K
Lovely, easy adventure
Kate was super helpful and responsive. This tour is a great way to get out of the main part of Auckland and see glow worms without navigating caves. It's a lovely easy adventure.
See Auckland's Secret Glow Worms
+5 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 1h 30min
- Price from
- $83 / person
- Location
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 · 28 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Small group, up to 6
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Locals New Zealand
- Meeting point
- We will meet you in the vehicle drop off/ pick up parking zone for the Ferry terminal. This is down the side of the building by the red gates. Address is 99 Quay street
Description
We’ve been tracking and monitoring a thriving colony of bush glow worms for a while now and they are magnificent, strange and magical all at the same time! Our unique species of glow worm lights up after dark like the stars to attract it's prey, it's very special. The atmosphere is pretty electric in there as we first allow our eyes become accustomed to the dark before we walk past and hear running water close by and then it's just us, and the glow worms. The luminescent larval is endemic to these shores, so it's a one off for most at a very cool piece of native forest. This local bush reserve is to remain a secret, phones are turned off. This is an exceptionally sensitive area. Thanks for your help preserving this. This is an easy bush walk, you will not be on a boat
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, and Sun
- Start times
- 8:30 PM
- Next available
- Wed, Oct 14
- Adult (ages 18–75)
- $83
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 13.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Auckland
We take a 25 minute car ride to a secret forest, in Auckland, to view the glow worms in their natural habitat. This is a unique experience to go visit and hang out with real life glow worms without even leaving the city. We go in small groups, we are very careful where we tread and what we touch, it’s an intimate and special experience every time. It is an easy 30 minute walk around a unique section of bush teeming with Glow Worms, led by your guide by torch light. You'll see glow worms and experience native New Zealand bush and it's wildlife by night.
What's included
Included
Experienced Guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Not included
Parking for your vehicle, Please contact us if you are using a vehicle in Auckland
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.8
28 reviews
How it compares in Auckland
- Starting price $83 is 16% above the typical $72 for tours of similar length in Auckland
Excurgo comparison of 892 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please let us know prior to booking if you are visually impaired or have trouble getting around so we can make sure this experience is right for you.
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 See Auckland's Secret Glow Worms take?
See Auckland's Secret Glow Worms lasts about 1h 30min. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does See Auckland's Secret Glow Worms cost?
Prices start at $83 per person for this Auckland experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does See Auckland's Secret Glow Worms run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, starting at 8:30 PM.
Can I cancel See Auckland's Secret Glow Worms 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 We will meet you in the vehicle drop off/ pick up parking zone for the Ferry terminal. This is down the side of the building by the red gates. Address is 99 Quay street. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is See Auckland's Secret Glow Worms 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 6 participants.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is See Auckland's Secret Glow Worms worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 28 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Locals New Zealand.
Reviews(28)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Y
Our night tour
It’s an amazing experience! Kate, our guide is very passionate about glow worms and their forest habitat. She is quite accomodating as we are an older and slow group. I highly recommend this, a secret forest so close to the city…. We really enjoyed this night tour!
M
A magical evening with a terrific guide!
I had such an amazing time seeing the glow worms with Kate! Everything about the evening was absolutely perfect. Kate is incredibly knowledgeable and clearly cares so deeply about the environment and these special creatures. Plus, she’s so fun and cool! A great experience as a solo traveler, too. Highly recommend!
S
Great Tour
Excellent small group tour. Really intimate and magical experience! We had a comfortable short drive to the forest and the experienced guide showed and told us all about the glow worms.
K
Interesting and amazing trip to see Aucklands glow worms. Who knew they were hiding here!!
Very knowledgeable Kate took us to a lovely part of Auckland and we saw so many glow worms as well as several other creatures too. Nothing too much trouble, a fantastic experience through and through.
F
Not a private tour
Not an intimate or private tour as the description states: "On this private tour you’re taken to a hidden glowworm dell in a bush reserve". We shared the sentiment with other travelers recently too.
Operator response
So sorry you did not enjoy this small group tour (6 ppl). I'm not sure what night you attended as all my guests seem happy? I hoped that I am not that Unapproachable! The write up I have found out is done by viator. In no way was I trying to convey its a private tour. For the price that would simply be unaffordable. It is private in the sense this is not a massive tour group. I think that's why viator chose that wording. I have asked for it to be removed. I feel really bad you had a bad time. I had no idea that viator had been advertising this as a private tour.
T
Great but not as private as it sounds
The actual experience was great! It was very rainy which was a bit more difficult to navigate with all the mud and flooded paths however the glow worms were amazing to see! This tour is NOT private. My husband and I booked this thinking it would be just us but then another group of 4 showed up for the tour. I was disappointed in this for sure, but overall had a good time.
Operator response
Hi 👋 not sure what gave the impression that it would be a solely private tour? This is a small group tour, no more than 6 guests at any one time. I'll revisit the experience description. Thanks for the heads up! **Update i have found out that Viator actually writes the description. I had not put the word private in their at all which is why i was so confused!!! I am requesting it to be removed.
E
Must-Do Tour!
No need to do the 5+ hours drive round trip to Waitomo Caves, as there are tons of glowworms all within a 30 minute drive from downtown Auckland. Our guide Kate was very cordial, knowledgeable, and passionate about the tour. She drove us to the secluded area where there were hundreds of glowworms. Kate did a great job of explaining how and why glowworms 'glow' and provided a unique and up-close experience. Highly recommend the tour, not only because it will save you a ton of time, but more for Kate's information and the overall experience.
Operator response
Thanks so much for your lovely review - it is so appreciated!
M
Had a great time, this...
Had a great time, this was a very neat little excursion and the host was so down to earth and friendly.
Operator response
Really appreciate you taking the time to leave such lovely feedback. It was an absolute pleasure to have you.
J
Definitely a unique thing...
Definitely a unique thing to do only in New Zealand. Guide was great and she was full of knowledge. Hard to get pics, but something that has to be experienced in person.
Operator response
Thanks Jeff! It was such a pleasure taking you guys out to the forest!
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from$83
4.8(28) Free cancellation