Jenolan Caves system in the Blue Mountains is dated to 340 million years. It is among the oldest on Earth. Ten caves are open to the public, for spectacular visits suitable for everyone. But Jenolan Caves isn’t only special for its underground gem…!
Although one day or even half a day can be enough to visit a few caves, I find the scenic drive from Sydney (a bit less than 3 hours) too long to make a day trip to Jenolan Caves worthwhile. There are many things to do in the Blue Mountains to spend a couple of days in the region. The Three Sisters and the Wentworth Falls are the most famous landmarks, but I personally prefer the lookouts in the Blackheath area.
My first caving experience at Jenolan Caves
I had my first caving experience at the Jenolan Caves. We arrived late in the afternoon and took the first guided tour available – unfortunately, I do not remember the name of the cave we visited. It was unbelievable and well above my expectations.
No need for equipment or planning: it is a touristy place, and they will provide everything necessary for the visit. It was very well organised and easy to access even for someone inexperienced. Still, there were moments where some fitness/flexibility was needed, but nothing too hard.
The guide was passionate about the topic, and the explanations were fascinating. We had all the necessary time required to enjoy the visit. They also did good work on the lighting to enhance the beauty of the cave. I was surprised by unexpected water and fluorescent rocks.
I highly recommend this visit. It was a great opportunity to try something different – and slightly challenging.
I would love to go back to Jenolan Caves to try adventure caving! Has anyone tried this before? Share your experience in the comments below!
You don’t want to drive to the Jenolan Caves? You may be interested in joining a tour from Sydney that will take you to the Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves. I find that fitting both in a day trip is a lot but sometimes, that’s the only opportunity you have. Viator* offers a few of these tours that you can book online. There are also tour options departing from Katoomba, the town in the Blue Mountains that you can reach by train from Sydney.
Jenolan Caves is not only about the caves
For my second visit to Jenolan Caves, we arrived just before it got dark. We drove one hour at the end of the day – although we had to wake up early the next day for canyoning – and it wasn’t to visit the caves at all.
We stopped at the Blue Lake just before the caves. Although we were happily surprised by the stunning colour of the lake, we weren’t there for that.
We wanted to see a platypus.
A platypus lives in Blue Lake, just at the entrance of Jenolan Caves. Apparently, he comes out hunting almost every day after sunset. It was a fantastic opportunity to check out one of the most iconic animals in Australia. Platypuses are shy and nocturnal, so it’s a real chance to get that close and spot a platypus in the wild.
Where are the Jenolan Caves?
The Jenolan Caves are 175 kilometres west of Sydney, in the Blue Mountains region in New South Wales.
