5 or 8 Day Guided Walking Tour in Kerry
| Including : Walking in Kerry, Kenmare-Carrauntoohil-Kilarney-Dingle-Mount Brandon-Skellig Islands-Gap Of Dunloe | Dates 2010: |
May 17th - 24th |
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June 22nd - 29th |
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July 23rd - 30th |
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| Price: 8 Day Tour €835, 5 Day Tour €535 | Aug 30th -6th Sept |
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Sept 20th -27th |
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| Accomm: Guesthouse + Hotel. | ||||
County Kerry sits in the South West of Ireland and consists of a series of mountainous peninsulas that extend into the Atlantic Ocean. The shoreline is deeply indented by Dingle Bay, Tralee Bay, and the Kenmare River.
Carrantoohill (3,414 ft/1,041 m), in the mountains known as Macgillycuddy's Reeks, is the highest point in Ireland.
Many well-preserved dolmens, stone forts, round towers, castles, and abbeys still stand here today.
Irish Gaelic is spoken by the inhabitants of the Dingle peninsula and the Blasket Islands.
The people of Kerry are well known for their great hospitality and relaxed approach to life. There are numerous walks in the region to suit anybody’s tastes from short strolls along old Boreens (narrow country lanes) to the challenges of Ireland’s highest peaks. The Killarney national park sits in the heart of County Kerry and within it are the world famous Lakes of Killarney and Muckross House.
Day 1: Travel to Kerry
Leave Dublin @ 10am and drive to Kenmare in Co. Kerry, we will be stopping on the way down for a short break and a bite to eat. You also have the option to arrive at Dublin or Shannon Airport and take a bus or train to Kenmare.. We will supply you with the necessary timetables and information to get you safely to your first accommodation.
When we reach Kenmare and settle in to your accommodation we can go for dinner in one of Kenmare's fine restaurant and relax for the rest of the evening.
Day 2: Carrauntoohil : 1,038m
Today we will be walking the highest mountain Ireland situated in the Macgillycuddy Reeks mt range and noted for its incredible beauty. The Macgillycuddy Reeks is characterised in many places by jagged peak rock structures and knife edged ridges, which provide a type of rugged beauty. It is thought that many of the peaks over 700m have this characteristic as they escaped the glacial erosion of the last ice age. The existing metal cross on the summit was erected in 1976 to replace the previous wooden one which was first put up in 1950.The surface of the cross has a blackened charred appearance as a result of numerous lightening strikes. Then back to Kenmare for a well earned rest.
Day 3: Old Kenmare - Killarney Road
After the big walk the previous day we will take a short afternoon walk near the town of Kenmare. This is a wonderful walk along what is known locally as the “old green road” which is exactly what it is between Killarney and Kenmare and closed in the 1850s. Stone walls and hedging guide you along most of its path and passing by old ruins and dwellings the path takes you through a wonderful green valley with fantastic views of the Kenmare’s coastline and its surrounding landscape.
Day 4: Your Day or activities day
Today is entirely up to you what you like to do. There are a lot of activities to do near Kenmare.
- Horse riding
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- mountain biking
- Cycling
- Or simply taking a look about the town.
Day 5: Mount Brandon ( Sliabh Bhreandáin ) and Tom Crean's Pub
Mount Brandon is situated on the Dingle Peninsula. The hill takes its name from Saint Bredan "The Navigator", who legend suggests climbed to the summit around AD 530 to see The America's before setting sail. The small village of Brandon lies at the foot of the mountain, on the north side. On the way back from Brandon we will drop into the South Pole Inn ( Tom Crean's Pub ) in Annescaul for a refreshing pint. As well as being a delightful, well-run pub, The South Pole Inn is full of fascinating Shackleton and Crean memorabilia.
Day 6: The Skellig Islands
Today we will take a boat trip to see the Skeellig islands of the coast of Kerry. The islands are world-famous, each in its own right: Skellig Michael is known throughout the world of archaeology as the site of a well-preserved monastic outpost of the Early Christian period - now designated a World Heritage Site; Small Skellig is equally renowned in matters of ornithology as the home of some 27,000 pairs of gannets - the second largest colony of such seabirds in the world.
Day 7: Walk the Purple Mt and Gap of Dunloe
Today we will drive to the Gap of Dunloe and do one the most popular walks on the ring of Kerry. The Gap of Dunloe is spectacular V-shaped valley that slices through Irelands highest mountains. It is about 10 miles from Killarney and is 5 miles long with a narrow road running right through. The starting point is Kate Kearney's Cottage and the gorge ends in the charmingly named Black Valley. Compared with the fertility of the Killarney valley, this is all very barren. The overhanging cliffs, huge boulders, waterfalls and poor ground all add to the sense of desolation. Long ago, this would have been the only route between the Kenmare area to the south and the Killarney valley and thus was of considerable strategic importance.
Day 8:
We say goodbye to Kenmare and return to Dublin.
About the walks and fitness levels:
The longest walk on this tour is Carauntoohil at 1039m will be approx a 6-7 hr walk of a moderate to difficult type.
We will have an alternative walk on the day also.
Old green road walk in Kerry is of an easy type 4 hrs.
Other walks on the tour would be of an easy to moderate type and can be adapted to suit the ability of the group.
As this is a walking holiday some level of fitness would be required.
The groups can range from 6 to 12 in size with mixed age and fitness usually.
Cost per person sharing for the 5 Day Tour is €535 and the 8 Day Tour is €835
With a single supplement of €125
Minimum numbers would be 5 and max would be 14 for this tour.
- Transport to and from Kenmare Co. Kerry (Pickup from Airport)
- 4/7 nights in Irish Tourist Board approved self catering accommodation.
- Most meals will be prepared by the group and cooked and covered in cost.
- Luggage transfer each day, detailed daily route notes and maps
- Guided walks in and around the ring of Kerry.
- Visited areas of interest
Includes.