Waitomo - Karangahake, Glowworm Caves

After our first night in a dormitory, which was surprisingly quiet and restful, we continued at 7:30 am.

On our way to Waitomo, we stopped in Karangahake, an old gold mining town, and took a short hike through the tunnels along the railway tracks and the river.

Upon arrival in Waitomo, we booked our adventure through the glowworm cave. We were told in advance to bring a bikini, spare underwear, and a towel.

I thought we would leisurely walk through the cave, see the glowworms, and return to the hostel after three hours. Note to self: read the description carefully and have it translated if necessary!

We went black water rafting... and it was totally cool!

After getting our sexy black suits, we practiced jumping down two waterfalls in the cave and then floating on our inner tubes. When we turned off our headlamps, the ceiling of the cave was filled with glowworms. It looked like stars in a clear night sky.

It was truly breathtaking!

Afterwards, a hot soup and bagel were on the agenda, which felt incredibly good after bathing in the 14-degree cold water.

Warm wishes, but also tired after the adventure, from Waitomo😊