7 Kayaking Trips in Waitomo Worth Booking

1.Twilight Glowworm Kayak Tour – Lake Karapiro

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 493 reviews · from $92Our pick

Paddle from Lake Karapiro into the Pokaiwhenua Stream as daylight fades. Riverside Adventures supplies the kayak, PFD, wet shoes, splash gear, and dry bags. Guides such as Daniel, Amy, Jess, and Lofty add local nature and star lore before the return trip reveals the glowworms.

“I prefer paddling the river instead of just an open lake; also the open “gorge” was amazing! We floated through a long stretch of glow worms for over 20 minutes. We had a very clear night, the star gazing was incredible. Our guides were so nice and accommodating.”

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2.Glow Worm Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 351 reviews · 3 hours · from $116

Paddle a two-person sit-on-top kayak across Lake Okareka as daylight fades, then follow your English-speaking guide into small caves lit by glow worms. Taiao Adventures provides transport, kayaks, safety gear, and warm outer layers. The calm lake suits beginners, and clear skies may reveal the Milky Way.

“Nothing could be improved… highly recommend. Exceeded our expectations.”

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3.Glow Worm Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 342 reviews · from $121

Meet at Rotorua’s Information Centre and ride past the Redwood forest to a lakeside base. After a safety lesson and warm, water-ready gear, you’ll paddle into several small glow worm caves with a guide such as Kaisha, Sam, Tom, or Forrest. Expect a calm, social night on the water, with stargazing if skies are clear.

“I had called the booking company and was told this was gonna be canceled secondary to weather and that I would be refunded. I never received a cancellation email or a refund of my money.”

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4.Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 311 reviews

Meet Waimarino Kayak Tours in Tauranga for a 3-hour-15-minute evening trip to Lake McLaren. Guides such as Ellie, Lucy, Darragh, Frosty, and Leo lead you through calm water and into a narrow glowworm canyon, with equipment and light refreshments included.

“We had a fantastic time with Lucy & Darragh as our guides! It was simple, it was fun, and we enjoyed the new adventure of kayaking as neither I nor my husband had done it before. The glow worms (which aren’t actually glow worms as we’ve coincidentally figured out) were gorgeous! It was also lovely knowing the science and the Māori knowledge behind them. Thank you for a fun experience we’ll continue to look fondly back on!”

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5.Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 206 reviews · 3 hours · from $134

Meet at 36 Taniwha Place for a three-hour evening outing to Lake McLaren. Enjoy New Zealand cheese, honey, fruit, and kombucha before paddling into Mangapapa Canyon. Guides such as Ellie, Aaron, Lucy, and Tom provide gear, safety help, Māori stories, and glowworm facts.

“It was a lot of fun and the guides were very friendly. The snacks were okay and I really liked all the equipment we could choose from like warm sleeves and a rain jacket. The glowworms really did look magical and I feel like we could spend enough time admiring them.”

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6.Lake Rotoiti Evening Kayak Tour including Hot Springs, Glowworm Caves and BBQ Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 60 reviews · from $135

Paddle Lake Rotoiti with a trained guide, stopping at warm natural pools, a lakeside barbecue, and two boat-only caves. You need no kayaking experience, and guides such as Justin and Ricky add local Māori stories along the way. Hotel pickup, equipment, instruction, and return transport are included.

“It was a beautiful experience, both energetic with the kayaking, interesting culturally with the local Māori stories, beautiful with the glow worms and relaxing with the lakeside hot pools! The bbq dinner was a nice bonus!”

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7.Lake Karapiro: Evening Kayak Glowworm Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 42 reviews · 3h 30m · from $89Best value

Start at Riverside Adventures Base for a guided evening paddle across Lake Karapiro, past submerged Horahora Village and its old power station. Learn local Māori and European history, pause with snacks at dusk, then drift through the Pokaiwhenua canyon beneath sparkling glowworms.

“Our trip got off to a slow start awaiting group members to arrive. But once we set off, it was a lovely experience kayaking along the river .The guides provided interesting information and tasty snacks as we waited on the banks for dusk , when we set off again to float through the canyon to see the glow worms. This was an amazing sight . However as 60 + travellers we found kayaking in complete darkness, especially once out in the open to paddle back to base, was rather disorientating. It really was pitch black . But we did all arrive back safely and our guides were very helpful in…”

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