 |
| Posted by Jerome KONEN on 05/09/06, updated on 05/09/06 |
  |
 |
| Lost World - Waitomo Cave |
CAVING |
| Abseiling 100 metres into the Lost World, New Zealand's biggest cave, and taking the wet way out. A spectacular day trip walking, swimming and climbing through massive vaults. |
| Text by Jerome Konen |
 |
| Photo by Jerome Konen |
| Pascale getting ready for New Zealand's biggest cave. |
|
|
|
|
This trip to the Waitomo Caves was surprisingly gentle. Waitomo is located in the Waikato region on the way between Auckland and Rotorua. All special caving equipment, like helmet, light, neoprene suit and the ropes were provided on site by the caving operator. You think that you are a real caver and you don't like tourist caves at all - this time you are wrong! This one is even worth a trip for the most hard-boiled caver among you. No joke!
After a short walk through New Zealand's unspoilt jungle, a spectacular and massive shaft opens between the dense green vegetation. Time came for us to start a 100 metres abseiling, slowly descending the massive shaft, down into New Zealand's biggest cave. After the impressive 15 minutes descent, we embarked on a journey through the darkness called Lost World, a celebration of nature's work over the last one hundred thousand years.
A partly wet cave, high chambers, a world of a countless amount of glow-worms, stalactites and stalagmites followed by a spectacular way back to the surface through the massive vaults of the Lost World. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
