"Highly recommend this evening tour! The stop off for cake and a hot drink on the way to the National park was great. Lots of glow worms and other wildlife too! Big thanks to Matt who was a fantastic tour guide"
Gold Coast Hinterland · Tamborine Mountain · Springbrook · After Dark
Glow Worm Tours From the Gold Coast: Springbrook, Tamborine and the Caves
Glow worms light up the rainforest an hour inland once it is dark. The tours go to wild colonies at Tamborine and Springbrook's Natural Bridge, or to the man-made caves on Tamborine you can visit by day.
From
US$89
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.7 / 5 640+ Reviews
- 14 Experience Types All Gold Coast Activities
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Evening Rainforest Tour Includes
No flash photography; prams and large bags cannot come on the bus.
Highlights
- A guided evening walk through the Tamborine rainforest to Curtis Falls
- Glow worms and other nocturnal wildlife after dark
- Dessert with coffee, tea or hot chocolate
- Pickup in Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Southport
- Free cancellation up to 2 days ahead
What's Included
- Dessert (coffee and cake)
- Pickup and drop-off from selected locations in Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Main Beach, Southport and selected train stations (please contact Southern Cross Tour Co's reservations team at least 24 hours in advance to arrange the most convenient pickup location)
How a Glow Worm Night Works
From the evening pickup to the walk back to the bus.
Get Picked Up at Dusk
Most tours collect you from central Gold Coast hotels or set pickup points and drive up into the hinterland; Tamborine Mountain is about 45 minutes from Surfers Paradise.
Walk In With the Guide
The guide leads a rainforest walk to the colony; wear comfortable closed shoes.
Lights Off, No Flash
Never shine a torch at the glow worms: light stops them glowing. Flash photography is banned at Natural Bridge and on the Southern Cross tour.
Look for Night Wildlife
Guides point out other nocturnal animals on the walk; the tours that add koalas and kangaroos look for them in the wild.
Photo Gallery
The Rainforest After Dark
Glow worms, waterfalls and the walk in.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Cancel up to 2 days in advance for a full refund.
Southern Cross vs. JPT Tours vs. Pineapple Tours
Three glow worm tours from the Gold Coast side by side. Prices as of October 2026.
| Feature | MOST REVIEWED Southern Cross, Tamborine Evening | JPT Tours, Natural Bridge Night | Pineapple Tours, Daytime Caves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From US$89/per person | From US$64 | From US$102 |
| Rating | 4.7/5 (640 reviews) | 4.2/5 (50 reviews) | 4.4/5 (76 reviews) |
| Where | Tamborine rainforest, Curtis Falls | Springbrook, Natural Bridge | Tamborine Mountain caves |
| Colony | Wild | Wild | Man-made caves |
| When | Evening | Night | Day |
| Included | Guide, dessert, pickup | Guide, park fees, torch, hotel pickup | Bus, cave entry, hop-on hop-off |
| Free Cancellation | Up to 2 days ahead | Up to 24 hours ahead | Up to 24 hours ahead |
| Best For | A first glow worm night | The famous cave | Families, in daylight |
| Check Availability | View JPT Tours | View Pineapple Tours |
Other Glow Worm Tours
Springbrook's Natural Bridge at night, a day-into-night walk with a meal, and the daytime caves on Tamborine.
The Gold Coast Glow Worm Guide
Glow Worm Tours From the Gold Coast: Wild Colony or Cave?
Six tours compared on place, time of day, price and rules.
The glow worm tour to book from the Gold Coast is Southern Cross Tour Co’s evening rainforest walk on Tamborine Mountain: a guided walk to Curtis Falls after dark, glow worms and night wildlife, dessert, and pickup in town, from US$87 a person as of October 2026, rated 4.7 from 640 reviews. For the most famous colony, at Springbrook’s Natural Bridge, JPT Tours’ night tour costs from US$64. If you can only go by day, the man-made glow worm caves on Tamborine Mountain are the one option.
Three places to see glow worms
Glow worms are the larvae of a fungus gnat, and they glow to lure insects into sticky threads. Near the Gold Coast you can see them in three settings:
- Natural Bridge, Springbrook National Park. A waterfall pours through the roof of a basalt cave, and the glow worms live in the cave. Queensland’s parks service sets the rules: never shine lights on the glow worms, no flash photography, no smoking in the cave, and put insect repellent on before you arrive, since repellent can kill them. Groups of 12 or fewer are recommended, and voices should stay low.
- The Tamborine rainforest. Southern Cross Tour Co’s evening walk to Curtis Falls finds wild glow worms on the mountain.
- The glow worm caves on Tamborine Mountain. These caves at Cedar Creek Estate are man-made, opened in 2005, with a colony that has grown to more than 3,000 glow worms, and you can visit them by day.
The tours compared
| Tour (operator) | From | Rating (reviews) | Where | When | Cancel free |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evening Rainforest and Glow Worm Experience (Southern Cross Tour Co) | US$87 | 4.7 (640) | Tamborine Mountain, Curtis Falls | Evening | Up to 2 days ahead |
| Natural Bridge Glow Worm Night Tour (JPT Tours) | US$64 | 4.2 (50) | Springbrook, Natural Bridge | Night | Up to 24 hours ahead |
| Glow Worms Day/Night Rainforest & Waterfall Walk (Gold Coast Rainforest Tours) | US$139 | 5.0 (5) | A waterfall and caves in the rainforest | Day into night, with a meal | Up to 24 hours ahead |
| Koalas, Glow Worms & Kangaroos (Gold Coast Rainforest Tours) | US$118 | No reviews yet | Rainforest, with wild koalas and kangaroos | Evening | Up to 24 hours ahead |
| Daytime Glow Worm Caves and Hop-on Hop-off (Pineapple Tours AU) | US$102 | 4.4 (76) | Tamborine Mountain caves | Day | Up to 24 hours ahead |
| Hop-on Hop-off + Glow Worms & Skywalk (Pineapple Tours AU) | US$123 | 4.7 (3) | Tamborine caves and Rainforest Skywalk | Day | Up to 24 hours ahead |
Prices, ratings and review counts as of October 2026; operators change prices, so treat them as the shape of the market, not a quote.
Which tour suits you
Pick by place and time:
The most reviewed
Southern Cross, Tamborine Evening
A guided night walk to Curtis Falls, dessert and pickup in town.
Check dates →The famous colony
JPT, Natural Bridge
Springbrook's cave at night, with park fees, a torch and hotel pickup.
See this tour →In daylight
Pineapple Tours, Daytime Caves
The man-made caves on Tamborine, with hop-on hop-off around the mountain.
See this tour →Southern Cross Tour Co is the safe choice: the longest review record, a guide, and pickup from Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Main Beach, Southport or set train stations. Children under 16 need an adult with them, and the tour is not suitable for wheelchairs. Note the cancellation rule: 2 days, not 24 hours.
JPT Tours goes to Natural Bridge itself and includes the national park fees, a torch for the walk and a look at the night sky. Its rating, 4.2 from 50 reviews, is the lowest on the page, and the walk needs moderate fitness.
Gold Coast Rainforest Tours supplies headlamps, water and, on the day-into-night walk, a meal, with guides in English and Spanish. Its koala and kangaroo walk is new, with no reviews yet.
Pineapple Tours AU takes the daytime route: a bus to Tamborine Mountain, entry to the glow worm caves, and the freedom to hop off at wineries, the Gallery Walk and the Rainforest Skywalk. Bring a jumper in the colder months; the mountain is about 5 °C cooler than the coast.
Practical: what to bring and how to behave
Wear closed, comfortable shoes and bring a refillable water bottle. Put insect repellent on before you leave the bus, not at the cave. Keep torches pointed at the path and your phone’s flash off; the glow worms stop glowing in bright light. For the hinterland by day with waterfalls and wineries, see day trips from the Gold Coast; for the hinterland from the air at dawn, a hot air balloon flight.
Guest Reviews
What Recent Guests Say
4.7/5
from 640 verified reviews
"Very good night time experience. Tanya is very professional and friendly guide supporting us from start to end. Very valuable team member for southern cross tour. Highly recommended this activity who’s looking for safe and sound trip as well as fun experience."
"Amazing trip. Our guide was amazing and so knowledgeable. Got to see the glow worms and other wild life. Would do it again!"
"Great experience and learnt a lot about the fauna and flora of the place. Thank you!"
"Had a great time! Alex was knowledgeable and entertaining. The star gazing stop at the end was a nice added bonus"
"We had an absolutely incredible time on the Gold Coast Evening Rainforest and Glow Worm Experience! Our guide, Matt, was fantastic; he was so incredibly knowledgeable and shared wonderful insights throughout the evening that really brought the rainforest to life. A major highlight for us was stopping for a delicious dessert along the way. I also love how this entire tour intentionally highlights and supports local businesses. Highly recommend this experience, and if you get Matt as your guide, you're in for an absolute treat! 5/5 stars!"
"Our tour guide Tania was so attentive and knowledgeable. She was amazing! From the time she picked us up she made every effort to include us in all parts of the tour. Personal touches were added, such as using everyone’s name that was on the tour (which was about 12 people)!! The night was very clear, with a bright moon, which made it a little more difficult to see the glow worms, but Tania managed to locate them. She knew all there was to know about the flora and fauna.. make sure you rug up in winter as the night was quite chilly! Thanks so much Tania!!"
"We joined the Tamborine Mountain Glow Worm Tour with Southern Cross Tours and had what was probably one of the best guided tour experiences we have ever had. While the glow worms were supposed to be the main highlight, the real highlight of the tour turned out to be our guide, Tania. From the moment she picked us up until she dropped us off, she was professional, personable, knowledgeable, and incredibly engaging. She kept the group entertained throughout the journey and shared many fascinating insider stories and local insights that we would never have learned on our own. What stood out most was how attentive she was to every guest. She made sure no one felt left out and genuinely cared that everyone had the best possible experience. Personally, my favourite part was the nature walk. Coming from Singapore, it was a rare opportunity to immerse ourselves in such beautiful natural surroundings. The tranquility, fresh mountain air, lush rainforest, and peaceful atmosphere made it a tru"
Read all 640 verified reviews
See All ReviewsPick a Date, See the Price
Most activities on this site cancel free up to 24 hours ahead (checked October 2026). Some hinterland tours need two days' notice, and the Dreamworld and SkyPoint tickets cannot be refunded, so read the terms before you pay. Starting from US$89 per person.
Check AvailabilityFAQ: Glow Worm Tours From the Gold Coast
Where to see them, when, what it costs and the rules, as of October 2026.
At Springbrook's Natural Bridge, in the rainforest on Tamborine Mountain, and in the man-made glow worm caves at Cedar Creek Estate on Tamborine. Natural Bridge and the Tamborine rainforest are wild colonies seen at night; the caves can be visited by day. The Southern Cross evening tour goes to the Tamborine rainforest.
From US$64 for JPT Tours' Natural Bridge night tour and US$87 for Southern Cross Tour Co's Tamborine evening, as of October 2026. The daytime caves with hop-on hop-off cost from US$102, and Gold Coast Rainforest Tours' walks from US$118 to US$139. Pickup is included on the main tours; see the Natural Bridge tour.
Yes, if you go at night and keep the rules: it is a wild colony in a cave behind a waterfall. Queensland's parks service bans flash photography and asks that no one shine lights on the glow worms, smoke in the cave or put on repellent inside the park. The JPT night tour includes the park fees.
Only in the man-made caves on Tamborine Mountain, which opened in 2005 and hold a colony of more than 3,000. The wild colonies at Natural Bridge and in the Tamborine rainforest are a night sight. Pineapple Tours AU's daytime caves tour includes the cave entry and a hop-on hop-off bus around the mountain.
Not with a flash: it is banned at Natural Bridge and on the Southern Cross tour, and bright light stops the glow worms glowing. Queensland's parks service suggests a long camera exposure instead. Keep your torch on the path on the Southern Cross tour and at Natural Bridge.
Closed, comfortable shoes and a warm layer. The walks are on rainforest paths, and Tamborine Mountain is about 5 °C cooler than the coast. Put insect repellent on before you set out, not at the cave, and bring a refillable water bottle; see the Southern Cross tour.
Yes, with an adult: Southern Cross Tour Co asks that children under 16 come with someone aged 18 or over. The walks need some fitness and are not suitable for wheelchairs, and prams cannot come on Southern Cross's bus. For younger children, the daytime caves avoid a late night.
Southern Cross Tour Co needs 2 days' notice for a full refund; the other tours on this page need 24 hours. Southern Cross may also cancel if not enough people book, and offers an alternative or a full refund. Book the evening tour once your dates are firm.
Still have questions? Email us at info@goldcoastactivities.com