11 Days & 10 Nights

4.6

The Kerry Way - 11 Days & 10 Nights

Walking Kerry’s historic trails amongst the highest peaks in the Emerald Isle
Soak up the atmosphere of County Kerry’s market villages and towns
Lively Irish music and the ‘craic’ of authentic old-world pubs
The 2000 year old Staigue Fort is one of Ireland’s best examples of a ring fort
Majestic views of the Lakes of Killarney from the grounds of Muckross House

Experience the raw, unspoilt beauty of Ireland on the enchanting Kerry Way; one of Ireland's longest and finest waymarked walking trails. Experience the highlights of the famed Ring of Kerry route on foot. Walk through rolling landscapes punctuated by lonely valleys, dramatic Atlantic coastlines, peaceful lakes, charming villages and historic features. Although County Kerry is home to the highest mountains in Ireland, the Kerry Way is largely a lower-level inland route. Discover remote glens such as the Black Valley, and follow old green roads and historic tracks that have been travelled for hundreds of years. Steeped in ancient history, the Kerry Way takes you past Iron Age forts, Ogham stones and old monasteries. Start walking from Galway's Bridge and discover the real flavour of Ireland.

From $1,979.00

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Itinerary

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Day 1 Arrive Killarney Day 2 Transfer to Galway's Bridge. Walk to Glencar 18 miles / 29 km Day 3 Glencar to Glenbeigh 8 miles / 13.5 km Day 4 Glenbeigh to Cahersiveen 19 miles / 31 km Day 5 Transfer to Foilmore. Walk to Waterville 14 miles / 23 km Day 6 Waterville to Caherdaniel 9.5 miles / 15.5 km Day 7 Caherdaniel to Sneem 11 miles / 17 km Day 8 Transfer to Templenoe. Walk to Sneem 12.5 miles / 20 km Day 9 Transfer to Templenoe. Walk to Kenmare 9 miles / 14 km Day 10 Kenmare to Killarney 15.5 miles / 25 km Day 11 Onward Travel

THIS TRIP'S CARBON SCORE

This trip has a carbon score of 16kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 16kg is equivalent to 6 paperback books in the USA. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information about how we've carbon counted our trips.

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Other Information

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Is it for me?

Ireland’s longest national trail is steeped in the rich history of the Emerald Isle and takes in stunning lakes, mountains and remote valleys, as well as superb walking with coastal views. At times, you’ll follow the famed ‘Ring of Kerry’ route, taking life at a slower pace on foot.

Tour Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way in Scotland, the world renown Tour Du Mont Blanc and Germany's Moselle Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

The minimum age for this tour is: 15 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Long-Distance Trails

National Parks

Off the Beaten Track

Activity Level & Terrain

Our 11-day Kerry Way walking trip is graded moderate to strenuous. This is one of Ireland's longest waymarked trails and it is suitable for regular and experienced walkers. If you are interested in walking the first sections of the Kerry Way, please see our 5-day short break which is graded easy to moderate.

On our 12-day itinerary, start walking from Killarney. Although the final 15km on the last day is a repeat of the first 15km on Day 1, you will walk in the opposite direction and get the added satisfaction of completing the full route.
Our 11-day itinerary is set up to avoid walking the same section twice (Killarney - Galway's Bridge). A morning transfer on your first walking day brings you to Galway's Bridge, from here it is a long and strenuous walk to Glencar. You will walk the section between Galway's Bridge and Killarney on your final day.

Walkers will need to be prepared for some long days including a 31km (19 mile) day, although it is possible to shorten this day. The first half of the Kerry Way is more strenuous than the second half, this is mainly due to the ruggedness of the terrain through Black Valley and Glencar. In bad weather, these sections can take much longer than expected. It is generally a low-level (albeit undulating) walk, interspersed with several ridge and spur crossings of between 200-300m. The highest point of the route is the summit of Knockavahaun at 371m. It is advisable to do several longer walks of a similar distance to build up your fitness before setting off on the Kerry Way.

We recommend adding a rest day somewhere near the middle of the itinerary, after completing the challenging first half of the way. Cahersiveen is the ideal place to add an extra night, there are plenty of things to do and the town has great amenities.

The Kerry Way uses a variety of routes, from forest tracks, farm tracks, and paths across moorland and fields to historic old roads through villages. Overall about 35% of the Kerry Way follows tarmac roads (also known as bitumen) which is less than most Irish national trails. This reflects the fact that rights of way are almost non-existent in Ireland. The road walking is scenic and mostly along quiet lanes with little traffic, although a few short sections are along busier main roads where extra care and attention are needed.

If you are thinking of travelling solo, please consider that mobile phone coverage may be patchy in remote areas along the trail. We also welcome small groups on the trail, ideally no bigger than 6-8 travellers due to accommodation limitations in remote areas along the Kerry Way. Booking in advance is a must.

Accommodation & Meals Navigation What's Included

Included

Hand-picked accommodation in B&B's guesthouses and small hotels
Breakfasts
Baggage transfer
Transfers as listed in itinerary
Detailed trip info and mapped tracks, via the Macs App
All your trip documents provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
24/7 Emergency telephone support from our UK office

Excluded

Travel to the start or from the finish of the walk
Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks
Travel Insurance
Personal Equipment
Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage

Extras

Extra nights before, during and after your walk.

When to go Travel & Transfers

Getting to the Start

The Kerry Way conveniently start and finishes in Killarney and there are a number of different ways to get there.

Flights are available to Kerry Airport with Ryanair from London Luton, London Stansted and Frankfurt. If you can't fly into Kerry Airport directly, there is an Aer Lingus flight between Dublin and Kerry Airport. There is a bus (25 mins) from Kerry Airport to Killarney. For bus timetables, check the website of Bus Eireann.

You could also fly into Cork Airport with Aer Lingus from Bristol, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham. From Cork Airport it is a short bus ride (20 mins) to Cork Kent train station, then a 1h30-2hr train ride to Killarney. For train timetables, check the website of Irish Rail.

Another option is flying into Shannon Airport with Aer Lingus from Dublin, Bristol, Manchester, London Heathrow and Birmingham, as well as Boston and New York JFK. Ryanair fly to Shannon from Liverpool and London Stansted. Air Transat fly from Toronto and US Airways fly from Philadelphia to Shannon. From Shannon Airport take a bus (approx. 2h50-3h40, via Limerick) to Killarney.

It is also possible to take a ferry from Holyhead to Dublin, please check Irish Ferries for more information.

Getting from the End

Getting from Killarney, just follow the getting to suggestions in reverse.

Luggage Transfer

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 18kg per person.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes a transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.

Info & FAQ

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jackets and pants), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/cycling gear such as good walking shoes or boots, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Online Documents

At Macs Adventure we care about the environment! We’re taking action to minimize the impact we have by converting the majority of our tour documentation for online delivery.

On this tour, all your detailed tour information will be digitally delivered. You will have access to this documentation via “My Account” on our website.

Equipment

You can find a detailed equipment list in your Macs App which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes, and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.