The Ring of Kerry is a 179 km circular driving route around the Iveragh Peninsula in south west Ireland. Starting and finishing in Killarney, the route passes through Kenmare, Sneem, Caherdaniel, Waterville, Cahersiveen and Killorglin, with mountain passes, Atlantic coastline, beaches, lakes and some of Ireland’s best driving roads packed into a loop that can comfortably fill two or three days, although it is possible to complete it in a single day.
There are certain drives that stay with you long after you’ve unpacked your bags. For us, the stretch between Kenmare and Waterville on the Wild Atlantic Way is one of them. The road narrows. The mountains close in. Then, suddenly, the Atlantic appears beside you. You pull over because you have to. Not because somebody online told you it was a viewpoint, but because the landscape makes you stop.
That is the difference between driving the Ring of Kerry and simply ticking it off.
At Celtic Routes, we build Ireland self drive journeys for clients who want to experience this part of the world properly. Not by rushing through in a coach convoy, but by taking their time in a Land Rover or Range Rover, staying in small luxury hotels, eating well, and having the freedom to stop whenever something catches their eye. Sometimes that is a ruined abbey. Sometimes it is a beach with nobody else on it. Sometimes it is a tiny pub in Sneem where the Guinness tastes unusually good after a day on the road.
If you are planning a Ring of Kerry road trip, here is how we would do it.
quick facts at a glance
- Distance: 179 km / 111 miles
- Location: Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry
- Start and finish: Killarney
- Closest airport: Kerry Airport (KIR), 17 km / 13 minutes by car
- Driving time without stops: approximately 3.5 to 4 hours
- Recommended trip length: 1 to 2 days but many take 3 days
- Best time to visit: March to October with May our favourite
- Best driven as part of: a longer Wild Atlantic Way itinerary
- Key stops: Killarney, Kenmare, Sneem, Caherdaniel, Waterville, Cahersiveen, Killorglin
- Optional detour: Skellig Ring and Kerry Cliffs
The route forms one of the most famous sections of the Wild Atlantic Way and combines coastal driving with mountain scenery from the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, Ireland’s highest mountain range, crowned by Carrauntoohil at 1,038 m.
how long does it take?
Technically, you can drive the Ring of Kerry in a single day. It’s less than 4 hours of driving. And many people do, choosing to base themselves in Killarney or one of the countryside hotels just outside the town.
We would strongly advise against it.
People often underestimate how often they will want to stop. The route may only be 179 km long, but it is not a motorway drive. The roads twist along the coastline, climb mountain passes and pass through villages where you will genuinely want to linger.
For most of our clients, at least one overnight stop is necessary, otherwise it must be part of a longer self driving itinerary.
That gives you time to combine the route with Killarney National Park, the Gap of Dunloe, a Skellig Ring detour and long lunches without feeling rushed. Three nights is even better if you enjoy walking, photography or slower travel.
One of the biggest mistakes people make with Ireland is trying to cover too much ground. The west coast rewards people who slow down.
That is why our itineraries are built around manageable driving days, good hotels and enough breathing room to actually enjoy the places you are travelling through.
clockwise or anti clockwise?
Most tour buses drive the route anti clockwise from Killarney. Historically, this helped larger vehicles pass more easily on narrow roads.
Which way we recommend to tackle the route depends on whether you’re doing it in a single day or with an overnight stop.
If you’re going to complete the Ring of Kerry in a day then it’s best to take the route anti clockwise and set off early to get ahead of other tourists, especially those on guided tours.
But if you have an overnight stay then we normally send our clients clockwise. Why? Because it feels calmer and you’ll be driving on the left hand side of the road closest to the ocean.
You leave Killarney and head first towards Kenmare through some of the finest driving roads in Ireland. The traffic thins out more quickly, the pace slows and the route unfolds more naturally. You also tend to hit some of the major viewpoints at quieter times of day.
If we are building a bespoke Ireland self drive tour, we will usually pair the Ring of Kerry with time elsewhere on the Wild Atlantic Way, so the exact direction depends on your wider route. But for a standalone trip, clockwise is usually our preference.
To be honest, it doesn’t matter. Whether you go left or right, do it in a day or take two, this is a fabulous driving route and you’ll feel privileged to have visited this beautiful part of the world.
our insider tip
Realistically most international travellers driving the Ring of Kerry will do it as part of a longer self driving itinerary. This is usually as a part of a longer section of the Wild Atlantic Way such as our incredibly popular 8 night Classic Wild Atlantic Way tour.
Starting and ending in Dublin, you would head west to the Connemara National Park before working your way southwards along the Wild Atlantic Way to the Beara Peninsula before returning to Dublin via the Ancient East historic driving route.
In such a route it’s easy to carve off the Killarney to Kenmare section and travel through the Moll’s Gap and the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks on the way down to explore Kenmare and the Beara peninsula, giving a smaller loop around the principal sections of the Ring of Kerry in a single day.
The beauty of this route is that it stops you repeating key sections on successive days and gives you plenty of time to do the coastal portions of the Ring of Kerry in a single day.
the route, section by section
If you’re looking to drive the Ring of Kerry in isolation or prefer a leisurely pace, then you will want to spend two days travelling the Ring of Kerry.
killarney to kenmare (26 km)
This opening stretch is one of our favourites anywhere in Ireland.
Leaving Killarney, the road winds through Killarney National Park, 10,236 hectares of lakes, woodland and mountain scenery that feels almost impossibly cinematic. If time allows, we often encourage clients to stop at Ladies View, Torc Waterfall (a 20 m drop tucked into the woodland) or Muckross House before continuing south. If you have no other time in Killarney or the National Park then this is a must.
The drive over Moll’s Gap, 262 m above sea level, is where the route really begins to feel dramatic. The road climbs into open mountain scenery with wide views across the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks before descending towards Kenmare.
Kenmare is exactly the sort of town we love building into our itineraries. Colourful, relaxed and genuinely good for food. It works brilliantly for a first overnight stop. Your app will have our recommendations for local artisan shops to visit as you explore this charming town on foot.
Kenmare is also where you’ll find one of our favourite hotels in Ireland, Sheen Falls Lodge, nestled on the riverbank just outside of town. Sheen Falls manages to combine true, 5 star luxury lodging with the warmth and charm of a traditional Irish inn.
This is also where having the right vehicle changes the experience. Driving these roads in one of our Defenders or Discovery models simply feels appropriate. Comfortable enough for long days, but still connected to the landscape around you.
You are not isolated from the environment. You feel part of it.
kenmare to sneem (26 km)
The road west from Kenmare begins to hug the Atlantic coastline more closely.
This is the stretch where many people first fall in love with the Ring of Kerry. Expect to stop frequently to take photos of views that seem to get more and more beautiful.
You pass quiet bays, stone walls, sheep filled hillsides and small villages that still feel rooted in local life rather than tourism. Sneem itself is one of the prettiest villages on the route, with brightly painted buildings and a peaceful atmosphere that encourages you to slow down.
It is also an excellent lunch stop.
We often guide clients towards smaller local restaurants rather than obvious tourist spots, with recommendations loaded directly into our personalised in car app alongside route navigation, weather updates and day by day plans.
That means you are never constantly searching online or trying to work things out on the move. You can simply enjoy the drive.
sneem to waterville (35 km)
This may be the best section of the entire route.
The road becomes wilder here. The Atlantic feels bigger. Beaches appear unexpectedly between rocky headlands. There are long stretches where the scenery feels almost untouched.
Waterville has long attracted visitors looking for exactly this combination of remoteness and beauty. Charlie Chaplin first visited Waterville in 1959 on Walt Disney’s recommendation for fly fishing on Lough Currane. He stayed at the Butler Arms Hotel, still run by the Huggard family today, and returned for more than a decade of summers. A statue of him stands in the village.
It also makes an excellent overnight stop if you’re going to take three days to complete the Ring of Kerry, but we feel that’s a little excessive when there is so much of the wild west coast to explore.
Some of our preferred properties here sit directly on the coastline, where you can walk from dinner to crashing Atlantic waves in a matter of minutes.
That is one of the reasons we favour boutique accommodation over larger chain hotels. The right property changes how a destination feels.
waterville to cahersiveen (16 km)
This section introduces one of the Ring of Kerry’s strongest historical connections.
Cahersiveen was closely associated with Daniel O’Connell, born just outside the town at Carhan House on 6 August 1775. Nearby Derrynane House, where he later grew up, remains one of the most significant historic sites in Kerry.
The scenery also shifts again here. You move between mountain backdrops and broad coastal views, with the Skellig Islands visible offshore on clear days.
This is where conversations about the Skellig Ring detour usually begin.
And they should.
the skellig ring detour
If you have the time, do it.
The Skellig Ring adds roughly 18 km to the journey and includes some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in Ireland.
The roads are narrower and steeper than the main Ring of Kerry route, which is why large coaches generally avoid it. That alone makes it feel quieter and more authentic.
You also gain access to the Kerry Cliffs, dramatic Atlantic viewpoints and some of the best views towards Skellig Michael.
Skellig Michael became internationally famous after appearing in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, but the island’s history stretches back far beyond cinema. The ancient monastic settlement perched above the Atlantic was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.
Landing tours to Skellig Michael run from 9 May to 30 September, with 15 licensed boats carrying 12 passengers each and a daily cap of 180 visitors. The 45 minute crossing from Portmagee is weather dependent and roughly a third of landings are cancelled by sea conditions, so peak summer dates need booking in January or February. If clients want to include one, we build it into their itinerary early.
This is exactly where bespoke planning matters.
Trying to organise accommodation, ferry timings and route logistics independently can quickly become stressful during peak season. We handle all of that before you travel. But knowing you want to visit is important in the early stages of tour planning to ensure we’ve planned your route timings and accommodation perfectly.
where we’d put you up
That very much depends on you. And that’s the beauty of a Celtic Routes trip. We take the time to understand what makes a holiday special for you, what pace of trip you prefer, and the style of accommodation you love.
This is important because accommodation matters on a self drive trip.
After a full day exploring the Wild Atlantic Way, you want somewhere that feels welcoming, comfortable and genuinely connected to the destination around you.
That is why we use handpicked boutique hotels throughout Kerry rather than generic chain properties.
Depending on your itinerary, we may base you in:
- Killarney for access to Killarney National Park
- Kenmare for food, artisan crafts and a relaxed atmosphere
- Sneem for a quieter village experience
- Waterville for Atlantic coastal scenery
Most of our standard itineraries use high quality 4 star accommodation, with 5 star upgrades available throughout. But some clients prefer smaller, intimate family owned establishments and others want larger properties with amenities like spas and fitness centres.
And because we build trips personally rather than through rigid packages, we can tailor the style completely around you. Some clients want spa hotels and fine dining. Others want smaller family owned properties with character and local charm.
Both work brilliantly here.
what’s included with celtic routes
A Ring of Kerry road trip should feel effortless once you arrive.
That is the point.
When clients travel with us, we include:
- A Land Rover Defender, Discovery, Range Rover Evoque or even a Mini Cooper delivered to your airport or hotel
- Handpicked accommodation throughout the route
- A fully personalised app with navigation, itinerary details, and local recommendations
- 24/7 support throughout the trip
- Full Package Travel Regulations 2018 financial protection
- Bespoke itineraries built by destination specialists who have personally driven every kilometre of the route
We are not simply booking hotels and handing over car keys.
We are designing the rhythm of the trip.
That includes where you stop for coffee. Which road you take between viewpoints. Which pub works best on a rainy afternoon. Which beach is worth the detour.
Those details are what transform a road trip into something memorable.
The Ring of Kerry is one of our favourite parts of the Wild Atlantic Way, but there’s so much to see on the west coast of Ireland that it’s vital to have an expert work with you to ensure your trip is exactly what you want. Remember, this is your holiday and nobody else’s.
You can explore more about our Ireland self drive tours, browse our Land Rover fleet or read our Wild Atlantic Way road trip guide for wider route inspiration. Or connect directly with a destination expert to start planning your trip.
faqs
is the ring of kerry difficult to drive?
No, not at all. Whilst the roads can be narrow in places, particularly on the Skellig Ring detour, the main route is straightforward if driven sensibly and is easily road signed.
can you drive the ring of kerry in one day?
Yes, and many of our guests do as part of a 5 to 7 day driving route along the Wild Atlantic Way. We would recommend at least two days to enjoy the route properly if you’ve got enough time.
what is the best month to drive the ring of kerry?
May, June and September are excellent. Daylight peaks at 16 hours 49 minutes in Killarney on the summer solstice, giving long days behind the wheel without the crowds of July and August. Anytime between March and October is a good time to visit temperate Ireland.
is the skellig ring worth adding?
Absolutely. It is one of the most scenic sections of the entire Wild Atlantic Way, but if you’re attempting to complete the Ring of Kerry in one day then it’s best to skip this detour.
do i need a 4×4 vehicle?
Not strictly, but a comfortable SUV is ideal for Irish self drive touring. It enhances the experience significantly. Our Range Rover Evoque is the perfect companion for this kind of trip, offering the ultimate in comfort and luxury, and being on the smaller side is a little more nimble around the narrower lanes. For those looking for a sportier drive, the Mini Cooper Sport is perfect for driving around the Ring of Kerry.
where should i stay on the ring of kerry?
Kenmare and Waterville are both excellent overnight bases depending on your pace and interests. However, it’s possible to complete the Ring of Kerry in a day in which case you could start from Killarney National Park or Dingle north of the Ring of Kerry and finish in Kenmare, or the other way around.
is the route suitable for families?
Yes. Many of our clients travel as couples or families with older children, but there’s nothing to stop families with younger children driving the route.
can celtic routes combine this with other parts of ireland?
Yes. Most clients pair the Ring of Kerry with wider Wild Atlantic Way touring or northern routes such as our Causeway Coast self drive guide.
is killarney national park part of the ring of kerry?
No, it doesn’t technically form part of the Ring of Kerry scenic driving loop, but it’s easy to start or end your trip around the Ring of Kerry in Killarney National Park. We always recommend our clients to do this, and spending a few days exploring the national park ensures you have some time to recover after a longer drive.
plan your ring of kerry trip
The Ring of Kerry is famous for a reason.
But the best trips here are not built around rushing between viewpoints with a checklist in hand. They are built around good roads, excellent hotels, spontaneous stops and enough time to enjoy the landscape properly.
That is what we do.
At Celtic Routes, we create bespoke Ireland self drive journeys designed around how people actually want to travel. Flexible, comfortable and deeply connected to the places you are exploring.
If you are considering driving the Ring of Kerry, we would love to help you do it properly. Whether you’re planning a short break just to drive this epic route, or want to visit as part of a longer self driving itinerary, let us craft a tour around you.
To get started book a call to plan your trip or explore our full collection of Ireland self drive tours.
