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

The best stops on a Sydney to Jenolan Caves road trip include the Nepean River, the Blue Mountains National Park and Katoomba. By car, the distance from Sydney to the Jenolan Caves is 199km, with a driving time of 2h48m.

Planning a Sydney to Jenolan Caves road trip

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

If you would prefer not to drive, there are day tours from Sydney to the Jenolan Caves. These small group 4WD tours also take in highlights of the Blue Mountains and include a Parramatta River cruise. For more information, head this way.

Sydney’s enormous collection of experiences includes all-inclusive sunset dinner cruises, behind-the-scenes tours of the Opera House, jet boat thrill rides and historic walking tours. To find the best Sydney accommodation deals, search here.

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 Sydney to Jenolan Caves road trip itinerary.

Sydney to Jenolan Caves distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Sydney to the Jenolan Caves is 199km. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 48 minutes. Turn it into a road trip itinerary, however, and there are several good places to stop along the way.

13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book

The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.

(💲Great value 💲) Tick off several bucket list items on a highlights-packed Blue Mountains day tour.
Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
Save money with a multi-attraction pass.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the romance of a tall ship cruise on Sydney Harbour.
Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
(Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
(🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.

The quickest route from Sydney to the Jenolan Caves leaves Sydney along the M4, passing Parramatta and the Prospect Reservoir.

It then crosses the Nepean River at Jamisontown. This is where the M4 becomes the Great Western Highway and starts climbing into the Blue Mountains.

Sydney to Jenolan Caves road trip: Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains is one of Australia’s tourism honeypots. If you’ve budgeted plenty of time, this is an obvious overnight stay. More to the point, several of the key attractions in the region can be visited without making a massive detour.

7 Blue Mountains experiences you should pre-book

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.

In the Glenbrook section of the Blue Mountains National Park, there are great views from the Mount Portal Lookout. You can also enjoy reliable kangaroo sightings at the Euroka Campground and wild swimming in Jellybean Pool.

As the elevation increases, extra feasible stops include the Valley Heights Rail Museum in Springwood, the Norman Lindsay Gallery in Faulconbridge and the Linden Observatory in Linden.

Mabel Falls, Horseshoe Falls and Wentworth Falls are also along the road trip route.

Sydney to Jenolan Caves drive: Leura and Katoomba

Leura and Katoomba are the most likely spots for an overnight stay on the Sydney to Oberon drive, however.

The latter plays host to the Three Sisters and Scenic World.

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 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.

Beyond Katoomba come Medlow Bath and Blackheath, where you’ll find the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre, the Evans Lookout, Hanging Rock and Govetts Leap. There’s also 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.