Spectacular Day!

Duration

Approximately 12 hours

About

Visit one of the largest pest proof wildlife sanctuaries in the world as well as the Waitomo Caves, primarily famous for their limestone and glow worm caves, but for the more adrelalin charged, there is abseiling, blackwater rafting, and cave tubing. Not to mention an amazing variety of walks and trails. In the surrounding district the Otorohanga Kiwi House is the best place to see our native Kiwi bird and the Tuatara. The oldest living relative to the dinosaurs. There are also numerous private gardens open to the public. With it’s stately oak trees, village green and historic St Andrew’s Anglican Church 1881. A morning tea/coffee break is taken here. Then it's a short drive to lake Karapiro and the hydro-electric power station on the Waikato River for a photo stop, before crossing over the dam. The majestic 797m Mt Maungatautari (Sanctuary Mountain) looms in the background. A mainland ecological island created by a 47 km pest proof fence, the largest of it’s type in the world. Join an informative 1 ½ hour guided tour about many of New Zealand’s rarest and most endangered plants, insects, birds, fish, geckos, frogs, bats and flora that co-exist in this spectacular environment, on one of the many well maintained tracks to the 16m viewing tower. A picnic lunch is included here.

Our tour now takes us further south west into the King Country, named after the kingitanga (Maori King Movement) and it’s followers during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860’s and our “Kiwiana” (iconic NZ) town of Otorohanga, to Waitomo.

At Waitomo we take the Footwhistle guided tour comprising of an hour 15 mins duration (Note; This is a dry tour). A more personalized experience with no more than twelve in the group, where you are able to get right up close to the glow worms (Arachnocampa) and take photos!

Visit one of the largest pest proof wildlife sanctuaries in the world as well as the Waitomo Caves, primarily famous for their limestone and glow worm caves, but for the more adrelalin charged, there is abseiling, blackwater rafting, and cave tubing. Not to mention an amazing variety of walks and trails. In the surrounding district the Otorohanga Kiwi House is the best place to see our native Kiwi bird and the Tuatara. The oldest living relative to the dinosaurs. There are also numerous private gardens open to the public.

Highlights & Inclusions

• Sanctuary Mountain & guided tour
• Picnic lunch
• Footwhistle guided tour