Forget the footpaths and escape the crowds. Bring your camera or phone and capture the Waitomo experience you were really looking for — small groups, real caving, underground streams, and glowworms far from the main tourist trail.
Do Waitomo Differently.
Looking for something far from the usual tourist stop? This is your chance to step off the beaten track and into a real New Zealand glowworm adventure.
Our 3.5-hour guided cave tour is designed for small groups of just 2–8 people, so it feels personal, relaxed, and far away from the crowds. Your adventure starts at our family farmhouse, where we kit you out with everything you need, clothing, boots, helmet, lights, and all the gear.
From there, we head into native bush, scramble over limestone boulders, wade through a freshwater stream, and make our way into our private cave system. There are no concrete paths, no handrails, and no artificial lighting, just you, your group, your guide, and one of Waitomo’s most incredible natural glowworm caves.
You are welcome to bring a small camera or phone on our tour. Yes, we are selfie approved! Your guide will also take photos during the tour, which we send to you for free afterwards — perfect for remembering the adventure without having to worry about capturing every moment yourself.
Your visit also helps protect the place you are exploring. A portion of every ticket goes straight back into conservation work on our land, helping us restore native forest, control pests, protect waterways, and care for the cave environment for the future.
After the cave, you can warm up with a hot shower and refreshments back at the farmhouse. We love meeting travellers from around the world and are always happy to share local tips, road trip ideas, and hidden gems around Waitomo and New Zealand.
Come and check out why we consistently receive 5-star reviews and are currently rated the #1 Outdoor Experience in the Waitomo District on Trip Advisor.
This is not a walk-through cave tour. This is a real, small-group, off-the-beaten-track glowworm adventure — and one of the most unforgettable ways to experience Waitomo.
All prices are shown in NZD ($)
it was my first cave adventure experience, small group, wonderful guide. it was a perfect journey.
The tour was amazing and the tour guide was even better. Ash made sure everyone was enjoying the tour and took the best pictures to document it. Afterwards you have biscuits with the family and they really make you feel welcome. If you want to do a Glowworm Cave tour do this one!
It was a unique and wonderful experience. We felt very comfortable with our guide Ash. I can only recommend this cave Glowworm tour to everyone. it was very exciting!!
Thanks so much, Laura! 💚 We’re thrilled you had such a wonderful time with Ash. Our small-group tours through our family’s private cave system are designed to feel personal, exciting, and one-of-a-kind — it was lovely to meet you both, enjoy the rest of your NZ travels,
Exactly as advertised, a very nice family business away from the crowds in a gorgeous area. They offer all the equipment, you do get a bit cold, but just a minor discomfort when compared to the fun you get. Ash (our guide) is a natural that made us feel part of the family. Hope to come back someday.
Thank you, Diego! 💚 We’re so glad you enjoyed the adventure — being a small family business with our own private cave system means we can keep tours away from the crowds and truly personal. Wonderful to hear you’d like to come back one day — we’d love to welcome you again!
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This award is evidence of a sophisticated tourism business that consistently exceeds visitor expectations. Their proactive leadership and management ensure the business's focus on continuously improving their economic, social and environmental performance to create genuine, constantly evolving and sustainable tourism experiences.
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Wei Chen Lin from Taiwan wrote on 19 December 2018
非常推薦
很特別的體驗,需要在洞穴裡爬上爬下,但不會很難,有基本的體能就可以了。有提供裝備衣服靴子,原則上只有腳會弄濕,回來之後有需要的話可以沖澡。螢火蟲很漂亮,非常值得去看看,超浪漫的。