Three weeks in New Zealand - 4/12 - 5/4/2024

Day 4-Waitomo Caves - 4/15/2024

The Waitomo Caves in New Zealand are one of the country’s most iconic natural wonders with a magical network of underground caverns famous for glowworms, stunning limestone formations, and adventure experiences. Located in the Waikato region of New Zealand’s North Island, the Waitomo Caves system includes several major caves, with three being the most popular: Waitomo Glowworm Cave, Ruakuri Cave,Aranui Cave.  Together, they form a rich and varied underground world that attracts visitors from all over the globe.  We took a guided tour through all three caves and ending with a boat ride.

We arrived a few minutes early and we are just waiting at the visitor area for our time slot to start the tour.

    Our tour guide gathering the group before heading to the cave     

From the waiting area it is a few minutes walk to the entrance of the cave

The entrance of the cave

A distinctive circular structure leading down via a gentle spiral ramp to the bottom and entrance of the cave.

The big rock at the bottom of the circular ramp in Ruakuri Cave is a natural limestone boulder that has been left in place intentionally as both a scenic and symbolic centerpiece at the cave entrance.

The rock serves as a gateway marker, symbolizing the transition from the surface world into the sacred, hidden world beneath.

We are now entering the underground and we are surrounded with limestone walls.

Stalactites are one of the most striking features inside Ruakuri Cave, they are abundant, varied in form, and beautifully lit to showcase their delicate structures.

Stalactites are icicle-shaped mineral formations that hang from the ceiling of the cave.  They form very slowly, sometimes just a few centimeters every hundred years. Through the dripping of mineral-rich water (mostly calcium carbonate). Over time, drop by drop, the minerals are deposited and build downward.

You’ll see both slender, needle-like stalactites and larger, thicker ones that resemble rocky chandeliers.

This area of the cave have entire ceilings covered in thousands of these formations, especially in chambers where water flow is active.

The lighting in Ruakuri is carefully placed to cast dramatic shadows and highlight the fine textures of the stalactites, enhancing their otherworldly appearance.

This area the stalactites looks like sheets or flowing fabric, they are known as “draperies”, or  “curtains”, or sometimes “cave bacon” (because of their layered, wavy appearance).

These draperies are often creamy white, pearl-like, or lightly tinted with browns and oranges, depending on the minerals in the water (like iron or manganese).

Walkways inside the cave.

We are now headed to a part of the cave that is in total darkness to see the glowworms.

Glowworms are the larvae of the species Arachnocampa luminosa, which is unique to New Zealand.  The glowworms produce a bioluminescent blue-green light that makes cave ceilings look like a star-filled night sky (you can only see in total darkness).

It is so magical to stand in the dark and see the glow of the glowworms in the ceiling.

When the lights are on you this is what you see.  Glowworms use their light to attract prey, tiny flying insects that wander into the cave.

When insects get close, they become trapped in the glowworm’s sticky silk threads, which hang down like fishing lines.

Inside the cave there are limestone formations that look like wave, these are some of the most visually stunning features of the cave. They resemble rippling stone, frozen flows, or even ocean waves turned to rock.

These wave-like patterns in the cave walls and ceilings are usually the result of erosion patterns.  Millions of years ago, water slowly carved the limestone into smooth, curving surfaces. Over time, flowing water wore away softer parts of the rock, leaving behind undulating ridges and troughs that resemble ripples or waves.

Ruakuri Cave’s limestone was formed over 30 million years ago when the entire region was under a shallow sea.  We spotted a few fossilized seashell.

The red flags you see are placed by the cave management to indicate that indicate a delicate cave formation nearby (like fragile stalactites, draperies, or fossils) that should not be touched or disturbed.

Pathway inside the cave.

These stalactites resemble shark teeth.  These are typically small, sharply pointed stalactites, often called “soda straws” or “dagger-like formations” in early stages of development

Their tapered, jagged shape and sometimes translucent white color resemble rows of shark teeth, especially when you see many clustered together on the ceiling.

Stalagmites are formed from mineral deposits, primarily calcium carbonate, that build up on the floor when drips of mineral-rich water fall from above.  Unlike stalactites (which hang down), stalagmites grow up, often slowly, just a few millimeters per century.

We are now entering the Shark Teeth chamber.  This large cave room is sometimes described by guides as the “cathedral” or “shark mouth” chamber due to its impressive height and spacious feel, Clusters of narrow, pointed stalactites that hang like rows of fangs.  

These stalactites are often thin, sharp, and closely spaced.  Water dripping in this area likely does so steadily but slowly, allowing for elongated and defined shapes to form. Some have broken tips, adding to the irregular, toothy appearance.

The Shark Teeth chamber is enormous.

After walking through the beautifully lit limestone passages of the cave, we reached the final chamber: the Glowworm Grotto.

We are now exiting the cave and we had to get to quietly board a flat-bottomed boat with a small group of people.

 There are no engines, the boat glides silently along the underground river. A guide uses overhead guide ropes to pull the boat through the dark grotto.

As the lights are turned off, the entire cave ceiling lights up with thousands of glowworms, glowing like a star-filled night sky.

No photos is allowed as the flash might disturb the glowworms..  Photo credit: internet.

The boat ride is about 5 minutes but it absolutely magical, peaceful and it feels like we are gliding through space.

Photo credit: internet.

We are now exiting the cave. 

Here you can see how the guide is guiding the boat just by using his hands and holding on the rocks in the cave to navigate.

After dropping us, the guide is going back to pick up more customers inside the cave.

After the visit we stopped by the coffee shop inside the visitor center.

The visitor center is really modern and beautiful.

NEXT... Driving to Mitai village