As the day draws to an end, paddle up the Pokaiwhenua Stream and through the canyon carved out by water over many hundreds of years. Once darkness falls drift silently back through the canyon with glowworms sparkling like Christmas lights all around you.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Reserve now & pay later: Keep your travel plans flexible—book your spot and pay nothing today.
Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
Duration 3.5 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide: English

Highlights

Experience a magical evening kayak glowworm tour on Lake Karapiro
Enjoy serenity as you float through a canyon surrounded by sparkling glowworms
Connect with the mighty Waikato River and it's pristine natural surroundings, along with an abundance of birdlife
Bask in the glowworm tour. See it to believe it

Full description

Your guided tour commences in the late afternoon or early evening. As you paddle along the southern end of Lake Karapiro, crossing over the old submerged Horahora Village and power station that produced electricity for the early Waihi goldfields. Learn about local Maori and early European history of the area while enjoying the twilight and silence of being on the water as the day draws to an end. The magic begins as you paddle slowly up the Pokaiwhenua stream and through a spectacular canyon carved out by water over many hundreds of years. Native ferns and trees and bird life surround you and you may even hear brown trout breaking the water's surface. When darkness falls you will drift silently back downstream, surrounded by glow worms on either side sparkling like tiny Christmas lights.

Includes

Kayak,and paddle
PFD lifejacket
Splash pants and jackets, wet shoes, thermal clothing if required and dry bag

Kayak backrest

Not suitable for

Children under 8 years

Covid-19 precautions

You must book this activity online because the ticket office is closed

Safety measures in place

All required protective equipment is provided
All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds

Traveler requirements

Masks are optional for this activity

Meeting point

Meet at Lake District Adventures Base and return to the same place.

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Important information

What to bring

Warm clothing

Not allowed

Unaccompanied minors

Know before you go

Customers should bring warm clothing and a jacket and a spare change of clothing is also a good idea.
Do not wear denim jeans or thick cotton pants as they get very cold if wet.
The minimum age for children is eight years, and each child under 15 years must be accompanied by an adult.

Customer reviews

Overall rating

5 /5

based on 5 reviews

Review summary

Guide
5/5
Transportation
5/5
Value for money
5/5

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A gorgeous and serene area, the kayaking tour showed much more than just Glow Worms. While the Glow Worms were one of the shorter lived experiences for the evening, they were absolutely magical. Our tour guide Steve made a personalized experience for each of us and had lots to say about the history of the river area. This would be an easy experience for novice kayakers. We enjoy scenic experiences and felt that this was one of the better things we've done while exploring the North island. We would do it again in a heartbeat.

November 13, 2019

Wonderful - Amazing- Highly recommended. Caleb, our guide, was very good. I'd do this trip again.

February 19, 2020

Great trip, everyone should try the older messy one too, it's not just for young people. Fantastic guide, and nice quiet well-organized trip, you can only be happy after such a trip. Beautiful beautiful experience

January 31, 2020

Lake Karapiro: Evening Kayak Glowworm Tour

Lake Karapiro: Evening Kayak Glowworm Tour

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