Duration: 5 hours
Categories: Sightseeing, Family Friendly
Explore New Zealand’s famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves on a one-way day trip from Auckland to Rotorua! Along the way, you’ll have morning tea in historic Rangiriri, stop in Ngaruawahia, ride a boat through the Glowworm Grotto, see the Karapito Dam and drive under the Fitzgerald Glade.
On this fascinating one-way day trip from Auckland to Rotorua, you’ll make stops at some of the North Island of New Zealand’s natural wonders and historic sites, including a stop at the famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves.
Your tour departs Auckland for Rangiriri, where you’ll stop for morning tea. This historic township was the site of important battles between New Zealand’s native Maori and the invading British. Your guide will captivate you with the stories of these fierce conflicts as you learn of their importance to the birth of modern New Zealand.
You’ll leave Rangiriri and head to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, with a stop on the way in Ngaruawahia, the home of the Maori king. At Waitomo, a guide will lead you beneath the earth’s surface and into the caves’ long galleries and lofty chambers, including the famous Cathedral Chamber.
You’ll marvel at the limestone shafts and the stalactites that hang from the cave’s ceiling while your guide points out their interesting formations. You’ll then board a boat and ride through the Glowworm Grotto, a giant rock chamber illuminated by the phosphorescent light of thousands of glowworms. This experience is like no other and is a must-see for anyone traveling to the New Zealand.
Back in the coach, you’ll drive by the Karapiro Dam. The ultra-modern dam contrasts with the lush, natural greenery surrounding Lake Karapiro, making for great photo opportunities.
You’ll then drive through another of the North Island’s natural wonders, the Fitzgerald Glade, a section of Highway 5 where the native brush grows up and over the side of the road, and the trees make a canopy with their interlocking branches, forming a tunnel over the road.
As your journey comes to an end, you’ll drive over Mamaku Saddle pass and descend into Rotorua, where you’ll be transferred to your hotel. This tour is one of the most engaging and interesting coach tours on New Zealand’s North Island – don’t miss it.
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