Te Anau Glowworm Caves Tickets

A ticket to the Te Anau Glowworm Caves is a place on RealNZ’s guided tour: there is no separate entry, because the caves can only be reached on that tour, by boat across Lake Te Anau. It is from US$73 a person on GetYourGuide (checked October 2026), and from NZD 154 on RealNZ’s own site (October 2026), for the return cruise, the guided walk underground and the boat ride into the glowworm grotto.

What the ticket covers

• The return cruise across Lake Te Anau on a catamaran, from the lakefront in town to Cavern House on the western shore, about 15 km each way.
• The guided tour of the caves on foot and by small boat, in groups of up to 12 per guide, including the silent ride into the glowworm grotto.
• Tea and coffee at Cavern House. Snacks and light refreshments are extra, sold at Cavern House and on the boat.

Not covered: transport to Te Anau and hotel pickup. The tour starts and ends at the RealNZ Visitor Centre, 85 Lakefront Drive, so in town you walk or park there.

The price, and why it differs

On GetYourGuide the tour is from US$73 a person, in US dollars (checked October 2026). RealNZ sells it from NZD 154 on its own website, where all prices are in New Zealand dollars (October 2026). Both are “from” figures, so the total for your date and departure is the one to compare, and the exchange rate on the day decides which comes out lower.

Two things change what you pay. The first is the date and departure: December to February is the busiest stretch, so book early for those weeks. The second is whether you bundle: RealNZ advertises 20% off its own package deals that pair the caves with a Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound cruise, booked online on its site (October 2026). If you want a single booking with free cancellation and the option to reserve now and pay later, the GetYourGuide calendar on this page shows both.

Cancellation and changes

On GetYourGuide you can cancel up to 24 hours before your departure for a full refund (October 2026). For bookings made directly, RealNZ gives a refund or a change of date with at least 24 hours’ notice. Check-in opens 30 minutes before departure and closes 5 minutes before, so allow for parking on the lakefront.

Children and families

Children are welcome, but the tour asks everyone to be completely silent in the grotto, and RealNZ suggests parents think about whether a young child will manage that. RealNZ’s own booking calendar sells child places, while GetYourGuide’s listing is priced per person and marks the tour not suitable for infants, so check the calendar for a child’s fare and for whether a baby can come on your date. The cave entrance is low and there are steps throughout, so a child who is steady on their feet and happy in the dark is the right fit. Is it worth it? has more on who it suits.

Is there a cheaper way to see glowworms?

Not into these caves: RealNZ holds the only concession to take visitors inside, and there is no walk-in route. Wild glowworms do live in damp, shaded banks and forest in many parts of New Zealand and can be seen free at night, but none of that is the grotto, the river or the boat. If the caves are the point, the tour is the only ticket.

On a phone, swipe the table sideways for what each includes and the length.

Prices from GetYourGuide, per person in US dollars, checked October 2026; the NZD price and package deals from RealNZ, October 2026.

See the caves tour's price for your date →

Ticket inclusions, check-in, group size, children and the NZD price from RealNZ’s Te Anau Glowworm Caves page; the 24-hour change policy for direct bookings and the concession from RealNZ’s articles on the caves; read in October 2026. Tour prices, inclusions and cancellation terms from the GetYourGuide listings, read in US dollars on 29 October 2026.