The Legendary Blackwater Rafting Company Reviews

The Black Abyss tour is amazing. Such a great experience with fun but professional guides.

We booked over the phone on the day of as we ending up doing this instead of going snowboarding as the mountain was closed.
We were a bit late as we ending up going to the Ruakuri visitor center instead of the blackwater rafting center (which we had passed) since that was where we were directed to go on the phone. After getting in we just looked over and signed a waiver and got ready for the rafting. They provide all the gear needed, you just need togs and towels (there was a bundle of lost togs in the changing room entrance if you forgot). Once geared up, we headed to grab the tubes and did a practice jump before heading into the caves. It was dark and damp as expected and really fun traversing through it. The water levels were high so we were able to float through quite a few of the sections. After a few jumps and "high speed" floating we ended up at the waterfall where you just jump off. It was then a lazy float to the exit, all the while gazing at the glow worms in the caves.
The guides were all friendly and nice which made the experience enjoyable. They also had bagels and soup at the end to help warm you up after a hot shower. We did get a discount because we had Ruapehu season passes.

Viator and TripAdvisor kept messing with my reservation, but the staff at the Black Water Adventure were awesome. Tour guides Joel and Mailin were awesome!

My husband and I really enjoyed the Black Abyss tour with Becky and Legs! They were fantastic your guides that really showed us a great time and were very knowledgeable of the caves, glowworms, and everything involved! They showed us how to climb a waterfall on the way out, which was my favorite part.

Aaaaaaaaamaaazing experience. We did the longer caving experience which was absolutely fantastic. Never did anything like this before and the our guides were absolutely amazing with us. Rappelling (abseiling) down was a fun new skill to learn, though I do wish I had brought some hand wrap or leather gloves for gripping the rope (but no biggie). Finished up by free climbing up (with help and direction) two waterfalls before emerging, exhausted in a good way, from the exit (there's a walk out option if you're not up for climbing). Guides will take care of photographing for you which you can purchase as a pack at the end, worth every penny.

Recommended regardless of age. It's water-cool, but I get used to it. Don't miss the earth fireflies when the headlights are turned off. Dive is also the best.

A must do! What a great way to experiencing caving & very professionally run. We did the Labyrinth experience and had a blast. Even though it was winter & the water freezing it was highly worthwhile. You will get very wet, but they provide great wetsuits. I highly recommend taking a spare t-shirt or long sleeve surf top to wear underneath the wetsuit for extra warmth.

The guides were amazing; the tour was top notch and the glow worms blew my mind! I definitely recommend the Black Abyss tour for this physical able; we were 6 visitors to 3 guides!

I had such a good time on this trip. I did the TTT tour. Full of adventure that included crawling and swimming through the cave! I appreciated the free photos as well - a lot of other companies in the area charge for photos. One lady on my tour really struggled to complete it so if you are of a certain age or fitness level I would definitely recommend thinking about some of the other options offered because I did not find this one easy! So worth it though and would hands down do it again if I find myself back in Waitomo.

Absolutely top shelf. Matt and Becky were some of the best guides I've ever had, anywhere in the world. Loved the pace of the Abyss tour. Never rushed, but steadily making our way through expertly handled abseiling, drifting past glow worms peacefully and learning about the caves. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Take a thermal rash vest if you feel the cold, though the 5mm custom made wetsuits are cosy as. Ruakura cave is beautiful and the entrance and lighting is world class. Highly recommend both activities!!!

Best experience ever, the guides were helpful and beautiful like Lara Croft taking you on an adventure. Do not miss this!

Excellent tour through some fascinating caves with extremely knowledgeable guides, a must if you have the time! Tour definitely takes 5 hours all together with over 3 hours spent exploring the caves.

What a joy! Friendly, joking and fun guides and some really cool sights to see. Some courage needed but not tons, just the right amount of adrenaline!

The tour and boat ride was stunning Good value too.

Fantastic. Pair of us did the Black Labyrinth experience and highly recommend it; have heard that the longer Abyss tour is also excellent if you have the cash. It's well set up and the guides were great fun. Nice group size, not too big. They give you a fun training session in a stream then go straight to the caves which were extremely beautiful and packed with glow-worms. Made a few stops on the way to learn about them and eat free chocolate. The trip requires a certain level of fitness but really isn't very taxing. Wet suits keep you warm and the soup & bagel at the end are well worth it. They don't let you take cameras/phones (which I quite liked) and there is a fee if you want their photos at the end but they let you split it between everyone so it cost us $3.50 which wasn't too bad at all. Had a really good time - if you're in the Waikato or travelling through, definitely stop in.

Incredible!! Just amazing! A must do if you're on the North Island. Highly recommended the Abyss tour to satisfy your adventurous side

Hannah was an amazing guide and the tour itself was breathtaking! Beautiful views and a chance to adventure, absolutely recommend!

ANAZING! Yan our guide was so much fun! Glow worms were amazing!! Would recommend!!

Guides are very professional and good fun. Thanks guys for a great experience!

We did the abyss tour. An amazing 5 hours underwater. Even as an experienced climber with many abseils and adventures behind me this tour provided something new and exciting. Awesome views of glow worms in a tranquil beautiful environment

The best caving experience of my life. This place has completely ruined caves back home for me. If you are planning a visit, do the full Abyss experience. Extremely worth it!

Do it! If your on the fence, totally do it (unless you're afraid of water, the dark, or confined spaces). Otherwise, do it! Pipin and Mak were great, fun and knowledgeable guides. I wish I had longer and could've done a five hour tour, but the 3 hour Black Labrynth was great! I don't want to ruin any surprises, so I'll stick to obvious stuff. You'll see glow worms and they're beautiful and it's peaceful floating in the dark and seeing them. I'd definitely go again. Thanks BWR Co!

Amazing time! Highly recommend. Slightly pricey but well worth it. Tour guides are incredible

Incredible experience. I did the Abyss trip and it was hands down the best thing I ve experienced in NZ! Such an adventure.

One of the best adventure I have done in NZ (including swimming with dolphins and taking an helicopter to hike on a glacier).
You will go on rappel (abseiling) down a long hole, walk in rivers with eels, swim in very cold water sat on a buoy to look at glow worms, crawl in small holes to upstream a waterfall and it is just amazing! Loved it!

Absolutely couldn't recommend highly enough.
The abseil and zip line might be intimidating for some people but its completely safe and completely worth it.

This is a 100% MUST DO.

An adventure and a half. Great instructors and support crew!

The labyrinth was quite an unexpected adventure. Takes a bit of an effort to get through the caves with strong currents. The guides were very friendly and professional, we were in good hands.

we signed up for this, not knowing that it actually takes a lot of strength and stamina as well as guts to do the tour (oops), we just thought that we should give it a try since we were already visiting new zealand and i could safely say that it was well worth it.

the tour was honestly speaking really cold and a tad scary at certain parts, but our guides were awesome, we were in a larger then usual group with a total of 8 persons guided by both tyler and scuba who were really experienced and showed us along the way very patiently and encouraged us along the way, despite us being really clumsy and me even losing a shoe when we jumped into the cold waters during tubing. they were also very knowledgeable, explaining to us about the caves and its ecosystem, we could really tell that they loved their job and loved the nature. the tubing part was really cool, we could really look up and see the top of the cave filled with glowworms that were shining so brightly just like stars in a clear night sky, it was really beautiful, however i must say the waters were freezing cold when we were paddling on the tube, it would have taken everyone ages to paddle in and out without the guides pulling us along, so glad that both tyler and scuba pulled us along. climbing waterfalls were also really scary, but tyler and scuba showed us where to hang on to and where to step on ensuring that everyone made it up the falls safely. super awesome and im glad i gave this a try.

I've done the black odyssey. It is great. We climb along the wall inside the cave. We do the abseiling, swing and flying fox in dark

We did the black abbbys tour with abseiling, zip-lining, floating tires, observing glowworms and Canyoning through the cave including an awesome little waterfall. The guidance of the guides was very professional and helpful as well as personal. We got two times a snack in the cave where we spent approximately 3.5h in it. In the end we got hot tomato soup and bangles back in the camp.

Was a good experience.
If you have weak physical strength, it may be difficult to do it afterwards.
In the case of me, a small cramp has occurred in the stomach, but it may be good to stretch before riding.

My husband and I did the black abyss tour and had an amazing time ! It's a 5 hour tour where you get to repel into the cave and then float under the glow worms as well and climb up waterfalls. Our guides were awesome and kept us laughing the whole time. I felt very safe but still a little outside my comfort zone which made it fun. I think you have to be in average shape but not super athletic to participate. The water is cold but as someone who hates the cold I didn't mind it at all with the wetsuit on. Overall a definite must do on the north island.

Had a great trip on the Black Abyss Tour (5 hour). The guides (Allister & Kit) were awesome and made the trip even better. Lots of good opportunities to view glow worms. A bit more adventurous than a regular cave tour as you spend lots of time in the water, walking and crawling through smaller spaces. Nothing really tight, just required some bending, stooping and swimming in some places.

The rafting portion was more walking with a raft and a lazy float for a minute to view glow worms on the ceiling. I was hoping for a little more adventure with that aspect, but the rest of the trip more than made up for what the rafting lacked. We really enjoyed the whole day!

Cory and Sophie were the best guides. Knowledgeable and personable. They made the tour exciting, enjoyable and a trip to remember. Great job guys.

Fantastic scenery, very organised, safe and cheery. Zeus is a champ, thanks mate top work.

Funny guides brought us through the caves. We learned some interesting things about the caves and the glowworms. But the name "rafting" doesn't match. Anyway realy nice and worth it. By the aay, you jump a few waterfalls down, cool stuff!

Fantastic Feedback from our Customers! Love the Labryrinth..GRT for all ages and there's more for Adventurists..

Pricey, but super cool. Totally worth it. Guides were good.

Awesome! We did the Abyss after first talking about the Labyrinth. Wife is nervous of heights and not too comfy in deep water but after talking to a guide she was convinced it was good to go. Our guides Simon and Katrina went out of their way to talk her through everything and she was able to complete the whole tour. She was totally freaked out at the start of the abseil but Simon was a pro and she was able to do it and conquer one of her big fears. So if you are nervous, don't worry they really help you through it. You spend about 3 hours in the cave and 2 getting ready and getting back which totals 5. If you are considering this, just do it.

Real adventure, amazing sight to see glow worms. Friendly guides.

As the name suggests, these guys are legendary in offering black water rafting in the waitomo caves. Dori and Harvey are amazing guides and offered our group a lot of fun. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip/activity. We took the black labyrinth tour and it involves tubing, forming human warm, jumping small waterfalls backwards with our tubes etc.., all inside the pitch dark caves. This tour is very less of seeing the actual glow worms. If you only want to view the glow warms, take other less expensive tours catering glow worm viewing. For this tour, they provide all the wet suit, helmet, flashlight etc.., just make sure you bring your swimsuit and towels. You can't wear glasses during this tour and hence make alternate plans accordingly.

Only improvement that I would like to see is better pictures. The pictures they took inside the caves are no of good and this definitely needs to be thought through (i.e) better camera, training the guides to take good pics etc..,. We had so much fun that we actually wanted to spend more money to buy pictures, but unfortunately those weren't that good. So we didn't buy. BTW, you can't carry your personal camera.

I don't usually review stuff but this was such a great experience thanks to our experienced guides Matty and George (many thanks guys!). A definite must do if you're in the area!

Amazing tour. Highly recommend the tubing experience when going through the glowworm cave.

Great experience, friendly staff. Always recommend to anyone going to NZ.

Guides were super friendly, helpful, and fun. Such an amazing experience although prepared to be a little bit cold!

Had the most amazing tour guides. The caves are unreal. If you are in the area and you don't visit you are missing out!

Travel down the glow worm caves on a rubber tube. Jumping water falls and learning all about the cave and it's inhabitants while having a blast. Safety was paramount with excellent guides.

Did the Abyss tour. It was well worth every cent. The whole experience was fantastic and the guides made this tour really fun and informative. The abseil down was well worth doing!

Did a Black Labyrinth tour today with my sister and mum, had a great time! Definitely a unique way to look at the caves and glow worms! We certainly reccomend it!

Absolutely awesome!!! Great guides and stunning views.

Black labyrinth, a worthy advanture, a good time spent. Could use some updates on head torches and a tog spinner in the changing rooms.

Had a great group and a great time. Loved the trek to the cave as well as the inside adventures!

I did the Black Water Rafting last weekend and I loved it sooo much!! Once you are floating through the huge caves and everyone is turning off their headtorches you can suddenly see all the glowworms - a very very special moment I won't ever forget. I was so fascinated by the nature, absolutely amazing!
The guides were really nice and friendly and seemed to be well prepared for every situation - they exactly knew what to do, where to go and where better not to stand on. Thank you for making this trip so special :-)

Sensational experience. Lots of glow worms and I loved the tranquility of gliding down the underground stream in the inner tube.

special care I got from all warming stuff since my low back hurt, thanks millions!

We had a great time. Thanks to the guides who were helpful, knowledgeable and amazing.

Different gameplay, conservation is very important, it will be even better in summer
Lying on the rubber ring and watching the fireflies is so beautiful, so awesome

Had an incredible day with my wife doing the Black Abyss tour. I can t say enough good things about our guides. They were funny and very friendly, but above all extremely knowledgeable of the Cave and even offered great tips for the rest of our time in New Zealand. The cave it s self was amazing, filled with glow worms, water falls, and a zip line. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a one of a kind adventure in New Zealand.

This is one of the coolest things ive ever experienced! It was terrifying at first, but your guides are super patient and more than willing to help you get through it. Kit and Christine were super knowledgable about the caves, they were also hilarious and made this an amazing adventure! Def must try if you've never done it before ;)

The Black Abyss is the best we have done in New Zealand, hands down.

The best experience of my whole trip to New Zealand. A must if you are visiting

We did the black abyss tour. It requires some physical strength. At one point we were pretty far behind from the rest of the group because my wife was having a hard time with the water. I didn't appreciate that the tour guide didn't try to help us out. In addition, we thought the guide should go through some safety rules. There are points where it's hard to hear the guide. When we tried caving in Belize, the guide had everyone pass along the message to the people behind them knowing it's hard to hear once you are in the cave. I wish the guides have done the same. For safety reasons, it's also better to have one guide in the front and one guide at the back. As far as gears, I think gloves should be provided as well.

Fantastic morning. The tour was well organised and the guides were knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The caves are a beautiful site and the experience was truly memorable. I would certainly return again!

Went on the Black Water Rafting Black Labyrinth 3 hour walking, jumping & floating through the Ruakuri Cave and it was awesome. The guides were so much much fun, giddy kippers we'd describe them as and looked after us.
We had so much fun and would highly recommend it

Went for the Black Labyrinth tour today and it was an absolutely mesmerising experience. Our tour guides Ollie and Mitch were absolute legends and was great to have them guiding us through the stunning glow worm caves. The cave rafting your is amazing and the beauty of the cave illuminated by the bioluminescence of the little creates is one of the highlights of our trip! If you have time and in the area, definitely do the tour - the hot shower, soup and bagel are even more delicious after 3h in the cave!

People were friendly, fun and professional. We worked together as a group to overcome obstacles in the caves. Then we were singing in the caves! It was peaceful and relaxing!

These people are heroes to us. They treated us with humor, kindness and sheer professionalism. Incredible bunch of individuals. One of the most special and precious places on earth.

Had the most amazing experience doing the Black Abyss. I cannot swim and have a slight phobia of water :- our guides Joe and maelyn made sure to check in with me to ensure i am comfortable doing the abyss.

The 35m abseil into the tomo was only the beginning to more excitement to come. Loved the zipline in the dark where at the end of the line in complete darkness i was treated to gleaming glowworms before joe finally helped me off the line.

The scariest part of the tour for me was jumping off a small "cliff" into the cold water below with just our tubes, not knowing the depth. I did it without hesitation with maelyn assuring me that "joe is right there". It was amazing.

We stopped twice for snacks and threaded and floated through caves asking about the glowworms and waitomos history. Joe and Maelyn are both very knowledgeable.

Ended the trip crawling through tight holes in the cave and climbing up waterfalls.

A must do!

Great guides, great fun, excellent way to experience caves & see glow-worms. Recommend.

The best adventure ever! I can't recommend the Black Abyss tour highly enough. The team of guides there are fabulous, very experienced, kind and patient, with a great sense of humour. I recently had my third Waitomo caving experience and I know that I will go back there again!

We had so much fun!! You should try it& won t be regret!!!

Super fun experience walking and tubing through the cave. The glowworns are really beautiful and our guides were great.

Beautiful tour. Mitch and Katrina were amazing guides.

The Rafting was just 1.5 hours and not 3 hours as sugested. Pictures of the adventure are shaming expensive. Nevertheless, it was a nice expirience withing the cave and the glowworms. In the end 149 Dollars are to expensive. Wouldn't do it again

I've done the Black Water Rafting twice now and both times; amazing. Stellar quality for a once-in-a-lifetime type experience (expesh how economically priced it is) and the guides are always a hoot. Loved Yan and Ollie! Will be back again in the future. Glow worms are beyond breathtaking underwater. Cannot recommend more.

Great tour of the Waitomo Caves, well worth the money. Top 10 experience for me. Thoroughly enjoyed it. The staff is amazing here.

Second time doing The Abyss. Magic! Highly recommend

Very professional staff and an all around awesome epxerience

It was great fun.
Rappel into the cave then be in the cave for about 3 hours in the cave, a lot is explained, nice photos are taken, then climb out of the cave again.
Guide was great

Do the 'Black Abyss' with Tyler if you're up for a challenge. Abseiling, zip lining, glowworms, waterfalls, cold water, and pushing your body to the limits. Best experience underground in NZ! Sweet as...

Offers unique experience with visit to Ruakuri Cave through the waterway inside the cave.
The tour us 3 hours which incudes changing, briefing, transport to and from the cafe.
Upon arrival, everyone is given a wetsuit and a helmet. There is a locker (share with your tour group) and changing room with toilet and hot shower.
Once changed, we were transported to the river by their bus (about 5 to 10 min). Everyone get a chance to practise jumping there. Then hopped back to the bus and headed to the cave. You can't take camera due to safety but they will take the photos for you to purchase. Each tour has 2 guides. They are fun and know what they are doing.
The water inside the cave is cold. Some area is slippery and some area is dark. You will nees to walk, duct and jump but the cave is absolutely beautiful.
After the tour, you have free soup and bagel. Photo cost $20 each of $35 for all.
Must bring towel, shampoo and soap, swimwear and wear contact lens instead of glasses.
The tour that we went has 12 people even with 2 guides sometimes I can't hear clearly what they said and we had to wait for a while after every jump which won't help with the cold water. Maybe a smaller group size would help?
Apart from that, it's a fantastic experience. Highly recommended

I went for black water rafting. My first time and it was an awesome experience!!
The guides were friendly and fun.
Jumped, floated while seeing the "glowworms" definitely worth your time and money if you love adventures.

We took the Abyss tour with The Blackwater Rafting Co. and had the most exciting experience! Great equipment, small group, great guide (Christine from B.C.) and awesome moments with thousands of glow worms. We felt very safe during the whole trip.
Also, Christine took great photos of us with several light effects inside the cave. Stunning. Will remember this for the rest of my live.
Thank you again, guys!

This was an interesting and exciting experience for the family. Also, the Labyrinth was exceptional if you are 12 or older.