Waitomo Glow Worms

Waitomo Caves. Tourist trap but absolutely out of this world!!! "You can see thousands of tiny blue lights on cave ceilings, like a starry sky underground. These “glowworms” are actually the bioluminescent larvae of a fungus gnat species found only in New Zealand, called Arachnocampa luminosa. The caves formed in limestone known as Waitomo Greystone, created from marine sediments laid down in a shallow sea during the Oligocene, roughly 25–34 million years ago. As tectonic movement lifted the limestone above sea level, water seeped through cracks, slowly dissolving the rock and forming chambers, passages, stalactites, and stalagmites over millions of years". (Wikipedia) Our tour started with a walk through these stunning caves and ended with a silent boat ride to the stunning glow worms. Understandably so, there were no photos allowed and quite honestly I loved that. The boat ride was silent which enhanced the awe inspiring experience. So cool! The photos I have of inside the caves are from the website but are true to what we saw.Read more