Travellers who care more about the story of a place than simply photographing it.
cultural IrelandMe tour notes
From Dublin: Wicklow, Glendalough, Waterfall & Sheepdog demo
7-hour day trip from Dublin to Powerscourt Waterfall, Glendalough's 6th-century ruins, and a live sheepdog demo on a working farm. Back by 4:45pm.
From €50 starting price · live price may vary
Check dates & prices ↗ Free cancellation on most dates · Booked securely with Viator
Duration7 hours
PriceFrom €50
Rating4.5 from 130 reviews
BookingSecurely via Viator
The IrelandMe take
What stands out about this one
Our practical read of the published itinerary, traveller feedback and local context—not the operator’s sales description.
A solid day out into County Wicklow - known as the Garden of Ireland - that covers three very different but equally rewarding stops. You'll start at Powerscourt Waterfall, Ireland's tallest waterfall at 121 metres, then spend two hours at the 6th-century monastic ruins of Glendalough, set between two lakes in a wooded valley. The last stop is a working sheep farm where a local farmer gives a live sheepdog demonstration, showing you how the dogs are trained and how they work with both voice and whistle commands. The tour departs Dublin at 9:30am and gets you back by around 4:45pm.
The published itinerary is the deciding factor here. Check the current meeting point and stop timings before committing.
One practical detail
Powerscourt Waterfall drops 121 metres into a tree-lined valley - give it a proper walk. You have up to an hour here, and it's worth using. The path circles around below the falls and through the estate grounds. Wear something waterproof at the base in wet weather; the spray carries further than you'd expect. The waterfall is on the Powerscourt Estate, whose formal gardens are a five-minute drive away in Enniskerry - National Geographic ranked them third in the world, behind Versailles and Kew. The gardens themselves aren't on this tour's itinerary, but if you're coming back for a slower Wicklow day, Enniskerry is the base: Poppies café on the village square has been open since 1982 and does proper soup and sandwiches.
What the price covers
- Driver guide
- USB port and Wifi on some buses
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- All activities admission
- Transport to and from Dublin
- Lunch
- Gratuities
The published itinerary
Use this to judge the pace and where your time actually goes. Operators can adjust stop order for traffic, weather or opening times.
- Departure - Meet at the Molly Malone Statue on Suffolk Street at 9:30am. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before departure. (5 min)
- Powerscourt Waterfall - Ireland's tallest waterfall, dropping 121 metres into a tree-lined valley on the Powerscourt Estate. You'll have up to an hour here to walk around and take photos. (50 min)
- Glendalough - Situated in the "valley of the two lakes", this 6th-century monastic settlement was founded by Saint Kevin. You'll have two hours to wander the ruins, explore the site, and grab lunch at a nearby restaurant (lunch at your own expense). (120 min)
- Sheepdog demonstration - A working sheep farm where you'll meet the farmer and their dogs. You'll find out about the breeds they use, how the dogs are trained from pup through to working dog, and the different breeds of sheep farmed in Ireland. Then comes the main event - a full sheepdog demonstration with the dogs moving the sheep using voice and whistle commands. (45 min)
- Return to Dublin - Back in the city at around 4:45pm, subject to traffic. (5 min)
Meeting point: Molly Malone Statue, Suffolk Street. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the 9:30am departure. Ending time may vary with traffic conditions.
Local tips that make the day better
The sheepdog demonstration is a full stop, not a photo opportunity. The farmer walks you through the breeds used on the farm, how each dog is trained from pup to working dog, and then runs a live demonstration moving the sheep with voice and whistle commands. It's 45 minutes and the commands are what make it - the dogs respond to a whistle pattern specific to each instruction. If you're travelling with children, this is the stop that holds them best.
Glendalough is the heart of this tour and your two hours there are worth using well. The monastic site - a cathedral, round tower, seven churches, and a graveyard still in use - sits between two lakes in a glacial valley. The round tower is the one you'll recognise from postcards: thirty metres of mica-slate and granite with its doorway three and a half metres off the ground, a detail that isn't decorative - when the Vikings came up the valley looking for monastery silver, the monks pulled the ladder up after them.
The two hours split naturally: spend the first walking the monastic ruins and the Green Road from the Lower Lake toward the Upper Lake - flat, accessible, and passes nine of the major ruins. Save the second half for lunch. The visitor centre café feeds the bus crowd; walk the extra few minutes to Trinity Mountain Bothy in Laragh village for soup, sandwiches, and better coffee.
If you can get to Glendalough itself outside the tour's main slot - the site opens early and stays open - the hour around dusk when the coaches have gone is genuinely different. The deer come out of the woods along the Upper Lake path and the valley finds its own voice.
The Poulanass Waterfall is a short detour from the Upper Lake car park - a 30-metre cascade through mossed-up oak wood - but check with your guide whether there's time. The tour's two hours at Glendalough are full, and the waterfall walk adds 40 minutes.
Good to know before booking
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Infants must sit on an adult's lap
- Public transport is available nearby
- Suitable for all fitness levels
- Maximum group size of 55
- Tour operates in English
Make more of the area
- Glendalough - a 6th-century monastic city between two lakes in a wooded valley, where Saint Kevin built a settlement that grew to thousands and the Vikings burned down more than once, and the round tower still stands
- Enniskerry - the village beside the Powerscourt estate, where the 121-metre waterfall is 6km by road and Poppies café on the square has been feeding walkers since 1982
Questions before you book
How long is From Dublin: Wicklow, Glendalough, Waterfall & Sheepdog demo?
The published duration is 7 hours. Allow extra time to reach the meeting point and for your onward plans.
How much does From Dublin: Wicklow, Glendalough, Waterfall & Sheepdog demo cost?
The listed starting price is From €50. Live prices can change by date, group size and availability.
What should I know before booking?
The published itinerary is the deciding factor here. Check the current meeting point and stop timings before committing.
Ready to decide?
Check the live times before building the rest of your day.
From €50 · 7 hours Check dates & prices ↗
