Duration
3 - 5 hours
Type
Guided tour
Group Size
Up to 8 guests
Difficulty
Moderate
About This Tour
Glowworms don’t just live in caves — they spill out into the forest, lighting up cliffs and canopies in a spectacle very few ever see. Around our hidden cave entrances, they shine their brightest when the world goes quiet, within a regenerating native forest we’re proud to protect.
Step off the beaten track and witness nature’s most dazzling light show — no crowds, no noise, just you and the glow. This is a completely custom experience, tailored to suit you and your group.
On arrival, you’ll meet your guide and discuss your expectations — whether you want to focus on photography, enjoy a more adventurous route, or simply take in the magic at a slower pace.
Thanks to the thousands of native trees we’ve planted, the areas around our cave entrances have become a thriving habitat — not just for glowworms, but for a range of native species that depend on this unique environment.
Are you ready for the glow-up of a lifetime?
Tour Highlights
After-Hours Adventure
Make the most of your holiday with a tour between 6PM and midnight (seasonal timings). Experience the cave in a whole new light—after dark!
Glowworms – Like Nowhere Else!
Watch as the sun sets and darkness takes over—the night comes alive with thousands of magical lights, creating a glow like no other!
Bring Your Camera
Capture the magic with your phone or go all out with a tripod and larger camera whatever suits your style!
Meet Your Guide
Join our friendly local guide for an unforgettable adventure! With a passion for the land, they’ll share fascinating stories and hidden gems to make your journey even more special.
Adventurous
Wade through freshwater streams and scramble over boulders, discovering hidden gems along the way. No footpaths, no shortcuts – just raw, unfiltered exploration at its finest!
Step Into a Rare Natural Jewel
As you explore, your guide will share how this rare karst landscape works — and how our restoration efforts help protect the caves, waterways, and native species that depend on it.
How To Find Us
Down to Earth is located at 1199 Oparure Road, Waitomo District.
If you enter our official address (1199 Oparure Road, Waitomo District or Te Kuiti, depending on your GPS), it might take you past our entrance—about 500 meters too far!
We’re not sure why, but most GPS systems struggle to find us. So, trust our signs over your GPS when you get close!
Approximate Travel Times
We’re a small team, so we don’t offer pick-ups, but the Waitomo Information Centre can help with transport options.
- 25 min from Waitomo Caves Village
- 20 min from Te Kuiti
- 25 min from Otorohanga
- 1 hr from Hamilton
- 2 hr 40 min from Central Auckland
- 2 hr 30 min from Auckland Airport
- 2 hr from Taupo & Rotorua
Slip, Slide and Away through the Glow Worm caves at dusk!
This was a fun and unique experience. Getting all dressed up in their clothes and galoshes and then wading into the tunnels at night was such a treat. I would totally recommend this tour over anywhere you sit in a boat for 20 minutes. We spent 3+ hours in god's magnificent wonderland, full of glowworms and other critters!
- Michael W
Absolutely wonderful!
So much more than the typical Glowworm tour. Truly unique, fun, and memorable. Highly recommend for anyone fun and adventurous!
- Mike Skupien
Beat the crowds with this unforgettable experience
It was amazing to traverse through the cave system and experience something so untouched by humans. The glowworms were awesome, but the experience as a whole was exceptional The pictures don’t do it any justice and seeing the glowworms whilst sat in the dark is so surreal. 1000000% recommend.
- Kirsty B
A super organic experience
Exploring the caves with Down To Earth was just that -- a super organic experience without the tourists and the hype. We absolutely enjoyed every minute splashing through the caves with Ash and learning about the culture of the area -- and the glow worms! We appreciated that they provided everything we needed -- clothes, gear, boots -- to head underground.
- Valerie Ross
Real Caving + Glowworms
Wonderful caving experience with a small group of six. The guide, Ash, was very supportive, helpful, friendly and full of info. It is gorgeous country and the cave and glowworms were so cool. Ash took some great pics and emailed those which was wonderful because most of my glow worm pics did not come out in the dark.
- Milaura S
I cannot recommend this tour highly enough
We had the most amazing tour of the caves with Ash. The caves and the glow worms are magical, and Ash is such an informative and entertaining guide. His passion for the caves and the environment is infectious. It was such a privilege to experience it all.
- Pete
A brilliant and very memorable experience.
Ash was an excellent guide, and with only six people in the tour group there was plenty of time to chat, and help in the trickier bits of the cave if needed. Full kit is provided, so no worry about your own clothes. This is much more of a "caving" experience than we had expected - a bit of scrambling and gentle squeezing. But it all added up to a much more special adventure. And the glowworms are beautiful.
- SianOnTour
Very very fun!
Would do again. Small groups allow for a better tour with a better connection. Nice to sit around the table outside after the guide, having a chat to ash and the rest of your group. Very accommodating. Love your work Ash.
- Damien Pringle
Do not miss this!!
Easily the best thing we've done in New Zealand so far. This is a proper caving experience, so you need a decent level of fitness, strength and balance as you'll be walking through a river, scrabbling over boulders in the dark etc. but oh my goodness is it worth it.
- Heather H
Easily the best glowworm caves tour in New Zealand
Ash was an amazing guide, very informative, friendly and great fun! The location is stunning, easily one of the nicest spots we have ever been in. The trek through the caves was challenging at times but all worth it in the end for the prize of seeing the amazing glowworms! A truly authentic experience.