Ireland

Ring of Kerry

A 179-kilometre loop around the Iveragh Peninsula: mountains sliding into the Atlantic, stone forts, sheep with right of way.

Best forRoad-trippers · Couples · Walkers & hikers
In February10°C · 17 rainy days
Ideal stay3–4 nights
Approx. flying time~10h 20m from Los Angeles

Compare

Ring of Kerry, Ireland Open in Google Maps Powered by Geoapify · © OpenStreetMap contributors · © OpenMapTiles

CurrencyEUREuro
LanguageEnglish and Irish
Local time11:17same time as the UK
PlugsType GUK plugs fit
Drive on theLeftSame as the UK
Dialling code+353

Why go

This is Atlantic Ireland at full volume: bog and mountain on one side, islands and open ocean on the other, with small towns strung between them. The driving is the activity, broken by walks, beaches and stops that were never on the plan. Everything runs at the pace of the weather, which arrives in bands and rarely settles for long. Green, wet, and better for it.

Two days is the honest minimum, three or four if you want to walk or take a boat. Killarney and Kenmare make comfortable bases, with the national park, Muckross and the Gap of Dunloe on the doorstep. May, June and September give the longest light and the least traffic, while winter closes some boats and businesses. If you want guaranteed sunshine, this is not the trip.

Ideal stay: 3–4 nights
The vibe: Wild, wet, green and cinematic

From our guides

Drive it clockwise to avoid meeting the tour coaches head-on, and detour onto the smaller Skellig Ring for the drama without the traffic. Weather changes by the quarter hour — that's part of the show. End the day with chowder and live music in a Kenmare or Portmagee pub.

Featured in Ten coastal drives for a honeymoon on wheels

Things to do

Skellig Michael

Weather permitting, boats from Portmagee land on a pyramid of rock where monks cut 600 steps and beehive cells into the cliff. Landings are limited and cancel often.
Killarney National Park

Lakes, oak woods and red deer beneath Macgillycuddy's Reeks, with Muckross House, Torc waterfall and easy cycling on traffic-free paths through the estate.
Gap of Dunloe

A narrow glacial pass between mountains, walked, cycled or crossed by pony trap, usually paired with a boat back across the Killarney lakes.
Valentia Island

Reached by bridge or a short ferry, with a slate quarry, tetrapod footprints in the rock and a lighthouse at the northern tip. Quieter than the mainland loop.
Derrynane beach

Sheltered white sand and dunes beside the house of Daniel O'Connell, with a walk out to Abbey Island at low tide. One of the better swimming spots here.
Kerry Cliffs

Near Portmagee, a short walk from the car park reaches a 300-metre drop with the Skelligs offshore. Far less crowded than the better-known cliffs further north.

Getting there

Fly to
Farranfore (KIR)

Nearest airport to Ring of Kerry, about 33km away as the crow flies.
Then
To Killarney

About 20 minutes by car from Kerry (KIR) at Farranfore to Killarney, with trains and buses also covering the short hop.
On the ground
Getting around

The loop is a full day's drive from Killarney, taken clockwise so you do not meet the coaches head-on, with the smaller Skellig Ring as a detour and Kenmare or Portmagee for the evening.

Public transport: A seasonal bus circles the ring and trains reach Killarney, but stopping where you like really needs a car.

Flights

Los Angeles Ring of Kerry, Ireland

Flying from

Fly from anywhere — search 4,000+ airports worldwide.

Roughly 10h 20m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.

Check dates and prices

Pick your departure date, then your return.

Search flights

Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.

When to go

Daytime highs run from about 9°C in January to 19°C in August. Wettest in October, with rain on about 20 days.

The year at a glance — pick a month for detail

February10° · rain 17 daysCold and often wet.

Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis).

Where to stay

Country house hotels, town hotels, farmhouse B and Bs and self catering cottages, plus hostels in Killarney. Big chains are largely absent once you leave the main town.

Best base overall
Killarney

The obvious hub, with the national park at the edge of town, plenty of rooms, pubs and tour departures. It is unashamedly touristy and can be rowdy on summer nights.
Find stays in Killarney
Best with children
Glenbeigh

Handy for the long sandy spit at Rossbeigh, with beach walks, pony rides and family run hotels. Facilities are thin, so stock up in Killorglin or Killarney first.
Find stays in Glenbeigh
Best for couples
Kenmare

A neat, colourful town at the southern end with the peninsula's best restaurants and smart small hotels. Further from the northern stretch of the loop, which means longer drives.
Find stays in Kenmare
Quietest
Portmagee

A fishing village at the Skellig Ring turn off, with a famous pub and boats to the islands. Very little else, and the roads in are narrow enough to concentrate the mind.
Find stays in Portmagee

Worth knowing before you book: June to August and any bank holiday weekend fill the peninsula, and Skellig Michael landings must be booked separately and months ahead. Many rural B and Bs close over winter.

Search everything else in Killarney by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.

Or see everything in Killarney

Good to know

Driving: Roads narrow without warning and coaches travel anticlockwise, so time your day around them. Allow far longer than the distance suggests.
Weather: Rain arrives in bands and clears quickly. Plan flexible days and keep an outdoor option in reserve for the sunny hour when it finally comes.
Book ahead: Skellig Michael landings, popular guesthouses and Killarney rooms sell out for the summer months. Boat trips depend entirely on sea conditions.
Cash or card: Cards are accepted almost everywhere, though small rural pubs, honesty boxes and boatmen may still prefer euro cash.
Pack this: A waterproof jacket and proper shoes, whatever the forecast said this morning. Midges appear on still summer evenings near water.