Outdoor Activities

Ruakuri Cave Guided Tour

4.7/5(373)

Christopher G

Couple

Verified booking

6 days ago

This was a great tour. The caves and limestone formations were fascinating and glow worms were glowing! The guide was interesting, informative and entertaining. Recommended.

Lyndel W

Couple

Verified booking

Sep 2026

Ruakuri Cave A magnificent tour, easy walking with no stairs, the circular walkway down is beautiful. Our guide "Scuba" was excellent with commentary and answering questions.

Steve D

Couple

Verified booking

Sep 2026

Our tour guide was very good, lots of information about the cave and the cave system. All of the stuff where very good. We would highly recommend the experience.

Wayne H

Group

Verified booking

May 2026

You really have to do cave tour that was highlight of our day. Absolutely gorgeous. How lucky are we to live in a beautiful country , tour guide was absolutely great.

Tyarna O

Couple

Verified booking

May 2026

The caves were beautiful, our guide T've was very informative and funny, and we had a great time! Lots of history and fun facts, a very cool experience.

Join a 1.5-hour tour of Ruakuri Cave, exploring impressive rock formations and the magical glow of thousands of glowworms.

Stroll through wheelchair-friendly routes featuring beautiful limestone formations, underground rivers, and iconic sites such as The Drum Passage and The Pretties.

Listen to engaging Māori legends and fascinating facts shared by guides descended from the original Māori explorers of the cave.

1.5-hour guided tour of Ruakuri Cave

English-speaking guide of Maori descent

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

373 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
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Guests from Australia, United States, United Kingdom and over 16 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Christopher G
Couple
Verified booking
6 days ago
This was a great tour. The caves and limestone formations were fascinating and glow worms were glowing! The guide was interesting, informative and entertaining. Recommended.
Jamshid R
Couple
Verified booking
Oct 2026
A journey through history and nature. It was superb with the guide's explanations.
Lyndel W
Couple
Verified booking
Sep 2026
Ruakuri Cave A magnificent tour, easy walking with no stairs, the circular walkway down is beautiful. Our guide "Scuba" was excellent with commentary and answering questions.
Steve D
Couple
Verified booking
Sep 2026
Our tour guide was very good, lots of information about the cave and the cave system. All of the stuff where very good. We would highly recommend the experience.
Nicholas H
Couple
Verified booking
Sep 2026
the tour guide was very very good keen to share his knowledge and was a great view and able to see the deeper part of the land

Sail through an underground wonder on a tranquil boat ride beneath thousands of glowworms on a 45-minute tour of Waitomo Glowworm Cave, guided by an expert guide and surrounded by the cave’s beauty.

Getting started

Your ticket includes a 1.5-hour guided tour of Ruakuri Cave. Arrive 30 minutes early to check in and join your group before heading to the cave entrance.

What to expect

Guided cave walk: Begin your journey by descending the spectacular spiral entrance into Ruakuri Cave, a solar-powered underground wonder shaped by nature over millions of years.

Stunning limestone formations: See delicate shawl-like limestone formations, crystal tapestries, and explore notable sites including Holdens Cavern, The Drum Passage and The Ghost Passage.

Glowworms up close: Experience thousands of glowworms illuminating the cave, and learn about their fascinating life cycle on this magical subterranean tour.

Accessible and sustainable: Enjoy a fully wheelchair- and stroller-accessible path throughout the cave and visitor centre, both powered by 100% renewable energy.

Engaging storytelling: Hear fascinating stories about the cave’s history, geology, and Māori legends from knowledgeable guides descended from the original explorers.

What to bring

Bring a warm jacket as the cave can get cool.

When you visit, make sure you've got a credit card or your phone set up for contactless payments (like Apple Pay or Google Pay).

What's not allowed

Large backpacks are not allowed inside the cave.

Smoking, food, drink or litter are not allowed inside the cave.

Pets are not allowed inside the cave.

Accessibility

This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible. Please note that the wheelchair and pram/ stroller should not exceed a width of 65cm due to the narrow passageways in the cave.

Additional information

Photography and video are permitted in selected areas of the cave.

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the meeting point.

Please arrive at the meeting point 30 minutes before the scheduled time of your visit to avoid any delays.

Meeting Point

Meet your guide at Ruakuri Visitor Centre

Address: 204, Tumutumu Road, Waitomo Caves 3985, New Zealand

Get Directions to the Meeting Point