Glow Worm Kayak Tour

Marina was an excellent guide. We really enjoyed a quiet night on the lake and learning so much about glow worms! Perfect mixture of adventure, peacefulness, and learning.

This tour was all we had hoped for. The staff were skilled and friendly and the caves were great! This tour is very well resourced. They will provide you with the gear you need for the weather. And the jackets and shoes etc that they provided were high quality, clean and well looked after. Give this tour a try! It was a great night of exploring!

Kelsey and Kesha were very friendly and informative. Very peaceful the stars were out saw multiple caves. They promoted us with a nice little treat on a chilly evening. Highly recommend.

Wow! What a cool adventure! We paddled out just after dark onto a calm lake under an almost full moon and a blanket of stars. Our guide Marina pointed out constellations and talked about how the glowworms have adapted over time to only glow at night to attract their prey. She was very knowledgeable and a had fun energy that made all skill levels feel comfortable and safe on the water. The caves were amazing to experience and a Must See when you are in Rotorua! A highlight was the hot chocolate with yummy marshmallows as a surprise treat😊👍 5 STARS!!!

Truly amazing experience! The stars are just as amazing as the glow worms. Great instructions for kayaking from the staff and the hot chocolate was nice finish. Highly recommend for an informative, enjoyable evening!

When you live in beautiful Rotorua you can be guilty of taking things for granted. Some times you can not see the Forrest for the trees. Last night we had the wonderful Forrest and Vinnie Bean host us on the iconic lake Okareka in the middle of that massive volcanic caldera of Okatina. To experience these two hosting a wonderful fruit salad of people from across the globe, to share their visitors experiences of witnessing one of the treasures on our door step was simply uplifting. Everyone's joy, pleasure and laughter was contagious. This was medicine for us as we had lost a close freind the day before. Love you Rotorua. Nga mihi nui Team Taiao 🙏🏻

It was nice I was traveling solo so I got my own Kayak and it was fun to be out in the dark and see the glow worms

4. Mainly because it was very enjoyable but extremely cold, if they provided us blankets on the bus than it might have been better.

We were taken out by Forrest, Jacob & Ethan & they were such a vibe from pick up to drop off!!! Playlist- vibes. Kōrero- vibes. Energy- vibes!!!!! It was so beautiful to be looked after by people who are clearly so passionate about their job and just love being on the water. Amazing mahi koutou! The vibes turned any nerves into pure excitement and gratitude. Thank you so much for having us. 🫶🏾✨

Thank you Taiao Adventures! I was very hesitant at first to kayak at night but what an amazing experience. Forrest and Jacob were excellent guides making the night a memorable one. The lake was calm, the night clear and the caves memorable.

What a fantastic evening! Very well thought out, everything is provided (from wetsuits, booties to dry layers) the glow worms were magical and the kayaking not at all strenuous. Our guide was great and made it a really enjoyable evening that I would highly recommend to anyone considering this activity :-)

What a wonderful winter evening experience. I was a bit anxious to start with but Jacob was a fantastic guide getting us all kitted up so we were toasty warm and dry. Such a stunning calm evening to be on the lake - being in the glowworm caves was an amazing experience which was then topped of by some glorious star gazing. Absolutely thoroughly recommend this trip.

Amazing! A great night all around. Fantastic worms, stars, and beautiful night on the water A must in NZ

Amazing experience- glow worms in nature, knowledgeable guides in their own backyards! Easy kayak and such a beautiful place on the water to watch the stars at night. Highly recommended!!

It was an amazing experience. One not to miss in Rotorua. The clear winter night made for a spectacular star gazing evening too. The glow worms were magical and the facts and stories from the guide,Tom, made it more interesting. He was very knowledgeable and passionate about the area, the glow worms and their ecology. Tom and Sydney had top notch service. Thanks for a wonderful evening.

Absolutely Beautiful! My partner and I went and it was just us. It was a beautiful "Private tour" with an absolutely amazing down to earth tour guide. It rained a little but turned out to be a clear night seeing 2 different lights the stars and the glow worms. Could not recommend this tour enough. So beautiful!

This was an amazing experience I very enjoyed it I went in the winter so it was a smaller group which I personally prefer

One of the top visitor adventures I’ve ever been on!! Expert-level guides whose narration and friendly banter made it a fun, safe and incredibly memorable experience. Definitely recommend for all levels of experience, even for those with reduced mobility. Guides Ellen and Forrest shared so much local knowledge, cultural insights and ecological details - educational and entertaining too. Thanks for a tremendous evening on the water! 🙏🏽✨

Lucked out with a perfect evening weatherwise, dry (in spite of hard rain just before), not too cold, with clear skies to see impressive array of stars, Milky Way, contellations from kayaks on lake. Wish I could recall both names of 2 great guides (Forrest and... Ben?). Both great, worked very well together. I'm an experienced kayaker, but those who weren't seemed to also do fine. We were in 3 genuine caves and 1 other tree-formed cave-like area (a 5th cave was inaccessible due to high water), each different from the others, all very interesting/magical. Learned some more cool glow worm facts, saw the lights of thousands of them. Very special experience.

Seeing the glow worm caves was the top of our list for our weekend in Rotorua and this tour did not disappoint! There were 2 families with children aged 10 to 23 and everyone loved this experience. Our guide, Kesha, was knowledgable and engaging. The kayaks were easy to maneuver, with the guide pulling us into the caves. The night sky was perfect so we could easily see the Milky Way and the Southern Cross. Each cave was more spectacular that the one prior. We worried about being cold because it was the fall but wetsuits, booties, and jackets were available to all participants. We all highly recommend this tour!

The staff were very kind, and we got to see so many glow worms. The night sky was also full of stars, which made it such a wonderful experience. The cocoa was delicious too.

My daughter and her husband had an amazing experience. The guide was fantastic. They loved seeing the various locations for the glow worms.

Amazing evening. Would highly recomend. Great guides all equipment provided.

We had a wonderful experience on our 7:30 Glow Worm Kayak tour despite being very inexperienced kayakers. The company is very well organized and our guide and the clothing provided were excellent. There was one guide for four kayaks. The combination of the still water on the lake, the beautifully lit glow worm caves and being able to see so many shining stars in the night sky was pure magic and a highlight of our trip to New Zealand. One thing to note is that you leave all your belongings in the room where you gear up. There are no lockers there or anywhere to lock things up (although they do lock the room) so prepare accordingly.

This was a truly magical evening - we were in a small group with an expert guide, Jacob, who led us in Kayaks to a number of glow worm caves.

This was an absolute highlight of our trip to New Zealand. Knowledgeable and personable guides, a unique and memorable experience - we loved it! HIghly recommended.

7years old kid first kayak, very kids friendly. We loved the adventure. Easy to handle, even with little kids.

This was an incredible experience. Lake Ōkāreka was so peaceful which made the kayak to the caves to see the glow worms very relaxed and enjoyable. Ellen was a wonderful guide and very knowledgeable.

It was a process to get to the water but once we did it was lovely. Full moon an added bonus. Lake was peaceful & scenic! Glow worms were incredible. A long night but worth it!

The tour guides were all amazing and passionate. We had such an amazing time learning and seeing the glow worms. My favourite was learning the Maori story about glow worms. Alain was an amazing guide, she was a very good story teller and reassuring kayak instructor. She checked in with us inexperienced kayakers a lot and made sure all of us are safe and confident. Thanks Alain!

Was really good, but it bit overpriced

Great knowledge, well organised, loved how we got the wet weather equipment, beautiful caves, cute glowworms,

Wonderful experience paddling in the dark and seeing the glow worms up close! The staff and equipment were all great

What an amazing experience. Definitely a must. We loved that it was a small group at a slow pace so you could just enjoy the paddle. We got beautiful conditions with a glass lake and bright stars. The milky way even made an appearance. The guide was amazing and very knowledgeable. The caves were stunning and the worms put on a show we will never forget. We are so happy with this tour and will talk about for years to come.

Good experience,kayaking is also good but not prepared tobe wet. On this tour prepared to be with in a group tour specially night time for a first timer todo kayak,..

This was a really fun and interesting activity! It is a very easy paddle across round the lake. They bring you in a bus to their base where you have the option to put on water resistant gear (recommend) then get back on the bus to the lake. We gather around and they give us some kayaking and head lamp instructions. All of this is done in a kind and patient manner. Then you get in the kayaks and paddle to the first cave. There are 3 caves and a short tunnel. In one of the caves our guide Sam, told us all about the glow worms. It was very informative and interesting. It was really a lovely peaceful experience! I loved kayaking at night, I had never done that before!

Amazing experience! There was this beautiful gal basically from Scotland; Ellie, handling our group and she was amazing! It was my first time kayaking but she made everything look so simple and explained everything about the Glowworms in great detail. So yes, she was quite smart too. Even gave us a chocolate and hot chocolate in the end. Absolutely amazing experience!

This was a core memory during our New Zealand trip! Not only were the glow worms magical, but the view of the stars and milky way over the lake is a sight that I will never forget! Our guide Jacob made our group feel safe, and was very knowledgeable about the glow worms and surrounding areas. I would recommend to anyone staying in Rotorua! Kayaking at night is definitely something you'll be telling all your friends / family about when you get back home.

A spectacular evening with professional guides to ensure the best tour of the caves, to view the glow worms!

This was good - travelling solo so I was partnered with someone I didn't know - luckily he was a very experienced kayaker and it was still a good time. The guides made me feel safe, nothing was rushed, and a lot of good info was shared. Would recommend this tour. We were lucky enough to have a very clear night and got to see loads of stars :)

Fun night kayaking in the dark seeing spectacular Glow Worms! Very easy kayaking so don’t let that prevent you from enjoying this fun adventure.

It was an amazing experience. It was so cool to get a ride into caves. It was a truly breathtaking opportunity that everyone should do

Wear the water pants they offer you- they keep you dry. This was the coolest experience! Well worth it.

Very good. Guides are experienced and enthusiastic to share this wonderful experience with tourists. Very informative and a worthwhile activity.

What an experience! Late night on the lake under a million stars, then the experience of seeing the glow worms in 3 different locations,

Absolutely wonderful. Felt taken care of and safe the entire time. sarah was our guide and she was delightful! Knowledgeable and funny and kept a good pace. The sky was incredible and we saw so many stars and the glow worms were bright! So glad we chose this tour.

What an adventure! We did the 940pm last trip of the day. Launched our kayaks well after dark and paddled across the lake to 3 different caves. This is a very intimate experience in small nooks filled with glow worms. Hard to describe other than they look like neon blue constellations in complete darkness. Incredible! Totally unique to New Zealand. Our guides were full of positive energy from start to finish. Ellen picked us up, briefed us, and outfitted us with a passion for her land and job. And Kascia (sp?) led us through the lake, getting into the water and moving us in and out of the caves. She informed us like a true naturalist and knows her worms!! 🐛 Side notes: late Feb it was chilly! Also if you’re claustrophobic these are tight spaces. Kascia worked around this for me making sure I was comfy while still getting good views. We haven’t done Waitomo bc someone said kayak experience is less crowded and more of an adventure. Really glad we did! ( btw our guide had hot chocolate and snacks at the ready mid trip). If you’re not familiar with kayaking this may not be right for you as they’re above water seats and lots of paddling involved. Bonus: they supply ALL gear: Life vests, jackets, wetsuits, booties, etc. No photos inside allowed!

This experience is a must do, great excerise and convosation along with fun facts about glow worms. The tour ran super smoothly, the Atmosphere of the lake and the mini glow worm caves was just remarkable. Also if your into star gazing, with any luck and clear skies you will see the best night sky for stars. Would recommend even if you go solo 10/10

I wish this wasn’t required. I wouldn’t leave a review but I would like the photos resent. This is annoying.