Killarney Jaunting Car Tour to Ross Castle: What to Expect
A jaunting car (horse-and-carriage) ride to Ross Castle was a highlight of Killarney — a relaxed way to see the national park, with deer and red squirrels along the way. Book ahead, check your meeting point carefully (it's in the town center by the Great Southern hotel, not at the castle), and dress warm. Here's the full rundown.
What the tour includes
We did the tour for the carriage ride and entrance to Ross castle. We had a wonderful time!! It was a highlight of our trip and such a great way to see Killarney National Park.
What you'll see (Ross Castle, the park)
The carriage ride was at a good walking pace, so we were able to enjoy the scenery. There were times when we stopped to look at the animals and get photos. We saw some deer and red squirrels on the trail. We were also able to get a majestic photo of Ross Castle in the distance mist.
Our tour guide, Morris, was hilarious and informative. He kept us laughing and learning the entire time 😄. We couldn’t have asked for a better driver! So funny!! Henry was our horse and he was a beautiful gentle giant. We had such a great time doing this!
What to wear
We did our ride mid-morning time at 10 o’clock and it was a little chilly, so a warm jacket and hat works nicely. There was a light blanket option to cover up with, if needed, on the back of the carriage seat.
Booking & the meeting-point mix-up (read this!)
Tip: There are 2 or 3 different carriage tours through different companies. When trying to find your meeting point, it might be helpful to review your receipt carefully. There were a couple of links to click through on the receipt and somehow we missed that.
We ended up at the wrong tour carriages in the parking lot of Ross castle. They directed us to our carriage tour, which was in Killarney’s town center. Located adjacent to Great Southern hotel, which you will find parking behind the hotel.
Book a carriage ride
If you need a restroom, the hotel has a really fancy one! Luckily our tour guide was very kind and took us 20 minutes later than our start time. If you’re unable to find it on your receipt, a phone call ahead of time might save you some time.