8hr Waitomo Glow-worm Cave & Kiwi House Tour

This tour starts with a scenic drive along the Mount Maunganui main beach before heading over the Tauranga Harbour bridge, past the central city and inland over the Kaimai ranges. We climb to around 1800 feet providing spectacular panoramic views across the rich fertile farmland of the Waikato province. Passing through the town Cambridge one of New Zealand’s picturesque provincial towns and the capital of New Zealand horseracing we head south towards Waitomo.

After arriving at the Waitomo caves a local tour guide will take you through over 250 metres of stunning underground scenery commencing with the impressive Cathedral and ending with the world-famous boat ride under thousands of magical glow-worms. Many of the current guides are descendants of the Māori chief who originally explored the cave and can share with you the remarkable history of the area. After time to grab a bite to eat and a look through the gift shop the tour moves on to Otorohanga to visit the kiwi house.

Visiting the Kiwi house, you will get to view active kiwi (New Zealand’s national bird) with Brown Kiwi on display in a night-time setting. Get up close with a large collection of NZ birds and reptiles and learn about each individual animal. Walk through New Zealand's largest free-flight dome aviary and see the unique Tuatara, a native New Zealand reptile, which pre-dated the dinosaurs.

As the tour makes its way back you head back over the Kaimai range stopping at the lookout for a photo opportunity looking across the beautiful Waikato farmland and then on to the final stop at McLaren Falls. McLaren Falls is a 190-hectare park of pastoral and horticultural land set alongside Lake McLaren with a ten-minute walk through New Zealand native forest to view a picturesque waterfall. 

Lastly, you return to the city cross the harbour bridge and to the beginning of the tour.