Green Glow Adventures, Waitomo Caves
Located near Waitomo Caves, we offer personal, customised adventures based around a well decorated cave system inhabited by glowworms and set in a cliff lined, bush filled, gorge.
Your group will consist of yourself and those you bring with you (maximum of six in total) and apart from your guide, no-one else. This allows you to set the pace and decide what you do...
You can create your own unique adventure by combining caving, abseiling and top-roped rock climbing elements, or choose to focus on one activity only, it's up to you. You don't even have to stick to a plan, we can make it up as we go!
There is about a kilometre of cave to explore with seven entrances, multiple abseil sites, from 10m to 27m high, and a selection of climbs mostly of easy to intermediate grade.
CAVING - There are plenty of stalactites and glowworms to see as you negotiate a variety of cave passages - from huge chambers to crawlways. Most is quite large and small spaces can be avoided, although if you want to try out some smaller stuff it can be found... This is a "dry" adventure, meaning we wear comfortable clothes and generally stay out of the water, rather than wearing wetsuits and sitting in cold water! Depending on your choices you may keep your feet dry all day, get wet to above the knees or get even wetter if you really don't care! When rain brings the water level up it is harder to keep your feet dry. When it floods we keep up out of the water and our options are limited to the sections of cave where we can do this, but the roar of the water is rather impressive in places...
ABSEILING - We have a variety of abseil sites, from 10m to 30m high. Most adventurers get to at least two, usually three. If you are really keen and fit we can go on a journey that incorporates five different abseils. And if you enjoy a particular descent and want to to it again, that's possible too!
PHOTOGRAPHY - Cameras are welcome and if you are keen to spend some of your time doing a bit of serious cave photography, rather than taking snapshots, we can supply basic tripods, slave units and flashguns.
ROCK CLIMBING - The cliffs upstream of the cave have been developed as a sport climbing area with bolted routes ranging from grade 10 to grade 22, so far.
Initial development concentrated on easier routes with beginner to intermediate level climbers in mind, with some harder routes being developed more recently.
The rock is limestone and is characterised by horizontal breaks. The cliff is in the bush margin with great views out over the farmland and stream below.
Access to the bottom of all the climbs is very easy and the anchors have been placed to make setting up top-rope's quick and simple for your guide, so you get the maximum time on the rock.
Top-roping is the safest form of rock climbing. The climber is tied into the rope which runs up through the anchors at the top of the climb and then to the belayer. If the climber slips the rope catches them almost immediately, with the distance of the fall being limited to the amount of stretch in the rope. Usually the belayer is at the bottom of the climb - most indoor climbing halls are set up this way. Sometimes, as in the photo on the right, the belayer is at the top with the anchors.
FAMILY ADVENTURES - We can run a great family adventure but while we will do our best to include all the elements you wish to do, the itiniary will be at the guide's discretion, based their assessment of the abilites of your family and the conditions on the day.
We have run adventures for families with children as young as seven years old. It helps if your children have had some experience on rough terrain in the outdoors, are a bit 'sporty', don't mind getting wet & dirty and are not afraid of heights!
Keep in mind that a 3m boulder, an easy scramble for an adult, can be a HUGE obstacle to a seven year old!
Green Glow Adventures, Waitomo Caves Enquiry Form
Address:
1117 Oparure Road
Te Kuiti 3985
Waikato
Phone: +64 7 878 8223
Freephone: 0800 476 459
Fax:
Web: Visit website
RATES: Quoted in NZ$, Subject to Change.
Ours are the best value caving and abseiling adventures in Waitomo:
- $180 per person, for groups of two, three or four adults.
- Children under 16 are half price.
- Group Discount for Four or more adults - $160 per person.
- $360 Minimum (it costs $360 for a single adult or one adult and one child).
- Full day option (10hrs) - $250 per person, please specify when booking.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or gaurdian.
We can run an adventure every day, starting at 8:30am.
However most days we can arrange a time to suit you.
Please give us a call to see what we can do.
We allow up to six hours for your adventure. You can take less time if you like.
If you do not have your own transport, it is still possible to get here, but there is an additional cost.