There is only one type of Caves of Drach ticket. It covers everything: the cave walk, the concert, the lake crossing, and access to the surrounding gardens and facilities. You choose a session time when you book, you turn up at the right time, and everything else is included.
Quick answer: Buy online at cuevasdeldrach.com — it costs less than buying at the ticket office and lets you skip the queue on arrival. In summer (June–September), mid-morning sessions sell out days ahead; book at least a week in advance if you want flexibility. The first session of the day is consistently the quietest.
What a Caves of Drach Ticket Includes
A standard admission ticket gets you the complete Caves of Drach experience:
- The full 1,200-metre self-guided route through all four chambers
- A reserved seat in the lakeside amphitheatre for the classical music concert
- “Dawn on the Lake” — the closing piece of the concert programme
- The lake crossing: either by rowing boat or via the footbridge, included at no additional cost
- Access to the gardens, café, shop, and picnic areas outside the cave entrance
- Free parking in the cave’s own car park
One thing the ticket does not include: a guide. The Caves of Drach operates on a timed-entry, self-guided basis. You enter with the group booked into your session, follow the marked route at roughly your own pace, and staff are positioned at intervals to help if needed — but there is no narration inside the caves.
If you would like commentary during your visit, the practical answer is to book an organised excursion rather than direct entry. Guided excursions pair timed cave entry with a guide on the coach who provides context during the journey to and from Porto Cristo, hotel pickup from your resort, and usually at least one additional stop. The cave portion itself is always self-guided regardless of how you book.
Opening Times and Session Schedule
Summer Season: 16 March – 31 October
Sessions run at: 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00
Note that there is no 13:00 session. The gap between noon and 14:00 is worth factoring into your plans if you are arriving from further along the coast.
Winter Season: 1 November – 15 March
Sessions run at: 10:30, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30
Closures
The caves close on 25 December and 1 January only. Every other day of the year — including all Spanish and Mallorcan public holidays — the caves are open on their regular schedule.
Other Mallorca Cave Experiences Worth Knowing About
Caves of Drach timed sessions sit alongside a range of other cave and east coast options for visitors to the Porto Cristo area — from the Coves dels Hams just up the road to guided excursions from Palma, Alcúdia, and the north coast resorts covering the Lake Martel concert and boat ride. Below are some other tours visitors to this part of Mallorca often find useful.
How Long to Allow
The cave walk and concert together take around an hour from entry to exit at the lake crossing. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours in total, including the walk from the car park to the entrance, any time in the café or gardens, and the exit. If you are arriving by bus or being dropped by a transfer, factor in the same buffer.
Ticket Prices and Categories
Drach Caves admission has three price tiers:
- Adult (age 13 and over): Full price
- Child (age 3–12): Reduced rate
- Infant (age 0–2): Free entry
Buying online via the official website or app costs less than buying at the ticket office on arrival. The saving is meaningful enough that there is no good reason to pay the walk-up price if you have internet access before your visit.
There are no discounts of any kind beyond the child reduction and the under-3 exemption. No senior discount, no Mallorcan resident discount, no student rate, no vouchers from hotels or tourist offices. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are misinformed.
There is also no combined ticket with the Coves dels Hams. The two cave systems are separately owned and ticketed. If you are trying to decide which to visit, see our Caves of Drach vs Caves of Hams comparison.
Where to Buy
Official Website and App (cuevasdeldrach.com)
The official website is the cheapest way to buy and the one we recommend. You can book up to around 30 days in advance, pay online, and receive a mobile ticket that you show on arrival to skip the ticket office queue entirely. The booking is confirmed instantly.
One important limitation: the official site does not offer changes or refunds. If you book a session and miss it, the ticket is lost. There is also no phone reservation service — online bookings only via the website or app.
Ticket Office
The ticket office at the cave entrance is open daily. It sells the same admission to the same sessions, at a slightly higher price. Availability at popular times is not guaranteed — if you arrive on a summer morning hoping to buy a ticket for the 11:00 session, there is a real chance it has already sold out.
For groups travelling through schools or travel agencies, bookings are handled separately by email through the official website.
Third-Party Resellers and Guided Excursions
GetYourGuide and Viator both sell bundled excursion packages to the Caves of Drach. These are not bare entry tickets — they are organised day trips that typically include coach pickup from your hotel, a guide for the journey, timed entry to the caves, and often a stop at a pearl factory or free time in Porto Cristo. The per-person cost is higher than buying direct, but for visitors without a car or who prefer not to navigate the logistics themselves, a guided excursion is genuinely good value for the day it provides.
See our tour comparison to compare available excursions side by side.
Travelling from Palma? This highly rated tour departs from central Palma with hotel pickup included: Check availability & prices →
How Far Ahead Should You Book?
It depends on when you are visiting:
- July and August: Book at least a week to two weeks ahead. Mid-morning sessions (11:00 and 12:00) frequently sell out several days in advance. Even other sessions can fill up during peak weeks.
- June and September: A few days’ advance booking is usually sufficient, but don’t leave it until the morning of your visit.
- April, May, and October: A day or two ahead is generally fine. You may be able to book same-day in the quieter weeks of these months.
- November to March: Same-day booking is usually possible. The winter schedule runs fewer sessions, but demand is much lower.
One practical tip: when you open the booking calendar on the official website, you can see immediately which sessions still have availability. If a slot appears with very few spaces remaining, treat that as a signal to book now rather than later.
Which Session Should You Book?
All sessions cover exactly the same route and include the same concert. What varies is how crowded the caves feel when you are walking through them.
The quietest sessions are consistently the first session of the day (10:00 in summer, 10:30 in winter) and the last two afternoon sessions (16:00 and 17:00 in summer). The busiest period is reliably 11:00 through to 15:00, when the majority of coach tours from Palma and the resort areas arrive.
Weekdays are noticeably quieter than weekends throughout the year. If you have flexibility, a weekday first-session visit followed by lunch in Porto Cristo harbour is probably the best combination the site offers.
For advice on the quietest months by season, see our best time to visit guide.
Booking Rules Worth Knowing
Before you arrive, it is worth being across a few practical rules:
- Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
- Pushchairs and wheelchairs cannot enter the caves. The route involves multiple flights of steps and there is no accessible alternative. Pushchairs must be left in the designated area outside.
- No large bags, luggage, or oversized items may be taken into the caves. There is a cloakroom facility.
- No food, drink, smoking, or vaping is permitted inside.
- Photography is welcome throughout the cave route. It is not permitted during the concert — guides will remind you before the lights go down.
- No tripods or selfie sticks are allowed inside.
- No pets, with the exception of certified assistance dogs.
- Visitors who are barefoot or without a shirt will be refused entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book Drach Caves tickets in advance?
In summer (roughly June to September), yes — particularly for mid-morning sessions, which can sell out several days ahead. From November to March, same-day tickets are usually available. Regardless of season, booking online in advance costs less than buying at the ticket office, so there is little reason not to.
Is the concert included in the ticket price?
Yes. The classical music concert on Lake Martel is included in standard admission. There is nothing extra to pay.
Is the boat ride included, or does it cost extra?
Included. After the concert, you cross Lake Martel either by rowing boat or over the footbridge — both options are covered by the entry ticket, at no additional charge.
Can I get a refund or change my ticket?
No. Tickets purchased through the official website are non-refundable and cannot be changed to a different date or session. If you miss your session, the ticket is forfeited. Bear this in mind if your plans are at all uncertain.
Are the tours guided?
No. You enter in a timed group but there is no narration inside the caves. Staff are positioned throughout the route. If you want a guided experience, book an organised excursion — the commentary happens on the coach, not inside the cave itself.
How far in advance can I buy tickets?
The official website and app allow booking up to approximately 30 days ahead. Third-party excursion operators on GetYourGuide and Viator may have their own advance booking windows.
Are there discounts for children, seniors or residents?
Children aged 3–12 pay a reduced rate. Children under 3 enter free. Beyond that, there are no discounts of any kind — no senior rate, no Mallorcan resident discount, no student concession, no group rate for general public bookings.
What happens if it rains?
Nothing, from the visitor’s perspective. The caves are entirely underground. Weather conditions on the surface have no effect on the visit whatsoever.
What’s the difference between booking direct and booking through GetYourGuide?
Booking direct via the official website gives you bare cave entry at the lowest available price — but it means arranging your own transport to Porto Cristo, finding parking, and navigating the site independently. Booking through GetYourGuide typically means a bundled excursion: coach pickup from your hotel or a central meeting point, a guide who provides context during the journey, timed cave entry, and usually a stop somewhere en route — often a pearl factory or a period of free time in Porto Cristo harbour. The per-person cost is higher, but for visitors without a hire car or who prefer a structured day, a guided excursion is often excellent value. The cave walk itself is self-guided either way.