Katoomba to Jenolan Caves road trip: Best stops, distance & time

The best stops on a Katoomba to Jenolan Caves road trip include the Blackheath and the Hartley Historic Site. By car, the distance from Katoomba to the Jenolan Caves is 98km, with a driving time of 1h30m.

The drive from Katoomba to the Jenolan Caves takes visitor through some of the most scenic stretches of New South Wales towards the oldest caves in the world.

Katoomba is where you’ll find the Blue Mountains hop-on, hop-off bus that links the Three Sisters lookout at Echo Point to the record-breaking novelty transport of Scenic World. To find your ideal Katoomba accommodation, head this way.

7 Blue Mountains experiences you should pre-book

The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.

Scenic World tickets – combine dramatic train rides, cable cars & forest walks.
The Blue Mountains hop-on, hop-off bus – get around Katoomba and Leura’s top sites hassle-free.
Guided stargazing with an astrophysicist – learn how to read the clear night skies.
Give canyoning a try – jumping, climbing and sliding through Empress Canyon.
Take a half day abseiling adventure – in the Blue Mountains National Park.
Indulge in a local produce tasting experience – with beers, wines & meats.
Get adventurous – on a 4WD tour to the world’s second largest canyon.

The nearest town to the Jenolan Caves is Oberon, which offers truffle hunts and glorious gardens. For Oberon accommodation offers, look here.

This guide should help you plan your perfect Katoomba to Jenolan Caves road trip itinerary.

Katoomba to Jenolan Caves distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Katoomba to the Jenolan Caves is 98km. That makes for a driving time of around one hour and 30 minutes. Turn it into a road trip itinerary, however, and there are several good places to stop along the way.

Katoomba is unquestionably the tourism hub of the Blue Mountains. Highlights include riding the Scenic Railway at Scenic World and tackling the Prince Henry Cliff Walk.

The town is also the base for canyoning and abseiling adventures, tasting platters with prime views at Echo Point and 4WD tours into areas of the Blue Mountains most visitors don’t see.

Katoomba accommodation options include the budget-friendly Blue Mountains Heritage Hotel, the pool-equipped Skyrider Motor Inn and the heritage-laced Carrington Hotel.

6 top Katoomba experiences to book in advance

Connect the key sights in Katoomba and Leura the easy way – on the hop-on, hop-off bus.
Discover your adventurous side – while canyoning at Twister and Rocky Creek.
Indulge in NSW-sourced wines, beers and tasting platters at Echo Point, while overlooking the Jamison Valley.
Combine canyoning and abseiling on a full day adventure.
Explore the Jamison Valley from all angles – with the trains and cable cars of Scenic World.
See ancient Aboriginal rock art – and the views other people miss – on a 4WD adventure.

Katoomba to the Jenolan Caves: Blackheath and Mount Victoria

On the way out of Katoomba, the Great Western Highway passes the trailhead for the Six Foot Track at Pulpit Hill on one side and the Upper Cascade Creek Dam on the other.

Next up is the town of Medlow Bath, which hosts the Hydro Majestic Hotel – one of the most revered spa hotels in Australia.

Coming into Blackheath, you’ll go near the Mermaids Cave Walk. But the main reason to visit Blackheath is the Blackheath section of the Blue Mountains National Park.

Top spots here include include Pulpit Rock, the Evans Lookout, Govetts Leap, Victoria Falls, the Mount Hay summit walk and the Grand Canyon.

But the top activity in Blackheath is arguably hiring an e-bike then mountain biking the Burramoko Trail along the ridgeline to Hanging Rock.

After Blackheath, there’s Mount Victoria, home of the Sunset Rock Lookout, Bushrangers Cave and the Pulpit Rock Lookout.

Blue Mountains to the Jenolan Caves

However, you’ll need to branch off the Great Western Highway just after the Hartley Historic site and head down Jenolan Caves Road. This winds past the Millionth Acre Recreation Area, a free camping site on the edge of the Hartley State Forest.

Once at the Jenolan Caves, there are several tours to choose from. If picking just one, Chifley Cave is arguably the best all-rounder.

Nearby, the best things to do in Oberon include fishing in Lake Oberon, truffle-hunting at RedGround and admiring Mayfield Garden.