Opening hours, prices and tickets for places worth your time.
The Waitomo Glowworm Caves, officially Waitomo Cave, were explored in 1887 by the local chief Tane Tinorau and surveyor Fred Mace and opened to visitors by Tinorau and his wife Huti in 1889. Guided tours pass limestone formations and the Cathedral, the tallest chamber, and end with a boat ride beneath thousands of glowworms (Arachnocampa luminosa).
Ruakuri Cave near Waitomo Caves is named 'den of dogs' after the wild dogs Māori found at its entrance; that entrance was an urupā (burial place) and is no longer used. Tours, run again since 2005, enter by a spiral ramp built some distance away and follow wheelchair-accessible walkways past limestone formations, underground streams and glowworms.
Vizgu uses necessary technologies to make the site work. With your permission, we also use optional technologies to remember features and measure affiliate ticket referrals. We currently use no general analytics or advertising trackers. You can accept, reject or choose categories, and change your choice at any time through Cookie preferences in the footer.
