Moderate 7 Days / 5 Nights Walking

The Kerry Way Hiking Tour — 7 Days (Moderate)

Six walking days from Killarney out to the Atlantic — Cahersiveen, Waterville and the Skellig coast

Starting From €945 per person

Seven days on the Kerry Way, from the mountain heart of Kerry to the wild Atlantic coast. You start in Killarney, climb through the Gap of Dunloe, cross the remote Black Valley, and walk down the inland spine of the Iveragh Peninsula. From Glenbeigh the route turns west and out to the coast — through Cahersiveen (Daniel O'Connell's birthplace) and finishing in Waterville, under the eye of the Skellig Islands.

This is the full western Kerry Way, before the trail turns east along the Ring of Kerry. Six days of walking covering 120km, Moderate grade throughout, with one stretch that earns its "+": the Cahersiveen to Waterville stage, which climbs above Bolus Head with the Atlantic on one side and the Skelligs on the horizon. It's the crown of the week.

Daily distances range from 13.5km to 29km. Most days are 15–23km. A transfer returns you to Killarney on the final day.

Luggage transferred daily, full digital route notes and waterproof maps, 24/7 support line. You walk; we handle everything else.

Highlights

The Gap of Dunloe

Day 2 climbs out of Killarney through the Gap of Dunloe — a glacial valley with five lakes, sheer mountain walls and the McGillycuddy's Reeks towering above. A classic Irish walk and a serious mountain introduction.

The Black Valley

Ireland's most remote inhabited glen. No mobile signal, no streetlight. Walking in and walking out is the closest you can get to the Kerry of a century ago. Your B&B host has almost certainly walked every step of tomorrow's stage.

The Skellig Islands on the horizon

Day 6 — Cahersiveen to Waterville — climbs above Bolus Head and the Skellig Islands appear on the Atlantic horizon. Skellig Michael's 6th-century monastery, twelve kilometres offshore, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most extraordinary human achievements in Ireland. Seeing it from a Kerry mountainside, with the whole peninsula falling away below you, is an outstanding moment of Irish walking.

Chaplin's Waterville

The descent into Waterville is long, gradual and beautiful — the village appearing slowly below you as the trail drops toward the coast. Charlie Chaplin brought his family here every summer for decades. The bronze statue of him in the square captures the place perfectly: unhurried, characterful, utterly itself. After a long Day 6, you'll understand.

Who Is This For?

Your fitness level
This tour suits confident walkers comfortable with sustained daily distances on mountain terrain across six consecutive walking days. Most days are 15–23km; Day 6 (Cahersiveen to Waterville) is a longer stage at around 29km — the toughest walking day of the week, with exposed high ground above Bolus Head. If you have completed Moderate multi-day walking tours before, the 7-day is the natural step up.

The right kind of traveller
You want the full arc — inland mountains, remote valleys, and the wild Atlantic coast. You prefer earning a view to arriving at one. You like small villages, family-run B&Bs, and the kind of days that do not involve a road for hours.

Solo walkers, couples and small groups
The fully supported self-guided format works for all three. Maximum eight walkers per group.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival in Killarney

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The Kerry Way begins tomorrow.

Arrive in Killarney, Kerry's walking capital. Collect your route notes, waterproof maps and pre-departure pack from your B&B host. Dinner in town, an early night, and a quiet moment with a map.

Day 2

Killarney to Black Valley

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pin_drop Killarney → Blackvalleyhiking 19.6 kmlandscape ↑373mlandscape ↓312mschedule 4h 30m

A morning through Killarney National Park, then up through the Gap of Dunloe — five glacial lakes, sheer mountain walls, the Reeks above. The descent into the Black Valley is sudden and green.

The Black Valley is quiet in a way most of Europe isn't any more. Your B&B host is expecting you.

Day 3

Black Valley to Glencar

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pin_drop Blackvalley → Glencarhiking 18.8 kmlandscape ↑674mlandscape ↓681mschedule 4h 54m

Over the Broaghnabinnia pass — the highest point on the Kerry Way — into open bog and sheep country. The long descent into Glencar passes old farmland. The Climbers Inn has been feeding walkers for over a century.

Day 4

Glencar to Glenbeigh

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pin_drop Glencar → Glenbeighhiking 13.5 kmlandscape ↑667mlandscape ↓720mschedule 3h 47m

You climb out of Glencar onto open mountainside with the Dingle Peninsula across the water. The descent to Glenbeigh passes Rossbeigh Strand — three kilometres of pale sand curling into Dingle Bay.

Day 5

Glenbeigh to Cahersiveen

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pin_drop Glenbeigh → Foilduff Community Centrehiking 19.6 kmlandscape ↑458mlandscape ↓455mschedule 4h 42m

The old stagecoach road climbs out of Glenbeigh onto high bogland with the full width of Dingle Bay to the north. The route ends at Foilduff, where a short transfer brings you into Cahersiveen — Daniel O'Connell's birthplace, a characterful market town. Rest well: tomorrow is the Kerry Way's most memorable day.

Day 6

Cahersiveen to Waterville

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pin_drop Cahersiveen → Watervillehiking 29.4 kmlandscape ↑901mlandscape ↓909m

This is the day. The toughest stage on the tour — and the most memorable. You start from Cahersiveen and climb immediately into the mountains, the trail rising above Bolus Head with Kerry's Atlantic coastline falling away below you.

At around 400 metres, the Skellig Islands appear on the western horizon: Skellig Michael and Little Skellig, their dark silhouettes unmistakable against the Atlantic. Monks built a monastery on Skellig Michael in the 6th century and lived there for six hundred years. You can see why they chose it.

The descent into Waterville is long, gradual, and beautiful. Charlie Chaplin brought his family here every summer for decades. His bronze statue in the square captures the place perfectly. You'll be ready to join him.

Day 7

Transfer to Killarney & departure

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A last Irish breakfast in Waterville, then your scheduled transfer back to Killarney — around two hours along the Ring of Kerry road. Onwards travel is easy: trains to Dublin, buses to Cork and Shannon, Kerry Airport twenty minutes from Killarney.

Most walkers are already thinking about the 8-day version — which continues east along the coast from Waterville to Caherdaniel, Sneem and Kenmare before returning to Killarney on foot. That one keeps you walking a little longer.

Accommodation

B&B / Guesthouse

Six nights in handpicked B&Bs and guesthouses: Killarney, Black Valley, Glencar, Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville. Family-run properties along the trail, chosen because the owners know the Kerry Way and understand what walkers want after a long day.

All rooms are en-suite. In the Black Valley your accommodation is particularly memorable — a farmhouse B&B in the middle of nowhere, with a lot of stars and no mobile signal. Waterville's accommodation is in the village, minutes from the seafront and Chaplin's bronze statue.

Your luggage is transferred daily: your main bag travels by van, you walk with a daypack.

Full Irish breakfast every morning. It will fuel you further than you expect.

What's Included

check_circle What's Included

doneAccommodation: 6 nights in 3-star or better en-suite B&B
doneBreakfast: Full Irish or continental breakfast every morning
doneLogistics: Luggage transfers to each night's accommodation
doneTransfers: Short transfer from Foilduff to Cahersiveen (Day 5), end-of-tour transfer from Waterville back to Killarney
doneNavigation: Personalised digital itinerary and route app for your smartphone that keeps you on the trail at all times
doneSupport: 24/7 emergency contact line
donePreparation: Pre-departure information pack with route details and packing suggestions

block Not Included

closeFlights to/from Ireland
closeTravel and hiking insurance
closeLunches and dinners (though we'll suggest brilliant local spots)
closeAnything not explicitly listed above

Best Time to Visit

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

May, June and September offer the best conditions. May brings wildflowers to the bogland, long evenings and light trail traffic — a lovely time to walk before the summer rush. June has the longest daylight hours, which makes a real difference on the bigger western stages along the cliffs. September is arguably the finest month of all: the heather turns the hillsides purple, the light is clear and golden, and accommodation is noticeably easier to book than during peak summer.

July and August are the busiest months. Boat trips to Skellig Michael fill up fast, and accommodation along the route needs to be secured three to four months in advance. The trail is walkable from April through October, but mountain sections above 400 m require proper waterproofs and confident navigation when visibility drops.

Time your visit with a festival. Many trails host walking festivals throughout the season — see our complete 2026 walking festivals calendar to plan around one.

From

€945 per person

Based on 2 sharing

Preferred Start Date

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Book at least 20 days in advance

Number of Walkers

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