Jenolan Caves

Walk Through The Jenolan Caves are without question, Australia’s most impressive limestone caves. The caves were discovered in 1838 by a convict bushranger.
Australia’s most impressive limestone caves. Open to the public are nine show caves with spectacular lighting, underground rivers and cave formations that amaze visitors.

Jenolan Caves also offer adventure tours, picnic facilities and bush walking tracks. The drive to Jenolan Caves is also a pleasant experience. The natural welcoming of the Grand Arch is unforgettable.

The Off the Track tour explores dark passageways and tunnels that are not part of the regular tour circuit within the caves. Equipped with a headlamp and helmet, visitors will wind through narrow rock walls to discover secret chasms and incredible stalactites and stalagmites that few ever get to see.

The historic Jenolan Caves House is one of the icons of the Blue Mountains, built in 1897 in the spacious, gracious Federation style of the time. Stop for refreshments here, or book one of the cosy rooms or a self-contained cottage, ideal for a family getaway.

You can also enjoy the beautiful surrounds by walking the scenic Jenolan River Track, a gorgeous riverside amble through pristine wilderness. It passes by the surreal Blue Lake, a waterhole beneath the Grand Arch that is famous for its vibrant colour and resident platypus.

Mysterious Jenolan Caves, symbol of beauty, adventure, and escape.
For many years, researchers suspected that Jenolan Caves was extremely old. In 2006, the CSIRO solved the mystery, establishing that the caves are the world’s oldest known open caves – 340 million years old. Once hidden and remote, more than 400 caves have been discovered at Jenolan since 1830. Their full extent is the subject of ongoing exploration.
Nature Reserve in World Heritage area
Above ground, there are spectacular formations, such as Carlotta’s Arch, the Blue Lake and Jenolan River. It costs you nothing to stroll along Jenolan’s bush tracks and maybe spot shy native wildlife, such as wallabies and platypus. Jenolan is in National Park, on the western edge of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area, teaming with native animals, mostly nocternal.
Explore the Spectacular Caves
In spite of the beauty above ground, people mostly visit Jenolan to experience the awe-inspiring caves. Underground, with daily guided tours, most visitors can experience any of the 8 spectacular show caves with their breathtaking formations and rivers.

Each of Jenolan’s caves is different. For instance, the Lucas cave has the Cathedral Chamber, one of the widest and highest at Jenolan. With famous acoustics, the Cathedral frequently hosts weddings. The Temple of Baal cave, featuring a unique sound and light show, offers one of the world’s largest cave shawls. The Orient is one of the most beautiful caves in the world, richly draped with colourful formations. For the less mobile, the Imperial cave is the easiest, with the fewest stair steps. There are many more caves, each offering amazing features.

With so many caves, you can experience the underworld in a range of ways.

Try exploring Jenolan’s mysterious depths with Adventure Caving. Abseil, squeeze and climb through undeveloped caves, with only a head lamp to light your way. There are a range of adventure caving activities, suitable for novices to veterans.

If you prefer exploring at your own pace, we have a multi lingual digital audio tour of the Nettle Cave, which allows exploration on a self-guided basis. This tour is fantastic for those who don’t like enclosed spaces!

In this place of haunting beauty, Legends, Mysteries and Ghosts tour will make you shiver to tales of the unexplained.