A Little Look Back on 2025 (From Our Family to Yours)

Written by Admin | Dec 24, 2025 1:18:04 AM

If there’s one thing 2025 reminded us of, it’s this: we’re incredibly lucky to share this place we call home.

 
Some days it still feels a bit unreal that people travel from all over the world to walk the same farm tracks we’ve known forever, then step underground and fall quiet the moment the glowworms appear. That “first look up” never gets old — even for us.

So before we roll into a new year (and a very busy summer season!), we wanted to pause and share a simple reflection on 2025 — the moments that made us proud, grateful, and occasionally a little muddy.

The year of small groups and big moments
 
We’ve always believed the best cave experiences happen when you can slow down. In 2025, we continued to lean into that — keeping tours small, unhurried, and personal.
 

What we noticed (again and again) is that it’s the little things people remember:

  • the hush when the glowworms really start glowing
  • the laugh when someone realises that’s actually the outfit they’ll be wearing!
  • the “I can’t believe this is real” faces in the cave
  • the moments outside too — fantails, fresh air, and that post-tour glow
The people who make it what it is

We feel lucky every year for our team, and 2025 was no different.

Our guides are the ones who turn a cave tour into a story people remember — reading the group, setting the pace, helping nervous guests feel capable, and sharing the little details that bring the experience to life.

Our caves, our responsibility

Because these caves are on our land, they’re not just a workplace — they’ve been part of our family story since 1912. Looking after them has always been our job, and in 2025 that commitment stayed front and centre.

We kept up the behind-the-scenes work that most people never see: pest control, track maintenance, careful gear routines, and the everyday decisions that help keep the cave environment healthy and protected.

And we kept doing what we’ve been working on for years — caring for the land above ground too, with ongoing planting and conservation work.

Thank you (truly)

If you visited us in 2025 — thank you for choosing our little corner of Waitomo. Thank you for showing up with a good attitude, for trusting us underground, for listening to the safety briefings (even when you were excited), and for being part of the story of this place.

If you left a review, sent a message, tagged us in a photo, or recommended us to someone else — that support makes a bigger difference than you probably realise. Small family businesses feel every bit of that encouragement.

And to the locals, neighbours, and wider Waitomo community — thanks for backing what we do, and for helping keep this region special.

Looking ahead to 2026

We’re heading into 2026 with big appreciation and the same guiding idea we’ve always had: keep it real, keep it small, and keep protecting this magical place.

We’re looking forward to welcoming new faces, seeing returning visitors (we love that!), and creating more of those “I can’t believe that was real” moments under the glowworms.

If 2026 is your year to come to Waitomo, we’d love to show you around our backyard — the Down to Earth way.

Until next time,
The Down to Earth family
Waitomo Eco Cave Tours

 
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