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If you like physical geography and caves and rocks and minerals, then you will love Jenolan Caves. Keep in mind it is not that near Blue Mountains as in it is not a 15-20 minutes drive away. It took us over an hour to maybe 90 minutes to get there as the road gets winding at some parts and so it is best to keep to the speed limit. If you are prone to motion sickness, take some pills for it (I took Travel Calm on the journey back and I was fine). The altitude changes as the road goes downward gradually so you will not realize it till later. The last 20 minutes of the drive I was hit by motion sickness because of the road plus change in altitude. We booked our tour tickets over the phone two days before and we just need to head to the office to pick up the tickets. If you download the Blue Mountains app, there might be some discount on Jenolan Cave. We missed out on that as we made the booking earlier and the credit card was already charged. We booked the Diamond Cave tour which includes the Imperial Cave with an option to visit the Jenolan Underground River. It was so pretty to see the helictites, stalactites, stalagmites, shawls and wave crystal. The guide was also very knowledgeable and could tell us many stories about the cave. If you are able and not afraid of height or darkness, do take the 66 steps down to see the river. The water in the river is so clear and pristine and just be in awe, knowing the water in there is millions of years old and and has been around for eons. It is amazing how they have preserve and make the caves safe for visitors to explore. It is cool inside the cave but not freezing cold. Bring a light jacket if you are afraid of the cold. Your clothes may get cave dirt as you may need to bend low to get around. This is definitely an experience.
Such a gorgeous place that's 3 hours away from Sydney! My husband and I decided to stay overnight in Katoomba so we'd have more time to visit both the Jenolan Caves and Three Sisters since they're only one hour apart. You have to book the tour in advance online because on certain months the tours will all be gone. My husband and I chose to visit the Lucas cave and Imperial cave because we were able to visit both in the same day, and, between the two caves, we were able to see many different things like the river, rock formations, fossils, and chambers. One downside is that if a tour is fully booked, it can get crowded in the caves especially in certain areas that bottle neck. But don't let that discourage you! The caves are still absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. Just make sure to wear the proper clothing and footwear since the caves get cold. There are other caves you can visit as well, but some caves will require all day to traverse and prior knowledge with climbing and caving.
I was hesitant when I saw how much the tours cost ($40ish), but we did it anyway. We booked the Imperial Diamond tour and we all loved it! It was an easy amount of walking for those who aren't super active, but included an optional 10-minute (or less) detour down 66 stairs to the beautiful, crystal clear, and super-still underground lake. The cave had many beautiful aspects to it, like crystal stalagmites and strips hanging from the ceiling that looked like bacon. :) Our tour guide was really great, talking about both the history and the science of the cave, and giving us a quick experience of the absolute darkness of the cave without the lights on. The 90 minute tour was definitely worth the $45 dollars.
Excited? You bet. Challenged? You got that right. Thrilled? Well, I'was. I was awed and amazed with the awesome and Jaw-dropping view of the inside of the caves. A glimpse of heaven. All the crawling, climbing, and descending was a bit challenging, harder than you might think. It definitely unleashed my adrenaline. I took few deep breaths, and my heart was pounding, my palms were sweaty and my breathing felt heavy. Indeed that sent a little thrill through me. Very thrilling and memorable treat for those in the know, not to be missed. Five Yelps.
Managed to get here on the last day of exploration in Sydney. Decided to rent a car and drive down here. Was a 2 hours drive from Parramatta. By the way, don't use the map link and address on Yelp if not you will have to hike up for 45 minutes. Wanted to do the Diamond cave tour but unfortunately we were too late but we managed to explore Lucas cave (one of the best ones I suppose - according to the little descriptions on the brochures or the big signs). The tour was pretty good. The steps are walkable - was a bit tedious at the beginning as it has more steps. During my tour, there are a few kids that joined us and they kinda survived the narrow and uphill as well as downhill climbs. I enjoyed the different sound and light effects and the explanations about the limestone caves and the crystals by the tour leader. Price wise it was a little steep. I got the 50% off voucher after buying the Lucas cave and decided to pass it on to the next visitor so they can enjoy the caves for half off. Overall, it isn't as tiring as I thought through watching the clip provided online. But make sure to check the timings for different caves and what it entails before coming here. :)
Arrived late in the afternoon and was definitely please with the finale of our Oz trip. Tours were finished, but we took a little time to do the quick self guided tour through nettle cave and out on a forested bushwalk, where we saw the most birds during our 18 day trip. If we had more time I would have loved to do the river walk.
I've been to Jenolan Caves ever since I was born. Amazing place and one of my favourite places in the world. I've done 100s of tours and they all still amaze me. Caves House is a great place to stay. Some great bush walks. The Six Foot Track is one of the best. The self guided tours are a lot of fun and there's no need to buy tickets for those. If you like Australian wildlife you can easily find some Kangaroos and maybe even a Platypus. If suggest getting to the Caves as early as possible to make the early tours. Parking can fill up quickly. One word of warning; The Caves Rd closes north bound from 11:45am to 1:15pm each day. If you plan on leaving make sure you get out before they close the road.
So cool! We came here on a Thursday as part of a greater tour of the Blue Mountain area. It was a long and windy drive so we were glad to have someone else who was familiar with the area doing the hard part for us. I didn't see any individual groups that drove themselves but maybe that was due to it being a weekday. I'm not sure what the logistics would entail for that but their website is very useful and probably has a section covering that information. The caves were awesome! We went on a tour of the Lucas Cave. They really put a lot of thought into the tour as different areas were lit up to showcase what was being presented. It wasn't super well lit but it is a cave so it would've been a bit strange if it had been. I anticipated worrying about watching my step the whole time as we were traversing stairs, bridges, etc. It was never an issue. In fact, no one seemed to have any problem. The initial ascent is definitely the hardest part (a lot of stairs) but it wasn't particularly difficult and you don't need to be in good shape to do it. Our tour guide had been working in the caves for years and had some interesting stories to share. Overall it was a great experience and I'd highly recommend the tour. 5 stars.
The last time I went to Jenolan Caves was as I child so I jumped at the opportunity of going again with someone else tackling the 3hr drive there. THINGS TO SEE We went on the River Cave Tour ($40) and booked in advance to avoid the queue (particularly important if your going on a weekend or public holiday). I find the formation of Stalactites and Stalagmites particularly fascinating and beautiful. The most famous stacmite on the tour is the minaret. http://www.yelp.com.au/biz_photos/9OwfCQptZ8QIydmQiSctIw?select=lzTAlm4FCLzNOO0hmE_MZQ I also loved Esther's Chamber http://www.yelp.com.au/biz_photos/9OwfCQptZ8QIydmQiSctIw?select=9DfdmNSUSoeSzBGqsPpWIQ The highlight of the tour is the river (duh!). The pool of reflections is the prettiest one with lights that illuminate the water to show it's blue colour. Absolutely gorgeous. http://www.yelp.com.au/biz_photos/9OwfCQptZ8QIydmQiSctIw?select=jj1GYZsyRbBqbDKwONlLjw The tour lasted approximately 2hrs and the tour guide was extremely well informed about both the history and geological aspects of the caves. VERDICT If your already going to the blue mountains you might as well keep driving another hour to experience a magnificent display of the hidden beauties of nature. CUTE FACT To remember which one is which stalactities are the ones that form from the ceiling that "hold on tight" whilst stalagmites "might reach the ceiling".
These caves are absolutely beautiful, and the hike through them is pretty easy (just a little tight at times), while offering an adventure-filled day just a short drive from Sydney. Our bus wound it's way around the mountains to the caves, with many stunning vistas along the way. We met up at the large mouth to the cave opening. We saw several colorful birds around the outside of the cave and some wallabies too! Our guide gave us some information about the history of the caves and then our hike into the caves began. If you're not an experienced hiker, no need to worry. The tour through the cave is along a boardwalk with a hand rail for most of the areas where that there is a steep incline or rocky terrain. We entered in and wound our way through several passages and stops within the Lucas Cave - including the underground river, the cathedral chamber/cove where choirs come to sing, and a stop where we all turned off our phones or flashlights and got to experience pure darkness that drove many cave explorers mad back in the day! Our guide also showed us many rock formations that cave hikers used to find their way within the cave's many routes. In the choir cove, the guide turned out all the guide lights and showed us that they have a light show installed within the cave as well, which was very neat to see. We hiked our way out and around the beautiful Blue Lake, before heading back to Sydney. A quick day-long trip to see mountains, caves, and a little bit of wildlife! read more
#68 for 2021 The Aboriginals were the first visitors to the Jenolan Caves using the healing pools found deep inside long before the Europeans discovered it in the 1840s. Dated to be about 340 million years old the Jenolan Caves are the most ancient open caves in the world spanning more than 25 miles multileveled with over 300 entrance points following the subterranean section of the Jenolan River. I am so interested in caves because they are like a secret world full of mystery, wonder and excitement. With 16 caves to explore, Jenolan offers all kinds of adventures for every different level of cave exploring for all ages young and old. The most popular cave is the Lucas cave. Since we were here for a few hours and could only choose 1 that was the unanimous vote by our group. The tour takes about 1.5 hours. Our tour group was large and the guide did a good job keeping everyone together to prevent straggling and further damage. The high lights for me is the underwater river, stalactites and stalagmites with their interesting names (I can't remember any of them now) and the brilliant colors. I was able to take some fantastic pictures and enjoyed it all. Parts of the hike can be difficult for those not in the best of health. However, I can say many of us were kind to wait for those back in the pack giving kind words of encouragement. Our guide was very informative providing interesting tid bits of information and answering all questions asked. She explained the geology of the formation and what the cave means to different groups of people. She also said the acoustics are so good, better than any where else in the world man made or natural. Some people have had events in the main chamber for celebration including weddings. For the heavy peek season it may be better to make reservations. We were able to get up there and pick a time slot when to go. You choose the cave, if it is open, and the time. Meet your guide at a particular location close to the entrance of the cave and begin your tour. This particular tour was about $35.00 Aussie. You may have to wait for a little while before your tour begins. This was a good time for us to get a bite to eat because the drive up is over an hour. Driving through many country roads was quite enjoyable actually. So green and cool with lots to see, stop and do. But I digress. If you didn't bring any food you have a few choices. Chisolm's Restaurant was closed for us. This was designed in 1871 for the wealthy land owners. If you want to dine like you in the bling here's your chance to bling out. If you just want a drink you can hang at Jeremiah's Bar & Lounge. This was closed to us too. Maybe it was too early in the day. Jeremiah is Jeremiah Wilson the first official Jenolan Cave guide considered a good looking, red haired Irish not just a cave explorer but a notorious ladies' man. I wonder if being a cave man has an impact on that kind of life style? What was open? Caves Cafe is where we were able to get small plates at a moderate prices. As a suggestion you might be better off bringing your own brown paper bag lunch. Save you money for some better eats in the towns close by. I was amazed to see the number of creatures about. A beggar red parrot. Sorry I had no food. A large swimming lizard trying to decide how threatening I would be. And a wombat crossing the road without any care in the world who everyone was or why they were taking pictures. I think he just wanted to get to the other side. He did allow me to take many pictures. So photogenic too. There are a few short hiking trails you could explore. Some have aggressive ascents. Check with park staff for weather conditions and health risks before beginning any hike. Part of our group tried to do this but turn back after winds got fierce. You could do what I did. Go up high enough to get a few down perspective shots of the surrounding are. Very picturesque actually. Visiting the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains is an absolute treasure. I would love to go back to explore other caves. Maybe in the pitch dark. Nah. Maybe not. read more
2 years ago
11 years ago
If you like physical geography and caves and rocks and minerals, then you will love Jenolan Caves. Keep in mind it is not that near Blue Mountains as in it is not a 15-20 minutes drive away. It took us over an hour to maybe 90 minutes to get there as the road gets winding at some parts and so it is best to keep to the speed limit. If you are prone to motion sickness, take some pills for it (I took Travel Calm on the journey back and I was fine). The altitude changes as the road goes downward gradually so you will not realize it till later. The last 20 minutes of the drive I was hit by motion sickness because of the road plus change in altitude. We booked our tour tickets over the phone two days before and we just need to head to the office to pick up the tickets. If you download the Blue Mountains app, there might be some discount on Jenolan Cave. We missed out on that as we made the booking earlier and the credit card was already charged. We booked the Diamond Cave tour which includes the Imperial Cave with an option to visit the Jenolan Underground River. It was so pretty to see the helictites, stalactites, stalagmites, shawls and wave crystal. The guide was also very knowledgeable and could tell us many stories about the cave. If you are able and not afraid of height or darkness, do take the 66 steps down to see the river. The water in the river is so clear and pristine and just be in awe, knowing the water in there is millions of years old and and has been around for eons. It is amazing how they have preserve and make the caves safe for visitors to explore. It is cool inside the cave but not freezing cold. Bring a light jacket if you are afraid of the cold. Your clothes may get cave dirt as you may need to bend low to get around. This is definitely an experience. read more
8 years ago
Such a gorgeous place that's 3 hours away from Sydney! My husband and I decided to stay overnight in Katoomba so we'd have more time to visit both the Jenolan Caves and Three Sisters since they're only one hour apart. You have to book the tour in advance online because on certain months the tours will all be gone. My husband and I chose to visit the Lucas cave and Imperial cave because we were able to visit both in the same day, and, between the two caves, we were able to see many different things like the river, rock formations, fossils, and chambers. One downside is that if a tour is fully booked, it can get crowded in the caves especially in certain areas that bottle neck. But don't let that discourage you! The caves are still absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. Just make sure to wear the proper clothing and footwear since the caves get cold. There are other caves you can visit as well, but some caves will require all day to traverse and prior knowledge with climbing and caving. read more
9 years ago
I was hesitant when I saw how much the tours cost ($40ish), but we did it anyway. We booked the Imperial Diamond tour and we all loved it! It was an easy amount of walking for those who aren't super active, but included an optional 10-minute (or less) detour down 66 stairs to the beautiful, crystal clear, and super-still underground lake. The cave had many beautiful aspects to it, like crystal stalagmites and strips hanging from the ceiling that looked like bacon. :) Our tour guide was really great, talking about both the history and the science of the cave, and giving us a quick experience of the absolute darkness of the cave without the lights on. The 90 minute tour was definitely worth the $45 dollars. read more
Excited? You bet. Challenged? You got that right. Thrilled? Well, I'was. I was awed and amazed with the awesome and Jaw-dropping view of the inside of the caves. A glimpse of heaven. All the crawling, climbing, and descending was a bit challenging, harder than you might think. It definitely unleashed my adrenaline. I took few deep breaths, and my heart was pounding, my palms were sweaty and my breathing felt heavy. Indeed that sent a little thrill through me. Very thrilling and memorable treat for those in the know, not to be missed. Five Yelps. read more
11 years ago
Managed to get here on the last day of exploration in Sydney. Decided to rent a car and drive down here. Was a 2 hours drive from Parramatta. By the way, don't use the map link and address on Yelp if not you will have to hike up for 45 minutes. Wanted to do the Diamond cave tour but unfortunately we were too late but we managed to explore Lucas cave (one of the best ones I suppose - according to the little descriptions on the brochures or the big signs). The tour was pretty good. The steps are walkable - was a bit tedious at the beginning as it has more steps. During my tour, there are a few kids that joined us and they kinda survived the narrow and uphill as well as downhill climbs. I enjoyed the different sound and light effects and the explanations about the limestone caves and the crystals by the tour leader. Price wise it was a little steep. I got the 50% off voucher after buying the Lucas cave and decided to pass it on to the next visitor so they can enjoy the caves for half off. Overall, it isn't as tiring as I thought through watching the clip provided online. But make sure to check the timings for different caves and what it entails before coming here. :) read more
12 years ago
Arrived late in the afternoon and was definitely please with the finale of our Oz trip. Tours were finished, but we took a little time to do the quick self guided tour through nettle cave and out on a forested bushwalk, where we saw the most birds during our 18 day trip. If we had more time I would have loved to do the river walk. read more
I've been to Jenolan Caves ever since I was born. Amazing place and one of my favourite places in the world. I've done 100s of tours and they all still amaze me. Caves House is a great place to stay. Some great bush walks. The Six Foot Track is one of the best. The self guided tours are a lot of fun and there's no need to buy tickets for those. If you like Australian wildlife you can easily find some Kangaroos and maybe even a Platypus. If suggest getting to the Caves as early as possible to make the early tours. Parking can fill up quickly. One word of warning; The Caves Rd closes north bound from 11:45am to 1:15pm each day. If you plan on leaving make sure you get out before they close the road. read more
10 years ago
So cool! We came here on a Thursday as part of a greater tour of the Blue Mountain area. It was a long and windy drive so we were glad to have someone else who was familiar with the area doing the hard part for us. I didn't see any individual groups that drove themselves but maybe that was due to it being a weekday. I'm not sure what the logistics would entail for that but their website is very useful and probably has a section covering that information. The caves were awesome! We went on a tour of the Lucas Cave. They really put a lot of thought into the tour as different areas were lit up to showcase what was being presented. It wasn't super well lit but it is a cave so it would've been a bit strange if it had been. I anticipated worrying about watching my step the whole time as we were traversing stairs, bridges, etc. It was never an issue. In fact, no one seemed to have any problem. The initial ascent is definitely the hardest part (a lot of stairs) but it wasn't particularly difficult and you don't need to be in good shape to do it. Our tour guide had been working in the caves for years and had some interesting stories to share. Overall it was a great experience and I'd highly recommend the tour. 5 stars. read more
The last time I went to Jenolan Caves was as I child so I jumped at the opportunity of going again with someone else tackling the 3hr drive there. THINGS TO SEE We went on the River Cave Tour ($40) and booked in advance to avoid the queue (particularly important if your going on a weekend or public holiday). I find the formation of Stalactites and Stalagmites particularly fascinating and beautiful. The most famous stacmite on the tour is the minaret. http://www.yelp.com.au/biz_photos/9OwfCQptZ8QIydmQiSctIw?select=lzTAlm4FCLzNOO0hmE_MZQ I also loved Esther's Chamber http://www.yelp.com.au/biz_photos/9OwfCQptZ8QIydmQiSctIw?select=9DfdmNSUSoeSzBGqsPpWIQ The highlight of the tour is the river (duh!). The pool of reflections is the prettiest one with lights that illuminate the water to show it's blue colour. Absolutely gorgeous. http://www.yelp.com.au/biz_photos/9OwfCQptZ8QIydmQiSctIw?select=jj1GYZsyRbBqbDKwONlLjw The tour lasted approximately 2hrs and the tour guide was extremely well informed about both the history and geological aspects of the caves. VERDICT If your already going to the blue mountains you might as well keep driving another hour to experience a magnificent display of the hidden beauties of nature. CUTE FACT To remember which one is which stalactities are the ones that form from the ceiling that "hold on tight" whilst stalagmites "might reach the ceiling". read more
A trip to NSW isn't complete without a trip to Jenolan Caves! I highly, highly recommend touring at least one cave here. There are coaches that will drive you here, but my fiance and I opted to drive. Now, he's very experienced with driving on winding roads, so the drive wasn't too bad. But if you're not used to driving on narrow, winding roads, then it's best to hire a coach. We booked three cave tours: the Lucas, Orient, and Temple of Baal. If you purchase one tour at regular price, then the subsequent tours are all half off, so we paid less than $200 USD for the two of us for 3 cave tours. Now, that is cheap. Lucas is one of the largest and most popular caves. They recommend that cave if you only have time for one tour. Since we allocated an entire day here, we were able to fit in three tours. There is a set tour schedule so you'll have to see which tour(s) will fit your time frame. We started with Lucas, followed by the Orient, and then finished with Temple of Baal. The entry for the Orient and Temple of Baal requires going up some serious steps, so be prepared to do some walking! Anyway, all three caves wowed us, but I thought the Orient was the most impressive. We are lead to different chambers by very informed guides. Upon entry, most of the chambers are dark. The guide will give us background information on what we are about to see and then they'll turn on the lights to different sections of the room. With each on light switch, a bit of the room is revealed to us as we oooh and ahhhh at the magnificent sights. Once all sections are lit, we are welcomed to take photos before moving on to the next chamber. Of the three caves, I liked the Orient the most. It's one of the smaller tours so it only accommodates a maximum of 25 people. Although small, this tour has some amazing formations, including one I deem the White House. Now, the difficulty of each cave varies. Some of the caves require more walking, while others require you to climb many steps, so you'll have to be in decent shape to explore some of them. Now that I've had a tour of some of these caves, the next time I'm here, I'll be sure to go one of the adventure caving tours offered. Hope you enjoy the Jenolan Caves as much as I did! read more
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More info about Jenolan Caves
4655 Jenolan Caves Rd
Jenolan New South Wales 2790
Australia
Directions
1300 763 311
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http://www.jenolancaves.org.au/
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