Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Legendary Black Water Rafting Company
MAP
CAVING, ADVENTURE TOUR
GOOGLE MAP
( 0800 782 5874;
www.waitomo.com
; 585 Waitomo Caves Rd; Black Labyrinth tour 9am, 10.30am, noon,
1.30pm & 3pm, Black Abyss tour 9am & 2pm, Black Odyssey tour 10am & 2.30pm)
The Black Labyrinth tour
(three hours, $125) involves floating in a wetsuit on an inner tube down a river that flows
through Ruakuri Cave. The highlight is leaping off a small waterfall and then floating
through a long, glowworm-covered passage. The trip ends with showers, soup and bagels
in the cafe. The more adventurous Black Abyss tour (five hours, $225) includes a 35m ab-
seil into Ruakuri Cave, a flying fox and more glowworms and tubing.
Recently launched, the Black Odyssey tour (four hours, $175) is a challenging dry cav-
ing adventure including flying foxes and negotiating high wires. Minimum ages apply for
all tours, and there are 10% discounts if you prebook online.
Spellbound
MAP
CAVING, GUIDED TOUR
GOOGLE MAP
( 0800 773 552, 07-878 7622;
www.glowworm.co.nz
;
10 Waitomo Caves Rd; adult/child $73/26; 3hr tours
10am, 11am, 2pm & 3pm, closed Jun)
Spellbound is a good option if you don't want to get wet, are
more interested in glowworms than an 'action' experience, and want to avoid the big
groups in the main caves. Small-group tours access parts of the heavily glowworm-
dappled Mangawhitiakau cave system, 12km south of Waitomo (…and you still get to ride
in a raft!).
Waitomo Adventures
( 07-878 7788, 0800 924 866;
www.waitomo.co.nz
;
654 Waitomo Caves Rd)
Waitomo Adventures offers
various cave adventures, with discounts for combos and advance bookings. The Lost
World trip ($340/490, four/seven hours) combines a 100m abseil with walking, rock
climbing, wading and swimming. Haggas Honking Holes ($260, four hours) includes
three waterfall abseils, rock climbing and a subterranean river. TumuTumu Toobing
($180, four hours) is a walking, climbing, swimming and tubing trip. St Benedict's Cavern
($180, three hours) includes abseiling and a subterranean flying fox.
CAVING, ADVENTURE TOUR
Green Glow Eco-Adventures
( 0800 476 459;
www.greenglow.co.nz
; 1117 Oparure Rd, Te Kuiti; 6hr tours per person $220)
Green Glow
Eco-Adventures runs customised, small-group Waitomo tours, putting a caving, rock-
CAVING, ADVENTURE TOUR
