Nocturnal adventure Glow-worm tour

Great experience, Stephen was so passionate about the forest, taught us so many things and overall made an unforgettable experience for us! Definitely our highlight of the trip!

Such a magical experience, will never forget it. Stephen was a knowledgeable tour guide.

am incredible tour with a great tour guide. i had an amazing time!! safe and suitable for solo travelers

I visited New Zealand for 2 weeks, fitting in as many tourist experiences as possible, and this nocturnal glow-worm tour was truly a highlight of my entire visit. Our guide, Stephen, was incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining. The small group size made for a very intimate experience, making it easier to see things up close and ask questions, without being rushed or crowded. In addition to the plentiful glow-worms, our guide pointed out native plants, insects, and animals on the trail. We saw a waterfall and had a great view of the stars. Really, just an amazing nature experience. There are no other tours sharing the trail, so it felt like a premium experience. Flashlights are provided and instructions are clear, so you feel safe and informed throughout the tour. There is ample time for photos and Stephen provides some tips as well. We also got a bonus hot chocolate and cookie before heading back to town on the shuttle van. Communication before the tour was also clear, with flexible pick-up options in Rotorua available, and a punctual pick-up. If you are comparing tours, my friend who is a NZ local, had done the other glow worm caves tour previously (run by a different company with some big marketing dollars) and can attest that Real Rotorua’s nocturnal adventure is far superior. It’s not even close.

I could give this Nocturnal Glow Worm Adventure Tour a 10 out of 10. Two friends and myself started our adventure at 7:30 pm on the 25th May 2026. Our guide Stephen is the best in his area, a mine full of information and knowledge about the glow worms but also about the local plants and animal life inhabiting the forest, very patient with answering questions, ever ready assisting with photography, and very mindful of our safety in the middle of the forest, and on top of that, we were treated with mugs of piping hot chocolate after the tour. My friends and I felt safe, and learned so much. I highly recommend this tour with Stephen.

Stephen was amazing an absolute wealth of local knowledge. He is extremely friendly and very passionate about giving the guests an experience to remember. Communication was strong and made sure we knew exactly where to meet him so we could head off on the tour on time. The walk was beautiful and we got to really see some of the hidden wonders NZ had to offer. The glow worms are amazing and the way he chooses to present the tour keeps it interesting and kept us all engaged, This is a must do experience when on the North Island. The walk would be suitable to anyone who has a basic level of fitness. The small group size means the experience isnt lost in large groups. Thank you Stephen

We had an absolute blast! Steve was very punctual and has so much knowledge not just behind glowing worms but Rotorua as a whole! Lots of stories to tell and gets others involved too!! & the photography skills of this man - Elite & the hot chocolate and short bread at the end was a very sweet addition!! Honestly he is the best guide to have!! 100% highly recommended!!

Stephen was an amazing guide. A lot of knowledge and good at communicating it. We were so happy that we went on this tour. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Real Rotorua for teaching me a lesson about being on time, I suppose. I was late by 2-3 minutes to the pick up location and they were already gone. They claim to have called me but I had not received any calls, and if the call hadn't gone through they could've tried another way of contacting me like through email or alerting me by honking their horn as I was at a private address. Again, my fault for not reading the ToS that I should be standing in the cold for 10 minutes prior to their arrival. Did they not think it could be that I was standing elsewhere and didn't see them, or something unexpected had delayed my arrival slightly? Their effort and kindness towards their so-called guests is bare minimum at best. I get leaving after 5 or 10 minutes, but I was outside 2 minutes past the pickup time and did not see any vehicles there. Somehow, I doubt their sincerity in offering tours to well-meaning travellers around Rotorua if they could not even wait 5 minutes to truly ascertain I was not coming, or make more of an attempt to contact or find a paying customer at a pickup location. I also called them on the phone and asked if I could uber or drive to wherever the location was, but was very rudely shut down by both of the owners who told me that nothing can be done and cut off the call. Perhaps being late was my fault, but I also would not recommend simply because of the owners' attitude. I get that being late is against your ToS and no refund will be given because of this, but I believe there could be some sympathetic grey area for 2-3 mins? Their policy and attitude strongly dissuades me from ever booking again with them for me and my family if I return to Rotorua. I would have felt better if they had offered a partial refund or a switch to another date for the tour, but it was simply "nothing can be done". Moreover, I was standing outside stupidly waiting for them to come not knowing that they had left and thinking that they were late, and it was only 10 minutes later that I realised something was wrong and called them, and by then it was too late. Could've at least emailed me to let me know they were leaving me behind, since they could not reach me by phone. Anyway, Rotorua had been lovely but this experience left a sour taste in my mouth. I recommend anyone to book with another operator for tours, or be extremely early to their tour otherwise they will gladly leave you behind.

We LOVED Stephen's nocturnal adventure!! We had such a lovely time learning from him about all of the wonderful plants and creatures of the forest near Rotorua. Stephen also took really fun pictures of us and helped us photograph the things we saw. Stephen has put together a really fun, informative, and memorable experience, and the effort he has put forth in doing so really shines through.