Waitomo Cave - the magical world of fireflies. Waitomo - firefly caves in New Zealand (23 photos)

In New Zealand, on the North Island in 1887, the leader of the Maori tribe, Tane Tinorau, and the English inspector Mace, was discovered Firefly Cave. Upon careful exploration of the Firefly Cave, the discoverers discovered the upper level, which is the main one in our time.

Tane Tinorau and Mace entered the Firefly Cave under artificial lighting on a raft, and were amazed by the majestic beauty of the Firefly Grotto and the bizarre shapes of the cave. In 1889, Firefly Cave received its first visitors. The guide of this excursion was the leader of the Maori tribe, Tane Tinorau. The descendants of the leader and in our time take an active part in the management and modernization tourism business.

Firefly Cave has three levels, which are united by a 16-meter vertical shaft. The tour starts from the first level, represented by the catacombs. The second level was called the Banquet Chamber, the third one goes deep into the Cathedral, which is Big hall with a vault height of about 18 meters, with good acoustic data.

The tour route follows the Waitomo River and crosses the Firefly Grotto. A huge number of insects creates the illusion of a night starry sky. Thousands of tourists from all over the world come to the Firefly Cave to see this indescribable picture. Fireflies are mosquito-sized insects called Arachnocampa luminosa. Fireflies live only in New Zealand.

On the territory of New Zealand there is a whole network of caves Waitomo (Waitomo), uniting caves: Ruakuri, Aranui and famous Cave Fireflies. The formation of these caves lasted about 30 million years. The firefly cave is made up of corals, so there is an assumption that its formation began even under the ocean.

In the grottoes and halls of the cave a large number of stalactites and stalagmites, which were formed with the help of water that dripped from the roof of the cave. With the help of these drops, stalactites and stalagmites are connected into columns of a bizarre shape.

The caves of New Zealand are the center of speleology. These caves host speleology competitions, which are held in hard-to-reach places on routes of increased complexity that are not available ordinary tourists. travel companies for tourists have developed easily accessible, but no less interesting routes.

Firefly Cave

Nature-magician has created such miraculous miracles that, looking at them, you involuntarily think of some kind of supernatural mysterious power that can plunge even the most orthodox skeptics into amazement. And there are many such natural surprises that can compete with the legendary 7 wonders of the world on our planet.

A nice bonus only for our readers - a discount coupon when paying for tours on the site until March 31:

AF500guruturizma - promo code for 500 rubles for tours from 40,000 rubles
AFT1500guruturizma - promo code for tours to Thailand from 80,000 rubles

For tours from 30,000 rubles. The following discounts apply for children:

Promo code for 1 000 ₽ "LT-TR-CH1000" for 1 child on the tour
Promo code for 2 000 ₽ "LT-TR-CH2000" for 2 children on the tour
Promo code for 3 000 ₽ "LT-TR-CH3000" for 3 children on the tour
Promo code for 4 000 ₽ "LT-TR-CH4000" for 4 children on the tour

For tours from 40,000 rubles. without children:

Promo code for 500 ₽ "LT-TR-V500" for 1 tourist on the tour
Promo code for 1 000 ₽ "LT-TR-V1000" for 2 tourists on the tour
Promo code for 1 500 ₽ "LT-TR-V1500" for 3 tourists on the tour

One of them is in New Zealand; in a country that in itself is a kind of Wonder of Nature - Waitomo Firefly Cave - the only underground formation of its kind in the world.

Millions of years ago, on the site of the current caves, the ocean splashed, the bottom of which was cut by limestone labyrinths. After global changes in the earth's crust, the ocean gave way to land, and unique stalagmites and stalactite caves Waitomo. There are 150 of them: Ruakuri, Gardnes Gat, Aranui - it's impossible to list them all. The walls of the caves are made of limestone formed over millennia from corals, fish skeletons, small and large shells and countless different small marine organisms.

The most amazing, full of mysteries and special charm is the Firefly Cave, where tourists who stay in New Zealand are sure to get. Despite the fact that here literally every corner is a spectacle fantastic beauty, a visit to a cave with a mysterious glow makes one go dumb with quiet delight caused by such an unusual contemplation.

It is truly unusual, almost magical, because one who enters this cave sees under the ground a picture, as it were, of a starry sky with small flickering luminaries. The only difference is that they are all strung in a kind of garlands hanging from the ceiling of the cave, and if you stretch out your hand, you can touch these luminous points. The bewitching spectacle is like a fairy tale, so the number of people who want to see it is growing every year.

Historical reference

The ancient Maori tribes gave the name to the caves - Waitomo, which in translation means a water hole: "wai" in their language is water, "tomo" is a hole. For many centuries, no one swam in them: the Maori were scared away by the cave darkness, people were afraid to even come close to mysterious objects. But the more civilization developed under the influence of Europeans, the more acute was the desire to penetrate into the unexplored depths of the caves.

The first real survey took place in 1887, which was organized by the leader of the Maori tribe, Tane Tioranu, together with the English naturalist Fred Mace. Several reliable boats were equipped, strong guys were selected who were to row. The expedition was carried out by the light of hundreds of candles in order to study in detail the limestone deposits in the caves. Words cannot describe the amazement of everyone who saw a cave resembling a starry sky: fright, delight, joy.

The organizers realized that in the future this place will bring considerable income, as a unique tourist facility. From that moment began the struggle for ownership unusual cave between the official government of New Zealand and the Maori tribes in whose territory the cave is located.

As a result, in 1904, the government declared this object with a mystery of nature state property with the proviso that the leader of the tribe would receive a percentage of paid visits to the cave, as a discoverer. Now the distant descendants of Tiorano receive a percentage of the income from the tourism business. Geologists, speleologists, biologists and zoologists rushed from different corners world to reveal the secret of the extraordinary glow in the cave.

Firefly Mystery

Every miracle has a very real explanation: the bluish-greenish glow in Waitomo Cave also has it. Careful studies have shown that the cause of the glow is ... tiny fireflies that live here. According to one scientific version, it is believed that the glow is a way to lure insects flying into the light and falling into the food of fireflies.

When they are hungry, their belly glows brightly and attracts prey to satiate. The hungrier the fireflies, the brighter the glow; as they are saturated, the glow weakens. Thousands of webs hang from the ceiling of the cave, to which these luminous inhabitants attach themselves with sticky saliva and guard their prey. It was noticed that at the moment of touching them, the glow stops, and the fireflies become invisible.

According to another version, it is not at all a way to attract food that makes insects glow. Observations have established that fireflies also feed on fungal spores, which do not need to be lured, and the glow does not stop at this time. Whether there is an exact explanation or not is not so important, the main thing is that this phenomenon pleases people, attracts their attention and leads to the understanding that Mother Nature is fraught with many mysteries, the secret of which is sometimes impossible to reveal. They just need to be admired!

Another interesting place in New Zealand -

We continue our journey through New Zealand.

In this post: Firefly Caves, Highway Through lost World(we would have working roads of this quality...), Mount Doom, where Frodo went for three episodes and much more...

From Auckland we went to Tongariro Park - the oldest national park in the country. It was essentially the first full day in New Zealand. Each of us had our own idea of New Zealand and we were very interested to see if it coincided with reality.

It always happens in the mountains. On the first day, you shoot every slope and admire every fold. You try to photograph everything, and after a couple of weeks you are already driving past much more beautiful mountains, but you can’t get the camera anymore - you got used to it and satisfied your first photographic hunger. Therefore, on the first day, we filmed all the hills that we came across along the way and all the small towns:

The roads in New Zealand are very windy. The whole country is wrinkled with mountains and there are practically no plains. Sharp turns are marked not only with signs, but also with speed recommendations for passing the turn. Moreover, this speed always ends with a five, so that drivers do not confuse it with the speed limit on the highway. It is very convenient - you look at the recommended speed and understand what will be the turn behind the hill:

Another curious observation is the batteries at traffic lights in remote sections of the route (in a yellow box):

As for the roads in general, although they are of high quality, they are very winding. The long journey is exhausting. You don’t read on the road - it starts to rock you:

One of the most famous places in New Zealand, the Waitomo cave complex on the North Island. main feature of these caves there are thousands of fireflies that cover the vaults. Looking at them gives the impression that you are looking at the starry sky:

The entrance to the cave is equipped and looks like a sample of modern architecture:

Unfortunately, inside it is forbidden to shoot even without a flash (which angered me a lot), so I had to take pictures discreetly from my chest. In conditions of dim light, this was difficult and the pictures do not reflect the beauty that awaits visitors:

The cave is completely "inhabited" by man, even tiles are laid on the floor:

10.

Here you can see several fireflies:

11.

In fact, there are many places in the cave where there are thousands of fireflies. This is what it looks like (photo from the Internet):

First, they drive through the cave on foot, then they put them on a boat and ride along underground lake. Silence is requested. When you sit in a boat in complete darkness with your head up to the ceiling, you get the impression that you are in some kind of fairyland, and myriads of alluring stars shine above you. A very moving and moving moment.

In the end, when all the most spectacular grottoes are behind, they are allowed to get a camera:

13.

14.

From the caves we went to Chateau Tongariro, oldest hotel built back in 1929. On the way, we often stopped to take pictures of nature:

15.

16.

17.

The weather in New Zealand is extremely changeable. In the evening it began to rain, after which a rainbow immediately crawled out:

18.

19.

And we arrived at the hotel again in a downpour and fog, so we saw the hotel itself only 100 meters before it, and the view from the window was blocked by a viscous veil of wet fog. Waking up in the morning in the room, opened the curtains and saw the mountains:

20.

Near the top is the Ngauruhoe volcano, which "played" the role of Mount Doom Orodruin in the film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings:

21.

In the next post, I will share how we flew a small plane over and around these volcanoes:

22.

One of the attractions of the North Island is the Highway through the Lost World. Its length is about 150 kilometers, and there is not a single gas station along the way. Considered one of the most beautiful roads New Zealand. We set aside a whole day to slowly drive along it and admire the landscapes of Middle-earth:

23.

Except abandoned railway stations the route passes through ghost villages, several tunnels, four passes and a relict forest with tree-like ferns:

24.

25.

The tunnels on this highway are quite narrow - you can’t drive a Hummer here:

26.

27.

Despite the fact that we met no more than 10 cars at all, the road is in excellent condition and is constantly being repaired. Pay attention to the slopes, they are all covered with a kind of "steps":

28.

29.

These paths are trampled by cows and lambs that graze on the slopes:

30.

31.

There are blackberry bushes along the road. Tried - very sweet:

32.

Mountain View:

33.

New Zealand beef and lamb are considered some of the best in the world. Moreover, if in Argentina, also known for its meat, they do not always know how to cook it, then everything is in order with this. The kitchen is a real treat for gourmets:

34.

The herd of lambs that we met on the way turned out to be terribly shy:

35.

Arina - sheep charmer:

36.

37.

Volcano Taranaki. Due to the resemblance to Fuji, Taranaki was used as a backdrop in the film The Last Samurai:

38.

Considered the most symmetrical volcano in the world:

39.

40.

View from observation deck at the foot. It is no longer possible to climb higher by car - only on foot:

41.

The final destination for today is New Plymouth, a small cozy town on the coast:

42.

43.

For 2 weeks in New Zealand, we managed to wet our feet in the ocean only 2 times and the first time was just next to New Plymouth. We found the beach and pulled off the road. Sand on it volcanic origin- small and black:

44.

Look at the trees! If only we had these for the new year:

45.

Sunset in the New Zealand hills

46.

The day is over...

47.

It was already dark when we returned to the hotel. During the day we drove about 700 kilometers along winding paths and got a bit tired, which did not prevent us from spending the next day much more intensely. In the next post, we'll take a plane over volcanoes, catch and eat shrimp, ride a super powerful boat that can turn 360 degrees at full speed, and then fly a helicopter over New Zealand forests, fields and mountains! Don't miss Stay Tuned!

March 10, 2014

New Zealand tourist routes are laid out in many unusual places. An amazing attraction - the Firefly Cave delights everyone who falls under its fabulous luminous vaults.

"Starry sky" in a dark cave

In this mysterious dark realm, tourists can watch a magical spectacle. Fungus mosquitoes Arachnocampa Luminosa live under the arches of the cave. There are millions of them here.

Colonies of these little creatures shimmer in the dark with an emerald bluish color. Real natural "lighting" in the dark deep cave can only be found in New Zealand.

These strange creatures are in the larval stage for more than half of their lives. They weave trapping nets that hang from the roof of the cave. These long threads glow in the dark and attract gullible insects.

This one is not anomalous zone, this is a real beauty kingdom that can absorb some of the spider bugs caught in the shimmering cold space. Scientists believe that the brighter the light, the more eager the firefly is to catch prey.

History of the Cave of Flickering Lights

When did this unusual luminous dungeon appear? According to researchers, one of the most amazing wonders of nature, the cave, which belongs to the Waitomo system, has existed on Earth for millions of years.

In the prehistoric era north island New Zealand was part of the ocean floor. Gradually, from the skeletons of fish and marine organisms, the remains of corals and shells, a layer of limestone was formed, the thickness of which reached almost 200 meters.

Water erosion dissolved this thickness, and huge cavities gradually formed, which eventually became cave system Waitomo Caves.

How to find the luminous landmark of New Zealand.
Maori chief Tane Tinorau and explorer Fred Mace from England, who studied the nature of New Zealand, discovered this incredible creation to the world in 1887. Tane Tinorau was the first guide to introduce visitors to New Zealand on vacation with a cave where mysterious light flickers, emitted by small living creatures.

Labyrinths and halls of the ancient cave

The natural complex has three levels. Vertical, the depth of which is 16 meters, connects the mysterious grottoes and halls. They are decorated with bizarre stalactites and stalagmites. Limestone formations have the most diverse forms and hang from the vaults like frozen jets or rise up like sharp spiers of underground "rocks".

The large hall of the third level cave called "Cathedral" hosts guests who can enjoy enchanting music which sounds performed by a wonderful orchestra. The illusion of a starry sky combined with the sounds of music spilling over space huge cave making a tour of underworld just fantastic.

Holidays in New Zealand will be bright and memorable if, in addition to visiting other interesting sights and amazing places, the wind of wandering will lead travelers to the incredible shimmering space of the Cave of the Fireflies with its fantastic "starry sky".

New Zealand- Firefly Cave photo

Firefly Cave in Waitomo . This is one of New Zealand's world-famous attractions - a place of attraction for both local and foreign visitors.

This is a cave of incredible beauty, in which small fireflies create an amazing spectacle that looks like a sky full of bright blue stars.

A similar glow can be seen in other places in New Zealand. But, there is no doubt that in no other place there is such a beautiful glow of fireflies as in Waitomo.

This amazing blue-green glow is due to the tiny phosphorescent creatures - fireflies Arachnocampa luminosa, who have chosen this cave.

These fireflies can only be seen in New Zealand.

In fact, fireflies are insects whose larvae glow in the dark and live in conditions of fairly high humidity.

This amazing cave V southern region Waikato, on the North Island of New Zealand near the town of Waitomo. This town is located three hours from, and 1 hour south of Hamilton.

This cave is also famous underground river, which allows visitors to get into the boat, and, sailing along dark cave, admire the magical glow of fireflies.

Firefly Cave(Glow Worm Caves), along with caves Ruakuri (Ruakuri), Aranui (Aranui) and Gardner's Gat (Gardner's Gut) is part of the system of branched karst caves Waitomo Caves, which are famous for their amazing stalactite and stalagmite formations.

This is a masterpiece of nature, over the creation of which the ocean worked for millions of years, creating intricate limestone outgrowths and multiple cave passages. Over time, the water receded, leaving these beautiful caves for us to see.

Firefly Cave in Waitomo has been known for a long time local population Maori, and was first studied by scientists only in 1887.

Scientists carried away by the water current stumbled upon Firefly Cave, from the beauty of the glow of which they were breathtaking. The stalactite formations of the cave had the most bizarre shapes, and it was all glowing, flickering, and shimmering with a blue-green light.

Since 1889, tours for tourists began to be held in the Waitomo caves, which are still being held, and bring a good income to the local population.

Firefly Cave in Waitomo, this is a place whose beauty cannot be described in words, cannot be fully conveyed in photographs. It needs to be seen, heard and felt for yourself.

This will help you multiple excursions that take place in Waitomo.

The guide will take you through more than 250 meters of underground landscapes. The tour includes a visit to the impressive Cathedral Hall of the cave with excellent acoustics. Thanks to this acoustics, the cave can serve as concert hall. Many famous singers performed here and were amazed by the purity of the sound.

Your experienced guide will give you details about the history and geology of the cave. The highlight of the tour is an exciting and impressive boat trip to the Glowworm Grotto. You will glide in silence through the "starry sky".