Clifden Caves, New Zealand
Beneath the feet of the kiwis, lying quietly under the roots of trees and mountains, there is another treasure in the trove of New Zealand that shines all the brighter for its lack of celebrity. Though hidden out of sight and therefore out of mind of many visitors, the caves of the North and South Islands are majestic, extensive, and in some places claustrophobic natural wonders that should not be excluded from a list of potential points of interest.
The most popular caves are those at Waitomo on the North Island and Te Anau on the South Island. These are excellent places, beautiful and with facilities so families can easily attend to the wonders within. Both have the indigenous New Zealand glowworm, and guided tours with boat rides, but both are managed by companies that charge for the amenities, and you are going to have quite a bit of company, especially at Waitomo which is perhaps the most popular cave in the country, thanks to its proximity to Auckland. Te Anau is very difficult to get to without a boat, and visitors have to travel farther to get there in the first place, so you’re going to be with a group there as well.
If you are looking for something a little more solitary, Clifden Caves may be more your speed. These are out of the way, in the middle of nowhere, and there will be no one around to help you if something goes wrong, so make sure you’re prepared if you want to go exploring caves alone or in small groups.
The entrance to Clifden Caves is off of Clifden Gorge Rd, about 25 kilometers north of the southern coast of the South Island. There is no parking lot, and there are no facilities, so you will need to park on the shoulder of the road. The cave entrance is clearly marked. You may or may not have cell service by the time you arrive, and you certainly will not have service in the cave, so before you embark on your journey make sure you are prepared!
FIRST, CHECK THE WEATHER! It may not occur to inexperienced cave explorers, but if it rains while you are inside you might be in danger. Even a little water can make the limestone of Clifden Caves slippery, and a lot of rain can cause flooding. These dangers are not to be underestimated. If rain is expected, you should not enter the caves.
Second, and this may seem obvious, you will need light. If you want to spend more than 10-20 minutes down there you will need a flashlight or headlamp, not just your cell phone light. Only slightly less obviously, you will need a second light. If your first breaks or your batteries die, you do not want to be an hour into any cave without a backup.
Third, if you take it in, you take it out. Leave no trace and nothing behind. There is a disappointing and unfortunate amount of graffiti painted and carved into the cave already. The least you can do is leave it as you found it.
Once you enter the caves, you will notice the reflective markers left by kindly, earlier explorers. There are numbers and colored reflectors to mark the way in and the way out. These will be of immense benefit in finding your way. There are not many options to turn to the right or left but without the markers you could certainly become disoriented without much difficulty.
Once you get in, maybe 20 meters or so, you will be able to turn out the lights and expect to see some of the cave’s inhabitants: glowworms! Arachnocampa luminosa won’t be everywhere, so do not be dismayed if at first you don’t see them. The farther in you go the more numerous they tend to be, but they are neither on every surface nor in every passage.
You may be under the impression, perhaps from the advertisements of other caves, that glow worms are bright, magical creatures and any encounter with them is reminiscent of a Disney movie. They are extraordinary, singular, and special, but they are not bright, they are incredibly small, and if you have a light on you will not see even one. Taking a picture of these little worms is nearly impossible in the dark as they give off so little light,
Get well into the cave and at every opportunity to rest or in a large opening, turn out the lights. They will appear once you are far enough in and they will seem to be very small, green, pin-sized points in the darkness. Closer inspection in the light will show a white, translucent web or lace that appears to be wet, hanging on the wall or from the ceiling. Do not touch!
As for actually traversing the caves, they are straightforward, in that there is really only one way to go and it is clearly marked. You will need to walk, stoop, crawl, slide, climb, and hopefully not fall your way through. There are some tight squeezes and low points, and places where the rock will only allow awkward sliding, but the way is perfectly passable for a healthy adult. If your mobility is limited, this is not recommended.
Around marker 25??? there is a thin passage that drops into a clearing which is filled with water, generally about 5-7’ deep. To continue past this point you will need to get wet, so be prepared for a little swim or to turn around.
Cave Checklist
Sturdy shoes. The entire cave will be rock, some loose, some solid, some dry, some wet.
Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, wet, or torn. There will be places you need to stoop, squat, crawl, or squeeze.
A light. You will want a flashlight, preferably a headlamp for a hands free trip. Seriously, if you take a fall you want your hands free.
A second light. If your first goes out and you’ve been walking into the cave for an hour, you’re in trouble if you don’t have a second.