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Ring of Kerry Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025
Our 29 most popular Ring of Kerry trips. Compare tour itineraries from 16 tour companies. 1,297 reviews. 4.5/5 avg rating.
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Top Ring of Kerry Attractions & Experiences
Top Ring of Kerry Experiences
- Summiting Carrauntoohil, the tallest mountain in Ireland, and looking over the expanse of the Irish wildlands.
- Driving past the beautiful beaches on the Atlantic, and stopping to explore the desolate coastline.
- Stopping in Killarney to explore Killarney National Park, from the beautiful walking paths to the ostentatious rooms and Victorian walled garden at Muckross House.
- Learning what life was like in rural 19th century Ireland, and seeing how people (and the adorable Kerry bog ponies!) managed to live in these remote and rough conditions.
- Having a hot plate of fish and chips to warm up after a long day walking outside and exploring the beautiful Irish wilderness.
Ring of Kerry Tours & Travel Guide
Ring of Kerry Attractions & Landmarks Guide
What is the Ring of Kerry?
The Ring of Kerry is a scenic road in Ireland, and one of the most famous drives in the country for its beautiful views and important historical role.
The Ring, as its name suggests, is a circular loop in the Southwest of Ireland, specifically on the Iveragh Peninsula. Part of the road is also a part of another scenic drive in Ireland, the Wild Atlantic Way.
On your drive (or trek) through the Ring of Kerry, you will see an unaltered Irish landscape: green hills with wild growing yellow gorse, purple heather, and wild flowers. You will pass undisturbed lakes, and see the dramatic peaks and peaceful valleys of Ireland’s tallest mountains.
Top Things to Do on the Ring of Kerry
- Skellig Island. a brief trip off of the road, this beautiful island is much less crowded than some of the attractions directly on it. Skellig Island is also called Star Wars Island, as it was used as a location in the Star Wars film “The Force Awakens”.
- Killarney & Killarney National Park. Many tours begin in this town, but regardless of when you encounter it, take some time off your drive to do it justice. Killarney is a classic Irish town with a vibrant music and pub scene, and delicious food. Taking the time to tour the beautiful estate Muckross House is also a must-do. If you’re here in early August, definitely take a quick detour to go see the Puck Fair. During this festival, a wild goat is caught and crowned, and the town celebrates with a horse and cattle fair, as well as live music and other events.
- The Stone Forts. There are several medieval stone forts that are found along the Ring of Kerry, and one particularly interesting one lies at the base of Ballycarbery Castle. Instead of knocking down the 7th century stone fort, the Irish royal family simply built on top of it in the 1870s, and the two architectural styles are interwoven in a fascinating way. If you’re very interested in Irish medieval history, you should also be sure to stop at the stones in Cahergal as well!
- Relax at the Beach. There are many beach spots along the Ring of Kerry, though one of the most scenic and popular places is Derrynane. Here, the sand is spectacularly white, the cerulean water is crystal-clear, and the rolling green hills continue right up until the ocean. You should definitely take some time to relax here, walk around, and explore the small coves along the water’s edge.
- Kenmare. This is Kerry County’s first heritage town, and another great place for shopping and dining. There are a lot of handcrafted goods in Kenmare, particularly wool products and antique stores, so browse through these for a unique find if you need a good souvenir!
Cycling the Ring of Kerry
For those looking for a more immersive and extended experience of Ireland’s landscape, then consider going on a cycling or hiking tour of the Ring of Kerry. On these tours, not only will you feel closer to the land, but you will have time to get a unique point of view during some of your stops. For example, many hiking tours pull over to climb Ireland’s tallest mountain, Carrantouhil, and the second tallest, Mount Brandon.
For those cycling the Ring of Kerry, there are several things you should be aware of. Firstly, while the Ring can be driven in one day, cycling tours of the route usually last about a week, so that you are well-rested, and have time to take in the towns and attractions that you pass. Most cycling tours often go counter-clockwise around the Ring too, to avoid traffic.
Finally, the route is not withouts its difficulties. Weather is pretty variable in western Ireland, and so it’s recommended you pack layers and a rain jacket if you’re biking. While some parts of the road are shouldered by tall mountains, other areas are very exposed and can have extremely strong winds. This may cause for a delay, and should be taken into consideration when deciding to book a cycling tour.
Finally, if you’re interested in cycling the Ring of Kerry, book your tour well in advance. Only 9,000 cyclists are allowed on the road each year, and your place must be booked ahead of time. And if all of this seems a little too intense for you, look for trips that have biking as an activity, but aren’t entirely dedicated to cycling!
Ring of Kerry FAQ:
How long does it take to drive the Ring of Kerry? This is dependent on how often you plan to stop, and for how long, but the Ring of Kerry runs almost 180km (or 111 miles), and takes just over 3 and ½ hours to drive without stopping. As a result, the Ring of Kerry is usually fit into a single day on many tours of Ireland, although some travelers prefer to extend the drive to a period of several days. If you stop and stay at some of the locations along the road, you can visit lesser-known attractions just off of it, and you will get a better sense of the region.
Should I take a bus tour or rent a car? This essentially comes down to a personal choice, and whether or not you plan to get out very frequently. If you want to stop as often as possible on your drive, than consider driving a rental car. If you only plan on stopping at the main attractions, than it’s usually recommended that you take a tour bus, where you won’t have to stress about or fight the traffic. On many multi-day tours of the Ring of Kerry (which you can browse here on Stride), you usually have the best of both worlds -- you will be in a smaller van than the massive tour buses, so you won’t have to worry about driving, and you will have more influence over when the bus stops.
Which way should I drive? Independent travelers typically drive the Ring of Kerry clockwise to avoid traffic from tour buses, which are required to do the route counter-clockwise.
Do I need to pack lunch/snacks for the Ring of Kerry? While much of the drive on the Ring of Kerry is desolate, that you need to pack meals and water for the drive is a common misconception. There are actually plenty of towns that the Ring of Kerry will take you through, with everything from small convenience stores to high-end restaurants. If you get hungry easily or are looking to save money, perhaps bring a couple of snacks, however, we do recommend that you explore at least a couple of these towns, and perhaps have a bite to eat in a local pub.
Slea Head Drive or Ring of Kerry?
The other main scenic drive in Ireland is the Slea Head drive in the Dingle Peninsula. If you have time, we obviously recommend doing both, but if you want to focus on other things and have to decide between the two, here are some things to be aware of:
Firstly, both Slea Head and the Ring of Kerry are popular tourist attractions, and as a result they both can get crowded with tour buses and tourists in rental cars. There are usually more large buses on the Ring of Kerry, but both places experience this kind of traffic. If you want to avoid these, in either location, you will have to leave early in the morning, or begin your trip after around 3pm. (Or travel outside of the main tourist season!)
And finally, the Ring of Kerry is nearly three times the length of the drive down the Dingle and Beara Peninsula. Depending on the amount of time you have, this might be a major factor in your decision between the two.
Ring of Kerry Reviews & Ratings
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Joanne Macdonald
Nov 2023
Written on
Irish Highlights
Each hotel was unique - and not the 'big guys'. I love that!!
M
Mary Stelzer
Oct 2023
Written on
Irish Highlights
This itinerary includes everything we wanted to see and then some. Trafalgar added great experiences with locals that were outstanding and made our trip unique. Th...
A
Anna Taylor
Sep 2023
Written on
Irish Highlights
The itinerary had us on the move, but we feel like we got a good taste of everything Ireland had to offer. Our lodgings were very good! Each accomodation was locat...
D
David Johnston
Sep 2023
Written on
Irish Highlights
We were looking for a cultural experience, and the director delivered in spades
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Sandra Hamilton
Aug 2023
Written on
Irish Highlights
Packed full of interesting sights. Time to wander by yourself. No time wasted.
Ring of Kerry Tours FAQ
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