Kilkenny Boat Trip
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Kilkenny, Ireland
+16
- 40 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Leave behind the generic walking tours and see Kilkenny like the soldiers and settlers of yore—right from the River Nore. Passing just below landmarks like Kilkenny Castle, your guide will fill you up with local knowledge, from Kilkenny's history to the town’s culture to the area’s wildlife (that you just might spot). It’s an adventure, a photo op, and a learning opportunity all in one.
- Get a guided "walking" tour of Kilkenny—as you relax on the River Nore
- See Kilkenny Castle, St. Canice's Cathedral, and so much more
- Easy meetup with your guide at Canal Square
- Limited to 11 travelers, you'll get a fun, small-group experience
What's Included
- Lifejackets
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- BoatTrips.ie (Kilkenny)Canal Square, John's Bridge, Dukesmeadows, Kilkenny, Ireland
Next to the river beside the hurling statue.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Kilkenny Castle (Pass By)
St. Canice's Cathedral & Round Tower (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- All infants must wear a lifejacket. (Legal requirement)
- A ticket must be booked all infants & those under 1 year old. (Licencing requirement)
- Upon boarding, all passengers will need to sign our Terms & Conditions of participation.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 364 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Susan_C, Aug 2026
Clifford Reid gave us an excellent overview of Kilkenny’s history. He’s a natural storyteller, and his tips on how to best spend our time there were spot on.
Gerald_C, Aug 2026
We really enjoyed our boat trip along the Nore in Kilkenny. Anne-Marie was knowledgeable of history and wildlife, (we saw herons and kingfisher), with a great sense of humour. We would thoroughly recommend an afternoon on the Restless Otter. It was brilliant 🤩 Thank You! Gerry and Sally Chandler, Stoney Stratton, Nr. Glastonbury, Somerset, UK.
James_H, Aug 2026
It was a pleasant easy boat ride in a pretty setting with an informative host. But we only had a half day in KILKENNY and skipped doing other exploring so we could do this. The trade off is probably not worth the time spent instead of visiting more ancient historical locations.
Clare_P, Aug 2026
A very leisurely boat ride up the River Nore. Amusing and historic commentary by our guide who even made time time to take photos of groups featuring the castle in the background.
This is more for those who enjoy some relaxation in the middle of a busy day. Life jackets are provided.
I would recommend.
Ruth_S, Aug 2026
Very pleasant boat trip on a lovely warm evening. Loved the story about Alice and tour guide very funny.
Gillian_T, Aug 2026
Its a really lovely way to get some insight into the history of kilkenny. Lovely lady who provided the tour was so informative. I recommend you take the trip.
LSheryl_G, Jul 2026
Small group boat tour. Leisurely pace on a small stretch of the River Nore. It was a nice, easy introduction to Killarney. Our guide was knowledgeable and engaging. Highly recommended way of spending a little time.
Jayne_W, Jul 2026
Ann Marie was knowledgeable and funny.
She was very kind and provided a pleasant experience. She was awesome, it was a great time
William_B, Jul 2026
Our Captain and guide regaled us a wonderful experience with excellent Kilkenny history and stories. Took the time to take photos of all passengers on the boat with Kilkenny Castke in the background. Beautiful river views on the 45-50 minute outing. Highly recommend!
Arun_S, Jun 2026
The guide was fantastic. He was very nice and accommodating and even let our two children pretend to steer the boat which they loved! He had a great and interesting knowledge of the city and Ireland history and kept the tour fun and engaging. There isn’t much of a river per se to sail around so we ended up just going back and forth along the river but the tour guide made it so that it an enjoyable experience nonetheless.
Michael_H, Jun 2026
The boat trip is less than a mile in total length. The depth of the water versus the height of the walls makes viewing buildings and land marks difficult. Tree limbs obstruct the views of said landmarks. The tour guide was nice and informative. The tour itself was lackluster.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We’re glad to hear you found the guide nice and informative, though we’re sorry the overall trip didn’t fully meet your expectations.
The riverside vegetation is an important part of the River Nore’s natural character and wildlife habitat. It is maintained with a balance in mind — protecting nature while still allowing views of Kilkenny’s landmarks, bridges and riverside buildings. Many guests enjoy how the trees and greenery frame the city from the water, though we appreciate that perspectives can differ.
We’re disappointed that you found the tour lacklustre,as the vast majority of our guests describe the experience very differently, which is reflected in our very high average rating across TripAdvisor and Viator. That said, we appreciate your feedback and will continue working to give every visitor the best possible experience. All the best. Cliff
Beverley_B, May 2026
A boat trip suitable for ages, young to elderly. The guide was very helpful and informative which enhanced the whole experience. The trip was around 40 minutes so not too long. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would recommend.
Denise_M, May 2026
It’s well worth taking this trip . Ann Marie was really friendly and informative. Would definitely recommend it.
Renee_Y, May 2026
It was fun, informative and plenty opertunity for lovely photos. Guide was fun and we enjoyed our time.
Casi_B, May 2026
Lovely little boat ride with some interesting history and stories. Elder did a great job, a lovely way to see the city!
MariaBeatrice_V, May 2026
The boat trip is relaxing and allows to see Kilkenny’s main monuments from a different perspective and away from crowds. Our guide was very kind and helpful and gave us many tips on places to eat and taste bear as well as other attractions.
Christine_R, May 2026
We were exhausted having just landed from the States. This was a lovely and leisurely way to get acquainted with Kilkenny. For those who aren’t sure footed, it’s a little bit of a challenge but worth it. Maryann will get you sorted and keep you engaged with her historical stories. She’s an absolute delight.
Valerie_S, Sep 2025
Elder was a great guide, nice relaxing trip on the river, informative, gave great recommendations as well
Valarie_M, Aug 2025
We enjoyed the view of the castle, birds, and other historic sites. Our tour guide was kind and shared interesting facts and history of the area.
Maire_M, Aug 2025
A safe and fun boat trip for kids especially a chance to steer the boat with the lady who captains the boat expertly and gently, while pointing to historical sites. Some history without heavy detail- great for my 11 year old who loved it. Highlight of our day
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Maire. Delighted to hear you both enjoyed the trip so much. I'll be sure to pass on your kind words to Ann Marie. Many thanks again for both coming out with us and taking the time to leave the review. Much appreciated. Cheers again. Cliff 😃👍
ynsktyz6rw, Aug 2025
Very boring and slow, there is nothing to see from the boat, it's better to walk next to the river. The only nice thing was to see the swans, but you can't get close to them, it was a little far away
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hi ynsktyz6rw,
Unfortunately the boat trip is not for everyone's liking. Hope you enjoyed the rest of your visit to Kilkenny.
All the best
Cliff 👍😃
Liam_K, Aug 2025
Excellent trip , captain has great knowledge of Kilkenny city would highly recommend
Reasonably priced
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Many thanks Liam for both coming out with us and taking the time to leave the review. Its much appreciated. Great to hear you enjoyed the trip. Apologies for the late reply. Many thanks again. Cliff.
Lisa_H, Aug 2025
While the tour guide was nice and attentive, I would have liked more information, history and maybe some stories. I also thought we were going to see more of the river. We barely went far and it was over. He also spent time saying hello to people he knew on shore, which was fine, but it would have been nice to learn more about Kilkenny.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hi Lisa, sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the experience. Our trips are advertised as 40 minutes long, but they're usually out for nearer 50 min. The trip stays within kilkenny city and we talk about the history of the river, castle, bridges and witch trials to name a few. We also cover wildlife and give people an opportunity to just relax with some quiet time. It's hard to get the blend right all the time but we work on it as best we can. Thanks for your feedback. We'll certainly take it into consideration. Many thanks. Cliff 👍😃
Sandra_A, Aug 2025
This is a quick 40 minute tour but the views are beautiful and the stories from our guide, Cliff, were fantastic! I would recommend taking an hour and hopping on Cliff’s boat tour!
Anne_R, Aug 2025
Very knowledgeable and friendly guide! Lovely and interesting boat experience.
A great experience for any visitor and family friendly.
Mairead_N, Jul 2025
Really great guide had great stories throughout the tour and very friendly. I’d recommend this to everyone
Jennifer_M, Jul 2025
We had such a great experience,our guide was a lovely Portuguese man,very nice and had loads of interesting local knowledge,I felt so relaxed and enjoyed every minute,I would definitely recommend,we are irsh from Dublin and I learned so much,so thank you very much
Katie_B, Jul 2025
Guide was very knowledgeable and we learned a ton about Ireland history. The ride was quick but enjoyable.
Lari_A, Jul 2025
It was a short ride in the river with historical facts being shared. The boat is open aired so weather could be an issue.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Hi Lari
Many thanks for coming out with us. I was hoping you could reconsider the 3 star rating. Viator has highlighted this to me as it doesn't consider it a very good rating, requesting me to prioritise a response. While I don't consider it a poor rating myself, I would prefer if it was higher. To address your points, the boat trips are advertised/marketed as being 40 minutes long. However, they are usually closer to 50 minutes. Therefore, customers are aware of it's duration before booking. From experience, we've found that keeping the trips to this length suits most travellers.
We use Open-Boats so the customers not only experience the sights, but also the sounds, smells and touch of the water/environment. All pictures, video and advertising show our boats on the water so customers know what's involved and what to expect prior to booking.
Given this, and the hundreds of very positive reviews illustrated below, I'd be very grateful if you'd reconsider the 3 star/point rating. Many thanks again for coming out with us. Enjoy the rest of your holiday. All the best. Cliff.
neil_b, Jul 2025
Lovely gentle trip. With a great host. Listening to stories about the area. What’s not to like. Brilliant!
From $20.06
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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