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Our Safari starts and finishes in Killarney, shadowed by the MacGillikuddy Reeks and adjacent to the famous Muckross National Park. We head deep into the Iveragh Peninsula along quiet backroads toward the villages of Sneem and Glenbeigh.
On towards Dingle Peninsula, the most westerly point in Europe, sees us cycling along he dramatic Slea Head coast amongst Neolithic ruins with wonderful views out to the Skelling and Blasket Islands. We rest amongst the great array of shops and restaurants that the town of Dingle has to offer. The weary may pause for a well earned pint in the famous Dick Macs pub, which doubles up as a cobbler!
Conor Pass stretches the legs as we take in the stunning vistas of the peninsula from its lofty perch before enjoying the freewheel down to lunch. Our last day's cycle takes us through the Gap of Dunloe and Black Valley, a fitting finish to this dramatic tour, before we end up all too quickly back in Killarney.
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Itineraries
Day 1
Arrival in Killarney
On arrival in Killarney you should make your way to your accommodation. If you have time you could visit nearby Ross Castle a wonderfully restored 16th Century Norman Tower House overlooking Lough Leane. You can even hire a boat from here and row out to a 6th Century monastic site located on one of the nearby islands.
Day 2
Killarney ~ Sneem (47kms)
The tour starts off by following a cycle track into the beautiful grounds of Muckross House which you can visit, as well as a Franciscan Abbey founded in the 15th Century, now in ruins but beautifully situated with a large yew tree rising up through the cloisters. There follows a wonderful cycle between the Killarney lakes before a steady climb follows to your lunch stop at Molls Gap. You are rewarded with delicious food and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Our journey continues to the colourful village of Sneem.
Day 3
Sneem ~ Glenbeigh (51 kms)
Avoiding the main Ring of Kerry road you cycle across the peninsula. Cycling along quiet roads with stunning views, you climb up to the beautiful Gap of Ballaghbearna and descend into a valley with views of Carrauntoohil, Ireland’s highest mountain. After lunch, there is a wonderful cycle to Caragh Lake which you follow to the seaside village of Glenbeigh where you spend the night in a comfortable hotel.
Day 4
Glenbeigh ~ Dingle (47 kms)
You start the day with a short coach trip to Dingle where you are based for two nights. You follow the Slea Head Route around the tip of the Dingle peninsula. This is one of the highlights of the tour with a wide variety of archaeological sites to visit along the route and some of the most breathtaking coastal scenery in the country.
Day 5
Rest day in Dingle
A variety of activities can be organised from the town. You can join an archaeological bus tour of the peninsula or you can swap your bike saddle for a horse saddle and go horse riding. There are boat trips to the largest of the Blasket Islands with its wonderful walking trails. You can also simply potter around the town with its many shops and aquarium.
Day 6
Dingle ~ Killorglin (69 kms)
The morning starts with a long steady climb up to the Conor Pass with views of Mount Brandon and the coastline in the distance. There follows a wonderful descent and then along the coast to the village of Camp for lunch. In the afternoon back into the mountains to traverse the peninsula heading up over one side of the mountains to views of the other side of the peninsula with Dingle Bay and Ireland’s highest mountain range stretching out in front of you, to the final stretch to our night stop in Killorglin.
Day 7
Killorglin ~ Killarney (64 kms)
In the morning you cycle to Kate Kearney’s Cottage where you can stop for a cup of tea. You then enter the final highlight of the tour, the Gap of Dunloe, a place you will never forget. Coming out of the Gap you have an incredible view looking down the Black Valley, heading into a peaceful valley surrounded by green fields full of grazing sheep, to return to Molls Gap and on towards a wonderful freewheel back down to Killarney for a final night on the tour.
7 NIGHT TOUR INCLUDES:
* 7 nights accommodation with breakfast
( mix of small hotels and guesthouses )
* Guide in a support van (on group tour only)
* Transfer from Glenbeigh to Dingle
* Luggage transfer
* Route details and maps
* 24 hour service hotline
* GPS tracks available (on request)
In 2023 Bike Rental is not included in the basic tour price.
All rentals come with a pannier, lock, helmet and repair equipment
n a self guided tour we will organize your bike hire, the accommodation and the luggage transfer. Your route details will be waiting for you in your first night’s accommodation. In the route details you will also find recommendations for lunch stops and places to have dinner. You will set off by yourself and the luggage will be transferred to the next stop by our local taxi transfers. And should there be a day you won’t be able to cycle, it is possible to arrange a lift with the luggage transfer.
You can also contact us in the office (info@cyclingsafaris.com) or on our emergency number if you need assistance.
You can start the cycling tour on any day that suits you.
If you prefer to cycle with a support van and/or guide we are happy to send you a customized quote for this.
On a self guided tour it is possible to add extra days or shorten the trip if you wish to or we can customize the route for you.
Guide in a support van / no cycling guide
We offer set departure dates for group tour bookings. If we reach a minimum of 8 people on the set departure tour date the tour will be run with a guide in a support van.
The guide will meet you each morning to give you a short briefing for the day ahead. Then you can set off in small groups or individually. Each person has their own route details. Your guide will then collect the luggage and deliver the bags to the next night's accommodation before catching up with the group again.
Although the guide will not be cycling with you, he or she will be driving the support van and will make a sweep to ensure that all is well, and offer lifts to those who want a break.
This provides a sense of freedom in that you can travel at your own pace in the security that the guide is there for you in the event that you might need them. The guide will recommend places to eat and try to find out where the best entertainment is each night.
Most importantly, the guide sets the right tone to make you feel welcome to the country and to help you in whatever way possible so that each day you are free to leave your worries behind.
If we don’t reach the minimum of 8 bookings, this tour will go ahead as self guided version with luggage transfers via our local taxi companies. There might be others cycling the same route, but there won’t be a guide in a support van. However, you can always contact us in the office to get assistance and if you need a lift we can organize this for you.
Bike rental is not included in the basic tour price
On this tour you can rent a Hybrid Focus Crater Lake bicycles for our tour.
Bikes come in different sizes and in gents and ladies style frames.
It is very important you give us your height on booking so that we can allocate the correct bike to you.
It is also possible to hire an E-Bike for the tour
Easy E-bikes:
Tektro hydraulic disc brakes
Shift levers: Shimano 7 speed
Rear derailleur: Altus 7 speed
Motor: Bosch Active Line
Battery: Bosch Power Pack Frame Mount 300Wh, 36V
Display: Bosch Purion
Range: up to 148km from Eco mode
There are 3 setting: Eco - Normal - Turbo ( Eco will last long ) 120km
Our normal daily cycling route A to B is between 50-60km
ooking at a scale from 1 - 10 (1 = easiest, 10 = hardest) we are giving this tour 6 points.
This tour offers some of the most dramatic scenery Ireland has to offer. The tour is hilly but all efforts are greatly rewarded with stunning coastal vistas.
Other than young children, whom we discourage from attending, people of all ages and abilities come on the tours, so do not worry if you are not super-fit. You have all day to cover the recommended route, and while Irish roads rarely follow a straight line, there are few really high climbs.
The average daily cycling distance is around 60km.
We offer Garmin files on request, but you need to bring your own device.
We would seriously recommend that you bring padded cycling shorts and / or a gel saddle cover that will definitely make your day’s cycling more comfortable. Cycling gloves are also a good investment. You can also bring your own saddle which we should be able to attach to our bikes.
We provide 40l pannier bags (waterproof) in which you can keep your day-to-day items. Otherwise, you may prefer to use a daypack and there are back carriers on each bike for this purpose.
We do not provide rain gear so be sure to bring your own lightweight waterproofs.
Don’t forget sun cream, sunglasses, sun hat as well as a bathing suit for that refreshing dip in the Atlantic Ocean.
Our rental bikes don’t have lights – no problem on the long summer evenings, but if you are traveling in May or September, please bring your own light or high-visibility vest.
Finally, if you wish to use toe clips please bring your own pedals with toe clips which we can attach to our bikes (the pedals on our bikes do not accommodate toe clips)
You have the option of booking different room types:
Double room = Room with one big bed for two people
Twin room = Room with two single beds for two people
Single room = Room with one single bed
Triple room = Room with one double and one single for three people OR room with three single beds
Family room = Room with one double and two single beds
If the room type you would like to book is not listed on the booking form, you can specify this in the section "other details
On this tour you will be staying in Killarney, Sneem, Glenbeigh and Dingle. Its possible to upgrade accommodation in Killarney, Sneem and Dingle. Please have a look at our accommodation page for our sample accommodation list
To confirm you onto our tour, we require a deposit of 250 euro per person.
After your initial booking request, we will be in touch with payment details.
The remaining balance for the cycling tour will be due 60 days prior tour start
hould you wish to cancel, cancellation charges will be imposed. These are calculated from the day written
notification is received by the company or their agent as a percentage of the total tour price, including
surcharges as follows:
> 60 days before departure – retention of deposit (250 euro per person)
60-14 days before departure – 50%
< 14 days before departure – 100%
To claim the balance back, you need to send the details on to your travel insurance who should reimburse you. Please make sure that your travel insurance covers the costs for unforeseen cancellation before signing up.
My daughter and I really enjoyed a fantastic cycling holiday in Ireland.
We were very impressed by the magnificent landscapes of the Kerry and Dingle peninsula.
We are both medium trained cyclists (we come from a very flat country) and every day trip was just long enough for us to be tired but not broken.
Everything was very well organized. All accommodations were OK. Transport of our luggage perfect. The road map very accurate (We never got lost).
Maybe one suggestion for people that like me are not used to sit all day long on a bike saddle, take a gel filled saddle cover for extra comfort.
Thanks again for a fantastic week we long will remember.
Dirk Kerstens (Ring of Kerry 2018)
I just want to let you know, that we had a brilliant tour. Good bikes, nice accommodations and friendliness all around. You could have supplied a little more sunshine though ;-)
Jette Groth (Ring of Kerry self guided tour, 2017)
I write to say that we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and that we were impressed with the organization, the accommodation and the selected routes that we went along. Very good..
Ross Horwood (Ring of Kerry group tour 2012)
All went so very well!
We were so pleased with your handling of everything!!
Great trip and I would highly recommend Irish Cycling Safaris!
Mary Lynn & John Colin (Ring of Kerry self led 2012)
Our trip was amazing! It was worth the beautiful scenery, sunny days, and challenging biking.
Thank you for making our trip so enjoyable!
Emily Cargill (Ring of Kerry self led 2012)
We really loved the trip - overall everything went great. Bikes were fine. The B&Bs were all excellent, and all of the logistics of the suitcases and taxi were smooth. Co Kerry is just gorgeous and it was a lovely holiday for us.
We'd certainly do another trip with Cycling Safaris.
Heather Marshall (RIng of Kerry self led 2012)
I just wanted to say how pleased we were with the tour. We had an amazing time, it was very well organized, the indications on the maps very clear and the accommodations very comfortable and nice. Thank you so much!
We will certainly repeat that experience again!
Elise Papillon (Ring of Kerry self led 2013)
It is a truly beautiful part of the world! Excellent accommodation/itinerary..
Andy Tucker (Ring of Kerry self led 2014)
Surpassed my expectations – excellent value for money.
Michele Bridges (Ring of Kerry 2015)
Superb organization on tour. Aidan was an exceptional guide, taking good care of us and with good fun. Thank you!
Kylie (Ring of Kerry group 2015)
Go on like this!
Isabelle Belan (Ring of Kerry group 2015)
Just to say thank you for organising such a wonderful trip around Ring of Kerry. Really enjoyed every minute of it, especially the quieter roads around Sneem and Glenbeigh. Would love to do it all again! All in all a fantastic staycation experience! Thank you so much for all the organising and special commendation to whoever researched the wonderful route.
Mairin Ni Urdail (Ring of Kerry short tour 2016)
Our trip around the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Penninsula was excellent! The route each day took us across amazing and challenging terrain. The views were stunning. Every time we arrived at a new B&B after a hard day of riding, our luggage was there waiting for us along with a warm welcome from that night's host. The whole trip was well organized, well planned, and super fun! Cannot recommend Cycling Safaris highly enough.
Sara Cooper (Ring of Kerry self led 2016)
We are home safe and sane; though sad that the great adventure is over. We are enjoying telling stories about our fun froup, our spectacular hilly ride, our wonderful guide, and the warm, friendly Irish people. We miss it already, and our bikes!
Judy Tingle (Ring of Kerry group 2016)
The bikes and accessories were great, the route maps and descriptions were bang on and the accommodations were second to none. We will definitely use Cycling Safaris on future trips and highly recommend your company to others.
Jerry Bella
- € 1095.00 per person sharing off peak
- € 50.00 per person high season supplement July & August
- € 350.00 single occupancy (if traveling with others)
- €235.00 solo traveler / an additional charge if travelling on your own to cover the costs of the transfers
Note bike hire is separated out of the tour price
€125.00 24 speed touring bike with water bottle cage, lock, helmet and a small pannier bag
€280.00 Electric - bike
How to get to Killarney:
It is possible to fly to either, Kerry Airport, Cork Airport, Dublin Airport or Shannon Airport.
From Kerry Airport
Outside the main terminal is a Bus Terminus with services available directly from Kerry Airport to Tralee, Killarney and Limerick linking into the Bus Eireann network. Tickets for all bus services may be purchased on-board the bus.
You can visit the main BusEireann website for full timetables
From Cork Airport
From Cork Airport, you can take the 226 to Parnell Place Bus Station, the main bus station for Cork city.
From here you can take a bus to Killarney, you can visit the Bus Eireann website for more details
You can also take a train from Cork city to Killarney, timetable and details are on the Irish Rail website
From Shannon Airport:
First you need to take a bus to Limerick city, and there you will transfer to another bus to Killarney town
Check BusEireannor GetThere.ie for bus timetables
You can also take a train from Limerick city to Killarney, but the train time on this route is not always quicker!
All details are on the IrishRail website
From Dublin Airport:
There are Bus services direct from Dublin Airport to Killarney town. Check BusEireann for more information
Alternatively take the Airlink shuttle service into Dublin city and transfer to get train to Killarney.
( Take note that the airlink bus requires exact change and the cost for a single ticket into the city centre is currently €6 )
The train to Killarney from Dublin takes approx 4 hours. Details on IrishRail )
As always please contact us in the office for more information (info@cyclingsafaris.com).
KILLARNEY
We use a variety of B&Bs just outside the centre of the town away from the hustle and bustle. They are family run and give insight to Irish hospitality with a warm welcoming feel you can be assured of a good nights sleep.
Castlelodge on the Muckross Road is one we use. It is very well located, close to the town centre as well as the National Park and Ross Castle, images are left and right
SNEEM
The Coomassig View B&B we use is set just outside the village and it is one of the finest in all of Kerry. Family run and with a nice view of the mountains it’s a very pleasant place to spend a night.
DINGLE
Lante Townhouse right in the heart of the town this warm and welcoming townhouse with a relaxed atmosphere is a ideal place to start to discover Dingle
Devanes B&B just out side the town this family run B&B is an insight to the Irish homestead and famous Irish hospitality
GLENBEIGH
Towers Hotel The towers hotel in Glenbeigh is one of a kind built in 1895 in the late Victorian style. Set in the heart of the village the hotel offers an insight to the Victorian style travel with all the benefits of mode living.
KILLORGLIN
Rivers Edge Staying at the Rivers edge B&B in the heart of the town on the banks of the river Laune. With fantastic views and close to all the restaurants and pubs makes this a perfect place to start your visit to Killorglin.