Pick up & drop off can be arranged anywhere in Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua or Tauranga
Enter a magical cave surrounded by thousands of tiny glowing worms, sit back on your guided boat tour through the caves and gaze at what looks like a starry night sky. Known as one of New Zealand’s best natural attractions, take a boat ride through the glow worm grotto, marvel at thousands of magical glowworms and become part of over 130 years of cultural and natural history. Discover an ancient world 30 million years in the making and marvel at Mother Nature’s light display as you glide silently through the starry wonderland of the Glowworm Grotto. Experience the serene ambience as you enter this galaxy of tiny living lights. The glowworm (Arachnocampa Luminosa) is unique to New Zealand, making the Waitomo Glowworm Caves an absolute must-do. See thousands of these tiny creatures as they radiate their unmistakable luminescent light in a subterranean world.
Get up close to the iconic kiwi bird, tuatara and various other unique native wildlife at the Otorohanga Kiw House. This organisation has been a sanctuary for New Zealand native birds and reptiles since 1971. The family-friendly Park offers close up viewing of NZ's national bird, the Kiwi. There are also ponds, wetland areas and walk-through aviaries including a giant dome aviary. The not-for-profit wildlife and conservation centre displays Kiwi birds all day in specialised moonlit nocturnal houses complete with burrow cameras. And it breeds rare native New Zealand wildlife for release to the wild.
Experience New Zealand's only commercial tea estate, producing 100% organic world class tea at the Zealong Tea Estate. Zealong is the only commercial tea estate in NZ producing 100% organic award winning tea. Embark on a tea-infused culinary journey or explore the fascinating world of tea with our Discover Zealong Tea Experience. Relax over a high tea at the Zealong Tea House, sample our tea or take something home with you from our retail boutique.
John was a great guide /driver. Great info and conversation. Kept us on schedule. Wonderful experience. He ensured each of our multiple Experiences for the day went smoothly.
We recently enjoyed a private tour from Auckland that included the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, a Kiwi Bird encounter, and high tea at the Zealong Tea Estate. Each destination was captivating, but it was our guide, Warren, who truly made the day exceptional. Warren's blend of humor, knowledge, and warmth transformed our journey into an unforgettable experience. His insightful commentary and engaging stories enriched our understanding and kept us entertained throughout. The itinerary was perfectly paced: starting with the mesmerizing glowworms, followed by an intimate encounter with New Zealand's iconic kiwi birds, and culminating in a serene high tea amidst the lush surroundings of Zealong. Warren's dedication and passion didn't go unnoticed. He consistently went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and enjoyment. It's rare to encounter someone who so clearly loves what they do, and it made all the difference. If there's any justice, Warren deserves a raise for his outstanding service! Highly recommended for anyone looking to experience the best of New Zealand with a top-notch guide
We had an amazing private tour from Auckland that included the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, the Kiwi Bird experience, and high tea at Zealong Tea Estate — and every part of it was incredible! Our driver and guide, Warren, truly made the day extra special. He was wonderful — funny, engaging, and full of knowledge about the areas we visited. His commentary added so much to the journey, and we really appreciated his great sense of humor and insight. He definitely deserves a raise! The itinerary was perfectly planned: we visited the Glowworm Caves first, which were absolutely magical. Next was the Kiwi Bird experience — a rare chance to see these iconic creatures up close. We ended the day with a relaxing high tea at Zealong Tea Estate, which was not only delicious but also set in such a beautiful location. This tour was seamless, enjoyable, and unforgettable. Highly recommended — and if you can, ask for Warren!
Smooth tour to Waitomo Cave from Auckland. Friendly driver guide with clear commentaries. Just a small feedback on the on board wifi which was not working.
Had a great time with our driver, Angelo. This is a small family owned local business and they were great in helping to plan the day. Stayed flexible so we can add a spot to stop as needed. We also opted to see The Spellbound Gloworm Caves Private Tour. Way better option than the standard gloworm experience. Photos and an imin depth experience. Got lucky to see a Kiwi up close and active at the Kiwi House. Stopped st Alex Sands new Greenstone and Local Art Gallery in Hamilton. Great birds and scenery all day. Luxury vehicle. Nice stop at a bakehouse for lunch made for a great day. Highly recommend the company. Customer service was 5 star all the way.
A great tour to get an insight into Māori culture. The glow worm caves were spectacular. Our guides John and David were well informed. It is a jam packed day; it maybe an idea to go prepared with food items for your breakfast and lunch as it is meals on the go. Be prepared for a long day and comfortable shoes are a must.
Did the Waitomo and Rotorua tour. It is indeed a must-try experience. On top of it, Warren made the whole trip much more better. Highly recommended!!
The experience was amazing! This tour is a must-do when travelling to New Zealand's northern Island. Auckland & Beyond Tours made it easy for us from start to end of the activity. At the beginning, they are very communicative and want to make sure you feel ready for the experience! They email you to make sure you are aware of most convenient pick-up location and time. During the tour, David was great driving us around and adding valuable insights about the country and region we were visiting. At the end, I had an incident as I left my wallet in the van. Chantelle (coordinator) and David did an amazing effort to find it, quickly contact me so I would not stress, and deliver it to me at my hotel. I really appreciated all the support received from Chantelle, David, and Auckland & Beyond Tours! Thank you for making us spend such a great day, with a happy ending!
Paola is an excellent tour guide! Very safe driver and knowledgeable about the area. He stopped for bathroom breaks at just the right times!
2nd tour with AKL&Beyond Half day tour to the caves. was really interesting to see this natural built highlight in NZ. Drivers along the way share always informations about NZ the people and BEYOND great fun to the tours with them.
This operator was extremely flexible and made our day in Auckland very special. We had an excellent time and strongly recommend it.
Raymond ,our guide was fantastic. He wasvery knowledgeable,friendly and entertaining. Prompt ,organized and made us comfortable about what to expect on our excursion.The Glowcworm cave experience was a once in a lifetime experience He even stopped to allow us to purchase fresh fruits for a local farmers co op as well as ice cream served with mixed berrie that was to die for. He was a safe and careful driver who entertained us throughout the trip with history,culture,food tips,local customs,restaurant recommendations as well as answered all of our questions. I cannot think of anyway he could have provided a better experience! He was remarkable,kind and patient with my sister and I
Fantastic trip to the Waitomo glowworm caves and Rotorua to see the kiwi birds, learn about Māori culture and see the geysers! I’ve never seen anything quite like the glowworm caves! Loved the small group experience and Chris and Gary kept us laughing (even at some bad jokes!) :)
We had a great time on our tour to the Waitomo Caves. Rick was a conscientious and attentive guide. Definitely recommend!
We had an amazing time. Not just entertaining but also very educational. Special thanks to our guide, John who took great care of us.
Mike our driver was very friendly and helpful we did have a map problem due to internet connection and wound up about 20 minutes out of our way but Mike kept his cool and we arrived at the Caves on time. Very interesting presentation and history of the caves was very informative with the rainfall we were unable to go to two sites and our tour was shortened by 30 minutes very disappointing. The Cave tours should start letting people know NO PHOTOS IN UNDERGROUND maybe they could give everyone a photo of the glowworms it is very hard to explain to family and friends the scene. It was still worth the drive
Went with John and my father to Glow worm caves - John was a joy to be around and kept the discussion lively for both my father and I (only ones in Van) thru drive -- my father had challenges in walking and John was very very aware and present of any potential needs or us. Good guy! thanks!!
It was a great experience to see the Waitomo Caves and learn about the history of Auckland with such a great tour guide
We just arrived to New Zealand early Christmas morning (around 2:00am) and had booked a Waitomo Caves tour through our hotel (we booked this prior to our arrival). We really lucked out that our hotel chose Auckland & Beyond Tours! Our guide and driver was Mandy. She was a true delight - warm, witty, and welcoming the entire tour through! Our tour group was small which was also pleasant and along the drive to Waitomo, Mandy provided us with terrific information about New Zealand culture and what to expect on the tour. She even shared Christmas chocolates with us. She kept us updated along the way so we knew what to expect and checked in to make sure we were all comfortable and doing well. Since we were quite tired at first and did not know what to expect, we were very grateful for this. The glowworm tour was approximately 45 minutes -1 hour in time and was an incredible experience...you just have to see it to believe it! We returned to the city after a great day and thanks to a wonderful introduction to New Zealand thanks to Mandy and the Auckland & Beyond tours team.
I joined Waitomo Cave Tour from Auckland. The cave tour itself is less than an hour long, with 2.5 hours each way, but I'm glad I did. The sound of water droplets reverberated in the still cave, and as I looked up at the swaying light on the ceiling, I felt like I was in another world.
We left Auckland with our guide Warren, a kind and knowledgeable person who told us the story of New Zealand. Arriving at the caves the experience was unique, entering the feeling is of peace and magic. Recommended.
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
Reach us by phone
Reach us by email