Chislehurst Caves
BEST FOR
Ages 3-15
ENTRY
from £8
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Chislehurst
What it’s like
A lamp-lit guided walk through man-made tunnels, with a guide spinning spooky stories along the way.
You don't wander round on your own here. Everyone goes in as a group behind a guide carrying a lantern, and the tour itself runs 45 to 50 minutes through the tunnels, mixing history with the sort of spooky stories that land well with a nine-year-old and might spook a three-year-old more than you'd want. That's the trade-off with a place like this: brilliant for a seven or eight-year-old who wants to be a bit scared, a harder sell for a toddler who doesn't like the dark.
Tickets are £8 for a child and £10 for an adult, and tours leave on the hour. You can buy on the day from the ticket office if there's space, but with only one tour an hour it's worth turning up in good time rather than banking on the next slot. Every child needs an adult with them; the caves won't let unaccompanied kids in, which is fair enough underground but worth knowing if you were hoping to split off with older ones.
The floors are the other catch. They're uneven, cobble-like in places, and while you're allowed to bring a pushchair or wheelchair in, whoever's pushing it will be working for their money and also carrying a lantern at the same time. If that sounds like hard work with a buggy, it is, and you might decide to leave it at the entrance if you can.
Above ground there's a café doing breakfast, lunch, tea and homemade cakes, plus a gift shop that stays open a bit later than the ticket office. Parking's free on site, which takes the sting out of the entry price a little, and the whole thing opens Wednesday to Sunday, plus bank holidays and every day in the local school holidays.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 5 to 12; younger ones may find the dark tunnels a bit much
- Booking
- Tours leave on the hour. Tickets can be purchased on the day from ticket office subject to availability
- Parking
- Free car and coach parking on site
- Food
- Café serves breakfast, lunch and tea, hot and cold drinks, ice creams, homemade cakes and light snacks
- Pushchairs
- Can bring pushchair but uneven cave floors make access difficult
- Wheelchairs
- Can bring wheelchair but uneven cave floors make access difficult
- Dogs
- Guide dogs only
- Getting there by bus or train
- Chislehurst Railway Station a short walk away, 30 minutes from London Bridge
- Parties
- Birthday cave tours from £9 per child (min 15) or £135 flat rate
- Only one tour leaves per hour, so arrive with time to spare rather than cutting it fine
- Dogs aren't allowed in except guide dogs
- The gift shop stays open until 4:30pm, later than the ticket office
- For party catering, they ask for a week's notice if extra children are joining
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£8 for a child aged 3 to 15, £10 for an adult, £8 for seniors. There are no discounts on top of that.
Do we need to book ahead?
Tours leave on the hour and you can usually buy on the day from the ticket office, subject to space. Turning up early is a good idea since there's only one tour an hour.
How long does the tour take?
45 to 50 minutes underground with a guide.
Is it suitable for a toddler?
The site suggests under-3s can find the caves a bit much, and the lamp-lit, spooky-story style of the tour probably suits a slightly older child better.
Can we take a pushchair or wheelchair in?
You can, but the cave floors are uneven and cobble-like, so it's hard going, and whoever's pushing also has to carry a lantern.
Are unaccompanied children allowed on the tour?
No, every child has to be with someone aged 18 or over.
Is there parking?
Free car and coach parking on site.
What's the café like?
It does breakfast, lunch and tea, hot and cold drinks, ice creams and homemade cakes.
Can we bring our own food?
Outside food isn't allowed in the caves or the function room, though you can bring your own birthday cake to a party.
Do you do birthday parties?
Cave tours from £9 a child (minimum 15) or a £135 flat rate, and £18 a child with food included. Guests should arrive 15 minutes before the party starts.
What are the opening days?
Wednesday to Sunday plus bank holidays, and every day during local school holidays. Last tour is 4pm.
How do we get there by train?
Chislehurst Railway Station is a short walk away, about 30 minutes from London Bridge.
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