If you love nature, Waitomo is sure to keep you captivated. Glistening glow-worms, epic underground adventures and lush, forested trails are just some things you’ll encounter at this popular New Zealand destination. From spelunking tours to the Museum of Caves, here are seven attractions and activities that should be on your list of Waitomo must-dos.
If you’re feeling adventurous, a caving tour is the ultimate thrill. There are quite a few options around, each challenging its visitors to abseil to the depths of various caves and crawl into their underground passages. If you like zip lining, the Lost World and St Benedict Caverns tours will be right up your alley; if you don’t mind getting wet and muddy, the Black Abyss tour combines spelunking and abseiling with an epic black-water rafting expedition.
If you’re curious about the culture, history and geological makeup of Waitomo’s wonderful limestone caverns, a visit to the local museum is a must. Operated by the Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre, the Museum of Caves features an array of interactive displays that allow visitors of all ages to experience the evolution of the caves for themselves, including cave crawls and multimedia displays about the area’s famous Arachnocampa luminosa glow-worms. Fossils, photographic archives and historical exhibits dedicated to cave exploration are a few other highlights to look forward to.
If you like the idea of pedalling across 85km (53mi) of ancient forests, grab your bike and venture southeast of Waitomo to ride the Pureora Timber Trail. As it makes its way across Pureora Forest Park, the route unveils New Zealand’s longest suspension bridges, as well as the key historical sites and ancestral Maori land that make this area so special. The full ride takes two to three days to complete, but it can be broken down into various sections suitable for beginners and intermediate cyclists.
A great option for the kids is to explore this family-friendly tourism attraction and go on a hunt for the endangered cave trolls, using those survival instincts to navigate Tom the troll’s underground lair. After a briefing, you’ll get to solve riddles to get through the cave and make it out to the end – or get stuck and become Tom’s dinner.
Another family-friendly place to visit, the Waitomo Big Bird and Miniature Animal Petting Farm offers visitors a chance to see up close many otherwise antisocial big birds such as the ostrich and emu. The farm also has 18 different species of miniature animals for petting and feeding. Get close to farm animals with a miniature horse ride, or cuddle miniature alpacas, donkeys and sheep.
Take in the scenery of the Waikato district from the air with a helicopter ride from Auckland to the Waitomo caves. Luxury travel operator Helicopter Me offers a flight from Auckland that goes straight down the North Island’s dramatic west coast beaches before turning back inland to the Waitomo caves. Flights take 50 minutes each way, and if you are including a Waitomo caves tour, the entire experience will take about three and a half hours.
Additional reporting by Bianca Ackroyd.