Walking guide
Walking the Kerry Way
John Raffaldi · 2024
Guide to the Kerry Way circuit from Killarney, whose opening stage passes Torc Waterfall.
Ireland · County Kerry
Torc Waterfall
A 20-metre cascade on the Owengarriff River, stepping down through a mossy oak gorge five minutes' walk from the Killarney–Kenmare road. Free, open around the clock, and the doorstep to Torc Mountain, Muckross House and the Kerry Way.
Full guide Checked September 2026 by David Bussell · 40 sources
Torc is not a single plunge but a staircase. The Owengarriff River drains the Devil's Punchbowl, a corrie lake high on Mangerton Mountain, and breaks down the side of the valley in a cascade about 20 metres high and roughly 110 metres long before running on into Muckross Lake. Because it is fed from a small upland catchment rather than a big river, its mood swings with the weather: a thin, tea-coloured lace of water after a dry week, a loud white tumble filling the gorge the morning after heavy Atlantic rain. The gorge walls are thick with moss, ferns and old oak, and the Irish name, Easach Toirc, means cascade of the wild boar — local legend puts a cursed man-boar's cave behind the falls.
The experience is short and simple. From the car park on the N71, about 7 km south of Killarney town, a gravel path follows the river for roughly 200 metres to a viewing area at the foot of the falls. Beyond it, about a hundred rough stone steps climb some 55 metres up the side of the gorge to a higher path with views back over the lakes; this is where the Kerry Way long-distance trail continues south onto the Old Kenmare Road, and where the railway-sleeper path up Torc Mountain begins from the Upper Torc car park. Most people are back at their car in half an hour. The ones who stay longer are the ones who keep climbing.
Torc is really a starting point for Killarney National Park, Ireland's first national park and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve covering some 10,000 hectares of lakes, oak and yew woodland and mountain. Muckross House and its free gardens are a short ride back towards town; Ross Castle, the lake boats and the Gap of Dunloe are on the far side of Lough Leane; Ladies View is about 12 km further along the same road. You can reach Torc on foot along the Kerry Way, by bike on the park's cycle tracks, by jaunting car, or as a quick stop on a Ring of Kerry drive — and after rain it earns every minute of the detour.
Book this trip
All activities & prices ↓- Gap of Dunloe bus, walk and boat tour Check availability
- Jaunting car through the Gap of Dunloefrom US$40 Check availability
- Jaunting car from town to Ross Castlefrom US$22 Check availability
Torc and Muckross, Ross Castle, or the Gap of Dunloe?
Torc Waterfall and Muckross
The waterfall, the mansion, the mountainN71 Kenmare road, 5–7 km south of Killarney town
The eastern shore of the park, strung along the N71. Muckross House, a 65-room Victorian mansion done up for Queen Victoria's 1861 visit, sits beside Muckross Lake with free gardens famous for May and June rhododendrons; the 1930s–40s Traditional Farms are next door. From Dundag Point a 2.5 km lakeside path runs south through open fields, often grazed by red deer, to Torc Waterfall, where Torc Mountain and the Old Kenmare Road start.
Torc Waterfall and the steps aboveTorc Mountain (535 m)Muckross House and GardensMuckross Traditional FarmsMuckross AbbeyDundag to Torc pathMuckross–Dinis loop around Muckross Lake
- Entry Torc, the park and Muckross Gardens free 24/7; Muckross House €9 (~US$10), 09:15–17:30 in winter to 19:00 in July–August
- Best for First-time visitors, cyclists, families, anyone with half a day
Ross Castle and Lough Leane
Where the boats leaveRoss Island, on the western edge of Killarney town
A 15th-century tower house, probably built by the O'Donoghue Mór chieftains, standing on the shore of Lough Leane, the largest of the three lakes. Inside is guided-tour only, fifteen people at a time. Below the walls, covered waterbuses loop out past Innisfallen Island's monastic ruins, and open boats leave from nearby Reen Pier for Lord Brandon's Cottage at the far end of the lakes. Level trails lead on to the old copper mines, Library Point and Governor's Rock.
Ross Castle tower houseWaterbus to Innisfallen IslandReen Pier boats to Lord Brandon's CottageMining Trail (3 km)Library PointKnockreer and Killarney House gardens
- Entry Grounds free; castle €5 (~US$6) by guided tour only, 5 March–3 November 2026, 09:30–17:00
- Best for Boat trips, history, short flat walks from town, rainy days (covered boats)
Gap of Dunloe and the Black Valley
The full-day classicKate Kearney's Cottage, about 11 km west of Killarney
A glacial pass between MacGillycuddy's Reeks and the Purple Mountain group, threaded by a narrow road past five small lakes and the Wishing Bridge, topping out at 241 metres before dropping into the Black Valley. The traditional day combines it with the lakes: walk, cycle or ride a jaunting car the 11–12 km from Kate Kearney's Cottage to Lord Brandon's Cottage, then take an open boat back through the three lakes to Ross Castle.
Kate Kearney's CottageWishing BridgeBlack Lake and Auger LakeHead of the GapLord Brandon's CottageBoat through the three lakes to Ross Castle
- Entry The road is free to walk or cycle; tours and jaunting cars extra (jaunting car €35 / ~US$40 per person)
- Best for A full active day, walkers, cyclists, anyone who wants the lakes from the water
Ladies View and the Ring of Kerry road
12 km beyond TorcN71, about 19 km from Killarney towards Kenmare
Keep driving south past Torc and the N71 climbs above the Upper Lake to Ladies View, named after Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting, who admired the panorama during the 1861 royal visit. It has a small car park and a café, and it is one of the most photographed roadside views in Ireland. Moll's Gap follows, then Kenmare. This stretch is the Killarney end of the 179 km Ring of Kerry, and Torc and Ladies View are its first or last stops.
Ladies ViewUpper LakeMoll's GapDerrycunnihy Church and Mass PathRing of Kerry via Kenmare
- Entry Free roadside viewpoint; small car park
- Best for Drivers, Ring of Kerry road trips, late-afternoon light
The short answer
If you have a half day, cycle out to Muckross and Torc — it's flat, free and the park was built for it. If you have a full day, do the Gap of Dunloe and the lake boat, which covers Ross Castle too. Ladies View belongs to whichever day you drive the N71, ideally on the way back from a Ring of Kerry loop.
When to go
October to March brings the heaviest flow and the fewest people; September and October add the deer rut and autumn colour, while a dry July or August can leave the cascade looking thin.
Rain, not season, runs Torc: it is fullest the day after heavy rain, which is most reliable from October to March, and it can shrink to a trickle in a dry July or August — exactly when the crowds are biggest.
Spring — flow and flowers
March – MayWinter rain is still draining off Mangerton, so the falls usually run well, and the woods green up fast. Ross Castle reopens on 5 March (2026 season), the Traditional Farms open at weekends from mid-March and daily from May, and Muckross Gardens start their rhododendron and azalea show, at its best in May and June. Car parks are manageable outside Easter and bank-holiday weekends.
Open
- Muckross House (09:15–18:00 from April)
- Ross Castle from 5 March
- Traditional Farms (weekends from mid-March, daily from May)
- Waterbus and lake boats
Closed or compromised
- Traditional Farms weekdays until May (except bank holidays)
Summer — everything open, least water
June – AugustLong days, every attraction on full hours (Muckross House to 19:00 in July and August, Farms 10:00–18:00 daily) and the busiest Ring of Kerry traffic of the year. The small Torc car park fills early and coach groups arrive in waves. After a dry spell the cascade thins noticeably; after a wet week it is still good. Midges can be out on warm, humid evenings, and the park issues fire-danger warnings in dry spells.
Open
- All heritage sites on longest hours
- Gap of Dunloe tours and jaunting cars
- All lake boats
Closed or compromised
- Nothing seasonal — but parking at Torc is the constraint
Autumn — rain returns, deer rut
September – OctoberOur pick. Autumn rain restores the flow, the oak woods turn, crowds fall away after early September, and the park's native red deer rut from late September through October, peaking in early to mid October — listen for roaring stags at dawn and dusk. Muckross House keeps its 09:15–18:00 hours, Ross Castle runs to 3 November and the Farms stay open at weekends through October.
Open
- Muckross House
- Ross Castle (to 3 November)
- Gap of Dunloe tours
- Waterbus
Closed or compromised
- Traditional Farms drop to weekends and bank holidays in October
Winter — strongest water, shortest days
November – FebruaryTorc at its loudest and emptiest: the Atlantic storms that make this the off-season also fill the gorge. The park is open around the clock and free, and Muckross House stays open all year (09:15–17:30, last entry 16:00). But Ross Castle and the Traditional Farms are closed, daylight is short, and the stepped paths above the falls and on Torc Mountain turn slick. Mild by northern standards — the February average is around 6°C.
Open
- Torc Waterfall and all park trails
- Muckross House and Gardens
- Killarney House visitor centre
- Waterbus (operator runs year-round)
Closed or compromised
- Ross Castle (reopens March)
- Muckross Traditional Farms (November–February)
Go the morning after a wet night
Torc's catchment is small and steep, so it responds within hours: a night of heavy rain on Mangerton turns a modest summer trickle into a roaring brown-and-white cascade by breakfast, and a few dry days take it back down. If your Killarney plans are flexible, check the rain radar and put Torc on the first morning after a downpour. Wear shoes with grip — the steps above the falls are rough stone and run with water in spate, and the park warns that mountain rivers here rise dramatically and suddenly after rain.
Everything you can do here
Entry and heritage-site prices are the operators' published 2026 rates in euros (Muckross House trustees, OPW); boat, jaunting-car and bike prices are operators' advertised 2026 rates; all were converted at about €1 = $1.14 (late September 2026). Treat them as a planning guide, not a quote.
Torc Waterfall and the steps above
free
From the N71 car park, a 200-metre riverside path reaches the viewing area at the foot of the cascade in about five minutes. Don't stop there: roughly a hundred rough stone steps climb about 55 metres beside the gorge to a higher path looking back over Muckross Lake and Lough Leane, and on to the Kerry Way. The steps are uneven and slippery when wet, so the upper section is not buggy- or wheelchair-friendly.
Year-round; best after rain
No booking needed.
Torc Mountain on the railway-sleeper path
free
The best short summit in Killarney. From the Upper Torc car park (a side road off the N71 about 1 km before the waterfall car park), follow the Old Kenmare Road, then turn off onto a path of rock and old railway sleepers that climbs steadily through heath and bog to the 535-metre top. The climb is under 350 metres, and the views take in all three lakes, Killarney town and the Reeks. It's exposed in wind and rain, so take a waterproof.
Year-round in clear weather
No booking needed.
Old Kenmare Road — the Kerry Way beyond Torc
free
The official first stage of the roughly 200 km Kerry Way runs from Killarney town to Torc Waterfall; from there the route climbs past the falls onto the Old Kenmare Road, an old upland track through the park's quietest valley. The park grades the 7 km section from Upper Torc car park to Incheens as strenuous, with boardwalk, river stepping stones and muddy, uneven ground. It is one way, so arrange a pickup or walk back.
Year-round; muddy in winter
No booking needed.
Gap of Dunloe bus, walk and boat tour
per adult; the operator's adult fare is shown only in its booking engine and could not be confirmed. Jaunting car in the Gap extra (see below)
The classic Killarney day out. A bus takes you to Kate Kearney's Cottage, you walk the 12 km through the Gap (about 2.5–3 hours, high point around 840 ft), then an open-roofed boat with a cover carries you 1.5 hours through all three lakes — past Dinis, the Old Weir Bridge and Innisfallen — to Ross Castle, where the bus returns you to town. It can run in reverse. Pick-ups from accommodation are available. There's a boat-and-walk-only version without the bus.
Daily departures were listed into October 2026
Check availability
or compare on Viator
Jaunting car through the Gap of Dunloe
US$40€35 per person, up to 4 per car, or €140 (~US$160) for a private car; cash, paid to the ponymen
For anyone who doesn't want to walk the Gap: a horse-drawn jaunting car with a jarvey (driver) covers the pass from Kate Kearney's Cottage to Lord Brandon's Cottage, with commentary on the lakes, the Wishing Bridge and the Reeks. It pairs with the bus-and-boat tour. Smaller groups often share a car. Note that the pass road is narrow and steep near the Head of the Gap and is also used by walkers and cyclists.
Seasonal; available alongside Gap of Dunloe tours into October
Check availability
or compare on Viator
Jaunting car from town to Ross Castle
US$22from €19 per adult, based on 4 sharing; minimum 2 people
A one-hour horse-and-trap loop from the middle of Killarney through the park's Knockreer and Ross Island side, along Lough Leane to Ross Castle and back, with the jarvey's stories on the way. The same operator sells a combination with its waterbus from €34 (~$39) per adult, based on 4. Other jarveys wait near St Mary's Cathedral and on Muckross Road, with routes to Muckross House and Torc Waterfall; prices are posted on signs there.
Year-round, departures 09:00–16:00
Check availability
or compare on Viator
Waterbus on Lough Leane from Ross Castle
US$17€15 per adult; under-2s free; family tickets available
A covered, heated boat with live commentary, leaving from the jetty beside Ross Castle and cruising Lough Leane past O'Sullivan's Cascade and the monastic ruins of Innisfallen Island, with the mountains all around. It's the easy, all-weather way to see the lakes, and a good plan B on a wet day. There's no toilet on board and no wheelchair access at present. Arrive 15 minutes before departure.
Year-round, departures 11:00–16:00
Pay on the day — nothing to book in advance.
Muckross House and Traditional Farms
US$10House €9 (~US$10) per adult; Farms €11 (~US$13); joint ticket €18 (~US$21); family (2+2) house ticket €26 (~US$30); gardens free
A 65-room Tudor-style Victorian mansion on Muckross Lake, done up in the 1850s for Queen Victoria's 1861 visit, and the centre of the estate whose 1932 gift to the state created Ireland's first national park. Admission is self-guided. The Traditional Farms recreate rural Kerry in the 1930s and 1940s with working holdings, a forge and a schoolhouse. The gardens and craft centre are free, and parking is free.
House year-round; Farms mid-March to October
Pay on the day — nothing to book in advance.
Ross Castle guided tour
US$6€5 (~US$6) adult; €3 child/student; €13 (~US$15) family
The 15th-century O'Donoghue Mór tower house on Lough Leane can only be entered on a guided tour, first come, first served, with a maximum of fifteen people per group. In summer that means queues, so arrive early. Inside are steep, narrow spiral stairs, and the OPW warns of challenging access for anyone with limited mobility. The grounds, the lakeshore and the start of the Ross Island trails are free.
5 March – 3 November 2026, daily 09:30–17:00 (tours 10:00–16:55)
Pay on the day — nothing to book in advance.
Cycle to Muckross and Torc
US$23hybrid bike €20 (~US$23) per adult per day; e-bike €45 (~US$51), over-18s only
The park's surfaced tracks make this the easiest way to reach Torc without parking stress. From town, cross the Flesk bridge onto the cycle path, detour to Muckross Abbey, pass Muckross House and ride on to Torc, leaving the bike for the 5–10 minute walk to the falls. With more time, add the Muckross–Dinis loop around Muckross Lake, which is one-way, anticlockwise only. Share the paths with jaunting cars and walkers, and stay off unsurfaced trails.
Year-round; rental shops open 09:00–18:00
Pay on the day — nothing to book in advance.
Red deer rut in the park
free to watch; boat trips extra
Killarney holds Ireland's only surviving native herd of wild red deer, around 900 animals, up from fewer than 100 in 1970. In autumn the stags roar and spar, and the open Torc fields along the Dundag–Torc path and the Muckross area are good places to look and listen early or late in the day. Stags are aggressive during the rut, so keep your distance and keep dogs on a lead, as the park requires anyway.
Late September – October, peaking early to mid October
No booking needed.
Small falls, small car park
Set expectations: Torc is a 20-metre woodland cascade you reach in five minutes, not a big-river spectacle, and after a dry fortnight in summer it can look thin. The bigger practical problem is the car park on the N71, which is small and fills early on summer days when Ring of Kerry coaches stop. The overspill area is on the other side of the road, so you have to cross the busy N71 on foot. You'll have a much better time if you come by bike or on foot along the Dundag–Torc path from Muckross, arrive before 10:00, or come in the wet months, when the water is up and the coaches are fewer.
Where to stay
Killarney town has the widest choice and is 7 km from Torc by bike or car; the grand hotels on Muckross Road and at Fossa put you on the park's edge.
The Europe Hotel & Resort
A five-star lakeside hotel in the Killarney Hotels collection with 180 rooms and suites, most with balconies over the lake and the Reeks, a 50,000 sq ft ESPA spa, and beef and lamb from its own 400-acre farm. The closest luxury base to the Gap of Dunloe.
The Killarney Park Hotel
A family-owned five-star hotel run by the Treacy family, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, with a spa, a plunge pool and four dining spaces including The Peregrine. It's a short walk from the Knockreer park entrance and the town's restaurants.
Muckross Park Hotel & Spa
The closest luxury hotel to Torc and Muckross, dating from 1795 and billing itself as Killarney's first hotel, with Queen Victoria and George Bernard Shaw among past guests. It has a spa with a vitality pool, the two-AA-rosette Yew Tree restaurant and Colgan's pub.
The Great Southern Hotel Killarney
Built for the railway in 1854 and a landmark ever since: a grand Victorian hotel set in six acres of gardens beside the station, with four-poster rooms, historic suites and a leisure club. The obvious choice if you arrive by train.
Cahernane House Hotel
An 1877 manor house that was once a Herbert family home, now a four-star, 48-room hotel on a private estate on the edge of the park. Choose rooms in the original manor, the garden wing or the restored coach house, and eat at Herbert's Brasserie or the Cellar Bar.
Killarney Lodge
A four-star, Fáilte Ireland-approved guesthouse run by the Treacy family, known for home baking at breakfast. It offers B&B-style hospitality in a larger house, within walking distance of the station and the Knockreer entrance to the park.
Neptune's Killarney Hostel
A family-run hostel in the town centre, about five minutes' walk from the bus and train stations and two from a park entrance. Breakfast is included, and it offers same-day laundry, free maps, discounted tours and reduced-rate bike hire, which makes it a good base for cycling to Torc.
Search all Killarney accommodation
Getting there & getting in
KIR
Kerry Airport (Farranfore)
About 15 km north of Killarney on the N22, so Torc is about 30 minutes away by car. Ryanair routes listed for 2026 include Dublin, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester and Frankfurt-Hahn, with seasonal Alicante and Faro. Farranfore railway station is 1.6 km away, with trains to Killarney, but there's no shuttle.
ORK
Cork Airport
About 88 km, roughly 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes by car. By public transport, go into Cork city and take Bus Éireann Expressway coaches to Killarney, which run about every two hours and take about 1 hour 35 minutes. The best-connected airport in the south, with many European routes.
SNN
Shannon Airport
About 129 km, roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours by car via Limerick. By public transport, allow 3.5–4 hours by bus via Limerick. Shannon has seasonal transatlantic flights and US preclearance for the return journey.
Dublin is the main long-haul gateway (about 3 hours 40 minutes to Killarney by Irish Rail, changing at Mallow); Shannon and Cork are closer for drivers, and Kerry Airport is the nearest for flights from the UK and Europe.
From Killarney to Torc without a car
Killarney station has InterCity services from Dublin Heuston and Cork on the Mallow–Tralee line; most or all Dublin trains involve a change at Mallow, and the journey takes about 3 hours 40 minutes to just over 4 hours. From town, Torc is 7 km south on the N71. The park doesn't run a shuttle bus, but private bus services and jaunting cars serve the main sites. The easiest options are to hire a bike (from €20 a day) and use the park's cycle tracks via Muckross, or to walk the Kerry Way, whose official first stage ends at Torc Waterfall. Drivers should know that Ring of Kerry coaches run anticlockwise, via Killorglin first, so the N71 past Torc is busiest in the late afternoon as they return.
Visas & entry
- Ireland short stay (visa-exempt nationalities)
Free US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens, among others, can visit Ireland without a visa for up to 90 days. Ireland is in the EU but not in the Schengen area, so you go through a passport check on arrival, and time spent in Ireland doesn't count towards the Schengen 90-in-180-day limit. - UK and EU citizens
Free British citizens travel freely under the Common Travel Area, and EU/EEA citizens have free movement. Carry a passport or national ID card for flights; airlines generally require one. - UK ETA (only if you cross into Northern Ireland)
£20 (~US$26) Northern Ireland is part of the UK. Visitors who are not British or Irish citizens, including US, Canadian and EU nationals, need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation to enter it, even though the land border has no checks. Apply only through gov.uk or the official UK ETA app.
Ireland is outside Schengen, so the EU's Entry/Exit System and the still-delayed ETIAS don't apply here; they apply if you fly on to a Schengen country. Visa-required nationalities need an Irish short-stay 'C' visa. Check irishimmigration.ie and gov.uk before you travel.
Ways to spend the time
Half day
Half day by bike: Muckross and Torc
- Hire a hybrid bike on College Street or Muckross Road (about €20) and ride out over the Flesk bridge onto the park cycle path.
- Detour through the Yew Valley woods to Muckross Abbey, then on past Muckross House (gardens free; house €9 if you want the interior).
- Continue to Torc, lock the bike and walk the 200 metres to the falls, then climb the steps above for the view back over the lakes.
- If you still have energy, return via the Dundag–Torc lakeside path, or ride the one-way Muckross–Dinis loop anticlockwise before heading back to town.
1 full day
Gap of Dunloe and the three lakes
- 10:00 check-in at O'Connor's on High Street (or hotel pick-up) for the Gap of Dunloe Tours bus to Kate Kearney's Cottage.
- Walk the 12 km through the Gap past the Wishing Bridge and the Head of the Gap in 2.5–3 hours, or hire a jaunting car (€35 per person, cash).
- Lunch at Lord Brandon's Cottage, then take the 1.5-hour open boat through the Upper Lake, Muckross Lake and Lough Leane to Ross Castle.
- Take the bus back to town; if you land before about 16:30, add a Ross Castle guided tour (€5) first.
3 days
Three days: Torc, the Gap and the Ring of Kerry
- Day 1 — Muckross House and Gardens in the morning, then climb Torc Mountain from the Upper Torc car park, coming down past Torc Waterfall.
- Day 2 — the Gap of Dunloe bus-and-boat day, ending at Ross Castle; watch for red deer on the lakeshore in autumn.
- Day 3 — drive the 179 km Ring of Kerry anticlockwise, via Killorglin, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Sneem and Kenmare.
- Day 3 finish — come back over Moll's Gap to Ladies View for late light over the Upper Lake, then stop at Torc once the coaches have left.
Practical notes
- Money Ireland uses the euro, and cards and contactless payment are accepted almost everywhere. Carry some cash for the jaunting car ponymen in the Gap of Dunloe, who are paid directly, and for the €5-a-day private car park behind O'Connor's used by Gap tour customers. Prices here were converted at about €1 = US$1.14 in late September 2026.
- Parking at Torc The waterfall car park is on the N71 about 7 km from town. It's small and fills early in summer, and the overspill is on the other side of the road. For Torc Mountain and the Old Kenmare Road, use the Upper Torc car park, reached by a side road off the N71 about a kilometre earlier. The park says parking at its main sites is free.
- Weather and what to pack Killarney averages around 1,260 mm of rain a year, and showers come through in every season, so bring a proper waterproof and shoes with grip for the wet stone steps above the falls. On warm, humid days midges swarm near water and woodland. Walkers who leave the tracks may pick up ticks, which can rarely carry Lyme disease, so check your legs afterwards.
- Park rules The national park is open 24/7 and free. Dogs are welcome but must be on a lead at all times. Drones, camping, overnight parking, fires and barbecues are prohibited, and the park issues fire-danger warnings in dry spells. Off-road cycling is banned. Keep to surfaced tracks, follow the one-way cycle routes and give way to pedestrians. Canoeing needs a permit.
- Swimming Don't swim at the falls. The park warns that mountain rivers rise dramatically and suddenly after rain, and the lakes are deep and cold, with sudden drop-offs. The traditional bathing spot is the gently sloping Goleen shore of Muckross Lake. There's no lifeguard, inflatables aren't allowed, and children must be supervised closely.
- Accessibility The 200-metre path to the foot of Torc is short but rough in places, and the steps above it are not accessible. Muckross House lends a courtesy wheelchair for the interior and says most areas are accessible. Ross Castle has a steep approach and spiral stairs, and the Ross Castle waterbus currently has no disabled access. The Cloghereen nature trail near Muckross has a guide rope for visually impaired walkers.
- Timing Ring of Kerry coaches run anticlockwise, so the N71 past Torc and Ladies View is quietest early in the morning and busiest from mid-afternoon. For Muckross House, last entry is 16:00 in winter and 17:40 in July and August. Ross Castle tours are first come, first served, with fifteen people per tour, so arrive early in summer.
How it compares
This waterfall
Torc Waterfall
Ireland
Height20 mWidth—
Most similar
Aldeyjarfoss
Iceland
Height20 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall, of similar height and in Iceland
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
20 m
20 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Torc WaterfallAldeyjarfossVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 49× taller than Torc Waterfall. Victoria Falls is 5.4× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Torc Waterfall yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Torc Waterfall
3:50
6:28
Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
Books worth packing
The Rough Guide to IrelandRough Guides
Guidebook
The Rough Guide to Ireland
Rough Guides · 2025
Current Rough Guide with Wicklow and Kerry chapters for Powerscourt and Torc.
Guidebook
Lonely Planet Ireland
Lonely Planet · 2024
Current Lonely Planet covering Wicklow and Killarney National Park, home of Powerscourt and Torc waterfalls.
On the map
Questions people actually ask
Is Torc Waterfall free to visit?
Yes. Torc Waterfall is in Killarney National Park, which is free to enter and open 24 hours a day, all year. The park says parking at its main sites is free too. You only pay for heritage sites inside the park, such as Muckross House (€9, about $10) and Ross Castle (€5, about $6), and for boats, bike hire or jaunting cars.
How long is the walk to Torc Waterfall?
About 200 metres from the car park on the N71, which is five minutes on an easy gravel path to the viewing area at the foot of the falls. If you climb the roughly hundred stone steps above the falls to the upper path and viewpoint, allow about 30 minutes in total. Coming from Muckross, the Dundag–Torc lakeside path is 2.5 km return.
How high is Torc Waterfall?
About 20 metres. It's a stepped cascade roughly 110 metres long rather than a single drop, formed where the Owengarriff River runs down from the Devil's Punchbowl lake on Mangerton Mountain towards Muckross Lake. It isn't Ireland's highest waterfall. That's Powerscourt in County Wicklow, at about 121 metres.
Where is Torc Waterfall and how do I get there from Killarney?
It's 7 km south of Killarney town on the N71 Kenmare road, inside Killarney National Park in County Kerry. You can drive (the car park is small), cycle on the park's tracks via Muckross in about half an hour, take a jaunting car, or walk the Kerry Way, whose first official stage runs from Killarney town to Torc Waterfall.
When is the best time to see Torc Waterfall?
The morning after heavy rain, whatever the month. The falls are fed by a small upland catchment, so the flow rises and drops quickly. October to March is usually the fullest and quietest. Summer has the most visitors and, in dry spells, the thinnest water. September and October combine renewed flow with autumn colour and the red deer rut.
Is Torc Waterfall on the Ring of Kerry?
Yes. It's on the N71 between Killarney and Kenmare, the stretch of the 179 km Ring of Kerry that also passes Muckross House, Ladies View and Moll's Gap. Tour coaches drive the Ring anticlockwise, starting via Killorglin, so they reach Torc near the end of the day. Stop early in the morning if you want the car park to yourself.
Can you climb Torc Mountain from the waterfall?
Yes. Take the steps above the falls up to the Old Kenmare Road, or start at the Upper Torc car park just off the N71, then turn off onto the stone and railway-sleeper path to the 535-metre summit. It's about 7.5–8 km return and takes 2.5–3 hours, with views over all three lakes. It's exposed at the top, so bring a waterproof.
Do I need a visa to visit Ireland?
Not if you're from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK or the EU. North American and Australasian visitors can stay up to 90 days visa-free. Ireland isn't in Schengen, so there's a passport check and Schengen rules don't apply. If you cross into Northern Ireland, which is in the UK, you'll need a UK ETA (£20) unless you're a British or Irish citizen.
Sources (40)
- www.nationalparks.ie/killarney/
- www.nationalparks.ie/killarney/things-to-do/
- www.nationalparks.ie/killarney/contact/
- www.npws.ie/national-parks/killarney-national-park
- muckross-house.ie/plan-your-visit/
- www.muckross-house.ie/
- heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/ross-castle/
- gapofdunloetours.com/our-tours/
- fareharbor.com/api/v1/companies/gapofdunloetours/items/
- gapofdunloetours.com/blog/witnessing-the-red-deer-rut-natures-autumn-spectacle-in-killarne…
- www.killarneylaketours.ie/
- killarneylaketours.ie/tours/killarney-waterbus-tour/
- killarneylaketours.ie/tours/killarney-jaunting-car-tour/
- killarneyrentabike.com/rentals/
- killarneyrentabike.com/locations/
- killarneyrentabike.com/routes/
- www.theirishroadtrip.com/torc-waterfall-ireland/
- killarneyguide.ie/torc/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torc_Waterfall
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torc_Mountain
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killarney_National_Park
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muckross_House
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gap_of_Dunloe
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladies_View
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_of_Kerry
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killarney_railway_station
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerry_Airport
- www.rome2rio.com/Train/Dublin/Killarney
- www.rome2rio.com/s/Shannon-Airport-SNN/Killarney
- www.rome2rio.com/s/Cork-Airport-ORK/Killarney
- www.theeurope.com/
- www.killarneyparkhotel.ie/
- www.muckrosspark.com/
- www.greatsouthernkillarney.com/
- www.cahernane.com/
- www.killarneylodge.net/
- www.neptuneshostel.com/
- www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta
- www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-visit-ireland/
- open.er-api.com/v6/latest/EUR
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