Te Anau Glow Worm Caves: Mysterious Underground Adventure Beneath Shimmering Glowworms

Explore the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves and experience a mysterious underground adventure beneath shimmering glowworms. Book your tour now and be amazed!

Duration: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Te Anau Glowworm Caves - View glittering glowworms in an underground cave system.
  • Lake Te Anau - Take a scenic cruise across beautiful Lake Te Anau on the luxury catamaran Luminosa to Cavern House on the lake’s western shores.
What's Included
  • Complimentary Tea & Coffee
  • Lake cruise on Lake Te Anau
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information

The intriguing Te Anau caves situated on the west coast of Lake Te Anau present a captivating subterranean expedition that enchants tourists of all ages. This journey takes you to a enigmatic underground realm of gushing water, followed by a calm drift in absolute darkness under the twinkling radiance of countless glowworms.
Make sure to reach 20…

Location
Te Anau Glowworm Caves - RealNZ
Lakefront Drive
Please arrive at the RealNZ Visitor Centre, 85 Lakefront Drive, Te Anau at least 20 minutes before your scheduled departure.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.5
(885 Ratings)
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Sandi_h
Oct 10, 2025
Te Anau Best Adventure - Thrilling surreal experience. Loved the commentary as we travelled over Lake Te Anau. Very informative and excellent delivery. The guides over at the caves are obviously passionate about the glow worms. The actual guided walk was a memorable adventure.
Review provided by Viator
Jeremy_s
Oct 9, 2025
It was an amazing and... - It was an amazing and informative experience getting to see the glow worms up close. The cruise was also very comfortable and engaging.
Review provided by Viator
Lizzie_h
Oct 5, 2025
Wonderful and enchanting - 3 experiences in 1! - I didn’t know what to expect from this experience but it was better than I could have imagined! Not only did we get to see lots of glow worms, but we got to see a sunset cruise from the boat on the way to the cave, and then tour the cave itself which featured waterfalls. The guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and trustworthy - I felt very safe with them. They made an effort to guide us in smaller groups of 12 to make the experience feel personal. The glow worm tour itself was conducted in the dark (of course) and we were asked to be silent which meant the whole experience felt peaceful and meditative. I left feeling a sense of wonder and enchantment. You must do this if you are in Te Anau!
Review provided by Viator
Riley_h
Oct 3, 2025
The Te Anau Glowworm... - The Te Anau Glowworm Caves were a really cool experience. The boat ride through the cave was the highlight — it felt unique and unforgettable, especially getting so close to the glowworms. The tour wasn’t overly long, but it left a lasting impression and is definitely worth doing if you’re visiting the area.
Review provided by Viator
Sathya_a
Sep 29, 2025
Amazing! very well... - AMAZING! Very well organised crew and definitely worth the money spent! Kids loved it and Nature at its peak beauty!
Review provided by Viator
Soaruphigh
Oct 4, 2025
Unique and pleasnat experience for all ages, a bit expensive - Missed the original booking due to an accident but unfortunately the policy does not allow refund. Was able to get two spots on one of the next trips and got a 20% discount. The view of the cave which more interesting than expected because it was a cool natural formation. The glowworms were cool but not as many as seen in photos or videos - I guess they're somewhat seasonal as well. The progression of the large group (total 72 tourists) was orderly and the guide was energetic. Good even for elderly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Florian_l
Sep 26, 2025
Great commentary great... - Great commentary great scenery. I also liked the boat tour . Sometimes there is not many lighted glowworms. The boat ride in the dark was an excellent idea
Review provided by Viator
924antonyl
Sep 20, 2025
Disappointing - For the price and the long journey from Queenstown, this was very underwhelming. The staff were friendly and the boat ride pleasant, but the main attraction – the glow worms – was a huge letdown. Online it looked like a magical display, yet in reality we were met with only the tiniest specks that resembled faint LED lights. The advertising is misleading, and what we experienced was nothing like what’s shown. Overall, disappointing and not worth the time or cost.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mldubois
Oct 10, 2025
Unprofessional! - Very unprofessional way of handling business. Booked a Glow Worm tour on Oct. 10 and drove 2.5 hours from Queenstown only to be emailed 10 minutes before boarding that the tour was canceled . Earlier tours were canceled; why did they wait so long to notify us? If we could give a zero rating, we would.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Georgia_e
Oct 9, 2025
Advertisement felt... - Advertisement felt misleading as the actual viewing of glow worms only goes for 10 minutes while the rest of the time was travel to and fro. Disclaimers were also not provided that the caves would be pitch black (picture shows the experience as being very light in the caves) and also that no photos were allowed either. Also would have preferred if the tea and coffee with presentation was given at the start.
Review provided by Viator
From $74
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).