Cruises in Waitomo

Waitomo cruises are boat rides underground. The village sits inland in the Waikato, so the boat trip people look for here is a ride through the Glowworm Grotto in the Waitomo Glowworm Cave, where the ceiling is lit by glow worms. It is one of the signature things to do in Waitomo.

The Glowworm Grotto boat ride

The Glowworm Grotto is a cave about 30 metres long and 10 metres wide, and the boat ride is the last stretch of the Waitomo Glowworm Cave tour, a 45-minute tour in total. The guide pulls the boat along an overhead wire, so it glides quietly over the water beneath the glow worms.

The lights overhead are Arachnocampa luminosa, a fungus gnat found only in New Zealand. The caves they live in are limestone built from fossilised corals and shells, laid down under the sea around 30 million years ago.

Lake cruises within a 2-hour drive of Waitomo

For open water, Lake Taupo is about a 2-hour drive east of Waitomo. Lake Taupo cruises include scenic cruises with commentary on the lake's volcanic history and sailing trips to the 14-metre Māori rock carvings.

Rotorua is also a 2-hour drive from Waitomo, and Lake Rotorua cruises include paddle steamer trips on the lakefront and a Waimangu cruise paired with a geothermal walk.

Pairing a boat ride with a Waitomo cave tour

The grotto boat ride comes as part of a cave tour rather than on its own, so planning a Waitomo day usually starts with Waitomo cave tours. A ticket such as the Glowworm Caves and Ruakuri Cave combo adds the longer Ruakuri walk to the boat trip, with a shuttle provided to Ruakuri Cave subject to space. Wading and tubing trips swap the boat for a stream underfoot or an inner tube, and the dry Aranui Cave is a short drive from the glowworm caves.

Frequently asked questions

Are there cruises in Waitomo?

Waitomo is inland, so its boat trip is an underground ride through the Glowworm Grotto rather than an open-water cruise. The ride is part of the Waitomo Glowworm Cave tour, and combo tickets that include the Glowworm Cave include it too.

How long is the Waitomo Glowworm Cave tour with the boat ride?

The Waitomo Glowworm Cave tour is a 45-minute tour in total and finishes with a boat ride through the Glowworm Grotto.

How does the boat move in the Waitomo glow worm cave?

The guide pulls the boat along an overhead wire through the Glowworm Grotto, so it glides quietly beneath the glow worms.

Where can you take a lake cruise near Waitomo?

Lake Taupo and Lake Rotorua are each about a 2-hour drive from Waitomo, and both have cruises, including Lake Taupo sailing trips to the Māori rock carvings and Lake Rotorua paddle steamer cruises.

Where is Waitomo?

Waitomo is in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island, off State Highway 3 between Otorohanga and Te Kuiti, a 2.5-hour drive south of Auckland.

A cruise in Waitomo is a quiet ride under the glow worms, and it fits into a day of caves and walks around the village.