Private Shore Excursion: Waitomo Glow Worm Caves Experience from Tauranga

Enjoy a magical day trip to the Waitomo Caves on this full-day private shore excursion from Tauranga. You will be collected from your cruise ship in the Port of Tauranga in a luxury Mercedes vehicle. The Waitomo Caves are located around 2-hours from Tauranga.

The Kaimai Ranges offer panoramic views across the Province of Waikato; this is one of the favored routes as you pass through breath-taking farm land that typifies New Zealand rural life. You will get a real taste for the Bay of Plenty during this drive and with commentary provided any questions will be happily answered by your driver/guide.

As you move towards the Waitomo Caves full commentary will be provided on the brief history of New Zealand as well as a few interesting facts about the agriculture, horticulture and forestry industries.

There are three different caves at the Waitomo Caves location for you to choose which cave or combination of caves you would like to visit including Waitomo Caves, Ruakuri Cave and Aranui Cave.

At the Waitomo Glowworm Cave you will be amazed by the many thousands of magical glowworms lining the walls. This cave is visited only by boat and you will be guided through by one of the Waitomo tour guides, many of whom are ancestors of the Maori chief who originally explored the cave and can share with you more about the history of the area. Before your boat ride you will also have the chance of walking through the Cathedral Cave, famous for its fantastic acoustics. These caves have been guided since the 1880s and are one of New Zealand’s first tourist attractions. You can expect the Waitomo Glowworms Cave experience to take around forty-five minutes.

The Ruakuri Caves at Waitomo is full of legends and tales. It takes 2-hours to explore this cave in depth, all the while you will be guided through in small groups to really enjoy this educational and interesting experience. The entrance into the Ruakuri Cave is a spectacular spiral design, leading into the limestone caves. The softly folding shawl like limestone formations and crystal tapestries have been developed over millions of years. Once you are deeper into the cave you will see the ancient glowworms up close and will be able to learn about their fascinating life. While you are down in the cave you will hear the distant rumble of the underground waterfalls close by.

The Aranui Caves at Waitomo is set in the New Zealand forest giving you the chance to wander off the beaten track through some true New Zealand bush. Once you reach the Aranui Cave you will be amazed by the beautiful white, pink and brown stalactites, stalagmites and flowstones. Allow 1-hour for the Aranui Caves.

After meeting the local Kiwi you will be taken back to the Port of Tauranga to ensure that you are back at your cruise ship in plenty of time.