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Escorted Walking Holidays / Ring of Kerry
   Overview  
 Ring of Kerry  8 Days / 7 Nights   Grade B/C: Hills / Mountain walking


This is one of our most popular independent walking holidays - and for very good reason. The Kerry Way has it all along its 110 mile length. The walk takes you from the lush vegetation of the Killarney National Park, past the majestic peaks of the MacGillacuddy Reeks, along coastal paths overlooking Dingle Bay to the golden sands of Waterville and Derrynane. This part of Ireland is rich in history, myth and legend, and also has an abundance of local flora and fauna – including the Irish Red Deer.

The walk is primarily along the renowned Kerry Way, allowing you to carry out an almost complete circuit of the Iveragh Peninsula. Your route crosses hills, valleys and some rocky mountain passes. However you never venture to the heights of the Reeks where serious rock and mountain climbing can be had. Instead you walk along a network of forested and moss-lined paths, open bog, moorland, past island-studded mountain lakes and waterfalls and along coastal paths. Every day of your holiday you experience different aspects of the remarkable and varied countryside before returning to the warmth of your new hostelry each evening.

Walkers, climbers and tourists from all over the world visit this part of Kerry for very good reason. Join us on this wonderful walking holiday along the Kerry Way and you too will come to quickly appreciate why this is one of our most popular walking holidays!
Looking over Lough Acoose from the Kerry Way, Glencar, Co Kerry.
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   Itinerary  

Day 1 (Arrival)
Arriving at Shannon Airport, you are met by our own transport. You will be transferred by bus to our first nights accommodation at the legendary town of Killarney. You will have time free to acclimatise and to see some of Killarney before our welcome drink in the evening, hosted by your guide for the tour.

Day 2 (16km Gap of Dunloe)
Our route takes us through the reknowned Gap of Dunloe and then on to wonderful views of the beautiful Lakes of Killarney. After a day's walking through these spectacular glacial formations we are met my our transport and transferred back to Killarney for the evening.

Day 3 (20km Killarney to Kenmare)
Our route takes us from Killarney toward Kenmare – passing through the scenic Killarney National Park. On the way we enjoy the views as we ascend alongside the Torc Waterfall. Continuing through deciduous forest, by the Upper Lake, we ascend a gentle valley between Knockrower and Peakeen Mountain, before descending toward Kenmare.
We are met by our transport after hitting the tarred road and transfer to our accommodation at Derrynane.

Day 4 (19km Sneem to Caherdaniel)
Leaving from our base in the beautiful village of Sneem we head up to the spectacular Staigue Fort. Crossing over hills and valleys and through forest we are afforded views over Kenmare Bay to the Beara Peninsula. We return to our base in Derrynane for the evening.

Day 5 (16km Derrynane)
An easy walk today along the coastal spur of the Kerry Way to the beach at Derrynane. Visit the house and gardens at Derrynane House - the ancestral home of Daniel O’Connell, lawyer, politician and statesman. A walk along the beach brings us to Abbey Island, where tides permitting we can walk out to the rocks. We are met by our transport at Derrynane to transfer to our accommodation at Caherciveen.

Day 6 (Skellig Islands)
This is your free day, but we do offer the opportunity of a visit the Skellig Islands by boat (ticket not included). This is a full day trip to visit one of the most remote and magnificent monastic sites in Europe on Sceilig Mhichíl (Skellig Michael), and which illustrates the very spartan existence of the first Irish Christians. There is also a visit to Little Skellig Island nature reserve to see the most populous bird sanctuary in Ireland.
Alernatively a walk on Valentia Island is another wonderful option. We stay in Caherciveen again tonight.

Day 7 (18km Kells to Glenbeigh)
Heading off from Caherciveen we pick up an ancient stagecoach trail outside of Kells. Today we enjoy the most wonderful scenery of the week as we walk along the shores on Dingle Bay and head east towards Glenbeigh. This is a truly memorable walk for your last day here on the Ivreagh Peninsula.
Met by our transport, we travel back to Caherciveen for our last night’s meal and undoubtedly tall tales of the previous week.

Day 8 (Departure)
After breakfast, we offer a courtesy transfer to Killarney Bus/Rail Station arriving there at approx 09:45 to 10:00. From there you can find bus connections to Shannon Airport (3 hrs. approx) and Cork Airport (2 hrs. approx), in addition to rail links to Dublin and the rest of Ireland.

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   Prices  

Prices and optionsThe Magillycuddy Reeks on an autumn evening as seen from Glencar

We offer a number of different start dates for our Kerry Way escorted walking holiday throughout the year. To see the current available start dates please check out the latest schedule which also has our up-to-date prices.

Included in this guided walking holiday are

  • 7 nights accommodation, based on two adults sharing, in Irish Tourist Board approved hotels and guesthouses (normally with en-suite facilities).
  • Meals consisting of a full Irish breakfast each day, packed lunch (on walking days) and a two/three course meal each evening. Drinks are not included.
  • 6 days of walking with our expert Guide, luggage transfers as required, route descriptions and maps and a souvenir book.
  • A scheduled transfer offered from Shannon Airport or Cork Airport.

For more information on Ireland visit the Tourism Ireland website at Discover Ireland - www.discoverireland.ie.
Flight schedules and information on Shannon Airport.
Flight schedules and information on Kerry Airport.
Flight schedules and information on Cork Airport.
For information on trains to Killarney and Tralee, visit the Irish Rail site.

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