Kylemore Abbey Tours
Benedictine abbey · Walled garden · Connemara

Kylemore Abbey Tours

Coach days, private cars and longer trips from Galway, Westport and Dublin

Kylemore Abbey tours take you from Galway, Westport or Dublin to the granite abbey on Pollacappul Lough, its Neo-Gothic Church and its six-acre walled garden. Every card shows whether the estate ticket is in your fare and how long you get there, so you book the day that fits your trip.

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

1867Foundation stone laid
6 acresVictorian walled garden
From $51A seat on a Galway coach day

Hours, prices and access verified by the Kylemore Abbey Tours team — last checked 2026-09-17.

Kylemore Abbey Tours › Tours & Tickets 2026 Updated: 2026-09-17
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Top Kylemore Abbey Tours for 2026

The best Kylemore Abbey tour is the one that handles the ticket your way: paid in the fare, or bought on the day. Pick yours from these three.

Badge of ExcellenceConnemara Day Trip Including Leenane Village and Kylemore Abbey from Galway

Connemara Day Trip Including Leenane Village and Kylemore Abbey from Galway

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

Abbey ticket includedFrom Galway

Leave the HYDE Hotel on Forster Street at 09:45 and cross Connemara by Oughterard, Maam Cross and the Twelve Bens to Leenane village and Killary Fjord. The entrance fee to Kylemore Abbey and the Victorian Walled Garden is already in your fare, with two hours to see both. On the way home the coach stops at Spiddal and returns by Salthill. Hotel pickup can be requested at least 24 hours ahead, and food and drinks are yours to buy.

  1. Depart the HYDE Hotel, Galway, 09:45
  2. Pass Oughterard, Maam Cross and the Twelve Bens
  3. Leenane village, 30 minutes
  4. Killary Fjord, 15 minutes
  5. Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Garden, 2 hours
  6. Spiddal, 15 minutes
  7. Return to Galway via Salthill

From $76 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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From Galway: Connemara and Cong Full-Day Tour

From Galway: Connemara and Cong Full-Day Tour

★★★★★ 4.7 (2,266 reviews · 8 hours)

Abbey ticket extraFrom Galway

Board the coach at the Kinlay Hostel on Merchants Road at 10:00, with check-in from 09:40, and head up the Inagh Valley to Kylemore Abbey for up to two hours. Entry there is optional and costs EUR 14 a head in cash, paid to the driver, so you only pay if you go in. After a photo stop at Killary Fjord the road runs by Lough Nafooey to Cong village and its abbey for 45 minutes. The coach is back in Galway around 18:00, and lunch is your own.

  1. Depart Kinlay Hostel, Galway, 10:00
  2. Inagh Valley photo stop, 10 minutes
  3. Kylemore Abbey and Walled Garden, up to 2 hours
  4. Killary Fjord photo stop, 10 minutes
  5. Lough Nafooey route
  6. Cong village and abbey, 45 minutes
  7. Back in Galway around 18:00

From $51 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Badge of ExcellencePrivate Connemara Day Tour

Private Connemara Day Tour

★★★★★ 4.9 (36 reviews · 7 to 8 hours)

Abbey ticket extraGalway pickupYour group only

Your driver-guide collects you wherever suits you in Galway, and the car carries only your party of up to seven. The day takes in Aughnanure Castle, an hour with the Joyce Country sheepdogs, a lunch stop at Veldon's Seafarer and two hours at Kylemore Abbey and its garden. It closes on the Sky Road, with Wi-Fi on board all the way. Lunch and entry fees, the abbey included, are paid on the day, and one price covers the whole group.

  1. Pickup in Galway
  2. Aughnanure Castle, 30 minutes
  3. Joyce Country Sheepdogs, 1 hour
  4. Lunch stop at Veldon's Seafarer, 1 hour
  5. Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Garden, 2 hours
  6. Sky Road, 20 minutes

From $673 per group, up to 7

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Why book with us

Trusted by Thousands of Visitors

⚖

Best Guides

Kylemore Abbey guided tours here are led by driver-guides who know every bend of the Connemara road and its stories, and inside the gate the abbey's own guides give free talks on the house.

✓

Book With Confidence

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

☀

Experience of a Lifetime

The abbey mirrored in its lough, the rooms where the Henrys lived and a Victorian garden restored plant by plant: a day in Connemara you will still be describing at home.

Ireland Tripadvisor

FREE CANCELLATION up to 24 hours in advance on every tour listed here except the eight-day rail journey, whose card shows its own terms.

Everything available

All Kylemore Abbey Tours & Tickets

Kylemore Abbey Bus Tours from Galway

Bus tours from Galway to Kylemore Abbey leave two central kerbs, the HYDE Hotel on Forster Street and the Kinlay Hostel on Merchants Road, between 09:30 and 10:30. You pay per seat, and each card says whether the abbey ticket is in that fare.

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

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

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

Abbey ticket includedFrom Galway

Meet the team in blue jackets outside the HYDE Hotel and ride through Connemara to Leenane for 30 minutes, then pause for photographs over Killary Fjord. Two hours at Kylemore Abbey follow, with the entrance fee to the abbey and gardens already paid in your fare. The coach passes Connemara National Park on the way back and stops at Spiddal for a 15-minute break. Bring money for food and drinks, which are not included.

From $74 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Badge of ExcellenceConnemara, Cong & Kylemore Abbey Tour from Galway

Connemara, Cong & Kylemore Abbey Tour from Galway

★★★★★ 4.7 (1,131 reviews · 8 hours)

Abbey ticket extraFrom Galway

Check in outside the Kinlay Hostel on Merchants Road by 09:45 for a coach day that puts two hours at Kylemore Abbey and its walled garden first. After Lough Corrib and a 15-minute stop at Killary Fjord, you spend 30 minutes in Cong village and 15 at its Royal Abbey. The abbey entrance fee is optional and payable to the driver, so you can decide on the day. Food, drinks and tips are extra, and pickup is from the main departure point only.

From $52 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Badge of ExcellenceSmall Group Kylemore Abbey, Sheepdog Demo & Connemara Tour

Small Group Kylemore Abbey, Sheepdog Demo & Connemara Tour

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

Abbey ticket includedFrom GalwayMax 25 guests

Travel in a group of 25 at most, leaving the HYDE Hotel on Forster Street at 10:15 with a short stop at Maum. Your admission to Kylemore Abbey and the Victorian Walled Garden is included, with two hours to spend there. The afternoon brings a 70-minute sheepdog demonstration at Joyce Country Sheepdogs, its entry paid as well. Hotel pickup can be requested at least 24 hours ahead, and food, drinks and tips are your own.

From $134 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Top ratedSmall Group Tour: Connemara, Kylemore Abbey & Sheepdog Show

Small Group Tour: Connemara, Kylemore Abbey & Sheepdog Show

★★★★★ 4.9 (104 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes)

Abbey ticket includedFrom GalwayMax 25 guests

Start at the HYDE Hotel at 10:30 with 25 guests at most, and head for Kylemore Abbey, its walled garden and the Gothic church, all with entry in your fare. The route then runs past Connemara's lakes and the Twelve Bens to Leenane village and its Sheep and Wool Centre. A sheepdog demonstration on a Connemara farm closes the day, its entrance also paid. Hotel pickup is included, while food and drinks are extra.

From $126 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Badge of ExcellenceFrom Galway: Guided tour of Connemara with 3 hour stop at Connemara National Pk.

From Galway: Guided tour of Connemara with 3 hour stop at Connemara National Pk.

★★★★★ 4.8 (610 reviews · 9 hours)

Abbey or national parkFrom Galway

Choose on the day between three hours at Kylemore Abbey and three in Connemara National Park, on a nine-hour coach day from Merchants Road at 09:30. Before the long stop come Screebe Waterfall, the Pine Island viewpoint, and 30 minutes in Clifden with the Sky Road. On the way home you pass Lough Inagh and the Connemara Giant. If you pick the abbey, the driver sells entry tickets at a discounted rate for cash only, and food is not included.

From $58 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Connemara, Kylemore Abbey and Wild Atlantic Way tour from Galway

Connemara, Kylemore Abbey and Wild Atlantic Way tour from Galway

★★★★★ 4.6 (36 reviews · 9 hours)

Abbey or national parkFrom Galway

Ride out of Galway in an air-conditioned minivan from the Kinlay Hostel, stopping 15 minutes each at Screebe Waterfall and the Pine Island viewpoint. After Clifden and the Sky Road you get three hours for either a national park hike or a visit to Kylemore Abbey. Lough Inagh and the Connemara Giant come on the way back to Galway. Abbey entry is not among what the fare includes, so budget for it if you choose Kylemore.

From $92 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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See all Kylemore Abbey bus tours from Galway

Kylemore Abbey Private Tours

Kylemore Abbey private tours put only your party in the car, collected where you are staying in Galway, Westport or Ballina. One price covers the group, and any entry fees are paid on the day.

Badge of ExcellencePrivate Half Day Tour To Connemara

Private Half Day Tour To Connemara

★★★★★ 5.0 (29 reviews · 4 to 5 hours)

Abbey ticket extraGalway pickupYour group only

Hotel pickup in Galway starts a four-to-five-hour private drive through Connemara for your party of up to seven. You get two hours at Kylemore Abbey and the Victorian Walled Garden, then 20 minutes on the Sky Road before the drive back. Wi-Fi is on board, and the price covers the car rather than each guest. Abbey admission and lunch are not included, and the shorter day leaves your afternoon and evening in Galway free.

From $643 per group, up to 7

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Connemara Sheep Farm experience & Kylemore Private Guide Tour

Connemara Sheep Farm experience & Kylemore Private Guide Tour

★★★★★ 5.0 (10 reviews · 8 hours)

Abbey ticket extraGalway pickupYour group only

Private guiding for a group of up to three begins with pickup in Galway and two hours at Kylemore Abbey and the Victorian Walled Garden. An hour at Aughnanure Castle and three hours of Connemara scenery follow, in an air-conditioned vehicle. The day ends with two hours at the Killary Sheep Farm and its sheepdog demonstration. Admission to the abbey and the farm is optional, so you pay only for what you choose on the day.

From $878 per group, up to 3

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Private Connemara and Cong Day Tour with Kylemore Abbey

Private Connemara and Cong Day Tour with Kylemore Abbey

★★★★★ 5.0 (2 reviews · 8 hours)

Abbey ticket extraGalway pickupYour group only

Pickup in Galway puts your group of up to four in a private, air-conditioned car for an eight-hour day. Spend two hours at Kylemore Abbey and its walled garden, then an hour at the Royal Abbey of Cong. The route passes Connemara National Park on the way back to Galway, and the car and its guide stay with your party all day. Lunch and admission to the sites are extra, so the price covers the car and the guiding.

From $878 per group, up to 4

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Private Luxury Guided Tour of Connemara from Westport or Ballina

Private Luxury Guided Tour of Connemara from Westport or Ballina

★★★★★ 5.0 (3 reviews · 8 hours)

Photo stop outside the abbeyWestport or Ballina pickupYour group only

Collect your English or French-speaking guide in Westport or Ballina for a private day for up to five in Mayo and Connemara. The route runs through Doolough Valley to 30 minutes at Killary Fjord, the Sky Road, an hour in Clifden and an hour in Cong. Kylemore Abbey is a photo stop from outside only, with no entry to the rooms or the garden. Snacks and meals are extra, so book this one if the scenery matters more to you than the house.

From $930 per group, up to 5

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Kylemore Abbey Tours from Dublin

Every Kylemore Abbey tour from Dublin here runs two days or more, because the abbey lies about 80 km beyond Galway, on the far side of Ireland. Kylemore is one stop on a longer journey, by private car, small-group coach or private train.

Connemara and Galway Private Chauffeur 2 Days Tour from Dublin

Connemara and Galway Private Chauffeur 2 Days Tour from Dublin

★★★★★ 5.0 (5 reviews · 2 days)

Abbey ticket not listed2 days from DublinYour group only

Two days in a private, air-conditioned car take up to three of you from Dublin to Connemara and Galway, with an English-speaking guide. About five hours at Kylemore Abbey and the Victorian Walled Garden leave time for the rooms, the church and the walks. The rest of the trip brings two hours in Cong, two in Galway, Galway Cathedral and an hour at Sean's Bar. Hotels are not included, and nor is lunch, so book your own room for the night.

From $3,043 per group, up to 3

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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10 Day Wild Irish Experience Small Group Tour From Dublin

10 Day Wild Irish Experience Small Group Tour From Dublin

★★★★★ 5.0 (104 reviews · 10 days)

Abbey ticket included10 days from DublinMax 16 guests

Ten days from the Point A Hotel on Parnell Street circle Ireland in a group of 16 at most, with Kylemore Abbey on the Connemara leg. It is a Kylemore Abbey and Cliffs of Moher tour in one, with entrance fees to both, plus Glendalough, the Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle. A sheepdog demonstration, a Westport walking tour, a ferry across the Shannon and nine breakfasts are included. Your guide stays with you throughout, from Dingle and the Ring of Kerry to the Wicklow Mountains.

From $3,393 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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2026 Exclusive Emerald Pullman Private Rail Tour from Dublin

2026 Exclusive Emerald Pullman Private Rail Tour from Dublin

★★★★★ 5.0 (6 reviews · 8 days)

Abbey ticket included8 days from DublinLunch included

Eight days aboard the Emerald Pullman private train leave Connolly Station in Dublin in June or September, with all transfers, tours and admissions in the fare. Your route takes in Blarney Castle, Cobh, the Ring of Kerry, two hours at Kylemore Abbey and its garden, and the Giant's Causeway. Drinks and light snacks on the train, seven breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners are included, with first-class hosts throughout. A full refund needs six clear days' notice, and half is refunded two to six days ahead.

From $6,344 per person

Full refund if cancelled at least 6 full days ahead; 50% refund 2-6 days ahead; no refund inside 2 days..

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See all Kylemore Abbey tours from Dublin

Connemara's abbey

About Kylemore Abbey

Kylemore Abbey was begun in 1867 as a castle for a Manchester surgeon and his wife, and since 1920 it has been home to Benedictine nuns who came from Ypres. Join us on the shore of Pollacappul Lough, where the granite front stands reflected under Duchruach mountain. The estate ticket opens the restored ground-floor rooms, the Neo-Gothic Church, the Mausoleum, the woodland walks and a six-acre garden reached by shuttle bus. We bring together the tours that reach it from Galway, Westport and Dublin. Start with the three above.

History

Mitchell Henry, a surgeon and later MP for Galway, built the house after he and Margaret honeymooned in Connemara. She died in 1874, and he raised the church in her memory. The Duke of Manchester owned the estate next, and the Benedictine nuns arrived in December 1920 after their abbey in Ypres was destroyed.

Planning Your Visit

Kylemore Abbey tickets cover the whole estate for the day, and booking ahead is advised for swifter entry but not required. The estate opens at 10:00 and closes at 18:00 in summer and 17:00 in winter. The Kylemore Kitchen café, the shop and the free car park sit outside the paid area.

Talks and Guides

Inside the gate, free history talks run daily at 11:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:00, and you sign up at the guides' desk in the Gallery Saloon. In summer the abbey has also run garden talks and a daily tour of the church. Your tour's driver-guide leads the day on the road.

The abbey's turrets rising above clipped shrubs, with the mountain behindKylemore Abbey from along the shore, with water lilies in the foregroundThe abbey's towers among the trees at the foot of a steep green slope
What you will see

Named Highlights of a Kylemore Abbey Visit

What the estate ticket opens, from the house on the lough to the garden in the woods.

The ground-floor rooms

The restored rooms, from Mitchell Henry's library and study to the Drawing Room with the only portrait of Margaret, hold the Visitor Experience that opened in 2019.

The Neo-Gothic Church

A five-minute walk from the abbey, Henry's memorial to Margaret has columns of green, black, red and white marble from the four provinces, and angels in place of gargoyles.

The Mausoleum

A small red-brick building on the avenue just past the church, where Margaret was placed and where Mitchell was laid beside her after he died in London in 1910.

The Victorian Walled Garden

Six acres split by a mountain stream, planted only with varieties from before 1901 and reached by the shuttle bus that comes with the estate ticket.

Pollacappul Lough

The abbey's front stands reflected in this dark water, and the bridge and the free car park give you the classic view before you buy a ticket.

A wishing stone on the estate

Legend says a giant on Duchruach threw the Giant's Ironing Stone at Fionn McCool, and children still stand with their backs to it, make a wish and toss a pebble over three times.

Plan your visit

Everything You Need Before You Go

The estate ticket covers the ground-floor rooms, the church, the Mausoleum, the woodland and lakeshore walks, the walled garden and the shuttle bus to it. The estate opens 10:00 to 18:00 from early March, with last admission at 17:00, and 10:00 to 17:00 from late October, closing on 24, 25 and 26 December. The switch dates move each year, so check the abbey's own times before you travel.

Plan your visit

The abbey stands on the N59 between Clifden and Westport, about 3 km beyond Letterfrack and 80 km from Galway city, with a free car park for cars, campers and coaches. The drive from Galway takes about an hour and a quarter. Bus Éireann regional services stop at Kylemore itself, and the nearest railway stations are Galway and Westport.

See every route

The shared coach days leave central Galway from two kerbs: the HYDE Hotel on Forster Street and the Kinlay Hostel on Merchants Road, between 09:30 and 10:30. The private cars collect you in Galway, Westport, Ballina or Dublin, and the longer tours leave Connolly Station or the Point A Hotel in Dublin.

See the starting points

Met Éireann's Belmullet averages give May the most sunshine and the least rain, 70.8 mm, and November the most, with about 200 wet days a year on this coast. The estate is mostly outdoors, so pack a waterproof in any month. The abbey rooms, the church and the Tea House give you cover when a shower passes.

Check the months

Straight answer

Do You Need a Tour to See Kylemore Abbey?

Not if you have a car. The abbey sits on the N59 with a free car park at the gate, and it sells its own estate ticket online and at the visitor centre. It sets its own Kylemore Abbey ticket prices, and booking ahead is advised for swifter entry but not required. An estate ticket, bought on the day or as a Kylemore Abbey reservation online, gives you entry for the whole of the opening hours.

What a tour adds is the 80 km of Connemara road driven for you, with stops you would not find alone: Leenane and Killary, the Inagh Valley, Cong, a sheepdog farm. On the Leenane coach days and the small-group sheepdog days the ticket is already in the fare, and on the Galway Tour Company Cong coach you buy it from the driver only if you want to go in.

See Top Tours  Visiting without a tour

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

Which one is me

Choosing the Right Day for You

Start from where you are staying and what you want from the ticket.

You want the ticket settled in one price

The Leenane coach days and the small-group sheepdog days put the entrance fee in the fare, with two hours at the abbey. Compare the bus tours from Galway to Kylemore Abbey.

You want the lowest seat

Galway Tour Company's Cong day is the most-reviewed Connemara Cong & Kylemore Abbey tour, and the ticket is an optional EUR 14 paid in cash to the driver.

You want your own car

A driver-guide collects your party where you are staying and the route bends to you. See the Kylemore Abbey private tours, priced per group.

You would rather walk the park

The park-or-abbey days from Galway give up to three hours for either the abbey or Connemara National Park, and you choose on the day.

You are starting in Dublin

The abbey lies about 80 km beyond Galway, so the tours from the capital run two days or more. See the Kylemore Abbey tours from Dublin.

You are staying in Mayo

A private day from Westport or Ballina covers Killary, Clifden and Cong, with Kylemore as a photo stop from outside. For time inside, take a Galway coach instead.

Compare

Which Kylemore Abbey Tour Is Right for You?

All the Kylemore Abbey tours and tickets gathered here, most reviewed first. Read the Best-for column before the fare: a coach seat with the ticket paid and a private car for your family answer different trips.

TourRatingFareLengthBest for
From Galway: Connemara and Cong Full-Day Tour4.7From $51 per person8 hoursTravellers on a tight budget happy to pay entry in cashBook
From Galway: Connemara & Kylemore Abbey Full-Day Guided Tour4.7From $74 per person7 hours 30 minutesFirst-time visitors who want the ticket paid and Leenane on the wayBook
Connemara Day Trip Including Leenane Village and Kylemore Abbey from Galway4.8From $76 per person7 hours 30 minutesFirst-timers who want the abbey ticket paid in the fareBook
Connemara, Cong & Kylemore Abbey Tour from Galway4.7From $52 per person8 hoursBudget travellers who also want Cong and Killary FjordBook
From Galway: Guided tour of Connemara with 3 hour stop at Connemara National Pk.4.8From $58 per person9 hoursWalkers who may swap the abbey for a national park hikeBook
Small Group Kylemore Abbey, Sheepdog Demo & Connemara Tour4.9From $134 per person7 hours 30 minutesSmall-group travellers who want the sheepdogs and the ticket paidBook
10 Day Wild Irish Experience Small Group Tour From Dublin5.0From $3,393 per person10 daysTravellers who want the Cliffs of Moher and Kylemore in one tripBook
Small Group Tour: Connemara, Kylemore Abbey & Sheepdog Show4.9From $126 per person7 hours 30 minutesAnyone who wants the abbey, the church and a sheepdog showBook
Private Connemara Day Tour4.9From $673 per group, up to 77 to 8 hoursFamilies or groups of up to seven who want their own paceBook
Connemara, Kylemore Abbey and Wild Atlantic Way tour from Galway4.6From $92 per person9 hoursHikers who want Clifden, the Sky Road and a choice of stopBook
Private Half Day Tour To Connemara5.0From $643 per group, up to 74 to 5 hoursFamilies with young children who want a shorter private dayBook
Connemara Sheep Farm experience & Kylemore Private Guide Tour5.0From $878 per group, up to 38 hoursA party of up to three keen on a working sheep farmBook
2026 Exclusive Emerald Pullman Private Rail Tour from Dublin5.0From $6,344 per person8 daysTravellers who want Ireland by private train, every admission paidBook
Connemara and Galway Private Chauffeur 2 Days Tour from Dublin5.0From $3,043 per group, up to 32 daysCouples starting in Dublin who want a private car for two daysBook
Private Luxury Guided Tour of Connemara from Westport or Ballina5.0From $930 per group, up to 58 hoursGuests staying in Mayo who want an English or French guideBook
Private Connemara and Cong Day Tour with Kylemore Abbey5.0From $878 per group, up to 48 hoursGroups of up to four who want Cong's abbey at a private paceBook
A little rushed at the abbey, and they wanted more time there, but still a five-star day.Jordan · Kylemore Abbey day from Galway · Leenane and Killary
Budget 14 euro a head for the abbey. Each stop had enough time.Nathalie · Kylemore Abbey and Cong day from Galway
Their first private car with a guide, and Fergus reached places a big group could not.Amy W. · Private Kylemore Abbey day from Galway
What to expect

How a Kylemore Abbey Day Runs

1

Pick your start and date

Choose Galway, Westport or Dublin, and check whether your fare holds the abbey ticket.

2

Meet at the kerb or your door

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

3

Drive through Connemara

Leenane, Killary Fjord, the Inagh Valley or Cong, with photo stops on the way.

4

Two hours at the abbey

Time for the rooms, the church and the shuttle to the garden; the choice days give three.

5

Back by evening

The Galway days run four to nine hours; the Cong coach is back around 18:00.

See Top Tours

Traveller reviews

Kylemore Abbey Tours Reviews

Travellers' own words about the guides, the abbey and the garden, with the stars each gave. The four-star voice is here too, because it helps you choose.

★★★★★

Kylemore Abbey day from Galway · Leenane and Killary

Shane knew his Irish history and kept the jokes coming, and he surprised the group with an extra stop to feed sheep. He also gave them more time at the abbey, which they felt it needed, with so much to see there.

Andrew M. · Traveller · August 2026

★★★★★

Kylemore Abbey day from Galway · Leenane and Killary

Beautiful places, interesting facts from the guide and great music on the coach. The day was windy and wet, and the weather only added to the mood.

Linda · Solo traveller · Slovakia · September 2026

★★★★★

Kylemore Abbey and Cong day from Galway

Mike made sure the group had 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

★★★★★

Kylemore Abbey and Cong day from Galway

They booked the day for Cong, which turned out to be the least memorable part. The abbey impressed them far more, and the guide was the star of the day.

Katherine B. · Traveller · August 2026

★★★★★

Private Kylemore Abbey day from Galway

The guide was flexible with the children and stopped at a playground so they could run off some energy. Kylemore was great, even in poor weather.

Kevin D. · Family · June 2024

★★★★★

Private half day to Kylemore Abbey from Galway

Vegetarians travelling with small children, they have needs of their own, and Bogdan shaped the day around them with ideas that suited them best. They called it a fantastic experience.

Dana P. · Family · May 2025

★★★★☆

Kylemore Abbey or national park day from Galway

They booked this day for the national park, but the weather was wrong for hiking Diamond Hill. They went to Kylemore instead and found it an interesting place to see and explore in person. Mike, the driver-guide, had plenty of facts and history.

Rebecca C. · Traveller · June 2026

★★★★★

Small-group Kylemore Abbey day · sheepdogs

Michael was a great guide. Be sure to see the gardens, which they enjoyed even more than the abbey, and the sheepdog visit was the highlight.

Nicole D. · Traveller · June 2026

★★★★★

Small-group Kylemore Abbey day · sheepdogs

Travelling in a small group made the day even better, and Michael shared his knowledge of Irish history all day long. The sheepdog demonstration at the end was the perfect finish, impressive and authentic.

Pires · Friends · France · August 2026

★★★★★

Kylemore Abbey or national park day from Galway

Mike was funny and knew the area well. They chose Kylemore Abbey for the long stop and loved it, with plenty of walking paths and nature.

Maureen M. · Traveller · July 2026

★★★★★

Private Connemara day from Westport · Kylemore Abbey

Neal was excellent. His knowledge of history, his fun facts and his love of Ireland made it the best tour of their trip.

Veronica P. · Traveller · April 2024

Read all reviews

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Kylemore Abbey tours cost?
Shared coach days from Galway run from $51 to $134 per person. Private cars from Galway start at $643 for a group of up to seven, and the multi-day tours from Dublin run into the thousands. Each card shows the current fare and what it covers.
Is the Kylemore Abbey ticket included in the tour price?
Only on some tours. Lally Tours' Galway days and the 8-day and 10-day tours from Dublin put the estate ticket in the fare. On the Galway Tour Company and Wild Atlantic Way Day Tours days the driver sells it for cash, and the private cars leave it to you at the gate.
Can you buy tickets at the gate?
Yes. The abbey sells its estate ticket at the visitor centre and on its own website. Booking ahead is not necessary, though the abbey says it gives you a quicker entry.
What are the opening hours?
From early March to late October the estate opens 10:00 to 18:00, with last admission at 17:00. In winter it opens 10:00 to 17:00, last admission 16:00, and it closes on 24, 25 and 26 December. The switch dates move each year, so check the abbey's opening times before you travel.
How long do tours spend at Kylemore Abbey?
Most day tours from Galway give you two hours at the estate. The Wild Atlantic Way Day Tours and Ireland Wild Escapes days allow up to three hours, but you spend them either at the abbey or in Connemara National Park.
Do I need to book in advance?
In summer, yes: book a few days ahead, because the coach days fill. Every tour here except the Emerald Pullman rail tour cancels free up to 24 hours before it starts.
Where do the Galway tours leave from?
Lally Tours leaves from outside the HYDE Hotel on Forster Street. Galway Tour Company, Wild Atlantic Way Day Tours and Ireland Wild Escapes leave from the Kinlay Hostel on Merchants Road. The private cars collect you where you are staying.
Is there a Kylemore Abbey tour from Dublin?
Not as a day trip, because the abbey is 80 km beyond Galway. From Dublin you can take a 2-day private tour, the 8-day Emerald Pullman rail tour or a 10-day small-group tour, each with a stop at Kylemore.
What does the estate ticket include?
It covers the restored ground-floor rooms of the Abbey, the Neo-Gothic Church and the Mausoleum. It also covers the woodland and lakeshore walks, and the Victorian Walled Garden with the shuttle bus there and back.
Can you go upstairs?
No. The Benedictine community lives in the building, so the visit is a self-guided tour of the ground floor. It takes in Mitchell Henry's library and study, and the drawing room with the only portrait of Margaret Henry.
Is Kylemore Abbey wheelchair accessible?
Partly. Six of the nine open rooms, the garden shuttle bus and most garden paths are accessible, but the Neo-Gothic Church is not. Wheelchairs can be borrowed and a few mobility scooters hired at the visitor centre.
Is lunch included on the day tours?
No day tour here includes lunch. You can eat at the Kylemore Kitchen café, which sits outside the paid area and needs no ticket.
Which tour should I book?
For the ticket sorted, Lally Tours' Leenane day. For the lowest fare, Galway Tour Company's Cong day. For your own pace and your own party, a private car from Galway.
Can I bring my dog?
Yes, on a lead. Dogs are welcome on the grounds, but they may not go into the buildings or ride the garden shuttle bus.
Is Kylemore Abbey part of Connemara National Park?
No. The park adjoins the estate: look across the lough from the abbey and you are looking into the park. Its visitor centre is just outside Letterfrack, on the Clifden road.

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Photographs

Kylemore Abbey Gallery

Kylemore Abbey and its reflection in the still water of the lough, below a wooded mountainsideKylemore Abbey seen across the lough through overhanging branchesKylemore Abbey across reeds and dark water at the edge of the loughLow cloud over the mountain behind Kylemore Abbey, seen across the loughA black and white sheepdog driving blackface sheep across a hillsideA small island of tall pines on a Connemara lough, mountains behind

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Around the estate

Beyond the Abbey

Three places for the hours around your visit. More are in Kylemore Abbey or Connemara National Park.

Connemara National Park

Across the lake from the abbey, the park's waymarked trails start at its 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 centre closes on Mondays and Tuesdays; the trails stay open.

Clifden and the Sky Road

Clifden lies 20 km from the abbey, and the Sky Road loops west of the town above the Atlantic. Several of the Galway days stop there for photographs.

Leenane and Killary

On the N59 towards Westport, Leenane sits at the head of Killary Harbour, the long sea inlet the abbey calls a true fjord.

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Kylemore Abbey Travel Guides and Advice

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Where it is

Visitor Information for Kylemore Abbey

Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore, Connemara, Co. Galway, H91 VR90, Ireland

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Name

Kylemore Abbey, the Benedictine abbey and its estate in Connemara, run by The Kylemore Trust.

Address

Kylemore, Connemara, Co. Galway, H91 VR90, on the N59 about 3 km beyond Letterfrack on the Westport road.

Hours

10:00 to 18:00 from early March, last admission 17:00; 10:00 to 17:00 from late October. Closed 24 to 26 December. Check the abbey's own times before you travel.

Getting there

Drive about an hour and a quarter from Galway, or take a coach day from the city. Every tour's own starting point is on the Kylemore Abbey map.

Book Your Kylemore Abbey Tour

Pick where your day starts and whether you want the ticket in the fare, then choose your date. Seats start at $51 a head, your Kylemore Abbey booking through these pages costs the same as booking direct, and every day tour here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead.

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