Waitomo & the King Country

The drive south has us leaving the Auckland region, a climb over the Bombay Hills, some 45 km’s distance, to decend into the Waikato district. This is the main dairy farming region in New Zealand. Past the old wayport town of Mercer, to bring us alongside the Waikato River, the longest river in NZ at 345 km’s.

We continue past typical NZ farmland, through the old coal mining town of Huntly and past the sacred Maori burial grounds of Mt Taupiri, to Hamilton. Straddling the Waikato River, Hamilton has been billed as the most beautiful large city in NZ. Here we take a tea/coffee break at Lake Rotoroa, (Hamilton Lake).

An hours drive then to Otorohanga via small village towns, where at the Kiwi House you are guaranteed to see our nocturnal Kiwi and other native birds.

A short distance then to our lunch stop, after which, it’s only a 20 minute drive to Spellbound, where your tour begins at 1:15pm. A 2 1/2 hr hour glowworm cave experience, that starts with a short drive on back country roads, visiting two private caves on a back country sheep & cattle farm, before walking among limestone outcrops and descending into a gorge to meet a picturesque stream.

The first, Spellbound Glowworm Cave is virtually totally adorned with glowworms and comprises of an inflatable raft ride, spending about 45-55 minutes underground. The second, Cave of the Spirit, is made up of stalagmites, fossils and a tomo. Time underground here is 40-45 mins. The walks take 5-10 mins and there are no steps or stairways in either cave. A refreshment break is had in between caves.

Highlights & Inclusions:
• Spellbound Caves Tour
• Otorohanga Kiwi House
• Lunch

Departure information:
Departs Auckland 7.00am