Evening · Guided
Twilight Kayak Glow Worm Tour
In with the light, out with the glow worms.
| Adult | NZ$189.74 |
|---|---|
| Child | NZ$104.94 |
Editorial spotlight · Lake Karāpiro, Waikato
2026 Southern Cross Awards nomineeBest Glow Worm Kayak
Riverside Adventures
A narrow canyon off Lake Karāpiro where the walls close in and, once the light goes, fill with glow worms. Fifteen minutes from Cambridge, paddled in a stable double kayak with a guide who can explain what you are looking at. The same base runs daytime canyon trips, kayak hire and shuttles for the Te Awa river ride.
- Twilight glow worm tour
- NZ$189.74
- Daytime canyon kayak
- NZ$126.14
- Tripadvisor
- 4.9
- Reviews
- 641
Editorial spotlight. Riverside Adventures is a nominee in the 2026 Southern Cross Awards. They did not pay for this page and had no say in it. We earn a commission when you book through the links here; your price is the same.
The operation
A family business that changed its name, not its trips
The company traded as Lake District Adventures until late 2021 and still books under that name behind the scenes. The team and the trips did not change: a family operation on the Waikato River south of Lake Karāpiro, about fifteen minutes from Cambridge, holding Qualmark Gold Adventure Mark, recognised by the Department of Conservation and a partner on the Great Rides network.
The signature trip is the twilight paddle into the Pokaiwhenua canyon. You go in while there is still light, which is how you see the gorge itself, and come back out through it after dark when the glow worms are the only thing lit. The daytime canyon tour covers the same water without the worms for sixty-odd dollars less. Alongside the kayaking there is hire by the half day, e-bikes that make the hilly sections of Te Awa manageable, and one-way shuttles up and down the river trail.
“Rebranded from Lake District Adventures in late 2021 — same team, same tours.”
- N
Guide
Neil
- S
Guide
Steve
- K
Guide
Kaperiera
- M
Guide
Mak
Guides named repeatedly by reviewers. The company has not yet confirmed which names and roles it wants printed.
The one to book
Twilight Kayak Glow Worm Tour
Into the canyon in the last of the light, out through it in the dark. The gorge is narrow enough that the walls are close on both sides, which is the whole point — glow worms read as a ceiling rather than a distant smudge.
NZ$189.74 per adult, NZ$104.94 per child, or NZ$508.80 for a family. If you want the canyon without the evening, the daytime trip is NZ$126.14. A private version is NZ$263.94 per adult.
| Adult | NZ$189.74 |
|---|---|
| Child | NZ$104.94 |
| Family | NZ$508.80 |
Checked against FareHarbor on October 2, 2026.
Check AvailabilityThe base
Three things from one yard
All within fifteen minutes of Cambridge.
Guided kayaking
- Signature
- Twilight glow worm canyon
- From
- NZ$126.14 daytime
Hire
- Single kayak
- NZ$51.94 half day
- Double kayak
- NZ$83.74 half day
Te Awa shuttles
- River trail
- One-way drops
- From
- NZ$31.80 per adult
Book it
Tours, hire and shuttles
Adult rates unless stated. Checked against FareHarbor on October 2, 2026.
Day · Guided
Daytime Canyon Kayak Tour
The same canyon in daylight, without the worms.
| Adult | NZ$126.14 |
|---|---|
| Child | NZ$104.94 |
Evening · Private
Private Kayak Glow Worm Tour
Your own group in the canyon after dark.
| Adult | NZ$263.94 |
|---|---|
| Child | NZ$210.94 |
Day · Combo
Bike & Kayak Combo with Arapuni Shuttle
Ride the trail, paddle the lake, one booking.
| With own bikes | NZ$53.00 |
|---|---|
| With hire bike | NZ$100.70 |
Half or full day · Hire
Single Kayak Hire
Take one out on the lake yourself.
| Half day | NZ$51.94 |
|---|---|
| Full day | NZ$83.74 |
One way · Shuttle
Te Awa Shuttle: Cambridge to Hamilton Gardens
Ride the river trail one way and get a lift back.
| Adult | NZ$31.80 |
|---|
Double kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and mountain bikes are also on hire, and the Te Awa shuttles run most combinations between Karāpiro, Cambridge, Tamahere, Hamilton Gardens and Ngaruawahia from NZ$15.90.
Before you go
Know before you go
The old name
The booking system still says Lake District Adventures. Same business, renamed in late 2021.
Daytime or twilight
The canyon is worth paddling either way. The glow worms only happen on the evening trip, and that is the sixty-dollar difference.
Read the rank carefully
The Tripadvisor listing sits under Tirau rather than Cambridge, so its “#1” ranking is against a category of one. The 4.9 across 641 reviews is the number that means something.
Accreditation
Qualmark Gold Adventure Mark, recognised by the Department of Conservation, and a Great Rides of New Zealand partner.
Reviews
What guests say
- 4.9Tripadvisor641 reviews as of October 2, 2026
- 2021RenamedFrom Lake District Adventures
- 15 minFrom CambridgeOn the Waikato River
Reviewers describe the twilight glow worm paddle as the highlight of a trip, and praise the guides on local ecology, the safety handling and the willingness to accommodate — including for guests with access needs. E-bikes get credit for making the hilly sections of Te Awa workable. No complaint recurs; the only gripe surfaced was a one-off unscheduled detour on a shuttle. Note that the low-star tail was not visible on the listing, so read “no recurring complaint” as “none surfaced”.
Questions
Good to know
Where is it?
On the Waikato River south of Lake Karāpiro, about fifteen minutes from Cambridge.
What does it cost?
NZ$189.74 per adult for the twilight glow worm tour, NZ$126.14 for the daytime canyon trip. Checked October 2, 2026.
Do I need kayaking experience?
No. The tours use stable kayaks on flat water with a guide.
Why does the booking say Lake District Adventures?
That was the company’s name until late 2021. Same team, same trips.
A canyon that turns on after dark
Glow worms by kayak from NZ$189.74, or the same gorge in daylight for NZ$126.14.
Check Availability