The glowworms of Waitomo Caves

glowworms in waitomo caves

New Zealand, an island country consisting of two large islands, the North Island and the South Island, and many smaller islands. Its wonderful nature was shown to the world by several famous films.

A fascinating Maori legend tells that the two large islands originated at the time of the demigod Maui, he used the South Island as a canoe to fish, together his brothers. One day, after a long struggle, he captured a big fish that became the North Island. In Maori language it is called Te Ika-a-Maui, which means ” Maui’s fish” and according to legend, the valleys and mountains of the North Island are the blows to the fish to catch.

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The North Island has several points of interest including the cities of Auckland and Wellington and the phantasmagorical place that we show you today: the Waitomo Caves, not coincidentally also known as the Glowworms Caves.

This huge complex of limestone caves, formed 30 million years ago due to erosion created by the Pacific Ocean, gives to those who explore an extraordinary show.

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Millions of insects stationed on the vault of the caves, illuminating them with a glow that changes from green to blue. Waitomo is the only place in the world where this charming phenomenon occurs in a natural way.

The aspect that leaves everyone speechless is that, despite being in the bowels of the earth, the feeling is of a starry sky like that can be seen on clear nights!

In ancient times the Maori knew of the existence of the caves but they could reach only in 1887, when their local chief Tane Tinorau with English Fred Mace explored them by a raft, floating on the stream that flows inside the caves, this allowed them to cover them completely.

Later another entrance was discovered and at present this is used. Government of New Zealand  administers the complex since 1906 and it allows visitors from all over the world to admire the amazing phenomenon generated by the glowworms of Waitomo Caves.

 

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