← All Wicklow tours via Viator · From €800 · 6-8 hours 
Glendalough and Wicklow Mountains Tour from Dublin
Free cancellation Booked securely via Viator
Check availability & prices →
From €800 per person
This private tour takes you through some of the best of County Wicklow in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle, with pickup and drop-off in Dublin.
You’ll start at Powerscourt, a stunning 18th-century estate in Enniskerry, about 45 minutes from the city. The 47 acres of gardens alone are worth the trip - Italian and Japanese-style formal gardens, tranquil lakes, sweeping terraces, and the Wicklow Mountains as a backdrop. There’s also the Avoca Café and boutique shops on the estate if you want to linger. Then it’s on to Powerscourt Waterfall, at 121 metres the highest in Ireland, tucked into a beautiful woodland setting with picnic areas and walking trails.
From there you head to Glendalough, the valley of the two lakes. St Kevin’s Monastery dates back to the 6th century, and the ruins here - round tower, churches, ancient cemetery - are remarkable. After the monastery you’ll drive through the scenic heart of the Wicklow Mountains, taking in Glenmacnass Waterfall, Lough Dan, and Lough Tay (better known as the Guinness Lake).
The day finishes at Johnny Fox’s Pub, famously the highest pub in Ireland, where you can sit down to a meal, a pint, and some good mountain views.
At Powerscourt, give yourself the full two hours. The formal gardens at Enniskerry are 47 acres and National Geographic put them third in the world - behind Versailles and Kew. The Italian terraces, the Japanese garden, and the walled kitchen garden all need separate attention. If you’re there by opening time (9.30am), you’ll have the terraces largely to yourself before the tour groups arrive. The Avoca Café inside the house is convenient for a coffee break; for a proper lunch, Poppies on the village square has been open since 1982 and is better value.
The waterfall is a separate 6km drive from the gardens and a separate ticket. It’s 121 metres - the highest continuous-flow waterfall in the Republic - and it’s a different experience from the curated gardens: wilder, louder, wetter. It generates its own microclimate; bring a layer even in summer. The walk around the base takes about twenty minutes.
At Glendalough, the two lakes are very different. The Lower Lake gets the crowds; the Upper Lake takes a walk to reach and is worth it. The Green Road from the visitor centre runs along the Lower Lake through woodland and out to the foot of the Upper Lake - about 1.5km each way on a flat, easy path. The round tower’s doorway sits three and a half metres up the wall - the monks pulled the ladder up when the Vikings came looking for monastery silver.
If you want to eat in Glendalough itself, the actual village with the food and pubs is Laragh, 1.5km east. Lynham’s there is a traditional local hotel bar with food; the Wicklow Heather is the sit-down restaurant if you want a proper dinner after the day. Book the Wicklow Heather at weekends.