From happy customers

Loved by 35 million+

Grillet

France

May 2025

5/5

Our guide was exceptional and what we saw had a touch of mystic. We could feel the mana of the cave and learned about its importance in Maori culture!

Ashley

New Zealand

Apr 2025

5/5

Very enlightening and educational. The tour guide had great communication skills and explained everything clearly. A great tour ending with boat ride out of the caves.

Megan

United Kingdom

Mar 2025

5/5

+1 more

The was truly a once in a lifetime experience! It was a fantastic combination of adrenaline rush fun, interesting local and cultural knowledge, and marveling at the natural world. Our guides were knowledgeable, fun, and kind. We felt at ease and well looked after throughout. I would highly recommend this experience.

Gary

United Kingdom

Mar 2025

5/5

+1 more

This trip was one of our best experiences in New Zealand. The river valley was beautiful, the caves were stupendous and the stalactites and stalagmites were breath-taking... and then the glow-worm cavern itself was wonderful. Ash was a great guide. Can't recommend this highly enough.

Murtuza

United Arab Emirates

Dec 2024

5/5

It was really an awesome experience and Jon is the best person to guide us with this wonderful tour. Each process was simple from the hotel pick up to drop off.

Roxana

Belgium

May 2024

5/5

Had a lovely time on the tour, Chris was a wonderful guide, sharing a lot of interesting facts and adding in some extra sights along the drive. Communication and scheduling was easy and precise, I appreciated the punctuality.

Sophia

New Zealand

Jul 2024

5/5

Fantastic time zip lining through the trees. Great laughs together as we worked our way through the course. Our guide was excellent.

Kath

New Zealand

Mar 2023

5/5

We had a wonderful time at the waitomo cave zip line park - we were well looked after by our wonderful instructors who made our day fun, exciting & safe. Explaining to our mixed ability group so that everyone felt comfortable & able to take part & really enjoy the adventure - happy to recommend this & plan to return with family.

Short on time? Enjoy a 3-hour black water rafting adventure with expert guides.

Everything you get: A 3-hour underground rafting experience through Ruakuri Cave, including tubing along the river, floating beneath thousands of glowworms, and navigating gentle rapids. Expert guides provide safety gear and training before you begin. Warm up afterward with a hot shower and complimentary soup.
Why choose this: Ideal for thrill-seekers short on time, this tour delivers the essence of black water rafting without the longer physical commitment. You’ll still get the glowworms, the tubing, and the underground river excitement, all packed into a more manageable adventure.
Upgrades: Choose the 5-hour black water rafting adventure for a longer, more challenging experience packed with extra activities like abseiling, ziplining, and waterfall climbs.

Inclusions Black Water Rafting

3-hour black water rafting tour at Ruakuri Cave
Rafting & tubing at Ruakuri Cave
Expert guide
Safety briefing, training & equipment kit (footwear, tubes, wetsuits, helmets, abseiling devices)

Black Water Rafting, Ziplining & Abseiling (as per option selected)

5-hour black water rafting tour at Ruakuri Cave
Ziplining, abseiling & tubing at Ruakuri Cave
Expert guide
Safety briefing, training & equipment kit (footwear, tubes, wetsuits, helmets, abseiling devices)

What to bring

Bring your towel, swimwear, shower gel, and shampoo for the adventure.
When you visit, make sure you've got a credit card or your phone set up for contactless payments (like Apple Pay or Google Pay).

What's not allowed

Camera equipment, tripod, selfie sticks, and GoPro are strictly prohibited in Ruakari Cave.
Guests aged under 12 years and under 45kg and over 130kg are restricted from participating in this experience.
Smoking, food, drink or litter are not allowed inside the cave.
Pets are not allowed inside the cave.

Accessibility

The experience is not accessible for wheelchair users, pram/stroller users, people with mobility issues, people with back and neck problems, and guests who don't have a moderate fitness level or are too small.

Additional information

Facilities: Lockers, changing rooms, hot showers.
This experience operates only with a minimum of 2 guests.
No prior caving experience is needed. However, a good level of fitness is required.
You do need to be comfortable in the water. However, swimming is not a necessity. You will have a floating tube and expert guides for this experience.
Your guide will take photos of you on your tour, which you can purchase after the tour.

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

Amber

Aug 2025Verified booking

The staff were exceptionally friendly, entertaining, knowledgable, and supportive, ensuring we felt safe and well-guided throughout the entire tour. Great tour guides really do make all the difference. Rafting through the Waitomo Glowworm Caves was absolutely unforgettable—the glow from thousands of tiny worms lighting up the cave ceiling created a breathtaking atmosphere. This adventure is truly unique and unlike anything you can experience elsewhere in the world. The icing on the cake is the photos we are able to purchase at the end. The camera quality was good. The price was fair. And the the timing was excelent with a micture of candid and posed photos.

Michelle

May 2025Verified booking

The Labyrinth Blackwater rafting experience has been one of the highlights during our NZ holiday. Our guide was amazing, she was knowledgeable, kind and fun to be with. The glo worms were like twinkling starlight as we floated under them. The booking and ticketing was a breeze. Will definitely be recommending to friends.

Carol

Mar 2025Verified booking

Ticketing ahead of time was easy and everything ran smoothly. The adventure itself was over the top fun because it's such a unique experience and more than a little exciting. We had two great gals Hailey and Grace as our fearless leaders and they kept the jokes coming and we all felt confident following their instructions -even when they had us flinging ourselves backwards over a waterfall. What's not to love?? We had the A Team ! Highly recommend this trip - do it while you can.

A 5-hour Ruakuri Cave adventure; zipline, abseil, tube with expert guides & full gear.

Everything you get: A 5-hour black water adventure through Ruakuri Cave, including a 35m abseil, ziplining beneath glowworms, tubing through underground rapids, climbing waterfalls, and floating on fast-flowing waters. Expert guides provide gear, safety tips, and support. Snacks included, plus a hot shower and soup at the end.
Why choose this: This isn’t just one activity; it’s a multi-adventure underground journey. Abseil, zip, tube, and climb through a glowworm-lit cave with expert guidance for an unforgettable, adrenaline-filled experience.

Inclusions

5-hour black water rafting tour at Ruakuri Cave
Ziplining, abseiling & tubing at Ruakuri Cave
Expert guide
Safety briefing, training & equipment kit (footwear, tubes, wetsuits, helmets, abseiling devices)