Glow Worm Kayak Tour: Evening Paddle on Lake McLaren

Experience the enchanting glow-worm canyon on an evening kayak tour in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui. Paddle on calm waters, relax by Lake McLaren, and witness the mesmerizing glow of the glow worms.

Duration: 3 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Waimarino Adventure Park - This meeting spot is also Tauranga’s longest-standing tourism attraction, where families can enjoy a day full of activities.
  • McLaren Falls Park - Delight in light refreshments at the edge of Lake McLaren before setting off in double kayaks into the sunset. Here, you can observe the birdlife settling for the night…
What's Included
  • Light refreshments
  • Kayak and equipment
  • Professional guide
  • GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Additional Information

Mount Maunganui and Tauranga serve as the central locations for this kayak tour, which utilizes double kayaks on the tranquil, sheltered waters of Lake McLaren. The tour is scheduled in the evening to take advantage of the glow worms’ visibility.
As the evening progresses, embark on your adventure with a brief scenic drive through picturesque…

Location
36 Taniwha Place
Taniwha Place
Meet at Waimarino Adventure Park, and check in for your tour at reception. There is plenty of free parking on site.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(331 Ratings)
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Escape38892736748
Mar 17, 2026
Relaxed kayaking advent. - Well organised, friendly, carefree and professional.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D9072buemmas
Mar 16, 2026
Special, glorious and entertaining! - I had the most amazing and memorable experience last night with the glowworm kayak tour, it’s seriously one I will never forget! We were blessed with Eoghan as our guide for the evening and he was the perfect mix of wisdom, dad jokes and incredible story telling. He has a one of a kind personality and golden-retriever like energy, and was a great personal chef, so perfect for the job! (I so wish I could’ve fit him in my suitcase back to Aus with me.😍) Anywhoo, we kayaked to the hot pools on lake Rotoiti and soaked in the glorious springs while dinner was cooking on the barbecue. Amazing service and very tasty! There was absolutely no sense of rushing or lack of time, it was peaceful and entertaining and really customer focused. The highlight for me was definitely seeing the sunset over the lake which was perfectly timed thanks to Eoghan, the glowworm cave stories and the kayak back with the view of stars in the nights sky! It was 10/10 in my humble opinion, definitely recommend for everyone to experience!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karen
Feb 27, 2026
Super fun experience - This was super fun and adventurous. The guides take good care of you with all the equipment you’ll need even if it rains. Glow worms were cool. So worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
427balvirk
Feb 24, 2026
Memorable experience. - Absolutely wonderful. Both tour guides were the best.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Josef_w
Feb 15, 2026
Once and Forgettable - The tour starts with a snack and at nightfall it goes out of the lake and into the canyon. Thousands of fireflies on the rocks. We were probably in the canyon for an hour. Unique and unforgettable!
Review provided by Viator
Ainhoa_a
Feb 14, 2026
Magical - A truly magical experience that I will remember for life. Kayaking at night and watching the glowworms felt like navigating through the stars. It was peaceful, beautiful, and absolutely unforgettable. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Aw244
Feb 10, 2026
Kayaking trip - Passion, informative and organised really enjoyed the whole evening with our hosts Ollie and Ouchie. Lots of fun and laughs and the tasting was delicious.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Coastal16500756897
Feb 8, 2026
The best Glowworm tour - My family and I recently took the Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour and it was absolutely amazing! It’s so so so good, it’s the best Glowworm tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeffrey_w
Feb 7, 2026
Night Kayak Glow Worm tour - This is a wonderful way to experience the Glow worms. I am claustrophobic so going to a cave did not appeal to me, but on the kayak tour we were out in the open and saw the glow worms in a canyon. The distance we kayaked was just right (we do not kayak on a regular basis). The water was calm. It was a cool night, but our guides outfitted us with a fleece jacket (no takers on that) a rain jacket and a skirt that covered the kayak opening which kept our legs and feet dry the whole time. We had a nice assortment of local snacks before we headed out. It was a small group. I think there were 8 kayaks besides our two guides, Ewan and Jack. They were interesting and entertaining and we learned a lot about the local landscape as well as the glow worms themselves. Wonderful experience and I would highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Pat_p
Feb 26, 2026
Sparkly Fun night - Guides were great, very good at keeping group on task, safe and entertained. It got very dark quickly as we were loading into kayaks but went without incident. Lake calm and beautiful. Enjoyed explanations and legends. We loss some time with getting access into park initially so our departure was very rushed, but all worked out.
Review provided by Viator
From $155
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).