Your Experience

Preparation & Briefing

Arrive at Ruakuri Cave for your black water rafting adventure and meet your expert guide, who will lead you through an essential safety briefing. Receive instructions on abseiling and tubing techniques while getting fitted with wetsuits, helmets and all the gear you'll need for your journey below ground. Learn how to adjust your abseil descent safely and prepare for the challenges ahead.

Abseiling into the Cave

The adventure begins as you step to the edge and abseil 35 meters into the heart of Waitomo's underground world. Your guide will supervise your descent, ensuring you are comfortable and secure at every stage. As you lower yourself into the darkness, the subtle sound of underground streams and the thrill of entering a new environment make for an unforgettable start.

Glowworm Ziplining

At the cave floor, snap into a harness for an exhilarating zipline ride through one of the cave’s atmospheric chambers. Zip past impressive limestone formations illuminated only by thousands of glowworms overhead, their bioluminescent light creating a magical ambiance. The experience is both peaceful and awe-inspiring, offering you views of stalactites and stalagmites rarely seen outside the cave.

Snack Break

After ziplining, take a well-earned pause to enjoy a snack and refreshments provided by your guide. Use this opportunity to catch your breath, soak in the unique surroundings and chat with your fellow adventurers before continuing deeper into the cave system.

Tubing through the Underground River

Grab your inflatable tube and jump into the underground river winding through Ruakuri Cave. Drift through the serene darkness, guided only by the eerie glow above. The journey takes you over gentle rapids and still pools. You’ll float under streams of glowworms, illuminating your route with their radiant blue-green light. For the bold, there are opportunities to leap from rocky ledges into the cool water below.

Climbing & Escaping the Abyss

As the tubing section concludes, abandon your tube and begin climbing over rocks and maneuvering up cascading underground waterfalls. Use the buoyancy of your wetsuit to help you as you ascend. The climb features several hands-on challenges that make it both fun and rewarding, revealing even more dramatic cave features as you progress upward.

Completion & Exit

Emerge from Ruakuri Cave and return to dry land, where hot showers and changing facilities await. Clean up after your adventure, then relax at the Waitomo Homestead where you can purchase a meal or browse souvenirs. Relive your underground journey with photos taken by your guide, emailed to you after the experience.

Book your Black Water Rafting, Ziplining and Abseiling Guided Experience in Waitomo tickets now!