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Ngapaenga Explore New Zealand, Australia & Fiji!tune
This dry caving adventure while surprisingly gentle is an elating experience not to be missed! Just ask Tom Cruise - he's done it 4 times!
Highlights
- New Zealand’s largest and arguably most breathtaking commercial cave
- The unforgettable 100m abseil – the world’s highest commercial abseil into a cave
- Beautiful glow worm display
- 30m ladder climb out of the cave system
- Small tour numbers, max 8 persons 1:4 guide to client ratio
- Free personalised photos
Your journey to another world begins with an abseil 100m below the earth's surface secured by your guide who descends alongside you.
Slowly you lower into the void, turning on the rope like a spider as the world transforms around you. The light filtering through the mist gives unearthly qualities to the unusual plant life and formations of the cave.
The cavern you have abseiled (rappelled) into is over twice the height of any other cave in Waitomo and it's beauty and grandeur are unsurpassed.
From here you embark on a subterranean adventure back to the surface through another giant cavern. You'll see glow worms, huge limestone formations and conquer a 30-metre long ladder climb.
Waitomo Adventures are a consistent Certificate of Excellence Winner with Trip Advisor and are ranked the number 1 attraction in the area with a 5-star rating - Come and see for yourself why this is a must-do attraction in an experience that will remain with you forever.
Photography: Personalised photos are provided to clients via the internet at no extra charge. No client photography equipment is permitted. Please inquire if you require a private photography tour.
Location: 1227 Waitomo Valley Road, Waitomo
Fitness Test:If the guide(s) on the day have any doubt about a client’s fitness they may ask them to prove it by completing a fitness-test. One quick and simple test we may use is “to step up and down a 20 cm (8 inches) step not less than 45 times in 60 seconds”. We strongly recommend clients complete this test before they book their activity and before they travel to Waitomo. Clients may also be requested to submit to breath-testing for alcohol or other drugs. Where appropriate, guides may at their sole discretion cancel a departure or remove an unsuitable client from a departing trip for any safety-related reason.
Pregnancy: We do not recommend abseiling (rappelling) during the 1st and 3rd trimester due to the need to wear a tight-fitting harness across your waist during the abseil.
All pregnant clients wishing to participate in one of our adventure options must provide a medical certificate from their General Medical Practitioner confirming that they are fit for abseiling (rappelling) and caving.
This policy is required for us to comply with the NZ Adventure Safety Regulations.
All prices are shown inNZD ($)
- Per Person$466.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Per Person$625.00
- Per Person$625.00
- Per Person$466.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Per Person$466.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Per Person$465.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Per Person$465.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Per Person$466.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Per Person$625.00
- Per Person$625.00
- Per Person$625.00
- Per Person$466.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Per Person$625.00
- Per Person$625.00
- Per Person$465.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Per Person$625.00
Authenticated Reviews & Photos All of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme
Showing all 451 authenticated Bookme reviews
From Waitomo Adventures - Lost World Tour - 4 hrs
Hi Natalie! Thanks so much for your wonderful review :) Yep - these are truly wild places and still in their natural state - hence the uneven nature of the going. ...and the ladder does indeed have 113 rungs - most people haven't climbed something like that lately ! You will have seen that these boutique and special trips are not suitable for everyone. But you took on the challenge and did it - well done. Thanks for visiting - we're so glad you could check out our special corner of Godzone :)
Barbara fromGermany wrote on 05 November 2025
Lost World Abseiling - Highly Recommended
What a truly unique and stunning experience! Absolutely magical. Great organization & fantastic guides.
Melanie Franssens fromNetherlands wrote on 05 October 2025
Amazing adventure
What a way to see the glowworms
From Waitomo Adventures - Lost World Tour - 4 hrs
Thanks very much Melanie - yes it's not generally appreciated that many caves at Waitomo have glowworms- even the dramatic Lost World Cave.
Bénédicte fromFrance wrote on 19 September 2025
Fantastic Lost World Tour 4h
I did the Lost Worl tour of 4h with Hagan, Erin and Joel. The tour was amazing ! A big thanks to the guides as I felt very safe going down the 100m abseiling rope, walking in the cave and going up the 30m ladder. I felt very small going down the cave surrounded by the beautiful vegetation! It was as if I was in another world ! Highly recommend !
From Waitomo Adventures - Lost World Tour - 4 hrs
Hey Bénédicte ! Thanks so much for your wonderful review -it is much appreciated We feel very lucky to have this as our underground playground :)
Maggie fromAustralia wrote on 06 August 2025
Once-in-a-lifetime experience
Anna is amazing!! And this is an unforgettable experience ❤️
From Waitomo Adventures - Lost World Tour - 4 hrs
Hi Maggie We thought YOU were amazing too - congratulations for taking on this surreal experience and leaping into the unknown !
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Natalie Eckman fromUnited States wrote on 08 January 2025
Absolutely amazing!!!
This was an experience of a lifetime. Our guide Amy, was knowledgeable and friendly. All of the gear was provided, which was definitely a bonus because it was a messy activity. Descending 100 m was an experience I will never forget. Be aware that the terrain is extremely uneven and this tour definitely requires a level of fitness and balance. The ladder climb at the end to get out had over a hundred rungs! We were the only people in the cave and the only people on the tour, so it was extremely tranquil and uncrowded. Each guide takes four people at a time. We definitely saw glow worms, and they were magical. I could not recommend this experience more.