What to Wear at Waitomo Caves in Summer: A Packing List for Each Tour

For the dry walking caves, wear closed-toe shoes with grip and bring a light warm layer: Discover Waitomo’s own FAQ says you’ll need “comfortable shoes and a warm jacket”. It gives the Glowworm Cave as 16°C all year, which feels cold after a summer afternoon in the low-to-mid 20s. For black water rafting and the other wet trips, bring swimwear, your own towel, toiletries and a full change of warm clothes; the operators supply the wetsuit, gumboots, helmet and headlamp, but Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. says “Towels are not supplied”. If you’re adding Hobbiton the same day, the sun is a bigger issue than the cold, so pack a hat, SPF50+ sunscreen and water.

The wet trips are where packing matters most, because you change twice and finish cold. The calendar is for the Black Labyrinth, Legendary’s three-hour tubing trip, on GetYourGuide (4.9/5 from 1,859 reviews, from $113). Operators change their rules from time to time, so re-check your booking confirmation before you pack.

Quick answers

• Cave temperature? Discover Waitomo’s FAQ gives the Glowworm Cave as 16°C all year, and its Ruakuri safety page says “around 15°C”. Plan for about 15–16°C in the show caves.
• Do I need a jacket in summer? For the walking caves, yes, a light one. For black water rafting, no: “you will be in a wetsuit!”
• Shoes? Closed-toe with grip, like trainers. No heels, and we’d skip jandals (flip-flops) for every cave.
• Towel supplied for black water rafting? No. Bring your own (the retail store sells them if you forget).
• Phones and cameras? Banned in the Glowworm Cave and on Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. trips. Allowed at Ruakuri, Aranui, Spellbound and Down to Earth.
• Bags? Backpacks aren’t allowed in Ruakuri without staff approval. Use the lockers at the wet-trip bases.
• Glasses or contacts on wet trips? Possible at your own risk. Waitomo Adventures recommends disposable contacts and securing your glasses.
• Hobbiton in summer? Sunscreen, a hat and water. Umbrellas are provided if it rains, and enclosed footwear is recommended.

A Waitomo day often sits inside a bigger North Island trip, and you can pack for several stops at once: Hobbiton Movie Set at Matamata, day trips from Auckland that pair Hobbiton with the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, black water rafting under Waitomo, and Rotorua’s geothermal parks and Te Puia.

How cold is it inside Waitomo Caves in summer?

Cooler than outside, all year. Caves don’t follow the weather the way the surface does. Expect about 15–16°C underground against a typical summer afternoon in the low-to-mid 20s. The water on wet trips is colder, at around 10–15°C according to reseller listings for Legendary Black Water Rafting Co.

Waitomo temperature table (summer, November to February)

What this means for you: a drop of 8°C or more feels sharper when you walk in sweaty from a hot day. One Tripadvisor regular put it this way: in only a T-shirt on a hot day “you will feel cold underground initially and that might spoil your enjoyment.” A thin fleece or packable rain jacket solves it.

How strong is the summer sun at Waitomo?

Very strong. Pack sunscreen even if you’re “only going underground.” NIWA, New Zealand’s national weather and atmosphere institute, says the country’s maximum summer UV Index “is generally about 12”, that values of 10 or more are “extreme”, and that a UV Index of 12 corresponds to a burn time “of about 12 minutes”. The Ministry for the Environment’s Our Atmosphere and Climate 2017 report says New Zealand’s peak summer UV is “roughly 40 percent higher” than at comparable Northern Hemisphere latitudes, and NIWA puts solar noon at around 1:30pm in the New Zealand summer. That matters most at Hobbiton, an open-air walking tour, and on the farm walks to Spellbound, Okohua and the Lost World.

Will it rain?

Possibly, even in summer. Summer is the drier part of the year, and January and February have the lowest average monthly rainfall. World Weather Online gives about 1,242 mm a year, with February the driest month at 73.4 mm. A Te Kūiti weather station recorded 1,539 mm a year over 1950–2000, with the lowest values in February. Pack a light rain shell whatever the forecast; it doubles as your cave layer.

What should I wear for each Waitomo tour?

“Provided” means the operator says it supplies the item. Where we found no official statement, we say so.

Spellbound, the Lost World trips and Haggas are booked with the operators, on glowworm.co.nz and waitomo.co.nz. For the caves themselves, read what to expect on a Waitomo caves tour, our Glowworm Cave boat ride guide, the Ruakuri Cave guide and our guide to which Waitomo tour to book.

What should I wear in the dry walking caves?

Normal summer clothes plus one warm layer and grippy closed shoes. That covers the Glowworm Cave, Ruakuri, Aranui and Spellbound.

• Top: a T-shirt plus a thin fleece, merino or a light rain jacket. Our pick is a packable rain shell, because it covers the cave chill, Ruakuri’s drips and a passing summer shower in one.
• Bottoms: shorts are fine in the show caves. Choose long pants for Spellbound (farm ground and a cooler boat ride) and for the dry Lost World trips, where the operator asks for loose clothing, not jeans.
• Shoes: trainers or walking shoes with good tread. Cave paths are damp and can be slippery. Discover Waitomo says “comfortable walking shoes” for every walking tour.
• Glowworm Cave: there are “two levels… 16 metres apart and… 100 stairs in between them,” and you finish on a quiet boat. Photos aren’t allowed, so your phone can stay in a pocket.
• Ruakuri: you walk “over 1 km”, including “a descent and ascent of around 50 metres” on the spiral ramp. There’s one low point where the ceiling is about 130 cm, and you cross a road and walk an unsealed driveway to the entrance. Water “dripping from the ceiling at times” is why a shower-proof layer beats a cotton hoodie.

Planning your cave day? Our guide to what Waitomo costs has the prices, and Discover Waitomo sells the Glowworm Cave and Ruakuri together as the Most Popular Combo for NZD 179.

What should I wear for Spellbound?

A warm top or jacket, trainers and your camera. That’s the operator’s own list. You’ll need to “walk gently, unaided for up 45 minutes”, and the glowworm section includes a 20-minute raft ride where you sit still in the cool. We’d wear long pants and a fleece even in January. Wear shoes you don’t mind getting a bit muddy on the farm, and use the toilet before you set off (there’s a tea-and-biscuit stop between the caves). From Auckland, Spellbound is also sold as the Auckland: Spellbound, Waitomo Glowworm Caves Explorer Tour ($174, 4.8/5 from 165 reviews).

What should I wear for black water rafting at Waitomo?

Swimwear under the provided wetsuit. That’s all you wear underground. Everything else in your bag is for afterwards. Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. puts it plainly: “Good vibes, a pair of swimwear and a towel is all you will need to bring with you.”

What goes under the wetsuit?

• Swimwear (togs). A one-piece, or snug trunks or briefs, is more comfortable under a thick wetsuit than baggy board shorts.
• Socks: these depend on the operator. The Waitomo Experience (Okohua) asks for old socks for your gumboots (“these will get wet”). Waitomo Adventures asks for long thick socks. Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. doesn’t list socks on its site; one detailed blog review says socks and a fleece were issued on the Labyrinth. Throw in an old pair of woollen socks anyway. They weigh nothing.
• No jacket: “You will not need a jacket on black water rafting tours as you will be in a wetsuit!”

What do they provide?

At Legendary Black Water Rafting Co.: a wetsuit, gumboots, helmet, headlight and tube, plus abseiling devices and safety gear on the Black Abyss. There are separate male and female changing rooms with hot showers, and lockers “to safely stow your belongings while you are underground.” Many reviewers mention hot soup and a bagel afterwards, and the operator’s Tripadvisor profile mentions “hot soup on bagels, on us.” Expect it, but don’t count on it.

What should I bring for after?

• A towel. “Towels are not supplied, you must bring your own.” The retail store sells them. A large microfibre quick-dry towel is light, packs small and dries in the car.
• Shower gel and shampoo (the operator says “if desired”), plus a hairbrush. Several reviewers say soap wasn’t supplied.
• A full change of warm clothes, including dry underwear and a warm top. The operator’s safety page says it straight: “You’ll likely be wet and cold after your adventure.”
• A dry bag or bin bag for the wet swimwear and towel. A roll-top dry bag of 10–20 litres can live in the boot.
• Jandals (flip-flops) for the shower floor and the car. These are fine at the base, just not in the caves.

Can I take my phone or GoPro black water rafting?

Not with Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. Its terms say “Cameras and GoPro’s cannot be taken on this tour for safety reasons,” and its tour page says filming is “strictly prohibited”. Guides take photos you can buy afterwards. The Waitomo Experience (Okohua) and Down to Earth include free photos, and Down to Earth lets you bring a phone in a secure pocket it provides. A waterproof phone pouch is useful at the base and on the farm walks, but don’t rely on it to take a phone underground.

To compare the wet trips, read our guide to black water rafting at Waitomo and our Black Labyrinth review. The Labyrinth is on GetYourGuide as the Waitomo Caves: Labyrinth Black Water Rafting Experience (from $113).

What should I wear for Okohua (The Waitomo Experience)?

Swimsuit, towel, old socks and a change of clothes. They supply the wetsuit, gumboots, helmet, headlamp and tube, plus lockers, hot showers and a cedar hot tub, and you can wear your swimsuit straight into the tub. Bring snacks: the operator notes “there are no shops or cafes nearby”. The access road is gravel and mobile reception is patchy, so download directions before you leave. The Okohua Glowworm Cave Tour costs $151 on GetYourGuide.

What should I wear for the Lost World?

Dry trips and wet trips need different kit. The Lost World Half Day (the 100 m abseil) and Through the Window are dry trips. Wear “loose fitting, comfortable adventure clothing (not Jeans) and long thick socks suitable for bush walking”. Overalls, PVC boots and the rest are provided, and you can “arrive in your street clothes and get changed onsite.” The All Day Epic is a wet trip: bring swimwear, long thick socks, a towel and toiletries. Lunch and a BBQ dinner are included.

What shoes should I wear at Waitomo Caves?

Closed-toe trainers or walking shoes with real tread, for every dry cave. Cave walkways are damp, Ruakuri drips, the Glowworm Cave has 100 stairs, and the DOC Ruakuri Walk has “many stairs and some steep sections” that “can be muddy and slippery”. Don’t wear heels. Jandals and sandals aren’t banned by any official rule we found, but we wouldn’t wear them in any cave.

For the wet trips, boots are provided (gumboots or PVC boots) by every operator, so your own shoes only need to get you from the car to the changing room. Grippy trail-running shoes work for the caves and for Hobbiton’s cobbles and dirt paths.

Can I bring a bag into Waitomo Caves?

Keep it small, or leave it in the car or a locker.

• Ruakuri: “Backpacks are not permitted in the cave without prior approval of cave staff.” Camera gear “must be compact and contained”.
• Glowworm Cave: we found no official bag rule. Food, drink and photos aren’t allowed inside anyway, so carry only your pockets and a small crossbody bag, and ask at check-in.
• Wet trips: use the lockers (Legendary Black Water Rafting Co., The Waitomo Experience). Any size of bag works for your change of clothes.
• Hobbiton: you carry everything you bring for the whole tour. Large or bulky luggage can go in locked storage at The Shire’s Rest.

Tripods and drones: tripods are banned at Hobbiton, and at Ruakuri without approval (there’s a dedicated Ruakuri photography tour, and Down to Earth runs a photography tour too). Hobbiton bans drones outright. We found no drone statement from Discover Waitomo. Don’t fly over the caves, villages or DOC reserves without checking the DOC and CAA rules first.

Can I wear glasses or contact lenses black water rafting?

Usually yes, at your own risk. Disposable contacts are the safer choice. The clearest policy comes from Waitomo Adventures: it recommends you “do not wear eye-glasses during our action activities – unless your impaired vision will compromise your safety”, but says “It is however possible to wear them, provided appropriate care is taken.” Contacts “can sometimes become lost – especially when under a waterfall. We therefore recommend the use of disposable contact lenses.” If you wear glasses, they “must [be] secured to you at all times”.

Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. publishes no glasses or contacts policy that we could find. Its page lists “serious visual or auditory impairment” among the conditions to discuss before booking, so call them (0800 228 464) if you rely on glasses. A sports retainer strap and a spare pair of daily disposables in the car cover most cases.

Hearing aids, jewellery and watches: we found no official rule. Take off rings, earrings and watches that aren’t waterproof and lock them away, because you’ll be climbing and swimming in cold water. The operator’s terms say it “cannot accept any responsibility for injury or property loss/damage.”

Medical items, health and pregnancy

• Inhalers and medication: declare conditions when you book. Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. asks guests with “knee or ankle issues, heart problems, asthma, or significant back or neck issues” to consult a doctor before booking. Waitomo Adventures requires “All medical issues” to be declared to both booking staff and guides. Ask your guide how they’ll carry essential medication underground.
• Pregnancy: Waitomo Adventures “strongly recommend[s] against caving while pregnant”. It accepts clients in the second trimester only with a GP’s medical certificate, and recommends against abseiling in the first and third trimesters. For the dry show caves, the Ruakuri risk disclosure asks anyone with health concerns to talk to staff first. We found no specific pregnancy rule for Legendary Black Water Rafting Co., so ask.
• Motion sickness: not an issue on the flat-water Glowworm Cave boat or the Spellbound raft. For the winding drive to Waitomo and Hobbiton, pack your usual remedy.
• Fitness tests: Waitomo Adventures may ask you to “step up and down a 20 cm (8 inches) step not less than 45 times in 60 seconds” if a guide doubts your fitness. You can’t pack for that, but it helps to know.

What should kids wear, and can I bring a pram or baby carrier?

Kids need the same kit: a warm layer and grippy shoes. For babies, the rules differ by cave.

• Ruakuri: the most pram-friendly cave. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are welcome up to 65 cm wide and 130 cm high, on a gradient no steeper than 1:10. The preferred options are “pushchairs, front carriers, or holding an adult’s hand”, and “Child carriers worn on the back are not permitted inside the cave without prior approval.”
• Glowworm Cave and Aranui: these have “good handrails and paths but [do] not have wheelchair access”. The Glowworm Cave has 100 stairs, so plan on a carrier, not a pram. Under-4s go free but must be booked. Parts of the tour need quiet, and if a child gets unsettled your guide will advise you.
• Spellbound: a family reviewer says you can’t take a pram, so use a backpack-style carrier.
• Hobbiton: strollers are allowed if “fully collapsible” and able to fit the bus luggage hold. Paths are cobbles and dirt, and twin strollers aren’t recommended.
• Wet-trip minimums: Black Labyrinth 12+ (45 kg), Black Abyss 16+, Okohua 12+ with a caregiver aged 18 or over (one magazine says 13, so check), Lost World Half Day 10+, Lost World Epic and Haggas 15+.
• For the kids’ bag: spare clothes, a hat, sunscreen, snacks, and a small torch for the night glowworm walk (a red-light setting is ideal).

Our guide to Waitomo with kids has the full age and weight breakdown.

What should I wear to Hobbiton in summer (same day as Waitomo)?

Dress for sun first, rain second. Hobbiton’s own FAQ says: “In the Summer months, we recommend sunscreen and a hat as the sun can become quite hot, as well as making sure you are well hydrated.” Tours run in all weather, “Umbrellas are provided in the event of rain”, and enclosed footwear is “highly recommend[ed]”. There isn’t much shade on the set, so bring a wide-brim hat that survives being stuffed into a daypack.

The combo-day trick: wear the cave outfit (trainers, shorts or light pants, a T-shirt) all day. Keep the fleece or rain shell in your daypack for Waitomo, and put the sunscreen on before Hobbiton, not after. If you’re adding black water rafting, the wet kit stays in the car until you reach the rafting base. You’ll need ID if you want a drink at the Green Dragon (a passport, NZ driver licence or HospoCard).

For route planning, see our Hobbiton movie set tours page, the Hobbiton and Waitomo combo guide and Auckland to Rotorua via Waitomo and Hobbiton. The most-reviewed combined day trip on GetYourGuide is the From Auckland: Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Day Trip with Lunch (4.9/5 from 3,072 reviews, from $202).

What to pack in the car for a Waitomo summer day

• Water bottles and snacks. Food in Waitomo village is limited, and some operators (Okohua, Down to Earth) are out on farms with no café.
• SPF50+ sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. Reapply after any wet trip.
• Insect repellent. We found no Waitomo-specific sandfly or mosquito warning from an official source, but both occur across New Zealand, and bush walks at dusk are where you’d notice them. A small bottle costs little.
• A torch for the free night glowworm walk. DOC says to “Take a torch if visiting at night” on the Ruakuri Walk, and that the best glowworms are “beside the main bridge”. Use a headlamp with a red-light mode, and switch it off when you stop so your eyes adjust (that’s common glowworm etiquette, not a DOC rule).
• A dry bag or bin bag, a spare towel and a seat cover for wet-trip days.
• A warm hoodie for after dark. Summer lows sit in the low teens.
• Payment: cards are widely used. We couldn’t confirm that every small operator takes cards, so carry a little cash for small farm-based outfits and honesty boxes.
• Offline maps. Reception is patchy on back roads. Our guide to getting to Waitomo has the directions and addresses.

What to pack on a rainy summer day

Rain rarely changes the dry caves: you’re underground, and Hobbiton hands out umbrellas. Add a rain shell, a spare pair of socks and a towel for the car seats. The wet trips are the exception, because heavy rain can raise stream levels and change or cancel them. Waitomo Adventures says the Lost World Epic “is sometimes closed by flooding”. Read our page on Waitomo rain, cancellations and refunds before you go.

Printable checklists

1. First-timer day trip (dry caves only)

• Closed-toe trainers with grip
• A light fleece or packable rain jacket
• Phone (for photos in Ruakuri and Aranui; it stays in your pocket in the Glowworm Cave)
• A small crossbody bag, not a backpack
• Water and snacks (eat outside the caves)
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat
• Booking confirmation and check-in times (arrive 30 minutes early)

2. Black water rafting

• Swimwear (wear it under your clothes to save time)
• Towel (not supplied)
• Old woollen socks
• Shower gel, shampoo, hairbrush
• A full change of warm clothes plus dry underwear
• A dry bag or bin bag for wet gear
• Jandals for the shower and the car
• Daily disposable contacts, or glasses on a strap
• A light meal beforehand and a snack for after
• Leave in the locker: phone, GoPro, jewellery, watch

3. Family with kids

• Grippy shoes and a warm layer for every child
• A front carrier for babies (no back carriers in Ruakuri without approval), or a pram up to 65 cm wide for Ruakuri
• Spare clothes and wipes
• Hats, SPF50+, water, snacks
• A small torch for the evening glowworm walk
• Ages and weights checked against each tour

4. Hobbiton and Waitomo combo day

• Trainers that handle cobbles, dirt and damp cave paths
• A wide-brim hat and SPF50+ (Hobbiton has little shade)
• A fleece or rain shell for the caves
• A water bottle (refill at lunch)
• Photo ID for a drink at the Green Dragon
• One small daypack (you carry it for the whole Hobbiton tour; no tripods or drones)
• Optional: the full wet-trip kit if you’re adding rafting

5. Overnight stay

• Everything above, plus a headlamp for the Ruakuri Walk after dark
• A warm layer for the evening (summer lows in the low teens)
• A laundry bag for damp gear and a towel to dry overnight
• Insect repellent for dusk walks
• A bed booked early: our guide to where to stay in Waitomo compares the options

Common mistakes (from forums and reviews)

1. Forgetting the towel. It’s the most common rafting slip-up, and the reason the retail store sells towels.
2. Wearing only a T-shirt on a hot day. You’ll feel the cave chill most in the first ten minutes and on the boat.
3. Underestimating the cold after rafting. Bring warm clothes for afterwards. Reviewers of the five-hour Abyss also suggest a light lunch beforehand.
4. Planning to film the grotto. No photos in the Glowworm Cave, and no phones on Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. trips. Book Ruakuri, Spellbound, Okohua or Down to Earth if photos matter to you.
5. Bringing a backpack to Ruakuri. It’s not allowed without approval, so leave it in the car.
6. Turning up with a big pram at the Glowworm Cave. There are 100 stairs. Go to Ruakuri or bring a carrier.
7. Skipping sunscreen because “it’s a cave day.” The walks to the caves and the Hobbiton tour are in strong summer sun.
8. Running late. Check in 30 minutes before for Discover Waitomo tours (15 for Okohua), and remember that the Ruakuri and Glowworm Cave centres are in different places.

About “don’t wear white”: we found no operator rule. A dark top is a kind gesture during glowworm viewing (one travel blog suggests it), and white clothes can come back muddy from farm and cave trips. It’s a tip, not a rule.

FAQ

What should I wear to Waitomo Caves? Closed-toe shoes with grip and a warm layer. Discover Waitomo recommends “comfortable shoes and a warm jacket” for the Glowworm, Ruakuri and Aranui cave tours. Shorts and a T-shirt are fine underneath.

What is the temperature in Waitomo Caves? About 15–16°C all year. Discover Waitomo’s FAQ says the Glowworm Cave is 16°C and its Ruakuri safety page says around 15°C. The underground water on rafting trips is colder, at about 10–15°C.

Do I need a jacket for Waitomo Caves in summer? Yes for the walking caves, because they’re several degrees cooler than a typical summer afternoon. No for black water rafting, where you wear a wetsuit the operator provides.

What should I bring for black water rafting? Swimwear, a towel (not supplied), toiletries, a full change of warm clothes and a bag for wet gear. The wetsuit, gumboots, helmet, headlight and tube are provided, and there are lockers and hot showers on site.

Can I bring my phone into Waitomo Caves? You can carry it, but photos and video aren’t allowed in the Waitomo Glowworm Cave or on Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. tours. Cameras and GoPros are allowed in Ruakuri and Aranui, and phones are welcome at Spellbound and Down to Earth.

Can I wear glasses black water rafting? Generally yes, at your own risk. Waitomo Adventures advises against glasses unless you need them for safety, says they must be secured, and recommends disposable contacts because lenses can be lost under waterfalls. Check with Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. directly.

Can I wear jandals or sandals in Waitomo Caves? We found no official ban, but don’t. Paths are damp and slippery and the Glowworm Cave has 100 stairs. Wear trainers. On wet trips, boots are provided.

Can I bring a backpack into Waitomo Caves? Not into Ruakuri without staff approval. Keep to a small bag for the Glowworm Cave (we found no official rule), and use the lockers on wet trips.

Can I take a pram into Waitomo Caves? Into Ruakuri, yes, up to 65 cm wide and 130 cm high. The Glowworm Cave and Aranui aren’t wheelchair accessible (the Glowworm Cave has 100 stairs), so use a front carrier. Back carriers need approval in Ruakuri.

What should I wear to Hobbiton in summer? Comfortable enclosed shoes, a sun hat and sunscreen, and bring water. Hobbiton provides umbrellas if it rains. Drones and tripods aren’t allowed.

Is there anywhere to buy a towel or food at Waitomo? Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. sells towels in its retail store. Food in the village is limited, and farm-based operators like The Waitomo Experience have no café nearby, so bring snacks.

Sources we checked

• Discover Waitomo (waitomo.com): the FAQ (what to bring, 16°C in the Glowworm Cave, 100 stairs, towels not supplied, lockers and showers, photo rules, access); the Ruakuri risk disclosure (around 15°C, backpacks, tripods, 65 cm and 130 cm, back carriers); the black water rafting health and safety page and tour pages (what to bring, gear provided, health conditions, age and weight); the terms and conditions valid 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027 (no cameras or GoPros on rafting, no food, drink or photos in the Glowworm Cave); the Top 10 Tips page (12–14°C).
• Waitomo Adventures (waitomo.co.nz): the safety overview (glasses and contacts, pregnancy, fitness tests, the 110 kg limit, equipment, flooding) and the tour pages (clothing, socks).
• The Waitomo Experience: the Okohua page and blog (swimsuit, towel, old socks, gear provided, lockers, no cafés nearby) and its i-SITE listing (facilities, check-in).
• Spellbound (glowworm.co.nz) tour pages; Down to Earth (glowing.co.nz) FAQ and tour pages; Hobbiton (hobbitontours.com) FAQ, tour pages and terms; the DOC Ruakuri Walk page.
• NIWA UV Index information and the Ministry for the Environment UV report.
• Climate figures come from aggregators (World Weather Online, weather-and-climate.com, climate-data.org) that disagree with each other, so they’re approximate. Forum and blog advice (Tripadvisor, Going Awesome Places, family travel blogs) is used only for tips.