Explore one of the North Island’s most impressive natural wonders and see the national symbol of New Zealand on this shore excursion from Tauranga. Walk through the caves to see stalagmites and stalactites before boarding a small boat to the incredible Waitomo Caves, filled with glittering glow-worms. Then visit the Otorohanga Kiwi House to learn more about the native birds. Port pickup and drop-off is included.

See the Waitomo Caves and the Glow Worm Grotto
Learn more about New Zealand’s most famous bird at the Otorohanga Kiwi House
Great-value tour includes port pickup, entrance fees, and round-trip transport
A small-group tour ensures a personalized experience

What's Included

Driver/guide
Live commentary on board
Port pickup and drop-off
Transport by air-conditioned minivan
Entry to Waitomo Glow-worm caves
Entry to Otorohanga Kiwi House
Air-conditioned vehicle

Food and drinks

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

Opening hours

6/1/2021 - 4/18/2025
Monday - Sunday : 05:30 AM - 11:30 PM

Pickup details

We pick up from the Port of Tauranga, the Tauranga airport & local accommodation. At the Port of Tauranga we will meet you at he port gate; your name will be held up on a placard. Because of last year's weather events affecting road conditions, we are having to allocate 8 hours for this tour (after disembarkation) to ensure getting clients back to port in time for ship departure.

What To Expect

Meet your guide and small group on arrival at the Port of Tauranga. Traveling aboard an air-conditioned minibus, set out on the journey to the west coast. Along the way, soak up the scenery as you wind through the Kaimai Ranges and the farmlands of the Waikato District, stopping to admire views over Karapiro Lake and the Hinuera Valley.

Arrive at Waitomo Caves and head inside to explore the natural wonder on a guided walking tour. See the aptly nicknamed ‘Cathedral’ cave, known for its distinctive acoustics, and hear how the famous Vienna Boys' Choir once recorded in the cave. Then, hop aboard for a small boat cruise through the Glow Worm Cave, lit up by the light of thousands of glowworms.

Next, pay a visit to the Otorohanga Kiwi House, where you have the chance to learn more about the native flightless birds and hear how the Kiwi became the national symbol of New Zealand.

After stopping for lunch (own expense), return to Tauranga, where your tour ends with drop-off at the port.

Port of Tauranga Ltd

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lake Karapiro

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Otorohanga

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Most travelers can participate
Children must be accompanied by an adult
A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
Because of last year's weather events affecting road conditions, we are having to allocate 8 hours for this tour (after disembarkation) to ensure getting clients back to port in time for ship departure.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 19 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.5

42 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 42 reviews

Glowworm cave tour

Ellen_A, Mar 2024

This was a really nice trip to see the glowworms. It was a long, but nice drive with sightseeing along the way. It is a short trip once inside the cave, but that's just the way it is. I am not aware of any place in America that has many opportunities to see glowworms and I definitely got to see their amazing glow here and so was able to check it off the list. Lunch was a bit weird to be honest, but that's not the driver's fault, just a strange cafe. I would recommend bringing your own snacks or sandwich or even walking down to the McDonalds or Subway. It really wasn't worth trying the local food in this situation. Great tour and comfortable van overall and I recommend it.

Worms very good; kiwi not tasty.

Tim_R, Mar 2024

The glow worms were great. It was very interesting. It was a good outing/tour for that portion. I understand the no pictures, but photos and videos can be done with no light. The kiwi cave was disappointing. Just a small, darkened enclosure. Also no internal pictures , but again lights not needed. The biggest disappointment for this was no kiwi. With only two kiwi, how could you not be disappointed? No kiwi to view.

Must See!!

Corinne_L, Mar 2024

Awesome excursion - saw Kiwi bird and the glow worm caves were amazing. If you are in New Zealand - this is a must do - these glow worms do shine and is quite amazing to see and learn about them. Also interesting to see two kiwis wandering about in their habitat. Highly recommend - Allan?, our guide was also wonderful - great story telling and shoed us a great time. Highly recommend!!

A GREAT day trip

atedesco2009, Feb 2024

Paul was our driver and host for the day. He shared both the ‘facts’ about what we were seeing, and the interesting details around them. We got to know him well, as we talked easily throughout the day. We visited the Kiwis and the waitomo caves before a true NZ lunch at a local bake shop. On the way home, Paul stopped to show us Kiwi vines - we never knew! We arrived back to our cruise dock with enough time to take a short walk on the beaches. Cannot recommend enough!!!!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for writing this comprehensive review. We're so pleased the day lived up to your expectations! Paul really enjoys talking with clients & showing them some of the unique aspects of NZ.

Great Attraction to Visit but Far From Port

Ray_S, Feb 2024

I would give this attraction 5 stars if it wasn’t a 2.5 hour drive from Tauranga. The caves and glow worms are a compelling destination but are located far from anything else making the opportunity cost of spending your shore time on just the caves quite high. The tour was very well organized thanks to our excellent driver John.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Yes, it is a long tour & it's a pity that whichever port from which you access Waitomo, it involves a long day with a lot of travelling. We're glad that the caves were a good experience for you & that you appreciated John's company & excellent driving skills.

Great tour. Well worth the drive from Tauranga.

Michael_P, Jan 2024

Great tour. The ride from Tauranga was worth it, to see the countryside and understand the local agriculture and history. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and made the whole trip interesting and fun

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you, Michael. We always hope that our tours are good value for participants. We're pleased you enjoyed your day.

Great time!

Mark_P, Jan 2024

We had an excellent day at the Waitimo glow worm caves (amazing!) and the Kiwi House (allegedly I’ve seen more kiwi birds than many Kiwis!). Our driver, Alan, was fun and engaging. Be prepared for a good amount of time in the van/bus as it’s a bit of a drive out of Tauranga….its not bad, just something to be aware of (I had done the research and was aware that we’d spend about half our time driving so no worries at all). Again, Alan was great about checking in to see whether anyone needed a comfort stop.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

We're glad you enjoyed your day with Alan. Yes, it's a long tour, but the reward at the end is the caves, which are amazing. We're also glad that the nocturnal kiwi decided to wake up for your visit1 Thank you for taking the time to write a review.

Great shore excursion from Tauranga

Joan_G, Jan 2024

While it was a long van ride from Tauranga, the trip was worth it. The waitomo caves was something I’ll probably never see again. There were so many glow worms it was kiwi house was good. We were able to see a Kiwi which doesn’t always happen.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

We're glad that, after the long drive to Waitomo, our native glow-worms & native bird put in pleasing appearances. Thank you for writing this review - it's appreciated.

Waitomo Wonder

Jodi_T, Jan 2024

Informative guide, beautiful landscape, amazing experience in the Waitomo Cave, and we even sighted a kiwi at the Kiwi House. Great value, small group size.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you for your comments. We're glad that you thought the tour was comprehensive & worthwhile - and that the kiwis exerted themselves a little more than they often do!

Quality tour

sraesteele, Jan 2024

Better than the shore excursions offered by the cruise line. Well organized and planned. Kiwis were sleeping, but you can’t have everything. Recommended.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you so much for your comments. We are very pleased that you found the tour met your expectations. The kiwis, unfortunately, are nocturnal & not very cooperative with performing in daylight hours.

Amazing sites

jerryb1612, Dec 2023

I want to say thank you for the amazing experience, our guide made a few changes to accommodate everything we wanted to make sure we didn’t miss out ship

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Thank you, Jerry. Since last year's weather events it has become so important to allocate enough time for the Waitomo trip to ensure getting back to ship-side in time. We're glad you were happy with the necessary changes & enjoyed your day.

Too many passengers!

Cheryl_K, Nov 2023

I gave one star because of the van that was used to transport us for 8 hours. Originally there were 8 people booked on this tour, the van was roomy and comfortable but then at the pier they added 5 more people. All of a sudden we were packed in like sardines - no room to fidget, extend our legs or even move a muscle. For an 8 hour trip, it was excruciating.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

We're sorry you found the transport less than satisfactory & will look at how we can improve it. You were transported in a 14-seater + diver Ford Transit, and we had 13 clients.

Excellent tour.

James_H, Mar 2023

Bryan our tour guide and driver was fantastic. Very friendly and informative. Highly recommended. Seeing the glow worms was amazing.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

We're vey pleased you had a good experience on the tour & enjoyed your day. Thank you for taking the time to write this review

Awesome, intriguing, informative!

Carol_T, Mar 2023

The cave was amazing, our guide was great, loved her humor! Paul was amazing, he was informative, personable, and great sense of humor!

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Yes, the caves are amazing. We're pleased you enjoyed your day & Paul's company & banter. We hope the rest of your cruise went well.

Glow Worm caves were...

Teri_J, Jan 2023

Glow Worm caves were pretty cool. Kiwi Sanctuary, not so much. A LONG ways (3 hrs. ea. directions) to go.

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Yes, we agree with both your comments; the caves are special & it is a long trip. That's why we go to/from the caves via 2 different routes, so that it, hopefully, makes the time spent in transit a bit more palatable. Unfortunately, the kiwi, being nocturnal does not always grace us with its presence! no

It was amazing to see the...

dessertian, Dec 2022

It was amazing to see the glowworms in the caves, particularly on the boat ride in the dark. We were also lucky to see a baby Kiwi bird that was only a few days old! It would be even better, if the vehicle's air conditioning were working!

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Glad you enjoyed the glow-worms. Yes, it was a real treat to be able to see the tiny kiwis - an opportunity we that is not often available . Apologies about the air-conditioning malfunction; It"s getting fixed asap!

Great day trip from cruise

Megan_R, Dec 2022

Paul was an excellent host/driver. We were in very good hands, with his local knowledge. The cave experience was magnificent. Kiwi birds were hiding on our visit, but was still worthwhile.

Response from Host, Jan 2023

We're glad that, despite the "no show" of the kiwis, you enjoyed the caves experience. Unfortunately kiwis are shy & nocturnal so are not always available to see. Thank you so much for writing a review. We hope the rest of your cruise went well.

Paul was great and really...

Hedley_L, Dec 2022

Paul was great and really knows his stuff. They caves are amazing and I highly recommend them. Paul also gave a tour of Tauranga.

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review. Paul enjoyed your company - and showing you the sights in our area. We hope the rest of your trip went well.

Bad experience.

Doyle_P, Dec 2022

You sold us a day trip that did not exist. The tour operator was not running that tour on that day. We should have tried to book directly with the tour operator; then we would hsve known the tour was not running that day. We hired a car and did the tour on our own. It was enjoyable, but no thanks to Viator.

Response from Host, Dec 2022

We received the booking from Viator late in the day. We had asked for 24-hours notice in taking bookings for the Waitomo Tour to ensure the venue still had availablility. We were unable to do that. We're glad you were able to go there yourself. Ask for a refund; we will verify that the tour was not dome i We were unable to cancel it ourselves as it was not appearing on the Viator Management system. We have now asked for 48 hours notice to prevent this happening again,

Great cave experience...

Wendy, Dec 2022

Great cave experience which we had never seen before. Guide is knowledgeable and friendly. We didn't get to see Kiwi in the kiwi house is bit disappointing.

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Yes the caves are a great experience & we're pleased you liked them. Unfortunately, as with all animals, the kiwi is unpredictable. It's nocturna & shy so that doesn't help!