Twilight Glowworm Kayak Tour – Lake Karapiro
Description
This is a once in a life-time experience and different from any other Glowworm Tour you'll go on! Our adventure begins late afternoon / early evening at Riverside Adventures' base in South Waikato. Paddle along the southern edge of Lake Karapiro, over the old submerged Horahora Dam that produced electricity for the early Waihi goldfields. Learn the history of the Horahora village and enjoy the twilight & silence of being on the water as the day draws to an end. As night arrives over the lake , paddle slowly up the Pokaiwhenua Stream and through the canyon carved out by water over many hundreds of years. Native ferns & trees drape over you, bird life is all around. When darkness falls we float silently back downstream, being guided by the glow worms on either side sparkling like Christmas lights.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Come along on a daytime canyon kayak tour, a glowworm tour, bike tour or more.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- You need to have a moderate level of fitness and be able paddle yourself for 1 hour at a time.
Reviews(526)
This was a magical experience! The kayak up the canyon was absolutely gorgeous, and floating back down through the glowworms was honestly otherworldly. We were lucky that it was a calm and clear night, so we got to see the stars reflecting on the lake too! Would 100% recommend this experience for seeing glowworms.
Amazing!! Thanks, heaps, for your kind words. So pleased you loved the tour.
Floating down the canyon in the dark with glow worms on both sides was pure magic. The scenery was also beautiful at sunset and we were lucky with the clear skies to get some stargazing in as well. The team was absolutely fantastic and we couldn’t recommend this experience more.
Wow, you got the whole experience! The stars are the icing on the cake. Thanks for coming along. :)
Our kayak tip was just as cool as seeing the glow worms. Kaperiera, our guide, was very informative throughout our time together. We enjoyed this trip very much and will be bring our friends and family when they come to visit us.
Thanks heaps. We agree, she's the best! Thanks for coming along.
Our kayak tip was just as cool as seeing the glow worms. Kaperiera was very informative throughout our time together. We enjoyed this trip very much and will be bring our friends and family when they come to visit us.
Amazing! Kaperiera is amazing! WE so look forward to hosting you again! Cheers
Neil our tour guide did a fantastic job. Explained things clearly yet kept it lighthearted. Made sure we were always safe and in sight. Steve was helpful with kitting us out in our gear and practical stuff
Glad the guys were so helpful. Thanks for taking the time to write a review. Glad you loved the tour.
Magical river trip at night! Experienced guides, safety conscious, gorgeous paddle at dusk and in the dark. Glow worms + starry narrow canyon sky + light reflected on the water = an unforgettable experience.
We agree, it's such a magical trip. Thans for enjoying it with us.
Easy paddle with spectacular views, great host with lots of local historical knowledge. The best viewing of the glowworms!
Cheers. Glad you had a great time.
After a long day of travel and a tour of Hobbiton my party and I were already quite tired heading into our twilight glowworm kayak tour however once we arrive we found our two guides Mak and Alice to be so welcoming and engaging during the tour that it really helped us keep up the energy for our tour through the canyon. The tour started with a safety briefing and quick refresher on core kayaking competencies before heading down to the shore and boarding our kayaks and heading down towards the canyon. Along the way our guides shared local history and information about the local ecology along with safety tips about each section of our trip. Kayaking through the canyon during daylight both a beautiful scenic ride as well as a helpful primer on what the overall layout and shape were for the upcoming twilight float allowing us to mostly just sit back and enjoy the "lights reflected on water". Once through the canyon we landed for a light snack and warm beverage while listening to a more thorough explanation about the historical sites we passed by and the glowworm life cycle. Once sundown was approaching we had a safety briefing and clear instructions covering our twilight float through the canyon and return trip before loading back into the kayaks and once darkness had set in taking off for a relaxing trip back through the canyon carefully tended by our guides before paddling back to the lake and doing some bonus stargazing on a perfectly clear and calm night. Overall it was a brilliant experience and a beautiful way to call it a day on the Waikato leg of our journey across the country. Thanks again Mak and Alice for keeping us engaged and safe while providing some truly lovely experiences for us to bring home.
We are so happy we could provide such an experience for you that you could enjoy despite the tiredness. Thanks for coming along and the lovely review.
Our family loved this experience, seeing the glow worms was magical. Neil, our guide was great with stories of the past and really practical on his safety talks. My only recommendation for improvement would be to drop the extra charge for the seat supports and just build it into the price of the adventure because everyone wants them!
Thanks for coming. We agree and are looking at how to make this happen. Thanks for the feedback.
Beautiful tour with a small group. Very knowledgeable Guide Neil made us feel safe and comfortable throughout the trip despite it being pitch black! The paddle into the canyon during dawn was gorgeously and the glow worms in the canyon on the way out in the dark were amazing! Highly recommend - one of the highlights in NZ.
Awesome. Thanks very much for coming along.
