Ring of Kerry
A 170-kilometre loop between mountains, lakes and the Atlantic, with the Skellig islands as the reward at the far end: Kerry is the absolute classic — and it survives its reputation very well.
Suggested stay — 2 to 3 nights
The Ring of Kerry (N70) loops the Iveragh peninsula in 170 km best stretched over two days: the Lakes of Killarney and the Ladies View overlook, the colourful harbour of Portmagee, the beaches of Derrynane, the Coomakista pass. The local golden rule: drive counter-clockwise, like the coaches — meeting them head-on in the narrow sections is the experience everyone prefers to avoid.
The real treasure hides in the escape the coaches cannot take: the Skellig Ring, a narrow loop via Valentia Island and St Finian's Bay, facing the pyramids of Skellig Michael — the 6th-century monastery perched on its rock 12 km offshore, reachable by boat from mid-May to late September (15 places per boat, booked months ahead). On the way back, Killarney National Park deserves its half-day: Torc waterfall, Muckross House, and the Gap of Dunloe on foot or by jaunting car — not by car, out of respect for your wing mirrors.
Don't miss
- The Skellig Ring and Valentia Island, the coach-free escape with views of Skellig Michael
- Ladies View and the Torc waterfall in Killarney National Park
- Derrynane beach and the Coomakista pass between Caherdaniel and Waterville
- Skellig Michael by boat from Portmagee, if bookings and swell allow
Our tips on the ground
- Take the ring counter-clockwise (Killarney → Killorglin → Cahersiveen): you follow the flow of coaches instead of meeting them head-on in blind bends.
- Book Skellig Michael the moment sales open in spring and build in a buffer day: one landing in three is cancelled for swell, even in fine weather.
- Sleep in Portmagee or Caherdaniel rather than Killarney: the ring at first light, empty and golden, has nothing in common with the 11 am ring.
Our flagship guide — €44
Guide available“Ireland on Your Own”, the complete edition, is out
10 chapters: day-by-day itineraries, driving and transport, a costed budget and checklists — the same method as our Namibia guide.
The guide is currently written in French — an English edition is in the works.
No time to do it yourself?
A professional can take care of it: tailor-made trip, equipped 4x4 rental or a local guide. Describe your plans and, with your consent, we pass them on to partner professionals.
1. What you need
Before you go
Readers' questions about Ring of Kerry
Kerry or Dingle, if you must choose?
Dingle for a single day: more compact, denser, fewer coaches. Kerry for two days or more: the variety of landscapes is greater and the Skellig Ring outclasses everything — provided precisely that you have time to leave the N70. The ideal is obviously both; they face each other across Dingle Bay.
Is Skellig Michael accessible to everyone?
No: 618 uneven stone steps without a handrail, cut in the 6th century, above sheer drops. You need sure footing and no vertigo; most skippers refuse children under 8-10. The alternative: the "eco tour" cruise that circles the rock without landing — gannets and puffins guaranteed, steps not included.