Rawhiti Cave

The Rawhiti Cave entrance measures 40 meters wide and 20 meters tall, leading to a natural viewing platform inside the limestone formation.

During the early 1900s, Darcy Manson established a track to the cave and conducted tours until the late 1920s, naming it Rawhiti after the Maori word for sunrise.

The cave features dense clusters of stalactites that grow toward sunlight due to plant interactions, creating a geological formation known as phytokarst.

The cave entrance requires a one-hour walk from the car park, including a 30-minute trek through Dry River valley and a 30-minute uphill climb.

During winter months, sunlight penetrates to the back wall of the cavern, allowing specific algae species to create red colorations on the cave surfaces.

Elevation above the sea: 239 m

GPS coordinates: -40.88444,172.86667

Latest update: March 2, 2025 23:09