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The Cathedral in the Waitomo Glowworm Caves system, looking back towards the main cave. picture by Karora Wikimedia

Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Waitomo Glowworm Caves

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves attraction is a cave at Waitomo on the  North Island of New Zealand.

It is known for its population of Arachnocampa lumonisa, a glowworm species found exclusively in New Zealand. This cave is part of the Waitomo streamway system that includes the Ruakuri Cave, Lucky Strike, and Tumutumu Cave.

The attraction has a modern visitor center at the entrance, largely designed in wood.

Let us look at some of the outstanding facts about Waitomo Glowworm cave;

1. The common animals in Waitomo Glowworm cave are insects

little dots are the glowworms doing their fluorescent thing inside the cave. Picture By Joe Ross from Lansing, Michigan

The most common animals in the caves are insects. This includes albino cave ants and giant crickets but the most renowned is the glowworm Arachnocampa lumonisa.

The adults are around the size of an average mosquito. However, several small underground lakes were created by freshwater creeks or brooks which are home to New Zealand’s longfin eels.

2. A scientific group monitors the cave

The glowworms of the Waitomo Glowworm Caves are closely guarded by a Scientific Advisory Group.

This group has automated equipment that continually monitors the air quality, especially the carbon dioxide levels, rock and air temperature, and humidity.

Data from this equipment is carefully analyzed by specialist staff. The advisory group uses the information to establish how the cave should be managed.

They determine if and when air flow patterns should be changed and how many people are allowed to visit the caves each day.

3. There are three different levels of the cave

The guided tour through the Waitomo Glowworm Caves brings the visitor through three different levels and begins at the top level of the cave and the Catacombs.

The levels are linked by the Tomo, which is a 16 m vertical shaft made of limestone. The second level is called the Banquet Chamber. This level is where early visitors stopped to eat and there is evidence of this in the smoke on the ceiling of the chamber.

From here it may be possible to link back to the upper level to see the largest formation called the Pipe Organ but on busy days this area is closed to the public because the build-up of carbon monoxide may be hazardous.

The third and final level goes down into the Cathedral, demonstration platform, and the jetty. The Cathedral is an enclosed area with rough surfaces, now paved, and is about 18 m high, giving it good acoustics. Several famous singers and choirs have performed here including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

4. Waitomo Glowworm cave was formed through geological and volcanic activity

Limestone cave walls in Glowworm cave as a result of volcanic activity. By Pseudopanax

Geological and volcanic activity has created around 300 known limestone caves in the Waitomo region over the last 30 million years.

The limestone formation in the Waitomo Glowworm Caves occurred when the region was still under the ocean about 30 million years ago. The limestone is composed of fossilized corals, seashells, fish skeletons, and many small marine organisms on the sea beds.

Over millions of years, these fossilized rocks have been layered upon each other and compressed to create limestone and within the Waitomo region, the limestone can be over 200 m thick.

The caves began to form when earth movement caused the hard limestone to bend and buckle under the ocean and rise above the sea floor. As the rock was exposed to air, it separated and created cracks and weaknesses that allowed for water to flow through them dissolving the limestone, and over millions of years, large caves were formed.

5. The Waitomo Glowworm cave is mainly made of stalactites and stalagmites

Stalactites and stalagmites on the walls of the cave. By Joe Ross from Lansing, Michigan

The stalactites, stalagmites, and other cave formations grew from water dripping from the ceiling or flowing over the walls and leaving behind limestone deposits.

The stalagmites form upward from the floor while the stalactites form from the ceiling. When these formations connect they are called pillars or columns and if they twist around each other they are called helictite.

These cave decorations take millions of years to form given that the average stalactite grows one cubic centimeter every 100 years.

6. Maori chief Tane Tinorau opened the cave to sightseers

Tane Tinorau, and English surveyors, Laurence Cussen and Fred Mace, were shown the entrance in 1884, and Tane and Fred did extensive explorations in 1887 and 1888.

Their exploration was conducted with candlelight on a raft going into the cave where the stream goes underground (now the cave’s tourist exit.) As they began their journey, they came across the Glowworm Grotto and were amazed by the twinkling glow coming from the ceiling.

As they traveled further into the cave by poling themselves towards an embankment, they were also astounded by the limestone formations. These formations surrounded them in all shapes and sizes.

They returned many times after and Chief Tane independently discovered the upper-level entrance to the cave, which is now the current entrance. Visitor access improved when the railway was extended to Otorohanga in 1887. By 1889 Tane Tinorau and his wife Hutti had opened the cave to visitors and were leading groups for a small fee.

7. Guests are asked to refrain from touching the cave walls

Stalactites and stalagmites take centuries to form and touching them can result in discoloration and breakage.

Further, photography is only permitted in certain areas and smoking is prohibited within the caves.

A contemporary visitor center is situated near the cave entrance, boasting a restaurant, gift shop, and exhibition space.

8. Glowworm cave holds cave Weta Insect

Weta Insect of New Zealand. Picture By CORE Education

The Waitomo cave is not only a home for glowworms but then also holds another amazing insect called a Cave Weta.

It is also known as Cave Cricket, weta is endemic to New Zealand. There are seventy different species, with one of those species, the giant weta, being the heaviest insect in the world.

They have been around for millions of years seeing the dinosaurs come and go.

9. Glowworm cave is New Zealand’s world-famous tourist attraction

Visitor Centre at the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, New Zealand. By Kristina D.C. Hoeppner

There are more than 300 caves in New Zealand. However, Glowworm cave, Ruakuri, and Aranui are the most famous caves.

Glowworm is the most famous of the Waitomo caves have been a tourist attraction for over 130 years.

Wondering through the Cave and marvel at its tallest chamber, the cathedral, before embarking on a boat through the glowworm grotto.

The attractive insects and glowworms in the cave have made thousands of people visit the place.

10.  A boat ride through the glowworm grotto

 Tourists end the tour with a boat ride through Glowworm Grotto. That is when you will meander underground along the Waitomo River and marvel at the glow-worm lights we mentioned earlier. You can call it the climax of your tour of Glowworm Cave.