Glitter bugs
It’s all glow as PAUL COLE takes a pre-lockdown trip to see some of New Zealand’s most dazzling sights
I’M gliding silently across a lake, gazing up in wonder at a night sky dotted with thousands of twinkling stars. It is a breathtaking sight. Except that I’m deep underground, and the stars are not what they seem.
They’re carnivorous critters sneakily seeking their prey. It sounds like a scene from a science fiction B-movie – but it’s not.
Because this is an A-list travel bucket-list attraction, with Mother Nature at her finest.
I’m in the Glowworm Caves at Waitomo in New Zealand, on a pre-lockdown magical mystery tour that outshines anything Jules Verne dreamed up.
Thirty million years in the making, and a tourist attraction for more than 130 years – the blink of an eye in the grand scheme of things – this is one of those few places on Earth you have to see to believe.
And, defying the odds, the caves are still open in the Covid era, visitors protected by an array of health and safety precautions.
The star of the show here is Arachnocampa luminosa. It sounds like a Harry Potter Hogwarts spell, but is actually the scientific name for remarkable glowworms unique to New Zealand.
Growing as long as a matchstick and looking like a tiny worm, a bioluminescent glow emits from its tail, sparked by a reaction between the creature’s chemicals and oxygen in the air.
The clever critter can control its brightness by reducing oxygen to its light, attracting insects which get caught in sticky “fishing lines”.
And, bad news for prey, there are thousands of them down here. Immediately upon hatching, the larvae switch on their lights, build a nest, drop down lines and feed. They need to make the most of it because, after nine months, they turn into a fly a bit like a large mosquito.
But the adult fly has no mouth or stomach and only lives a few days – if it isn’t devoured by other glowworms first. It is one of nature’s strangest stories.
There’s plenty of explanation at the striking visitor centre – it’s designed to reflect the curve in the Waitomo River and the contours of the land – before you set off on your underground expedition.
Wear something warm, even though it’s 16-17ºC year-round in the caves, and take a comfort break before you set off in a small group with your guide.
Initially you may feel a tad underwhelmed and wonder what all the fuss it about. The upper levels of the caves are not as impressive as some you’ll have visited – but appearances can be deceptive.
After making your way down through the Catacombs, the Banquet Chamber – where early visitors stopped to eat – and Pipe Organ, with their myriad stalactites and stalagmites, magic awaits.
The levels are linked by the Tomo, a 52ft vertical limestone shaft – but don’t be daunted. I descend along atmospherically lit paths smoothed by generations of explorers and visitors, with occasional glass-sided staircases allowing easy access to The Cathedral, a soaring spectacular subterranean sight.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Katy
Perry and Rod Stewart are just a few of those who have sung down here, and there’s an annual Christmas carol concert during which Santa abseils from the caves above.
The limestone of the 59ft high cave absorbs all vibration, creating perfect acoustic conditions.
Our guide invites us all to sing and shout and, even in such a cavernous space, there are no echoes.
But all this has been just the build-up to the main attraction. We’ve had tantalising glimpses of the Waitomo glowworms as we’ve crouched to peer through a low window in the cave walls. Now, a final flight of stairs leads down to the shore of an underground lake straight out of Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth. A small boat, capable of holding around a dozen people, awaits.
We’re asked to remain silent and not take any photographs because the glowworms do not like to be unduly disturbed. It’s respect for these Waitomo wonders, but it also makes the whole experience more magical. Our guide stands at the prow of the boat, punting us out on to the lake. As the light from the landing fades, the ceiling of the cave begins to twinkle like a night sky unsullied by light pollution.
It’s as if the Milky Way stretches out overhead. The only sounds are gasps of awe from my fellow passengers and the gentle murmur of our boat gliding across the water. It is inky black both above and below.
When we stop in the middle of the lake, the tiny lights reflected in the water, it’s as if we’re suspended in space, an experience like no other. One of those truly unforgettable moments.
It must have seemed nearsupernatural to Maori chief Tane Tinorau and English surveyor Fred
Mace when they first explored these caves in 1887. Local Maori people knew of the caves’ existence, but they had never been explored until the pair built a raft and, with candles as their only lighting, floated into the cave where the stream goes underground.
Their first discovery was the Glowworm Grotto. As their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they saw a multitude of lights reflecting off the water. Looking up, they discovered that the ceiling was covered by the glowworms.
By 1889, Tane Tinorau had opened the cave to tourists, he and wife Huti escorting visitors for a small fee. In 1906, the administration of the cave was taken over by the government.
But in 1989, the land and the cave were returned to the descendants of the original owners. Many staff employed at the caves today are direct descendants of Chief Tane and Huti.
All too soon, we glide around a rock formation and moor at a landing, then a short walk leads to a crack in the caves and we emerge into daylight, making our way back up to the visitor centre.
If you’re feeling more adventurous, sister caves Ruakuri, with its deep spiral pathway, and Aranui each offer different sights.
The Waitomo Caves are in the North Island’s rural Waikato area. I stayed in Cambridge, a town handy for both the caves and Hobbiton, the set used by Peter Jackson for his Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies. nSee newzealand.com nTravel from the UK is still restricted due to Covid-19. See gov.uk for latest travel advice