Ruakuri Cave Waitomo

The caves have been on my bucket list since forever, so I decided to bite the bullet & dive in for the experience. Sadly some of the iSites here are closed since covid, but a friendly guy who was weedeating told me to skip the Waitomo one, which is centered around glow worms primarily, & go for the Ruakuri experience, which is better value for money he said. He’s also a tour guide it turns out 😂 

Ruakuri = Den of two dogs

At this stage I became a little concerned that my war wounds were going to stifle my intentions, but it turned out well in the end 😅 We walked for a total of 5 kilometers underground, over varying surfaces, mostly lit up for us. 

I went for a wee walk beforehand😂 

Tiny waka- canoe

7 of us descended into the bowels of the earth

Our descent 60 meters beneath the hill via a spiral concrete pathway, of 5 levels

Stalactites take 100 years to grow 1cm

Fossils of scallops

A heavenly reflection in a still pool of acidic water 

Curtain

Iron in the yellow bit

A very large curtain

There were stalactites & stalagmites & curtains, columns & water, Lots of water. Changes in color, texture & size. Rooms & towers, vast drops into the depths & low ceilings. You name it, the cave probably had it. All 7 of us got a good work out today! No heater needed, by the time we got back to the top, on foot the whole tour.

A Huge oyster fossil

It was indeed a bucket list experience, that I’m grateful was half price during the week. We heard the black water rafting group too, but I’m glad I never got around to doing that, in the  blackness of the earth. 

Dry stone that’s no longer forming