Guide · Blue Mountains ·
Jenolan Caves day trip: which cave tour to book
Jenolan Caves day trip planning starts with one choice: which tour to book. The caves are in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, and most visitors drive there. Pick an easy cave if anyone in your group finds stairs hard, pick the Lucas Cave if you only have time for one, and add the free self-guided tour to fill the gaps.
This guide covers the tours, what they cost, the drive from Sydney and a few tips to keep the day smooth.
Sources for this section: Jenolan Caves, official site, home page, Cave Tour Prices and Getting Here.
The tours at a glance
Jenolan sells guided tours of its "show caves". Each tour is a separate ticket. The caves differ a lot in effort, so check the fitness level before you pay.
| Cave | Time | Stair steps | Fitness level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial | 1 hour | 358 | Easiest |
| Lucas | 1.5 hours | 910 | Harder |
| River | 2 hours | 1,298 | Strenuous |
The Imperial Cave follows an old river passage and is mostly level, so the caves site calls it the best cave for less mobile or older visitors. The Lucas Cave is the most visited. It has the Broken Column, the most photographed formation at Jenolan, and a chamber called the Cathedral that is 54 metres high. The River Cave is the long one. It has two steep steel ladders, a minimum age of 6 and an average group of about 25 people.
Sources for this section: Jenolan Caves, official site, Imperial Cave, Lucas Cave and River Cave pages.
How to choose between the tours
- Young children or limited mobility: book the Imperial Cave. It is the easiest, and the spiral staircase to the underground river is optional.
- One tour only: book the Lucas Cave. It has big chambers and a view of the underground river, but expect a lot of stairs on the way in.
- Fit walkers who want more: add the River Cave, which is the effort tour. Wear sturdy shoes.
- Adventure seekers: Jenolan also runs adventure caving, such as the Plughole tour, for A$100 a person.
Groups are large on the popular tours. The Lucas Cave averages about 60 people, so book ahead if you are visiting on a weekend or in school holidays, and check the tour timetable for the day you plan to go.
Sources for this section: Jenolan Caves, official site, Imperial Cave, Lucas Cave, River Cave and Cave Tour Prices pages.
What the tours cost
Prices on the official site are per tour and start on 1 September 2015 and are listed for seven months.
| Tour | Adult | Pensioner or child | Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucas, Chifley or Imperial | A$35 | A$24 | A$81 |
| Orient, Diamond or Temple of Baal | A$41 | A$29.50 | A$91.50 |
| River, Ribbon or an extended tour | A$48.50 per person | Same price for everyone | |
A family ticket covers 2 adults and up to 3 school-aged children. Australian Seniors Card holders get 10 percent off the adult price on the first two groups of tours.
Two money savers are worth knowing. If you buy two or more tours at the same time, you pay full price for the dearest and half price for the others of the same or lower price. Each guided ticket also comes with a Jenolan Pass, which gives up to 50 percent off some later tours for 12 months.
Sources for this section: Jenolan Caves, official site, Cave Tour Prices page.
The free self-guided tour
If you buy a guided tour, you also get the self-guided audio tour at no extra cost. You cannot buy it alone. You collect a handset from the ticket office and walk at your own pace, before, after or between your guided tours.
The trail covers the Nettle Cave, which reopened in 2006 after 74 years, and the huge Devil's Coach House, an open natural arch with a roof 57 metres high at its tallest point. The commentary comes in several languages, and there is a version for children. It suits people who dislike tight spaces, because the caverns are large and open. A free app of the tour is also available.
Sources for this section: Jenolan Caves, official site, Self-guided, Audio, Multi Lingual Tour page.
Driving from Sydney
Drive west towards the Blue Mountains and Katoomba. After Katoomba, turn left at the historic village of Hartley, then follow Jenolan Caves Road through Hampton to the caves. The official site says the trip can be done in 3 hours from Sydney Airport, so a day trip means about six hours of driving plus your tour time.
- Fill your tank before you arrive. There is no fuel at Jenolan, but you can buy it at Mount Victoria, Lithgow or Oberon.
- Parking is free in the three large car parks.
- The road into the valley is not suitable for caravans, and pets are not allowed in the national park.
- The last stretch of road is one way, into the valley only, from 11.45 am to 1.15 pm each day. You can still leave during those hours by the sealed Oberon Road.
Check the road conditions page before you leave, because roadworks can add time to the trip. Coach tours from Sydney also run to the caves if you would rather not drive.
Sources for this section: Jenolan Caves, official site, Getting Here page.
Plan the day
Because the day can be long, plan lunch and a rest between tours. This is general travel information. Tour times, prices and rules can change, so confirm them on the official site before you book.
Sources for this section: Jenolan Caves, official site, Cave Tour Prices and Getting Here pages.
Sources
- Jenolan Caves, official site, home page: jenolancaves.org.au
- Jenolan Caves, Cave Tour Prices: jenolancaves.org.au
- Jenolan Caves, Getting Here: jenolancaves.org.au
- Jenolan Caves, Self-guided, Audio, Multi Lingual Tour: jenolancaves.org.au
- Jenolan Caves, Lucas Cave: jenolancaves.org.au
- Jenolan Caves, Imperial Cave: jenolancaves.org.au
- Jenolan Caves, River Cave: jenolancaves.org.au