UNIQUE 5 DAY TOUR
This is a small group tour with a max of 8 people which gives all our guests an opportunity to really connect with our guides. Feel like one of the locals as you travel through off the beaten track locations while also hitting some of the main tourist attractions on your journey. You get to travel through many different landscapes and embrace special experiences while also staying in 4 star accommodation and boutique Irish B&Bs. We welcome you to our home and small farm holding on the last evening for a night of fun, an outdoor singalong session and the unique opportunity to plant a tree in Ireland. Enjoy carefully selected activities, pub experiences and wonderful Irish food. Our aim is to showcase an Ireland that we are proud of and want to share with you.
DAY 1 - EXPLORE IRELAND'S ANCIENT EAST AND CONNECT WITH BELFAST'S PAST
Visit Monasterboice Monastery, Round Tower and stone carved High Crosses
Visit the Boyne Valley and its historic ruins of early Christian settlement dating back to the 6th Century, including its famous 35 metre round tower. Hear tales of notorious Viking raids and Irish monks trying to protect their lives and valuables. Also find two of Ireland's highest and finest stone carved High Crosses.
Stop off at Strandfield Farm Cafe & Carlingford Harbour
Farm cafe, florist and organic grocer based within the farm yard of Strandfield House with a quirky feel and great coffee, a real hidden gem. Enjoy beautiful views of the quaint village of Carlingford and Harbour while challenging yourself to eating some of their fresh oysters ( don't worry, we won't force you if you are not a fan ).
Arrive in Belfast City with a choice of 2 options;
Tour Option 1 - Belfast political walking tour
Understanding Belfast's troubled history of the conflict with an honestly presented political tour by guides from both sides of this conflict. Meet Republican and Loyalist political ex-prisoners and discover a side of Belfast you won't find in the Tourist books. Walk the streets on both sides of the Peace Line and your guides will share their own personal stories and the conflict's effects on their communities while walking you through memorials and murals that show their troubled history.
- This option is included in Tour Price
- 3 hour walking tour
OR
Tour Option 2 - Entry to the Titanic Museum
See the location where the Titanic was constructed and walk along the regenerated waterfront while getting the full experience in the new state of the art Titanic museum.
- This option is included in Tour Price
Freetime in Belfast City
Enjoy a stroll around the City in your own freetime sampling what this great City has to offer in music, food, pubs and culture. Our guides will definitely pass on our favourite hotspots.
Overnight in a 4 star city centre hotel
Full Irish breakfast included
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DAY 2 - EMBRACE THE SPIRIT OF THE NORTH COAST
The Dark Hedges
Known to Game of Thrones fans as “The Kings Road”, on which Arya Stark travels after her escape from King’s Landing - this row of stunning gnarled 245 year-old beech trees intertwined over a country lane, attracts thousands of amateur photographers every year.
The famous Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge
Get to see the rugged coastline from a different angle on the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. The bridge links the mainland to a tiny island and is one of the main tourist attractions in Northern Ireland. Exciting and well worth it, though a daring crossing so better eat the porridge that morning.
Ballintoy Harbour
A quaint little harbour and charming cafe with spectacular views and tasty homemade treats. For Game of Thrones fans, this is the harbor where Theon Greyjoy returns home to the Iron Islands from Winterfell, and where he meets his sister Yara for the first time. It is also close to the location where Theon was baptized.
Giant's Causeway
A must see on this coastline - 40,000 interlocking hexagonal stone columns, formed as lava cooled down after a volcanic eruption 60 million years ago. There is also the folklore legend that this causeway was created and destroyed by the famous giant Fionn Mac Cumhaill which your guide will tell you all about - we believe the giant story, of course.
Dunluce Castle
This castle, built on a cliff, is said to be the inspiration for Castle Greyjoy in Game of Thrones. It is a photographer's dream and well worth the stop. This is a short photo stop - we will not be entering the castle due to time constraints on this action packed day.
Glenveagh National Park
Travel West towards the Atlantic Ocean through the remote hills and mountains of County Donegal taking in the rugged landscape of Glenveagh National Park while listening to Enya. Yes Enya, she grew up in this region so what better way to take in this inspiring wild scenery, than listening to the sounds of it.
Immerse yourself in the "Gaeltacht" region of Gweedore
Nestled away in rural Donegal along the Wild Atlantic Way, this is one of the few areas left in Ireland where the Irish language is spoken as a first language. Overnight in Bunbeg harbour and visit the local village pub where you will hear Irish spoken and traditional musicians just dropping in off the street to play a tune - a real authentic and memorable experience.
Overnight in a traditional Irish B&B
Full Irish Breakfast included
DAY 3 - JOURNEY ALONG THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY
Travel South along the Donegal coastline
Named "The coolest place in the planet" in 2017 by National Geographic, we can totally understand why. We love travelling along Donegal's rugged coastline discovering secluded breathtaking beaches. You will have the opportunity to walk and feel the nature and power of the Atlantic Ocean, view sea stacks, sample the finest of Irish seafood and drive along the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland's spectacular coastal driving route.
Experience one of Ireland's and Europe's highest cliffs
Sliabh Liag Cliffs are said to be one of the highest and finest marine cliffs in Europe. There are terrific views of the Atlantic Ocean, the Sligo Mountains and Donegal Bay as you walk towards the terrifyingly high top of Sliabh Liag, where the cliff face of Bunglas rises over 600m above the raging ocean. Walk up to the viewing point or if you are feeling adventurous, get the hiking boots on and ascend for one man's pass.
Enter the stunning County Sligo;
Tour Option 1 - Horseback riding on a wild atlantic beach
1 hour horseback ride on Trawalua Strand where beginners will be brought at a leisurely walk while experienced riders will enjoy the thrill of a canter or gallop along the golden sandy beach with Benbulbin Mountain as the backdrop.
- This option is an additional €29 per person
OR
Tour Option 2 - Drive the Gleniff Horseshoe loop
A stunning 10 km (6 mile) single lane loop surrounded by spectacular mountain views & roadside streams, the Gleniff Horseshoe charm feels like it takes you back in time and away from it all.
Welcome to Yeat's Country
Stop off at the grave of WB Yeats, one of Ireland's most famous poets and have the opportunity to hear one of his poems along his graveside.
End the day in the coastal town of Strandhill
End the day with a gentle walk along Strandhill Beach and watch the sunset from the sand dunes or maybe relax in one of the popular Seaweed Baths. This small surf town has a lot to offer with great food, cafes and pubs with it's easy going but fun atmosphere.
Overnight in a Boutique 4 star hotel
Full Irish breakfast or continental option included
DAY 4 - VENTURE INTO THE HIDDEN HEARTLANDS
Freetime in the morning
Have a well deserved sleep in, go for a walk/run on the beach or hit them waves with a 1 hr surf lesson
- Surf lesson averages €25 per person
Hike & explore the myths of Knocknarea Mountain
Hike on an all weather trail to the summit of Knocknarea Mountain and be rewarded with views of the Atlantic coastline and Ben Bulben Mountain along with exploring the mythological legend of Queen Maeve's Cairn. This is a 2.5 hours round trip.
Glencar Lake & Waterfall
Enter your journey into Ireland's Hidden Heartlands with your first stop off at Glencar Lake & Waterfall. Enjoy the more relaxed rhythm and breathtaking views of this valley where lake and mountains meet. Stop off for a light lunch at the Glencar TeaShed.
Option to visit The Shed Distillery
Visit the home of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin and Drumshanbo Single Pot Irish whiskey and join "The curious journey of the curious mind" tour.
- Tour option is an additional €** per person
Rural Adventure Tours home farm experience
Travel to our rural farm and home for a personal experience. Meet with friends and family who prepare a welcome meal of gourmet pizzas prepared in an outdoor wood fired pizza oven made with locally sourced organic produce and salads. Marcus or one of our guides will lead in an outdoor acoustic music session around the fire (weather permitting) and tell stories of how the farm started. We also invite all our groups that visit our farm to plant a tree for environmental and symbolic reasons. Leave a part of your tour here always and help towards a greener future.
Overnight in a 4 star country house hotel
Full Irish or continental breakfast included
DAY 5 - UNCOVER A RURAL IRELAND
Visit Erica's Fairy Forest
Enjoy a gentle stroll along the Dromore river though Halton's Amenity park until you get to Erica’s fairy forest. Let your imaginations run wild no matter what age you are.
Kayaking/Boating to Cloughoughter Castle
County Cavan, famous for its 365 lakes, one for every day of the year and what better way to uncover them other than a kayak or boat trip to Clough Oughter Castle. This is an enchanting castle built on a crannog (man-made island). Hear about the many tales of Irish Chieftains and battles that are linked to this monument. The castle ruin is part of the Marble Arch Geopark on Lough Oughter lake adjacent to the charming Killykeen forest park and is only accessible by water.
A short hike to Loughcrew Megalithic Cairn
A short hike to the highest point in County Meath to find Loughcrew Megalithic Cairn, an ancient rite of passage tomb older than the pyramids of Egypt. You will hear local folklore stories, see carvings on stones dating back 5000BC and visit the Loughcrew Megalithic centre, an old Irish thatched cottage cafe. Get connected to Ireland's ancient past.
Return to Dublin City where we say our farewells with the hope of meeting again
