Waitomo Caves, New Zealand

The famous caves of Waitomo are located in New Zealand. Their features can’t be explained by anything except a miracle. The fact is that these caves are inhabited by rare species of fireflies that can be found only in New Zealand. These tiny creatures light up the arch and dark caves, making them look like a starry sky. Travelers come from all over the world to New Zealand to admire this amazing natural phenomenon. Afterwards, another unique surprise is waiting for tourists.

There are lakes in the caves, so you can move only by boat. That makes the tour even more unique. Amazing caves are one of the main attractions of the country. The nature has been working on them for millions of years. Once, the place was occupied by the ocean. Its waters washed the land for years and created a complex system of underground tunnels. Waitomo Caves have other amazing features except fireflies. Some grottoes are notable for a great variety of different formations of limestone.

Looking around the walls of caves, you can see skeletons of fish and shells in the limestone. That’s a reminder of the once dominant marine element. In some caves, nature has created an ideal environment for the life and reproduction of Arachnocampa Luminosa fireflies. As scientists believe, fireflies glow for a very simple reason - when they are hungry. Thus, they lure other insects that tend to fly to their silky nets. During the tour along caves, it’s forbidden to talk loudly, as sounds can scare the fireflies and then they will cease to glow. Next - Jellyfish Lake