Visiting Aillwee Cave in the Burren
Aillwee Cave offers a guided underground visit in the Burren, with a direct admission package that also includes birds of prey and cheese tasting. The cave tour takes approximately 45 minutes. If the cave is your main reason for coming, organise your day around that visit rather than treating a stop at a cheese shop as the same experience.
There are two useful ways to plan it: travel independently and buy the visitor attraction's admission, or join a Dublin excursion with cave entry included. The latter combines the cave with the Cliffs of Moher. That gives you transport between contrasting landscapes, while an independent visit leaves you to arrange your own onward journey.
Our picks: Aillwee Cave trips
Our take: Both Dublin trips include cave entry. Choose the combined excursion if you also want a boat tour.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Aillwee Cave, cliffs and boat from Dublin
- Round trip transportation
- Entrance fees (boat tour, caves, cliffs)
- Driver guide
A day trip combining the cave with a boat tour and the cliffs.
Check availability →
Aillwee Cave and cliffs from Dublin
- Round-trip transportation from Dublin
- Entry to Aillwee Cave
- Entry to the Cliffs of Moher
The birds of prey exhibition ticket is included from 1 November to 31 March.
Check availability →Dublin excursions with Aillwee Cave entry
Choose the cave and cliffs combination or the longer day that adds a boat trip; both include cave admission, with different additional activities.
Direct admission and the booking fee
The direct adult rate listed on 2 November 2026 is 28 EUR. Children aged 5 to 17 cost 18 EUR, children aged 4 and under enter free, and the listed student rate with identification is 26 EUR. The senior rate is also 26 EUR. Use these figures for a visit booked directly with the attraction, rather than as a breakdown of an excursion price.
The attraction's own ticket platform adds 3 EUR per booking transaction. Its standard admission includes the cave tour, birds of prey and cheese tasting, and the cave tour time is allocated on arrival. Keep the transaction fee separate from the admission categories when budgeting. It is a direct booking charge, rather than a general surcharge on every excursion that visits Aillwee.
A combined bus trip has its own inclusions. In particular, a cheese shop stop on a wider Burren route should be compared as a shop visit; choose an excursion explicitly including cave admission when you want to go underground. Our Burren tours guide explains the broader range of departures.
Winter opening and planning your arrival
For 2 to 26 November 2026, the published daytime opening window is 10:00 to 16:15. Arrange your arrival and cave tour time directly before travelling, particularly if you intend to come later in the day. Do not build a tight itinerary around a presumed final departure underground.
The pre-Christmas schedule for 27 November to 22 December 2026 has shorter public hours on some days: Monday to Thursday 10:00 to 16:15, Friday 10:00 to 13:00, and Saturday and Sunday 10:00 to 11:00. Afternoon operation is restricted by the Santa event. These are specific seasonal blocks, so choose your date first and allow the available visitor hours to shape the rest of the day.
If you are linking the cave with another attraction, give each its own opening window. The cliffs' visitor hours and the availability of a sea trip are separate planning decisions. The seasonal planning guide puts inland visits and coastal activities in context.
Access, footwear and parking
Car and coach parking at Aillwee is free. The cave passages are unsuitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, and the underground route is cool and potentially slippery. Wear shoes with a firm grip and bring a warm layer rather than planning the visit around outdoor temperatures alone. Discuss individual access needs before choosing the underground tour.
For an independent driving itinerary, distinguish Aillwee's parking arrangements from the person-based admission at the cliffs and the paid parking at Doolin Pier. See getting to the Burren for transport planning. A free parking space at the cave does not settle the costs or access arrangements at your next stop.
A full day from Dublin
The 13-hour cave and cliffs excursion leaves from the Molly Malone Statue on Suffolk Street. It includes return transport from Dublin, a driver-guide, Aillwee Cave entry and Cliffs of Moher entry. The birds of prey exhibition ticket is included only from 1 November to 31 March; lunch is extra.
The 13.5-hour combination also starts at the Molly Malone Statue and includes bus transport, a driver-guide and admission for the boat trip, cave and cliffs. Lunch and drinks are extra. Choose this format for the additional sea perspective, while checking sailing availability for your date: the published Doolin ferry season ended on 1 November 2026. The boat trip guide explains seasonal and weather considerations.
Aillwee Cave questions
How long is the cave tour?
The guided underground visit takes approximately 45 minutes. Allow separately for the other activities in your chosen admission package.
Does every excursion include birds of prey?
The Dublin cave and cliffs excursion includes the exhibition ticket from 1 November to 31 March. Match the activities to the particular excursion rather than applying the direct admission package to every trip.
Can I take a pushchair underground?
The cave passages are unsuitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Consider the underground access requirements when deciding which members of your party will join the tour.