Wild Wicklow Tour: Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough & Guinness Lake
Recommended by 96% of travelers
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Dublin, Ireland
- 7 to 9 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Soak up the majesty and myths of Ireland’s County Wicklow on this full-day tour from Dublin. Aboard a comfortable, smaller coach, journey beyond the main roads to explore secluded valleys, cultural gems, and viewpoints of Wicklow Mountains National Park. Look forward to exploring Glendalough valley, admiring the region's lakes, discovering the Sally Gap, and more, all in one time-saving trip.
- This tour makes exploring beyond Dublin city limits totally seamless
- Discover some of Ireland's wildest scenery in pretty County Wicklow
- Shop for Irish crafts at Avoca Handweavers and walk up Killiney Hill
- Visit an Irish pub for lunch (own expense), and try local whiskey
What's Included
- Professional Wild Wicklow Guide
- By small coach you'll journey far beyond the main roads, to the most awe-inspiring viewpoints
- Complimentary taste of Glendalough Irish Whiskey
- The Wicklow Mountains tour that visits Sally Gap and Lough Tay (Guinness Lake)
- Free time to explore Glendalough and the Valley of the Two Lakes
- LunchLunch not included, but options from Pub Lunch, to a Deli Sandwich available at the village lunch stop
- Hiking – This is a sightseeing tour and is not designed for those seeking a hiking experience
- Gratuities (optional)
Meeting and Pickup
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Itinerary
In the morning, meet your guide and coach at one of the central Dublin pickup locations. Grab a comfortable seat and enjoy the drive out of the city, passing sights not commonly seen by tourists. Then cut away from the city and take in rocky coastal scenery as you head into the Wicklow Mountains.
Your first stop brings you to Avoca Handweavers, Kilmacanogue. Enjoy a dose of traditional Irish culture, shop for fine handmade goods and have a rich cup of tea (own expense). Then re-board the coach and head into the Wicklow Mountains National Park and Sally Gap. View the park’s upper slopes, blanketed in heath and bog before stopping at Lough Tay ("The Guinness Lake") a true wonder and film location for "Braveheart."
Afterward, visit a traditional Irish pub for lunch (own expense). Relax, savor Irish home cooking, and sip on at a creamy Guinness before heading to your final stop on the tour: the glacial valley of Glendalough.
Throughout history, visitors have come to "the valley of the two lakes" for its mystical history, archaeology, and unique wildlife. The monastic city of Glendalough, founded in the 6th century by St. Kevin, was once an active locale featuring areas for manuscript writing and copying, an infirmary, guest houses, and a monastery. Now it offers guests a peek into Ireland’s rich cultural history. Enjoy a guided tour of its many historic sights, including the Round Tower, and have some free time to explore on your own.
After a full day out, board the comfortable coach and enjoy a free taster of local whiskey before starting back on the return trip to Dublin.
Your first stop brings you to Avoca Handweavers, Kilmacanogue. Enjoy a dose of traditional Irish culture, shop for fine handmade goods and have a rich cup of tea (own expense). Then re-board the coach and head into the Wicklow Mountains National Park and Sally Gap. View the park’s upper slopes, blanketed in heath and bog before stopping at Lough Tay ("The Guinness Lake") a true wonder and film location for "Braveheart."
Afterward, visit a traditional Irish pub for lunch (own expense). Relax, savor Irish home cooking, and sip on at a creamy Guinness before heading to your final stop on the tour: the glacial valley of Glendalough.
Throughout history, visitors have come to "the valley of the two lakes" for its mystical history, archaeology, and unique wildlife. The monastic city of Glendalough, founded in the 6th century by St. Kevin, was once an active locale featuring areas for manuscript writing and copying, an infirmary, guest houses, and a monastery. Now it offers guests a peek into Ireland’s rich cultural history. Enjoy a guided tour of its many historic sights, including the Round Tower, and have some free time to explore on your own.
After a full day out, board the comfortable coach and enjoy a free taster of local whiskey before starting back on the return trip to Dublin.
1
Killiney Hill
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Avoca Kilmacanoge
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Saint Kevins - Catholic Church Glencree (Pass By)
3
Sally Gap
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Lynhams of Laragh
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
5
Glendalough Monastic Settlement
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Sugarloaf Drive (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Minimum age is 5 years (this tour is not suitable for infants)
- Minimum numbers apply in winter months. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there is not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 37 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Simply awesome! John was our tour guide and was energetic, friendly, and knowledgeable about the tour he gave. It made each destination on the trip feel meaningful but also fun. Wicklow and Glendalough are also stunning to see in person. You’ll be granted with lifetime memories from this excursion!
We absolutely recommend this trip, you won’t regret it!
Reviews
4.8
based on 3,625 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
What an incredible tour! Ashley, our tour guide was absolutely fantastic! Extremely knowledgable in Ireland’s rich history and landscape. He even played his harmonica, guitar and sang!! Make sure to wear good walking shoes! Cheers from Canada! THANK YOU🍁
I should have asked about the gradient of the viewpoint of Dublin activity and the distance involved in the 2 lakes activity . I could not complete either. Several customers arrived late. The trip was late back as we were delayed due to a coach crashing and becoming stuck on one of the bridges. I was late for a dinner reservation. There was a Cannonball rally taking place in the Wicklow mountains so the driver had to keep stopping to let them past- 200 in total it was said. It was fun for those interested in fast cars but did lessen the time we had at viewpoints etc. The lunch stop was excellent with friendly staff and very good food. The driver was kind and witty and took all the problems in his stride. I am almost glad the first trip I booked was cancelled as one was enough. I will advise anyone with mobility issues to research thoroughly regarding accessibility.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the lunch stop and appreciated the guide’s handling of a particularly challenging day. Unfortunately, the coach incident and Cannonball traffic were completely outside our control and caused unavoidable delays. Your comments regarding walking distances and gradients are helpful, and we’ll review how we can make this information clearer for guests with mobility concerns.
Gregory is a great guide. He is knowledgeable, funny and informative. He is passionate and loves his job. The tour was well paced and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We highly recommend it!
Jim was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable about the area.
My only concerns was the directions to
The pick up location at the Grand Canal Hotel if you print the directions it tells you to meet across street but the on line directions tell you in front of the hotel do it was a bit confusing
Best excursion of our trip! Jim is a fantastic guide and the Wicklow Mountains are gorgeous. Wear good walking shoes.
Top notch! Amazing time. Patrick, our driver is warm, friendly and has a wealth of knowledge and history. He’s the BEST!!! You’ll have a great time and would highly recommend to anyone..
The Wicklow Mountains are filled with stunning views! The colors of purple and yellow flowers were bursting out of the bogs! We were fortunate to be there in August to catch them in bloom! This was a great tour if you are up for an easy walk for a mile or two at Glendalough. Thankfully we were on a smaller coach, because the roads were very narrow. We sat in the last row, which was a bit bumpy at times, but Ashley, our tour guide, was fun. He even broke out his guitar and harmonica at one of the stops and sang us a few songs. We took some of the best pictures of the trip on this tour!
It was educational and fun. Had time to urself u didn't have to go on walking tour if you didn't choose to
Excellent tour. The Wicklow Mountains were just beautiful, stunning with heather, bracken and gorse. Jim, our driver and guide, was terrific and his love of Co Wicklow shone through.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thanks a million, Vicki! Delighted you enjoyed the beauty of the Wicklow Mountains, especially with the heather, bracken and gorse in colour
Lots of beautiful photos and a knowledgeable tour guide. The places we went were beautiful, lunch was delicious, and the bus was comfortable.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Great to hear your guide’s knowledge helped make the day even better.
Fantastic tour with plenty of diversity. Lots of stops and chances to walk or use toilets. Ashley was the best tour guide I’ve ever had. So caring and passionate.
We had a fantastic day on the Original Award Winning Wild Wicklow Tour. The scenery was breathtaking, and Glendalough was a true highlight with its stunning lakes and ancient ruins. Our guide, Patrick, was excellent, bringing the history and landscape to life with his knowledge and humour. The traditional whiskey toast at the end of the day was the perfect finishing touch. Highly recommended! 🍀🥃
My wife and I only had two nights and less than three days in Dublin, so we wanted a memorable day-trip, knowing we would have enough time with the remainder to get a good taste of Dublin.
We saw several day trips that looked similar and decided on this one (the word "wild" in the title might have swayed us slightly). The price seemed quite excellent considering it was a full-day trip!
The itinerary was full but not cramped. There was adequate time to rest in between bits of exertion. Our guide Jim was outstanding: just a relaxed gentleman from Wicklow who was quite happy to talk knowledgeably about the sites we were visiting. He had a nice sense of humor and a good way with people young and old.
The stops on the trip were great. I did think that the advertised "Avoca Handweavers" and the opportunity to buy "fine handmade goods" was going to be a bit like a country village instead of an upscale store, but the coffee there was good and it was appropriate to take a bathroom break at this point. So I still liked that stop. I just expected it was going to be more of a cultural experience.
The stops for scenic overlooks were perfect, and we had plenty of time at each for photos. Jim knew when to hurry us along, as he wanted us to have more time at Glendalough. Learning about the bogs was absolutely and surprisingly fascinating!
The lunch stop was outstanding. I really enjoyed my beef and Guinness stew with a nicely-poured pint to wash it down.
The stop at the monastic settlement was a definite highlight. The only thing I might have changed the whole day was to do without the walk along the lake to the further parking lot. It was nice to stretch our legs, but I've seen plenty of lakes before so it was nothing really special. I would have more enjoyed more time at the settlement or at one of the earlier stops/viewpoints.
All in all it was a grand day and it makes me want to do things like this more, wherever I find myself!
Our driver Patrick was a great tour guide. He kept us informed of the stops and the historic significance of each one. We learned a lot about the area along with a little anecdotal commentary. We felt like family on his bus.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks a million for the lovely review! Patrick will be delighted to hear you felt so welcome on board.
The tour is incredible. There are good pick-up and drop off points which you can choose from and the itinerary was well thought out with good amounts of time in each place. Patrick was very knowledgeable and we even made a couple of spontaneous stops which was very nice. Before the tour, we were well informed about what to expect which made us feel very prepared. Wicklow county and Glendalough were beautiful and definitely worth seeing if you're in the Dublin area for the day tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Patrick will be delighted to know his knowledge — and the occasional spontaneous stop — added to the experience. Really glad you enjoyed discovering Wicklow and Glendalough with us!
The tour was amazing and Patrick is outstanding. He is very knowledgeable, kind, and truly looks to ensure everyone has a wonderful experience.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Patrick will be delighted to hear your kind words. It’s great to know his knowledge and care helped make the day such an enjoyable one.
Great tour. Beautiful scenery. Jim was our guide. He was very knowledgeable. Highly recommend if you want to see the countryside.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks a million for the lovely review, Jeff! Great to hear you enjoyed the scenery and your day in the countryside.
Absolute best way to to see the sights. Easy pickup, great guide, they took care of all the details.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks a million for the great review, Joe! Delighted to hear everything felt easy and hassle-free from start to finish.
They did a very good job and it is really very good how they take you to so many places plus our tour guide was very knowledgeable. I’m giving 4 stars only because of personal preference (I would have liked a bit more of walking/hike). But if you’re happy with being more on the bus and sightseeing then is perfect!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We're delighted you enjoyed the variety of places visited and the guide's knowledge. We appreciate your comments about the walking time too. The tour is designed as a sightseeing experience with scenic stops rather than a hiking tour, but we understand that some guests would prefer more time on the trails. Thanks again for sharing your experience!
Great tour of the Wicklow mountains conducted by the very knowledgeable & entertaining Ash. Lots of history and even a mid-tour taste of the local whiskey. Highly recommend this full day tour out of Dublin.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Ash will be delighted to know his stories and good humour made the day so enjoyable. And a little Glendalough whiskey along the way never hurts!
Excellent experience and Patrick was an amazing guide.
Worth the time and effort to see Wicklow and Glendalough.
Simply beautiful and fun. What a great person Patrick is and just kept us smiling or laughing, the best guide ever. Truly an amazing tour and you will be left speechless and peaceful after these areas so please go.
Our driver/guide, Jim, was very personable and interacting with him kept my rating at 4 stars. The tour as a whole seemed rushed and that may be due to stops & drive throughs I had not expected. I would have preferred additional time at Glendalough.
Super trip with Jim, who was helpful and courteous and we were well looked after. Jim was extremely informative. Would highly recommend.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thanks a million for the kind words, Philip! Great to hear you felt well looked after. Jim will be delighted with your comments. Glad you enjoyed the day.
Ashley was awesome! Very knowledgeable and kind! The best tour guide I’ve had.
Thanks
Was fun and unique
Due to personal interests, the mountains and walk between the lakes didn’t give myself the feel and culture I was seeking in Ireland though. Not Ashley’s fault -he made it better
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thanks so much for sharing this! Lovely to hear Ashley made such a strong impression — he’ll be delighted. And we really appreciate your honest note too; everyone looks for something a bit different from their time in Ireland. Glad he was able to make the day enjoyable all the same.
A memorable day with John our bus driver and tour guide
Breathtaking views of the Wicklows and the upper lake in Glendalough. The walk through the Monastery was be try informative. Many thanks John for the entertaining and informative day!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thanks a million for the lovely message! Great to hear you enjoyed the views around Wicklow and Glendalough. John will be delighted to know his mix of stories and good humour made the day even better.
We very much enjoyed the tour. Patrick was our driver and he made the trip so enjoyable. He shared a lot of great information throughout the trip and since it was raining, he offered alternatives to minimize being out in the elements.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Tracey, thanks a million for the lovely feedback! Great to hear you enjoyed the day despite the rain. Patrick will be delighted to know his flexibility helped keep things comfortable.
Simply awesome! John was our tour guide and was energetic, friendly, and knowledgeable about the tour he gave. It made each destination on the trip feel meaningful but also fun. Wicklow and Glendalough are also stunning to see in person. You’ll be granted with lifetime memories from this excursion!
We absolutely recommend this trip, you won’t regret it!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thanks a million for the great review, Christopher! Love the “simply awesome” heading! John will be chuffed to hear his energy and stories made the day feel both fun and meaningful. Wicklow and Glendalough tend to do the rest alright and I'm really glad the day left such lasting memories for you.
During the tour we stopped at multiple places, including the Killiney Park, Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough.
All places were extremely beautiful, therefore Patrick, the guide, did an amazing job explaining the history of each place and entertaining us along the road.
I had an excellent experience and I recommend it for everyone willing to explore Ireland beyond Dublin.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thanks for sharing this, Paulo! Delighted you enjoyed the mix of stops and scenery. Patrick will be glad to hear his stories and road-trip chatter added to the experience.
Our guide, Patrick, was a wealth of knowledge and clearly cared about giving his tour group the best possible experience.
The weather was not favourable due to the 45 degree rain in the mountains but Patrick made sure we got the full experience by adapting the timings. A great guide 😊
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thanks for the lovely feedback! Patrick will be so glad to hear his care and flexibility stood out, especially with that tough mountain weather. Delighted the day still felt like a full experience
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