Things to Do in Waitomo: Caves and Adventures

October 30, 2026

Waitomo in brief

Waitomo is a village in the King Country of the North Island, about 18 km from Te Kuiti, built around limestone caves. Dollar figures here are New Zealand dollars from operator websites in 2026, so confirm the current rate with the operator before booking. Floods can shut caves and roads, so look at operator and council notices before a drive on Te Anga Road.

Glowworm and cave tours

Waitomo Glowworm Cave: 45 minutes, finishing with a silent boat ride. From $85 adult and $39 child. Photography and filming are not allowed.
Ruakuri Cave: allow 2 hours, from $122 adult and $46 child, with waterfalls and glowworms. Photography is allowed in selected areas.
Spellbound: a 150-minute small-group trip of two caves, from $109 adult and $38 child, meeting about 15 km from the village at Oparure.
Glowing Adventures: the Off the Beaten Track tour is $219 a person, runs 3 to 3.5 hours, takes ages 12 and over and caps groups at 8.

Cave tubing and abseiling

The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co, at 585 Waitomo Caves Road, sends guests through Ruakuri Cave on inner tubes. This is cave tubing in an underground stream, and the guides provide wetsuits, gumboots, helmets, headlights and tubes.

Black Labyrinth: 3 hours, ages 12 and over, from $199 adult, $154 for ages 12 to 15, $589 family. It has tubing, waterfall jumps and glowworms.
Black Abyss: 5 hours, ages 16 and over, from $332. It adds a 35 m abseil, a zipline and waterfall climbing.

Both need a weight between 45 and 130 kg. Phones and cameras stay on the surface, and the company’s own photos can be bought later.

Waitomo Adventures, at 1227 Waitomo Valley Road, offers the Lost World Half Day (age 10 and over, 4 to 5 hours, about $650 to $700, with a 100 m abseil), the Lost World Epic (age 15 and over, 8 to 9 hours, $985, meals included) and Haggas Honking Holes (age 15 and over, up to 4 hours, $350, with abseils mostly in waterfalls). Troll Cave is $180 for a group of up to 8. Guide photos go online for free.

Outdoor ziplines

Waitomo Caves Zipline Park sits at 24 Te Anga Road, about 200 m beyond the Glowworm Cave. Ten lines cover roughly 1 km, and the last is 280 m long. Expect about 2 hours among native trees and limestone bluffs. The weight limit is 120 kg. The minimum age is quoted as 7 or 8, and one reseller lists adults at $140, so confirm both with the seller.

Planning notes

Arrive 30 minutes before any cave departure.
Reserve early for busy periods.
Top up the tank at Otorohanga, Piopio or Te Kuiti, because there is no fuel west of Waitomo.
Karst land hides vertical shafts, so keep to marked tracks and go underground only with a licensed guide.

Operator sites: Discover Waitomo caves and Waitomo Adventures . Tour search: Viator .