Gap of Dunloe & Lakes tour from Killarney: Walk or cart

Choose your pace through the Black Valley, then float back across the lakes

The Gap of Dunloe tour from Killarney combines a 7-mile walk (or a jaunting cart ride) through the mountain pass with a boat journey across the Lakes of Killarney, ending at Ross Castle. The day includes bus transfers and a guide. You can walk the Gap, hire a cart to ride it, or reverse the route by starting at Ross Castle and walking back.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Gap of Dunloe3h
2. Ross Castle20m

Gap of Dunloe bus and boat tour

• Check in at O’Connor’s Pub
• Bus ride to Kate Kearney’s Cottage or Ross Castle
• Walk 7 miles through Gap of Dunloe or hire Jaunting cart
• Refreshment stop at Lord Brandon’s Cottage cafe
• Boat trip through Lakes of Killarney to Ross Castle
• Bus return to Killarney

The experience

The tour starts with a bus ride out of Killarney. You head to either Kate Kearney's Cottage or Ross Castle. The castle is the recommended starting point if you want more time to walk. From there, the 7-mile journey through the Gap of Dunloe unfolds on foot. The pass cuts through the Black Valley, a landscape of mountain walls and open moorland that walkers cross at their own rhythm.

If walking the full distance isn't the plan, jaunting carts (traditional horse-drawn vehicles) take you along the same route. Either way, you reach Lord Brandon's Cottage at the far end, where there's time for refreshments at the cafe. Then comes the boat leg: from Lord Brandon's Cottage you travel across the Lakes of Killarney back to Ross Castle, watching the water and mountains along the way. The bus meets you at the castle to drive back into Killarney town.

The route can run in reverse if you prefer: starting with the boat journey and walking or riding the Gap on the way back. A guide handles the logistics so you move between each leg without arranging transport yourself.

What’s included

• Bus pickup from Killarney town or your accommodation.
• A live English-speaking guide.
• Bus transfers to and from the Gap.
• Boat trip across the Lakes of Killarney.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday to SaturdayDeparts at 10:00

AgesAdult (17 to 64 years) · Under 17: can't be booked

GroupUp to 60

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 39 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gap of Dunloe Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to walk the Gap of Dunloe at your own pace with a guide managing the route and transport: the bus and boat bookends mean you don't arrange the logistics between each leg. If the walk is too long, a jaunting cart can carry you through the same mountain pass instead.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the actual walk like on the Gap of Dunloe?

The 7-mile walk through the Gap of Dunloe follows a mountain pass through the Black Valley. It's a moorland route between steep hillsides, and you set your own walking pace. If the walk is too long or steep, jaunting carts (horse-drawn carts) run the same route.

Can I start the tour at Ross Castle instead of Kate Kearney's Cottage?

Yes. Ross Castle is the recommended starting point because it gives you more time for the walk. You can also run the whole tour in reverse (boat first, then the Gap walk or cart ride) depending on which direction suits you better.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

A moderate level of physical fitness is recommended, mainly because of the 7-mile walk through the Gap. A jaunting cart removes the walking if that doesn't suit you, and the boat section is fully seated.