According to cave explorers, New Zealand has some of the most interesting, mind-boggling, challenging and spectacular caving systems in the world, but even first-time cavers can enjoy these underground experiences.
The caving experiences in New Zealand could range from a dreamy drift through a glow-worm grotto to a rip-roaring, rope-dangling, action-packed subterranean adventure.
In the North Island the best known caving area is Waitomo Caves in the Waikato region. There are caves that you can simply walk through; there are caves you can float through (this is called black water rafting); and there are caves that require abseiling, climbing and squeezing. Experienced operators here know how to turn you into a caver in a single day.
Meanwhile in the South Island, you can find several caving areas – in Nelson, Fiordland and on the West Coast. Harwood’s Hole, just off the main Motueka-Takaka road in the Nelson region, is the deepest sinkhole in the southern hemisphere. You can look into it, but be careful you don’t fall in – it’s 180 metres straight down.
(Article attributed: New Zealand)
