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An “off the beaten track” 3 hour adventure into the stunning limestone and glow worm caves on our family farm. Waitomo’s top-rated, most authentic glowworm caving experience.
Highlights
- Amazing glow worm displays!
- Just the right amount of adventure
- Away from the crowds
- Only 2 - 8 people per group!
- Cameras welcome
- Authentic eco experience
- Family owned and operated
- #1 Trip Advisor rated tour in the Waitomo District
Our personalised 3 hour guided tours are for small groups of 2-8 people. We’ll welcome you to our farmhouse and give you all the clothing, footwear and equipment you need.
You’ll begin your adventure walking through beautiful native bush, climbing over boulders and wading through the freshwater stream that flows into our cave system.
What’s really special about Glowing Adventures is that we have left our caves in their purest and most natural state. With no concrete paths or electric lighting, this is a genuine eco-adventure into the heart of New Zealand’s magical glow worm environment.
Once inside the caves, you can explore magical glow worm displays and stunning limestone formations at your own pace, stopping to take photos along the way. You’re welcome to bring a small camera along on the tour. Your guide will also take great pictures of your adventure which we’ll email you afterwards for free.
After your tour, enjoy a hot shower and refreshments back at the farmhouse. We love meeting new friends from all over the world and sharing our local knowledge and travel tips.
The incredible cave system on our family farm is one of only two in Waitomo classified as ‘of international significance’ by NZ’s Department of Conservation. Come and experience a true piece of New Zealand paradise!
Sat 4 Jul
Sun 5 Jul
Mon 6 Jul
Tue 7 Jul
Wed 8 Jul
Thu 9 Jul
Fri 10 Jul
8spaces priced from:
- Per Person$129.00
8spaces priced from:
- Per Person$129.00
8spaces priced from:
- Per Person$129.00
8spaces priced from:
- Per Person$129.00
8spaces priced from:
- Per Person$129.00
Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme
Amazing Glow worms
Yi from United States
Glow worms
Thais from Brazil
very nice experience wild and well organized!
sara lyamani from Morocco
very nice experience wild and well organized!
sara lyamani from Morocco
Best experience
Shelley Dodd from Australia
Best experience
Shelley Dodd from Australia
Caves
Angelina Pachler from Austria
Wahnsinniges Erlebnis mit einem super Guide
Lars Marcel Schwartz from Germany
Wahnsinniges Erlebnis mit einem super Guide
Lars Marcel Schwartz from Germany
Photos taken by our guide, Ash
Frank from Australia
Photos taken by our guide, Ash
Frank from Australia
Amazing Experience
William Chambers from United States
Amazing Experience
William Chambers from United States
Amazing Experience
William Chambers from United States
Amazing!
Amber Keys from NZ
Amazing!
Amber Keys from NZ
Perfect !!!
Lorence from France
Great
joohyun from NZ
Dream world
Smita from NZ
Dream world
Smita from NZ
MUST DO
Karlee Duggan from Australia
A glowing review
Sophie from Australia
A glowing review
Sophie from Australia
A glowing review
Sophie from Australia
Caving the way it’s meant to be
Russell from Australia
loved it
Isabella from United States
loved it
Isabella from United States
Absolutely Terrific
Jerry from United States
Fantastic cave tour
Brenda from Singapore
Fantastic cave tour
Brenda from Singapore
Squeeze it!
Clement Jego from France
Awesome caving experience!
Vanessa von Polheim from Germany
Wow
Erika from Estonia
Ein Muss
Stefanie from Germany
Entrance to a cave
Angela McConnell from United States
Entrance to a cave
Angela McConnell from United States
Entrance to a cave
Angela McConnell from United States
Amazing Experience
Nicole Kelly from NZ
Amazing Experience
Nicole Kelly from NZ
Amazing Experience
Nicole Kelly from NZ
Excellent small group tour
Michelle Massey from Australia
An absolute 100% adventure
Lee from Canada
Fantastic
Bec Davis from Australia
Fantastic
Bec Davis from Australia
Fantastic
Bec Davis from Australia
Definitely an Adventure!
Laura from United Kingdom
Definitely an Adventure!
Laura from United Kingdom
Amazing!
Victoria from Malaysia
Amazing!
Victoria from Malaysia
Amazing!
Victoria from Malaysia
Brilliant!!!
Betty from Australia
Brilliant!!!
Betty from Australia
The monster ate our guide!
Laura Batchelor from NZ
Getting ready for caving!
ADIL from Malaysia
More than just glowworms!
Paul Greig & Anne McAlear from Canada
Glow worm caving
Luke Lee from United States
Glow worm caving
Luke Lee from United States
Glow worm caving
Luke Lee from United States
The best tour I've ever take
Dorottya Zita Varga from Romania
The best tour I've ever take
Dorottya Zita Varga from Romania
Cave entrance
Joanne Diacoumis from Australia
Cave entrance
Joanne Diacoumis from Australia
ein Muss
Ulla from Germany
Outstanding experience
Russell Appleton from NZ
Magical world with surprises
Velvon Almeida from NZ
Magical world with surprises
Velvon Almeida from NZ
Magical world with surprises
Velvon Almeida from NZ
Amazing
Rebecca from Australia
Amazing
Rebecca from Australia
추천!!!
JUNGYU from South Korea
Glowing Adventures
Brenda Embury from Canada
Crawling through a tight squeeze!
Isabel Rouse from United States
WOW
Reems Alias from NZ
A glimpse of the outside
Diana Rego from United States
Caves
Hannah Pirovich from NZ
Excellent
Sarah Wellington from NZ
Glowing Adventures- a must do!
Patty Mccarthy from United States
Glowing Adventures- a must do!
Patty Mccarthy from United States
Glowing Adventures- a must do!
Patty Mccarthy from United States
Excellent!
Brigitte from Switzerland
Excellent!
Brigitte from Switzerland
Very special cave tour
Kenneth Oag from Australia
Very special cave tour
Kenneth Oag from Australia
Very special cave tour
Kenneth Oag from Australia
Our little European group :-)
Ana Despenic from Australia
atop a huge huge rock amidst the wai in the tomo.
Natalia from NZ
atop a huge huge rock amidst the wai in the tomo.
Natalia from NZ
Glowworm Cave
Kris from Germany
Highlight of our holiday
Shayna from United States
Highlight of our holiday
Shayna from United States
Highlight of our holiday
Shayna from United States
Awesome Experience, Highly Recommend!!
Alvin from Canada
Awesome Experience, Highly Recommend!!
Alvin from Canada
Great
Erina Crichton from NZ
Just do it!!
Kalvin from NZ
Just do it!!
Kalvin from NZ
Excellent experience!
Colleen from United States
Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme
Showing all 608 authenticated Bookme reviews
From Glowing Adventures Waitomo - Private Glowworm Caving Eco-Tour
Thanks Sara, we’re so glad you enjoyed your up close encounter with our special glow worms. We’ve been careful not to modify our caves with electric lights or anything else that would disturb them. It keeps it really authentic for our guests too. We hope you enjoyed your email with the complimentary personal photos of your experience :-)
Shelley Dodd from Australia wrote on 31 August 2019
Share LinkBest experience
Best experience we have all had. We showed up early so we got to start early. Heath took us other places for extra photos. He made us laugh and had the confidence we could do all the climbing. All round great experience, and would come back again.
From Glowing Adventures Waitomo - Private Glowworm Caving Eco-Tour
Thanks Shelly so much for your review. We’re so glad you had a great time exploring the glow worm caves we’re lucky enough to have in our backyard! Hope the moving house went well :-)
Angelina Pachler from Austria wrote on 07 May 2019
Share LinkBest tour ever!!
It was such an amazing experience!! Our guide Heath was the best! He had so much knowledge of everything: the plants, the caves, the rock formations, and of course the glowworms. It was really interesting and he created a 3 hours tour fitting perfectly to the group size and fitness level of the group. He took pictures all the time and sent them to us afterwards. We could even see the glowworms from a 10cm distance. It was the best decision to book this tour even though it‘s a bit more expensive than waitomo but it‘s not just to see the glowworms, it‘s also an amazing adventure! Everyone of us is still so excited thank you so much for making this day possible for us we had the best time!!! Greetings from the austrian girls Angelina, Miriam, Theresa and bussi von Tabea
From Glowing Adventures Waitomo - Private Glowworm Caving Eco-Tour
Thank you for taking the time to review us Angelina. Heath loves to show people around our backyard. We call the cave his happy place :-)
Frank from Australia wrote on 15 March 2019
Share LinkCavetastic
Ash was our guide for the Day, and we were lucky to only have a small group of 4. the tour starts with a quick safety briefing and a change of clothing ( required as it gets a bit cold in the caves) then the adventure begins you make your way through a paddock then to a stair which leads you down through to beautiful rain forest like area then down to a fresh water stream which is the start to the caves. Ash is a fantastic guide and is very helpful throughout your experience in the caves i recommend a medium level of fitness as there are no paths or man made walkways nor any lighting. the pay off is fantastic, the glow worms really put on a show. i would definitely go again, but would opt for a night tour.
William Chambers from United States wrote on 11 March 2019
Share LinkAmazing Experience
Never have experienced anything like this before. Had a great time on the tour and got some nice photographs and videos as well.
10:00 a.m.Thursday 13 July
Spaces Left
Per Person
Qualmark certification
What does Qualmark mean for you?
When you see the Qualmark logo, your activity of choice is endorsed by New Zealand Tourism’s official quality assurance organisation and backed by leaders in the industry. It’s your trusted guide to iconic activities and experiences that are awarded for their exceptionally high level of quality, safety and sustainability.
This activity has a Qualmark Award
This award identifies a business with a high level of professionalism, a keen awareness of the impact it has on the environment and a commitment to a customer centric approach.
This award is evidence of a sophisticated tourism business that consistently exceeds visitor expectations. Their proactive leadership and management ensure the business’s focus on continuously improving their economic, social and environmental performance to create genuine, constantly evolving and sustainable tourism experiences.
This award recognises the best sustainable tourism businesses in New Zealand. It denotes exceptional customer experiences at the heart of everything the company does. This business is leading the way in making the New Zealand tourism industry a world class sustainable visitor destination.
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sara lyamani from Morocco wrote on 20 September 2019
Share Linkvery nice experience wild and well organized!
we enjoy the nature and wild experience in the cave with our guide Ash. you fully enjoy and have pics of adrelanine once inside. you get your foot wet anyway so just walk normally and learn the trick to empty your boot without removing them :) Highly recommend it if you do want to get totally wet and feel adrelanine. ps they give you clothes and you can have nice hot shower at the end .
This review helped me