All breakfasts included.

Irish food is not exactly famous, but what you will find is extremely good ingredients used to create basic and classic dishes, both Kerry beef and Kerry lamb, are certainly well known all over Ireland and further afield. You will see rack of lamb, lamb stew and shepherd’s pie, in most places. The county’s other basket is the Atlantic Ocean, and its rivers and loughs. Sea bream and Sea Bass are popular.Trout and Salmon can be served in many different ways, and there is an abundance of shell fish, local chowders are excellent and look out for crab gratin.

Wine is readily available but of course one of the symbols of Ireland is Guinness, and we can say from experience that it tastes better in Ireland, but if have a thirst after a long walk, beware the Guinness is not poured quickly, many might say there is a certain amount of time you need to leave after filling the glass halfway up the harp. However it should be left until you see a vivid distinction between the dark body and the creamy white head. Only then can the rest of the glass be filled. Learning from the

locals, you should order your second pint before you have finished your first!

Craft beer is making a name for itself in Ireland and there are some excellent local ones. Then there is the Irish whiskey, the famous one being Bushmills and Jameson’s, and there are many local whiskies for you to try, the Dingle distillery produces a good whiskey and an excellent gin.

Day 4 traces clifftop and coastal paths from Waterville to Caherdaniel, with rolling turf underfoot and sea pinks nodding above Ballinskelligs Bay. Atlantic swells boom below as, on clear days, the Skellig Islands punctuate the horizon like black pyramids.

The route carries a maritime rhythm—curving bays, glimmering coves, and the salty fragrance of kelp. Near journey’s end, you enter the realm of Derrynane, seat of statesman Daniel O’Connell, where beaches shine silver and the village gathers around its small cluster of houses. It’s a day to pause for photos and reflection on the ever-changing moods of the Kerry coastline.

On day 5, follow the old “butter road” from Caherdaniel to Sneem, an inland route once used by farmers bringing dairy to market. The track rises between fuchsia hedgerows and granite outcrops, opening to far-ranging views of the Beara Peninsula and the restless Atlantic beyond.

Along the way, look for stone bridges, ferny streams, and the glow of gorse. The final descent leads to Sneem’s color-washed houses and riverside square—an inviting place to enjoy a free afternoon with a bowl of seafood chowder or a walk by the river before turning in.

Day 6 begins with a transfer to Tahilla Church, then a shoreline ramble towards Kenmare. The path threads through woods and along inlets, with Caha Mountains rising across the water and herons stalking the tide. Hedges blaze with fuchsia in summer; in spring, banks are starred with primrose.

This stage captures the softer face of Kerry—quiet bays, stone walls, and cottages tucked behind wind-shaped trees. As you near Kenmare, the road widens to a handsome heritage town known for craft shops and cafés, a fine place to enjoy a free evening and sample local seafood or a dram of Irish whiskey.

On day 7, step from Kenmare onto the Old Kenmare Road and into Killarney National Park, crossing Esknamucky Glen along a wild tapestry of heather, bog cotton, and tumbling streams. Keep watch for Ireland’s only herd of wild red deer moving quietly between oak woods and open moor.

The trail descends to the shores of the Lakes of Killarney and the grand Victorian Muckross House & Gardens, visited by Queen Victoria in 1861. Stroll the formal beds and lakeside paths, admire mountain reflections on Muckross Lake, and enjoy a free afternoon exploring this historic estate before continuing the short distance into Killarney town.

On days 2, 3 and 6, dedicated transfers position you for the most rewarding sections of the Kerry Way—to the environs of Glenbeigh, Coars Cross, and Tahilla Church. These short drives skim the famed Ring of Kerry, revealing patchwork fields, stone cottages, and sudden flashes of ocean.

Each transfer maximizes your walking time and opens access to scenic stretches you couldn’t easily reach on foot. It’s a seamless, time-saving way to experience the peninsula’s changing geology and coastline while keeping the day’s focus where it belongs: on quiet paths, big skies, and the elemental rhythms of the Atlantic edge.

Add an extra half-day to explore Valentia Island, reached by bridge from Portmagee, where a scenic loop leads to Geokaun Mountain & Fogher Cliffs for sweeping views across Dingle Bay and the Skelligs. Visit the Tetrapod Trackway, a remarkable Devonian fossil site, and the lighthouse at Cromwell Point, standing watch over churning seas.

The island blends raw Atlantic drama with human stories—from slate quarries to early transatlantic communications. This optional excursion is at additional cost and bookable on tour; it pairs perfectly with a rest afternoon or an extra night in Cahersiveen or Waterville when you wish to deepen your exploration of Kerry’s outer edge.

Weather permitting (typically late spring to early autumn), embark from Portmagee on a boat trip to Skellig Michael, a UNESCO World Heritage site where monks carved a lonely life into a beehive-hut monastery high above the Atlantic. En route, circle Little Skellig’s gannet colony, a teeming white cloud of seabirds.

Landing involves steep stone steps and exposure to the elements, but the reward is profound: ocean panoramas, puffins in season, and a palpable sense of early Christian devotion at the edge of the known world. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, with very limited places and frequent weather cancellations—your local host will advise on feasibility during your stay.

Enhance your day 7 visit by stepping inside Muckross House, where richly furnished rooms evoke Victorian life under the Herbert family and preparations for Queen Victoria’s 1861 visit. Guides illuminate craftsmanship from carved oak to Waterford glass and the complex history of landownership in 19th-century Kerry.

Afterwards, wander the formal gardens and arboretum, where rhododendrons blaze in late spring and shaded paths slope to the lakes. House entry is at additional cost and bookable on tour (the gardens and grounds remain free to explore), making this a thoughtful cultural complement to your walk through Killarney National Park.

Begin day 2 with a transfer to just outside Glenbeigh and follow a 17th-century stagecoach route along the northern rim of the Iveragh Peninsula. Walk through quiet townlands and deserted villages, their low stone walls softened by moss and gorse, while Atlantic light flickers across fields.

Soon the view unfurls towards the Dingle Peninsula, with Rossbeigh Strand and Inch Beach—famed from the film Ryan’s Daughter—glinting across the bay. The day’s pace is unhurried and scenic; you’ll pause for photos and reflection as you crest gentle passes and descend to the harbor town of Cahersiveen, where sea air and a welcoming B&B await.

On day 3, a short transfer sets you at Coars Cross for a classic cross-peninsula stage to Waterville. The path rolls over open hills and peat bog, with skylarks above and the tang of salt on the breeze as views swing north to the Dingle headlands and south to Kenmare Bay.

As the route undulates, you’ll trace old farm tracks and centuries-old field walls, learning how the land shaped rural life in Kerry. Approaching the coast, the Atlantic broadens and the light sharpens; Waterville appears—a seaside village beloved by Charlie Chaplin—where you can soak in the waterside atmosphere and watch evening settle on the bay.

On day 1, settle into Killarney and enjoy a self-guided orientation walk through its colorful streets and leafy paths towards Killarney House & Gardens. Pass cosy pubs and traditional shopfronts before drifting to the lakeside fringes, where mountain silhouettes meet still water and the scent of woodsmoke and peat lingers in the air.

As evening falls, soak in the town’s lively pub atmosphere where you might hear a fiddle and bodhrán spark a trad session. This gentle introduction helps you find your bearings, pick a favorite spot for dinner, and enjoy a free evening in a town famed for warm welcomes and easy access to the wildness of Killarney National Park.