Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → New Zealand → West Coast → Hokitika Glowworm Dell

Location: Hokitika, West Coast, New Zealand

Time Required: 30 minutes

Red Tape/Notes: You’ll want a light to walk the short trail because it needs to be fully dark to see the glowworms; please shut off your lights as you approach the dell, since the lights aren’t good for the glowworms.

What’s Nearby?: Hokitika Gorge, Cesspool of the Arahura, Tunnel Terrace Walk

If you want to see glowworms, it doesn’t get much easier or better than this. It’s free, the walk takes about two minutes, and there are LOADS of glowworms. This is a great trip for families with kids – I remember being absolutely delighted with glowworms as an eight-year-old on holiday here with my family, and to be honest I’m still delighted by them. They glow in slightly different colours, some more blue, some yellowish, some green, and it’s just surreal watching them light up the walls of the dell. People pay good money to see glowworms elsewhere and these are completely free and you can attempt as many photographs as you want, and stay as long as you want. There’s nothing really to see here during the day, so if you come before dark, be prepared to sit around and meditate while waiting for the glowworms. Or, you know, just wait until it’s actually dark to come here.

Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → New Zealand → West Coast → Hokitika Glowworm Dell