Why are the Waitomo Glowworm Caves famous?
Famous for their abundance of glow worms, extensive underground river system and stunning stalactite and stalagmites formations, a trip to the Waitomo caves is a trip to another world.
Can you visit Glow Worm Caves?
Access to our cave is by guided tour only to keep our glow worms safe, which means we can guarantee visitors the chance to see glow worms.
How much does it cost to go to Waitomo Glowworm Caves?
Pricing and Conditions
| Adult | $55.00 |
|---|---|
| Child (14 year(s) and under) | $25.00 |
How long does it take to do Waitomo Caves?
Tours range from a 200 metre walk of approximately 55 minutes, a walk of 1.6 kilometres over 90 minutes or a tour of 3 hours (including travel time). Your guide will be able to tell you about the history of the cave, as well as showing you speleotherms (stalactites and stalagmites), fossils and cave creatures.
Why do glow worms glow?
Their lights are bioluminescent, which is the natural production of light by an organism created by a chemical reaction. In glow-worms, a molecule called luciferin is combined with oxygen to create oxyluciferin. A chemical reaction with the light-emitting enzyme luciferase produces their illuminations.
What creatures live in Waitomo Caves?
Biology. The most common animals in the caves are insects. This includes albino cave ants and giant crickets but the most renowned is the glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa. The adults are around the size of an average mosquito.
Are the Waitomo caves worth it?
Although some former travelers cautioned that the Waitomo Glowworm Caves can feel crowded during peak season, many said the attraction is interesting and worth a visit. While the caves are beautiful to walk through, the star attraction is the glowworms.
Do you have to pay to go to Waitomo caves?
If you’re going to Waitomo and want to see the glowworms, you don’t need to take a tour. Drive to Aranui Caves at night and go see them yourself. It’s a far, far better experience — you can stay for as long as you want, you’ll likely be the only people there and it’s completely free to experience.
Are Waitomo caves worth visiting?
I definitely recommend the Waitomo caves, I did the Black Water Rafting tour through the Kiwi Experience bus. Tubed and walked through the caves and jumped backward off waterfalls inside! It was so fun and I would do it again!!
Can you visit Waitomo caves on your own?
Arriving at Waitomo with your own vehicle is the quickest way to get here and also means you can easily explore the surrounding area. Free parking is available next to the Waitomo Caves Visitor Centre and Legendary Black Water Rafting Co.
Can you swim in the Waitomo Caves?
You do need to be comfortable in the water, however swimming is not a necessity. You will have a tube to aid you in floating as well as expert guides. Can you take photos or video on tours? You are able to take your cameras and GoPros on Ruakuri Cave and Aranui Cave tours.
How long does a glow-worm live?
The Glow Worm adults live for a short time only; 1-2 days for the female and 3-5 days days for the male. The adults cannot eat, only the larvae being able to ingest food. The adult is slightly larger than the mosquito, about 15 mm long.
Does glow-worm poop glow?
Glow-worms do indeed have poo. But of course this does NOT glow! They discard their excrement (a tiny black smudge) outside the snare presumably to decrease fungal attack. I used a piece of filter paper under each glowworm to establish this for the Australian species.
Who owns the Waitomo Caves?
The Trust owns 3 acres and the Crown owns one acre (Section 10). The Department of Conservation administers the Crown’s interest. Management of the Caves is shared on a 50-50 basis between the owners through the Caves Management Committee.
What time of year do glow worms glow?
noctiluca are active between May and September, usually with a peak of activity in June and July. The larvae are often active for a little longer, seen between April and October. Glow-worms are usually found in locations where there is a good supply of small snails for larvae to feed on.
Can you see glow worms during the day?
Our site is the only place in Queensland to see glow worms during the daytime, and the only glow worm sanctuary in the world. Tours in national parks are run only at night time, by companies which pick you up and drive you to the site and guide you through the park at night time to see the wildlife.
How many days do you need in Waitomo?
two days
Beyond the caves, I found Waitomo to be quiet, laid back, and relaxing. There’s a lot of natural beauty here and the town is really small. But you won’t need more than two days here unless you are going to use the town as a base to explore the wider region (then you’ll of course need more).
What do you wear to Waitomo Caves?
On the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Ruakuri Cave and Aranui Cave tours, you will need comfortable shoes and a warm jacket. For the Black Labyrinth and Black Abyss tours, you will need swimwear and a towel, wetsuits will be provided.
What animals live in the Waitomo Caves?
The most common animals in the caves are insects. This includes albino cave ants and giant crickets but the most renowned is the glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa. The adults are around the size of an average mosquito.
Can you visit Waitomo Caves for free?
Just down the road from Mangapohue Natural Bridge is the Piri Piri Cave. It’s only a short 300m walk from the small roadside car park to what is one of the very few Waitomo caves that are open to the public for free.
What happens if you touch a glow-worm?
Please look, but don’t touch. Glow-worms are sensitive to disturbance and will switch off their lights and retreat into a crack if they or their snares are touched.
What does a glow-worm turn into?
These worms aren’t actually a worm; they are actually the larvae of fungus gnats. This is an insect that looks similar to mosquitos, as when they reach maturity, they become flies.
Do glow worms bite humans?
Are glow worms dangerous? Glow worms do not pose any danger to people. Even the larvae that produce toxins only use them on their prey. They do not affect humans.
How long does a glow worm live for?