The Kerry Way | Ireland

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11 Days From

~~$619~~

$599

The Kerry Way | Ireland

11 Days Starting and ending in Killarney

Visiting: Killarney, Black Valley, Glencar, Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Caherdaniel, Sneem, Kenmare

Tour operator:

Hilltoptreks

Tour code:

99148

Group Type:

Independent

Recommended For:

18-30 somethings, LGBT plus, Singles

Guide Type:

Self Guided

Physical rating:

Medium

Age range:

12-85

Special diets catered:

Vegetarians

From: $619 $599 Mid-Year Mayhem Discount: -$19

NB: Prices correct on 27-Jul-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

This is a Self-Guided Walk on the Kerry Way. The Kerry Way is a long distance trail in the south West of Ireland on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry. The trail is over 200Km in length making it one of the longest self-guided routes and one of the most popular. Killarney is one of Ireland’s most visited parts of the country and extremely popular with tourists. It's not hard to see why when you visit this area for yourself with the Lakes of Killarney and the high peaks sitting behind them given this small town one of the most spectacular backdrops. There are also many other fine small towns along the way such as Sneem, where I suggest you visit a small Deli to get some local cheeses and a great sandwich for your days walk. With its ancients ruins, spectacular beaches, small towns and fine hills the Kerry Way really is a great trail.

Highlights

Killarney
Glencar
Glenbeigh
Cahersiveen
Waterville
Caherdaniel
Kenmare

Places You'll See

The Kerry Way | Ireland

Itinerary

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Day 1 : Killarney

Location: Killarney

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Arrive in Killarney — receive notes, maps books. We will give you the accommodation details etc, when you book this tour.

Day 2 : Walk From Killarney To Black Valley

Location: Black Valley

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

The official start of the Kerry Way is at the Tourist Office in the town of Killarney.
A steep climb for 80m by the waterfall, where we join the old Kenmare road dating back to mediaeval times — the original Ring of Kerry Road!

Killarney to Black Valley, Distance 22Km, Ascent 400m

Day 3 : Walk From Black Valley To Glencar.

Location: Glencar

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

The way out of the Black Valley ascends with fine views of Bridia Valley ahead.
With a further kilometre on the road leading to Maghanlawaun, you may be greatly surprised to come across the Cooky Monster’s Café in this remotest of places! The Kerry way follows the flank of Lough Acoose and reaches the main road to Glencar.

Black Valley to Glencar, Distance 20Km, Ascent 500m — 8 hours

Day 4 : Walk From Glencar To Glenbeigh

Location: Glenbeigh

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Glencar to Glenbeigh, Distance 18Km, Ascent 420m — 5 hours.

Start from The Climbers Inn, the trail out of the town follows the road and meanders along quiet boreens and forestry paths through the Glencar Valley. You will have fabulous views of The McGillycuddy Reeks, Seefin Mountain and Lough Carragh.

1km of rough trail descends to meet a boreen at Gowlane, where the final 2km of tarmac road lead to the centre of Glenbeigh.

Day 5 : Walk From Glenbeigh To Caherciveen

Location: Cahersiveen

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Glenbeigh to Cahersiveen, Distance 28Km, Ascent 450m — 8 hours.

This section of the Kerry Way is a strenuous 7 to 10 hour (28 km) walking route along quiet back roads and gentle ascents with stunning views of Dingle Bay and Peninsula from mountain stage on the slopes on Drung Hill (640m), through woodland and finishing on quiet county roads to Cahersiveen.

Day 6 : Walk From Caherciveen To Waterville

Location: Waterville

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Caherciveen to Waterville, Distance 22km, Ascent 270m

Rejoin the Kerry Way at Teeraha. The trail leads up along a ridge of small hills and gradually up to some higher peaks of over 300 metres. Descending again, the trail leads along minor roads to Mastergeehy and on towards Coomduff.

Day 7 : Walk From Waterville To Caherdaniel

Location: Caherdaniel

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Waterville to Caherdaniel, Distance 13km, Ascent 300m — 5 hours.

Starting from the Tourist Office (open in Summer), the first 1km of the Kerry Way passes a statue of Charlie Chaplin who was a frequent visit to Waterville back in the day. After travelling the length of the promenade, the trail crosses the Currane River.

Day 8 : Walk From Caherdaniel To Sneem

Location: Sneem

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Walking from Caherdaniel to Sneem, Distance 19km, Ascent 400m — 7 hours.

This is a quite pleasant walk along ”green roads”, part of it being the Old Kenmare Road (we started from Killarney on this old mediaeval track) with boggy pasture around and views south over the Kenmare River Bay towards Bantry.

Watch out for Staigue Fort enroute: This ancient ring fort is well worth the small detour and is highly recommended. Staigue is an Iron Age fort, 1km off the track in quiet countryside. The drystone walls are 30 meters in diameter, 4 meters thick and 5 meters high! An intriguing system of diagonal runs of steps is leading to the top of the wall.

Day 9 : Walk From Sneem To Kenmare

Location: Kenmare

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Walking from Sneem to Kenmare, Distance 23km, Ascent 520m — 8 hours

This penultimate section of the Kerry Way is one of the longest but, luckily, one of the flattest. Leaving Sneem behind, the route heads south-east towards the 19th c estate of Parknasilla and through various types of oak, birch and holly, all mixed with the ubiquitous rhododendron.

After about 2.5km, you will arrive at the dormant village of Tahilla which was once a busy fishing village. The trail gradually gains height along Lough Fadda with great views back across Coongar Harbour and Drongawn Lough beyond to the south-west.

Day 10 : Walk From Kenmare To Killarney

Location: Killarney

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Walking from Kenmare to Killarney, Distance 26km, Ascent 630m — 7 hours.

This final stage of the Kerry Way starts from outside the Kenmare Tourist Office (only open in Summer). The first two-thirds of the section is uphill climb to the Windy Gap at around 320m via Strickeen Hill. From here you descend into Killarney National Park. Incheens is surrounded by a splendid horse-shoe of mountain peaks. From Eagles Nest to the west, to Peakeen and Knockanaguish to the south. Knockrower and Shaking Rock are to the east and Stumpacommeen and Cromaglan Mountain to the north-east. The exit to the valley is to the north with the more distant Purple Mountain on the horizon, above Killarney’s Upper Lake.

Day 11 : Stay In Killarney

Location: Killarney

Meals Included: Breakfast

After you successful walk on the Kerry Way, we are sure you will be glad to have a days rest. There is so much to do in Killarney we would recommend a good rest day here.

What's Included

Accommodation
Meals – Breakfast Only

There is a great selection of breakfast to choose from.
Luggage transferred between accommodations. Maps, Books and route details.
Free Wi-Fi at Accommodation

What's Not Included

All Domestic Transportation (including internal flights)

Details on how to get to the start will be supplied.
Drinks with Meals
Train Tickets
Tipping and Gratuities

Booking Notes

Newsletter: You can sign up to our Newsletter Here to receive details of our upcoming walks and Tours!

Social Media: Like us and share your pictures!

Check out our Q&As

Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?

Yes there is plenty of time to explore after each walk each day.
How long has the tour company been trading?

We have been operating tours now for over 10 years.
Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

Yes and the single Room Option has an additional, which is specified in the tour rates.
What policies are in place for Covid-19?

We follow all the Irish Governments guidelines in regard to COVID19 and only use partners such as accommodation who also follow such guidelines.
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

Our company follows the guidelines of Leave No Trace to help preserve our counryside and it's natural beauty.

What documents will I receive before I travel?

Before you travel. You will have a full list of your accommodation, travel documents if required your Itinerary. Other documents will be waiting for you when you arrive.
What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

If you let us know in time, then we can arrange an updated travel date to suit you.
Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

Yes, we have checked all the accommodations we use and they follow all the Irish Healthe service guidelines.

Reviews of this operator

Jaime Jimenez (Google Reviewer)

We had a great time...

29-Mar-2024

We had a great time on our tour to New Grange, the Boyne Valley and Monasterboice. Our guide, Matt was very knowledgeable and entertaining as well

Patrick McCusker (Google Reviewer)

St. Kevin was an excellent...

30-Mar-2024

St. Kevin was an excellent driver on all the narrow and winding roads. He was informative and his song playlist was outstanding. We very much enjoyed the horseback riding, as well as our time in Enniskerry and the old monastery. One suggestion: Have copies of the monastery trail maps available rather than having us take pictures of the lone laminated one.

John Catchpole (Google Reviewer)

An excellent tour to Glendalough...

18-Sep-2023

An excellent tour to Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains. Matt was a brilliant tour guide with many fascinating stories and infomation about the area and the history. He is clearly very passionate about the history of this beautiful part of the world and I learnt so much. The minibus was comfortable and it's much better to do a tour with a small group. The lunch stop at Poppies was also delicious.

Debbie Berg (Google Reviewer)

Gorgeous views of Powerscourt Gardens,...

09-Apr-2024

Gorgeous views of Powerscourt Gardens, Wicklow Mountains and Gleandalough. Our driver/guide Linda us very knowledgeable and delightful. The lunch at Poppies in Enniskerry was so yummy and hit the spot. Rain didn’t slow us down. Great tour for those interested in getting outta of Dublin.

Denise Null (Google Reviewer)

I truly enjoyed my trip!...

21-Sep-2023

I truly enjoyed my trip! The Tour Guide was knowledgeable and humorous! And the scenery absolutely beautiful!

Shannon Fracchia (Google Reviewer)

Fantastic day with hilltoptreks! Terry...

02-Oct-2023

Fantastic day with hilltoptreks! Terry was an absolute legend. He showed up the most beautiful spots and entertained us with Irish stories, songs and even Irish bag pipes! We had a gorgeous lunch in Wicklow and had the most magical day in Ireland. Thank you Terry and Hilltoptrek for the most memorable journey!

Natalie Derks (Google Reviewer)

Best day tour we’ve ever...

13-Apr-2024

Best day tour we’ve ever been on! Highly recommend for anyone visiting Dublin. Beautiful scenery and Kevin was a wonderful guide with great insight.

Joshua Cooper (Google Reviewer)

I took a trip to...

01-Jun-2024

I took a trip to Ireland solo for my birthday and booked tours in advance. Matt was a fantastic tour guide and his knowledge of the history of Ireland was amazing. I did three tours with different companies, however, this one was by far the best. It’s not necessarily the locations that made everything better, that was a huge bonus, but having someone passionate about what they do made it worth every penny. I will be back in Ireland, hopefully soon, and will definitely book this tour again. Thanks Matt and Hilltop Treks!

Sofi Grüneisen (Google Reviewer)

We actually prefer exploring national...

01-Jun-2023

We actually prefer exploring national parks by ourselves, but we were glad we didn't this time because it's huge and then we would have missed on a lot of information about Ireland, the Irish language and specifically the Wicklow area from our wonderful guide. Gillian. We were lucky with the weather. It was a sunny day and not very cloudy. We chose the "Day Tour from Dublin of Wicklow, Glendalough" with a guided walk. (Be mindful of what you book, because there are different options and it's best to book on their website) The guided walk isn't that far +/- 3,5km. But it is absolutely worth it if the weather is great. No need to bring food, because we stopped at Poppies and the food was delicious.

Sue Sweet (Google Reviewer)

Loved this outing. He was...

16-May-2024

Loved this outing. He was on time, had good stories, kept us informed and did a great job driving. The day itself had a visit to a beautiful park, old Abby and a cute village to stop in for lunch. Our driver was Kevin and would hope that others got as much enjoyment out of the day that we did.

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Jul 30, 2024 - Aug 09, 2024

~~$619~~ $599