1 / 3Te Anau Glowworm Caves
📍 Te Anau, Southland
A magical half-day outing for families whose kids can handle sitting quietly in the dark. Loved for the boat ride across Lake Te Anau, the galaxy of glowworms, and guides who keep it interesting.
🏆 Family Action Verdict
This is a lovely half-day outing if your kids can handle sitting quietly in total darkness - the boat drifting under a ceiling of glowing worms is genuinely magical, and the guides keep the lake ride and cave walk interesting.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →1,512 Google reviews
G Reviews from Google
Irini Prifti
6 months ago
“Cooler experience than we expected because of the cave. The boat ride over was very pleasant and a great way to enjoy the scenery around. Once you arrive they prep you for the cave experience, we were the first small group to go into the cave. I didn’t know what to expect - the cave was very cool and you get to see a waterfall inside of it. The experience on the boat is dark, pitch black dark. You can clearly see the dots of the worms glowing which was cool, felt like I was looking at little stars. I purchased a nice sweater at their gift shop and a cute tic-tac-toe board with little sheep that I love.”
Clem
5 months ago
“A breathtaking encounter with nature. The most important tip for this tour is to follow the guide’s instructions and allow your eyes to fully adjust to the darkness. Once you do, the "galaxy" of glowworms above you is absolutely stunning. It was fascinating to see these creatures up close and learn about their lifecycle and the cave’s geology from the knowledgeable guides. The boat trip across Lake Te Anau to reach the caves is a beautiful bonus.”
Danielle Shaw
3 weeks ago
“We went as a family of 3 and we had such a fantastic time. The boat ride out to the cave provided us with breathtaking views of the lake and moutains. We went in September so there was blue water but still snow! The cave itself was a great little walk. The tour guides are friendly, knowledgable and catering. The glowworms are so cool! Definitely worth doing. We did the 4pm timeslot and it was fantastic.”
📊 Commonly mentioned in Google reviews
Based on Google review tagsCaves
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Overview
You start with a boat ride across Lake Te Anau (worth it just for the scenery), then head into the caves where guides prep you before it goes pitch black. Let your eyes adjust and the ceiling turns into a galaxy of glowworms - genuinely quiet-in-awe stuff. The guides are knowledgeable and funny, which helps keep kids engaged on the walk. Bring a warm layer and insect repellent; it gets chilly and the sandflies can find you.
