Few people would choose to spend three hours drenched, cold and in the dark. But in New Zealand’s Waitomo region, many travellers voluntarily do just that by signing up for an activity mysteriously promoted as the ‘black labyrinth’.
After donning a wetsuit and hardhat, adorned with a much-needed flashlight, visitors hop into inflated rubber tubes and float into one of the region’s famous cave systems. They experience a labyrinth of underground waterfalls, chambers and thrilling turns as they are eased along by a subterranean river.
The grand finale involves gliding past colonies of glow-worms, their fluorescent glow captivating the senses in the explosion of black emptiness. Complimentary soup and bagels greet you as you emerge from this captivating underworld, soothing your sorrow at being back in daylight again.
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