland to see New Zealand's two most famous attractions in one day. Grab a great value Hobbiton Movie Set tour, the award-winning attraction made famous by the popular Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies where you'll see the intricately created 'Hobbit and float down a boat cruise on an underground river lit by twinkling glowworms including a sumptuous BBQ buffet lunch.

In this exclusive luxury tour you will visit the heartland of Maori culture, Rotorua sits at the centre of one of the Pacific's most active thermal regions, and is surrounded by some magnificent examples of boiling mud pools, spouting geysers, steaming fumuroles, and giant water filled craters. Departing Rotorua after your Te Puia experience for Waitomo, stopping briefly for a short walk to a swing bridge over the Waikato river & view the hydro electric power station at Arapuni. Then on to your 45m guided Glow Worm Cave tour. Witness the constellations of tiny shining glow worms, it’s magnificent cathedral and intriguing stalagmites and stalactites, emerging from this limestone grotto by boat, after which we head back to Auckland

Embark on a drive from Auckland to the king country of Waitomo on a luxurious private vehicle to test your limits with this thrilling caving experience at the Waitomo Caves. Abseil into the Ruakuri Cave, zipline through a gallery of illuminating glowworms, and climb underground waterfalls. An Unforgettable Journey into The Underworld to Jump deep into the abyss and experience the ultimate caving adventure in Waitomo!

Discover the magic of the Waitomo caves on this private luxury day tour known for their unique natural rock formations and glittering glowworms. With this combo tour, visit three caves in one day with a round trip sightseeing tour from Auckland included. Set sail along an underground river to admire the glowworms of Waitomo Cave, enjoy a guided walking tour of Ruakuri Cave, and marvel at stalactites and stalagmites during a guided visit to Aranui Caves. This epic delightful and awe-inspiring experience includes a delicious BBQ buffet lunch before we finish the trip.

The Waitomo Twin Caves Discovery combines two iconic caves: the Glowworm Cave and Ruakuri Cave. Glowworm Cave: Famous for its glowworms that light up the cave ceiling, this tour includes a guided walk through limestone formations and a silent boat ride under thousands of glowworms. Highlights include the Cathedral, known for its acoustics, and the mesmerizing glowworm grotto. Ruakuri Cave: This cave offers a more adventurous experience, featuring intricate limestone formations, underground rivers, and close-up views of glowworms. Highlights include the spiral entrance, stunning stalactites and stalagmites, and glowworms visible from walkways. Both tours provide an unforgettable experience—Glowworm Cave focuses on the magical glowworm display, while Ruakuri offers a deeper exploration of underground wonders.

In this exclusive luxury tour you will visit one of the largest pest proof wildlife sanctuaries in the world as well as the Waitomo Caves, primarily famous for their limestone and glow worm caves, but for the more adrelalin charged, there is abseiling, blackwater rafting, and cave tubing. Not to mention an amazing variety of walks and trails. In the surrounding district the Otorohanga Kiwi House is the best place to see our native Kiwi bird and the Tuatara. The oldest living relative to the dinosaurs. There are also numerous private gardens open to the public.

Adventure is all about creating new experiences and New Zealand is a perfect thrill seeker’s dream destination. Explore the Ruakuri Cave on an exhilarating underground caving adventure that awaits at Waitomo, by embarking on the black water rafting experience, then soar through the trees and experience New Zealand’s ancient forest like never before, in two unforgettable adventures and finally blast around Lake Rotorua on an adrenaline-infused jet boat ride. This Ultimate Exhilarating Adventure Experience is a must do in New Zealand and not to be missed!