Waitomo With Kids: Caves and Kiwi House
Waitomo with children
Waitomo suits families because the headline experience is a short boat ride under glowworms. The village is small, so most plans are a cave, a lunch break and one nearby stop. Prices are in NZD, were read from operator pages in 2026, and change by season, so check the operator for current rates.
Cave tours for families
- Waitomo Glowworm Cave is a 45-minute tour ending with a silent boat ride. A family ticket is $217. Photography and filming are not allowed, so there is nothing to bring except a warm layer. Ask the operator about pushchairs, because the cave has no wheelchair access.
- Ruakuri Cave is fully wheelchair and pushchair accessible for chairs and pushchairs up to 65 cm wide. Child tickets are $46 and a family ticket is $296 (two adults and two children). Allow 2 hours.
- Spellbound takes up to 12 people on a 150-minute tour with a 20-minute boat ride. It suits children from about 4 and does not allow prams. Tickets are $109 adult and $38 child, and cameras are welcome.
Troll Cave
Troll Cave is run by Waitomo Adventures for children aged 1 to 14 with an adult. It takes 1 to 1.5 hours, costs $180 per booking of up to 8 people, and is a puzzle-and-riddle troll’s lair reached by lift.
Animals and learning
Otorohanga Kiwi House is open 9am to 5pm daily, except 25 December. Keeper talks at 10:30am and 1:30pm are included. Kea, kākā and tuatara live there. Entry is $29.50 adult, $13.50 child (5 to 15), free under 5, and $75 for 2 adults and 3 children, with $8 for each extra child.
The Waitomo Caves Museum, at 21 Waitomo Village Road, charges $10 for adults and lets children 4 to 14 in free with a paying adult.
Age limits for adventure tours
| Activity | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Black Labyrinth (cave tubing) | 12 |
| Black Abyss | 16 |
| Lost World Half Day | 10 |
| Waitomo Caves Zipline Park | 7 or 8, depending on the seller |
Black water rafting also has a minimum weight of 45 kg. Younger children are better served by the cave boat ride and Troll Cave.
Tips for the day
- Check in 30 minutes before a cave tour, and book ahead in peak season.
- Karst country has hidden vertical shafts, so keep children on marked tracks.
- Caves and tours can close in floods, so check operator notices before travelling.
- There is a small general store in the village, and no fuel west of Waitomo.
Read more: Day trips from Waitomo and animal activities in Waitomo .
Booking pages: Discover Waitomo Ruakuri Cave and Waitomo Troll Cave . Search family tours on GetYourGuide .