Waitomo Caves
The Waitomo Caves are a New Zealand tourist attraction that is very popular with tourists. It is located near the town of Te Kuiti on the North Island. The Waitomo Caves rank 14th among the 101 best tourist attractions in all of New Zealand.
If the name of the cave is translated into Russian, it becomes clear that this word consists of two words that mean water and a funnel, which means that a river flows in the underground part of Waitomo. But the peculiarity of this world landmark is that among all the caves that enter it, there is a unique one that is known as the Firefly Cave.
Scientists have named the luminous inhabitants of this cave "Arachnocampa luminosa". These amazing insects just sit and emit a blue color, which creates a picture that can only be compared with the starry sky. Due to the size of the firefly, it can be compared to a mosquito, but this insect lives only on the territory of the island.
The Waitomo caves were explored back in 1887. For the first time, an English scientist and one of the major leaders took up the study of modern sights.
A couple of years after exploring the Waitomo Cave, the area became known to the public, and in 1910 the first hotel appeared here.
The caves are composed of unusual limestone grottos decorated with fireflies. This sight is simply mesmerizing.
There is a 16-meter shaft that connects the three levels of the Waitomo cave with each other. The first of the levels is presented in the form of catacombs, but without fireflies. Banquet Chamber – the second level is known by this name, as tourists used to have a snack here. The deepest level is called the Cathedral. Its acoustic characteristics have attracted opera singers, who sometimes give concerts here.
Not far from the third level, you can take a tour of the underwater river of the cave complex, which leads to the most interesting – the Firefly Grotto. Perhaps the fireflies or mushrooms that grow on the walls create a pleasant smell that cannot be compared with anything.
As scientists have found out, the Waitomo caves were formed at least 30 million years ago on the ocean floor.
This New Zealand landmark is visited annually by 400 thousand people. The cave complex is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and fireflies work here around the clock.
