Guide · Mountains and a castle

A Kilkenny day trip from Dublin, by way of Glendalough

A monastic valley between two lakes, a high pass over the Wicklow Mountains and a medieval city with a castle on the river. One Kilkenny day trip from Dublin strings them together in about 9 hours.

Check availabilityfrom $52 · free cancellation

Editorial team, dublindaytrip.comUpdated October 18, 20266-minute read9 sources

The tour that goes with it From Dublin: Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough & Kilkenny Tour 4.8 (9,164 reviews) 9 hours from$52per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hrs before

At a glance

01The tour: 9 hours, from $52, rated 4.78 by 9,164 guests.
02Glendalough: Optional guided tour, or a hike of about 2.5 km to the Upper Lake.
03Wicklow Gap: A 10-minute photo stop on the mountain pass.
04Kilkenny: Free time for lunch and an optional guided walk.
05Cheaper option: A version with a sheepdog show starts from $35.

Why this route works so well

South of Dublin the city gives way quickly to bog, heather and granite hills. The Wicklow Mountains National Park spreads across nearly 20,000 hectares, and its valleys hide early Christian sites.¹ Further south and west, Kilkenny is a compact medieval city of narrow lanes, old pubs and a great castle on the River Nore. Put the two together and you get a day that mixes mountain scenery, early Irish history and a lively town with good food.

The main attraction of this pairing is balance. The drive is shorter than the long runs to the west or the north coast, the walking is gentle unless you choose a hike, and you spend your time in three very different places rather than at one big sight. It makes a good first trip out of the capital, because it shows green, storybook Ireland without asking for a dawn start and a late return.

The most reviewed version runs 9 hours and starts from $52, with a 4.78 rating from 9,164 reviews. Guests score the guide 4.9 and the value 4.8, high marks for a full day out.

The day

Mountains in the morning, castle in the afternoon

Start

The Gresham

Board the Collins bus near The Spire on O'Connell Street.
1.5 hrs

To Glendalough

Through the hills of Wicklow with the guide's stories.
Glendalough

Monastic valley

Guided tour or a hike of about 2.5 km to the Upper Lake.
Wicklow Gap

Photo stop

Ten minutes on the high pass over the mountains.
Kilkenny

Lunch and lanes

Free time, with an optional guided walk.
2 hrs

Back to Dublin

Drop-off at College Green, beside Trinity College.

The day, stop by stop

The tour meets at the Collins bus in front of the Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham, a 3-minute walk from The Spire on O'Connell Street. From there the coach takes about 1.5 hours to reach Glendalough, and the guide spends the drive on stories about Dublin and the mountains ahead. It is an easy start to the day, and the scenery begins well before you arrive.

At Glendalough you can join an optional guided tour of the monastic site or set off on your own. The more energetic can hike to the Upper Lake and back on the boardwalk, a walk of about 2.5 km. Then the coach climbs over the Wicklow Mountains and stops for 10 minutes at the Wicklow Gap, a bare pass with long views over the hills.

In Kilkenny you have free time for lunch and an optional guided walk of the city, and the coach then takes about 2 hours back to Dublin. The drop-off is at College Green, beside Trinity College, which is handy for dinner in the city center. If you prefer to bring food, the castle grounds make a pleasant spot for a picnic.

Length

Hours away from Dublin, by tour

hours

Durations as each GetYourGuide listing states them.

Compared

Glendalough and Kilkenny tours side by side

Tour	Length	Kilkenny	Rating	Price
Wicklow, Glendalough, Kilkenny	9 hrs	Yes	4.78	from $52
With sheepdog show	10.5 hrs	Yes, 2 hrs	4.82	from $35
Half-day Glendalough	5 hrs	No	4.26	from $39
Private Wicklow day	8 hrs	No	5.0	from $795

From-prices and ratings from each GetYourGuide listing; the private price is for the whole group.

Three ways in

Classic, sheepdog or half day

Most reviewed

Glendalough and Kilkenny

Wicklow Gap on the way

Length: 9 hrs
Rating: 4.78
Price: from $52

Check dates

Dublin: Kilkenny, Wicklow & Glendalough Tour & Sheepdog Show

Lowest price

With sheepdog show

Kilkenny first, then Wicklow

Length: 10.5 hrs
Rating: 4.82
Price: from $35

Check dates

From Dublin: Half-Day Trip to Glendalough and Wicklow

Shortest

Half-day Glendalough

Glendalough and Wicklow

Length: 5 hrs
Rating: 4.26
Price: from $39

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Decision helper

Pick your Wicklow day

Start from the day you have in mind

A balanced full day The lowest price, more time on foot Only a morning or afternoon Hiking and your own pace Go it alone

Glendalough and Kilkenny

A 9-hour day rated 4.78.

Sheepdog show tour

From $35, 2 hours in Kilkenny.

Half-day Glendalough

5 hours from Dublin and back.

Private Wicklow day

A one-hour guided hike at Glendalough.

St Kevin's bus

About an hour from the city to Glendalough.²

In a stunning glaciated valley in County Wicklow, in the sixth century, one of Ireland’s most revered saints founded a monastery.

Office of Public Works (Heritage Ireland)Source 3

Glendalough: the valley of two lakes

In a glaciated valley in County Wicklow, in the sixth century, one of Ireland's most revered saints founded a monastery.³ That saint was Kevin, and his foundation drew monks, scholars and pilgrims to the glen for centuries. Today the remains of its 'Monastic City' are spread across the glen: a round tower, medieval stone churches and decorated crosses.⁴

The setting is the real draw. Woods run down to dark water, and the valley walls rise steeply on both sides. Above the Upper Lake, St Kevin's Bed is a small man-made cave cut into the cliff face, said to have been the saint's retreat.⁵ You will not climb to it on a day tour, but you can see the cliff from the lakeshore and imagine the solitude he went looking for.

If Glendalough is the only place you want to see, you do not need a full day. A Glendalough day trip from Dublin on St Kevin's bus takes about an hour each way from the city center, and a half-day coach tour of Glendalough and Wicklow runs 5 hours from $39.²

Checklist

For lakes, pass and castle

Bring

A waterproof jacket
A warm layer for the Wicklow Gap
Shoes for a muddy lakeside path
Food for a picnic, if you like

Know

Lunch is in Kilkenny, late in the day
Meet at the Collins bus by The Gresham
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead

Cost calculator

Wicklow and Kilkenny for your group

Compare totals for the people traveling with you.

Glendalough, Kilkenny9 hrsfrom $52 With sheepdog show10.5 hrsfrom $35 Half-day Glendalough5 hrsfrom $39

People 2

Total from$104

per head from $52

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Totals multiply the starting price GetYourGuide lists by your party size, shown in your chosen currency at the ECB rate; checkout confirms the final sum.

Video

A day out to Glendalough, the Wicklow Mountains and Kilkenny

The YouTube player stays switched off until you press play, then streams through youtube-nocookie.

Kilkenny: castle, lanes and the River Nore

Kilkenny Castle was built in the twelfth century and served for centuries as the main seat of the Butler family.⁶ The Irish State took it over in 1969 and has restored it since, so you can visit grand rooms and a picture gallery inside.⁷ Even if you skip the interior, the lawns and the riverside walk are free to wander and make a fine setting for lunch.

A walk around the castle grounds on the Blue Trail covers 2 km and takes about 25 minutes, an ideal length for a day tour stop.⁸ From the castle, the city's main street climbs toward the cathedral through what locals call the Medieval Mile, lined with old buildings, craft shops and pubs. Guided boat trips on the River Nore run every hour and last 40 minutes, if you would rather sit and watch the city drift past.⁹

With limited free time, choose one thing and do it well. A castle visit, a long lunch in a pub or a slow walk through the lanes all fit; trying to squeeze in all three usually means rushing back to the coach. Ask your guide on the drive which option suits the time you have that day.

Crossing the Wicklow Mountains

The road between Glendalough and Kilkenny is part of the pleasure. It climbs out of the valley through open bog and heather to the Wicklow Gap, where the coach stops for photos, then drops into farmland as you head south-west. On a clear day the hills roll away in every direction, and on a grey day the mist moving over the slopes has its own drama.

Your guide will point out places that appear in films, from romantic comedies to historical epics, and explain the geology of the granite hills. The listing names P.S. I Love You and Braveheart among the films shot in the area. It is a good moment to listen rather than look at your phone, because the stories make the empty landscape come alive.

Travelers who want more time in the mountains themselves can book a Wicklow Mountains day trip from Dublin in a private car. The private version runs 8 hours, includes pickup, a short guided walk at the Sally Gap and a one-hour hike at Glendalough, from $795 for the group.

Which version of the trip to choose

Two tours cover this route in a single day. The first, recommended on this page, puts Glendalough first and finishes in Kilkenny, running 9 hours from $52. The second reverses the order, adds a traditional sheepdog demonstration with a local shepherd and lasts 10.5 hours, from $35, with a 4.82 rating from 3,761 reviews.

The sheepdog version gives you more time on the ground: about 2 hours in Kilkenny and up to 2 hours at Glendalough. In return it is a longer day, it can be up to 2 hours between stops, and the operator notes that it involves a lot of walking, so it is not recommended for people with limited mobility.

If your days in Ireland are full, the shorter tour is easier to fit in. If you love animals or want the lowest price, the sheepdog tour is hard to beat. Either can be cancelled free while 24 hours or more remain, so you can hold a seat while you decide.

What to wear and bring

Wicklow is wetter and cooler than the city, and the weather on the mountain pass can turn quickly. Bring a waterproof jacket, a warm layer and shoes that can handle a muddy path, especially if you plan the walk to the Upper Lake. Carry a small daypack so both hands stay free on the lakeside trail.

Lunch is in Kilkenny, where you can buy food or bring your own for a picnic in the castle grounds. A bottle of water and a snack for the drive are useful, since the first stretch to Glendalough comes before any café stop.

Finally, have your booking ready at the Collins bus and arrive a few minutes early. Coaches leave on time, and the meeting point is busy on summer mornings with several tours starting from the same street.

Plan your west