LAVA TUBE CAVE TOURS
Explore the Lava Caves near Bend, Oregon!
Photo by Chaney Swiney
Did you know there is a vast network of caves near Bend, Oregon? Strap on a helmet and headlamp and join our naturalist guides for a fun, educational, underground adventure! These tours are a great Bend, Oregon family activity.
Please Note: We do not visit Lava River Cave (operated by the Deschutes National Forest)
CARE TO MAKE YOUR TOUR PRIVATE?
Any group tour of 10 or more people (or price equivalent) can be made private and customized to your needs. Learn more >>
About
Adventure: Wanderlust Tours is the premier destination for cave tours in Bend, Oregon! Join us on this epic subterranean tour on Bend’s ponderosa pine-studded high desert. Our renowned naturalist guides will highlight sweet bits of these cool caverns that might not initially meet the eye.
Naturalist Guided Experience: During our 2 hours underground, in the darkest, quietest spot earth can provide, we may impart an understanding of the region’s geology- how massive volcanoes created these wonders. Or we might share how the cave habitat provides for creatures important to human life. Your crew will be energized with revelations about natural and cultural history that’ll keep your mind humming with delight long after you return home with fond memories of the tour.
Caves: Bend’s lava caves have a delicate ecosystem that few have experienced to the fullest! Wanderlust Tours is the only guide company permitted in these special lava caves. These caves are also wild, meaning they do not have a paved path or lighting. Closed toe shoes are recommended for navigating the uneven rocky surfaces.
Cave Difficulty: Mother Nature has created a wonderfully diverse array of caves that offer a variety of experiences. All of the caves we visit are wild, meaning other than the staircase to enter them there are no man made improvements put into the caves (walkways or lights). The walking surface is uneven and can be varying degrees of rugged and rocky.
In our estimation, this cave presents a moderate degree of difficulty as it involves many fun opportunities for scrambling up/down/around rocky areas and crawling through short passages. >> Compare our different Cave Tours
On all our cave tours, our guides are attentive to keeping the pace suitable to all members of the group so that everyone can move at a comfortable speed.
Details
$110 per person | $85 children 11 & under
Recommended for children 5 and older
June 1 - September 30
9:00 AM | 2:00 PM
October 1 - May 31
9:00 AM | 1:30 PM | 7:00 PM
Transportation: Departing from our office, 20-25 minutes one-way
Includes
Professional naturalist guide & award-winning interpretation
Gear: Helmet, headlamp
Transportation: to the cave
Please bring
Layers: Warm layers— the caves are cool!
The caves stay at 45 degrees year round. We recommend sturdy footwear, pants/ jeans, and a fleece jacket.
Miscellaneous Gear: Close-toed shoes, water bottle, camera
PLEASE READ: WHITE NOSE SYNDROME IN NORTH AMERICA
In March 2016, WNS was found in Washington state. Wanderlust Tours is committed to cooperating with state and federal agencies, as well as conservation groups, to provide information to the public on the value of bats and the threat posed by WNS. Some of our Bend-area caves serve as winter hibernaculum, and we will not visit these caves. We operate year-round cave tours in caves where our bats do not hibernate. WNS does not affect humans in any way. Learn more about WNS in the United State here.
Reviews courtesy of Google & Trip Advisor
My girlfriend and I did the lava tube cave tour as the last major activity to end our weekend in Bend. It was the absolute highlight of our trip by far. Our tour guide Dylan was super friendly, personable, and knowledgeable of the caves. If you’re in Bend, taking this tour is an absolute must do.
- Ben O -