Waitomo Glowworm Caves Review: Journey through the magical world of Glow Worms!

Waitomo Glowworm Caves was our next stop after we left Huhu Chalet the next morning. We had purchased the tickets to Waitomo Glowworm Caves online – an important step before your visit because of the large number of visitors, especially during peak season.

Arriving at Ruakuri Visitor Centre – Entrance to Waitomo Glowworm Caves

To reach Waitomo Glowworm Caves, first head to Ruakuri Visitor Centre. There, you’ll be able to park at a carpark that is sloped, which will somewhat test your driving skills. Thereafter, take a walk through a path that leads you to the Ruakuri Visitor Centre…

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

“The world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves amaze with thousands of magical glowworms that sparkle above, as you glide underneath by boat. Enjoy the ornate cave decorations and sculptures that have developed over thousands of years. A New Zealand “must see”, these caves have been enjoyed for over 120 years.”

Ruakuri cave

“Spectacular Ruakuri Cave is an intimate and unique cave experience like no other. See glowworms up close and stunning crystal tapestries. Descend through the spiral drum entrance, an engineering materpiece. Tread narrow corridors, stand in vast caverns and hear the distant thunder of subterranean waterfalls.”

Aranui Cave

“Aranui Cave astounds with magnificent white pink and brown limestone formations – stalactites, stalagmites and flowstones. Enjoy walking through the New Zealand native forest. The high chambers and delicate formations make Aranui Cave a real gem.”

Arriving at Ruakuri Visitor Centre for Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Ruakuri Visitor Centre for Waitomo Glowworm Caves Visit

As the attraction banner shows, Ruakuri Visitor Centre is the starting point of the 3 major attractions in Waitomo – namely; Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Ruakuri Cave as well as the Aranui Cave. Following the path from the carpark to Ruakuri Visitor Centre, we walked past the most important tourist attraction (for the operators at least) – the souvenir shop!

General New Zealand Souvenirs available at Souvenir Shop of Ruakuri Visitor Centre

Waitomo Glowworm Caves Cafe and Restaurant

Here at the Ruakuri Visitor Centre Souvenir Shop, you’ll be able to find an extensive selection of souvenirs that range from art work to even general New Zealand Souvenirs. We also checked out the Waitomo Caves Cafe and Restaurant which has affordable coffees and a delicious selection of food offerings on its menu. A great place to have a breakfast before your visit to the Waitomo Caves…

Waitomo Glowworm Caves – The Review

Walking towards the entrance of Waitomo Glowworm Caves - The layered rocks here aren't real... — Walking towards the entrance of Waitomo Glowworm Caves – The layered rocks here aren’t real…

Tour Guide Ciarne giving us a brief before entering Waitomo Glowworm Caves

We arrived at the registration area for the Waitomo Glowworm Caves at about 1030am. As we were early, our tour guide Ciarne (pronounced as Xi-Arn) offered us to join the 1030am group that was just about to leave, instead of waiting for another 30 minutes for our slot at 11am. Once the group was ready (toilets are available before departure), we were led to the entrance of the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and briefed on the following main points

1. Do not touch the cave formations as oil secretions from our body can damage the limestone formations
2. You may use flash at the limestone formations within for photography BUT
3. When you’re at the glow worms area, flash photography is not allowed

With that, we started our descent into the depths of Waitomo Glowworm Caves…

Descending through a circular pathway down to Waitomo Glowworm Caves entrance

Tom staring down into the descent to Waitomo Glowworm Caves

The descent into the Waitomo Glowworm Caves was an experience in itself. First, we were led through 2 chambers where one had to be closed off before the next one had to be opened. This felt like we were entering into a top security facility. Once we were at the top of the descent, it was pitch dark but with the activation of the switch by Ciarne, the orange coloured lights started to switch on, along with the sounds of “deng deng deng” that you’ll expect from movies when lights in the warehouse come on – revealing the beautiful orange tunnel (spiral drum entrance) that we were about to descend into. This is also one of the iconic views at Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Remember to take a shot or two here before you head down.

Rock with actual drop of water at the end of the descent to Waitomo Glowworm Caves

At the end of the descent is a rock where water still drips upon. For the group exiting the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, they would be asked to refresh themselves at this rock before exiting. Once the previous group exited, we were able to enter into the first segment of the Ruakuri Caves…

Entering into the first chamber of the Ruakuri Caves as part of Waitomo Glowworm Caves Visit

Stalactites that grow from the ceiling of Ruakuri Cave at Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Flowstones - sheetlike deposits at Ruakuri Cave at Waitomo Glowworm Caves — Flowstones – sheetlike deposits at Ruakuri Cave at Waitomo Glowworm Caves

One of the first limestone formations (made of calcite / carbonate mineral deposits) are the stalactite and stalagmite formations. The Stalactites actually grow from the cave ceiling down while the Stalagmites grow from the cave floor up. One way to remember is that Stalactite has a “T” that represents growing from the Top downwards while Stalagmites has a “G” that represents growing from the Ground upwards.

The other interesting formation are the Flowstones or sheetlike deposits that are formed by water and wind. According to our guide Ciarne, these take twice as long to form as compared to the pillar formations mentioned int he previous paragraph.

Interesting limestone formations inside Ruakuri Cave at Waitomo Glowworm Caves New Zealand

Waitomo Glowworm Caves – About the Glowworms

As we started to enter into the Glowworm Caves, we saw more of these silk-like threads that hang from the cave ceilings appearing…

Threads hanging from ceiling of Waitomo Glowworm Caves NZ

Glowworm threads hanging from ceiling of Waitomo Glowworm Caves Review

As mentioned in our previous post, if you’re staying at Huhu Chalet or Waitomo Caves Guest Lodge, remember to drop by the Waitomo Caves Museum inside the Waitomo Caves Visitor Centre for a small sum of $5. There you’ll be able to learn that glow worms are actually

LARVAE OR MAGGOTS OF FLIES!!!

These larvae or maggots actually spend 9 months of their lives feeding within the caves. The silk threads are formed by the mucus of the maggots and act like “fishing lines” that attract smaller insects, causing to be stuck to these sticky mucus threads. They then spend only 2 days as flies, laying up to 120 eggs before they perish and the cycle repeats.

Back to the glow worms, they are actually quite territorial in nature. Hence, you’ll also notice that the lights are quite spaced out. They also have the tendency to eat the eggs of each other if they are hatched earlier. The stronger the blue lights emitted, the hungrier the glow worms are as well…

Spaced out glow worms inside Waitomo Glowworm Caves NZ

Clusters of glow worms inside Waitomo Glowworm Caves review

These were some of the photos taken that show the glow worms spaced out and having clusters within the caves. Of course, walking through, seeing and experiencing the glow worms yourself is definitely much more magical. Despite knowing that the glow worms are larvae, seeing them with our eyes still felt so surreal. Beautiful is God’s creation! Also, that our eyes are able to naturally see it, rather than through the lenses of a camera, also signifies the handiwork of God on us…

Story of James Holden and the Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Calcite Carbonate formations inside Waitomo Caves New Zealand

Natural layering formations inside Waitomo Glowworm Caves

More Stalactites within Waitomo Glowworm CavesMore Stalactites within Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Fossils inside Waitomo Glowworm Caves - evidence of Noah's Flood in ancient times — Fossils inside Waitomo Glowworm Caves – evidence of Noah’s Flood in ancient times

Early cave explorers inside Waitomo Cave System

Plaque of Ruakuri Caves outside Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Towards the end of the visit, we were told of the story of James Holden that linked to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. In 1904, James Holden actually started to run tours to the Waitomo Caves. However, the Government caught wind of this and decided to take back the caves as visitors were started to extract “souvenirs” such as the stalagmites for themselves. However, the story didn’t end there. James Holden’s grandson, Jimmy Holden then took the government to court and actually won. He then put up “no trespassing signs” which can still be seen today in the caves.

A tour group then eventually took over the operation of the caves, got shares to the ownership and provided jobs for guides and protected the caves. Win-win for everyone so that visitors like us can enjoy the beauty of the caves today.

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The Waitomo Caves Glowworm Tours ended at 1210pm – about 1.5 hours in all. It was indeed magical to have experienced the “blue stars in the night skies” by the glowworms inside Waitomo Glowworm Caves. If you’re in New Zealand, the Waitomo Glowworm Caves is definitely a must-visit!

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