Waikato, North Island

Troll Cave 1

Waitomo Adventures Troll Cave

Troll Cave map

Waitomo Adventures Troll Cave

Troll Cave Waitomo

Troll Cave - in search of the Troll

Troll Cave Adventure Waitomo

Waitomo Adventures – Troll Cave

Troll Cave 2 Waitomo

Troll Cave – is a clue hiding in here?

Ages 1+

Troll Cave – Waitomo Adventures

A surreal underground adventure for all ages. Your mission is to use your stealth, cunning and survival instincts to navigate Tom’s (The Troll's) underground lair, solve his riddles, avoid his little pranks and complete your mission – without getting EATEN!  Family teamwork required! This exclusive adventure is individually-tailored to suit each group (maximum 10).
The question is....are your parents brave enough to go first? 

What is a Troll? 
In folklore a Troll is an ugly,meat-eating, antisocial creature who can be a bit naughty (but I guess if you had been trapped for over a thousand years underground after an earthquake, with nothing to eat you would be a bit grumpy too!).
According to the Department of Troll Conservation, Cave Trolls are very rare and on the highly endangered list…but, you also could become endangered when you go on Troll Patrol! 
Note: Like many endangered animals (e.g. polar bears and rhinos) Tom has been fitted with a tracker unit to help us look after him. Unfortunately, Trolls turn out to be very hard on their tracking units – they wreck them all the time.

Background
After we accidentally destroyed our Troll’s lair we decided to build the world’s first underground eco-sanctuary for the preservation of Cave Trolls… but that doesn’t mean that “Tom” wants to be looked after…
For a FREE full colour story book about our Troll Cave CLICK HERE >>

What happens in the Troll Cave?
This fun activity start with a full briefing in the “Ready Room” and then you’re on your own as you take a massive elevator ride down into the bowels of the earth. You will need to navigate through Tom's Cave or you could end up staying down there a long time…or even worse…you could end up being Tom’s dinner. 
Different things happen depending on the decisions people make. It’s always a challenge to take on the beast in his own lair... there’s no magical wizard to help you out here…you have to figure things out for yourself …or not ! 

How do you get to see the Troll?
Trolls spend a lot of their time just sleeping on rock piles – especially during the daytime. (It’s a very different story at night time when they come out of their caves to hunt their prey) So if you’ve got what it takes – if you’re clever and brave and very quiet then (hopefully) you can sneak up on Tom and change his tracker unit. You get to escape from him if you're lucky but for some it might not feel completely safe!
Note: We make it less scary for the smaller children

How long does it take?
The activity takes just over an hour or the rest of your life…whichever comes first!
The good news is that the cave is fully accessible and suits a very wide range of ages and abilities.

Departs
Several times daily (Weds-Sun).
Experience 'The World’s First Underground Eco Sanctuary' where Tom lives from the Waitomo Adventure Centre

Recommended Age
Not recommended for infants under one year of age because of minor water splashes

CHILDREN 1- 14 MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT

For answers to more questions click here >>

For other Waitomo cave adventures click here >>

North Island

South Island

Map of New Zealand
  • Central Otago
  • Auckland
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Christchurch
  • Dunedin
  • Coromandel
  • Gisborne
  • Fiordland
  • Hawkes Bay
  • Marlborough Sounds
  • Manawatu
  • Nelson & Golden Bay
  • Northland
  • North Canterbury
  • Queenstown
  • Rotorua
  • South Canterbury
  • Taranaki
  • Southland
  • Taupo
  • Wanaka
  • Waikato
  • Wellington
  • West Coast
  • Whangarei
  • Bay of Islands
  • Tauranga
  • Gisborne
  • Hamilton
  • Napier
  • Kapiti
  • Palmerston North
  • Whanganui
  • New Plymouth
  • Arrowtown
  • Te Anau
  • Akaroa
  • Ashburton
  • Hanmer
  • Kaikoura
  • Methven
  • Mt Cook
  • Oamaru
  • Tekapo
  • Timaru
  • Abel Tasman
  • Motueka
  • Nelson Lakes
  • Blenheim
  • Picton
  • Catlins
  • Gore
  • Stewart Island
  • Central Plateau
  • Invercargill
  • Cromwell
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Westport
  • Glenorchy

Our favourite destinations…

Auckland

New Zealand’s economic heart and biggest city is also an exciting family visitor destination, situated on a sunny harbour with city beaches just minutes away from the CBD. Orientate yourself by heading down to Viaduct Harbour, wandering the waterfront, checking out the super yachts or enjoying the waterfront restaurants. Nearby is the must-visit Sky Tower along with excellent and kid-friendly museums and tons of exciting activities!

Wellington

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital. Here you will find New Zealand's parliament buildings, including the 'Executive Wing', more well-known as 'The Beehive' due to its distinctive shape. Another icon to look out for is the Wellington Tram, which was the main means of public transport between 1878 and 1964.

Christchurch

With a population of around 400,000 Christchurch, in Canterbury, is the South Island ’s largest city, yet much of it has the feel of a small town. Perhaps that’s why it’s known as the Garden City but with the expansive Hagley Park, Botanic Gardens, Port Hills, River Avon and numerous beaches the city certainly has an open, relaxed feel that’s hard to beat.

Queenstown

With its well-deserved reputation as New Zealand’s activity adventure capital you’ll never run out of activities and things to do in Queenstown, but you may run out of time! With breathtaking scenery, activities and festivals, cafes and restaurants, skiing and snowboarding, shopping and wineries, this lakeside alpine resort rates as one of the world’s top vacation destinations for all ages and seasons.

Rotorua

Rotorua sits on the shore of Lake Rotorua, one of sixteen lakes in the area formed by hundreds of thousands of years of eruptions from the Taupo Volcanic Zone. The area is renowned for its geothermal activity and top of any activity list is to see the bubbling mud pools that are around the region for yourself. The Waimangu Volcanic Valley offers a first hand insight into the devastation caused by the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera and is a great place to discover steaming volcanic craters and bubbling, spitting  pools of mud!

Nelson and Golden Bay

The Nelson and Golden Bay regions, at the top of the South Island, boast enviable sunshine hours, glorious sandy beaches, safe swimming spots, lots of wildlife to look out for, and Abel Tasman National Park - an absolute must to explore, on foot, by kayak, your own craft or watertaxi.  Nelson is home to a vibrant arts and crafts community with a fabulous Saturday market, and is close to award-winning wineries and family-friendly bike tracks to take you around the coast.

Hawkes Bay

Napier was rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and is now known as NZ's Art Deco City.  The Art Deco influence has created a unique city – nowhere else can you see such a varied concentration of art deco style. With over 2,200 sunshine hours a year, Napier is a year-round holiday destination with countless activities to entertain the kids – there's days of entertainment on Marine Parade alone, plus numerous other family-friendly trips and activities.  Add to that the beaches, walks and flat cycle paths, outdoor cafes and entertainment, and you have a perfect holiday destination!

Northland

Beautiful, unspoiled beaches, fishing, historic gum fields, kauri forests – the Far North has it all. With subtropical temperatures, it's often known as ‘the Winterless north', with warm, humid summers and mild winters.
Gateway to the Bay of Islands, Paihia is a pretty, lively beachside town and a perfect base for your family holiday. It’s your start point for Bay of Island adventures including day cruises, sailing, kayaking, swimming with dolphins and reef or wreck diving.