First time I learned about Waitomo caves was at the time when I was working as a travel agent in Sydney (in 2016). Until then, I have never heard about glow worms or black water rafting, but the idea of floating on an inflatable raft in the underground river while admiring blue fluorescent worms on the ceiling that remind of billions of stars on the night sky stuck in my head and I knew that I must have this experience when we travel to New Zealand.
Introduction to Waitomo Caves
Waitomo can be translated from Maori in something like “Water flowing into underground holes” with “wai” meaning water and “tomo” meaning hole. Waitomo region is basically a farmland that you will see in New Zealand a lot. Never-ending green meadows and fields spreading to the distance would never indicate that there is an enormous labyrinth of caves, slowly formed over millions of years as underground streams have steadily eroded the limestone.
There are many companies offering many different ways to experience the caves – from easy boat trips, through walking tours when you stay dry, to incredibly adventurous experiences. The one I initially chose was something in between, we would get into the water and abseil a little but nothing really too crazy. When the big day came, I was thrilled and really excited until the moment we drove up to the parking lot which was deserted with no one around. Well okay, we were 2 hours early but still… I got out of the car and went inside where the owner told me that the cave, where their tour operates is flooded because of the heavy rains and they have to cancel or postpone till the next day. I was devastated! We certainly did not have time to wait! Then he suggested to drive up the hill, where are plenty of other companies and surely at least one will have free spots for us on their tour. Thank God that we came so early!
The Legendary Black Water Rafting
Few minutes later we arrived to the entrance with huge sign The Legendary Black Water Rafting. Black water rafting was the activity I wanted to do the most so let’s go there! Luckily, they had few free spots left on their tours – one starting in 2 hours and lasting 5 hours in total, the other starting in 5 hours and lasting only 3. We went for the first option without actually paying attention, what we are about to do down there.
When the tickets were bought and our places secured, I started to google a little bit. The Legendary Black Water Rafting is one of the oldest companies, operating the Waitomo tours for over 30 years. They have 2 main tours – Black Labyrinth, easier pace lasting 3 hours; and Black Abyss, lasting 5 hours and is good for adrenaline seekers (that was our tour). I was getting a little bit nervous, but, well, there was nothing to be done, I had to survive it if I like it or not.
Our Experience in Waitomo Caves
At first, we got our wet suits that were already wet and quite heavy (it was difficult to even squeeze myself in it!), helmets with torches, climbing harnesses and gum boots. Our tour guides were young and funny, but they looked like they knew what they were talking about so that calmed me down a bit… We got on a truck and drove up into the forest where we got quick training about abseiling and after that they took us up to the platform from where we had to abseil down into a 35m deep pitch-black hole. I don’t have to tell you, I was quite petrified and it was actually quite hard to hold the ropes in a position from which you will not fall down in a great speed. It looks like fun, but it is not as easy as it seems and the only light you have is the one on your helmet, otherwise you’re surrounded by complete darkness.
Once all of us were down, we did a short hike through the caves. I was the first in line right behind one of our tour guides, who stopped suddenly, turned off our head lights, grabbed me as I was the closest, hooked my carabiner onto a rope and pushed me over the edge. Suddenly I found myself flying through the black cave (close your eyes… that kind of black I’m talking about) on a zipline and above my head there were few blue worms glowing in the dark. It was amazing!
Then all of a sudden the zipline finished and I was just hanging there thinking what’s next when the other tour guide jumped out from nowhere with his light on and scarred the s*#t out of me! (I did not even notice that he left our group).
He helped me off the harnesses and while we were waiting for others, I could hear the river close to us. We hiked a little more when we got to another platform above the water. Our guides informed us about its temperature, which was beautiful 6 degrees Celsius (only 14 degrees Celsius down in the caves so really cold!) and that the water is usually calmer and clear that you can see the bottom, but because of the storms in the past couple of days it was little bit muddy and little bit more crazy. Hmm… thank you rain!
The platform was about 1.5 meter above the river and as there were no stairs, we had jump in it with our rafts. Even though I knew that it is going to be cold, it was still quite shocking! Anyway, this was probably my favorite part of the caves, just floating around with our light off and admiring the glow worms.
After the rafting, we put our rafts back and started our journey through the cave labyrinth. We were floating on the stronger currents, climbing through holes, swimming in a lake with an eel living in it, skidding down natural slides, having hot chocolate and cookies on the rocks… Sometimes I thought for myself, this could be a nightmare because I am down in caves, from which I would never find my way out, I am in the muddy water and I don’t what lives in there (apart from that one eel there shouldn’t be anything but one can never be 100% sure), I am surrounded by complete darkness and it is really cold… So why am I enjoying it so much? Because I had to push myself a lot, exceed my limits and it was absolutely thrilling fun!
The only time I felt like I may not make it was at the end when we were supposed to climb up two raging waterfalls without any harness or ropes. Our tour guides were just pointing at the places where to put our hands and legs not to fall down, because we would most probably die. They had to shout at us because of the strong loud water that after the second waterfall there will be long tunnel with the light at the end that signals the end of our journey. I have never wanted to see a light at the end of a tunnel so badly in my life! They also advised maybe not to look up because there can be massive spiders or hornets just chilling on the rocks. I was climbing as fast as my life would depend on it!
When I finally got out, I realized only then how exhausted I was. My whole body was sore and aching, but I’ve never felt better! I am still very pleased with myself and I am telling you now, if I could do it, anyone can! You just need a little bit of determination and a pinch of adventurous nature.
After hot shower, we got soup and toasted bagels (unfortunately that day they served tomato soup which is the only soup I really dislike) and we were ready to hit the road again. Waitomo caves were surely my favorite day on New Zealand thanks to The Legendary Black Water Rafting! If you don’t feel very adventurous, there are many other tours that may suit you better, but it is something you shouldn’t miss because the nature shows herself in her finest with the glow worms and beautiful caves around. Even now, when I am writing these words, I am having goose bumps and wishing to relive this experience again.
Fun facts about Waitomo Caves
What the glow worms – arachnocampa luminosas actually are? First of all, they are not worms, but maggots. They call them worms, because it just sounds better… Who would want to come down into dark caves to see larvae anyway? Does not sound very appealing to me. The adult glow worms belong to the species of gnats, they don’t have any mouth or eyes and they live only about two days just to mate and put down the eggs and then they are eaten by their babies. Yum! waitomo caves
The eggs hatch into 2 cm long white maggots, which have a little light in its tail to attract bugs in the darkness. They make sticky saliva strings up to 10 cm long, so all sorts of little insects and flies get stuck in them and then they get sucked up like a spaghetti and eaten. Hmm delish! They look beautiful though and you’d never guess the disgusting story behind them (sorry for the spoilers!).
The caves were discovered for the first time in 1887 by Maori Chief Tanu Tinorau, owner of the land, and an English explorer Fred Mace, who wandered together into the labyrinth only on a flax canoe. They were amazed by the cave system with the glowing worms so only two years later in 1889, they opened the caves for tourists with local Maoris as tour guides. The glow worms in Maori language are called titiwai that can be translated at “projected over water”.
Have you been to Waitomo caves? Which tour did you do and with which company? How did you enjoy it? Would you go on a tour without knowing what to expect just like us?
Let me know in the comment sections below!
Disclaimer:
**We were not allowed to take any cameras into the caves, not even GoPro. The pictures posted on this blog were taken by our tour guides (you can buy them at the end of the tour, with some pro photos of the caves as well – like these I am using right now).**
