Breakfast at Waitomo Caves Guest Lodge was similar to the one we had enjoyed the previous morning at Walnut Lodge B&B: fresh bread, cereal, fruit, and other basics to get the day started. The main difference was that breakfast was served in a common dining hall shared with the other guests, with each family or group having its own table.
We didn't stay long, though. We had early tickets for the Ruakuri Cave tour and wanted to arrive with plenty of time. It was part of a combo with family tickets for both Ruakuri Cave and Glowworm Cave at Waitomo.
Ruakuri Cave
As it turned out, we were the only people booked on the first tour of the day. Basically a private tour just for the four of us. Being alone made the experience feel much more intimate. We could move at our own pace, stop whenever something caught our attention, and ask as many questions as we wanted.
The visit began with an impressive spiral walkway that descends into the cave system. Along the way, we passed through several sets of doors designed to help protect the delicate ecosystem inside, especially the glowworms and other cave life. But I have to admit: the first thing that came to mind was Get Smart and the iconic doors intro. Am I dating myself too much?
The cave itself was spectacular, with stalactites and stalagmites lining many of the chambers, underground rivers carving their way through the rock, and small waterfalls echoing through the darkness. Some of them sounded enormous from a distance, only to reveal themselves as just 3-feet tall drops once we finally reached them.
The glowworms were one of the highlights. Because the group was so small, we were able to get relatively close and even take a few photographs (we knew they were allowed in Ruakuri but not Glowworm Cave). Our guide explained how the worms lived, hunted, and built their sticky silk traps. At one point, he even demonstrated how surprisingly strong and adhesive those traps are (without disturbing the worms themselves, of course.)
Waitomo Glowworm Cave
After Ruakuri, we headed to the famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves.
The experience there was quite different. Instead of a private tour, we were part of a much larger group. We walked through several chambers while the guide pointed out notable rock formations and explained the history of the caves. Eventually, we boarded a large boat with around twenty other visitors for the glowworm portion of the tour.
I have to admit that the boat ride wasn't quite what I had imagined from the promotional photos. The images online make it look as if you're gliding through the darkness in a tiny boat with only a handful of people. Our experience was much busier than that. Maybe there are premium tours with smaller groups, but I don't know.
That said, it was still impressive. The cave ceiling was covered with glowworms, creating what looked like a living night sky. There were definitely more glowworms than we had seen at Ruakuri cave earlier that day or the previous night at the bush walk.
The boat eventually sailed out of the cave through an opening that reminded me of a cenote in Mexico. It was a beautiful contrast between the darkness of the cave and the bright landscape with sunlight pouring through the rock opening and the vegetation hanging around the entrance.
Overall, we enjoyed both experiences, but for different reasons. The Waitomo Glowworm Caves had the larger spectacle and more glowworms, while Ruakuri felt more personal and immersive.
We considered visiting the Marokopa Falls before leaving Waitomo. The family at the lodge had highly recommended them, and they were only about thirty minutes away... Unfortunately, that would have meant driving in the opposite direction to Rotorua and adding another 2-3 hours to the day's travel. So we decided to skip them in the end and drive to Rotorua instead. Maybe if we made it early, we could book one of the Māori evening experiences.
Māori Culture Evening at Rotorua
When we arrived at Koutu Beach Bed and Breakfast in Rotorua, we discovered that the owners were dealing with a family emergency, and our room wasn't ready yet. Luckily, it wasn't something really bad, they kept us informed, and we used that time to book tickets for the evening's dinner at Mitai Māori Village. By the time we returned later that evening, everything had been resolved and our room was ready.
Mitai was just a 5-minute drive from Koutu Beach Bread and Breakfast., so a little bit before 6pm, we headed to Mitai Māori Village for dinner and a cultural experience. To be completely honest, I found it a little underwhelming, especially considering the price. The food was good, but after the feast we had enjoyed at Hobbiton the day before, it had a tough act to follow. My wife disagreed, though, and enjoyed it much more than I did.
The evening began with an introduction to Māori culture, traditions, craftsmanship, food preparation, and the history of tribal conflicts and warfare. The emcee/guide explained the process of preparing a traditional hāngī, in which food is cooked underground using heated stones. And walked us to a platform in which we were able to see our dinner being prepared.
Later, we gathered along a river to watch performers dressed in traditional Māori attire paddling on a canoe while singing. From there, we moved into a small theater where the group performed songs, stories, and, of course, a haka.
Dinner followed. It was a buffet with the hāngī: chicken, potatoes, and other vegetables cooked using the traditional method. We tried a little bit of everything. It was very tasty (although a bit dry for my liking.)
To conclude the evening, we returned to the river, where the guide pointed out glowworms living among the rocks along the riverbank. After spending the day visiting some of New Zealand's most famous caves, it was a nice way to bring everything full circle.
By the time we returned to the bed and breakfast, our room was ready and waiting for us. We settled in and spent some time chatting with the owners, a lovely couple originally from England and Malaysia. It had been a long day filled with caves, glowworms, Māori culture, and plenty of driving, and we were more than ready to go to sleep.
When we asked AI about itineraries, this was an alternative we had proposed initially, and the AI suggested not doing Mitai because it would be too much for the children after the caves and the long drive. It was exhausting, and the kids held up Ok... but barely. Maybe it was pushing it a little, but it gave us more flexibility for the following day.
Kids' Verdict
- Score: 8/10
- Favorite Activity: we got to see glowworms up close in Ruakuri Cave
- Biggest Surprise: Glowworms are maggots
- Complaint of the Day: The food was not what I expected
- Driving Time: Medium. The ride from Waitomo to Rotorua felt long
Continue to Day 4: Luge, Māori Culture, and Treewalks.
...Or go back to Day 2: Hobbiton and Ruakuri Walk.
...Or return to the main guide.