Best of the Dingle Way

Tour Type:

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

Activity Level & Terrain

We have created this itinerary to create the perfect balance of hiking and sightseeing. While the walks are less challenging that if you were to walk the whole of the Dingle Way, they still offer magnificent views and you will really get a feel for this stunning area of Ireland.

This itinerary is rated easy to moderate. On most days you will be walking on good terrain which may include forest tracks, board walks, beaches and on back country roads. The route is undulating and the most challenging day is the walk from Slea Head to Dingle when you have an elevation gain of 1200 ft. The other day’s elevation gains are anywhere between 170 ft and 550 ft

This trail uses a variety of walking surfaces ranging from dirt trails, country roads and sandy beaches. We have tried to avoid road walking as much as possible, however some of the walks do have occasional walking on paved roads. The most road walking occurs between Tralee and Dingle, so we have avoided most of this on this “best of” itinerary. Walking on minor roads reflects the fact that public “rights of way” are almost non-existent in Ireland, and this in common with other Irish trails. The road walking is scenic and mostly along quiet lanes, however there are from time to time some busier stretches where you will need to be cautious with traffic.  

Navigation

This route is quite well way-marked and much of it does follows a path and therefore navigation is quite straightforward. On this tour you can navigate using the Macs Adventure Navigation Smartphone App, so you can simply download the GPX tracks for offline use and follow the route with your phone with the assurance that you will not get lost.

• Overnights in hand-picked hotels
• Breakfasts
• Luggage transfers
• Transfers to walks as listed in the itinerary
• Transfers to and from Kerry Airport or Tralee bus/train station
• A detailed Trip Information Pack
• Access to Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
• 24/7 telephone support from our UK office

• Travel insurance (required)
• Travel to and from Kerry Airport/Tralee
• Lunches, dinners, snacks, and drinks
• Ferry crossing or boat tours to the Blasket Islands

• Extra nights

When To Go

This walking tour is best enjoyed between May and September. In our opinion, one of the best times to visit this region is in spring when colourful wildflowers are in bloom and the beaches look incredible at this time of year. July and August are the busiest months and accommodations tend to fill up fast, but you can appreciate long hours of daylight. For a quieter experience, September is an ideal month, and it has the advantage of the crowds beginning to thin.

Weather and Climate

Irish weather is typically unpredictable year-round so be prepared for any conditions and you will be pleasantly surprised. No matter what month you choose to travel, being near the coast means it can get wet and windy at any time of year. It is important that you check the local weather forecast before setting off each day.

Getting to the Start

You can fly into either Dublin Airport or Shannon Airport from the US. We recommend flying into Dublin as you can easily get a connecting flight to Kerry Airport on Aer Lingus. You can fly directly to Kerry Airport from the UK.

From Kerry Airport a private transfer is included to your first accommodation in Tralee. You can also take a bus or train to Tralee from the center of Dublin. We can also offer a transfer from Tralee bus or train station to your accommodation in Tralee. From Shannon Airport you can take a bus (approx. duration: 2h 50m - 3h 15m via Cork) to Tralee.

For more travel information regarding trains and other public transportation options please check the Transport for Ireland website.

You can also get to Tralee from Dublin by bus or train. A great website for checking out your travel options is rome2rio. This website gives you different ideas and you can choose which option works best for you and your travel plans.

Getting from the End

For your convenience we have arranged another transfer from your last hotel to Kerry Airport or to Tralee bus or train station.

Luggage Transfer

Daily door-to-door luggage transfers are included in the price of your trip, allowing you to set off on each walk carrying a light backpack. 

At Macs Adventure we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Ninety-nine percent of the time they will only transfer one bag per person, but the allowed weight ranges from anything between 15 and 20kg per bag, depending on the tour you are taking. We do not have control over the limits that these providers set. Therefore, it is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags (including shopping bags or boots) and if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees) which we must respect.

On this trip, we ask you to keep your luggage to a maximum weight of 15 kilograms per item. Although most airlines have a standard baggage allowance of 23kg, we kindly ask you to distribute any excess weight over a separate bag. Please note that 2 bags per person are allowed, meaning 4 bags per couple.

General Information

The distances and descents / ascents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necesssary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/ cycling gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance helps protect your travel investment, your belongings and most importantly you, from unforeseen circumstances that may arise before or during your trip. For more information, please visit our travel insurance page.