Imagine an underground world illuminated by thousands of twinkling lights. You can experience this magical spectacle in New Zealand thanks to its unique glowworms. But where can you find the most beautiful glowworm cave: Waitomo Caves or Spellbound Cave? In New Zealand, I was faced with this choice as well. Which cave do you choose in Waitomo? In the end, my choice fell on Spellbound Cave. Why? Let me show you!
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What are glowworms? A natural wonder of New Zealand
Glowworms, or more precisely the larvae of the New Zealand fungus gnat, produce a magical blue-green light to attract insects. This phenomenon, known as bioluminescence, creates an enchanting glow in the dark caves.
On the various tours available, you enter a cave in complete darkness. Give your eyes time to adjust and enjoy the stunning sight of the glowworms!
Waitomo Caves: the classic with many options
Waitomo Caves has been the place to spot glowworms in New Zealand for many years. It is also the most commercial option in all of New Zealand. It is designed for large visitor numbers. You will find several caves here, each with its own charm:
- Waitomo Glowworm Caves: Experience a boat trip through the cave and admire the glowworms hanging from the ceiling like a starry sky.
- Ruakuri Cave: Discover not only glowworms but also impressive limestone formations and fossils.
- Aranui Cave: Combine a glowworm tour with adventurous activities such as abseiling and black water rafting.
Back to the Glowworm Caves tour for a moment, because this is the one most people book. The boat trip feels quite short and you do not really get enough time to let your eyes fully adjust to the darkness. Although you still see many glowworms (more than in almost any other cave in New Zealand), you definitely miss out on a large part of what there is to see. If you have never seen glowworms before, you might not even realise this, because you still see a lot of them.
With several tour options you are sure to find something that suits you in the Waitomo Caves area, from relaxed boat trips to active adventures. You will also find plenty of facilities here, such as restaurants, cafés and souvenir shops.
Spellbound Cave: small-scale, intimate and more glowworms
Spellbound Cave is a smaller cave that was only discovered in 2005. Here you experience a more intimate glowworm encounter with smaller groups. Our group consisted of 12 people. I cannot estimate the number of glowworms in the cave, but it is safe to say that there are significantly more than in the Waitomo Caves. You also get much more time on this tour, which took about 2.5 hours. First you walk into the cave, and later you take a boat trip.
In addition, at Spellbound you can also visit The Cave of the Spirit with your guide. This is a beautiful cave that is fully lit. You will also find the skeleton of an extinct animal species here. Spellbound describes the tour as follows on its website:
- A 2 km scenic drive across farmland.
- A short, spectacular walk to the Mangawhitikau Glowworm Cave.
- Up to one hour in our glowworm cave, including a 20-minute boat ride beneath the glowworms and the opportunity to take photos.
- A short break for coffee, tea or other refreshments, followed by another beautiful walk to the Cave of the Spirit.
- A look inside the Cave of the Spirit with cave decorations and fossils, and finally a short bus ride back to our office.
Spellbound Cave is particularly popular because of its small-scale character and personal touch. You receive more in-depth explanations about the glowworms and their ecosystem here. Do keep in mind that the tour here is longer than at Waitomo Caves.
Conclusion: do you choose quick or intimate?
Both tours are special, especially if you have never seen glowworms before. The choice is yours: do you simply want to see the glowworms and have limited time? Then choose the Waitomo Caves. They are easy to reach and close to facilities. Do you have more time? Choose tranquillity and go for the Spellbound Caves!
To get to Spellbound you drive a short stretch on gravel road, so you may encounter livestock along the way.
When is the best time to see glowworms?
Good news: this is possible all year round. The caves have a constant temperature (around 10 degrees), which means the glowworms do their ‘work’ throughout the year.
Tips for your glowworm tour
- Book your tickets in advance: This is highly recommended, especially in high season. Popular time slots fill up quickly.
- Wear dark clothing: This way you will not disturb the light-sensitive glowworms.
- Bring warm clothing: It can be chilly inside the caves. The temperature is consistently around 10 degrees.
- Make sure your camera does not use flash: You need to work with a longer shutter speed to take photos. If you are the one using flash, you will also ruin other people’s photos. The magic is better experienced with the naked eye.
- Bring a tripod (if you have one): You need to use a slower shutter speed on your phone (10 seconds gives the best photos). Any movement will make your photo blurry.
- Respect the caves and the glowworms: Keep quiet and avoid touching anything unnecessarily.
Whether you choose the classic experience of the Waitomo Caves or the intimate setting of Spellbound Cave, one thing is certain: spotting glowworms in New Zealand will be an unforgettable experience. Want to see them more often or in other places? These are the 7 best places to spot glowworms in New Zealand.
More great things to do near Waitomo
The Ruakuri Bushwalk is an absolute must-do hike in Waitomo. The walk takes about an hour and leads you through a beautiful, almost tropical forest area.
More of a waterfall fan? Marokopa Falls is about a 45-minute drive from Waitomo.
Have a bit less time in New Zealand but still want to see the highlights? Waitomo Caves also combines well with Hobbiton in a single day.
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