MrBeast at Waitomo Caves: YouTuber gives away $50,000

MrBeast gave away bags of cash. Photo / YouTube/MrBeast

The most popular YouTuber in the world, MrBeast, has released video of his time in New Zealand - and given one lucky Kiwi a massive cash gift.

The viral video creator, real name Jimmy Donaldson, spent a week underground with friends in Waitomo’s Mangapu cave system and claimed it was the hardest week of their lives.

To thank their guide for protecting the group Donaldson handed the man a whopping $50,000 in cash.

But despite fevered interest in his visit from Kiwis, Donaldson almost failed to mention he was in Aotearoa.

After starting the video with a 100-metre abseil down into the cave, the group set up camp near the top of the massive underground network.

Then, trusting their lives into the hands of Kiwi cave guide Joel from Waitomo Adventures, they plunged into the icy underground stream that traverses the cave, which is marketed as the ‘Lost World’.

After climbing, wading and squeezing through the cave for three hours, the group were initially beaten back by rising waters and forced to return to their camp.

The group rested for a day, pausing to plug MrBeast’s own range of snacks before giving it another crack - this time with another, unnamed caver to offer support.

They then travelled further into the cave past jagged rocks and through swiftly-flowing water, pausing again to plug MrBeast’s own range of toys, before finally reaching the cave’s glowworm chamber.

MrBeast claims he spent seven days in the cave. Photo / YouTube/MrBeast

In the video Donaldson told viewers that “if we didn’t have Joel, I’d be dead” and the star thanked their guide in remarkable fashion, handing him $50,000 and telling him it represented $10,000 each for the five YouTubers he guided through the cave.

But the cash gift being in New Zealand dollars was the only mention made of New Zealand in the entire video, leaving viewers in the dark as to the cave’s location.

The video has now had over 90 million views on YouTube alone and Nick Andreef from Waikato Adventures said he anticipated that the business and wider area would still see the benefit, despite the lack of a shoutout.

“MrBeast was great to work with and we feel very lucky that he sought out our special corner of NZ for his production,” Andreef told the Herald.

“We anticipate this will have positive flow-on benefits to both our Waikato region and New Zealand in general”

The group thank cave guide Joel (centre, in blue). Photo / YouTube/MrBeast

MrBeast fever

Word first spread of MrBeast’s Aotearoa sojourn when he was spotted at a Hamilton supermarket.

The star was seen admiring his Feastables confectionary range in-store at the Anglesea St Woolworths in Hamilton, sparking a flurry of interest online.

“My son loves MrBeast,” said numerous parents commenting online after the sighting was shared.

The Herald spoke to one witness who attempted to photograph the star but was rebuffed.

“I went over and asked for a photo, a guy from his team jumped in front of me and said ‘Sorry he’s working’,” Hamilton mum Elle told the Herald.

“MrBeast himself said ‘Sorry no photos, I’m working’,” she added.

MrBeast accepts the award for favourite male creator during the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo / AP)

He was also spotted enjoying a meal at the popular Auckland Viaduct restaurant Oyster and Chop.

Senior waiter and long-time viewer Elliot Willemetz told the Herald he served the influencer, who was with a group of three others he didn’t recognise from videos.

Willemetz said he had to take a second look after he took the order from the table, where Donaldson ordered a steak, to make sure it was the YouTube star.

“He was very chill, an absolute gentleman from beginning to end.

“The table was laughing all the time, having a really good time.”

Willemetz said he remained professional throughout the exchange and didn’t ask for a photo with the star.

“I tried my best to make it casual and discreet, no matter who it is.”

He said he could tell the star wanted a quiet intimate dinner with his guests without disruption from onlookers.

“I think he felt a sense of fear being recognised in these quiet moments.”