Kerry has been pulling people in for hundreds of years, and once you see the coastline you’ll understand why. This tour packs the best of it into one long day from Dublin - touching both the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, with stops at Killarney, Muckross House, Torc Waterfall, and Inch Beach along the way.
It’s a big day out (you’re leaving at 6.20am and back around 9pm), but the scenery is worth every early morning minute.
What’s Included
WiFi on board
All taxes, fees and handling charges
Driver/guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Live commentary on board
USB ports at every seat
What’s Not Included
Gratuities
Food and drinks
Entrance fee to Muckross House
Itinerary
Departure from Paddys Palace, Lower Gardiner Street at 6.20am, heading southwest into Kerry. (pass by)
En route, you’ll stop in Adare - one of Ireland’s most consistently tidy villages, with its famous thatched cottages lining the main street, medieval ruins, and stone buildings worth a slow walk around. (20 min)
Torc Waterfall drops 18 metres through the wooded Friars Glen just outside Killarney. There’s a short walking path to the top of Torc Mountain, and the red deer that roam Killarney National Park are often spotted nearby. (20 min)
Muckross House sits on a peninsula between two of the Killarney lakes. Built in 1843 for Henry Herbert in Tudor style, it later welcomed Queen Victoria in 1861 and has ties to the Guinness family. Walk the gardens and take in the landscape that’s been tended for centuries. (45 min)
Killarney National Park - the first national park established in Ireland, back in 1932 - gives you panoramic views of the lakes and Black Valley from Aghadoe and Torc Waterfall. Plenty of room to walk and sit by the water. (45 min)
Killarney town is the gateway to both the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, sitting beneath Ireland’s highest mountain range. There are good pubs, cafes, and shops here for lunch, and the town is worth a proper wander. (90 min)
Inch Beach stretches for 3 miles into Dingle Bay facing the Atlantic. It’s a well-known surfing and fishing spot, and it featured in Ryan’s Daughter and Playboy of the Western World. Golden sand, big views, and easy walking. (20 min)
A scenic drive along parts of the Dingle Peninsula with views of Dingle Bay, the Skellig rocks, Inch Beach, and the Ring of Kerry beyond. Good stops for photos along the Wild Atlantic Way. (pass by)
Return to Dublin at approximately 9pm. (pass by)
Meeting point: Check in with staff at Paddys Palace, Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin for a 6.30am departure.
Good to Know
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Infant seats available; infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Public transport options available nearby
Conducted in English; group size up to 50 people
Local Tips
At Adare - your 20 minutes is enough for the main street and the famous thatched cottages, but do not spend all of it in the gift shops. The cottages on Main Street were built in the 1830s as estate housing for the Earl of Dunraven’s workers - they are pretty by design, not by accident. The genuinely medieval things (three friaries and a castle) are down the lanes and behind the manor grounds. A 20-minute stop is the photo; if you ever come back for a night, Adare earns it properly.
At Killarney town - you have 90 minutes for lunch and a wander. Walk away from the main tourist strip on High Street and the town changes immediately. Courtney’s Bar on Plunkett Street is where locals go for a pint and a session most nights. For food in your window, the farmers’ market on New Market Street runs on Fridays (10am-2pm) with local produce and brown bread if your day falls right. The park entrance is at the end of the high street - if you have energy after lunch, even the 10-minute walk to Knockreer gives you a lake view with the Reeks behind it.
Muckross House - the entrance fee is not included, so factor that in when you plan your day. The gardens around the house are free to walk and the Muckross estate - Ireland’s first national park, given to the state in 1932 - is worth your time even if you skip the house interior. In May the rhododendrons around Muckross are in full colour.
Inch Beach and Dingle - Inch Beach sits on the Dingle Peninsula and is effectively your first taste of Dingle country even if you do not drive all the way to the town. The peninsula beyond is where the Irish language is still spoken, the road eventually narrows to single-track, and Dingle town has 52 pubs for a population of 2,050. This tour passes the peninsula scenically; if you find yourself wanting more than the drive-by, Dingle deserves a separate overnight entirely.
Nearby on IrelandMe
Killarney - Ireland’s first national park out the back door, Muckross House on the lakeshore, and a railway town that has been welcoming visitors since Queen Victoria stepped off the train in 1861
Adare - thatched cottages, three medieval friaries, and a 5-star manor hotel hosting the 2027 Ryder Cup, all on the road south from Limerick
Dingle - a small fishing town at the end of the Kerry peninsula, 52 pubs, the Slea Head cliffs, and the Blasket Islands sitting offshore like an unfinished sentence
