The Waitomo Caves were a place that we were going to be passing on our way to New Plymouth so we decided that it is one of NZ's iconic tourist places we should visit. We camped the night in Otorohanga so we could be there, with ease, by mid morning.
We booked into a Combo package @ $68 each and this gave us a tour of the Glowworm Cave and the Aranui Cave.
The Glowworm Cave is the showcase cave, with over 2000 people a day during the high tourist season, going through this cave. Our group of around 25 people was guided through the cave which highlights all the features of a limestone cave as well as an amazing grotto of glowworms, seen from a small boat. I think that we were the only NZ's with most being of Asian descent.
Unfortunately no photos are able to be taken in this cave.
Our second cave, the Aranui, is another further 2km up the road, and the group was much smaller. This cave is both smaller and different. There are no glowworms here, as this is mostly a dry cave. It is only after heavy rain that any water moves through it. We were lucky to see it in this state and it highlighted many of the features. Photos were able to be taken in here though it is difficult to capture the sheer wonder of the limestone features.
Unfortunately all of the caves suffered damaged during the early days when visitors were allowed to take pieces of the stalactites as souvenirs. These limestone features take 100s of years to grow so it is pleasing to see that the Trust that runs the caves goes to great efforts to make sure this practice no longer happens.
We were very pleased we had made the effort to visit this well known tourist icon, and they certainly hold their own when compared to the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains that we visited last year.
Website for Waitomo Caves
We booked into a Combo package @ $68 each and this gave us a tour of the Glowworm Cave and the Aranui Cave.
The Glowworm Cave is the showcase cave, with over 2000 people a day during the high tourist season, going through this cave. Our group of around 25 people was guided through the cave which highlights all the features of a limestone cave as well as an amazing grotto of glowworms, seen from a small boat. I think that we were the only NZ's with most being of Asian descent.
Unfortunately no photos are able to be taken in this cave.
Our second cave, the Aranui, is another further 2km up the road, and the group was much smaller. This cave is both smaller and different. There are no glowworms here, as this is mostly a dry cave. It is only after heavy rain that any water moves through it. We were lucky to see it in this state and it highlighted many of the features. Photos were able to be taken in here though it is difficult to capture the sheer wonder of the limestone features.
Unfortunately all of the caves suffered damaged during the early days when visitors were allowed to take pieces of the stalactites as souvenirs. These limestone features take 100s of years to grow so it is pleasing to see that the Trust that runs the caves goes to great efforts to make sure this practice no longer happens.
We were very pleased we had made the effort to visit this well known tourist icon, and they certainly hold their own when compared to the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains that we visited last year.
Website for Waitomo Caves
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