Geographers in training experience Waitomo Caves
Posted on June 01, 2022
On Wednesday 18 May the Waitomo Caves trip took place for the AS Geography students.
With a small group of ‘geographers in training’, Mr Percival and Mrs Glasgow-Palmer boarded the bus, leaving school at 6.30 am.
On the journey to Waitomo the students absorbed a variety of sights, from the fog which they learnt about in their atmosphere unit and landscape that was taught in a unit about rocks.
Upon arrival the first activity was zip lining. This activity provided the opportunity to view the karst scenery (karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum).
After lunch the students ventured to the caves. Once inside the students had their cameras out, snapping pictures in amazement. They were able to observe stalagmites, stalactites, examples of carbonation and plenty of glow worms. The students also heard stories about the early tourism industry in Waitomo, where people had to travel there by train and the tour involved using candles for lights and climbing up ropes instead of steps (some examples of human geography).
On the way home a slight detour was made to see a giant pukeko. The students enjoyed a fun, but tiring day in which their classroom learnings were experienced in real life.
