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Full Day Discover Waitomo

  

General information

Destination
Auckland, New Zealand

Program details

The tour starts when you are picked up from your hotel early in the morning. Sit back and enjoy the rolling farmland of the Waikato region as we drive southwards from Auckland, heading for the Waitomo cave system. The name Waitomo comes from the Maori “wai” water and “tomo”, hole or shaft and the caves were first systematically explored in the late 19th Century. You’ll find an impressive variety of wierd and wonderful rock formations that took millions of years to form.



The guided tour will take you through three different levels, linked by the tomo, a 16m deep limestone shaft. After passing through the network of tunnels known as the Catacombs we’ll descend to the Banquet Chamber where you can still early visitors’ cooking fires in the smoke on the ceiling of the chamber. Admire the amazing acoustics at the massive cavern known as the Cathedral before boarding a boat for an unforgettable ride on the underground Waitomo River through the Glow Worm Grotto.



The only illumination here comes from millions of tiny glow worms creating a sky of living lights, making for a truly unforgettable spectacle. Following the tour there will be some time for an optional lunch or for exploring the fascinating Visitor Centre before boarding the bus for the trip back to Auckland.