Discover Waitomo - the home of New Zealand's world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves and legendary Black Water Rafting.

Ruakuri Cave Guided Tour

Discover Waitomo's longest underground guided walking tour

Ruakuri cave features amazing cave formations and underground secrets. You can enjoy a guided tour on foot, or take part in the more action-packed black water rafting adventures that navigate Ruakuri's underground river.  
 
The Ruakuri guided tour offers a comprehensive cave experience due to its size and diversity. Winding passageways, vast echoing caverns, deep crevices and the distant thunder of subterranean waterfalls bring a different energy and character to Ruakuri.  Be led along narrow corridors and across low-lit walkways suspended high above the river, sometimes glimpsing the black water rafters on the Huhunui River below.

Tours of Ruakuri take two hours and offer Waitomo's longest guided walking tour along 1.6km of cave passages where visitors marvel at the interesting formations in this living work of nature. 

THE SPIRAL ENTRANCE

Ruakuri Cave - Waitomo, New Zealand
Ruakuri Drum Entrance
The new spiral entranceway to Ruakuri is a remarkable feat of modern engineering and design.  It is a major feature of the recent redevelopment, providing a dramatic introduction to the cave.  Your guided tour will lead you down the large spiral walkway, where you will pass through a specially constructed tunnel called The Drum Entrance and into the cave.

TOUR DETAILS

Tour Departures:

  • Tours depart daily at 9:00am, 10:00am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm & 3:30pm.
  • Tour is approximately 2 hours (1hr 30 mins underground)
  • Bookings are essential as numbers on each tour are restricted to 15 people.
  • Additional tours are available on request.
  • All tours depart from The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. (585 Waitomo Caves Road).

Hours of Operation:

  • Open 364 days a year. Closed Christmas Day (25 December)

Additional Tour Information:

  • Bring comfortable walking shoes and a warm jacket.
  • Ruakuri is fully wheelchair accessible.

PRICES

Ruakuri Cave Guided Tour Prices
General Admission Book Online SAVE 10%
Adult $49.00 $44.10
Child (4-14 years) $18.00 $16.20
Family Pass (2 adults, 2 children) $120.00 $108.00
Additional children added to a Family Pass $15.00 $13.50 (per child)
Glowworm and Ruakuri Two Cave Combo Book Online SAVE 10%
Adult $69.00 $62.10
Child (4-14 years) $27.00 $24.30
Family Pass (2 adults, 2 children) $175.00 $157.50
Additional children added to a Family Pass $20.00 $18.00 (per child)
3 of the Best Cave Pass - Glowworm, Aranui & Ruakuri Caves Book Online SAVE 10%
Adult $93.00 $83.70
Child (4-14 years) $39.00 $35.10
Family Pass (2 adults, 2 children) $225.00 $202.50
Additional children added to a Family Pass $32.00 $28.80 (per child)
The Ruakuri Cave Experience ex Auckland Bus Tour
Adult $230.00
Child (5-14 years) $115.00
Find out more about the Ruakuri Cave Experience ex Auckland Bus Tour.

Booking Conditions:
  • Prices and tour times are valid until 30/9/08 and are subject to change without notice. Tours are subject to availability.
  • The 10% discount offer is valid for bookings made via this website only and travel must be completed by 30 September 2008.  It does not apply to the Ruakuri Cave Experience ex Auckland Bus Tour.
  • Two Cave Combo includes guided tours of both the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Ruakuri Cave.
  • 3 of the Best Cave Pass includes guided tours of Ruakuri Cave, Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Aranui Cave.
  • Child age is 4-14 years inclusive, 3 years and under free of charge.
  • No smoking, food, drink or litter are permitted inside the caves.
  • Management reserve the right to refuse entry to the caves.
Two Cave Combo - only $62
Walkway, Ruakuri Cave
Book Online Save 10% - Ruakuri Cave