Killarney National Park
Killarney National Park
Killarney National Park
5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Killarney National Park
The area
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
4 within 5 kms
Attractions
59 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- laurapaul2018Compton, Canada151 contributionsAmazing National ParkMy husband and I are very nature oriented so we enjoyed the lake and the waterfalls and the old bridges. The weather was spectacular so we were even able to jump in the lake and the waterfall. There are some gorgeous views of the mountains and wildlife as well.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 October 2023
- JayeinVA68 contributionsMust do! The biggest and best thing in Killarney!Beautiful park! A mix of wide open spaces and forest. Great place to see the local wildlife. Paved trails for walking or cycling. Go inside the visitor center, located in Killarney House, for new and educational exhibits. Definitely bring the kids!Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 13 November 2023
- Ron V27 contributionsGreat spot of nature and history, right in townThe information provided at entry was friendly and helpful. We were provided free maps as well. We did get lost following the directions on Google maps in the park on our way to Ross Castle. A friendly man in a grounds vehicle stopped to help us, and said everyone ends up at the spot where we were and he was happy to give us easy to understand directions. The castle is well worth the walk! We saw lots of beautiful colors, and wildlife. The highlight was the family of deer. Definitely recommend this if you are in Killarney.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 17 April 2024
- RHtravelsRocky Hill, Connecticut862 contributionsPlan at least a full dayThis is a lovely park and surrounding area. Unfortunately it rained the day we visited, but we still admired the beauty; it just isn't reflected well in the photos. We spent most of one day exploring the park, but we definitely did not see everything so allow more time, especially if you are doing long hikes. We hiked to Torc waterfall, and it was nice, but we have been to some real beauties in Hawaii, Costa Rica, and Yosemite, however the vibrant green of Ireland cannot be beat. We went to Muckross House and enjoyed the gardens and view even in the rain. We drove to see Ladies view and even went thru a bonus tunnel. There was so much more to see, but the rain really stalled our day a bit, however we plan to come back and allow more time. Next visit, we will hike to Gap of Dunloe and we are hoping for sunshine.Visited July 2023Travelled with familyWritten 29 April 2024
- Rebecca M56 contributionsGorgeous parkKillarney National Park is a lovely, natural spot with thousands of acres of woodlands, lakes, and mountains. There is a lot to see and do for people of all ages and interests. We went to Ross Castle, Muckros House, walked the gardens and toured the lakes by boat. The grounds are well kept and the paths are easy to navigate. There could be better signage in some places.Visited May 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 12 May 2024
- Anne DAlexandria, Virginia15 contributionsBeautiful vistasWe first experienced the park in a traditional jaunting carriage with the history of the park given to us by our horseman, Vishnu. He is the third generation driving these carriages and also jumps horses competitively. The next day we started in the park on a hike to Torq waterfall which was amazing! After that we left the park to explore the Ring of Kerry.Visited July 2024Travelled with familyWritten 14 July 2024
- CeciliaUnited States48 contributionsPeaceful Hike with Hidden Side TrailsThe park is absolutely beautiful and fun to explore. We went on a hike that I believe was about 14 miles. The trailhead was about a mile away from the welcome center, which is something that should be kept in mind. We found a lot side trails that led us to hidden beaches and coves. It was very peaceful and an enjoyable hike.Visited July 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 7 August 2024
- Rachel FasuloThomaston, Connecticut132 contributionsStag Season!We toured the national park during the Red Stag mating season and oh my was that entertaining! When walking through, all we could here was the mating calls throught out the entire park. We even saw them chasing/fighting each other! We took a horse carriage ride through after doing some walking and saw some beautiful views.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 18 August 2024
- AlbertSalichsManresa, Spain23,076 contributionsWonderful views and sightseeing points!Killarney National Park is located close to Killarney, in Western Ireland. We came here to visit this national park following the Ring of Kerry. It was wonderful. We could see some sightseeing points like Ladies View, Old Weir Bridge, Mackross House, Gardens and Friary, Torc Waterfall and Ross Castle..also, we could see the three lakes: Upper Lake, Makross Lake and Lough Leaned, which are very beautiful. The best ones are the Ladies View and Torc Waterfall. Coming here is an excellent choice to know this part of Ireland.Visited October 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 27 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
5.0
7,343 reviews
Excellent
6,169
Very good
1,071
Average
86
Poor
7
Terrible
10
AXSYD
Sydney, Australia231 contributions
Jan 2020
The drive through Killarney National Park is a constantly unfolding vista of stunning beauty. Ladies View is spectacular but best enjoyed from a roadside stop about 100 metre further up the road from the main veiwing carpark lookout. Look for a broad gravel parking zone where the road winds round a sweeping bend. From this location you can look over the classic Ladies view of the national park lakes as well as lakes that sit back towards the road's summit (which are hidden by a creast from the traditional Ladies View carpark).
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sunsearcher2009
Kilkenny, Ireland242 contributions
Aug 2020
We were on a week staycation around Ireland and brought our own bikes, this is the ideal way to see the National Park, it is ideal for cycling although you do have to keep an eye out for the jaunting cars. The cycle route is well sheltered and takes in Ross Castle, all the various lakes, Muckross House, Torc Waterfall and so much more, would highly recommend. Also very flat no hills to worry about.
Written 20 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BGillman-202
Dublin, Ireland58 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
This park was such a disappointment as we had been looking forward to it.
On the plus side it is just outside Killarney, easy to get to, loads of parking and is actually quite large with some great views.
However there are some large negatives. We did a mix of walking and cycling. It is ideally suited to bikes with wide paths and flat terrain around the lake. However I think bikes aren’t that welcome, we found one small bike rack in the park (maybe 12 bikes) so most people chained bikes to railings. For example we cycled to Tork Waterfall to discover nowhere to leave bikes so we chined them to a fence. Loads of people doing that. We did a cycle around the lake and the best bit was that the trail for bikes just ends and you get dumped out onto the main road which has no hard shoulder or bike lane for the last 1-2km. We got a very nasty surprise with our 8yr old and didn’t enjoy that part with traffic so close. No signs or warning notes. In general as I said it felt like bikes aren’t that welcome even though there were loads on bikes the day we were there.
We like our hikes and really like getting to see a park and making the most of the amenity. However this park seems determined not to lay the trails out clearly, the only maps ones we could find were on sighs scattered around the house and left about 80% of the park apparently off limits. There were no maps on the site to buy or otherwise and we were advised to go back into Killarney and ask in the bike rental shops for maps!!!!!! That’s really not helpful when you’re at the park.
As the centre piece of Killarney tourism I must say we left disappointed. The lack of maps meant that we didn’t get the most out of our time or the amenities that we think are there. We found the national parks in Donegal to an equivalent standard in terms of forestry and views while offering a much better visitor experience.
On the plus side it is just outside Killarney, easy to get to, loads of parking and is actually quite large with some great views.
However there are some large negatives. We did a mix of walking and cycling. It is ideally suited to bikes with wide paths and flat terrain around the lake. However I think bikes aren’t that welcome, we found one small bike rack in the park (maybe 12 bikes) so most people chained bikes to railings. For example we cycled to Tork Waterfall to discover nowhere to leave bikes so we chined them to a fence. Loads of people doing that. We did a cycle around the lake and the best bit was that the trail for bikes just ends and you get dumped out onto the main road which has no hard shoulder or bike lane for the last 1-2km. We got a very nasty surprise with our 8yr old and didn’t enjoy that part with traffic so close. No signs or warning notes. In general as I said it felt like bikes aren’t that welcome even though there were loads on bikes the day we were there.
We like our hikes and really like getting to see a park and making the most of the amenity. However this park seems determined not to lay the trails out clearly, the only maps ones we could find were on sighs scattered around the house and left about 80% of the park apparently off limits. There were no maps on the site to buy or otherwise and we were advised to go back into Killarney and ask in the bike rental shops for maps!!!!!! That’s really not helpful when you’re at the park.
As the centre piece of Killarney tourism I must say we left disappointed. The lack of maps meant that we didn’t get the most out of our time or the amenities that we think are there. We found the national parks in Donegal to an equivalent standard in terms of forestry and views while offering a much better visitor experience.
Written 16 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deirdre W
Cork, Ireland75 contributions
Jun 2021
We are so lucky to have such an amazing resource on our doorstep. Myself and my other half borrowed two bikes from the fab hotel we were staying in, Muckross Park Hotel, which is just across the road from the park and spend two magical hours cycling around Muckross Lake, one of the three breathtaking lakes in the park. After being cooped up in our 5km for so long it was so lovely to escape into such a spectacular place. Amazing xxx
Written 11 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan M
Dublin, Ireland319 contributions
Aug 2020
This park is right there in the town. Run by the Council. There are many walks all marked out, There is also a beautiful little cafe for coffees or lunch housed in a house with a thatched roof and amazing old chimney pots. A "mst" to do while in Killarney.
Written 14 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CaitrionaRyan
Dublin, Ireland18 contributions
May 2022
Myself and my partner decided to do the long 12km walk around the lakes. The walk is 99% flat and good surface. The whole walk took about 2.5 hours and we stopped in a coffee shop half way around. There is an option to take a boat back if your too tired at this stage for 10 euro per adult and 5 euro for a child. The waterfall is stunning and a must see when you are here- although going off peak times is best - early in the morning or later evening as there will be hundreds of tourists there mid day,.
Written 26 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GerardQuinn
Naas, Ireland652 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
All I can say is WOW. The national park is located about 4km outside Killarney town. The scenery is amazing with the lake walks and Muckross House and visitor centre. You can rent a bike in Killarney town and there is a cycle track out of the town to the national park. You can cycle the entire lakes and the views are amazing. You can also have a boat trip on the lakes (€10 per adult and €5 per child) and the boat team are so friendly and it’s so worth the money as the views on the lakes are amazing.
This is a must see location when in Kerry.
This is a must see location when in Kerry.
Written 10 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CatwinM153
Athlone, Ireland136 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
Lots to see. Well signposted!! We did muckross house and gardens and torc Waterfall. Was beautiful! I would recommend planning out what you want to do before you arrive as there are some cool hikes and stuff that you might regret not being prepared for. Alot of the popular places accessible by car and lots of parking.
Written 23 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly J
Austin, TX10 contributions
Sept 2021
The park itself is breathtaking and a welcome respite if you have spent much time in urban areas. The town of Killarney is nice and mostly walkable. I would have spent an extra half day here to see the Abbey on the lake. It is best to avoid the tourist traps around the Manor house. There's a lot of coach rides that really aren't worth the exorbitant price.
Written 28 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen H
Balbriggan, Ireland127 contributions
Sept 2020 • Couples
It’s been lovely this year given the pandemic to be able to appreciate what Ireland has to offer. I’m so glad we chose Killarney, the national park is incredibly beautiful. Perfect to spend a whole day there with good weather, with the choice of walking, cycling or taking a trip in the haunting cars. I would recommend renting a bike so as to really get to see the whole park as it is huge.
Written 5 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nous faisons un arrêt avec notre navire de croisière à Cork en Irlande et l’excursion au parc national de Killarney proposée par la compagnie de croisière affiche complet. Je recherche des recommendations a savoir quel autre agence propose une telle excursion. Merci.
Written 23 July 2019
Where is a good place to stay if wanting to do some hikes in Black Valley including the ones you suggest?
Thank you
Michael
Written 26 March 2019
There are plenty of hotels and B&Bs with couple of kilometres of National Park. Good for hiking and lovely scenery
Written 26 March 2019
Hi Patricia, i'll be going november 29th. Do you have any recommendations to look at. Maybe also some nice restaurants, or anything else? Thanks.
Written 17 November 2018
The absolutely best thing to do, is to drive the Dingle Peninsula
out to Slea Head. Magnificent!
Written 23 November 2018
We would like to tour the park by jaunting horse carts. I think our kids will enjoy jaunting carts more. 1) Where to hire jaunting carts? What is their appx charges? Will they cover all the spots within the park? Will they wait at the places where we would like to pass some time or will they just ride through? 2) We would like to visit Ross castle, Torc waterfalls, Muckross house, Gap of Dunloe, some cottages, lakes(may be a short boat ride). Are all these possible to complete in one day or we should include 2days to complete this itinerary?
Written 26 October 2018
The jaunty carts and drivers are a cruel way to view the park. The way the drivers treat their horses is beyond disgusting. They push the horses to pull ignorant tourists for miles up hills and mountains that are way beyond their capabilites. The horses are fit to drop. The drivers don't care if they kill their horses, they will just get another one. Drive yourself if you can't do the walking, don't give money to cruel men who exploit the horses and the tourists.
Written 30 January 2019
I want to see the beautiful waterfalls while I visit in Ireland on October 29th and 30th. Is there a cost to visit the area? Is there a better time to go there when it has the least amount of people? Is there any chance they allow a person to go up next the falls for pictures?
Thank you
Written 26 August 2018
We went on a hop-on hopp-off tour bus so we didn’t have a lot of time at the waterfall. We were told that if we “climbed the steps” we would miss our ride back. So unfortunately didn’t get to see the top of the waterfall but it was pretty down at the lower sections. If I ever get a chance to go again, I would love to trek to the top. It wasn’t very crowded and that was in the middle of the day.
Written 27 August 2018
Intendi entrare con la macchina dentro il parco ? No .
Puoi parcheggiare nel parcheggio vicino al parco . Puoi altrimenti fare un giro nel parco , se non vuoi camminare, noleggiando una carrozza. Altrimenti optare per delle biciclette che sono ammesse.
Written 3 May 2019
Salve, volevo sapere sec'e da pagare un biglietto di ingresso, e se si può fare a piedi.. grazie
Written 20 July 2018
Non c è il biglietto di ingresso a meno che tu non voglia visitare il castello . Puoi farlo a piedi oppure noleggiare delle biciclette .
Written 3 May 2019
hi where did you hire this guide? how do I find out about the rides, etc? where?
thanks so much
Written 13 June 2018
We hired the one outside from national park with his jaunting cart and paid him 10 euro per person for the guided tour in the cart!
Written 24 July 2018
We were going to walk Cronin's Yard loop before going to Killarney National Park. Can we drive through the park or is everything guided? Also do the horse drawn carriages run all of the time or do you need reservations?
thanks
Written 8 March 2018
Good idea to do the Yard first.
No you cannot drive through the Park but the jarveys will look after you.
There are reduced numbers of jarveys in the winter and obviously when the weather is really bad there won’t be too many putting their horses out. Booking at this time of year and early Jan makes a lot of sense,
Written 16 November 2018
Wie teuer ist eine Kutschfahrt bzw. Bootsfahrt? Was ist mehr zu empfehlen?
Written 26 January 2018
Les chevaux ne sont pas bien traités, travaillent de l'ouverture à la fermeture sans interruption.
Le vélo est beaucoup plus convivial et sympathique : vous pourrez vous arrêter où vous voulez pour flâner.
Written 11 March 2018
…
Showing results 1-10 of 34
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing