Waitomo tickets and prices

How much does a ticket to Waitomo Glowworm Caves cost?

NZ$85 for an adult and NZ$39 for a child at Discover Waitomo in November 2026, or NZ$217 for a family pass. On this site the same 45-minute tour is from $47.

The ticket covers the 45-minute guided tour: the upper levels, the Cathedral and the boat ride through the Glowworm Grotto. A family pass is 2 adults and 2 children, and each extra child on the pass is NZ$31. Souvenir photos are extra, and you cannot take your own inside.

Children are 4 to 14. Under-4s go free and anyone over 14 pays the adult price; proof of age may be asked for, per Discover Waitomo.

What is the entrance fee for Waitomo Caves?

There is no single entrance fee: each cave and adventure trip has its own ticket, from NZ$85 per adult for the Glowworm Cave or Aranui up to NZ$332 for Black Abyss.

Official prices from waitomo.com in November 2026, next to this site's GetYourGuide from-prices. The second column is in USD, so the two do not line up number for number.

Are the glowworm caves free, and can you enter Waitomo Caves for free?

No. The Waitomo caves are on private land and open only on paid guided tours. The free option is the Department of Conservation's Ruakuri Walk, where glowworms show on the track at night.

Wikipedia lists access to the Waitomo Glowworm Cave as public, via paid guided tours, and the land has belonged to the descendants of Tane Tinorau and Huti since 1989. Nobody walks in on their own.

What you can do for free, per DOC:

• The Ruakuri Walk. About 45 minutes in the Ruakuri Scenic Reserve, off Tumutumu Road, with many stairs. You can see glowworms here at night; the best spot is beside the main bridge.
• The Waitomo Walkway. From opposite the Waitomo Museum of Caves to the Ruakuri reserve, 1 hour 15 minutes one way.
• Piripiri Cave. 29 km west on Te Anga Road, a 5-minute walk; bring a torch.

Can you see Waitomo without a tour?

Not the caves. Every Waitomo show cave is guided, so you need a ticket. You can drive yourself to Waitomo and book the cave, or come on a day trip that includes it.

Driving yourself gives you the most freedom: book the Glowworm Cave, the Ruakuri walk or both for a set time and arrive 30 minutes early. Ruakuri needs your own transport, since its visitor center is a short drive from the Glowworm Cave.

Without a car, the Hobbiton and Waitomo day trip (11 hours, from $207) includes Glowworm Cave entry, and Spellbound (9 hours, from $171) visits private caves nearby. Both pick up in central Auckland. More in the Auckland day trip guide.

Do I need to book Waitomo caves in advance?

Yes. Discover Waitomo says pre-booking is essential, especially over the summer months, and late arrivals forfeit their tickets.

Check in at least 30 minutes before your tour. If you are late or miss the departure, the ticket is non-refundable and you buy a new one, subject to availability. Leave a margin on the drive in.

Booking on this site, every tour cancels free up to 24 hours before, which helps if the weather or the road changes your plans. Elizabeth, after Ruakuri in Oct 2026: "This tour is definitely worth every penny."

Book the 45-minute boat tour for a set time, then cancel free up to 24 hours before if your plans move.

★ 4.5 · 45 minutes · from $47

Explore the Glowworm Cave boat tour → Tour details

What are the opening hours of the Waitomo Glowworm Caves?

The Waitomo Glowworm Cave visitor center is open daily from 9am to 5pm, per Discover Waitomo, with tours several times a day. Ruakuri tours run from 10am, with the last at 3.30pm.

Discover Waitomo adds that extra Ruakuri tours may be available over the summer. The GetYourGuide listings do not print fixed times: pick your date and they show the starting times for it.

The black water rafting trips leave from a separate base at 585 Waitomo Caves Road, with check-in 30 minutes before departure.

Are there children's tickets and family passes?

Yes. Children pay NZ$39 on the Glowworm Cave, under-4s go free with a booking, and a family pass for 2 adults and 2 children is NZ$217.

• Free under-4s. On the Glowworm Cave and Ruakuri tours, but they must be booked to secure a place. On Aranui, 3-year-olds and under go free.
• Life jackets. Compulsory for under-5s on the boat; staff provide them. A baby that stays in a front pack does not need one.
• Over 14. Pays the adult price, even on a family pass.
• Black Labyrinth. From age 12 and 45 kg. Youth (12 to 15) is NZ$154, and the family pass (NZ$589) covers 2 adults and 2 youth.
• Black Abyss. Over 16 and over 45 kg only.

Is the Waitomo visitor center cashless?

Yes. The Waitomo Glowworm Caves is a cashless site: book online and bring a card or phone payment for the café and gift shop.

Budget for a few extras beyond the ticket:

• Souvenir photos. Not included on the Glowworm Cave tour. On Black Labyrinth and Black Abyss, the guides take photos you can buy afterwards.
• Your own transport to Ruakuri and Aranui, both a short drive (about 5 to 10 minutes) from the main visitor center.
• A towel for black water rafting: towels are not supplied, though the shop sells them.
• A warm jacket. It is 16 to 17°C in the caves all year.

For the full kit list, see photos and what to wear.

Frequently asked questions