Ruakuri Cave, Waitomo Caves

What an unforgettable experience at this spectacular and deep cave! Ruakuri cave tour is a must and recommended to see the stalactites and stalagmites that were formed millions of years ago. Never expect the tour to be so interesting and informative. Thanks to our fantastic and friendly tour guide for such a good explanation about every part of the cave! The starting point of the visit was trilling! We had walked through a 15m descend spiral staircase to the cave which was so well built and designed! The cave entrance was used by Māori as a burial ground. The interior of the cave is beautifully lit up with different colors and glowworms can be spotted in this cave! At some point in the cave, we came across a few people who participate in the black water rafting. I guess it is a scary excursion in such a dark area and wet area. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit this cave in NZ!

I came for the glow worms but had no idea I'd be learning so much! Our guide Max was exceptionally friendly, knowledgeable, and an all around charming guy leading us along the way. We had a large group but he made sure to engage with everyone individually which was nice. Stunning cave formations, magical views of the glow worms, and lots of rich history about the Maori people. Absolutely phenomenal -- add this to your travel itinerary! Also, be sure to take the 30 minute stroll on the Ruakuri Bushwalk just across the street.

This is a really great cave tour. Would recommend to anyone.

Absolutely amazing experience and very different from the Waitomo cave. It’s a walking tour with a very knowledgeable guide and talks not only about the glow worms but the rock formations in the cave. It’s also a very intimate experience where you get to look at the glow worm up close and personally, learning about their life cycle and take ample pictures.

We drove from Taupo to Waitomo via mangakino, stunning scenery! The Ruakura guided walking tour is a must! Mitch our guide was knowledgeable, easy to communicate with and comedic too. All in all a great guy who is passionate about what he does. The caves, wow. Prepare yourself for a cathedral like experience with breathtaking formations, underground rivers and streams. The walking is easy due to the excellent safe walkways that are wheelchair friendly. The Glow worms were the icing on the cake. We did the loop track via Kuratau/Turangi and again wow, the scenery didn't disappoint. We have the day out a solid 10/10