Jewel Cave WA: Guided Tour & Karri Forest Walk Option

Summary

Inside Jewel Cave’s vast chambers with stories echoing in stone

You’ll step into Western Australia’s Jewel Cave with a local guide leading you through immense crystal chambers and sharing strange tales from its past. See ancient stalactites up close, feel the cool underground air on your skin, and finish with an optional walk beneath towering karri trees. There’s something quietly moving about standing where time moves so slowly.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing that went wrong was my shoelace — untied right as we reached the narrow stairs down into Jewel Cave. I fumbled, holding up our little group, but our guide just grinned and told me not to rush; “The cave’s waited thousands of years for you,” she said. The air changed instantly at the entrance — colder, damp, with a faint mineral tang that stuck to my skin. It was quieter than I expected, except for the occasional drip echoing somewhere deep. I remember someone behind me whispering about how dark it must’ve been for those first explorers in the 1950s — honestly, I can’t imagine doing this with just a rope and a torch.

Our guide (I think her name was Mel?) pointed out these wild straw stalactites — some so thin they looked like glass noodles, one apparently the longest in any tourist cave in Australia. She told us about Tasmanian Tigers falling in here long ago. That part got weirdly sad; you could almost picture them slipping through the darkness, ending up somewhere under our feet. I kept running my hand along the metal railings — cold and slick — as we moved between chambers lit by soft yellow lamps. Every surface glimmered differently: some parts rough as sandpaper, others smooth like old marble.

I didn’t expect to laugh so much on a cave tour, but Mel had stories about early cavers getting lost or stuck (she did an impression of one guy’s panicked shout that made everyone snort). When we finally climbed back up into daylight, blinking hard, there was this sharp eucalyptus smell from the karri forest outside. Some folks peeled off for the self-guided Karri Walk — I just stood there for a minute, shoes finally tied, thinking about how quiet it felt underground compared to all that green above.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Jewel Cave and Karri Forest

• Join fully-guided Jewel Cave tour
• See towering crystal formations
• View stalagmites, shawls, helictites
• Learn about Tasmanian Tigers story
• Visit natural cave entrance
• Optional self-guided Karri forest walk
• Explore Jewel Cave Centre facilities

Top questions

How long does the guided tour of Jewel Cave take?

The fully-guided tour lasts about one hour inside Jewel Cave.

Is pickup included for the Jewel Cave tour?

No, pickup is not included; travelers make their own way to Jewel Cave in Western Australia.

Are there any physical requirements for this tour?

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness due to stairs and walking inside the cave.

Can I bring my service animal into Jewel Cave?

Yes, service animals are allowed on this guided tour.

What is special about Jewel Cave compared to other caves?

Jewel Cave is Western Australia's largest show cave and features some of Australia's longest straw stalactites visible on tourist tours.

Is there an option to explore outside after the cave tour?

Yes, you can take a self-guided Karri Walk through the forest above after your cave tour ends.

Will we hear stories or history during the tour?

Your guide shares stories about early explorers and even extinct Tasmanian Tigers found in the cave's history.

What’s included

Your visit includes a fully guided one-hour tour inside Jewel Cave led by a knowledgeable local guide who shares stories and points out unique formations along the way. Afterward, you have the option to take a self-guided walk through the surrounding karri forest before heading back at your own pace.