From Dublin: Glendalough & Wicklow Mountains Morning Tour

About This Tour

The morning departure is the smart choice for Glendalough. You arrive before the afternoon tour buses, which means quieter paths, better photo opportunities, and a more peaceful experience of a place that deserves to be appreciated without crowds. This five-hour tour leaves Dublin and heads straight into County Wicklow, with the guide providing commentary on the landscape, history, and film connections along the way.

The Wicklow Mountains are known as the Garden of Ireland, and you will quickly see why. The terrain shifts from city to rolling farmland to wild mountain bog within the first hour. The route passes through landscapes used as filming locations for Braveheart and P.S. I Love You, and the guide will point out exactly which valleys and hillsides made it onto screen.

Glendalough is the centrepiece of the trip. This glacial valley holds two lakes, the ruins of a 6th-century monastic settlement founded by Saint Kevin, and some of the most beautiful walking paths in Wicklow. The round tower stands almost perfectly intact, Celtic crosses dot the old graveyard, and the path along the lower lake leads to the quieter upper lake surrounded by oak woodland and steep valley sides. You get around 90 minutes of free time here. The return route crosses the Sally Gap, one of the highest mountain roads in Wicklow, where the views of blanket bog and distant peaks are spectacular.

What’s Included

• Return coach transport from Dublin city centre
• Guide with live commentary on board
• Morning or afternoon departure option
• Scenic driving route through the Wicklow Mountains

What’s Not Included

• Food and beverages
• Glendalough Visitor Centre admission (optional, small fee)
• Personal expenses

Good to Know

• Morning tours return by lunchtime, leaving the rest of your day free in Dublin
• Wear sturdy footwear - the paths at Glendalough can be wet and uneven
• Bring a rain jacket and layers as mountain weather is unpredictable
• The walk to the Upper Lake adds roughly 30 minutes each way
• This is the same route as the afternoon tour but with earlier departure times