Killarney to Ring of Kerry Loop by Coach or Minibus
The Ring of Kerry is a 179 km loop around the Iveragh Peninsula that starts and ends in Killarney. Coaches drive it anticlockwise, heading out through Killorglin first and coming home over Moll's Gap. Allow a full day of eight to nine hours with stops.
Journey
- Killarney to Ring of Kerry Loop
- Approximately Full day
- Serving Killarney
About Ring of Kerry
- A famous 179 km scenic loop around the Iveragh Peninsula taking in coastal villages, mountain passes and the wild Atlantic edge.
- Nearest base: Killarney
Why coaches go anticlockwise
Stretches of the Ring are too narrow for two coaches to pass each other easily, so tour coaches all travel in the same direction, anticlockwise. From Killarney that means the N72 west to Killorglin, then the N70 around the peninsula through Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Caherdaniel and Sneem to Kenmare. The coach returns on the N71 over Moll's Gap and past Ladies View into Killarney. Car drivers sometimes go the other way, so expect to meet cars in the narrow places.
The road and the slow sections
The N70 is mostly single carriageway, with many bends and narrow stretches, especially between Waterville and Kenmare. A coach is slower here than a car, and passing places and photo stops add time. The N71 back to Killarney climbs to Moll's Gap, where winter weather can close the road. Torc Waterfall is a short walk from the N71 car park. Muckross House has separate coach parking, but all groups must reserve in advance, so book it if you want to stop on the way back.
Vehicle size and the shape of the day
The Ring itself takes coaches up to full size, and groups run from a 16-seater to a 53-seat coach. Leave Killarney in the morning so the lunch stop falls around Waterville or Caherdaniel, at about the halfway point. EU rules cap a driver at nine hours behind the wheel in a day, with a pause of at least 45 minutes due by the 4.5-hour mark. On the Ring the stops cover that easily, but a very long day with an evening event in Killarney needs checking with the operator.
The charity cycle in July
Each summer, usually on a Saturday in early July, the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle takes a very large field of cyclists around the loop from Killarney, in the same anticlockwise direction. Parts of the route close or carry diversions, and scheduled buses change their timetables. Check the date before you fix a Ring of Kerry day, because coach touring on that day is slow or impossible on parts of the route.
How many hours should we set aside for the Ring?
Plan on eight to nine hours from Killarney and back, including stops for lunch and the viewpoints. The driving alone is shorter, but few groups run the Ring without stopping.
Could our coach go clockwise and miss the tour traffic?
No. Tour coaches all travel anticlockwise so they never meet head-on on the narrow stretches, and yours keeps to the same direction.
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