Jenolan Caves
One Of The World'S Oldest And Most Extensive Limestone Cave Systems, Three Hours West Of Sydney Past The Blue Mountains, With Eleven Show Caves Open On Guided Tours And The Grand Arch Natural Tunnel You Can Walk Straight Through Without A Ticket · Jenolan Caves, New South Wales
Jenolan Caves sits three hours west of Sydney past the Blue Mountains, one of the oldest and most extensive limestone cave systems known anywhere, with dated formations going back hundreds of millions of years. Eleven show caves are developed for visitors, though only a handful run on any given day, each reached only on a timed guided tour with its own personality - the Lucas Cave's cathedral-scale chambers, the Orient Cave's dense, colourful formations often rated the most beautiful on site, and the River Cave's underground stream crossings among them. The Grand Arch, a natural tunnel big enough for the original road to run straight through it, is free to walk at any time without a ticket and gives a sense of scale before paying for anything underground. A heritage guesthouse built into the valley floor below the Arch has operated here for over a century, and walking tracks above ground wind through the bushland around the caves. More demanding adventure caving tours run for visitors wanting something rougher than a walk-through show cave.
Three hours west of Sydney past the Blue Mountains, at the end of the Jenolan Caves Road, Jenolan Caves, New South Wales, Australia
The visitor precinct and Grand Arch are open daily year-round with no entry fee for the Arch itself. Show cave tours run on a timetable from around 10am to 4pm, with the exact caves open rotating by day of the week and season, so not every cave runs every day. The last tour of most caves departs mid-afternoon, well before the grounds close. Adventure caving tours run less often, typically weekends and school holidays only, and need booking ahead rather than a walk-up ticket. The guesthouse restaurant keeps separate hours and the cafe near the ticket office closes earlier than the last cave tour. The road in can close temporarily after heavy rain or snow, which also affects some caves.