My 15 year old son and I will be going to Carlsbad Caverns soon and only have time for 1 guided tour. Which would you recommend...the left hand tunnel tour or the king's palace tour? Thank you!!

Kings Palace.

Left Hand Tunnel

One more vote for the Left Hand Tunnel

We had a great time without taking a tour.

We enjoyed the King's Palace tour when we were there in November, but I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

Lee Ann

I agree with ElendilPickle, you cannot go wrong with any of the tours.

In the end of last October we took three tours:
1. self-guided audio tour of the Big Room
2. Left Hand Tunnel
3. Kings Palace

Whatever you decide I think that self guided tour of the Big Room is the best tour to be impressed with this place and you can go at your own pace, stop anywhere you want. Surprisingly my pictures came out beautifuly in this place but not in the Kings Palace.
Kings Palace is very nice but a group was huge, more than 50 people. The Left Hand Tunnel has a small group (only 12 people, if I recall correctly) and it is a very unique tour. You are provided with lanterns and maybe formations are not as impressive as in the Kings Palace but you feel like you are back in time when a young boy walked around almost in a complete darkness on his own and nobody beleived him there was such magnificent place as he described.

Thanks for all your replies!

PE, which one did you chose?

for seashell

Do all of the tours you are interested in while you are there. You probably will not go back again real soon. I went years ago and it's just so out of the way to return.

forehowe