Are the Te Anau caves worth it?

The short answer

Worth it when the glowworm grotto is the point and the physical side suits you. The trip crosses Lake Te Anau by cruise boat to the western shore, follows a guided route through the caves, then ends with a small boat in a grotto where the only light comes from the animals. Reviewers on the booking page praise the silent boat ride and the guides. It is a poor choice if you want to photograph glowworms, need step-free access or want a long underground trek. A separate guide compares it with a Waitomo cave walk. Two things decide it: whether the dark and the steps suit you, and whether you can accept a trip whose star attraction you will not be able to photograph.

• Book it for the silent boat ride beneath the glowworms
• Skip it if you want photos, step-free access or a long trek
• Compare it with a Waitomo cave walk if your route also covers the North Island

What the trip is

The booking describes a cruise across Lake Te Anau to the Murchison Mountains' network of natural caves, displays at the entrance, a guided tour of the caves and a boat ride into a hidden grotto. It lasts about 135 minutes, and the calendar shows starting times for each date. The guide speaks English, and complimentary tea and coffee come with the tour. Light refreshments are sold at the building by the cave entrance and on the cruise. Nothing on the booking page suggests a hike: the walking is a guided route through passages with steps and low entrances. Wikipedia renders the Māori name Te Ana-au as the swirling cave, a reference to the water running through it.

The lake crossing

Wikipedia says Lake Te Anau covers 344 square kilometres, which makes it New Zealand's second-largest lake by surface area and the largest in the South Island. Most of it lies within Fiordland National Park, and three fiords form arms on its western side. The caves are on that western shore. The crossing is a scenic cruise, and one reviewer who booked it saw a sunset on the return boat ride, which depends on the season and the day. Treat the cruise as part of the trip, not as a transfer. Wikipedia also says the lake is part of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Site, recognised in 1990, and calls its three western arms the only inland fiords in New Zealand. The crossing shows you that landscape before you go underground.

The caves themselves

Wikipedia estimates the caves at 12,000 years old and calls them geologically young. They are limestone, in the Murchison Mountains, and the water running through them is Tunnel Burn, the outflow of Lake Orbell. The booking says the river is still carving them, leaving sculpted rock, whirlpools and a roaring underground waterfall. Wikipedia adds that the caves hold only one tiny stalactite, so do not expect a hall of formations. The interest here is moving water, not decoration. That is why the operator describes the system as high energy, with a risk of flooding, and why the passages look cut rather than built. Wikipedia adds that the area is where the takahē, a flightless bird, was rediscovered, which is one reason access is controlled.

The grotto and the dark

Deep inside, a small boat carries the group into a hidden grotto that the booking says is home to thousands of glowworms. The booking promises glowworms in pitch black darkness, and a reviewer said they could not see a hand in front of their face. Wikipedia says the light is blue-green, and that the larvae use it mainly to attract prey. Part of the tour is silent, which suits the setting. Give your eyes a minute to adjust before you try to judge the display, and do not expect a promised count. Wikipedia also says the larvae adjust their glow to synchronise with nearby larvae, which makes the collective display more effective. A separate guide on this site explains what a glowworm is, from egg to adult.

What the rules mean

The caves' operator says photography and video filming are not permitted inside the cave, to enhance the visibility of the glowworms for all guests. The booking lists cameras under what is not allowed, and the operator's glowworm article says light disturbs the glowworms and disrupts their hunting. The rule is about photography, not about one kind of camera, so a phone is no different. You can bring a camera for the cruise and the grounds. Plan to remember the grotto instead of recording it. The operator also says flash affects the glowworms and visitors' adjustment to the dark.

Pace and group size

Those 135 minutes cover the lake crossing in both directions, the displays at the entrance and the guided walk, so the grotto is one stop among several. A reviewer who loved the trip also said the group was fairly large and the organisation a little chaotic. Another praised the guides' presentation, with a hot chocolate in hand. If a quieter visit matters to you, check the calendar for the date and time you prefer. The booking page gives no group size, and this site does not guess one. Wikipedia says the caves are fragile, and the operator says access to the wider system is restricted, with a set annual visitor limit, so the tour is a managed visit, not a free roam.

What reviewers say

The booking page's reviews lean strongly positive, with the guide and the transport scoring higher than value for money. Visitors from Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere describe an interesting, well-run trip. One said the silent boat ride in the dark was even more exciting than the glowworms themselves. Another said it was a little pricier than they had wanted but done well and respectfully. The common thread is that the setting and the staff matter as much as the display. Several mention the lake crossing and the talk at the end, and one said the caves were not at all commercialised.

Booking and the calendar

Choose your date in the calendar further down this page; the booking is flagged as likely to sell out, so a spare day in Te Anau is worth keeping if your dates are fixed. You can cancel free until 24 hours before on tickets booked through GetYourGuide, and reserving lets you pay later. Check in at the visitor centre on the lakefront, 85 Lakefront Drive, in the clothes the operator advises. The check-in time is in your confirmation, and this site gives no clock times.

Who it suits

Adults and children who can bend under low entrances, manage steps and stay quiet for a few minutes. The booking says a reasonable level of agility is needed. The operator sets no minimum age and says children are welcome, though the silent section may not suit younger guests. One reviewer called it excellent for all ages. Wear non-slip shoes with no heels, take a warm layer because the operator gives the cave temperature as 8 to 12 degrees Celsius, and bring insect repellent, which the booking asks for.

Who this isn't for

Anyone who uses a wheelchair or has limited mobility, since the booking marks the tour as unsuitable for them. Infants as well. Anyone who wants photographs of glowworms, since cameras are not allowed in the cave. Anyone who is claustrophobic or afraid of the dark, as one reviewer pointed out with some humour. And anyone looking for a long caving trip: this is a guided walk and a boat ride, built around a short silent drift under the glowworms.