Discover the true beauty of Ireland on this wonderful day trip to the monastic site of Glendalough and oh-so colorful Kilkenny, the medieval capital of Ireland.
Wicklow
Visit St. Kevin's monastic city at Glendalough famed for its rounds towers, and Celtic crosses which will provide you with a true insight into the workings of an early Christian monastery. Glendalough, known as the valley of 2 Lakes and surrounded by dense forests.
Wicklow Gap
Enjoy the rolling hills of Wicklow, the magnificent peeat bogs, and dramatic waterfalls. Featured in many blockbuster movies, Wicklow is knows as the Garden of Ireland and this area is a favorite of many Dublin city dwellers as they escape the hustle and bustle of Dublin city.
Kilkenny
Once the capital of Ireland in the middle-ages, it is renowned for its magnificent Norman Castle dating back to 12th century.
Posted By : 931videshm
The positives first:
Driving through Glendalough and seeing the Wicklow Mountains were one of the most scenic routes I saw in Ireland. Even though the weather wasn't the best, the mists lent this charm to the area. It's about a 20 minute walk to the upper lake each direction but I recommend doing it. Definitely one of the highlights to see and I wish there was more time to go to the waterfall.
Kilkenny is a lovely area and the Kilkenny Castle is so picturesque. I couldn't stop taking photos of it. There was even a couple there who were taking their wedding photos! Pay and do the self-guided tour inside the castle. Worth the price of admission to see the history. There are also great spots near the castle as well to get some lunch.
Onto the negatives which really have to do with the tour operator. To note I booked directly on Paddywagon's website.
Firstly we weren't put in a coach but something like a Mercedes Sprinter van. So the vehicle was cramped and no WiFi as advertised.
Secondly there was no separate guide and driver which has been the case for every single other tour I've taken with other operators in other countries including Ireland. There was one driver/guide doing double duty who understandably would cut his commentary while concentrating on driving. Hence commentary was sporadic and not what I expected or am used to.
Thirdly, the driver/guide told persons on at least two occasions to be quiet as he was speaking. Now this wasn't directed at myself however the way I see it, everyone paid their money and if they wish to speak to one another rather than listen to the commentary then that's their prerogative. It's not like they were being boisterous.
And finally the driver didn't really take his time driving over speed humps or other imperfections in the road. It was a bumpy ride at the back of the van.
Long review but in summary the Wicklow Mountains and Kilkenny are worth a visit while in Ireland but choose another tour operator.
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Posted On : 2024-06-04 15:36:59 
Posted By : Kathleen_N
What a beautiful ride. Peter was such a great tour guide! We loved it. The weather was amazing ! Thanks so much! Kathleen
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Posted On : 2024-05-13 05:32:00 
Posted By : SeanB3657
Tour was well organised and the guide made an effort to ensure that enjoyed the day. They allowed enought time at each stop without feeling rushed. Thanks Ian!
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Posted On : 2024-05-02 13:40:53
Posted By : Kate_M
I had a great experience spending the day in Glendalough and Kilkenny. Peter was out tour guide and he was really exceptional.
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Posted On : 2024-05-02 13:05:21
Posted By : maggiek925
The sites were great! Glendalough had history and was beautiful. Kilkenny Castle was cool to explore. We had time to tour it and grab lunch at Kyteler’s Inn.
However, we were not as impressed by our driver/guide. Unfortunately, after having two amazing tour guides on our trip in Ireland, we were underwhelmed. I don’t even think he introduced himself to us. He didn’t know how to operate bus air conditioning at first, leaving us in extremely warm air. He wasn’t sure where to guide us at first at Glendalough. His only suggestion on Kilkenny was the castle. Our previous guides also gave us a rundown before getting to our sites to optimize time. This tour guide would tell us when we got there, cutting down on time.
Overall, I would recommend this tour but only with a different guide
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Posted On : 2024-04-14 15:50:55
Posted By : ellenrE7573DK
Paddywaggon’s driver was very professional and knowledgeable. We had a smooth ride to Kilkenny in the morning where we were able to discover the town on our own for two hours. Then we went on through beautiful scenery to Glendalough where again we had two hours to explore the old monastery site and lakes. On our way back through the Wicklow mountains we even had an extra stop to look at “Lake Guiness”. Thanks for a lovely day trip!
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Posted On : 2024-04-07 13:37:25
Posted By : xuereb_gx
We booked two full day tours (4 adults and one child) with Paddywagon, one to the Cliffs of Moher and Galway and another to Kilkenny and Wicklow Mountains. We paid a fare for our 1.5 year old for a seat (of course), but also specifically requested a booster seat (which is why we ultimately selected Paddywagon Tours).
Cliffs of Moher: long tour, great sight-seeing in the Cliffs region, and unfortunately a short stay in Galway (just one hour) due to the bad weather although our guide tweaked the itinerary so that we get more time with good weather at the Cliffs (around 2 hours). We had a good time there, and a booster seat was provided.
Kilkenny: the tour itself was fine, and the walk and views in Glendalough was amazing. However, when we got on the mini-bus there was no seat reserved for our child, and of course no booster seat, so she had to sit on our lap for c. 2-3 hours each way which was very uncomfortable, and very unsafe.
A few minutes after we boarded we sent an email to Paddywagon Tours stating this fact to see if we can find a resolution. Over a number of days we received very short and dry, and unprofessional, responses from the "customer service" person, essentially not believing us, and indirectly implicating that we were lying. They then ended up no longer responding to our emails even when sending reminders. Because of this we're now posting this negative review, on principle of being so unprofessional and also being made as liars (why would we pay for 4+1 people x 2 trips and then argue over a €30 seat if it wasn't true? We also sent them the email very soon after boarding).
The driver told us he was not informed of our baby, and hence there was no seat reserved for her and of course no booster seat (according to Paddywagon via email, he did later tell them that there was one space reserved for her - which is an outright LIE - either to save his skin or a lie fabricated by Paddywagon). Really disappointed with their way of handling this matter.
The experience themselves were fine, the handling of the matter on the other hand is extremely disappointing. You should be ashamed for not believing us when we provided such a detailed account and proof. You really need to hire a better PR/customer relations person.
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Posted On : 2024-04-05 05:35:08
Posted By : 793missyh
The tour was good and our driver Sean was really great, he was full of information and helpful (and witty)
Thank you Paddywagon tours for a fun day!
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Posted On : 2024-04-01 14:55:41
Posted By : johnoP9587KQ
Great company and the driver Paul Egan tour guide was a great man very nice and could not have been more helpfull.
Thanks regards John from Beaumont
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Posted On : 2024-02-19 15:04:30
Posted By : jessyf2017
This was the first of 3 trips we took with paddywagon on our trip and it was great. Our guide Ciaran Healy was so much fun that we spent a good part of the trip laughing. He was very informative and had lots of knowledge to share. This made us want to book more trips with paddywagon and we did not regret any of them. Thanks for a good time.
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Posted On : 2024-02-16 16:09:44
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