Waitomo Caves
Ph: 0800 iSiTE WAITOMO (0800 474 839) Ph: +64 7 878 7640 Fax: +64 7 878 6184
PO Box 12 Waitomo Caves New Zealand info@waitomodiscovery.org
WAITOMO CAVES VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE
Absolute Adventure
The Mission
Looking to pack as much as possible into half a day? The Mission offers the majority of what The Expedition does (see below), in a shorter amount of time. Our small group size ensures you get to see and do plenty. Try your hand at abseiling, climbing, traversing, squeezing and crawling through the Luckie Strike cave system, chosen for its demanding nature and crystal formations. Our philosophy is to take you off the beaten track, not on a tourist “adventure” so the trip is hands-on and not for the faint hearted. Our qualified and experienced guide will accompany you as you explore over a kilometre into the cave, and the small group size ensures you see and do plenty. If you prefer not to be led by the hand and want to work out how to get yourself through squeezes, waterfalls and more, then this caving trip is suitable for you. Includes free entry into the Waitomo Museum of Caves. Allow 4 hours. Cost NZD$125.00.
The Expedition
A full day of caving to test your endurance. Constant abseiling, climbing, traversing, squeezing and crawling lead you deep into the upper and lower levels of the Luckie Strike cave system, chosen for its physically demanding nature and its crystal formations. Our philosophy is to take you off the beaten track, not on a tourist “adventure” so the trip is hands-on and not for the faint hearted. Our qualified and experienced guide will accompany you as you explore over a kilometre into the cave, and the small group size ensures you see and do plenty. The trip downstream explores the ancient upper levels of the cave. You then abseil down a waterfall to the lower level passage where you will be encouraged to find your way back to daylight. If you prefer not to be led by the hand and want to work out by yourself how to get through squeezes, waterfalls and more, then this caving trip is suitable for you. Includes free entry into the Waitomo Museum of Caves. Allow 6 hours. Cost NZD$185.00.
The Ultimate Journey
- 24 hrs
A trip combining tramping, camping, a 90m abseil and two very different caving endeavours. You’ll be given the opportunity to test your endurance throughout, but you’ll also have time to appreciate the environment – from native bush to underground caverns covered in crystal formations and glowworms. We start with a “Mission” Trip through Luckie Strike to enable you to master your abseiling skills. After a short break a tramp through native bush takes you to Waipuna Bluffs and bird’s eye view of the King Country. Take in these views as you abseil 90m down a natural rock overhang. Your campsite at the bottom of the cliff offers natural protection from the elements enabling you to sleep under the stars and wake up to the sun rising in front of you. After breakfast a short but demanding rock climb leads to the entrance of Waipuna Cave, which you follow upstream back to base camp for a hot shower. Includes free entry into the Waitomo Museum of Caves. Allow 24-26 hours. Cost NZD $380.00.
The Ultimate
Adventure
One full day of caving involving two cave systems, four abseils (one of which is 90 metres), a bush walk and lunch. We begin with a Mission trip to wet your appetite and get you used to abseiling. Here you’ll put your endurance to the test abseiling, climbing, traversing, squeezing and crawling through the upper and lower levels of the Luckie Strike cave system, chosen for its crystal formations and its demanding nature. Then it’s back to the base for lunch and a short rest. After lunch a tramp takes you to the Waipuna Bluffs where you abseil 90 metres down an overhang. A further abseil takes you into the Waipuna Cave for more wriggling, scrambling, climbing and wading – not forgetting the crystals and glowworms. You eventually emerge near our base camp, ready for a shower. Includes free entry into the Waitomo Museum of Caves. Allow 8 - 9 hours. Cost NZD$300.00.
Family
Caving Adventure
If you and your kids are full on and outdoorsy, this will be suitable for you all. But be warned, it is demanding and the children (and adults) need to be good walkers and not mind getting muddy or wet. We start with a simple training session on abseiling, and then it’s a 20 minutes walk over farmland to a track entering the bush, which leads you to the top of the entrance tomo. There is a 30m abseil to get into the cave below. Once underground your trip includes all the aspects of caving – abseiling in the cave, wading through the underground stream, scrambling over rocks and crawling through low passages. Around you the entire cave is dripping with crystal formations and glowworms can also be seen. Includes free entry into the Waitomo Museum of Caves. Allow 5 hours. Cost NZD$120.00.
email us at: info@waitomodiscovery.org 21/12/2007