Waitomo Caves

Just before returning to Auckland, we angled our trip a little to make a pit stop at the Waitomo caves. The first tour we took brought us into the bowels of the Ruakuri cave. We descended a long spiral then entered into the darkness. Lights and doors are activated by the tour guide to minimize exposure for the glowworms that call the caves home. B was delighted when our tour guide trusted him with the remote control for the doors! We saw huge caverns but failed to catch people rafting down the underground river. I would have loved to try that "ride" but B, at 8 years of age, was 4 years to young... We saw glowworms from far. We saw glowworms up close. We learned about the glowworm's life cycle and how it eats. We learned about limestone, rock formations and the difference between stalactites and stalagmites. We finished off our tour with a visit to the Waitomo Glowworm Cave, which includes a boat ride in the dark. That is an almost mystical experience. In the silence (the boat moves when the guide pulls it along an ingenious set of ropes and pulleys), we sat, transfixed by the light of the glowworms on the roof of the cave. And came out in a tropical forest. Amazing.