Gap of Dunloe Tour (Boat & Bus)
Description
The Gap of Dunloe day tour is a journey which encompasses Killarney’s entire National Park. During the tour, guests will see such sights as the Gap of Dunloe, the Old Weir Bridge and Ross Castle. The tour involves 3 separate stages: 1. Bus Transport from our office at the Old Weir Lodge on Muckross Road, Killarney to Kate Kearney’s Cottage at the beginning of the Gap of Dunloe. 2. Travel through the world famous glacial valley that is the Gap of Dunloe. Horse and carriage transport is available to rent (extra payable directly to the ponyman) when you arrive at Kate Kearney’s Cottage. Alternatively, you can walk through the ‘Gap’. 3. Boat transport through the National Park with one of our experienced Drivers. The boat tour brings you through the lakes and rivers of the Park. A guided tour by the driver full of folklore and legends will ensure a memorable day for all ages. Note: depending on water levels, a moderate walk through an uneven wooded area may be required.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The bus which departs from the Old Weir Lodge will bring passengers to the world famous 'Kate Kearney's Cottage'. Here, passengers will make contact with the Horse and Carriage drivers. Note: Payment for the Horse and Carriage section of the tour is made to the drivers themselves and due to the mountainous nature of the area, cash is required. Unfortunately, the carriage drivers may not charge a children's rate due to limited seating.
The Carriage ride is roughly 1.5 hours through the Glacial Valley known as The Gap of Dunloe. The distance is 11 Kilometers. Passengers will then arrive at Lord Brandon's Cottage.
Lord Brandon's Cottage is an old hunting lodge which has been transformed into a cafe for those hiking and cycling in the area. After the walk or carriage ride through the Gap of Dunloe, Guests will have up to 1 hour to have lunch and enjoy this peaceful setting. Boats leave here at 2pm daily.
The boat tour by our experienced guides will bring you through the 3 lakes and 2 rivers of Killarney National Park. The trip is around 1.5 hrs depending on water levels and weather conditions. Guests will see The Meeting of the Waters, Dinis Cottage, the Old Weir Bridge, Brickeen Bridge and Innisfallen Island. Our experienced local guides will provide a full commentary throughout the tour and will answer any questions you may have.
At the end of the boat tour is the famous Ross Castle. Built in the 15th century, Ross Castle was the seat of the Chieftain O'Donoghue. The bus will meet guests at the castle immediately after the boat tour so unfortunately the Castle isn't part of the tour. As the castle is less than 2km from Killarney, some guests opt to explore the area and walk to the town through the National Park afterwards. Please let the bus driver know if this is something you would like to do.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(77)
My husband walked and I took the horse cart. Beautiful sunny day, and our pictures are amazing. The boat ride was nice and relaxing. Definitely a worthwhile tour.
This is a really great trip with a lot of unforgettable sights and experiences. It may help you to know what to expect though. It’s really a ride to two separate experiences. A bus driver takes you to the start of the gap and experience #1. There you either walk the gap or organize a pony trap cart. It wasn’t immediately clear to us how to hire a ride; we had to talk to an organizer who worked it out with the drivers. The drivers are just that: drivers - not guides. Don’t expect banter or history. Also, be aware that there may be places you need to walk to save the horses. We walked a steep part that was a strain on my older mother. The carts could also be jarring, small and uncomfortable. Perhaps best for kids. But the views were spectacular and the discomfort was temporary. We ended up at a spot for lunch before experience #2: a boat ride from the lunch place to Ross’ castle where the van was waiting. The boat ride was great. This driver was more of a guide on the boat and entertained us as we went. In one spot the water was low so most of the passengers walked around a very short part before getting back on. This was a little confusing at first but fine. It was great to take this tour, especially if you’ve seen some of these locations from on high. It helps to tie the geography together and to be inside the locations. Great tour
Lovely day on the lakes and rivers. We saw a pair of eagles and a juvenile. It was quite hot so we opted for the horse and cart instead of the 6 mile walk. Our boat guide was very knowledgeable and made sure we were well taken care of. The cart driver was local and shared lots of information. Brilliant day all around.
Thank you for such a lovely review. I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time with us. Rory
A wonderful day both on the water and taking the jaunting cart …. such spectacular scenery and knowledgeable guides. We thoroughly enjoyed our day.
Thank you for your very kind review. I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed your day with us. Rory
Private trip with Rory was a wonderful experience and one I would recommend to any couple, family or group. If you’re in the area and don’t do this excursion you truly missed a lifetime memory.
Hi Ryan, Thank you for your kind words. It was a pleasure meeting you both and I hope you enjoyed the rest of your stay. Rory.
Wonderful experience! Amazing scenery! Fantastic guides! Be warned, however, that although indicated for most accessibility levels, there is some walking/hiking events if you choose the jaunty cart option.
Hi Pamela, Thanks for leaving your review and I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed the experience. It's an important point that you make; while we try to accommodate everyone, there must be a certain level of mobility and fitness to partake in our tour. I hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip! Rory
Very well organized tour. As you will read in other reviews the highlight of tour is the boat tour. We had a beautiful day and Rory our boat captain (and owner) was amazing. He provided us with very good commentary on everything we saw. If I were to do this again I would rent an e-bike and book only the boat tour. Going through the Dunloe Gap was nice but I would have like more time to enjoy the sights. We hired the jaunting car vs walking. With this part we were not as lucky as our driver was more interested in getting us to the destination as fast as possible. He could have made more stops for picture taking. As for the part under the tour control everything was great: bus and boat
Hi Jorge, Thank you for your lovely review. It was a pleasure to meet you both and I'm really delighted that you enjoyed your day. Rory
This was great fun and a good day out activity. Just remember that the walk rolls straight into the boat ride so make sure you pack appropriate clothing. It’s a good 11km walk and then you sit on the boat so carry some extra warm kit if the weather isn’t great. Also everything on the tour is cash only.
Great tour but be prepared! The gap of dunloe is a 7 mile road hike including hills or a cash pay per person horse carriage ride. Bring water! The most stunning views!
This was a fantastic experience! Meeting the bus was easy, and the Gap of Dunloe/lake and river boat tour was incredible. Cathal ran our boat tour and he was excellent, very kind and knowledgable! He really did an outstanding job. I can't recommend this experience enough, it was the highlight of our trip. 🚨READ BEFORE YOU BOOK🚨 It's important to note that the bus drops you off at the start of the Gap, and picks you up after the boat tour. You are responsible for getting yourself from Kate Kearney's cottage to Lord Brandon's Cottage. If you do not pay for the carriage ride, you must walk the entire Gap of Dunloe (11km/7mi) to get to the boat. The walk was beautiful and the path was paved and very clear! You don't have to worry about getting lost on this walk, you just follow a paved road the whole way. We found that we had plenty of time to walk slowly, take pictures, and look around without worrying about missing our boat. The scenery is absolutely stunning, and if you are comfortable walking a long distance with hills, I recommend opting to walk the Gap rather than taking the carriage. Here's a play-by-play of this experience: Picked up at Old Weir Lodge by bus, dropped off at Kate Kearney's Cottage. Walked from Gap of Dunloe into Killarney National Park, where we met our boat at Lord Brandon's cottage. Boated through multiple lakes/rivers, dropped off at Ross Castle, where the bus met us.
