Day trips
Day trips from Kenmare
Kenmare is a day-trip machine: it sits at the junction of two of Europe’s great touring routes, twenty minutes from a waterfall valley, and an hour from a national park. Here are the trips that earn the petrol, researched October 2026.
The Ring of Beara
The locals’ ring, and the one to do first from Kenmare. South of town, the Beara Peninsula is wilder and quieter than Kerry: mountain passes, almost no coaches, and archaeology everywhere — including the Uragh stone circle near Lauragh. Give it the full day; it rewards slowness.
The Ring of Kerry
The famous 110-mile loop, and Kenmare sits right on it. Highlights within easy reach: Molls Gap and Ladies’ View on the mountain road toward Killarney, the villages of the Iveragh Peninsula, and the Kerry Cliffs — higher than the Cliffs of Moher, far less visited. Drive it anti-clockwise, leave early, and build in more stops than you think you need.
Killarney National Park
North over the mountains: 10,000 hectares of woodland, lakes and peaks. Torc Waterfall is the easy win (a short walk, suitable for most), Muckross House and Gardens is the full afternoon, and the lakes are the backdrop for everything. An hour from Kenmare, give or take the sheep on the road.
Gleninchaquin and the valleys
About twenty minutes out on the R571, Gleninchaquin Park is a family-owned valley of waterfalls, lakes and six marked walks from 45 minutes to 7 hours — with a tea room at the farm and sheep everywhere. Open Easter to November, cash only, dogs on leads. It’s the best half-day trip from Kenmare that nobody outside Kerry has heard of.
The Skellig coast
On a clear day from the Kerry Cliffs you can see Skellig Michael — the monastic island of beehive huts, a UNESCO site. Boat trips run from Portmagee in season (weather permitting, always). It’s a long day from Kenmare, but it’s the kind of day you remember for years.
Common questions
What day trips can I take from Kenmare?
The Ring of Beara (wilder, quieter), the Ring of Kerry (110-mile classic), Killarney National Park, the Gleninchaquin waterfall valley, and the Skellig coast in good weather.
Can you do the Ring of Kerry from Kenmare?
Yes — Kenmare sits on the route. Leave early, drive anti-clockwise, and allow the full day with stops at Molls Gap, Ladies’ View and the Kerry Cliffs.
How far is Killarney National Park from Kenmare?
About an hour by road over the mountains — Torc Waterfall and Muckross House make the classic day trip.
More to explore in Kenmare
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