The Kerry Way - 11 Days & 10 Nights

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.

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, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

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

Solo Travellers

The minimum age for this tour is: 15 Years

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.

The accommodations along the Kerry Way are small and varied, you will stay in family-run B&Bs, guest houses, and hotels. A warm welcome is guaranteed as well as traditional Irish hospitality. We will always try to accommodate you at the locations that are detailed in the itinerary, but this may sometimes be difficult due to limited availability. Some of the overnight locations are in remote valleys and for this reason, we might sometimes have to accommodate you elsewhere. If this is the case, you will always receive directions to and from the trail in your route notes or in some cases, return transfers from the path. Please be aware that this may result in slightly longer or shorter walking days. 

We will be happy to accommodate your party with single rooms if requested and this trip is also available to solo walkers.

Meals

A hearty breakfast is included each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Most of your accommodations will more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Alternatively, you can buy lunch at local shops or stop in a café. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or at nearby pubs or restaurants.

The route is well-waymarked throughout and easy to follow. Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps, GPS tracks, and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation will be simple, and you can’t get lost. You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.

Recommended Reading

Although not essential, if you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:

• Kerry Way (Rucksack Reader)

You can start the Kerry Way on any day of the week between April and October. Wintry conditions may be experienced at the start and towards the end of the season. July and August are the busiest months and accommodations tend to fill up fast. The ideal months are May/June and September which offer a quieter experience. If you are interested in walking the Kerry Way, we recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.

Irish weather is typically unpredictable year-round so be prepared for any conditions and you will be pleasantly surprised. No matter what month you choose to travel, being close to the coast and in remote valleys between mountains, means it can get wet and windy at any time of year (particularly at the start and towards the end of the season). It is important that you check the local weather forecast before setting off each day. It is safe to walk along coastal stretches in most weather, as long as you are well-prepared.

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 Killarney, just follow the getting to suggestions in reverse.

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.