A private licensed guide meets you at St Stephen’s Green and takes you south into wicklow for a 6-8 hour day through early Christian history, wild mountain scenery, and one of Ireland’s great formal gardens.
Glendalough is the first stop: a 6th-century monastic settlement in a glacial valley with two lakes, founded by St Kevin. After a short scenic walk your guide leads you through the ruins - round tower, cathedral, and a cluster of smaller churches. From there you climb into the higher Wicklow Mountains. You stop above Lough Tay on the Luggala estate, looking down at the dark lake and white sandy beach that’s served as a filming location for Vikings, Braveheart, and P.S. I Love You. The estate is private, so you view it from a layby on the Military Road, looking down into the bowl of the mountain.
The afternoon is Powerscourt. First the waterfall - 122 metres, Ireland’s tallest - then the gardens, 6km further on, ranked third-best in the world by National Geographic. The 47 acres include formal terraces, a Japanese garden, and a Palladian mansion with shops and a café. Entry to the gardens is optional and paid on the day.
What’s Included
Private air-conditioned vehicle
Licensed tour guide
What’s Not Included
Brunch
Powerscourt House and Gardens entry (optional, paid on the day)
Itinerary
Glendalough and Wicklow Mountains - Drive from Dublin with commentary. Short scenic walk at Glendalough, then a guided tour of the monastic ruins. On into the higher mountains for views over Lough Tay and stops at filming locations.
Powerscourt Waterfall - Ireland’s highest waterfall at 122 metres, with time to walk close and photograph.
Powerscourt House and Gardens - Ranked third in the world by National Geographic. The Palladian mansion (1731-1741) houses shops and a café; a whiskey distillery is on the estate. Allow around two hours.
A moderate level of fitness is required - not recommended for those with poor cardiovascular health
Bring a waterproof layer: Wicklow mountain weather changes fast
Local Tips
Get to Glendalough before the coaches. Day-tripper buses arrive between half-ten and noon. This tour gets you there earlier, and the valley before the crowds is a different place. The Green Road from the visitor centre to the Upper Lake takes about 25 minutes and passes nine of the main ruined structures.
Lough Tay is viewed from above, not below. The Luggala estate is private; you look down from a layby on the Military Road. That elevated angle - dark water, white beach, mountain bowl - is also the better photograph.
The waterfall and gardens are separate sites. Powerscourt Waterfall and Powerscourt Gardens are 6km apart with separate entry fees. They’re also different in character - the waterfall is wilder and less managed. Both deserve time.
The house has a history worth knowing. Powerscourt was gutted by fire on 4 November 1974, the week after a long restoration had been completed. The shell stood for over twenty years before renovation in 1996.
Enniskerry is five minutes from the gardens. The estate village at the foot of Powerscourt has a trim square, two pubs, and Poppies café (open since 1982) - a good last stop before the return to Dublin.
Nearby on IrelandMe
Glendalough - A 6th-century monastic city in a glacial valley: round tower, cathedral, seven ruined churches, and trails from easy lakeshore walks to mountain hikes.
Enniskerry - The estate village beneath Powerscourt, with a village square and easy access to both the formal gardens and the waterfall.
Explore wicklow - from the Wicklow Way to the county’s quiet coastal towns.
