Gap of Dunloe & Killarney Lakes: Full-Day Walk & Boat Tour

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/26

Duration5h 30m

GroupUp to 30

Mobile ticketAccepted

Seven Miles Through Ireland's Mountain Pass, Then Three Lakes by Boat

You walk or ride through a 7-mile mountain pass, rest at a historic cottage, then boat through three connected lakes to a medieval castle. The tour includes transport from Killarney, a guide, and parking at Ross Castle. You're back in town by evening, having crossed the Gap of Dunloe and seen Killarney National Park from both ground and water without arranging any of it yourself.

5h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Gap of Dunloe and Lakes of Killarney

Start tour from Killarney office
Walk or ride horse carriage through Gap of Dunloe
Visit Kate Kearney's Cottage
Reach Lord Brandon's Cottage for rest and snack
Board boat at Lord Brandon's Cottage
Boat trip through Lakes of Killarney
View Ross Castle from the lake

The Experience

"Do I have to walk the whole thing?" That's the first question most people ask when they hear about the Gap of Dunloe, and the answer is: not if you don't want to. The tour leaves Killarney at 10:15am and takes you to Kate Kearney's Cottage, a 150-year-old pub at the entrance to the Gap itself. From there, you either walk the 7 miles through the narrow mountain pass between Macgillycuddy's Reeks and Purple Mountain — about two and a half hours — or you hire a traditional horse-drawn jaunting carriage for €35 per person. Either way, you're moving through the same landscape, just at different paces.

The walk (or carriage ride) ends at Lord Brandon's Cottage, a 19th-century hunting lodge on the far side of the Gap where there's a café and space to sit for a bit before the boats arrive. That's when the second half of the day starts: you board a boat and travel through all three of Killarney's lakes — Lough Leane, Muckross Lake, and the Upper Lake — heading toward Ross Castle. The boat route passes Dinis Island with its subtropical plants, the narrow channel called the Long Range, and views across to the mountains. Innisfallen Island, visible from the water, holds the ruins of an early Christian abbey. The whole boat journey threads through about a quarter of Killarney National Park's 25,000 acres, and the water connects everything in a way that walking never could.

Ross Castle is a 15th-century tower house where the tour ends — it's free to look at from outside, though if you want to go inside (about an hour), you'd need to book that separately and stay behind while the group returns to Killarney. Most people don't, which is fine. The coach brings you back to town by early evening. Check in at the Deros Tours office on Main Street before 10am; the coach leaves at 10:15 sharp. If you're hiring a carriage, tell the driver you're going to Lord Brandon's Cottage so the boats know to expect you. Bring water — there's no refill between the cottage at the start and the cottage at the end, and the 7 miles is real walking if you choose it.

What’s included

Your day includes coach transport from Killarney to Kate Kearney's Cottage and back from Ross Castle, a driver/guide for the full tour, the boat trip through Lough Leane, Muckross Lake, and the Upper Lake, and free car parking at Ross Castle.
The 7-mile walk through the Gap of Dunloe is included; a traditional horse-drawn carriage through the Gap costs €35 per person (cash only, arranged on arrival).
Entry to Ross Castle is not included but can be booked separately.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Deros Coach Tours

Is this one for you?Pick this tour if you want to see Killarney National Park from two different angles — on foot or by carriage through the mountains, then by boat across the lakes — without organizing transport, timing, or logistics yourself. The fixed 10:15am start and the boat connection at Lord Brandon's Cottage are what make both halves of the day fit into one trip.