Ring of Kerry Tour ex Killarney & National Park

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/21

Duration6h 30m

GroupUp to 40

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

A full loop around Ireland's most scenic peninsula, from mountain passes to coastal villages

You board a coach in Killarney at 10:15 AM and spend the day looping the Iveragh Peninsula—through mountain passes, coastal villages, and Killarney National Park—with a driver-guide handling all the navigation and timing. Comfort stops are built in, and you're back in town by early evening. It's the Ring of Kerry without the rental car, the map, or the worry about narrow roads.

6h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Ring of Kerry tour with key stops

Stop at Kerry Bog Village
Optional walk near Bog Village
Sheep dog demonstration by Tom
Drive through Caherciveen town
Pass Daniel O'Connell Memorial Church
Pass Daniel O'Connell historical site
Pass Caherdaniel on Iveragh Peninsula
Visit Waterville village
Stop in Sneem village for refreshment
Pass Moll's Gap mountain pass
Pass Ladies View scenic viewpoint
Pass Killarney National Park

The Experience

The coach pulls out of Killarney at 10:15 AM sharp, and within an hour you're climbing toward Moll's Gap—a mountain pass where the road narrows and the views open up to the MacGillycuddy's Reeks. The driver knows the route by heart, calling out landmarks as they appear: the Long Range waters below, the peaks that hold snow into spring. This is the Ring of Kerry, the 110-mile loop that most people who visit County Kerry never actually drive themselves, which is exactly why the tour works. You sit back while someone else navigates the narrow roads and finds the parking spots.

The first real stop is Kerry Bog Village, a cluster of thatched cottages furnished with 19th-century antiques and farm tools—the kind of place that shows you how people actually lived during the famine years, not just told you about it. There's time to walk through or grab coffee; it's also where the coach stops for a comfort break. After that, the route moves through Caherciveen, a small town where the first shots of the Fenian Rising were fired in 1867, and then down to Waterville, a village wedged between a lake and the bay. Sneem comes next—a village famous for its painted houses and a long history of winning Tidy Towns awards. The driver usually gives people time here for ice cream or a pint of Guinness before heading inland again.

Ladies View is the centerpiece, and it's worth the wait. Named after Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting who visited in 1861, the viewpoint overlooks the three lakes of Killarney National Park—the Long Range, Middle, and Lower Lakes—all visible at once on a clear day. The park itself, Ireland's oldest and largest at 26,000 acres, includes Carrauntoohill, the country's highest mountain. You'll drive through parts of it, past the McGillycuddy's Reeks and, if you're lucky, you might spot a white-tailed sea eagle—birds that were hunted to extinction here a century ago and are now being reintroduced. The whole loop takes roughly seven hours on the road, with the driver handling traffic, weather changes, and the occasional detour if parking fills up or conditions shift.

Optional stops—the Sheep Dog Show (€8 cash, paid on site) and the Famine Village—cost extra and are seasonal, so check ahead if those interest you. Priority seats in the front rows are available for €8 per person, booked at the Deros Tours office on Main Street before you leave. The coach is air-conditioned, and the driver is both guide and navigator, so you get local knowledge without having to ask. Check in at 22 Main Street by 10:00 AM; the office is a two-minute walk from the car park on Beech Road if you're driving yourself to the pickup point.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel or office pickup in Killarney, a driver-guide, an air-conditioned coach, and stops at Kerry Bog Village, Caherciveen, Waterville, Sneem, Moll's Gap, Ladies View, and Killarney National Park.
Comfort stops are built into the itinerary.
Optional paid activities—the Sheep Dog Show (€8 cash, seasonal) and the Famine Village—are available at extra cost.
Priority seating in the front rows can be reserved for €8 per person.
All local taxes are included.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Deros Coach Tours

Is this one for you?Right for travelers based in Killarney without a car, or anyone who'd rather not drive the narrow Ring of Kerry roads themselves. The full loop takes seven hours, which is what allows you to see all the major stops—mountain passes, coastal villages, and the national park—in a single day without rushing.