Gap of Dunloe Day Tour: Explore Killarney National Park's Scenic Wonders

Embark on an amazing adventure tour to explore the scenic wonders of Killarney National Park, including the breathtaking Gap of Dunloe. Choose between a walking or horse-drawn carriage tour, and enjoy a boat ride through the stunning Lakes of Killarney. Book now!

Duration: 5 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Gap of Dunloe - Interested in a walking, rambling, or hiking tour combined with an amazing boat ride through the Lakes of Killarney amidst breathtaking scenery? A Deros tour to the Gap of Dunloe is the perfect choice (from Irish: Dún Lóich, meaning “Lóich’s stronghold”, also known as Bearna an Choimín meaning “gap of the common-land”). This narrow…
What's Included
  • Unique Bus and Boat trip combo
  • Professional driver/guide included
  • Complimentary car park at Ross Castle with 24-hour notice
  • Convenient transport to and from Kate Kearney’s Cottage
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Jaunting Cart Ride ( EUR 35.00 pp cash only) 4 pax per Carriage can also be hired privately
Additional Information

Exceptional and premier excursion to Killarney National Park.
Considering a walk, stroll or trek tour? The Gap of Dunloe is the perfect choice, spanning 7 miles (11 kilometers) and taking roughly 2 hrs 30 minutes.
For those who prefer not to walk or trek, a traditional Irish Jaunting Carriage (horse and carriage) is available as an alternative to…

Location
22 Main St
Main Street
The Driver will be at this location with the Coach. Please check in at the office before boarding the tour vehicle. We offer free pickup from Ross Castle at 10:00 AM, where free parking is available.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(227 Ratings)
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Bernice_r
Apr 19, 2026
I would do it again. - The Gap of Dunloe tour was an unforgettable experience and truly one of the most beautiful places we visited. Traveling through the narrow pass by horse and carriage made it feel peaceful and authentic, surrounded by scenery that is simply unlike anything you’ll see elsewhere. Our horseman, Michael, and his horse Tom took great care of us, even providing a tarp to keep us dry during intermittent rain—which didn’t take away from the experience at all. In fact, the changing weather added to the atmosphere. For anyone concerned about the horses, it was clear they are well cared for. They were given breaks along the route, only do one trip per day, and have several days of rest between working, which really put us at ease. The boat ride at the end was just as memorable, and although I can’t recall our boatman’s name, he was equally thoughtful in making sure we stayed comfortable. Despite the less-than-perfect weather, the views were absolutely spectacular—this is one of those experiences that stays with you long after the trip is over. This was my second time taking this trip to share with my aunt and uncle, and I would absolutely do it again.
Review provided by Viator
Venture35134767114
Apr 15, 2026
The Gap of Dunloe and Boat Tour - An absolute bang for your buck! We were transported everywhere for this tour, from hotel to gaps of dunloe and back. It was a beautiful hike through the gap with stunning views and of course sheep and horses along the way. Took about 2 hours to walk. At the Brandon’s lake cottage, you can get some food and drinks before the boat tour. Cash only! Our boat guide Rory was patient, kind, and very informative about the area and lakes. His family has been running these tours for generations so we were able to hear some personal stories about their experiences as well. There wasn’t much time to explore Ross Castle, but we were quite exhausted after our hike. Highly recommend this tour if you’re ready to get out of the car and explore!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kwieland
Apr 1, 2026
Best of Both Worlds - The hike was beautiful but the boat ride back through the lakes was the true highlight of the tour. Perfect way to experience all the park has to offer.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anett696
Mar 30, 2026
Everything was well organized. - A really nice trip. The distance of 11 kilometers was not accessible for me. The boat came to pick up our group and the boatmaster waited patiently. The ride back was mostly relaxed and super nice. Driving through the mountains was breathtakingly beautiful. We had a little storm on the lake. The boatmaster drove us confidently into the harbour. It was just a successful day. Thank you so much.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rubylynch
Mar 26, 2026
Great way to see the area with plenty of local knowledge! - A well organised trip. Picked up on time, chose the horse and carriage ride with friendly driver who gave lots of interesting information on the area. Boat ride was more than we expected with beautiful scenery enhanced by Rory's in depth knowledge of the region, it's history and wildlife. A really enjoyable, peaceful day. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daytrip32415912333
Mar 18, 2026
Gap of Dunloe must do experience - This tour was phenomenal! The Gap of Dunloe is a unique experience featuring the tallest peaks in Ireland and this tour finished with a little over one hour boat tour that gives so much information about Killarney National Park. We chose the walking tour from Kate Kearney’s Cottage instead of the horse and carriage option. It was a workout for us (not so much for our twenty something kids) so I’m sore but happy. Midway we had a quick lunch at Lord Brandon’s Cottage inside the park and then joined Rory, our phenomenal oats guide. His family has been providing tours for decades and it showed through his knowledge of the history and wildlife in the park. When we finished the boat tour at Ross Castle our driver, Filipo, gathered everyone and distributed about 20 people to various locations along the way. Overall this is a 10 out of 10 trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hannah_b
Oct 18, 2025
Knowledgeable tour guides, beautiful views! - My sister and I did this tour on our trip to Killarney and it was one of our favorite experiences the entire trip. Our boat captain Cathal was very knowledgable about the surrounding national park, and it was obvious how much he loved his job. Towards the end of our ride, we even saw a cluster of white-tailed eagles that had been brought back from extinction. I recommend doing the jaunting cars over walking - you have more time at the end to enjoy a snack at the cafe or a drink at the pub. The members of our group who opted to walk really had to hustle to make it back in time for the bus to pick us up. We got lucky with great weather, but would have enjoyed it even if the sun hadn't come out.
Review provided by Viator
Meghanf904
Oct 18, 2025
Bus and boat loop Killarney-Gap of Dunloe - Deros Tours made it easy to visit the Gap of Dunloe from Killarney, providing bus dropoff at Kate Kearney’s Cottage, boat fares across the lake from Lord Brandon’s Cottage, and bus transport back from Ross Castle. You have the option to either hike the gap or hire a jaunting car for 35 euros a person. Kids love the ponies, but a hike seemed like it would have been more peaceful. Soup and sandwich lunch is available for purchase at Lord Brandon’s Cottage. The surprise highlight was the hour boat ride—our guide was a friendly young man who shared lots of history and tidbits about the park. Absolutely gorgeous scenery and a memorable day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Zhifan_f
Oct 13, 2025
Don’t leave Killarney without this experience - OMG can summarize everything! I came solo and prepared to hiking around just for 2 days, there is no better arrangement than this tour to spend one full day. (especially when it’s sunny as you may aware how precious it is) the boat experience is so well worth it, you will regret if you leave Killarney without this experience, the lake view is so versatile, so calm, so charming. Then the hike of the gap of dunloe is absolutely recommended if you be able to manage walk& climb a bit, and it’s all paved road. Horse cart is totally optional if not intent to walk, but then you need to wait a while for walker to arrive, and leave together. Before leaving, have a pint in Kate cottage bar is a personal must, nothing can beat a chilled pint after intense hiking! Then the bus will come to pick everyone up back to town. The whole flow of the activity is great and reasonable. Extremely recommend to solo traveler without car, as there is no public transportation to the gap of Dunloe, this is the best option you can have + exceptional Killarney national lake view. Summarize: just attend, don’t be a fool. P.S the Deros agent runs by family, heard they are lack of staff to keep the business running , do ask them if interested!!
Review provided by Viator
Karen
Oct 10, 2025
Amazing experience! - The organization at the starting point was very good. Horse and carriage ride was very nice. During the ride my two adult children were asked to walk a distance, they were ok with that and they enjoyed it. I was told to stay on, I asked why and was told I was the “queen” for the day. Lol We took the boat ride that was awesome! Once we got off the boat it was confusing and we weren’t sure where to go, but we all finally figured it out. Overall, it was an amazing experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $71
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).