Tauranga Shore Excursion: Waitomo Caves and The Kiwi House
Overview
Inclusions
- Driver/guide
- Live commentary on board
- Port pickup and drop-off
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Entry to Waitomo Glow-worm caves
- Entry to Otorohanga Kiwi House
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Entry/Admission - Waitomo Glowworm Caves
- Entry/Admission - Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park
What to expect
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Port of Tauranga Ltd, 2 Salisbury Avenue, Mount Maunganui 3116, New Zealand
Our accredited agent driver/guide will meet you at the port gate & escort you to the vehicle in which you will be travelling. The driver/guide will have your name on a placard.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Lake Karapiro, Waikato, New Zealand
Our accredited agent driver/guide will meet you at the port gate & escort you to the vehicle in which you will be travelling. The driver/guide will have your name on a placard.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Waitomo Glowworm Caves, 39 Waitomo Village Road, Waitomo Caves 3943 New Zealand
On arrival at Waitomo, you will discover an underground labyrinth of ancient lime-stone caverns & formations.. Expert guides will give interesting & informative facts about the historic & geographic aspects of the caves. You will view spectacular stalagmites & stalactites in the “Cathedral” where the acoustics are so good that the Vienna Boys’ choir has recorded there. From the “Cathedral” you will take a short boat trip to the famed “Glow-worm Grotto” where you will see Arachnocampa Luminosa, which is unique to NZ.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park, 25 Alex Telfer Drive, Otorohanga 3900 New Zealand
The return trip is made via a different route to give an overview of the area. A stop is made at The Kiwi House in Otorohanga to view our flightless native bird.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Otorohanga, Otorohanga, Waikato Region, North Island
Time permitting, lunch (at client's cost) is had in Otorohanga township.
Duration: 30 minutes
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Contact tracing of clients in practice for authorities, if needed
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 19 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
Cancellation
Incredible tour!! Seeing the magical glow worms was spectacular!! Our driver was wonderful, friendly, knowledgeable, and kind. Wonder of wonders, we saw a kiwi up close......amazing! Highly recommend this excursion. Well organized and comfortable!!
Incredible tour!! Seeing the magical glow worms was spectacular!! Our driver was wonderful, friendly, knowledgeable, and kind. Wonder of wonders, we saw a kiwi up close......amazing! Highly recommend this excursion. Well organized and comfortable!!
Paul Marston Tauranga Tasting Tours and Charters took four of us on a great journey to the Waitomo Caves, the Kiwi House and much more. We were greeted on time at the gangway of our Princess cruise ship, and from there everything was well taken care of. The views from Tauranga to Waitomo Cav...
Paul Marston Tauranga Tasting Tours and Charters took four of us on a great journey to the Waitomo Caves, the Kiwi House and much more. We were greeted on time at the gangway of our Princess cruise ship, and from there everything was well taken care of. The views from Tauranga to Waitomo Caves were exceptional - loved the greens that blanketed the landscape, dotted with cattles, sheeps, horses, etc. along the way. The Caves were simply breathtaking! Lunch place recommended by Paul was also very affordable and high quality ordered the pies. Paul kept track of the time and sent us back to the ship on time. We enjoyed the day tremendously, and had learned a lot about New Zealand and Tauranga area from Paul. We highly recommended this tour.
Good, but the guide rushed us at the Kiwi house. This was a shame as the majority of the group missed seeing one of the varieties of this special bird. The glow worm caves were wonderful. We and several others felt uncomfortable at the speed we were being driven at times. It was unnecessarily ...
Good, but the guide rushed us at the Kiwi house. This was a shame as the majority of the group missed seeing one of the varieties of this special bird. The glow worm caves were wonderful. We and several others felt uncomfortable at the speed we were being driven at times. It was unnecessarily fast and possibly dangerous. This needs to be addressed.
This tour was a great one also, I can't remember the mans name that took us in his van. He was the best on the whole trip.
He knew the country and told us all about everything as a went along, and knew all the best little things we would like.
We memtioned we had never had meat pies...
This tour was a great one also, I can't remember the mans name that took us in his van. He was the best on the whole trip.
He knew the country and told us all about everything as a went along, and knew all the best little things we would like.
We memtioned we had never had meat pies, and we stopped at a very little town and had the best little meat pies.
He also stopped at a river and told us all about the country. He knew all about the wine and would be the best for a wine tour.
Good tour - but a lot of driving, which can't be avoided. Our car guide did a great job of keeping us informed and enjoying many of the stopping points along the way. The worms were never really seen but they lit the way for us in a three dimensional fashion. The cave guide did a good of talking ...
Good tour - but a lot of driving, which can't be avoided. Our car guide did a great job of keeping us informed and enjoying many of the stopping points along the way. The worms were never really seen but they lit the way for us in a three dimensional fashion. The cave guide did a good of talking us through the cave and making it safe. Most of the walk was downhill and had railings. These worms were shown how they created the glow effect. It would be neat to see the actual worm or photos of it. Another stop was a Kiwi Fruit farm. Short, but pre-arranged for and again a learning experience. The Kiwi Bird experience was quick, but again pre-arranged for and we were brought where the most likely location to see a Kiwi Bird. Well, they are night birds, and we didn't physically see one. Rats! Personally, with the cameras available they should be able to locate/aim them so we can see a Kiwi - even if it is on camera or work the birds day/night schedule so they are up when there is an audience. I did ask a keeper and confirmed there were two in the area we were directed to.We were picked up on schedule. Because both of us couples, were there, we even left early. The guide was personable, knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating. The tour through the gorgeous New Zealand countryside was beautiful, the guide stopping at places she knew were perfect for picture-ta...
We were picked up on schedule. Because both of us couples, were there, we even left early. The guide was personable, knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating. The tour through the gorgeous New Zealand countryside was beautiful, the guide stopping at places she knew were perfect for picture-taking. The caves themselves were intriguing, and the glow worms were like nothing I had ever seen before. And we saw live, moving, kiwi birds at Kiwi House. Here the guide's knowledge was particularly beneficial, since she knew when to arrive there to avoid the bus-crowds, so the four of us were in the "night" house when no one else was there. Then a brief stop at a kiwi-fruit growing orchards. All in all, a wonderful day.