Skellig Ring Tours and Bus Hire
The Skellig Ring is a detour off the Ring of Kerry between Cahersiveen and Waterville. It takes in Portmagee, Valentia Island, St Finian’s Bay and Ballinskelligs. We are based in Ballinskelligs, so this is our home patch.
We run private Skellig Ring tours for groups of any size, and we drive people to Portmagee for the boat trips out to the Skellig Islands.
Places to see on the Skellig Ring
Skellig Michael
Skellig Michael is a rocky island about 12 kilometres off the coast. It rises 218 metres out of the sea and has an early Christian monastery at the top. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can see it from many points on the Skellig Ring, and boat trips go out from Portmagee in the summer season.
Portmagee
A small, colourful fishing village looking across to Valentia Island. There are cafés and pubs by the harbour and it is where most of the Skellig boat trips leave from. The Kerry Cliffs are just outside the village.
Valentia Island
Cross the bridge from Portmagee to Valentia Island. You can go up Geokaun Mountain and see the Fogher Cliffs, visit the Skellig Experience centre, see the tetrapod footprints and walk around Glanleam House and Subtropical Gardens.
St Finian’s Bay
A sandy bay with views out to the Skelligs. Skelligs Chocolate is based here and is a popular stop.
Ballinskelligs
A Gaeltacht village with a Blue Flag beach, the ruins of Ballinskelligs Abbey and the old castle on the strand. There are cafés, pubs and shops for a bite to eat.
How our Skellig Ring tours work
- We pick you up from your hotel, house or B&B
- You choose the stops and how long you spend at each one
- We can drop you at Portmagee for a Skellig boat trip and collect you after
- We can join the Skellig Ring with the full Ring of Kerry
Bus hire for Skellig Michael trips
Groups going out to Skellig Michael often need transport to Portmagee early in the morning and back to their hotel in the afternoon. We can look after that for any size of group, from a 6 seater to a 52 seater coach. See our fleet.
Want to see more of Kerry? Have a look at our day tours.
Questions about Skellig Ring tours
Do you run the boat trips to Skellig Michael?
No. The boats are run by local boat operators. We drive you to the pier in Portmagee and collect you when you get back.
How long does the Skellig Ring take?
You can drive it in a couple of hours, but most groups take half a day or more with stops.
Can you combine the Skellig Ring with the Ring of Kerry?
Yes. Lots of groups do both on the same day.
Where do you pick up from?
Anywhere in South Kerry, Killarney or Kenmare. Tell us where you are staying.
Book a Skellig Ring tour
Tell us your dates, how many are travelling and where you are staying.