The Waitomo Caves and their magical glowworms are on the New Zealand travel bucket list of most people who are planning a trip to New Zealand. But are the Waitomo Caves worth it? I finally got over myself and we decided to visit two caves. Read on for our Ruakuri Cave and Waitomo Cave review.

Those who know me know I’m not a fan of visiting overcrowded places. I thought about seeing the Waitomo Caves during my first New Zealand trip in 2010 and dismissed it in favour of Wai-o-Tapu in Rotorua (which is kind of as busy in terms of visitors, what irony).

And even now that I live in New Zealand it took me almost two years to get over myself and see what all the fuss is about. 

As part of a weekend trip from Auckland, we combined off-the-beaten-track Kawhia Hot Water Beach with busy Waitomo Caves and Ruakuri Cave on the Kawhia - Waitomo Loop Road (I’ll talk about this incredible mini-road trip in a later post but if you’re curious what else you can do in the Waikato region, click here).

Turns out there’s a good reason why the caves are so popular!

As there’s a staggering amount of Waitomo Caves tours, I have to clarify which ones we did:
First up was the Ruakuri Cave tour and then the main Waitomo Glowworm Cave tour

• Very well organised - Ruakuri Cave tours leave on time and even though there are several groups in the cave you hardly ever pass them which gives the tour a more intimate feel

• Great information - After this tour, I felt like I know everything about New Zealand glowworms

• Ideal tour duration - The tour takes about 70 minutes. Long enough to learn and see plenty, but not too long to get boring.

Some few cons to the Ruakuri tour

• Not as many glowworms - There are a lot of glowworms and compared to the Waitomo Cave tour you actually get the time to try and take pictures of them. But there aren’t nearly as many as you can find on the other glowworm tour.

… Or make it a (weekend) getaway: 2 nights in Waitomo in a charming B&B plus the Glowworm Cave and Ruakuri Cave tour.

• Glowworms!! We have never seen so many glowworms in one place! It was absolutely magical to see these millions of glowworms!

• Boat ride - You sit in an engine-free boat and get to silently enjoy the glowworms as the guide steers the boat through the cave. The water reflects the sparkle of the glowworms.

• Very well organised - Given that this Waitomo Cave tour is the most visited, it’s incredibly well organised and entertaining.

Some few cons to the Waitomo glowworm caves tour

• Duration of the boat ride - The caves tour takes 45 minutes in total, the boat ride under the glowworms only about 5 minutes.

• No pictures allowed - As soon as you enter the cave, taking pictures is not allowed anymore.

… Or make it a (weekend) getaway: 2 nights in Waitomo in a charming B&B plus the Glowworm Cave and Ruakuri Cave tour.

We just made it in time for our first tour, the Ruakuri Caves. There was a little mixup in the order of our tours and we just arrived as the group was about to leave. Phew! 

We entered a first cave that was artificially created. That had me worried for a short while that the Ruakuri Caves tour could become a very touristy experience. It did look kind of cool, though, seeing how the path spiralled downwards, only lit by a few path lights. Turns it needs this first artificial cave to maintain the temperature and atmosphere to keep an ideal environment for the cave inhabitants (the glowworms, amongst others).

I loved how our guide explained to us about how the stalagmites and stalactites are created and that in the end (a few million years later, that’s how slow they grow), the two would grow into one pillar.

We also learned what the glowworms look really look like, why they’re glowing and they catch their food (see below for more info).

The Ruakuri Cave tour takes 70 minutes. I found the time was ideal to learn heaps and enough to pay attention and not get bored. 

We also heard the groups from blackwater rafting somewhere deeper in the caves, it sounded like they had a blast, too. Something to try out next time I’d say…

What’s also great is that we were able to take our time to properly look at the glowworms and try to take pictures of them (I need a phone with better camera…). There aren’t as many as in the other cave, but still plenty. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the Ruakuri Cave tour. Not sure if I’d go on exactly the same tour again since there are so many other options, but can definitely recommend it.

… Or make it a (weekend) getaway: 2 nights in Waitomo in a charming B&B plus the Glowworm Cave and Ruakuri Cave tour.

Waiting for our time slot to come up felt a bit awkward. It was a bit like over in the states in one of the theme parks where you wait for your turn on the ride. And there were so many people waiting for the same tour. 

When it was our time to go through the gate, we were greeted by our guide (I believe her name was Aroha which means ‘love’ in Maori). She went through the cave rules before we were allowed in. One of the rules was, unfortunately, that we were not allowed to take pictures as long as we were in the cave.

Down in the cave were already a lot of people, all standing in groups and listening to their guide. Aroha showed us a part of the cave that was often used for concerts as the acoustics are amazing. She proved it to us by singing a little song for us and trying to get us to sing along (didn’t work out so great, haha).

We also learned about stalagmites and stalactites and the New Zealand glowworms but in a much shorter version that we heard in the Ruakuri Caves before.

When the time came for the main attraction, the boat ride to see the glowworms, the anticipation in the group grew. We were reminded once more that it was going to be dark, apart from the light of the glowworms, that we should enjoy them in absolute silence and were to not take pictures (in this case I appreciated the reminder as plenty of people would try to use the flash to capture the glowworms and ruin the magic).

It was absolutely magical! I’ve never seen so many glowworms before in my life! It looked like an insane version of a night sky, literally millions of glowworms lit up the ceiling. The calm water reflected the lights above us, making us feel like we are floating through space, in between galaxies!

The boat is engine-free for a silent enjoyment of the glowworms. A complicated net of ropes runs through the cave that the guides use to steer us through the darkness, making sure we don’t crash into a wall or another boat.

The ‘stars’ faded the closer we came to the cave exit and just like that, it was over. Like waking up from a dream.

The Waitomo glowworm caves tours work like clockwork. Every guide knows when to be where with their group and they shuffle us around in a perfect routine that it never felt like there were as many people in the cave as there were.

… Or make it a (weekend) getaway: 2 nights in Waitomo in a charming B&B plus the Glowworm Cave and Ruakuri Cave tour.

What are New Zealand glow worms?

As pretty as they look in the dark, looking up close at them they’re actually pretty ugly. The glow worms are endemic to New Zealand and are real worms. 

The New Zealand glow worms love humidity and hate wind which is why they are abundant in caves but can also be found in sheltered bushes.

Sitting in a little self-made hammock, silky looking threads hang off their hammock for the glow worms to “fish” for their prey. The glow worms’ bum glow to attract flying insects in the dark.

What’s the difference between Ruakuri Cave and Waitomo Cave? 

The main difference is that there are a lot more glow worms in the Waitomo Glowworm Cave. The main Waitomo Cave is the busiest attraction of all Waitomo Caves activities, so Ruakuri is quieter and the tour is longer.

Are the Waitomo Caves wheelchair and pushchair friendly?

The Waitomo Glowworm Cave is not due to the boat ride but is manageable for those with reasonable mobility. Ruakuri Cave is both wheelchair and pushchair accessible. 

How to get from Auckland to Waitomo Caves

Follow the road signs first towards Hamilton and then, before going into Hamilton, turn off towards Raglan and Otorohanga. It will take you about 3 hours driving.

There are no public buses going to the Waitomo Caves. If you don’t want to drive yourself, book one of the sightseeing tours Auckland and back or Auckland via Waitomo Caves to Rotorua.

What to wear in the caves

It’s constantly chilly in the caves (16°C year-round), so for most people, this means bringing a light jacket along. You should also wear closed shoes as it can be slippery in the caves. Sneakers are fine.

Do I need to book in advance?

I’d definitely suggest you do. Especially if you’re on a tight itinerary you don’t want to be stuck waiting around if one tour is fully booked. A few days in advance is usually enough. 

What else is there to do in Waitomo?

Heaps! If you have time, make sure to at least visit the Mangapohue Natural Bridge and the Marokopa Falls. You find them if you keep going past Waitomo Caves for about 30 km. 

We heard that the Waitomo Walkway should be great, too, especially at night. You can also see glowworms along the way there, and all for free (although not as many as in the caves). There’s also the Ruakuri Walkway (free and above ground) and lots more. Best check at the Waitomo i-Site, they know all the things to do in Waitomo.

Love action and adrenaline? Here’s your ideal Waitomo Cave tour

We haven’t done this one yet, but it sits very high on my personal New Zealand bucket list. You not only get to experience proper caving, jumping into the black abyss but you also get to abseil into the cave from 100m up! The thought of it gives me sweaty palms and a burst of excitement. Next time we’re there we’ll do it, and I will surely let you know how it was.

Where else can you see glow worms in New Zealand?

Pretty much everywhere! You just need to keep your eyes open at night when going on bush walks and switch off your torch. I’ve seen glow worms in Rotorua, Waipoua Forest in Northland and the best free glow worm cave in New Zealand is the Waipu Cave up in Northland. It’s almost as stunning as the Waitomo Caves.
The Waitomo Caves counterpart on the South Island is the Te Anau Glowworm Caves. 

… Or make it a (weekend) getaway: 2 nights in Waitomo in a charming B&B plus the Glowworm Cave and Ruakuri Cave tour.