Private Waitomo Glowworm Cave Tour

Private Tour Option

Our Private Waitomo Glowworm Cave Tour follows the same route and includes the same experience as our standard Off the Beaten Track tour.

The difference is that the tour is reserved exclusively for your group. You will not be joined by other guests, giving you a more personal experience at your own pace with your own guide and greater privacy throughout the adventure.

Tour description:

Explore a private, family-owned Waitomo glowworm cave on a personalised small-group adventure away from the crowds.

This approximately 3.5-hour guided tour is limited to just 2–8 guests. On arrival at our farmhouse, your guide will provide the specialist clothing, gumboots, helmet, headlamp, and safety equipment you need for the experience.

Tour Highlights

• Spectacular glowworm displays
• Small groups of only 2–8 guests
• Private, family-owned cave access
• A genuine adventure away from the crowds
• Natural caves with no concrete paths or electric lighting
• Phones and small cameras welcome
• Complimentary photos taken by your guide
• Native bush and Mangapū Gorge walk
• Tea, coffee, biscuits, and changing facilities after the tour
• Every visit supports native forest restoration and predator control
• Family-owned and operated
• Rated the number-one tour and activity in Waitomo Caves on Tripadvisor

What to Expect

Your Waitomo cave adventure begins with a safety briefing and a walk through beautiful native New Zealand bush and the Mangapū Gorge.

You will then enter our natural cave system, where you will walk through shallow freshwater streams, climb over rocks and boulders, crouch through some smaller passages, and explore larger limestone chambers filled with glowworms.

Our caves have been left in their natural state, with no concrete pathways, handrails, or electric lighting. This creates an authentic cave experience and allows you to see the underground environment much as it has existed for generations.

Inside the cave, you will discover impressive glowworm displays, stalactites, stalagmites, and other natural limestone formations. The small group size allows you to explore at a relaxed pace with your experienced local guide.

Phones and small cameras are welcome. We recommend using a phone lanyard, as phones dropped in the cave may not always be retrievable. Your guide will also take complimentary photographs during the tour and send them to you afterwards.

After the cave, walk back through the native bush to the farmhouse, where you can change, take a hot shower, and relax with tea, coffee, and biscuits.

A Family-Owned Eco Experience

Down to Earth Waitomo is owned and operated by a local family on a fourth-generation farm in the Waitomo District.

Tourism profits help fund native forest restoration and predator-control work on the surrounding land. More than 15,000 native trees have been planted as part of our long-term conservation project.

The cave system beneath our family farm is classified as being of international significance by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation.

Who Is This Tour Suitable For?

This tour is best suited to active travellers who are comfortable:

• Walking on uneven and rocky ground
• Climbing over rocks and boulders
• Walking uphill through native bush
• Wading through shallow freshwater streams
• Crouching through short sections of the cave

A reasonable level of fitness and mobility is required. The tour is not suitable for people with significant mobility difficulties.

The minimum age is 10 years. Guests under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Location and Transport

Down to Earth Waitomo is located on a private family farm in the Waitomo District, within driving distance of Waitomo Caves Village, Te Kūiti, and Ōtorohanga.