Activity Policies
- Entry: Waitomo Glowworm Caves are a ticketed guided cave attraction. The standard experience includes a guided cave tour followed by a boat ride through the Glowworm Grotto.
- Booking: Advance booking is strongly recommended, especially during weekends, school holidays, and peak tourist periods.
- Check-in: Visitors should arrive at the designated visitor centre before the scheduled departure time. Late arrival may result in missing the tour.
- Duration: The standard Glowworm Cave experience takes approximately 45 minutes, with additional time recommended for check-in and the visitor centre.
- Cave Conditions: The caves remain cool throughout the year. Comfortable walking shoes and warm clothing are recommended.
- Walking & Stairs: The tour includes walking through the cave and approximately 100 stairs, making it unsuitable for some visitors with limited mobility.
- Boat Ride: The experience concludes with a quiet boat journey through the Glowworm Grotto, where visitors can observe thousands of glowworms.
- Photography: Photography and video recording are not permitted inside the Glowworm Caves, helping protect the cave environment and preserve the visitor experience.
- Visitor Conduct: Visitors must remain with their guide, follow safety instructions, and maintain appropriate behaviour inside the cave and during the boat ride.
- Environment: Visitors must not touch cave formations or glowworms. Food, drinks, smoking, and littering are prohibited inside the cave.
- Children: Children are permitted, subject to the operator's applicable age and safety requirements. Young children must remain under adult supervision.
- Accessibility: Cave pathways include stairs and uneven surfaces, and the standard cave experience has limited wheelchair accessibility. Visitors with mobility requirements should confirm suitability before booking.
- Safety: Guests must follow guide instructions and remain within designated areas throughout the cave and boat experience.
- Cancellation/Refund: Cancellation and refund conditions are subject to the operator's current booking terms. Different conditions may apply to individual and group bookings.
- Operator Cancellation: Tours may be cancelled or altered due to safety concerns, weather, cave conditions, or unforeseen circumstances. Alternative arrangements or refunds may apply according to the operator's terms.
- Changes to Experience: Tour times, routes, boat operations, or access may change because of weather, maintenance, conservation, safety requirements, or operational circumstances.
- Important: The Waitomo Glowworm Caves offer a unique underground experience featuring limestone formations, an underground river, and the spectacular Glowworm Grotto, making it one of New Zealand's most distinctive natural attractions.
Terms & Conditions
- Admission is subject to a valid ticket or confirmed booking.
- All participants must check in at least 30 minutes before their scheduled tour departure.
- Guests may be required to provide photo identification or verify the payment card used for the booking.
- Visitors must follow the instructions of guides, cave staff and authorised personnel at all times.
- Guests must remain with the group and stay within designated visitor areas and approved cave routes.
- Visitors must comply with all cave safety and emergency procedures.
- Children must remain under the supervision of an accompanying adult.
- Smoking, food, drinks and littering are not permitted inside the Glow-worm Caves.
- Photography and videography are not permitted inside the Waitomo Glow-worm Caves, in order to protect the cave environment and visitor experience.
- Visitors must not touch, disturb or damage cave formations or glowworms.
- Guests must not remove rocks, minerals or other natural material from the caves.
- Appropriate comfortable clothing and footwear are recommended for the cave environment.
- Visitors should follow all instructions during the underground boat journey, including boarding and disembarking procedures.
- Tour times and operating arrangements may change because of weather, cave conditions, safety concerns or unforeseen circumstances.
- Discover Waitomo reserves the right to refuse entry where necessary.
- Tours are subject to availability and weather conditions.
- Late arrivals or missed tours are non-refundable, and a new booking requires the full tour cost and is subject to availability.
- Booking amendments can generally be made up to 24 hours before the scheduled tour, subject to availability.
- Individual cancellations made at least 24 hours before the experience are refundable under the operator's stated policy; cancellations within 24 hours are 100% non-refundable.
- For group, agent or tour-company bookings, cancellations or changes must generally be made at least 72 hours before the experience; cancellations within 72 hours are non-refundable.
- If Discover Waitomo cancels the experience because of health and safety concerns, weather or unforeseen circumstances, the operator states that guests are entitled to a 100% refund.
- Visitors are responsible for their personal belongings.
- Pets and domestic animals are not permitted at Discover Waitomo sites.
Cancellation Policy
Individual bookings for the Waitomo Glow-worm Caves may be cancelled or amended at least 24 hours before the scheduled tour for a refund. Cancellations made within 24 hours of the tour are 100% non-refundable. For group, agent, or tour-company bookings, cancellations or changes must be made at least 72 hours before the scheduled experience to qualify for a refund. If the tour is cancelled by Discover Waitomo due to weather, health and safety concerns, or unforeseen circumstances, guests are entitled to a 100% refund.
