Limited Entry LAVA TUBE CAVE TOURS
Explore the Lava Caves near Bend, Oregon!
AVAILABLE: May - September | Additional Cave Options: daily year-round cave tours!
Don’t see the date you’re looking for?
Please call our office at (541) 389-8359 to check availability.
Photo by Chris Pleasance
Please Note: We do not visit Lava River Cave (operated by the Deschutes National Forest)
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. This experience is private, not a public accessible cave.
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 an easier degree of difficulty. The walking surface is mostly level and sandy with occasional rocky sections. There are still fun opportunities towards the back of the cave for some scrambling and crawling for those interested.
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.
LIMITED ENTRY CAVE TOUR
$120 per person | $85 children 11 & under
Recommended for children 5 and older
Tour Times:
May 1 - May 31:
9:00 AM - 12:00PM | 1:30 PM - 4:30PM
June 1 - September 30:
9:00 AM - 12:00PM | 2:00 PM - 5:00PM
This tour runs May through September
Want to explore a lava tube cave October to April? Check out daily year-round cave tours!
Transportation: Departing from our office, 20-25 minutes one-way
INCLUDES
Professional naturalist guide & award-winning interpretation
Gear: Helmet, headlamp
Transportation: departing from our office
PLEASE BRING
Layers: Warm layers— the caves are cool!
Miscellaneous Gear: Close-toed shoes, water bottle, camera
Photo by Chris Pleasance
Photo by Chris Pleasance
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
Unfortunately, we cannot allow dogs on our tours. Please reach out to Ponderosa Paws for your dog-sitting needs.
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 -