Day Tour from Dublin: Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough, Powerscourt
Walk through 6th-century ruins and stand at Ireland's highest waterfall in a single day.
A private day tour from Dublin through the Wicklow Mountains visits Powerscourt Waterfall (121 meters high), the ancient monastic site of Glendalough, Powerscourt Estate gardens, and Guinness Lake, with hotel or port pickup included and a private driver-guide for up to six people. The itinerary is flexible, and lunch is arranged at a local restaurant near Glendalough. Admission to Powerscourt Estate (€12.50) and Powerscourt Waterfall (€7) are paid separately on the day.
Options for this experience
4 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Explore Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough
- Pick up from Dublin hotel or port
- Visit Powerscourt Estate and gardens
- See Powerscourt Waterfall
- Lunch at Wicklow restaurant near Glendalough
- Explore Glendalough lakes and monastic site
- Visit Guinness Lake in Wicklow Mountains
- Powerscourt Estate 2h
- Powerscourt Waterfall 1h
- Glendalough 3h
What’s included
- Private transportation from your Dublin hotel or port.
- a private driver-guide speaking English, French or Russian.
- bottled water throughout the day.
- air-conditioned vehicle for up to six people.
Times
- Every day No fixed time
Before you book
Operated by Gateway To Ireland Tours
Prices and times updated 2 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
How do you see the Wicklow Mountains, a 6th-century monastic valley, and Ireland's highest waterfall without renting a car or piecing together public transport? A private vehicle picks you up at your Dublin hotel or cruise port and carries your group through the day. The driver is your guide, speaking English, French or Russian, and the route stays flexible. If a stop deserves more time or the light is right for a photograph, the schedule bends. You travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water, and the day runs seven to eight hours depending on how long you linger at each site.
Powerscourt Estate comes first: 47 acres of Italian and Japanese gardens set against Sugarloaf Mountain, ranked third-best garden in the world by National Geographic. You walk the grounds, browse Avoca design scarves at the on-site shop, and grab coffee at the gourmet deli if you want. Admission is €12.50, paid when you arrive. Then the route drops into the valley toward Powerscourt Waterfall, where water plunges 121 meters down ancient rock: the highest waterfall in Ireland. The admission here is €7. After, you head to a local award-winning restaurant near Glendalough for lunch (your own cost), then spend the afternoon at Glendalough itself: two lakes, monastic ruins dating to the 6th century, and the kind of valley quiet that makes the outside world feel far away.
Guinness Lake (also called Lough Tay) rounds out the day. The crescent-shaped lake sits in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains, ringed by forest and rolling hills. Its dark, peaty water and white sand at the top resemble a poured pint of Guinness: the name stuck, and your guide will share stories about the Guinness family estate. The lake has appeared in Vikings, Excalibur and other films. By the time you head back to Dublin, you've crossed four major stops and seen the landscape shift from manicured gardens to wild mountain valley and back.
Is this one for you?Your guide connects Wicklow's landmarks through their stories and history, while you relax in a private vehicle that keeps the day flowing seamlessly from one site to the next.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, French and Russian.
What is Glendalough and why is it on this tour?
Glendalough is a monastic site founded in the 6th century, set in a valley between two lakes in County Wicklow. It's included because it's one of Ireland's most visited heritage destinations and sits naturally on the route between Powerscourt and Guinness Lake, letting you walk through ancient ruins and lakeside landscape in the same afternoon.
Do I have to pay for everything upfront, or are there separate charges?
Hotel pickup and transport are included in your tour price. Admission to Powerscourt Estate (€12.50) and Powerscourt Waterfall (€7) are paid separately when you arrive at each site. Lunch near Glendalough is your own cost. Your guide will recommend the award-winning restaurant, but you choose what to order.
Can the itinerary change if I want to spend more time somewhere?
Yes. The tour is designed to be flexible, so if a stop deserves extra time or weather or light makes a moment worth lingering, your guide can adjust the route. The day is structured around the main sites, but the timing between them can shift.
How many people can fit in the vehicle?
The private tour accommodates up to six people in one air-conditioned vehicle. If you're traveling solo or as a couple, you still get a private driver-guide. Larger groups stay together in the same car.
Is Powerscourt House included, or just the gardens?
The tour includes Powerscourt Estate and its 47 acres of gardens. Admission to Powerscourt House itself is optional and not included in the base tour price. Your guide can tell you more about it when you arrive if you're interested.
Day Tour from Dublin: Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough, Powerscourt
7h–8h · EN · FR +1
from € 565 per group
≈ US$ 649 in your currency
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