Waipu Caves Track
Waipu Caves Track
Your Nature Guide
Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
Nau mai, haere mai
I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.
I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!
Maps
Information
The Waipu Caves area features a karst / limestone landscape and weathered rocks. The term "karst" refers to a type of topography that is formed over limestone, dolomite or gypsum by solution of the rock and is characterized by closed depressions or sinkholes, caves and underground drainage.
The natural heritage values of karst areas are high as Karst surface landforms provide a variety of habitats for plant species that are restricted to or favour growing on calcareous soils. They also provide refuges for species that were once more widely spread throughout the landscape.
These areas are important sites for geological, geomorphological, palaeontological and climatological studies.
Access
From S.H.1 at Waipu, follow Shoemaker Road and turn left into unsealed Waipu Caves Road. After 500 metres veer right into Ormiston Road (unsealed). The start of the track is signposted from a small parking bay 13km from Waipu.
The caves are reached by continuing 6km along Waipu Caves Road from the junction with Shoemaker Road. The small parking bay has toilets nearby. The caves are marked at the far side of the paddock, a 2-minute walk from the parking bay.
Track
From Ormiston Road, the track is marked with orange posts. Climb the undulating ridge over grass paddocks for 30 minutes. The track enters regenerating podocarp forest (10 minutes) before dropping down a muddy track to the caves.
Geology
The limestone is moderately hard and fine grained and composed of around 80% calcium carbonate. It is a coarse rock, composed of foraminifera (tiny calcareous sea dwelling creatures) and broken shell fragments, with many recognisable fossils. It probably formed as a shell bank in a shallow sea, thus preserving its structure.
Acid dissolved in percolating groundwater has slowly sculpted the caves, which now form a magnificent cavern, easily accessible near the entrance. Take care around the entrance as the rock can be slippery where water dripping from stalactites has left a wet film on the rock below.
Fauna
Caves provide habitats or shelter for a suite of animal species with varying degrees of reliance on or adaptation to dark, cool, moist conditions with low daily variability.
Bones of bats, birds, amphibians and reptiles are commonly found in caves. Some caves also contain remains of fossil invertebrates, often of previously unknown or locally extinct species.
Polynesian History
Karst landscapes are of particular significance to Maori, which is enshrined in the tikanga and kawa (sacred customs and ceremonies) of those with the whakapapa to talk about them.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Waipu |
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Categories |
Contact
Reviews
Showing 13 reviews of 28.
Carina Weber
Ranking: 7/10
For free! Follow the water, otherwise you are getting quite dirty - it is really muddy and slippery. Do not wear good clothes!
MARK CURPHEY
Ranking: 10/10
Well signposted from State Highway 1. Head torch and boots are needed. The last 10km to the cave are gravel tracks.
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Breanna Alexander
Ranking: 3/10
Wouldn't recommend doing the whole walk... first five minutes you will find the caves.. then after that you should turn back. If you decide to do the rest of the walk be prepared to walk up very steep hills (for a very long time) to get to nothing special at the top - don't really see the point of the walk. The caves are at the bottom. Again, up to you, but I wouldn't recommend this walk.
Igor Pretzer
Ranking: 7/10
These caves are a great alternative to the Waitomo Caves. The Waipu Caves are for free and easy to access. There is a stream and there are also glowworms in the cave.
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Michelle Smit
Ranking: 7/10
We only visited the caves, which were okay. Be prepared to get wet feet (even to get to the caves through the paddock) and make sure you take a strong torch (my headlamp was only just good enough.) Glow worms were good, especially if you haven't seen them before. The karst landscapes are very interesting.
The road in from the southern end via Shoemakers Road was very narrow, only one lane for much of it, so not really suitable for motorhomes - we held our breaths praying we wouldn't meet another vehicle. The northern access was much more accessible. Presumably the paddock is normally used for carparking, but because it was so wet it wasn't usable. The carpark on the road was all but full when we were there.
Gerbrand Smidt
Ranking: 7/10
Steep walk through nice forest. I am only reviewing the walk, so I have not included the amazing glowworm caves. Just the caves would be satisfying enough though.
Leon Grummer
Ranking: 10/10
It is a gravel road to get there but the caves are amazing. It is really slippery, but it is easy to access, you have to go to the end of the cave to see glowworms. Looks so beautiful!
Thank You - to the thousands of travellers that have contributed to our Top Voted NZ Activities Map - it's free from Rankers.
Patrick Thumeyer
Ranking: 9/10
As good as Waitomo and for free! Just go there.
Jane Simmons
Ranking: 10/10
We just walked from the carpark into the cave - 2 mins walk. Beautiful cave, many more glow worms than I expected. Would take a stronger torch next time so we could explore further. We were a bit nervous of our battery running out, but still got to see a lot and would highly recommend this FREE experience.
Pierre Alexandre
Ranking: 8/10
A must see to see the glowworms for free! After 15 minutes you are on the bottom of the cave where there are a lot of glowworms under a river.
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Catharina Cuntz
Ranking: 9/10
A long gravel road but worth it, we did not do the walk just the cave and it was stunning and absolutely free. Experienced beautiful glowworm filled ceilings. It is muddy and dark in the cave, be prepared. Toilets at the parking area.
Ruven Rintelmann
Ranking: 10/10
Glowworms for free with lots of glowworms. You really need good shoes and a good torch, because it is really slippery and dark.
Christoph Herrmann
Ranking: 6/10
Beautiful track, big free caves but awful signage. The three caves are hard to find, there are no signs showing the entry of a cave nor the way to the next one. Still a very beautiful walk with stunning views, glowworms picnic areas and three huge caves to explore.
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Thanks to all the good people working for the NZ Department of Conservation - for all your hard work - making NZ more beautiful, accessable and healthy! Cheers 😍
