Even on the cloudiest night, the New Zealand glowworm lights up the darkness in a lucky few spots across the country. This short evening bush-walk departing from Rotorua involves a short drive, a walk through picturesque native bush and the chance to see these increasingly rare creatures. Tack this tour onto the end of a thrilling day in Rotorua instead of hiring a car for an almost two-hour drive west to visit the exceedingly popular Waitomo Caves. This is one of the easiest ways to experience Aotearoa’s unique glowworm habitats.

Navigate the bush with ease on this fully-guided tour
Focus on glowworms, not getting there, with return hotel transfers included
Glowworms love gloomy nights: this is the perfect activity when the weather isn’t great
Enjoy the chance to see other wildlife, including wallabies and possums

What's Included

Driver/guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Light refreshments

Nothing

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

1167 Fenton Street
1167 Fenton Street, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand
Outside the information center. I will be in a silver Ford transit mini van

Start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

Opening hours

6/2/2020 - 10/19/2024
Monday - Sunday : 07:00 PM - 08:00 PM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Lake Rotorua (Pass By)

Redwoods, Whakarewarewa Forest (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
A maximum of 9 people per booking

Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

Operated by Real Rotorua

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Ulrike_K

Stephen is a great guide!!!!! He explained the different types of vegetation in a very professional way The glow worms are beautiful

Reviews

5.0

355 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 355 reviews

Glow worms!

sonia_t, Sept 2023

Although the weather was looking a little miserable, it made the trip more memorable. Our tour guide was super informative about rotorua, the foliage and much more. During our walks we spotted wallaby’s and got amazing videos of them. We also got to see wētās, giant silver ferns and of course glow worms. Because of the weather they glowed so much more than usual, we were spotting many before we even reached the cave. Our guide took stunning photographs of us and our group.

Amazing tour

Ulrike_K, Sept 2023

Stephen is a great guide!!!!! He explained the different types of vegetation in a very professional way The glow worms are beautiful

Response from Host, Sept 2023

Thanks for the kind words Ulrike. A pleasure having you both join me in the forest. All the best. Cheers Stephen

Serene New Zealand forest glow worm and wildlife night walk.

Josh_D, Sept 2023

Amazing serene night walkabout. Stephen was amazing and very knowledgeable and this was a super interesting small group tour. Seeing all the wildlife in the NZ forest was a highlight, possums, wallaby’s, west bugs, and not to mention GLOW WORMS. The ambiance of the worms in the forest was like nothing I’ve ever seen, something straight out of Avatar, highly recommend to anyone wanting to see this amazing spectacle!! Stephen also brought some yummy hot homemade chocolate and biscuits for the end of the hike while we sat under the stars. Thanks so much!!

Response from Host, Sept 2023

Avatar for sure! an incredible display of nature at its finest. Nice to hear you loved everything out there. All the best Josh. Cheers Stephen

Amazing trip in a starry night

Alice_L, Aug 2023

We had a great time. Stephen is a very good guide that I would recommend to everyone. He is very knowledgeable and is very passionate to his work, this definite made our tour more enjoyable. The weather was cold but the sky was very clear, it was so wonderful to see worm glowing in a starry night, quiet and amazing.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thanks Alice for joining me and we got the best of both worlds, the stars and glow worms both looking amazing . All the best for your future adventures. cheers Stephen

Fantastic!

Mike_B, Aug 2023

Highly recommended. A unique opportunity to experience pristine forrest and waterfalls at night. The best example of glow worms I've seen. Professional and well organised, small group tour.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thanks Mike appreciate the review. Certainly an awesome display of glow worms for sure. all the best Cheers Stephen

Night Time Advensure

Michael_H, Aug 2023

There is probably only one person I would Trust to take us walking in the woods at night, and that would be Stephen! He is extremely knowledgeable. We had a good time exploring the forest and seeing some glow worms! I highly recommend if you are up for some adventure.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thanks Michael for venturing out with me and recommending the experience. Great to hear you enjoyed yourselves. All the best. Cheers Stephen

Wonderful experience!

Katie_H, Jul 2023

This night walk was a delight. Stephen was knowledgeable, friendly, and well-prepared. The glow worms were great, but the forest itself was magical. Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Magical place for sure. So nice to read you enjoyed the experience. Happy travels. Cheers Stephen

Excellent evening tour!

Jade_A, Jul 2023

Very informative and enjoyable tour. The small group format allows you to ask a lot of questions and get some nice pictures. We learned a lot about the local trees and animals and, of course, saw so many glow worms!

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thanks Jade for choosing my tour and awesome to see you were not disappointed. Glow worms, so many for sure. All the best. Cheers Stephen

Thumbs up for this adventure.

Kate_R, Jul 2023

Peter is simply wonderful and provides a personal, unique experience. With good humor and much knowledge, he shares his passion for the beauty of the forest at night and the magic of the glow worms. It could not have been better. Thank you!!

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thanks kate always nice to receive such positive reviews. All the best for your future adventures. Cheers Stephen

An absolute must do if in Rotorua

Erin_E, Jun 2023

Honestly one of the best experiences we had in New Zealand! We booked and were unsure of what the whole experience entailed. My husband is a high school science teacher who teaches AP Environmental Science as well as Honors Zoology. We were out trekking with a solo traveler and a family with three young children, so we weren’t really sure what to expect. Steve does an increase job! He is so familiar with the terrain and all of its species. Every one of us on the tour was entertained and walked away with so much knowledge! I HIGHLY recommend this tour!

Response from Host, Jun 2023

Thanks Erin that is so awesome. It was an entertaining night in more than one way for sure. Thanks for recommending my tour. All the best. Cheers Stephen

Amazing activity

Carine_B, Jun 2023

Best activity we did in Rotorua! Great guide, easy transportation, beautiful glow worms and other nocturnal creatures.

Response from Host, Jun 2023

That's great to hear that my tour was your favourite in Rotorua. Thanks for sharing your experience. Happy travels. Cheers Stephen

Fun and unique tour!

kelliehansell, May 2023

This was a very fun and unique tour. Stephen was a wonderful guide and taught us a lot and we really appreciated the photos he took on the tour. Thanks, Stephen!

Response from Host, May 2023

Your welcome and thanks for joining me. All the best. Cheers stephen

Fantastic Adventure

memason, May 2023

Fantastic fun and wonderfully informational. Would recommend Stephen as a guide. Excellent knowledge of the forest , it's inhabitants and Nee Zealand.

Response from Host, May 2023

Thanks for recommending myself and for choosing and supporting small group experiences. All the best for your future adventures. Cheers Stephen

Amazing Adventure

laughsalot0579, May 2023

This was a fantastic tour! Stephen the guide and owner went above and beyond. I felt this was both informative and fun! Highly recommend for both natives and tourists!

Response from Host, May 2023

Awesome to hear , keeps me doing what I do. Happy travels. Cheers Stephen

A very special tour

Zena_W, Apr 2023

Steve is an excellent tour leader and his knowledge and enthusiasm make the nocturnal tour a must-do if you are in Rotorua. It was amazing to see the glow worms and to be immersed in the forest by night.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Thanks Zena for braving the weather and of course we were rewarded for doing so. I love a rainy night and only to happy to have shared it with you both whilst staying dry. happy travels. Cheers Stephen

A wildlife walk in forest Primeval.

GAIL_G, Apr 2023

Steve was an informative and charming host. He has an incredible sense of humor. He did everything to make our excursion convenient and exciting. He provided us with all the equipment we needed. At the end of our delightful hike, he served us delicious hot cocoa and cookies. What more could you want.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Thanks Gail, great to hear you enjoyed all aspects of the experience and yeah that hot chocolate is pretty mmmmmm yum if I do say so myself . cheers Stephen

fun evening

Nid_M, Mar 2023

a fun way to spend the evening; glow worms (up close and personal), stars, bugs, hedgehogs and wallabies!!

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks Nid, You never know what you may see and that is what I love about the forest and great to see you enjoyed it as well. All the best. Cheers Stephen

Absolutely Stunning

Karen_S, Mar 2023

My husband and I have literally been on scores of tours in many different cities/countries and this one is definitely in our top five ever. Stephen is an excellent guide and clearly has a passion for what he does. He has researched the best equipment for touring the forest at night and you get to see so much more than glow worms, although, when it comes to them, I truly have no words. I didn’t post pictures because there’s just no way to do the experience justice. It’s important to note that this is a walking tour, so you really get to see everything, including the worms, up close. Thank you Stephen for an amazing experience.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Your welcome Karen, awesome to hear you enjoyed all aspects of the experience and yes no photo could capture all we saw. Thanks for supporting small business like my self. All the best. Cheers Stephen

glow-worm tour

janusz_P, Mar 2023

Stephen Julian provided an unforgettable experience, he took his time to show and describe the surroundings to us all along the trip. He provided us even with rubber boots to walk in the forest, at the end there was hot chocolate and cookies! Glow worms were very excited and unique. Among other living creatures we sow wallabies! We recommend Stephen and his services wholeheartedly. Cheers!

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks for recommending my tour and taking the time to share it. Lots of surprises along the trail, a pleasure to share it all with you. Happy travels. Cheers stephen

Costly

Helen_K, Mar 2023

Steve was an excellent guide. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience 100%. However we probably won't go through Viator again as it was expensive converting NZ currency to USA to pay for 2 of our tours.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Great to hear you enjoyed the experiences. Happy travels cheers Stephen