Private Ring of Kerry tour from Killarney: Kerry Cliffs

The cliffs here are taller than the Cliffs of Moher, and almost nobody knows it.

A private Ring of Kerry tour from Killarney in a passenger vehicle with an experienced guide, visiting Kerry Cliffs, Ladies View, Torc Waterfall, two medieval ruins and a 19th-century village museum. The tour runs 6 to 8 hours and includes hotel pickup, bottled water and an air-conditioned vehicle. Because the vehicle is private, the guide can stop at places big tour buses cannot reach, including the Kerry Cliffs up to 1,000 feet above sea level. You choose the group size at checkout: options range from one person to six.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Torc Waterfall30m
2. Ladies View20m
3. Ballycarbery Castle30m
4. Cahergall Stone Fort49m

Private Ring of Kerry tour highlights

• Walk through primary forest to waterfall
• Enjoy view at Killarney National Park
• Visit Kenmare town and explore
• See Coomakista and Kenmare Bay views
• View Kerry Cliffs and Skellig Islands
• Explore Ballycarbery Castle ruins
• Visit Cahergall Stone Fort
• Take water trip from Knights town
• Tour Kerry Bog Village museum

The experience

What makes this tour different is the vehicle itself. A private passenger vehicle means the guide can pull off at Kerry Cliffs, a 1,000-foot ridge that rises higher than the Cliffs of Moher but stays mostly unknown to tourists. On a clear day you can see the Skellig Islands from there: Skellig Michael, where monks lived in beehive huts from the 5th century, and Little Skellig, a wild bird sanctuary holding over 40,000 nests of puffins and gannets. Big tour buses cannot navigate the approach, so this stop exists only on private itineraries.

The day moves clockwise around the Iveragh Peninsula, starting with Torc Waterfall, a walk through primary forest to a waterfall in Killarney National Park. Then Ladies View, the overlook Queen Victoria visited in 1861, looking out across the park's mountains and lakes. The route continues to Kenmare, a 17th-century town laid out in 1670 by Sir Oliver William Petty, then to Coomakista at the peninsula's tip, where you stand between Kenmare Bay and Ballinskellig Bay: the local names for the islands below are the Bull, the Cow and the Calf. A boat crossing sometimes brings dolphins. The afternoon brings you to Ballycarbery Castle, a 16th-century ruin, and Cahergall Stone Fort, built in the 5th or 6th century with balanced stone and no mortar. The last stop is Kerry Bog Village, an 18th- and 19th-century museum of thatched cottages that holds the memory of the Great Famine.

Hotel pickup is included and must be reconfirmed 48 hours before the tour. The vehicle is air-conditioned and stocked with bottled water. You pick your group size when you book (one person, two, three to four in an SUV, four in a van, five, or six), and the price adjusts to match.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned passenger vehicle.
• hotel pickup and reconfirmation.
• bottled water.
• an experienced guide.
• access to Kerry Cliffs and four historic sites (Torc Waterfall, Ladies View, Ballycarbery Castle, Cahergall Stone Fort).
• entry to Kerry Bog Village museum.
• a boat crossing between Knights Town and Cahersiveen.

Options for this experience

7 options

Tour for six peopleUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English · 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30Economy option, 9 hours, Ring of Kerry and Kerry Cliffs, in a passenger van. Pickup is included.

Tour for five peopleUp to 5 per booking · Guide in English · 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30Economy option, 9 hours, Ring of Kerry and Kerry Cliffs, in a passenger van. Pickup is included.

Tour for 4 people in an SUVUp to 4 per booking · Guide in English · 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30Premium option, 9 hours, Ring of Kerry and Kerry Cliffs, in an SUV. Pickup is included.

See 4 more options

Tour for four people (van)Up to 4 per booking · Guide in English · 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30Premium option, 9 hours, Ring of Kerry and Kerry Cliffs, in a passenger van. Pickup is included.

Tour for 3-4 people in an SUVUp to 3 per booking · Guide in English · 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30Private Ring of Kerry tour in a passenger vehicle with an experienced guide. It covers all the sights on the Ring of Kerry, plus Valentia Island, Staigue Fort and the Kerry Cliffs. Premium option. Duration: 9 hours, with flexible timing; more time is available if needed. Ring of Kerry and Kerry Cliffs in a Lexus SUV: a very comfortable AWD vehicle that handles country roads with confidence. Pickup is included.

Tour for two peopleUp to 2 per booking · Guide in English · 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30Private Ring of Kerry tour in a passenger vehicle with an experienced guide. It covers all the sights on the Ring of Kerry, plus Valentia Island, Staigue Fort and the Kerry Cliffs. Premium option. Duration: 9 hours, with flexible timing; more time is available if needed. Ring of Kerry and Kerry Cliffs in a Lexus SUV: a very comfortable AWD vehicle that handles country roads with confidence. Pickup is included.

Tour for one personUp to 1 per booking · Guide in English · 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30Private Ring of Kerry tour in a passenger vehicle with an experienced guide. It covers all the sights on the Ring of Kerry, plus Valentia Island, Staigue Fort and the Kerry Cliffs. Premium option. Duration: 9 hours, with flexible timing; more time is available if needed. Ring of Kerry and Kerry Cliffs in a Lexus SUV: a very comfortable AWD vehicle that handles country roads with confidence. Pickup is included.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Audio 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 21 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Peter Stanley tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Kerry Cliffs and the lesser-known corners of the Ring of Kerry without the pace and stops of a big group. The private vehicle is what unlocks access to places tour buses cannot reach. Choose your group size based on who is traveling with you. The price scales to match, so a solo traveler or a couple pays less than a larger party.

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Top questions

How high are the Kerry Cliffs compared to other cliffs in Ireland?

Kerry Cliffs rise up to 1,000 feet above sea level, which is higher than the Cliffs of Moher. On clear days you can see the Skellig Islands from the top, including Skellig Michael with its 5th-century monastic beehive huts.

What happens during the boat crossing from Knights Town to Cahersiveen?

The crossing is a short trip across the water, and dolphins sometimes appear. It is part of the route around the peninsula but not a separate excursion.

What is Kerry Bog Village and why is it on the tour?

Kerry Bog Village is an 18th- and 19th-century museum of traditional thatched cottages that preserves how people lived during and after the Great Famine. The smell of burned peat and the period buildings give a sense of 19th-century rural life in Kerry.

Can I book this tour for just myself, or do I need a group?

You can book for one person, two, three to four, four, five, or six. The tour is private regardless of group size, and the price adjusts to match the option you choose at checkout.

Does the tour include a walk to Torc Waterfall, or do we just drive past it?

You walk through primary forest to reach Torc Waterfall. It is one of the stops where you get out of the vehicle and move on foot.

What do I need to do before the tour starts?

Hotel pickup is included, but you must reconfirm your pickup location and time no later than 48 hours before the tour. The driver will meet you at your hotel.