Connemara tour from Galway: Kylemore Abbey & Cong

Drive the hidden Lough Nafooey route and stand inside a neo-Gothic abbey built for love

A full-day guided tour departing Galway at 10:00 AM takes you through Connemara's valleys, mountains and fjord, with a main stop at Kylemore Abbey and its Victorian Walled Gardens, a 45-minute break in Cong village to explore the 12th-century abbey ruins and Quiet Man filming locations, and a return to Galway by 18:00. Kylemore Abbey entrance (€14 per person, paid in cash to the driver) is optional; the tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle, a professional English-speaking guide and live commentary throughout the eight-hour route.

Step-by-step itinerary

Connemara, Cong & Kylemore Abbey Tour

• Depart from Galway at 10:00 AM
• Photo stop near Inagh Valley
• Visit Kylemore Abbey and Walled Gardens
• Explore Killary Fjord
• Drive through Lough Nafooey route
• Break in Cong village
• Visit Old Abbey ruins
• Walk in Cong Woods and village streets
• Return to Galway by 18:00

The Experience

The tour leaves Galway at 10:00 AM and opens with a photo stop near the Inagh Valley before heading to Kylemore Abbey, the main event of the day. The Abbey is a neo-Gothic building finished in 1868, built by Mitchell Henry for his wife, and now home to Benedictine nuns. If you buy entry (€14 cash, paid to your driver), you get access to the Abbey itself, a shuttle bus up to the restored Victorian Walled Gardens, and the Neo-Gothic Church on the grounds. There's a restaurant for lunch and a gift shop if you want to linger, but the tour moves on whether you enter or not.

After Kylemore, the route turns toward the wilder side of Connemara. You drive through the hidden Lough Nafooey valley—a stretch most day-trippers miss—and reach Killary Fjord, Ireland's only true fjord, which cuts 16 kilometers inland from the Atlantic and runs over 45 meters deep at its center. The mountains rise on both sides and mussel-farming ropes line the water. It's a stark shift from the Abbey's manicured grounds.

Cong village comes next, with a 45-minute break to walk the ruins of the 12th-century Old Abbey, explore Cong Woods, and wander the streets where The Quiet Man was filmed. The village is small enough to cover on foot, and the Abbey's lavish gold and silver Cross of Cong (from 1123) sits in the church if you want to step inside. You're back in Galway by approximately 18:00. The vehicle is air-conditioned, the guide speaks English and provides live commentary the whole way, and the tour runs in all weather—bring a jacket for the open valleys and the fjord.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle.
• professional English-speaking driver and guide.
• live commentary throughout the route.
• photo stop at Inagh Valley.
• access to Kylemore Abbey grounds (exterior viewing included.
• interior entry and gardens optional at €14 per person, cash only).
• 45-minute break in Cong village with access to the Old Abbey ruins and Cong Woods.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Galway Tour Company

Is this one for you?If your first or last full day in Galway is free, this tour covers the Connemara region without needing a rental car or piecing together separate transport—the driver handles the eight-hour route, the guide explains what you're seeing, and you move through four distinct landscapes (valleys, abbey, fjord, village) in one morning and afternoon.

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Top questions

What is Kylemore Abbey and do I have to pay extra to go inside?

Kylemore Abbey is a neo-Gothic castle built in 1868 and now home to Benedictine nuns, set on grounds with a Victorian Walled Garden, a Gothic Church, and woodland walks. Entry costs €14 per person, paid in cash to your driver, and includes the Abbey, the shuttle bus to the gardens and the Church; it's optional, so you can skip it and stay with the tour outside.

How long do we spend in Cong village?

Cong village has a 45-minute break, enough time to walk the ruins of the 12th-century Old Abbey, explore Cong Woods and the streets where The Quiet Man was filmed.

What is Killary Fjord and why does it matter?

Killary Fjord is Ireland's only true fjord, cutting 16 kilometers inland from the Atlantic with mountains on both sides and depths over 45 meters at its center. It's a dramatic natural landmark and a working shellfish farm, so you'll see mussel-farming ropes strung across the water.

Does the tour include lunch?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. There's a restaurant at Kylemore Abbey if you enter the grounds, and Cong village has options during the 45-minute break, but food and drinks are on your own.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle, a professional English-speaking driver and guide, and live commentary throughout the eight-hour route from Galway and back.

When does the tour leave and return?

The tour departs Galway at 10:00 AM and returns by approximately 18:00, covering eight hours total.