This private tour by luxury car or mini-coach begins in the capital city of Dublin, and then explores the very best of the western and southwestern seaboard regions of the Wild Atlantic Way. In the company of a great guide and various special guests, this weeklong vacation brings together the extraordinary beauty of Ireland’s landscapes and coastline with all its rich heritage.
On this unforgettable journey, there will be time to walk, bike, golf, fish, sample the finest artisan foods in the company of their creators, listen to top traditional musicians, shop and relax.
Our itineraries are for your inspiration. Please contact a travel advisor to customize this itinerary to fit your needs.
This first day provides an overview of Ireland's vibrant capital and cultural center. A powerful introduction to the story of this nation and our week ahead, our Dublin orientation includes key sites like the National Museum, Dublin Castle, Trinity College and more.
Leave Dublin this morning, heading west across the island to the Atlantic coast, passing through the city of Galway.
Head west across the island to the “wilder” side of Ireland. The journey leads us into beautiful County Mayo and the ancient seat of power in this region, the spectacular Ashford Castle, newly refurbished as one of Ireland's most luxurious hotels and our base for two nights.
Located at the head of Lough Corrib, the second-largest freshwater lake in the Republic of Ireland and a renowned fly-fishery, Ashford sits at a gateway into a magical region extending west through rugged hills and valley to the Atlantic.
From Ashford you journey to a place apart: Connemara is one of Ireland’s most iconic landscapes, a wild place where rugged coastlines and blanket bogs dotted with countless lakes wrap around granite and schist mountains, overlaid with an extraordinary cultural history dating back to the Stone Age.
It is a place of breathtaking beauty, and today we peel back the rich layers of this place in the company of one of the region’s most famous sons: the outstanding scholar, renowned archaeologist, historian and raconteur Michael Gibbons. This will be a stimulating cultural adventure that’s sure to resonate long after your departure.
Head south through another of Europe’s most unique landscapes. The mysterious Burren is a rugged place of limestone with a natural and cultural history unlike anywhere else on earth. In the company of a local guide, we examine aspects of the region’s astonishing array of wildflowers and fascinating archaeological remains while delving into the rich spiritual wealth of this land.
Continuing south, we stop at the Cliffs of Moher, 700-foot-tall walls of stone that plunge into the Atlantic, overlooking the Aran Islands.
Cross the River Shannon into County Kerry and move into another dramatic landscape: the Dingle Peninsula. The little town of Dingle itself (pop. 2,000), located near the tip of this great finger of land surrounded by ocean, is our base for two nights.
The Dingle Peninsula is a spectacular place of rugged beauty, once described by National Geographic Traveler as “probably the most beautiful place on Earth.” It is home to a vibrant community, among them some of Ireland's finest cooks and a truly incredible collection of traditional musicians.
This morning, we take a leisurely tour of the nearby Slea Head area, the most spectacular region of the peninsula.
There are opportunities to choose from a variety of activities prior to a free evening in Dingle. Afternoon activity options include exploring Dingle township, sea-kayaking in Dingle Bay, surfing at Brandon Bay, horseback riding, golfing, hiking or enjoying a tour of a few of the roughly 3,500 archaeological remains that dot this incredible peninsula.
Leaving Dingle this morning, we stop first at the beautiful Inch Beach for a short stroll before reaching the Killarney Valley and the foothills of Ireland’s highest and most magnificent mountains, MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. With a picnic lunch, we journey into the serene depths of Killarney National Park. The river and lake system here drains the most rugged terrain in Ireland, including the Black Valley and Gap of Dunloe.
Continue south, and settle into a spacious accommodation at Sheen Falls Lodge.
This morning we circumnavigate the Ring of Kerry, a place of renowned scenery and one of the great road trips of the world. On this tour, you are treated to many hidden treasures on and off the route through some of the very wildest and loveliest parts of Ireland.
And for the active, there is the option of visiting the offshore monastery of Skellig Michael. One hour from Killarney, we leave the Ring of Kerry and head to the tiny fishing village of Portmagee to meet our boat. Our destination is the 6th-century monastic rock island known as Skellig Michael, located 10 miles out into the Atlantic and one of Ireland’s only two UNESCO World Heritage sites. Our purpose today is to walk in the footsteps of the extraordinary hermits that lived on this wild peak and sample the rich bird life of the area, among them gannets, puffins and storm petrels. Skellig Michael, the closing location for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” is a sacred place that remains forever etched on the souls of all who visit.
Transfer to Shannon Airport for your flight home.
Contact a travel advisor to book your custom itinerary. Fill out the form or call (630) 734-4610.
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