Milky Way Glowworm Cave Tour
Description
Get close up to glowworms in the Milky Way Glowworm Cave and learn all about their amazing lifecycle and why they glow in this pristine cave filled with delicate crystal formations. This guided tour is suitable for all ages is on an easy access path takes 1 hour, walking 300m to the cave and down 30 steps into the cave onto a concrete path. This is the film location for German movie, Das Traumschiff in 2025 and UK travel series, Cruising with Susan Calman 2025. This is the closest glowworm cave tour to Auckland, just 2 hours North. Check a map before booking. Several guided tours daily. There is 2 tour option, the milky way tour (this one) is 1 hour and suitable for all ages. The longer premium tour is called 'Starburst Cathedral' and provides twice the time, distance, & information and has not children. It is the better tour for doing the best photography.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Be amazed at the spectacle of the world famous glowworms in the Milky Way Glowworm Cave on a 1 hour guided tour.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Close car parking available for those with walking difficulty.
Reviews(48)
Wonderful tour guide Oshay. Was very careful and made sure that every step of the way that all were being careful and looked after. We took our 10 month baby with us and it was fantastic :) Well looked after and then had some lovely recommendations for stops on our way back to Auckland.
Very interesting and great for the kids
Thanks for your review.
Very informative and lots of glow worms in the cave! Best glow worm experience that we have had in New Zealand!
Thanks very much for your review. We are glad you enjoyed the tour and had the best glowworm experience.
A very impressive and memorable place, I highly recommend it. The caves are simply magnificent.
Thanks for your review. We are pleased you enjoyed your tour.
My guide was so pleasant and knowledgeable. I was able to use night mode on my phone and get some interesting photos.
Thanks Alan, Pleased you enjoyed the tour.
Dont book with them. Worst experience ever, dont waste your time and money. Unhelpful and rude staff
You didn't come here. You're unethical rating something you have not been to. You booked our tour, but didn't show up. You are a 'No-Show'. When online searching and booking, a day before the tour, you didn't read our location/address. That is 'Speed-Booking' (not reading information and just making guesses and assumptions). After booking, you didn't read your booking confirmation email, another mistake. At that point you could have fixed it. Next day, you then drove to a location 5 hours away from us for the tour. That is your own fault. Once you realise the mistake you called my staff and got bitchy at them because of your mistake. A day later you then message us and I refuse your refund because we cannot resell those tickets in the past. You need to self reflect on your multiple mistakes and blame yourself. All the people who read the information when booking, show up for the tour. A very small number of people make the same mistake as you and an even smaller number blame us and get unpleasant with our staff, like you did. Our policy is to refuse all refunds over the phone, as some people start by blaming us for their mistakes. We are OK about rescheduling over the phone. But, if people want refunds we will only consider them when a message is in writing through Viator App. We normally offer polite people who make the same mistake a reschedule, some time in the next 2 months.
The glowworm caves were really beautiful and set in a wonderful area to explore. The staff were friendly and informative throughout. We had two young children with us, the pre-schooler did get slightly bored when we were letting our eyes acclimatise to the darkness but really enjoyed the experience overall. The toddler had great fun until initial lights out when she became slightly scared, but was easily reassured and overall still appeared to enjoy the experience.
thanks for you review. every child is different in the way react to the darkness and the talking in dark while looking at glowworms. the short tour you did is the only one we allow young kids on. The long tour we call Starburst Cathedral tour only allows 13 years up due to the longer time, twice the distance in to cave and the amount of information we give.
Fantastic! It was pouring rain the day we went. I was a little nervous as there was a fair flow of water inside the cave. However on the tour I was reassured and made to feel completely comfortable. The caves and glowworms themselves were incredible. Well worth a visit
Thanks for your review. Because we have a flood water diverter we can still run tours during most rainy weather. We are pleased you enjoyed the tour.
Perfect, took the longer tour to both caves Brooke was a great guide. The caves were beautiful, paths and handrails well maintained. Lights were in good working order. But the caves were serene, magnificent, spiritual. I think the concerts would be surreal. I wish I lived here. I would come back regularly. Also loved the grounds, the bouldering and goats. Best thing I've seen in New Zealand (so far)
Awesome. Thanks very much for your review. the tour you did was the Starburst Cathedral which is our longer tour in the Milky Way Glowworm Cave. I hope you have more good adventures in NZ.
We went to do this on a very wet day when there was pouring rain. Thankfully although a stream runs through the cave they have a system to stop them flooding. We were met at the office by our guide O’Shea. We all gathered umbrellas to keep us dry on the walk to the caves. Along the way she told us how the rocks were formed and then how the caves were formed. At the entrance to the cave we were given a talk about safety and individual torches. We entered the caves which after a short distance had a hand rail. Here we could see the stalactites and stalagmites plus the columns they make when they meet. We then proceeded onwards into the caves which after walking to the end of our part of the system, we stopped to put the torches out while we all rested on the rail. We could then see the glow worms. We were told about the lifestyle of a glow worm. And could see the lines they produce to trap their prey. We saw lots as our eyes adjusted to the darkness. Then by shielding the torches in our hands we could walk slowly back while continuing to see the glow worms. We then turned the torches off and by holding onto the handrail walked slowly back and we could see many more glow worms and their ‘milky way’. At all time O’Shea was an excellent guide making sure all were safe including the less able and without making them feel a burden. We all felt safe and learned about the caves & glow worms.
Wonderful. Thanks for your detailed review.
