Twelve Bens · Killary · Kylemore · Gaeltacht coast

Connemara Tours

Day tours, private cars, guided hikes and longer trips from Galway and Dublin

Connemara tours take you west from Galway to Kylemore Abbey, the Diamond Hill trails in the national park and the fjord at Killary Harbour. Every card shows where the day's long stop falls and whether a ticket is in the fare, so you pick the Connemara tour from Galway or Dublin that suits you.

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Every shared day tour from Galway refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead, so you can book now and decide later.

2,000 haNational park, free to enter

725 mBenbaun, Galway's highest peak

From $51A seat on a coach from Galway

Hours, prices and access verified by the Connemara Tours team — last checked 2026-09-18.

Connemara Tours › Tours & Tickets 2026 Updated: 2026-09-18

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Top Connemara Tours for 2026

The best Connemara tour is the one whose long stop matches your day: Kylemore, the park trails or your own car. Pick yours from these three.

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Connemara Day Trip Including Leenane Village and Kylemore Abbey from Galway

★★★★★ 4.8 (1,258 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes)

Kylemore ticket includedFrom Galway

Board a coach outside the HYDE Hotel on Forster Street at 09:45 and ride west past Oughterard, Maam Cross and the Twelve Bens to thirty minutes in Leenane. The Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Garden entrance fee is in the fare, and you get two hours there after a stop above Killary Fjord. The coach passes Connemara National Park without stopping, then breaks for fifteen minutes in Spiddal on the road home. It suits a first Connemara day when the abbey is the place you most want to see.

Depart the HYDE Hotel, Galway, 09:45
Pass Oughterard, Maam Cross and the Twelve Bens
Leenane village, 30 minutes
Killary Fjord, 15 minutes
Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Garden, 2 hours
Past Connemara National Park
Spiddal, 15 minutes

From $76 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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From Galway: Connemara and Connemara National Park Day Trip

★★★★★ 4.7 (712 reviews · 9 hours)

Kylemore or national parkFrom Galway

Three hours on the Connemara National Park trails are the heart of this nine-hour day from the Kinlay Hostel on Merchants Road. On the way out you stop for photographs at the Screebe Waterfall and Pines Island, then spend thirty minutes in Clifden before the Sky Road. Kylemore Abbey is the alternative for those three hours, at an extra fee, while park entry costs nothing. The Inagh Valley and the Connemara Giant close the loop, so bring boots if the climb to Diamond Hill is the plan.

Depart the Kinlay Hostel, Galway
Screebe Waterfall and Pines Island photo stops
Clifden, 30 minutes, and the Sky Road
3 hours: national park trails or Kylemore Abbey
Inagh Valley and the Connemara Giant
Back to the Kinlay Hostel

From $57 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Badge of Excellence

Private Half Day Tour To Connemara

★★★★★ 5.0 (29 reviews · 4 to 5 hours)

Kylemore ticket extraGalway pickupYour group only

Door-to-door pickup anywhere in Galway starts a private half day for up to seven people, with WiFi on board. The drive goes out through Connemara to two hours at Kylemore Abbey and its Victorian Walled Garden, then twenty minutes on the Sky Road. You come back by the coast through Inverin, Spiddal and Barna, all inside four to five hours. One price covers the whole car and the abbey ticket is paid on the day, which suits families or couples short on time.

Pickup in Galway
Barna, Spiddal and Inverin by the coast
Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Garden, 2 hours
Sky Road, 20 minutes
Drive back through Connemara

From $643 per group, up to 7

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Why book with us

Book Your Connemara Day With Confidence

⚖

Best Guides

Connemara guided tours here are led by driver-guides and hike guides who know the bog roads, the Gaeltacht coast and the stories behind them, so the drive between stops is part of your day.

✓

Book With Confidence

Every shared day tour here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead, and each card tells you whether the Kylemore ticket is in your fare before you pay anything.

☀

Experience of a Lifetime

The Twelve Bens over a still lough, Kylemore mirrored in its water and the Atlantic below the Sky Road: a Connemara day you will still be describing at home.

FREE CANCELLATION up to 24 hours in advance on every Galway day tour except the private chauffeur car; the tours from Dublin show their own terms on each card.

Everything available

All Connemara Tours & Tickets

Connemara Day Tours from Galway

A Connemara day tour from Galway sells you a seat on a coach or minivan that leaves central Galway between 09:30 and 10:15. Each gives its long block to Kylemore Abbey, or to the abbey or the park at your choice, and every card says whether the ticket is paid.

From Galway: Connemara & Kylemore Abbey Full-Day Guided Tour

★★★★★ 4.7 (1,287 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes)

Kylemore ticket includedFrom Galway

Leave central Galway on a coach with a driver-guide at the wheel, heading through Connemara to thirty minutes in Leenane. The entrance fee to Kylemore Abbey and Gardens is paid in the fare, and your two hours there leave time for lunch in the grounds. A photo stop at Killary Fjord comes on the way, and the coach passes the national park rather than stopping. It closes with a fifteen-minute break in Spiddal and suits anyone who wants the abbey settled in one price.

From $74 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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From Galway: Connemara and Cong Full-Day Tour

★★★★★ 4.7 (2,266 reviews · 8 hours)

Kylemore ticket extraFrom Galway

Check in outside the Kinlay Hostel from 09:40 for a 10:00 departure on the lowest fare from Galway. The coach stops in the Inagh Valley, then gives you up to two hours at Kylemore Abbey, where entry is optional at EUR 14 per person, paid to the driver. After a stop at Killary Fjord the road runs by Lough Nafooey to forty-five minutes in Cong village and its abbey. It is back in Galway around 18:00, a long Connemara day for a modest seat price.

From $51 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Badge of Excellence

From Galway: Guided tour of Connemara with 3 hour stop in Kylemore Abbey

★★★★★ 4.7 (196 reviews · 9 hours)

Kylemore or national parkFrom Galway

Choose on the day between three hours at Kylemore Abbey and three hours on the national park trails, after a 09:30 start from Merchants Road in Galway. The driver sells abbey tickets on board at a discounted rate, cash only, while the park is free to walk. Before that you pass Screeb Lough and the Pines Island viewpoint and spend thirty minutes in Clifden before the Sky Road. The coach returns at 18:30 by Lough Inagh and the Connemara Giant, a good fit if the weather will make your choice.

From $58 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Badge of Excellence

Small Group Kylemore Abbey, Sheepdog Demo & Connemara Tour

★★★★★ 4.9 (214 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes)

Kylemore ticket includedFrom GalwayMax 25 guests

Small-group coaches capped at twenty-five leave the HYDE Hotel at 10:15, with a ten-minute stop at Maum on the drive into Connemara. Two hours at Kylemore Abbey and its Victorian Walled Garden come with the ticket paid in your fare. The afternoon brings a seventy-minute demonstration at Joyce Country Sheepdogs, and that admission is included too. Hotel pickup can be requested a day ahead, and the day suits families who want both tickets settled before leaving Galway.

From $134 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Connemara Hiking Tours

Connemara guided hiking tours give you two or three hours on the national park's waymarked trails, where entry is free. The guided hike puts a guide beside your group alone, and the coach days leave you to walk at your own pace.

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Hike Connemara National Park Full Day Tour

★★★★★ 5.0 (20 reviews · 9 hours)

Guided national park hikeGalway pickupYour group only

Hike for three hours in Connemara National Park with a guide who walks the trails beside your group alone, up to eight people. Pickup and drop-off at your Galway city accommodation are included, with bottled water for the climb. The day also gives an hour at a Joyce Country sheepdog demonstration by Loch na Fooey and an hour in Leenane. Priced per person rather than per car, it suits fit walkers who want a guide on the hill; bring lunch, since it is not included.

From $228 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Badge of Excellence

Galway to Connemara National Park Day Tour

★★★★★ 4.8 (202 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes)

National park stopFrom Galway

Two hours in Connemara National Park are the long stop of this coach day from the HYDE Hotel at 09:45, with every fee and tax in the fare. On the way out you get thirty minutes in Leenane and fifteen at Killary Harbour, and there is no Kylemore stop. Spiddal gives another thirty minutes on the coast before the road home by Salthill. Pack lunch and a waterproof, and pick this day if the trails matter more than the abbey.

From $64 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Badge of Excellence

Connemara & Connemara National Park day tour from Galway. Guided.

★★★★★ 4.9 (17 reviews · 1 day)

Kylemore or national parkFrom Galway

Travel in an air-conditioned minivan from the Kinlay Hostel, with a driver-guide giving live commentary on the Connemara roads. Photo stops at the Screebe Waterfall and Derryclare Lough lead to forty-five minutes in Clifden and a drive along the Sky Road. Then you spend three hours either on the national park trails or at Kylemore Abbey, your call on the day. Lough Inagh and the Connemara Giant close the loop, and the smaller vehicle, capped at thirty, suits travellers who dislike big coaches.

From $92 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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See all Connemara hiking tours

Private Connemara Tours

Private Connemara tours put only your party in the vehicle, collected where you are staying in Galway. The cars and the minibus are priced per group, and the e-bike day is a Connemara bike tour priced per rider.

Connemara Sheep Farm experience & Kylemore Private Guide Tour

★★★★★ 5.0 (10 reviews · 8 hours)

Kylemore ticket extraGalway pickupYour group only

Collect your private guide at your Galway hotel for an eight-hour day built for a party of up to three. Two hours at Kylemore Abbey, an hour at Aughnanure Castle and three hours of Connemara scenery lead to two hours at Killary Sheep Farm. The abbey and sheep-farm admissions are optional extras paid on the day, so you only buy the tickets you want. One price covers the car, which makes it strongest for a couple or a family of three who want time on a working farm.

From $878 per group, up to 3

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Badge of Excellence

Minibus tour hire galway Ireland groups up to 15 passengers

★★★★★ 5.0 (23 reviews · 10 hours)

Kylemore ticket extraGalway pickupYour group only

Hire a minibus with a guide for up to fifteen passengers, collected wherever you choose in Galway. The ten-hour route gives two hours each to the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, Connemara and Kylemore Abbey. Entry to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre and to Kylemore is paid on the day, and a booster seat comes on board. One group price makes it a Connemara and Cliffs of Moher tour in a single day for a big family or friends.

From $936 per group, up to 15

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Chauffeur Tours from Galway

★★★★★ 5.0 (19 reviews · 8 hours)

Kylemore ticket extraGalway pickupYour group only

Pick one of two routes for this chauffeured car for up to six, collected in Galway city. The Connemara route runs by Spiddal, Roundstone and Dog's Bay to Clifden and the Sky Road, then two hours at Kylemore Abbey. Killary Fjord, Cong and the Quiet Man Bridge follow, or the Burren route takes you by Kinvara and Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher. Entry fees are extra and the fare is non-refundable once booked, so reserve it when your dates are fixed.

From $780 per group, up to 6

Sold as a final sale — read this listing’s terms before you book.

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Badge of Excellence

Discover Connemara Tour by Electric Fat Tyre Bike

★★★★★ 5.0 (73 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes)

Electric fat-bike rideGalway pickupYour group only

Ride an electric fat-tyre bike by Loch na Fooey, after pickup from your Galway city accommodation and a safety briefing. The helmet, safety wear and bottled water are supplied, and a sheepdog demonstration breaks up the ride. The whole day runs eight and a half hours, with the group capped at eight. This Connemara bike tour suits active families and friends, guests must be over 12 years old, and lunch is extra.

From $228 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Connemara Tours from Dublin

Connemara tours from Dublin run for several days, with hotels in the fare and Connemara as one day of the journey. The region lies beyond Galway on Ireland's west coast, so each one pairs it with other parts of the country.

3-Day West Coast Explorer from Dublin Including Admission

★★★★★ 4.9 (16 reviews · 3 days)

Kylemore ticket not listed3 days from DublinMax 15 guests

Spend three days out of Dublin with a driver-guide, two nights in B&Bs or three-star hotels and the Cliffs of Moher admission in your fare. Day one crosses to Dunguaire Castle, the Burren and the cliffs before a night in Galway. Day two is Connemara: an hour in Cong, two hours at Kylemore Abbey, then thirty minutes at the national park and Clifden. The drive home passes Clonmacnoise and Kilbeggan Distillery, and refunds need 21 days' notice.

From $1,001 per person

Full refund if cancelled at least 21 full days before the start; no refund inside 21 days..

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5-Day Northern Ireland and Atlantic Coast Small-Group Tour from Dublin

★★★★★ 4.8 (39 reviews · 5 days)

National park stop5 days from DublinMax 15 guests

Circle the north and west over five days from Dublin, with four nights of en-suite rooms and breakfast booked for you. Belfast, the Giant's Causeway, Derry and Donegal come first, then Westport before the Connemara day. That day includes an hour at the national park visitor centre, and the last leg runs through Cong and Galway back to Dublin. Admission fees are extra and refunds need 21 days' notice, so it suits a small-group trip taking in Northern Ireland as well.

From $1,528 per person

Full refund if cancelled at least 21 full days before the start; no refund inside 21 days..

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10-Day Ultimate Small-Group Tour of Ireland from Dublin

★★★★★ 4.9 (313 reviews · 10 days)

Kylemore ticket included10 days from DublinMax 15 guests

Tour the whole island in ten days from the Ashling Hotel in Dublin, with nine nights in boutique hotels and guesthouses and nine breakfasts. The entries are in your fare: the Cliffs of Moher with its cruise, Blarney, the Rock of Cashel, Ross Castle, Titanic and the ferry to Inis Oírr. Connemara gets three hours on the way to Westport, and a sheepdog demonstration comes before the Cliffs. The fare is non-refundable once booked, so it suits travellers with fixed dates and a wish to see all of Ireland.

From $3,857 per person

Sold as a final sale — read this listing’s terms before you book.

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The west of Galway

About Connemara

Connemara is the Atlantic edge of County Galway, running from Galway Bay to Killary Harbour, where the Twelve Bens and the Maamturks rise over bog, loughs and one of Ireland's largest Gaeltacht regions. Join us on the roads west: Kylemore Abbey on its lough, the Diamond Hill trails in a national park opened in 1980, and the fjord at Leenane. There is no gate here, only the choice of where to spend your day. We bring together Connemara Ireland tours from Galway and Dublin. Start with the three above.

The National Park

Some 2,000 hectares of mountain, bog and woodland near Letterfrack, including four of the Twelve Bens; Benbaun, at 725 m, is the highest peak in County Galway. Entry and parking are free all year. Four waymarked trails leave the visitor centre, and the Upper Diamond Hill loop, 3.7 km and strenuous, climbs to a summit that looks over the Bens and Kylemore.

Things to Do

Kylemore Abbey, begun in 1867 by Mitchell and Margaret Henry, has been home to Benedictine nuns since 1920 and keeps a six-acre Victorian walled garden. Aughnanure Castle, the O'Flaherty tower house near Oughterard, opens from late February to mid-November. Killary Harbour, the Sky Road above Clifden and the coast road through the Gaeltacht fill the rest of the day.

Plan Your Trip

Connemara lies west of Galway city, and every day tour here starts from there. The paid stops are Kylemore Abbey and Aughnanure Castle, EUR 5 for an adult; the rest is free. From 1 July 2026 the park visitor centre closes on Mondays and Tuesdays, though the trails and the café stay open, so a Wednesday-to-Sunday park day gets you the exhibition too.

Kylemore Abbey and its reflection in the still water of the lough, below a wooded mountainside

A sheepdog working marked sheep on a slope above a lough, cloud on the mountain

A lone tree above a bay scattered with small islands, on a clear day

What you will see

Named Highlights of a Connemara Day

The places the tours stop for, from the abbey on its lough to the fjord at Leenane.

Kylemore AbbeyThe granite abbey on its lough, begun in 1867, with restored ground-floor rooms, a Neo-Gothic church and a six-acre Victorian walled garden reached by shuttle bus.
Diamond HillThe Upper Diamond Hill loop in the national park climbs 3.7 km of paths and boardwalk to a summit over the Twelve Bens; the lower loop is 3 km with a 90 m ascent.
Killary HarbourA 16 km inlet on the Galway-Mayo border, one of just three glacial fjords in Ireland, with the village of Leenane at its head and Mweelrea above it.
The Sky RoadA 16 km loop west of Clifden, skirting the coast above the Atlantic, with views over Clifden Bay and its islands.
Aughnanure CastleThe O'Flaherty tower house on a rock above the Drimneen River near Oughterard, built in the late 15th century and open to visitors since 1974.
The sheepdogsSeveral days stop for a demonstration at Joyce Country Sheepdogs or Killary Sheep Farm, where you watch the dogs gather sheep on the hillside.

Plan your visit

Everything You Need Before You Go

The national parkWhat costs moneyGetting thereWhere tours startWeather

Connemara National Park is open all year, and entry and parking are free. Its four waymarked trails start at the visitor centre near Letterfrack, from the 0.5 km Ellis Wood Nature Trail to the 3.7 km climb of Upper Diamond Hill. From 1 July 2026 the visitor centre closes on Mondays and Tuesdays, but the trails and the café stay open.

Walk the park trails

Connemara has no gate, and the national park charges nothing. The only Connemara tickets most visitors buy are for Kylemore Abbey, which some day tours put in the fare, and Aughnanure Castle near Oughterard, EUR 5 for an adult. Check the Kylemore line on each card before you book.

Plan your trip

Two roads lead west from Galway: the lake road by Oughterard and the coast road through An Spidéal and the Gaeltacht. Bus Éireann's 419 runs the lake road to Clifden and on to Leenane once a day, and Citylink serves Clifden and Letterfrack. A car or a tour fits far more into one day.

See every route

The shared day tours leave central Galway from two kerbs: outside the HYDE Hotel on Forster Street and outside the Kinlay Hostel on Merchants Road, between 09:30 and 10:15. The private cars collect you where you are staying, and the tours from Dublin leave Nassau Street or the Ashling Hotel.

See the starting points

Met Éireann's Belmullet averages give about 200 days a year with a millimetre of rain or more. May is the sunniest month and the driest, with 70.8 mm, and November the wettest. Most of any Connemara day is outdoors, so pack a waterproof in every month.

Check the months

Straight answer

Do You Need a Tour to See Connemara?

Not if you have a car. Connemara has no gate and no opening hours, and Connemara National Park is free to enter, with free parking at the visitor centre. There are no Connemara ticket prices to compare at a turnstile: the paid stop most days make is Kylemore Abbey, which sells its own tickets online and at the gate, so a Connemara reservation is only needed for the abbey or for a tour.

Without a car it is harder. Bus Éireann's 419 reaches Clifden and Leenane once a day, and Citylink runs to Clifden and Letterfrack, so fitting Kylemore or the park trails into one day from Galway is where a tour earns its fare. On the Lally Tours days the abbey ticket is already in the fare, and on the choice days you decide between the abbey and the park when you get there.

See Top Tours Visiting without a tour

Book with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead on every shared day tour, and a change of plan costs you nothing.

Which one is me

Choosing the Right Day for You

Start from what you want the day's long stop to be.

You want Kylemore with the ticket paid

The Lally Tours days from the HYDE Hotel put the abbey's entrance fee in the fare, with two hours there. Compare the Connemara day tours from Galway.

You want the lowest seat

The cheapest Connemara bus tour from Galway is Galway Tour Company's Cong day, where the Kylemore ticket is an optional EUR 14 paid to the driver.

You would rather walk the park

A Connemara National Park tour gives you two or three hours on the trails, and the guided hike puts a guide with your group. See the Connemara hiking tours.

You cannot choose yet

The choice days from the Kinlay Hostel give three hours at Kylemore Abbey or in the national park, and the call is yours on the day.

You want your own car

A driver collects your party where you are staying, and nobody else rides with you. See the private Connemara tours, priced per group.

You are starting in Dublin

Connemara lies beyond Galway on the west coast, so the tours from the capital run several days. See the Connemara tours from Dublin.

Compare

Which Connemara Tour Is Right for You?

All the Connemara tours and tickets gathered here, most reviewed first. Read the Kylemore and national park columns with the Best-for line: a seat with the abbey ticket paid and a private car for your family answer different trips.

Tour	Rating	Fare	Length	Kylemore ticket	National park	Best for
From Galway: Connemara and Cong Full-Day Tour	4.7	From $51 per person	8 hours	Extra, on the day	No stop	Budget travellers who want Kylemore and Cong in one day	Book
From Galway: Connemara & Kylemore Abbey Full-Day Guided Tour	4.7	From $74 per person	7 hours 30 minutes	In the fare	Drives past	Travellers who want the abbey and its garden settled in one fare	Book
Connemara Day Trip Including Leenane Village and Kylemore Abbey from Galway	4.8	From $76 per person	7 hours 30 minutes	In the fare	Drives past	First-timers who want Kylemore with the ticket already paid	Book
From Galway: Connemara and Connemara National Park Day Trip	4.7	From $57 per person	9 hours	Extra, on the day	Your choice	Walkers who want three hours on the national park trails	Book
10-Day Ultimate Small-Group Tour of Ireland from Dublin	4.9	From $3,857 per person	10 days	In the fare	No stop	First-time visitors with ten fixed days for the whole island	Book
Small Group Kylemore Abbey, Sheepdog Demo & Connemara Tour	4.9	From $134 per person	7 hours 30 minutes	In the fare	No stop	Families who want Kylemore and a sheepdog demonstration, both paid	Book
Galway to Connemara National Park Day Tour	4.8	From $64 per person	7 hours 30 minutes	No stop	Stop	Walkers happy with two hours in the park and no abbey stop	Book
From Galway: Guided tour of Connemara with 3 hour stop in Kylemore Abbey	4.7	From $58 per person	9 hours	Extra, on the day	Your choice	Undecided travellers who pick the abbey or the park on the day	Book
Discover Connemara Tour by Electric Fat Tyre Bike	5.0	From $228 per person	8 hours 30 minutes	No stop	No stop	Active families and friends over 12 who would rather ride	Book
5-Day Northern Ireland and Atlantic Coast Small-Group Tour from Dublin	4.8	From $1,528 per person	5 days	No stop	Stop	Travellers who want Northern Ireland and Connemara on one trip	Book
Private Half Day Tour To Connemara	5.0	From $643 per group, up to 7	4 to 5 hours	Extra, on the day	No stop	Families or couples short on time who want their own car	Book
Minibus tour hire galway Ireland groups up to 15 passengers	5.0	From $936 per group, up to 15	10 hours	Extra, on the day	No stop	Big families or friends, up to fifteen, who want the Cliffs too	Book
Hike Connemara National Park Full Day Tour	5.0	From $228 per person	9 hours	No stop	Guided hike	Fit walkers who want a guide beside them on the park trails	Book
Chauffeur Tours from Galway	5.0	From $780 per group, up to 6	8 hours	Extra, on the day	Drives past	Parties of up to six with fixed dates who want to pick a route	Book
Connemara & Connemara National Park day tour from Galway. Guided.	4.9	From $92 per person	1 day	Not listed	Your choice	Travellers who prefer a minivan to a big coach	Book
3-Day West Coast Explorer from Dublin Including Admission	4.9	From $1,001 per person	3 days	Not listed	Stop	Travellers starting in Dublin who want three days and the Cliffs	Book
Connemara Sheep Farm experience & Kylemore Private Guide Tour	5.0	From $878 per group, up to 3	8 hours	Extra, on the day	No stop	A couple or family of three who want a working sheep farm	Book

Vincent stopped for photographs and gave them three hours in the national park.Peres · Connemara day from Galway · three hours in the park

Shane added a surprise stop to feed sheep and gave the group extra time at Kylemore, which it needs.Andrew M. · Connemara day from Galway · Leenane and Kylemore

Two hours is not enough for the top of Diamond Hill, so they walked the blue trail in an hour instead.Amy F. · Connemara day from Galway · two hours in the park

What to expect

How a Connemara Day Runs

Pick your long stop

Kylemore with the ticket paid, the park trails, a choice of the two, or your own route.

Meet at the kerb or your door

Coaches leave the HYDE Hotel or the Kinlay Hostel; private cars collect you where you stay.

Drive west into Connemara

The lake road by Oughterard or the coast by Spiddal, with photo stops at loughs and Killary.

Two or three hours at your stop

Time for the abbey and its garden, or for a trail up Diamond Hill.

Back by evening

The Galway days run seven and a half to nine hours; the Cong coach is back around 18:00.

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Traveller reviews

Connemara Tours Reviews

Travellers' own words about the guides, the roads and the long stops, with the stars each gave. The four-star voices are here too, because they help you choose.

★★★★★

Connemara day from Galway · Leenane and Kylemore

Wind and rain all day, and it only added to the mood. The guide shared interesting facts at every stop and played good music on the coach, and they would happily have taken the playlist home.

Linda · Solo traveller · Slovakia · September 2026

★★★★★

Connemara day from Galway · three hours in the park

Mike was a first-rate driver and made the drive feel short with information, stories and sights along the way. The time in the national park was just the right amount.

Melissa · United States · August 2026

★★★★★

Connemara day from Galway · the park or Kylemore

They decided at the last minute to spend the three hours at Kylemore and were glad of it, and the history talk there was well worth hearing. Vincent's commentary on Irish history, the language and farming kept them listening for the whole drive.

Lori M. · Traveller · September 2025

★★★★★

Connemara day from Galway · the park or Kylemore

The Connemara roads are hard going, and Mike drove them safely while telling the history. He also gave good tips for making the most of the time at Kylemore. Three hours for the abbey or the park is rare, in their view, and they needed every minute.

Evan B. · Traveller · May 2026

★★★★☆

Connemara day from Galway · two hours in the park

The park entrance was hard to find with the gates shut, but the path was well marked once they were in. The wind and rain came in sideways, and they would not suggest the climb alone in that weather. They reached the top all the same.

Erin W. · Traveller · March 2024

★★★★★

Private half day in Connemara from Galway

Vegetarians travelling with small children, they have needs of their own. The guide came up with ideas that suited them and planned the day around the family.

Dana P. · Family · May 2025

★★★★★

Connemara and Cong day from Galway

Mike made sure the group got as many stops as possible for the history and the scenery. They packed a great deal into one day.

Kevin · Couple · United States · September 2026

★★★★☆

Small-group Connemara day · sheepdogs and Kylemore

Michael was a great guide and driver, and the sheepdog demonstration was a highlight. The lunch stop in Leenane on the itinerary did not happen, though, and it was part of the reason for booking.

Leeann M. · Traveller · July 2026

★★★★☆

Private minibus day from Galway

With ten of them, hiring a minibus made sense, and Paul let them set the plan for the day. They would have liked a little more commentary on the way, but it was the right fit for the family.

Megan M. · Family · April 2024

★★★★★

Connemara e-bike day from Galway

A family of six, four of them in their twenties, on e-bikes that made the hills doable. Martin put safety first and showed them parts of the countryside most visitors never see.

Ann L. · Family · May 2023

Read all reviews

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a ticket for Connemara?

No. Connemara is a region with no gate, and Connemara National Park is free to enter, parking included. The paid stop on most tours is Kylemore Abbey, and some fares already include its estate ticket.

Is the Kylemore Abbey ticket in the tour price?

On some tours. Lally Tours' Kylemore days, its small-group sheepdog day and Overland's 10-day tour put the estate ticket in the fare. Galway Tour Company's and Wild Atlantic Way Day Tours' drivers sell it for cash, and the private cars leave it to you at the gate.

Which tours go to the national park?

Lally Tours' national park day gives you two hours there. Wild Atlantic Way Day Tours and Ireland Wild Escapes give you three hours, or Kylemore Abbey instead, and Fat Bike Galway runs a guided three-hour hike. Rabbie's 3-day and 5-day tours from Dublin stop there briefly.

Can one day tour visit Kylemore Abbey and the national park?

Not a shared day tour: the three-hour days make you choose one of the two on the day. Rabbie's 3-day tour from Dublin stops at both on its Connemara day. A private car can plan both if you ask when you book.

What is the best Connemara tour from Galway?

It depends on where you want the day's long stop. For Kylemore Abbey with the ticket in the fare, take Lally Tours' Leenane day. For the park trails, take the national park day trip, and for your own party, a private car.

How long is a day tour from Galway?

The shared days run from 7 hours 30 minutes to 9 hours. The private half day takes 4 to 5 hours, and the private minibus hire runs to 10.

Where do the tours leave from in Galway?

From two kerbs. Lally Tours leaves from outside the HYDE Hotel on Forster Street, and Wild Atlantic Way Day Tours, Galway Tour Company and Ireland Wild Escapes leave from the Kinlay Hostel on Merchants Road, off Eyre Square. The private tours collect you where you are staying.

Is there a Connemara day tour from Dublin?

No. None of the tours from Dublin is a day trip, because Connemara lies beyond Galway on the far side of the country. From Dublin you can take a 3-, 5- or 10-day small-group tour with hotels in the fare and a day in Connemara.

How much does a Connemara tour cost?

Shared day tours from Galway cost from $51 to $134 per person. Private cars run from $643 to $936 for the group, and the guided hike and the e-bike day are $228 per person. The tours from Dublin run from $1,001 to $3,857 per person.

Is the national park free?

Yes. Entry and parking are free, and the park is open all year. The visitor centre opens Wednesday to Sunday, 9:00 to 17:30, and on bank holiday Mondays.

Can you climb Diamond Hill on a day tour?

Yes, on the days that give you three hours in the park: the upper loop to the summit is 3.7 km and graded strenuous. Two hours is tight for the top, so the 3 km lower loop suits the shorter stop.

Are tours cancelled for bad weather?

Some listings say a tour cancelled for poor weather is moved to another date or refunded. The national park also closes its grounds during orange and red weather warnings, so check Met Éireann on the morning.

What is the cancellation policy?

Most day tours refund in full if you cancel at least 24 hours ahead. The Rabbie's tours from Dublin need 21 days' notice, and Overland's 10-day tour and the private chauffeur day are non-refundable.

Is there a Connemara and Cliffs of Moher tour?

Yes, in two forms. Rabbie's 3-day tour from Dublin includes a Connemara day and the Cliffs of Moher ticket. The private minibus hire from Galway lists two hours at each on one long day.

Is there a Connemara bike tour?

Yes: Fat Bike Galway's private electric fat-bike day, with pickup in Galway. Riders must be 12 or older, weigh up to 120 kg and be able to ride on roads.

See all FAQs

Photographs

Connemara Gallery

A long stretch of water running between steep mountains under summer cloud

The granite towers of Kylemore Abbey above clipped shrubs and a wooded slope

A lough with a small island, in a valley between steep green mountains

A whitewashed thatched cottage behind dry stone walls and a lawn, pines above it

The ruin of Clifden Castle on a green slope, with sheep grazing below it

A bog pool with yellow gorse and a fence post, below a broad bare mountain

View full gallery

Read before you go

Connemara Travel Guides and Advice

Planning

How to Visit Connemara in 2026: Where to Go, What Costs Money and Getting There

A region with no gate: the one paid stop most days make, the free national park, the two roads out of Galway and how to spend one day.

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The Route

Connemara Stops, One by One: From Leenane and Killary to Clifden

The villages, viewpoints and long stops on a day out of Galway, in road order, with the minutes each listing gives you at each one.

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Facts

Connemara Facts: Marconi, the Twelve Bens and a Park That Was a School Farm

The highest peak in County Galway, a radio pioneer in a school infirmary, and the Quaker families whose land became part of the national park.

Read post →

Read all posts Planning guides

Where it is

Visitor Information for Connemara

Connemara
West of Galway city, County Galway, Ireland

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Name

Connemara, the Atlantic region of west County Galway, from Galway Bay to Killary Harbour.

Address

Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland. The national park's visitor centre stands on the N59 about 200 m beyond Letterfrack, coming from Leenane.

Hours

The region has no gate or hours, and the park is open all year. The visitor centre opens Wednesday to Sunday, 9:00 to 17:30, and on bank holiday Mondays.

Getting there

Every day tour here starts in Galway city. Each tour's starting point is on the Connemara map.

Book Your Connemara Tour

Pick where your day's long stop falls, then choose your date. Seats start at $51 a head, your Connemara booking through these pages costs the same as booking direct, and every shared day tour refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead.

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