Day trip · County Wicklow
The best Glendalough tours from Dublin
The monastic site and lakes, Sally Gap and Lough Tay, Powerscourt Gardens and Waterfall, and sheepdog shows: here is which Glendalough tour to book, with honest advice on entry fees you pay on the day, what happens if the tour is cancelled, and getting there by bus in winter.
See our 8 picks
Glendalough is an easy day trip from Dublin: full-day tours with the Wicklow Mountains start from €38, and a half-day tour from €33. On your own, St Kevin’s Bus leaves St Stephen’s Green North, and a return costs €23. Its current winter timetable shows only two departures from Dublin, so check the live timetable.
Our 8 picks for Glendalough
Five full days, two with Kilkenny, one half day and one private half day. All eight stop at Glendalough.
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from €45 per person Our top pick 9 hours 4.7 (9,644) reviews on GetYourGuide
Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough and Kilkenny
Guides walk you round Glendalough and then Kilkenny, with free time for lunch there. Entry to Kilkenny Castle is extra. You meet at the Gresham hotel on O’Connell Street. For more time in Kilkenny, see our Kilkenny day trip from Dublin.
Best for Visitors who want Glendalough and Kilkenny in one day
Check availability: Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough and Kilkenny on GetYourGuide -
from €38 per person 10 h 30 min 4.8 (4,069) reviews on GetYourGuide
Kilkenny, Wicklow and Glendalough with a sheepdog show
Entry to the Glendalough monastic site is included. You watch a sheepdog show and stop at Wicklow Gap for photos. Then you get free time in Kilkenny. Kilkenny Castle entry is extra.
Best for Anyone watching the price
Check availability: Kilkenny, Wicklow and Glendalough with a sheepdog show on GetYourGuide -
from €55 per person 8 h 30 min 4.8 (1,844) reviews on GetYourGuide
Wild Wicklow: Sally Gap, Lough Tay and Glendalough
A smaller coach takes the mountain roads to Lough Tay and Sally Gap, then Glendalough. Pickup is from points near hotels in north and south Dublin. You get a taste of Glendalough whiskey. It is a sightseeing tour, not a hike.
Best for Visitors who want the mountain roads and pickup
Check availability: Wild Wicklow: Sally Gap, Lough Tay and Glendalough on GetYourGuide -
from €65 per person 8 hours 4.6 (776) reviews on GetYourGuide
Wicklow, Powerscourt and Glendalough
The day visits Powerscourt House and Gardens, where you pay €10 on entry. You stop for lunch in Enniskerry village and drive past Sally Gap and Lough Tay. A driver-guide shows you round Glendalough. You meet at the Molly Malone statue.
Best for Garden lovers
Check availability: Wicklow, Powerscourt and Glendalough on GetYourGuide -
from €45 per person 7 hours 4.6 (581) reviews on GetYourGuide
Wicklow, Glendalough, waterfall and sheepdog show
Entry to Powerscourt Waterfall is included, with a sheepdog show and a stop at Glendalough. The listing warns that much of the day is driving. You meet at the Molly Malone statue.
Best for Visitors who want the waterfall
Check availability: Wicklow, Glendalough, waterfall and sheepdog show on GetYourGuide -
from €33 per person 5 hours 4.2 (3,022) reviews on GetYourGuide
Glendalough and Wicklow half day
A 5-hour trip with a late start and an early return, so you are back for the evening. It has a local guide and an air-conditioned coach. It has the lowest rating of our picks.
Best for Visitors with only a morning or afternoon
Check availability: Glendalough and Wicklow half day on GetYourGuide -
from €40 per person 10 h 30 min 4.3 (125) reviews on GetYourGuide
Wicklow, Kilkenny and Glendalough with free walks
You get optional free walking tours in both Glendalough and Kilkenny. The day runs 10.5 hours. The meeting point depends on the option you pick.
Best for Visitors who want guided walks in both places
Check availability: Wicklow, Kilkenny and Glendalough with free walks on GetYourGuide -
from €450 per group up to 3 5 hours New, no reviews yet
Private Glendalough and Wicklow half day
A private 5-hour tour with hotel pickup in Dublin city. You get time at Glendalough and at Powerscourt Estate. Powerscourt entry and lunch are extra. New: no rating yet.
Best for Couples and small groups who want a private car
Check availability: Private Glendalough and Wicklow half day on GetYourGuide
Glendalough tours compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Pickup | Free cancellation | Entry fees | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough and Kilkenny | €45 per person | 9 hours | Meeting point | Yes | Kilkenny Castle extra | Visitors who want Glendalough and Kilkenny in one day | The most-booked Glendalough tour, with over 9,600 reviews. |
| Kilkenny, Wicklow and Glendalough with a sheepdog show | €38 per person | 10 h 30 min | Meeting point | Yes | Glendalough included; Kilkenny Castle extra | Anyone watching the price | The lowest price for a full day here. |
| Wild Wicklow: Sally Gap, Lough Tay and Glendalough | €55 per person | 8 h 30 min | Pickup included | No | Entrance fees included | Visitors who want the mountain roads and pickup | The best pick for Sally Gap and Lough Tay, with pickup near your hotel. |
| Wicklow, Powerscourt and Glendalough | €65 per person | 8 hours | Meeting point | Yes | Powerscourt €10, paid on entry | Garden lovers | The full-day pick with Powerscourt Gardens and Glendalough. |
| Wicklow, Glendalough, waterfall and sheepdog show | €45 per person | 7 hours | Meeting point | Yes | Powerscourt Waterfall included | Visitors who want the waterfall | The one pick with Powerscourt Waterfall entry included. |
| Glendalough and Wicklow half day | €33 per person | 5 hours | Meeting point | Yes | Not stated | Visitors with only a morning or afternoon | The only half day on a shared coach, and the lowest price. |
| Wicklow, Kilkenny and Glendalough with free walks | €40 per person | 10 h 30 min | Meeting point | Yes | Not stated | Visitors who want guided walks in both places | A low-price day with walks in both places. |
| Private Glendalough and Wicklow half day | €450 per group up to 3 | 5 hours | Pickup included | Yes | Powerscourt entry extra | Couples and small groups who want a private car | The only private option, priced per group. |
Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough and Kilkenny
€45 per person9 hours 4.7 (9,644)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Entry fees
- Kilkenny Castle extra
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want Glendalough and Kilkenny in one day
- Why we picked it
- The most-booked Glendalough tour, with over 9,600 reviews.
Kilkenny, Wicklow and Glendalough with a sheepdog show
€38 per person10 h 30 min 4.8 (4,069)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Entry fees
- Glendalough included; Kilkenny Castle extra
- Who it suits
- Anyone watching the price
- Why we picked it
- The lowest price for a full day here.
Wild Wicklow: Sally Gap, Lough Tay and Glendalough
€55 per person8 h 30 min 4.8 (1,844)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Free cancellation
- No
- Entry fees
- Entrance fees included
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want the mountain roads and pickup
- Why we picked it
- The best pick for Sally Gap and Lough Tay, with pickup near your hotel.
Wicklow, Powerscourt and Glendalough
€65 per person8 hours 4.6 (776)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Entry fees
- Powerscourt €10, paid on entry
- Who it suits
- Garden lovers
- Why we picked it
- The full-day pick with Powerscourt Gardens and Glendalough.
Wicklow, Glendalough, waterfall and sheepdog show
€45 per person7 hours 4.6 (581)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Entry fees
- Powerscourt Waterfall included
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want the waterfall
- Why we picked it
- The one pick with Powerscourt Waterfall entry included.
Glendalough and Wicklow half day
€33 per person5 hours 4.2 (3,022)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Entry fees
- Not stated
- Who it suits
- Visitors with only a morning or afternoon
- Why we picked it
- The only half day on a shared coach, and the lowest price.
Wicklow, Kilkenny and Glendalough with free walks
€40 per person10 h 30 min 4.3 (125)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Entry fees
- Not stated
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want guided walks in both places
- Why we picked it
- A low-price day with walks in both places.
Private Glendalough and Wicklow half day
€450 per group up to 35 hoursNew, no reviews yet
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Entry fees
- Powerscourt entry extra
- Who it suits
- Couples and small groups who want a private car
- Why we picked it
- The only private option, priced per group.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are “from” prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Wicklow Mountains tours: Sally Gap and Lough Tay
Two picks drive over Sally Gap and past Lough Tay: the Wild Wicklow tour and the Powerscourt tour. The others cross the mountains by other roads; one makes a photo stop at Wicklow Gap.
From 1 November to 4 April, the Wild Wicklow tour runs a shorter winter route. It is back in Dublin at about 4 to 4:30 p.m. The stops can change with the weather.
Our guide to one day tours from Dublin, Ireland has more trips.
Powerscourt Waterfall and Gardens on a tour
Only one pick includes entry to Powerscourt Waterfall. Its listing calls it Ireland’s highest waterfall. That tour also has a sheepdog show and a stop at Glendalough.
Powerscourt Estate and gardens
Two other picks stop at Powerscourt Estate. On the Powerscourt tour, you pay €10 at the gate for the house and gardens. On the private half day, you get time at the estate, but entry is extra.
Glendalough by bus: St Kevin’s
The Dublin to Glendalough bus is St Kevin’s Bus. It leaves from St Stephen’s Green North and runs all year except Christmas Day. An adult return costs €23, and a single €14. You can pay on the bus by card, cash or Leap card, but not with a Leap Visitor Card.
The current winter timetable shows Dublin departures at 11:00 and 18:00. The 11:00 bus reaches Glendalough at about 12:05 to 12:20. More buses run in summer, so check the live timetable for your date.
St Kevin’s also stops in Bray. See things to do in Bray if you want to break the trip there.
The bus runs twice a day in winter; with a car you set your own hours.
Visiting Glendalough: hours and fees
The Glendalough Visitor Centre is open all year, except 23 to 29 December. From mid-March to 14 October it opens 09:30 to 18:00. From 15 October to mid-March it opens 09:30 to 17:00. The monastic site and the trails are outdoors.
- Adult
- €5
- Senior or group
- €4
- Child or student
- €3
- Family
- €13
If you pay to park at the Visitor Centre car park, you get one free admission.
Tips before you book a Glendalough tour
Check what entry costs extra
Look at each tour’s "not included" list. Kilkenny Castle is extra on the Kilkenny combos. Powerscourt Gardens cost €10 on entry on one tour.
If a tour is cancelled
In winter, the Wild Wicklow tour needs a minimum number of people. If it cannot run, you are offered a new date or a full refund. If an operator cancels for weather, GetYourGuide refunds you.
Check the cancellation cut-off
All eight picks show free cancellation on GetYourGuide. Check the exact cut-off on the listing before you book.
Dress for rain
Glendalough is outdoors. Several listings ask you to bring rain gear and comfortable shoes.
Glendalough day trips: questions and answers
How do I get to Glendalough from Dublin?
How long does it take to get to Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains?
Which Glendalough tours stop at Powerscourt Waterfall?
Do I pay entry fees on top of the tour price?
More Glendalough tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideMore day trips from Dublin
Sources (4), facts checked on 25 October 2026
Written by the Things to Do in Dublin editorial team.