Te Anau Glowworm Caves - RealNZ

Amazing experience! The glowworms above our heads felt like stars in the sky. The guides did a great job introducing the caves, glowworms, and making the participants feel relaxed. Very good experience which I will recommend to anyone in the area. (No photos / videos allowed in cave but nothing beats seeing them with our own eyes!)

Nice experience overall. The boat ride was super nice and the cave was unique. It is educational and serene. Went with my mom who has difficulty walking and she had no issues getting through, so I’d say it’s more than family friendly

Great Trip to glow worm caves - worth the money ;) you see and learn a lot and it is breathtaking goilg into the caves when you dont see and hear anything beside the glow worms - great experience

Really great Tour! Highly recommend! RealNZ does a superb job! The 25 minute boat ride over to the caves was narrated and filled with great information about the area and the lake. The top deck afforded great views and lots of photo opportunities. Once at the caves, they broke the group into smaller groups of 10-12 to head into the caves. Information about the caves and the glow worms was provided before, during and after with plenty of time to ask questions. No photography is allowed inside the caves but I can attest that the inside of the caves looks just like the photos on the website.Wear close-toed shoes (they are required) and bring a light rain jacket or wind breaker because it’s damp and drippy inside the caves.Check out the “Specials” area on the RealNZ website to bundle tours together. We combined the Milford Sound cruise with the Glow Worm Tour and saved a bunch. It’s also worth noting that the Customer Service of RealNZ is top notch. We also used them for the Stewart Island Ferry and Kiwi Night Tour on Stewart Island and every aspect of every tour and encounter was exemplary.

We were unsure about this tour due to the weather, but our expectations were definitely exceeded.The staff were really friendly and informative. The tour starts on a catamaran, then you dock on the other side of the lake (about 30 minute trip) followed by a debrief at a cosy hut (has a little shop and everything). Then you go in to the cave on foot over a walkway followed by a pitch black boat ride where you can only see the glow worms - amazing.Everything felt very safe and at the end a free hot drink is provided.If you are on the fence, I would recommend going on this tour, well worth it.

This was so much better than we were expecting. The boat ride to the cave was beautiful, and the actual tour was amazing. So informative and such a unique experience. The guides were great. Recommend a warm jacket so you can sit at the top of the boat on the way to and from the cave.

This is definitely a trip to take.In fact it’s two trips because there’s the catamaran voyage and the exploration of the glow worm cave.The boat is fast and the voyage takes 25 minutes each way. The cabin is comfortable and has large windows which provide great views of the mountains and side fjord.I recommend you go for a window seat on the left-hand/port side on the outward leg to see the coast unfolding. However, if the weather’s ok and you don’t mind bring windswept, travelling on the top gives panoramic views.I took most of these photos from the small rear quarterdeck because there’s shelter from the elements and you’re not shooting through glass.Our commentary was by Ryan and was both informative and delivered well with a light touch.On arrival at the glow worm caves there’s a safety briefing then the passengers are divided into groups of twelve. The first groups go off leaving the remainder to listen to a presentation about the glow worms before going into the caves. (The first groups have this presentation once their tour has finished).By chance we had the glow worm presentation first and I’m glad we did. It provided the context for what we were about to see in real life.We were also lucky in having Coleman as our guide. He took us through the glow worm slide/video show with a dry sense of humour and answered questions authoritatively.I won’t say much about the tour itself as the element of surprise is important to the enjoyment of it. However I can assure you it’s magical.It’s forbidden to take photos underground, but as we were the last group we were permitted to take a few as we excited without disturbing the glow worms.During the brief wait for the return boat we had a stroll along the nature trail and saw an arrow-shaped variety of palm which was new to us.Very good value at NZ$99 per adult.

Definitely recommended! The cruise to the glow worm caves are already good and the best part was the guided tour of the caves. Watch your head :) I would have loved to take photos but was advised not to by the guide.

An amazing experience for most ages. I wouldn’t recommend to bring babies or young kids as it gets pitch dark during the glowworm boat ride and absolute silence is required.From the cruise, to the interesting short talks while waiting for your turn, to actually entering the caves, it was brilliant. Worth every dollar.I’d recommend reaching at least 15mins before your departure time as the boat fills up really quickly. Not too sure if they do ‘walk-ins’ but we booked our tickets online. Depending on your time-slot, bring along your sunnies and a jacket as the boat ride does get a bit breezy if you’re on the top deck. Wear proper walking shoes as it gets a little slippery in the caves.Plenty of free parking around the area.