Killarney Highlight Half Day Tour -National Park-Muckross House
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Meet,chat and explore Killarney with a local
- Enjoy a personal tour in a short time in a small group.
- Top rated Local Driver/Guide services.
- Luxury Vehicles.
- Snacks
- Restroom on board
- Gratuities
- Admission Fee for tour of Muckross House (Optional) Time for a walk in the Gardens no admission.
- Admission fee to Ross Castle (optional) or time to stroll around the Castle & Lower Lake.
Itinerary
This 19th Victorian mansion is set in Killarney National Park. The house stands close to the shores of Muckross Lake, one of Killarney's three lakes, famed world wide for their beauty.Within the Park, Muckross House is the ideal base from which to explore this landscape. The House was built for Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife, Mary Balfour Herbert. This was actually the fourth house that successive generations of the Herbert family had occupied at Muckross over a period of almost two hundred years. William Burn, the Scottish architect, was responsible for its design. Building commenced in 1839 and was completed in 1843. During the 1850s, the Herberts undertook extensive garden works in preparation for Queen Victoria's visit in 1861. Later, the Bourn Vincent family continued this gardening tradition. They purchased the estate from Lord and Lady Ardilaun early in the twentieth century. It was at this time that the Sunken Garden, Rock Garden and the Stream Garden were developed.
Ross Castle sits on the edge of Killarney’s lower lake and was built by O’Donoghue Mór in the 15th century. The Castle came into the hands of the Brownes who became the Earls of Kenmare and owned an extensive portion of the lands that are now part of Killarney National Park . Legend has it that O’Donoghue still exists in a deep slumber under the waters of Lough Leane. On the first morning of May every seven years he rises from the lake on his magnificent white horse and circles the lake. Anyone catching a glimpse of him is said to be assured of good fortune for the rest of their lives. The large rock at the entrance to the bay is known as O’Donoghue’s prison. Ross Castle was the last stronghold in Munster to hold out against Cromwell. It was eventually taken by General Ludlow in 1652. We can arrange a Cruise on the Lakes of Killarney for one hour on The Lily of Killarney (extra Cost)
Torc Waterfall is a 20 metres high, 110 metres long cascade waterfall formed by the Owengarriff River as it drains from the Devil's Punchbowl corrie lake at Mangerton Mountain. The waterfall, which lies at the base of Torc Mountain, in the Killarney National Park, is 4.3 miles from Killarney in Kerry, Ireland.
Pass by: Killarney National Park stretching across 10,000 hectares with its unforgettable combination of mountains, lakes, woodland and waterfalls. Killarney National Park incorporates the lakes as well as Muckross Estate, including Bourn Vincent Memorial Park, presented to the State in 1932 as Ireland’s first National Park.
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Stroller Accessible
- Service Animals Allowed
- Easy Public Transport
- Infants Required On Laps
Good to know
- This tour is ideal for Travelers with very limited time in Killarney.
Traveler reviews
Poor Service in Killarney, Ireland!
Since the tour was cancelled, we were upset. The cancellation was due to only two registrations. We travelled all the way from Canada to experience Ireland and now we have had 2 out of 3 pre booked tours cancelled due to low registrations. This is bad for the reputation of Irish tourism. We would not recommend that Viator continue with these tour companies. We have taken cooking classes in Italy and Laos when we were the only students but they served us anyway. While it may not be financially viable, losing money occasionally is necessary to sustain a good reputation.
Great tour!
Highly recommend. Perfect amount of time. Beautiful sites and Darrin went out of his way to accommodate us. We had a wonderful day. Love the town of Killarney.
bad bus, bad guide
A bus with very tired shock absorbers with a driver/guide who thinks he is doing a rally. Very few stops to enjoy the beautiful landscapes or take pictures. Few comments during the visit. This is well below the other excursions we have made and is especially expensive for the Service rendered.
Worthy half a day tour
Very convenient trip that takes about 4 hours. The vehicle was good and our driver showed us all the key spots. We landed from Dublin around 11 and took this tour at 2pm same day
A Last-Minute Tour That Became the Highlight of Our Trip!
My friend and I booked a last-minute tour when we arrived in Killarney, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of our entire trip! When we showed up at the tour office, we were told we were the only ones booked for that time slot. I jokingly said, “So it’s a private tour then?” and to our surprise, they genuinely did upgrade us to a private tour—no hesitation. Dareen was our driver and guide, but by the end of the tour, he felt more like an old friend showing us around his hometown than someone we’d just met. The original tour included Ross Castle, Torc Waterfall, and Muckross House, but since it was just the two of us, Dareen said we’d likely have some extra time and asked if we’d like to see a few bonus sights. Of course we said yes! At each stop, he gave us a bit of history or interesting info, then offered to take our photo—without us even having to ask. He truly went above and beyond to make sure we had great memories and great pictures to remember them by. At Ross Castle, he waited patiently while we explored, and at Torc Waterfall, he actually hiked up with us, sharing insights about the plant life and how rainfall affects the waterfall. The whole time, we felt so well taken care of and genuinely enjoyed the conversations we had with him—everything from life in Killarney to Irish history and fun local trivia. One of the bonus stops he added was Ladies View, where he explained the story behind the name and how it connects to Muckross House. Again, he came with us to the top and snapped some more pictures for us with the gorgeous view behind us. After we toured Muckross House on our own, Dareen took us to one of his favorite spots on the property—a quiet little beach that’s not on the typical tourist path. There, he shared a bit about Ireland’s golden eagle population and how conservation efforts are underway to reintroduce another eagle species. From the beach, we could even see a tree in the distance where a nest had been spotted. On the drive back, he gave us great suggestions for where to eat, grab a pint, and continue enjoying Killarney. This tour was so much more than we expected. Dareen clearly loves his hometown and takes such pride in sharing it with others. We felt lucky to have had such a personal, meaningful experience. Highly, highly recommend!