Europe
Ireland
Province of Munster
County Clare
The Burren
Ballyvaughan
Things to do in Ballyvaughan
Aillwee Cave
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Aillwee Cave

See all things to do
See all things to do
Aillwee Cave
4
1,353
#3 of 20 things to do in Ballyvaughan
Caverns & Caves
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10:00 - 18:00
Monday
10:00 - 18:00
Tuesday
10:00 - 18:00
Wednesday
10:00 - 18:00
Thursday
10:00 - 18:00
Friday
10:00 - 18:00
Saturday
10:00 - 18:00
Sunday
10:00 - 18:00
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About
A warm welcome awaits everyone at this Multi Award Winning destination attraction. Aillwee is simply unmissable when visiting The Burren and County Clare! Unlock many secrets of The Burren through unique underground and overground experiences. Be educated, engaged and entertained on your day out at Aillwee Burren Experience! Accompany the guides to the surprising Burren underworld @ Aillwee, unlocking an intriguing, timeless story. Closely appreciate the silent and majestic Birds of Prey @ Aillwee. Daily interactive Flying Displays reveal varied Raptor species that delight and excite. The Farm Shop @ Aillwee is a ‘Hidden Gem’. Watch traditional, sustainable farmhouse methods used in creating the unique Award-Winning Burren Gold Cheese. Taste several varieties and creamy, buttery Fudge too! Sampling, of course, is encouraged! Enjoy an accessible, easy-going hike through the mature, eight-acre, native Holly, Ash and Hazel Woodland @ Aillwee.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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Top ways to experience Aillwee Cave and nearby attractions

The area
Address
Best nearby
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10 within 5 kms
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536
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146
2.9 km€€€€ • Irish • European • Vegetarian Friendly
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520
3.2 km€€ - €€€ • Dessert • Irish • Cafe
The Soda Parlour
66
2.8 km€ • Irish • Cafe • Vegetarian Friendly
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11
2.8 km
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1,318
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Attractions
20 within 10 kms
Burren Birds of Prey Centre
713
3.2 kmNature & Wildlife Areas
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715
4.7 kmGeologic Formations
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140
3.2 kmHistory Museums
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786
4.7 kmHistoric Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
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217
Hiking Trails
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355
Historic Sites
Poulawack Cairn
7
1.4 kmAncient Ruins • Cemeteries
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136
Religious Sites
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39
2.8 kmCastles
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22
2.6 kmEducational sites
See all
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.0
1,353 reviews
Excellent
559
Very good
434
Average
239
Poor
86
Terrible
35
Ann M
Kuwait1,011 contributions
Very Food Cave to Visit
Dec 2022 • Solo
Very good part of a long day trip. The guide was great and tons of cool stories in this 35 minute tour. It is very well lit for those of scared of dark places. The local scenery around is out of a book.
Written 27 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Tony Dunne
Dublin, Ireland38 contributions
Must visit experience.
Sep 2022 • Couples
Must visit if travelling in this part of the country .
The tour of the caves was very interesting and the guide was very professional and knowledgeable, brought a comfort and relaxed feel to the tour , putting all at ease & been patient .. roughly 45 mins long .
The birds of prey show was so informative and a great insight into these birds of prey.
Everything was done with a comfort and in relaxed safe way , encouraging people to come forward to allow birds to rest on a supplied glove .

There were shops to visit to pick up some memorabilia of the tours . Walks to go on also .. you will certainly need a few hours set aside to enjoy this experience.
Written 12 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
CynthiaC
Charlotte, NC3 contributions
A worthy detour on the way to the Cliffs.
Sep 2022 • Couples
The combination of birds-of-prey area with the cave tour. Both were well done, informative and serve good causes of conservation and local history. We also arrived while cheese was being made in the gift shop. The nature walk was a plus.
Written 5 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Fergal M
2 contributions
Not for families with small children
Aug 2022 • Family
The tour guide was extremely rude and disrespectful. His name was Stephen. When our 4 year old and 2 year old made any noise he would stop talking in a passive aggressive way. He asked us to move to the back of the group. And at the end made a comment that he apologised for all the noise but there was nothing he could do about it. We even tried to hold back with the kids so our child didn’t interrupt his ‘lectures’, at which point he got annoyed that we were too far back. This is supposed to be a family tour and is not a lecture at trinity college. They need to be able to cater for small families or else make it clear young children are not welcome.
Written 27 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jason E
185 contributions
Birds of prey is the highlight
Aug 2022 • Family
First the pricing needs to be looked at. You SHOULD NOT have to book the cave and bird centre as one ticket, it can make it very expensive. There should be a ticket for the cave and then an add on extra if you want to go to the birds of prey.
On the whole the cave is enjoyable and our guide was very nice and very knowledgeable, the trip lasts about 45 minutes and that’s because of all the stops. The bird of prey demonstration is by far the highlight. The show and it’s birds and handlers are fantastic and shouldn’t be missed.
Written 26 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Caoimhe O Sullivan
2 contributions
So disrespectful
Aug 2022 • Family
We went for the cave tour all exited and happy when things took a dramatic turn.We we’re taking the walk through the cave and our tour guide called STEPHEN said we would stop 8 times throughout our tour.At our first stop he was talking about the history of the cave and my sister who struggles to pay attention and stay quite all the time just whispered something to my mom very quietly and he stopped talking folded his arms and said is she okay we said she was fine because she was .Everyone was too afraid to open their mouth .It took from the whole experience.We would not recommend it.
Written 17 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Ciarrai2014
County Kildare, Ireland657 contributions
Impressive
Aug 2022 • Family
This is a must do experience. It really gives you a sense of how old the world is and how short a time we actually spend here. Great guided tour
Written 12 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kat T
4 contributions
Excellent
Aug 2022 • Family
Had a fantastic afternoon here. The Bird display was really well done, perfect amount of education and interaction to keep all the kids (and big kids) interested. The caves themselves were also really well done. The guide was friendly and the tour was just the right length of time. Well worth a visit.
Written 3 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Fintan L
7 contributions
Aillwee Cave
Jul 2022
Aillwee cave I think aillwee cave is great and dark and cool it's a bit scary for the young ones great suvineras
Written 30 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Globalcitizen-123
Rosanna, Australia40 contributions
Explored caves and enjoyed bird show
Jul 2022 • Family
We booked tickets online for the caves and the bird show. The site was well signposted and there was plenty of parking. The cave tour was very informative and moved along quickly but with plenty of time to take photos and take it all in. Our young kids on the tour enjoyed it.
We also went to the bird show which was very good and interactive with kid participation.
There’s a couple of shops on site selling gifts, cheeses and Irish foods. There’s is also a coffee spot which sells ice-cream.
Overall it’s well worth a visit for young and old alike. Expect to spend 2/3 hrs on site if you attend both caves and the bird show.
Written 22 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Aillwee Cave | Ballyvaughan | UPDATED January 2023 Top Tips Before You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Aillwee Cave
Aillwee Cave is open:
  • Sun - Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Aillwee Cave tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 3 Aillwee Cave tours on Tripadvisor