Waitomo - a land of contrasts
PHOTO: Waitomo Caves, Waitomo Adventures
Driving through the lush landscape of the area known as the ‘King Country’ in the central western North Island, it’s hard to believe that there’s an entirely different world lurking below this green and pleasant land.
A world where water and limestone have wrought wonders and where vast cave systems, huge sinkholes and underground streams combine to form a subterranean adventure playground. The longest cave in the Waitomo region is Gardner’s Gut Cave at 12.2 kilometres.
Waitomo is a Maori word made up of two parts. ‘Wai’, which translates as water and ‘tomo’, which means entrance or hole. Add them together and you have a name that aptly describes a region that is one of New Zealand’s original tourist destinations.
A Maori Chief, Tane Tinorau and his companion, an English surveyor, Fred Mace, discovered the caves in 1887. Local Maori knew of the caves in view of the fact that some were used for shelter, others for burial grounds; but the underground labyrinths had never been fully explored. Aboard a simple raft made of flax flower stalks, with burning torches to light their way, the two men floated along a stream that led underground into the caves. In 1889, Chief Tane opened the caves to tourists and he and his wife Whāriki Huti acted as guides. Today some of the couple’s descendents continue to work at Waitomo.
The Waitomo Caves were formed over 30 million years ago, and the water that created the caves is still creating amazing speleothems as drip by tiny drip, the water seeps through the limestone of the cave ceilings. The most well known speleothems are the icicle like stalactites that grow down from the ceiling and the stalagmites that grow up from the cave floor. A memorable, if unscientific way of recalling which is which, is to remember that mites crawl up, while tights come down!
Some of the caves have spectacular glowworm displays with the twinkling lights resembling a star-studded night sky. The glowing lights that attract visitors are the taillights of the New Zealand glowworms (Arachnocampa Luminosa) looking for lunch. The luminescence attracts flying insects that become ensnared in a curtain of sticky threads.
There are various ways to see the subterranean sites. Guided walks take you through some of the caves along well-formed paths and stairways and finish with a boat trip through the glowworm grotto. There are more challenging options such as abseiling or rappelling, or the classic caving experience complete with hardhat and headlamp. You can also crawl, swim and float along the underground streams, an experience known as ‘blackwater rafting’.
There is plenty to do above ground as well. Bush walks, country gardens, horse treks, combo adventure excursions and a pioneering show are some of the choices available. The Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre (formerly the museum) with its collection of fossils, photographs and caving memorabilia is also well worth a visit.
FACT FILE
Waitomo i-Site Visitor Information Centre
21 Waitomo Caves Road, Waitomo Caves
Phone 07 878 7640
Freephone: 800 474 839
Email: waitomo@i-SITE.org
Approximate driving times:
15 minutes from Otorohanga
15 minutes from Te Kuiti
1 hour from Hamilton
3 hours from Auckland
2 hours 15 minutes from Rotorua
2 hours 15 minutes from Taupo
2 hours 30 minutes from New Plymouth
For further information:
The Maori culture and the history of the area are fascinating. Make your visit more rewarding by doing some on line reading before you get there.
In the caves
• Waitomo Adventures offer a three hour abseil/ walk (dry) to four hours of black water rafting or a seven-hour abseil/swim/raft epic. Prices from $125-$395 Ph 0800 924 866.
• Legendary Black Water Rafting - offer a three hour black water raft for $105.
Ph 0800 228 464
• Cave World - offer a variety of adventure activities for all ages. Ph 0800 456 9676
• Rap Raft & Rock - five adventres in one tour $135. Ph 0800 228 372
Above the caves
• Woodlyn Park - NZ’s only kiwi culture show. Ph 07 878 6666, 1.30pm Daily
• Castle Rock Adventures - Rock climbing, mountain biking, abseiling and flying fox
Ph 0800 225 462
• Altura Gardens and Wildlife Park and Altura Park Horse Treks. Ph 07 878 5278. $50-$80.
• Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre. Ph 0800 474 839
Accommodation
There are several places to lay your head, from bed and breakfasts to motels, a camping ground and a backpacker hostels.
The Waitomo i-Site can make reservations for accommodation and activities.
• Kiwi Paka Waitomo, School Rd, Waitomo. Ph 07 878 3395
• Juno Hall, 600 Caves Rd, Waitomo RD5, Waitomo Caves. Ph 07 878-7649
• Rap Raft N Rock Backpackers, 95 Waitomo Caves Rd, Waitomo Caves. Ph 0800 228372