11 Day Discover Ireland Tour - Vagabond Tours of Ireland

A once in a life time tour of Ireland, you will see more of Ireland than most Irish people have. The 11 Day Discover Ireland Tour of Ireland explores the hidden corners of the country, both north and south, plus the well known highlights. You will experience the best of what Ireland has to offer, amazing scenery and local communities. Visit castles and stately homes and learn about the fascinating ancient and modern history of Ireland. The tour leaves from Dublin City centre at 08:30 on the first morning and get back about 18:00 on the last day. So they advise arriving at least the night before and, if you would be planning to fly out on the last night, then not to book a flight before 9pm. South West Firstly the tour heads south west, through the green heart of Ireland and counties Kildare, Tipperary and Limerick to County Cork. You spend the next 4 to 5 days exploring the fabulous south west of Ireland and its varied peninsulas before weaving your way from County Kerry across the great River Shannon into County Clare. The West Once there, you have the limestone lunar landscape of the Burren to explore, you will have some of the very best traditional Irish music to enjoy in the pubs, you can marvel at the Cliffs of Moher and there is also the option of a day trip to the world famous Aran islands. You visit the islands while the tour drives around Galway Bay and will pick you up on the other side. You then arrive in Connemara for the night, a remote and beautiful area which has a special place in the hearts of the Irish people. Nowhere quite typifies old fashioned Ireland like Connemara. Going North The next couple of days are spent in the less touristic areas of counties Mayo and Sligo. In Mayo alone there is the colourful town of Westport and the Holy mountain of Croagh Patrick, before you cross into Sligo for slightly softer scenery and the unique experience of a hot seaweed bath. The tour spends two nights in Enniscrone in Sligo, giving you time to explore the area and nearby north west Mayo as it is one of the least visited parts of Ireland. The two night stay also gives you the chance to have a more relaxing day on tour, maybe play a round of golf and get to know the local community. And then it’s time to cross the border into Northern Ireland. You will spend two days in the province learning all about its recent history and right back to the stone age, while not forgetting the fantastic coastal scenery of the Causeway Coast and the Glens of Antrim. This is a journey of discovery.