8-Day Private Tour – South & West of Ireland

Today your private tour begins by meeting and greeting your Tour guide driver.

We then leave Dublin city and travel up through the breathtaking Dublin Mountains passing by the famous Sally Gap and arriving at the 6th Century monastic settlement of Glendalough. This is nestled in a glaciated valley of 2 lakes. Founded by St Kevin, it features a 30m high round tower, medieval churches and 2 lakes. It’s a great spot for picnics and has a network of well-maintained walking trails.

Next we drive to beautiful Powerscourt, passing through the quaint village of Enniskerry. Powerscourt gardens were recently voted the 3rd best gardens in the world by National Geographic. It features formal gardens, terraces and ornamental lakes set against the stunning background of the Sugarloaf mountain.

• Falconry Experience in Glendalough
• Walking Trailing in Glendalough
• Powerscourt Gardens

Leaving Kilkenny we pop over to the Rock of Cashel which is one of Irelands most spectacular and most visited tourist attractions.

Perched on a dramatic outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale it has the most impressive cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland. Among its treasures are a round tower. a Romanesque chapel, a high cross, an abbey, a Gothic cathedral, a 15th-century Tower House, the Hall of the Vicars Choral and Cormac’s Chapel.

The Rock of Cashel is iconic in its historic significance and has the most impressive cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland Its surviving buildings are remarkable – Cormac’s Chapel for example contains the only remaining Romanesque fresco in the country.

Next we meander west to Killarney and its world famous National Park which is an expanse of rugged mountainous terrain including the McGillycuddy’s reeks, the highest mountain range in Ireland.

At the foot of these you will discover the stunningly picturesque and famous lakes of Killarney.

Arrive in Dingle for evening at your leisure.

• Kilkenny Castle
• Killarney Town Jaunting Experience
• Annascaul’s South Pole Pub
• Ross Castle
• Hurling Experience

Dingle is a vibrant, coastal town and peninsula in County Kerry, Southwest Ireland, renowned for its rugged Atlantic scenery, traditional Irish culture, its brightly coloured buildings and over 38 pubs.

It’s the gateway town to the Dingle peninsula and is a very popular destination on the Wild Atlantic Way, famous for its Slea Head Drive and the highest mountain pass in Ireland – the breathtaking Conor Pass.

We will explore the Slea Head Drive for an iconic 30-mile scenic coastal drive that starts and ends in Dingle town.

It offers dramatic views of, ancient beehive huts, famine cottages, dramatic steep sea cliffs, gorgeous sandy beaches and the Great Blasket Islands. The nearby Blasket Centre in Drumquin tells the story of its unique community that lived on the island until 1953.

Dingle has been been compared favourably to the nearby Ring Of Kerry but is less crowded, more intimate and is celebrated for its rich Irish culture. This includes a strong traditional music scene and is famous for its fresh fish, local pubs and the Dingle Distillery which makes award winning whiskey, gin and vodka.

There is also the famous Drumquin Pier on the Slea head trail, often used as a photo location synonymous with Ireland, and is recognised for its narrow winding path down to the sea.

Other key sites include the Gallarus Oratory – a well preserved dry stone chapel dating back over a thousand years, cruises of Dingle bay and for the adventurous there are excellent deep sea fishing trips to test your skills and your sea-legs.

There is also, believe it or not, an Aquarium in Dingle which is home to Irelands largest collection of sharks, penguins and Asian otters.

Inch beach (a filming location for the movie – Ryan’s Daughter) is just a few miles up the coast and is a massive sandy spit beach – great for walks and popular for polo matches, gliding and surfing.

• Ocean-world Aquarium
• Dingle Bay Cruises
• Dingle Fishing Trips
• Sheepdog Demonstrations
• Pottery Making
• Blasket Island Boat Excursion
• Great Blasket Centre at Drumquin
• Dingle Distillery

After breakfast we leave Dingle and head north east towards Tralee where will stop briefly at the Blennerville windmill – Irelands only commercially operating windmill, to stretch our legs before arriving at Listowel for lunch and a wander around the town.

Listowel is a charming heritage market town often referred to as “the Literary Capital of Ireland” due to its rich and enduring cultural heritage. Here you’ll find Listowel castle, the Kerry Writers museum and the unique Lartique Monorail and museum.

Off the beaten track we visit the rarely seen Carrigafoyle castle and then we take a ferry across the river Shannon leaving county Kerry and say hello to County Clare.

We then continue north along the spectacular Clare coastline until we reach the unique and dramatic attraction of the Cliff’s of Moher which are stunning 14km long sea cliffs that reach an impressive 214 metres or 702 ft at their highest point.

They offer breathtaking views and a visitor centre built into a hillside. There are also many diverse colonies of seabirds nesting here.

We finish our day in Doolin, a quaint village situated on the Clare coast.

• Liscannor Stone Museum
• Blennerville Windmill
• Kerry Writer’s Museum
• John B. Keane’s Pub

Option 1: Day trip by ferry to the Aran Islands (Inis Mor)

We will explore the largest of the 3 Aran Islands, Inís Mór, which is located in Galway Bay off Ireland’s west coast. This is an Irish speaking region though English is widely spoken.

Its a truly magical place that seems frozen in time and shows traditional Irish life and its culture. that has existed here for over 5,000 years.

Famous for its Aran sweaters, its rugged limestone landscapes and ancient stone forts like Dún Aengus.

Cars are not allowed to be brought onto the island unless you are a local so its remarkably quiet and peaceful. There are however several car free ways to explore the island such as traditional pony drawn cart or minibus. There are many scenic trails and loops to explore on foot at a relaxed pace.

Here is the place to purchase your gifts and souvenirs like Aran Sweaters tweed caps, wicker work and Man of Aran fudge.

or

Option 2: Exploring The Burren and touring Galway city.

Leaving Doolin we meander northward through County Clare and say hello to “The Burren” which means rocky place in Irish and you will soon see why!

Its a national park and has a unique Glaciokarst landscape which means its composed of limestone with lots of holes embedded within it. having been dissolved by water.

At over 500 square kilometres in area it has over 70% of Irelands native flowers and its the only place in the world where alpine and artic plants grow beside Mediterranean plants naturally.

After the Burren we then spend time exploring Galway’s medieval streets and taking in the sights, sounds and smells. This city lives and breathes history and is known as the “City of the Tribes”. It is the cultural heart of Ireland’s west coast and is a where the river Corrib flows into Galway Bay.We will see such sights as the Spanish Arch, the long walk, Salthill Promenade (popular for walks along Galway Bay) and the Latin Quarter & Quay street – famous for its brightly coloured pubs, restaurants, cobbled streets and buskers.

We will then embark on a walking tour of the city to witness the vibrancy of this bustling and artistic bohemian hub famous for its traditional music and festivals.

Popular Venues for these include Tig Cóilí, The Crane Bar and Taaffes Bar.

• Burren Chocolate Experience
• Ailwee Caves
• Falconry
• Perfumurie Experience
• Burren Smokehouse

We begin our way back to Dublin through the heart of Ireland making our first stop at the monastic site of Clonmacnoice – a spectacular monastery on the banks of the river Shannon.

Its ruins include two round towers, three high crosses, a Cathedral, 9 nine churches and several hundred early christian graveslabs.

We’ll the meander up to Seans Bar in Athlone (Irelands oldest pub) where you can opt to pull your own Guinness at its pull your pint experience. The vibrant town of Athlone is perched on the banks of the River Shannon in County Westmeath and is known for its charming pubs, boat rides on the river and its winding ancient streets. Things to do include Athlone Castle, shopping, nature trails and live music in the likes of Seans Bar.

Returning to Dublin passing through the Phoenix park, the largest enclosed city park in Europe. It is home to Dublin Zoo, the Irish President and herds of Fallow deer.

• Kilbeggan Whiskey Distillery
• Athlone Castle

Enjoy Dublin City Centre at your leisure on a complimentary walking tour of Dublin city.

There is a wealth of shopping destinations, museums and galleries to explore in this capital city – most within easy walking distance of each other.

Major attractions include Trinity College and the Book of Kells, which has been described as the world’s most beautiful book.

Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Christchurch, Stephen’s Green, Dublin Castle, Phoenix Park, the world-famous Guinness Storehouse Experience as well as the Jameson Whiskey Distillery and Kilmainham Gaol**

Dublin is also awash with free museums such as the National Museum of Ireland, the National Gallery of Ireland, the Collins Barracks Museum featuring the National Museum of Decorative Arts and History and the Hugh Lane Gallery showing the works of Francis Bacon.

All these museums as a bonus are free admission!

**Kilmainham Gaol and gardens are well worth a visit but please bear in mind you should book in advance in the busy season.

• Buskers on Grafton Street
• Kilmainham Gaol & Gardens
• Vintage Tea Trip