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Tour from powerscourt hotel

My wife and I are staying at the powerscourt hotel for two nights to kickoff our 12 days in Ireland. Courtesy of my hard earned travel points. We are nature walking people, we will have a car, and I’m comfortable at driving on the left after 6 trips to the UK over the last several years. So we’re driving from Dublin airport to the hotel.

We want to tour powerscourt obviously and glendalough monastic site. Maybe a waterfall and a mountain walk. I’d like to hire a tour guide for the day, but the prices I’m seeing are steep and often offer broad tours of a bunch of things that I question the value of. Looking for advice on guided tour options for both powerscourt and gledalough site and a list top sites to see that might be off the beaten path and require walking. So we’re running our own itinerary but have targeted tour slots/chunks from excellent guides.

Bob

Posted by
8506 posts

Hi Bob, We are visiting Ireland, soon, as well. Did you happen to see the information in the Rick Steves Guidebook? There are a few detailed pages, There are films at both Powerscourt and Glendalough. Further, a 3pm tour is included with the Glendalough ticket. There is also is a description of a scenic drive on Old Military Road over Sally Gap. Since you will have a car, seeing the area could be quite easy to do on your own.

Often the RS guidebook will have guide suggestions. I do not see any in this section though it mentions guided tours from Dublin.

Posted by
2066 posts

I've been to both Powerscourt Gardens and Glendalough twice. The only guided tours I've seen at either place are those associated with multi-stop full day or multi-day tours. Powerscourt has an audio guide you can rent for a nominal fee. Its usefulness was limited to the history of the Slazenger family. There is no house to tour - it burned and the remaining structure houses a cafe, gift shop and administration. There is a distillery tour you can take separately. If memory serves the first Master Distiller came from Middleton - as did the first bottles. But that was at least 7 years ago.