We were up early and all packed and n the road by 8am. The drive to Te Anau was an easy drive. We drove through Jacks Point where the wedding had been held. We arrived in Te Anau by 10am so we visited a couple of tour companies. We booked an afternoon tour to the Glow Worm Caves for $79 each that starts at 2pm. We went to the official visitor centre, had a cuppa tea and then walked to the Wilderness Centre where we viewed the near extinct takahe bird. We spent ages trying to get a good photo. We then went to the supermarket for dinner supplies before heading to Te Anau Kiwi Holiday Park to check in. We had a quick lunch and then we're back at the tour office for our Glowworm Cave experience. We began with a cruise on Lake Te Anau on a catamaran, which is the second biggest lake in NZ. At Cavern House we viewed informative displays and learned about the geological wonder before we joined our guide and ventured underground. The caves are still very young, 12,000 years old, and the force of the river flowing through them is still carving a path. The result is a twisted network of limestone passages filled with sculpted rock, whirlpools and a roaring underground waterfall. The noise of the water was very loud. We had to bend in half through two parts of the passage. Deep inside the caves, beyond the noise of the water, we were taken by a small boat into a silent hidden grotto inhabited by hundreds of glow worms, unique to NZ. In the subterranean darkness, they produce a glittering display that is nothing short of extraordinary. I thought it was a unique experience and am glad we did this. We stopped at some of the shops for a quick look before heading back to our unit.
