Product Overview

Experience one of the world's best GlowWorm displays. Unique adventures into an untamed natural wilderness, with spectacular galleries of stalactites and stalagmites, a subterranean lake and a fun river-rafting (tubing!) experience.

Product Description

Underworld Rafting is the ultimate caverafting experience in Te Ananui – a four hour adventure filled with wonder, splendor and lasting memories. You’ll walk through the spectacular unmodified upper levels of the cave (not a boardwalk, concrete path or handrail in sight!), as your knowledgeable, local guides help you discover the ancient secrets of the cave’s formation and discovery. But deeper within the cave lies a hidden subterranean lake – and living overhead we find Arachnocampa luminosa – the New Zealand GlowWorm. Your two piece custom dive wetsuit will keep you warm as you sit back to enjoy the incredible spectacle from the comfort of your very own raft-for-one. Finish with a fun ride down the gentle rapids of the Nile River, then back to our modern base for a hot shower. A unique adventure filled with lasting memories.

For those seeking a dry excursion, choose the GlowWorm Cave Tour. Also travelling to the unmodified Te Ananui Metro cave, this tour takes in the same beautiful upper levels as our Underworld Rafting. You’ll then follow the famous “Metro Tube” passage all the way through the mountain, emerging to the daylight of the hidden Ananui Valley. This spectacular entranceway towers overhead, with waterfalls glistening in the sunlight. Close by you’ll find galaxies of GlowWorms, and see them both up close and at a distance in their thousands upon thousands.

Available on its own, (and included in both the Underworld Rafting and the GlowWorm Cave Tour), is the Nile River Rainforest Train. This short interpretive train ride through the primeval forest of the Waitakere Nile River Canyon takes in the towering cliffs and includes a short walk to the Nile River Suspension Bridge with superb views up and down the valley.

Departure Times

Trips daily:

• 9 AM and 11:30 AM (Summer)
• 10AM (Winter)

Bookings Essential.

Duration

Allow 4 hours.

What To Bring

Just bring your swimwear and a towel - we'll provide everything else!

Company Info

Underworld Adventures was established in 1989 by Geoff, along with brother-in-law Stuart, friend Ray Moroney and father-in-law George Berendt.  These West Coast cavers and educationalists were inspired by their educational and cave & karst exploration experiences to offer “novices,” an opportunity to gain a glimpse into their secret world that they were exploring.

With a sense of adventure, passion, a van, a few wetsuits and family support they began as one of the earliest adventure companies on the West Coast- albeit while they continued with their teaching day jobs. So as to cater for members of the public they crafted four distinctly different cave & karst experiences in both the Metro/Te Ananui and Te Tahi Cave Systems. Since the early 90’s, Geoff, Stu and Ray along with a team of passionate staff, have been responsible for guiding, developing and improving the company. The Company has emerged from a small struggling entity that hosted 5 visitors in its first year to one that now hosts around 10,000 visitors each year. It has become an internationally acclaimed draw-card for visitors to our spectacular West Coast “Untamed  Natural Wilderness”

Now many years later, with many guides, managers, office staff, and maintenance staff in the field, the vision driving the company’s success and that that motivates the staff, remains as the founders first envisioned; “to share safely with visitors, our passion and knowledge of the spectacular fragile hidden wilderness of the truly unique West Coast Cave and Karst, and in doing this- protect the place and create an meaningful, unforgettable, fun, educative cave experience”.

Today we invite you to explore with us, this hidden wonderland, sculptured in rock, created by forces of nature and beautifully and decorated with calcite crystals and water filled passages inhabited by millions of surreal twinkling glowworms.

General Manager (and founding Director Geoff’s son) Aidan Schurr now continues the family tradition, and says, “It’s such a privilege to be able to bring visitors into this incredible environment. So many show caves have been heavily modified with boardwalks, concrete paths and handrails prevailing. But we’re so lucky to help people experience what true caving feels like – natural, spectacular and real. We’re proud to be custodians of Te Ananui, and every trip I take underground feels just as special as the first.”