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Trip to Ring of Kerry: The Ultimate Travel Guide with Scenic Stops & Hidden Gems
A trip to the Ring of Kerry is a 179km scenic loop drive around the Iveragh Peninsula, starting and ending in Killarney. You need at least 7 hours with stops, driving clockwise to avoid tour buses, and the best months are May through September.
I have driven this loop four times now, and my colleague Chidi just got back from his first trip. He tried to do it counterclockwise in a rental car and spent most of the morning pulling into hedges to let coaches pass.
Don’t be Chidi. There is a right way and a fuel-wasting, stressful way to do this, and I will lay out exactly how to structure your day, what to skip, and how much cash to have on hand. We last updated this guide late this year after a week of road-testing every stop.
Jump to: Route Basics & Direction | Real Cost Breakdown | Full Day Itinerary | Hidden Gems & Extensions | Driving vs Cycling vs Bus | Mistakes to Avoid | FAQs
Key takeaways
- Drive the 179km loop clockwise. This avoids the tour buses that clog the narrow roads in the opposite direction every morning.
- Budget roughly €45 to €65 per person for entrance fees, parking, and a solid pub lunch, excluding fuel.
- Start no later than 8:30 AM from Killarney to beat the rush at Ladies View and Torc Waterfall.
- The official route skips the Skellig Ring and Gap of Dunloe; adding these requires a 2-day itinerary.
- Download offline Google Maps before you leave Killarney. Signal dies completely between Caherdaniel and Waterville.
- Public bathrooms are scarce on the western stretch. Use facilities at cafes or pay €1 at the Kerry Cliffs car park.
- Accessibility is limited at Staigue Fort and Torc Waterfall steps, but most major viewpoints have wheelchair-friendly parking areas.
Where Does the Ring of Kerry Start and End?
The loop officially starts and ends in Killarney town. Most people follow the N70 road west through Killorglin, then hug the coast through Cahersiveen and Waterville before cutting back inland through Kenmare and Moll’s Gap. The total distance is 179 kilometers, about 111 miles. Without stops, you can drive it in 2.5 hours. With the stops I recommend, you need 7 to 9 hours.
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I have met visitors who thought they could squeeze this in after a late breakfast. They saw Ross Castle, grabbed a scone, and then realized they were only 20% of the way around by 3 PM. This is not a half-day spin. Treat it as a full-day expedition where the drive is the experience, not the chore between Instagram spots.
Chidi’s honest take: “I thought counterclockwise would be clever and quieter. It was quieter for about 15 minutes. Then I met a 52-seater on a bend with no shoulder. Go clockwise. The coaches start their day in Killarney and go counterclockwise. You want to be behind them, not playing chicken.”
What Is the Ring of Kerry Route and Its Best Stops?
The classic route follows the N70. The main stops, in clockwise order, are: Killarney National Park, Ross Castle, Muckross House, Torc Waterfall, Ladies View, Kenmare, Staigue Fort, Derrynane Beach, Waterville, Coomakesta Pass, the Kerry Cliffs, Portmagee, Cahersiveen, and Killorglin.
My personal list trims this down because not every signposted attraction is worth the parking fee. I will detail each one in the itinerary section below.
How Long Does It Take to Drive and Cycle the Ring of Kerry?
A focused one-day drive takes 7 to 8 hours with 30-minute stops. A relaxed two-day trip with the Skellig Ring extension and a boat landing on Skellig Michael takes two full days. Cycling the loop is a serious undertaking. The full ring with the Coomakesta climb involves over 1,700 meters of total elevation gain.
Fit cyclists typically spread it over 3 days, stopping in Cahersiveen and Kenmare. I have done it in two days on a road bike and my quads sent me angry letters for a week.
Best for one day
- Torc Waterfall: Quick 5-minute walk from the car park, best flow after rain.
- Ladies View: The essential panorama, arrive before 10 AM for clear parking.
- Kerry Cliffs: Higher and less crowded than the Cliffs of Moher, €5 entry fee.
- Staigue Fort: A massive dry-stone ringfort, €1 honesty box entry, sheep in the car park.
- Lunch at The Lobster Bar in Waterville: Proper seafood, no tourist menu markups.
Worth considering
- Muckross House: Beautiful but crowded. Skip if you are tight on time.
- Valentia Island ferry: A €5 shortcut that saves 30 minutes and offers a great bridge view.
- Skellig Chocolate Factory: Free samples, good coffee, rain shelter near St. Finian’s Bay.
How Much Does a Trip to the Ring of Kerry Cost?
No one publishes a realistic on-the-ground cost for this loop. I tracked every cent on my last full circuit, from the Killarney petrol station to the post-drive pint. Here is the breakdown for one person sharing a car with one other adult as of this year. Entrance fees are accurate to late this year, but always check official websites for seasonal changes.
Per-person cost breakdown (2 adults sharing a car)
Fuel (full loop)
€15 to €20 per person
Parking total
€6 to €10 per person
Lunch (pub main + drink)
€15 to €20
Entrance fees (select sites)
€8 to €15 per person
Coffee & snacks
€5 to €8
Approximate total
€49 to €73 per person
Kerry Cliffs charges €5 per adult. Staigue Fort runs on a €1 honesty box. The Muckross House tour is €9. The Ross Castle tour is €5. The Gap of Dunloe boat-and-hike combo is €35. Budget extra if you plan to add the Skellig Michael landing tour, which costs €130 to €150 per person and must be booked months ahead.
Accommodation in Killarney varies wildly. A B&B double room runs €90 to €130 a night in summer. We use Booking.com for Killarney stays because the cancellation policies are flexible, and the review volume lets us filter for parking availability, which is a dealbreaker in that town.
If you are a family group, a vacation rental outside Kenmare works better. Check Vrbo for cottages with kitchen facilities along the route.
What Is the Perfect One-Day Ring of Kerry Driving Itinerary?
This itinerary assumes a clockwise departure from Killarney at 8:30 AM. I have driven this exact sequence twice this year, and it balances driving stamina with genuine downtime. Each stop includes drive time from the previous point. Parking coordinates are listed as what I actually used on my Google Maps.
@dans.dishess Ireland day 5/10 – Ring of Kerry! Please ignore my attempt at pronouncing the different stops along the way 😛 Our itinerary for the day: – Ross Castle – Muckross Abbey – Torc Waterfall – Ladies View – Molls Gap – Kenmare (stop for lunch) – Staigue Stone Fort – Derrynane Beach – Kerry Cliffs – GeoKaun Mountain and Cliffs – Drive to Dingle for the night #ireland #itinerary #kerrycliffs #ringofkerry
Stop 1: Ladies View (8:50 AM arrive, 20 min)
Drive from Killarney: 20 minutes. Parking: N71 pull-off, free, coordinates 51.9667° N, 9.5833° W. I arrive before the coaches. The view down the Upper Lake is the payoff for the early start. Toilets are at the café across the road.
Stop 2: Torc Waterfall (9:20 AM arrive, 30 min)
Drive from Ladies View: 10 minutes. Parking: Torc car park, free but small. The steps up to the upper viewing platform are steep and often slippery. Wheelchair access stops at the lower path. The waterfall is most dramatic after overnight rain, which in Kerry means most mornings.
Stop 3: Kenmare (coffee stop) (10:30 AM arrive, 25 min)
Drive from Torc: 25 minutes via Moll’s Gap. Park on Henry Street, pay at the meter. I grab a flat white at Mocha Beans. Kenmare is the last major town before the remote western stretch. Fill your fuel tank here. The Circle K on the N71 is usually the cheapest.
Stop 4: Staigue Fort (11:45 AM arrive, 30 min)
Drive from Kenmare: 40 minutes on a narrow, twisting road. Parking: tiny pull-off, free, coordinates 51.8035° N, 10.0189° W. Drop €1 in the honesty box. The fort itself is a 2,500-year-old dry-stone ringfort with internal staircases. The wind up here can be aggressive. This stop is not wheelchair accessible.
Stop 5: Derrynane Beach (if sunny) (12:30 PM arrive, 20 min)
Drive from Staigue: 15 minutes. Parking near the dunes, free in the off-season, €5 coin meter in summer. If it is raining, I skip this and go directly to Waterville. The beach is a crescent of white sand. The water is Baltic even in August.
Stop 6: Waterville (lunch) (1:30 PM arrive, 1 hour)
Drive from Derrynane: 15 minutes. I eat at The Lobster Bar. The seafood chowder is the standard. Charlie Chaplin used to holiday here, and there is a statue of him on the seafront. This is your last reliable lunch stop before Portmagee.
Stop 7: Kerry Cliffs (2:50 PM arrive, 40 min)
Drive from Waterville: 15 minutes. Parking: private car park, €5 per person, exact cash helps. The cliffs drop 300 meters into the Atlantic. The paths are fenced but the wind can be violent. You can see the Skellig Islands clearly on a good day. Toilets cost €1.
Stop 8: Portmagee (3:40 PM arrive, 15 min)
Drive from Kerry Cliffs: 10 minutes. A quick photo stop on the bridge looking back at the colorful village. If you have a booking for the Skellig boat tour, this is where you depart. Without a booking, there is no point lingering more than 15 minutes.
Stop 9: Cahersiveen & return (5:00 PM)
Drive from Portmagee: 1.5 hours back to Killarney via Killorglin. I usually do not stop again except for fuel. The final stretch through Glenbeigh offers a final view of the Dingle Peninsula across the bay.
For guided tour options along this route, including boat trips to Skellig Michael, GetYourGuide lists licensed operators with real-time availability. Book before you travel; walk-up spots are rare in summer.
What Are the Hidden Gems and Secret Stops Most Tourists Miss?
The official Ring of Kerry route deliberately skips some of the best sections to keep coach traffic manageable. The Skellig Ring, the Gap of Dunloe, and the Black Valley are on the peninsula but not on the N70. I have explored all three, and they are the difference between a good trip and the best drive of your life.
The Skellig Ring Extension
This 18km detour branches off at Waterville and loops through Ballinskelligs and St. Finian’s Bay before rejoining at Portmagee. The road is single-track in sections, and coaches are banned. You get wilder views of the Skelligs and the best beach on the peninsula, St. Finian’s Bay, with zero tourist infrastructure.
The Skellig Chocolate Factory is here, and I have used their free samples as a bribe to get my passengers to agree to the extra hour. The total Skellig Ring adds 1.5 hours with stops.
Gap of Dunloe and Black Valley
This is not on the Ring of Kerry. It runs north-south through the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. You can drive it from Kate Kearney’s Cottage down to Moll’s Gap, but the road is terrifyingly narrow and shared with jaunting cars. I did this once in a rented hatchback and reversed half a kilometer for a pony-drawn trap. The smarter play is to park at Kate Kearney’s and walk the first 3km, or book a boat-and-hike combo from Ross Castle.
Do not attempt the full drive in a motorhome or if you are a nervous driver.
Best hidden stops
- St. Finian’s Bay: Empty surf beach, no facilities, Skellig views.
- Coomakesta Pass: The highest point on the main ring, pull-off at the top for a 360-degree panorama.
- Bray Head, Valentia Island: A 1.5-hour hike to the old signal tower, with cliff views that beat the Kerry Cliffs for drama.
- Kells Bay Gardens: A Subtropical garden with a rope bridge and a strange and wonderful microclimate.
What to skip
- Killarney Jaunting Cars: Expensive and often overbooked. Walk the lakeside path instead.
- Bog Village Museum: Interesting but priced at €7.50, and the real abandoned villages in the Black Valley are free.
- Skellig Experience (indoor): The audiovisual center is dated. The actual boat tour is better.
Can You Do the Ring of Kerry Without a Car?
Yes, but it requires planning and a tolerance for inflexible schedules. I have tested the bus option and the bike option. The car is king here, but not everyone wants to drive on the left on single-track roads. Here is the realistic breakdown.
Public Bus and Guided Tours
Bus Éireann route 280 runs from Killarney to Cahersiveen, but it does not do the full loop. You can patch together a route with Local Link Kerry services, but it is not designed for sightseeing stops. The only practical public transport option is a guided coach tour from Killarney. These run daily, cost roughly €25 to €35 per person, and stop at the major points. You will not get to Staigue Fort or the Kerry Cliffs on a standard coach; the roads are too narrow. For a self-guided public transport trip, you would need to stay overnight in Waterville or Cahersiveen and use local taxi services for the Skellig Ring. This is expensive and requires pre-booking.
Cycling the Ring of Kerry
Cyclists should start clockwise from Killarney. The prevailing wind is southwesterly, so you get a tailwind on the exposed coastal section from Waterville to Cahersiveen. The Coomakesta Pass is the hardest climb: 3km at an average 7% gradient, maxing out around 12%. My cycling day looked like this: Killarney to Cahersiveen (95km, hardest day), Cahersiveen to Kenmare (85km, relentless rollers), Kenmare back to Killarney via Moll’s Gap (45km, one big climb). Road surfaces are generally good on the N70, but the Skellig Ring extension has rough patches. Bring two spare tubes; the hedges are full of thorns. For flight and accommodation packages that include bike storage, Expedia lets you filter hotels with bike-friendly policies.
Fatima’s honest take: “I did the Ring on a bus tour first and a rental car second. The bus was fine for a taster. I saw the highlights but I felt like I was on a conveyor belt. The car gave me the freedom to stop for sheep on the road and a random beach where I was the only person. If you can drive, drive. If you cannot, pay extra for a small-group tour that uses 16-seater minibuses; they can go where the coaches cannot.”
What Is the Best Time of Year and Weather Contingency Plan?
The best months are May and September. June through August have the warmest temperatures but the heaviest coach traffic. As of this year, Muckross House tours close by 5 PM in October and run reduced hours from November to mid-March. Ross Castle interior tours shut entirely during winter months; always check the Heritage Ireland website before you go.
Rain happens. I have driven the Ring in sideways mist and I have done it in a freak March heatwave. The contingency plan is simple: have a waterproof jacket, keep the Kerry Cliffs and Staigue Fort on the list because they look dramatic in bad weather, and swap beach stops for indoor options. The Skellig Chocolate Factory, the Cahersiveen Heritage Centre, and a long lunch at The Lobster Bar can salvage a wet afternoon. If fog is heavy, do not bother with the upper Torc Waterfall platform; you will see nothing. Check Met Éireann for the most accurate mountain forecasts.
For flight deals into Kerry Airport or Cork, I regularly check Kayak because they aggregate Aer Lingus and Ryanair routes that other platforms miss. Kerry Airport is tiny and only 15 minutes from Killarney, but flights are limited. Cork Airport is a 1.5-hour drive and has more options.
What Are the Biggest Mistakes People Make on the Ring of Kerry?
I have watched people make the same errors for years. Here is how to avoid being the person blocking traffic or missing the best views.
- Driving counterclockwise. You will face oncoming coaches every ten minutes on the narrowest sections. Just do not do it.
- Starting after 10 AM. By 11 AM, Ladies View is a scrum for parking. The Torc Waterfall car park is full. You will be stuck behind a motorhome on Moll’s Gap.
- Trusting the phone signal. The stretch from Caherdaniel to Waterville and parts of the Skellig Ring have zero reception. Download offline maps on Google Maps before you leave Killarney. I save the entire Iveragh Peninsula as an offline area.
- Ignoring fuel gauges. The last reliable petrol stations are in Kenmare and Cahersiveen. Do not leave Cahersiveen on a quarter tank expecting to find a pump in Portmagee.
- Underestimating drive times. The N70 is not a freeway. It twists, sheep wander onto it, and the posted 80km/h limit is optimistic. Plan for an average speed of 45km/h.
- Locking in rigid bookings. If you book a timed Muckross House tour at 3 PM, you will spend the whole day watching the clock. Keep the itinerary loose.
- Forgetting cash. Staigue Fort is an honesty box. The Kerry Cliffs car park prefers cash. The ice cream van in Waterville does not take cards. Keep €30 in small notes and coins.
Is the Ring of Kerry Accessible for Wheelchair Users or Those with Limited Mobility?
Most major viewpoints have accessible parking and paved viewing areas. Ladies View has a wheelchair-friendly terrace. Muckross House is fully accessible with ramps and an elevator. Torc Waterfall is partially accessible; the lower path is level but the steps to the upper platform are not navigable. Ross Castle ground floor is accessible, but the upper floors involve a spiral staircase. The Kerry Cliffs have gravel paths and one steep section. Staigue Fort is on uneven grass with a sloped entrance and is not accessible. Publicly accessible toilets are available at Muckross House, the Kenmare town car park, and the Skellig Experience in Portmagee. Always call ahead to confirm current facilities.
Frequently asked questions
Is one day enough for the Ring of Kerry?
Yes, one day is enough for a highlights-focused drive with 6 to 7 stops, as long as you start by 8:30 AM and skip the Skellig Ring extension. You will be back in Killarney by 6 PM. If you want to include Valentia Island or Skellig Michael, you need at least two days.
Which direction is best for driving the Ring of Kerry?
Clockwise. Tour buses leave Killarney in the morning and drive counterclockwise. Driving clockwise puts you behind the coaches, not head-on against them on tight bends. It also puts the ocean on your passenger side, making pull-offs easier.
What are the must-see stops on the Ring of Kerry?
The non-negotiables are Ladies View, Torc Waterfall, Staigue Fort, the Kerry Cliffs, and lunch in Waterville. Kenmare is the best coffee stop. Muckross House is excellent but time-consuming. The Skellig Ring extension is worth it if you have an extra hour and a half.
Can you do the Ring of Kerry in the rain?
Absolutely. The cliffs look more dramatic in moody weather, and the waterfalls have more flow. Swap beach stops for the Skellig Chocolate Factory or a longer pub lunch. Wear waterproof clothing and check Met Éireann for fog warnings at higher elevations before driving Moll’s Gap.
Is the Ring of Kerry suitable for a motorhome or campervan?
Yes, on the main N70 loop. The road is wide enough for a motorhome, but parking at Torc Waterfall and Staigue Fort is tight. Do not attempt the Gap of Dunloe, the Black Valley, or the Skellig Ring in a motorhome. The lanes are single-track with no turning space.
Where can I see puffins on the Ring of Kerry?
Puffins are on Skellig Michael from late April to early August, but landing tours are limited and sell out months in advance. You can also see them on a boat tour around the Skelligs without landing. The cliffs near Bray Head on Valentia Island are another nesting site. Book boat trips early through GetYourGuide or directly with licensed operators in Portmagee.
Do I need to book accommodation in advance for the Ring of Kerry?
In July and August, yes. Killarney, Kenmare, and Waterville fill up completely. Book at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead for summer stays. We use Hotels.com for the loyalty rewards on multi-night bookings. In shoulder seasons, you can book more flexibly.
What is the official Ring of Kerry route versus the Skellig Ring?
The official Ring of Kerry follows the N70 main road and skips the Skellig peninsula entirely. The Skellig Ring is an 18km detour on quieter roads from Waterville to Portmagee via Ballinskelligs. It adds 1.5 hours and gives you a closer view of the Skellig Islands without tour coaches.
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