1 / 3Glow Worm Dell
đ Hokitika, West Coast
Best for a free ten minutes of magic after dinner. A tiny fern-lined gully on the edge of Hokitika whose stone walls fill with glow worms once it is fully dark. No cost, no booking, a minute from the car park.
As it was our second time seeing glow worms, after taking a tour on the north island, it was fabulous to see that this place shows glow worms in a natural environment and completely free! Just 1 minute walking from the parking, and you already see the amazing creatures. We came back when it was daylight as well, and was amazing to see how the environment is that they live in!
đ Family Action Verdict
The easiest wildlife wow on the West Coast for small children: no cost, no walking to speak of, and a bedtime-friendly fifteen minutes. Take a torch for the path, then turn it off and hold hands along the fence rail; the darker and quieter you are, the more you see. Do it after dinner on a dry night and pair it with a daylight look next morning.
âšī¸ What to Know Before You Go
đŦ What Families Are Saying
View all reviews â1,462 Google reviews
Fan
âAs it was our second time seeing glow worms, after taking a tour on the north island, it was fabulous to see that this place shows glow worms in a natural environment and completely free! Just 1 minute walking from the parking, and you already see the amazing creatures. We came back when it was daylight as well, and was amazing to see how the environment is that they live in!â
Jon Sappington
âThis is a hidden gem if you stay the night in Hokatika or pass through at night. You can follow the trail by holding the fence rail, or use a blue light. On a new moon night, it's pitch black, and seeing all the glow worms makes you feel like you're floating in space amongst the stars. My pics do it no justice at all.â
O M
âBeautiful, free and 1 minute from parking lot. It's a small area (about 10 meters long), don't expect a cave. You need to be patient because people will come with torches and they will be loud. But because it's so small, they leave after just a few minutes and you can enjoy the show in peace.â
Silvano Coden
âWithin walking distance of Hokitika Town Centre (about 10 -12 minutes walk). The stone walls contained plenty of glow worms. Make sure no lights are in and be very quiet. Was there for about 15minutes marvelling at the spectacle. Definitely worth getting to see this.â
Reviews from Google
Overview
The Glow Worm Dell is a short, sheltered gully beside State Highway 6 at the northern entrance to Hokitika, a ten minute walk from the town centre or a minute from its own car park. It costs nothing and needs no booking: walk in after full dark, switch off your torch, let your eyes adjust, and the high banks come alive with hundreds of blue-green pinpricks. It is small, about ten metres of path, and it is at its best on a moonless, dry night. The whole visit is fifteen quiet minutes.
