After the Auckland Marathon: Waitomo

The Route: Auckland → Waitomo Caves → Auckland Airport Logistics: Hire car or day tour. About 2.5 hours south via the Waikato Expressway and State Highway 3. Marathon Month: November Duration: 1 night

Auckland CBD ──(approx. 2.5 hrs by car, SH1 Waikato Expressway / SH3)──> Waitomo Caves
                                                                              │
             Auckland Airport (AKL) ◄──(approx. 2 hrs 15 mins by car)──────────┘

The Auckland Marathon finishes on the waterfront at Victoria Park in early November. Waitomo, in the King Country south of Hamilton, is two and a half hours away, and its best-known attraction involves sitting down in a boat in the dark. It is hard to design a better outing for the second day after a marathon.

November in Waitomo is late spring in farming country: green hills, lambs, and the warmest weather of the year still to come. Rain is common in the Waikato and the King Country in spring, which matters little underground. The caves hold a steady temperature all year, so a light layer is enough inside.

The drive runs south on the Waikato Expressway past Hamilton, then onto State Highway 3 through Ōtorohanga to the Waitomo turn-off. Several Auckland operators run day tours to Waitomo, often combined with Hobbiton; with a night in the village, a hire car is simpler. Book cave tours in advance, particularly at weekends.

Night One: Waitomo

Waitomo sits in a landscape of limestone laid down on the seabed about 30 million years ago and later lifted, cracked and hollowed by water. The rivers here run underground as often as above it, and the caves that result are home to Arachnocampa luminosa, the New Zealand glowworm, a fungus gnat larva that hangs sticky threads from the ceiling and lights itself up to lure insects.

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves are the main event. Guided tours walk through a series of limestone chambers, including a tall cavern with good acoustics, then board a small boat for the final stretch. The guide pulls the boat along overhead ropes in silence through the grotto, where the ceiling is covered in thousands of blue-green points of light. The walking section has some steps and slopes, with handrails; the boat ride has none. The tour takes about 45 minutes. Check prices and times with the operator, and ask about the number of steps if the legs are bad.

Ruakuri Cave, a short drive away, is reached by a spiral ramp rather than stairs and has walkways throughout, making it the other cave in the area that suits post-marathon legs. The Ruakuri Walkway above ground is a short forest walk through limestone bluffs and over a natural tunnel; it has steps, so take it slowly or save it for another visit.

Where to stay: The Waitomo Hotel, a white wooden building on the hill above the village, has been taking guests since the early 20th century and is a short drive from the caves. Farm stays and bed and breakfasts in the surrounding hills offer a quieter night; check driving distance to the caves before booking.

Where to eat: Huhu Café, in the village near the caves, serves modern New Zealand dishes and is the obvious dinner stop. Options in Waitomo are limited on weekday evenings, so book ahead or eat in Ōtorohanga on the way.

Getting to Auckland Airport

Auckland Airport (AKL) is about 2 hours 15 minutes from Waitomo by car, north on State Highway 3 and the Waikato Expressway, without needing to cross central Auckland. Allow extra time for traffic on the southern motorway approaching the airport, and return hire cars at the terminal.