Firefly Cave or Underground Sky. Waitomo Cave - the magical world of fireflies Where is the firefly cave
Two million years - this age has natural miracle light, one of the attractions of evergreen and so distant New Zealand. This work of art has several authors. The main part of this work was carried out every day by the world ocean for many hundreds of years. He developed plans for intricate labyrinths, crevices, passages and caves, carved out small details of vaults and walls like a skilled jeweler, gradually washing away the limestone layer from the depths of the earth. The design of the walls of the Waitomo caves allows you to study ancient manifestations of life: the walls abound with the fossilized remains of fish and corals. The design of nature is complemented by stalactites and stalagmites growing here for many years. The magical atmosphere is complemented by pleasant music that can be heard almost from underground.
When the ocean finished designing its brainchild and withdrew its waters from Waitomo Cave, the local fauna took over. The space was filled with unique creatures - Arachnocampa Luminos, fungus gnats, most their lives existing in the form of larvae. The most important function of the larvae is to constantly obtain food. They eat small insects, which are attracted to the larvae by the glow and fall into the thinnest silk threads on which the Arachnocampa are suspended.
Some biologists have determined that the brighter the glow, the stronger the feeling of hunger of these animals. According to another version of researchers, mosquitoes feed on fungal spores, and the reason for the glow is unknown. When a person approaches or when danger is sensed, the fireflies can briefly turn off the lighting. Green and blue shades of light make the slopes of the grottoes look like the southern starry sky with unique constellations.
Excursions to Waitomo Cave for amateurs and extreme sports enthusiasts
Waitomo Caves are located on the northern island of the archipelago New Zealand, not far from the village of the same name and 12 kilometers south of settlement Te Kuiti. Organized for tourists sightseeing tours of varying degrees of difficulty with a mandatory visit to the two main caves: Glowworm and Aranui. The walks include walking through several levels and boat trips deep into the site.
The road towards the Waitomo Firefly Cave is also interesting. Busloads of travelers traverse the grassy hills of Bombay and the expanse of the Waikato plains. This area is familiar to all fans of fantasy cinema - here director Peter Jackson filmed his famous trilogy about the adventures of the hobbit and his friends. The duration of excursions varies - from 4 to 8 hours with mandatory lunch. For extreme sports enthusiasts, we offer exciting rafting Black Water Rafting. The average cost of an excursion for an adult is $200-300.
How to get there on your own
First of all, you need to get to the city Te Kuiti. The easiest way to do this is by railway to North Island Main Trunk Station by train, which departs from railway stations cities Wellington or Auckland. In Te Kuiti you can rent a car (travel time 10 minutes) or walk. By car from Auckland the trip will take 2 hours, from Hamilton - a leisurely 1 hour drive.
The entrance to the caves is open from nine in the morning until half past five in the evening, without weekends or holidays. While in the cave, it is prohibited to take photographs, shoot videos, or use mobile phone(it must be turned off) and talk loudly. It is recommended to wear loose, light clothing and waterproof shoes, and also take a raincoat with you - there is water everywhere in the caves. Ticket prices at the attraction's box office start at $30 per person.
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In New Zealand on the North Island in 1887, the leader of the Maori tribe Tane Tinorau and the English inspector Mace opened Firefly Cave. After a thorough exploration of the Firefly Cave, the discoverers discovered the upper level, which is the main level in our time.
Tane Tinorau and Mace, under artificial light on a raft, entered the Firefly Cave, and were amazed by the majestic beauty of the Firefly Grotto and the bizarre shapes of the cave. In 1889, the Firefly Cave received its first visitors. The guide for this excursion was the Maori chief Tane Tinorau. The descendants of the leader still take an active part in the management and modernization of the tourism business.
Firefly Cave has three levels, which are united by a 16-meter vertical shaft. The tour starts from the first level, represented by the catacombs. The second level was called the Banquet Chamber, the third goes deep into the Cathedral, which is Big hall with a vault height of about 18 meters, with good acoustic properties.
The excursion route follows the Waitomo River and crosses the Firefly Grotto. Great amount insects creates the illusion of a starry night sky. Thousands of tourists from all over the world come to the Firefly Cave to see this indescribable picture. Fireflies are mosquito-sized insects called Arachnocampa luminosa. Fireflies live only in New Zealand.
On the territory of New Zealand there is a whole network of Waitomo caves, uniting caves: Ruakuri, Aranui and famous Cave Fireflies. The formation of these caves lasted about 30 million years. The Firefly Cave consists of corals, so there is an assumption that its formation began under the ocean.
In the grottoes and cave halls a large number of stalactites and stalagmites, which were formed with the help of water that dripped from the roof of the cave. With the help of these drops, stalactites and stalagmites are connected into columns of bizarre shapes.
New Zealand's caves are a center for speleology. These caves host speleological competitions, which are held in hard-to-reach places along routes of increased complexity that are not accessible to ordinary tourists. Travel companies have developed easily accessible, but no less interesting routes for tourists.
Firefly Cave
Firefly Cave in Waitomo . It is one of New Zealand's world-famous attractions and a magnet for both local and international visitors.
This is a cave of incredible beauty, in which small fireflies create an amazing spectacle, similar to a sky full of bright blue stars.
Similar glow can be seen in other places in New Zealand. But there is no doubt that no other place has such a beautiful glow of fireflies as in Waitomo.
This amazing blue-green glow occurs thanks to tiny phosphorescent creatures - fireflies Arachnocampa luminosa, which have chosen this cave.
These fireflies can only be seen in New Zealand.
In fact, fireflies are insects whose larvae glow in the dark and live in fairly high humidity conditions.
This amazing cave is located in southern region Waikato, on the North Island of New Zealand near the town of Waitomo. This town is located three hours from and 1 hour south of Hamilton.
This cave is also famous for its underground river, which allows visitors to board a boat and admire the magical glow of fireflies as they float through the dark cave.
Firefly Cave(Glow Worm Caves), along with the caves of Ruakuri, Aranui and Gardner’s Gut, is part of a system of branched karst caves Waitomo Caves, which are famous for their amazing stalactite and stalagmite formations.
This is a masterpiece of nature, the creation of which the ocean worked for millions of years, creating intricate growths of limestone and multiple cave passages. Over time, the water receded, leaving these beautiful caves for us to see.
Firefly Cave has been known in Waitomo for a long time to the local population Maori, and was first explored by scientists only in 1887.
Scientists, carried away by the water flow, stumbled upon Firefly Cave, the beauty of whose glow took their breath away. The stalactite formations of the cave had the most bizarre shapes, and it all glowed, flickered, and shimmered with blue-green light.
Since 1889, excursions for tourists began to be held in the Waitomo Caves, which are still conducted today, and bring good income to the local population.
Firefly Cave in Waitomo - this is a place whose beauty cannot be described in words, nor can it be fully conveyed in photographs. You need to see, hear and feel it for yourself.
The numerous excursions that take place in Waitomo will help you with this.
A guide will take you through more than 250 meters of underground landscapes. The tour includes a visit to the cave's impressive Cathedral Hall with excellent acoustics. Thanks to these acoustics, the cave can serve as concert hall. Many famous singers have performed here and were amazed by the purity of the sound.
Your experienced guide will tell you details about the history and geology of the cave. The highlight of the tour is the exciting and impressive boat ride to the Firefly Grotto. You will glide in silence through the “starry sky.”