Spirit Cave

Te Ana o te Atua
A fascinating time vault. 

Enter an ancient time vault via an abandoned river gorge. Follow the footsteps of Ngati Kinohaku (local Maori 1849) where they led Dr Thompson deep into the cave on a quest for the bones of extinct giant birds.

The Spirit Cave is old and slowly dissolving away. Tomo or sinkholes are open to the sky, and over many millennia this cave has trapped and hidden away bones of ancient animals that once roamed around Waitomo. More recent bones are found here too – along with stalagmites, stalactites and the remains of a long-abandoned riverbed.

A beautifully formed and lit pathway invites you onwards, taking you further and further into the cave. Naturally and sensitively presented, this cave tour can make you feel like an explorer from a past age.