We booked the Ruakuri Cave Tour because my friend was absolutely obsessed with seeing glow worms. I genuinely thought I'd booked the Waitomo Glowworm Tour instead but apparently exhausted me wasn't paying enough attention while booking through Viator. 😂 Honestly, though, I'm SO glad exhausted me made that mistake! Our guide, Stacey, was absolutely fantastic. Passionate, knowledgeable, friendly and clearly enthusiastic about what she does. We were the girls with the colourful hair and I was wearing my duck jumper, which Stacey complimented. (Always a good sign when someone appreciates the ducks! 😂) The caves themselves were fascinating, with plenty of interesting history along the way. They weren't nearly as cold as I'm used to from visiting Jenolan Caves, but I'd still recommend bringing a jacket just in case. But the absolute highlight? THE GLOW WORMS! The opportunity to get so incredibly close to them was amazing. Rather than looking at tiny dots of light from a distance, you get a much more up-close encounter with these fascinating little creatures. It was genuinely special and made the whole experience even better than I'd anticipated. An absolutely brilliant tour and Stacey made an already great experience even more memorable. If you're considering visiting the caves, I highly recommend this tour. And if you're lucky enough to get Stacey as your guide, you're in for a treat! Sometimes the best travel experiences come from accidentally booking the wrong thing. 😂
90-Minute Guided Ruakuri Cave Tour Waitomo
At a glance
- Duration
- 1h 30min
- Location
- Waitomo
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 · 200 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Small group, up to 16
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Within 24h
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- THL - Waitomo Caves Group
- Meeting point
- Waitomo Glowworm Caves Visitor CenterCheck in here 30 minutes prior to tour departure if you require directions.
Description
Ruakuri Cave offers a captivating blend of Waitomo's most compelling subterranean experiences. Journey down through the spectacular spiral entrance, and marvel at the softly folding shawl-like limestone formations and crystal tapestries. Hear the distant thunder of the subterranean waterfalls and get up close to the glowworms. Spectacular and unique, Ruakuri Cave offers a captivating blend of Waitomo's most compelling subterranean experiences. In this 1.5 hour sightseeing tour, your guide will bring you up close to glowworms, elaborate cave formations, underground rivers, myths, legends and sacred Maori sites.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Ruakuri Cave
Discover the spectacular Ruakuri Cave on this 75-minute guided walking tour. Ruakuri Cave has displays of glowworms and is filled with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years. Points of interest include softly folding shawl-like formations (formed by flowing rivers) and fossilized seashells, which indicate how the caves were once part of the seabed. Major features include Holdens Cavern, named after James Holden who first opened the cave to the public, The Drum Passage, The Pretties, and The Ghost Passage. Tours depart every day (except Christmas Day) at 9.00am, 10.00am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm. Photography is permitted in Ruakuri Cave. Ruakuri Cave is wheelchair accessible. .
What's included
Included
Local guide
Not included
Food and drinks
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.8
200 reviews
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- All you will need are comfortable shoes and a warm jacket.
- You must check in 30 minutes before the tour departs
- Due to high demand and limited capacity if you are late or miss your scheduled tour time your ticket(s) are forfeited and non refundable. New bookings will incur the full tour cost and are subject to availability
- Your own transport is required
- Stroller/wheelchair width must not exceed 65cm
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does 90-Minute Guided Ruakuri Cave Tour Waitomo take?
90-Minute Guided Ruakuri Cave Tour Waitomo lasts about 1h 30min. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Can I cancel 90-Minute Guided Ruakuri Cave Tour Waitomo for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is Waitomo Glowworm Caves Visitor Center. Check in here 30 minutes prior to tour departure if you require directions. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is 90-Minute Guided Ruakuri Cave Tour Waitomo offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 16 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Children must be accompanied by an adult Stroller/wheelchair width must not exceed 65cm
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Wheelchair accessible Stroller/wheelchair width must not exceed 65cm
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Confirmation is sent by the operator within 24 hours of booking.
Is 90-Minute Guided Ruakuri Cave Tour Waitomo worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 200 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by THL - Waitomo Caves Group.
Reviews(200)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
M
Glow Up!
C
Stunning
Small group, Wi was a fantastic guide friendly, funny and informative, the caves have some stunning decorations they are well worth a visit, How they managed to put all that infrastructure (lighting, paths, railing) in there without doing any damage is amazing.
M
Great tour!
This was a very well-organized tour of the Ruakiri Cave. We saw beautiful cave formations as well as so many glowworms. Our tour guide was extremely friendly and it was amazing how much information she could share with us about the cave. Highly recommend!
A
Cave tour
Natural wonders of the cave - Aria was a Knowledgeable, welcoming and friendly guide and took her time explaining all and taking photos at our request.
S
Excellent tour.
Wow!! Excellent tour with our guide Scuba. Went with our adult daughters and we all enjoyed learning about the caves and the history of the area and seeing the glow worms! A beautiful experience. Thank you !
T
Ruakuri Cave tour
Nice small group of 8. Friendly humourous guide!
F
Fascinating
Our guide Wii was perfect, funny, knowledgeable and engaging. The caves itself was amazing, the history told by Wii was fascinating. Safety was paramount.
L
Bucketlist experience
Nice to be guided through the caves and experience the atmosphere around. I just felt that there would be a lot more customer patronage if the cost to enjoy this experience was in the range of that cannot afford this. Otherwise It is a memory that I will hold onto.
A
Great teip
Amazing trip. Our guide Stacey was really good. Super knowledgeable and so accommodating. Would definitely recommend.
J
Super interesting and our...
Super interesting and our guide was so friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend. Great to do this first followed by the labyrinth experience.
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| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90-Minute Guided Ruakuri Cave Tour Waitomo | 1h 30min | 4.8 (200) | — | |
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 Waitomo’s Hidden Gem: Off the Beaten Track Glowworm Cave Tour | 3h 15min | 5.0 (476) | $125 | View |
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4.8(200) Free cancellation