"A trip across the Emerald Isle will leave you with a bucket full of memories to pass on!"
An old Irish saying which we are about to make come true! We will be traveling all around the island, starting in Dublin, on to Belfast and the coast in Northern Ireland, and then working our way down the west coast to Oughterard in County Galway. Ireland has so much to offer > lush landscapes, medieval castles, amazing cliffs, music and step dancing. And let's not forget the pubs! Oh, the memories we will create!
Sustainable Tourism in Ireland
Ireland is progressing well in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as outlined to the United Nations. For the second time, Ireland has submitted a Voluntary National Review (VNR), which assesses how well a country is doing in its achievement of the 17 SDGs. Over 80% of the 169 targets linked to the SDGs have been fully achieved in Ireland, with significant progress made in areas including education, hunger reduction and health and wellbeing.
Initial Itinerary
(KWT reserves the right to make changes to the houses and itinerary if needed.)
This trip is limited to 7 participants.
Activity level for this trip: Moderate - you must be able to carry your own luggage, climb stairs, get in and out of vans and walk up to 3 hours with a few breaks (Women with mobility issues could potentially have difficulty with parts of this trip and should consult their physicians.)
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH
You've arrived in Ireland! We'll meet up at the airport and be transported to our home for 2 nights in Dublin. Click here for pictures of our Dublin home. We'll have a chance to relax after our long flights and then, if we are not too tired, we'll head out to a dinner show known as the "Irish House Party" (TheIrishHouseParty.com), where we will enjoy traditional Irish music and Irish dancing (not included in price of trip as some may decide to stay home.) (Note: House has not been reserved yet and may affect the cost of the trip.)
(Meals: B,L,D)
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH
We will start the day with a 3-hour private "Best Kept Secrets" tour of Dublin. We'll discover Dublin’s cultural and historic treasures few visitors get to experience, meet the locals and immerse ourselves in the history, culture, song, literature, street art, and games of Ireland.
The afternoon is free to spend your time however you choose. One option is the EPIC: Irish Emigration Museum, but there is so much to choose from.
In the evening, we will enjoy a pub crawl with a local musician, visiting 3 off-the-beaten-path pubs to savor the REAL Irish pub experience. There will be 20 min walks between each pub. (Meals: B, L, D)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH
Today we travel north to Belfast and beyond. With our commitment to traveling sustainably, we will take the train from Dublin to Belfast (2.5 hours), enjoying the beautiful country side as we go. We'll spend a few hours in the city with a local tour guide, for an "entertaining and flavored tour, with amusing anecdotes, creating a one-off, unique experience."
Our home for the next 3 nights is an hour and fifteen minutes north of Belfast and has 8 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms, in a town called Ballymoney. Click here for photos of our home for the next three nights
(Meals: B,L,D)
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2024
We'll be picked up at our home in Ballymoney by our private tour guide to tour the magnificent coastline of Northern Ireland today. Our day will include:
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The Giant's Causeway, Giant's Causeway, a natural phenomenon along the coast north of Belfast that has to be seen to be believed.
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Norman Castles
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Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
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The Dark Hedges
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and more.
(Meals: B,L,D)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
Today will be a free day to choose an activity of your choice. We can decide to stick together or head out on our own or in a couple of groups. Any expense involved with your choice will be at your own cost.
(Meals: B)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
Our tour guide will take us on a full day journey along the western coast. We'll enjoy the splendor of the countryside, stopping in Sligo for a couple of hours to enjoy their amazing landscapes. We will arrive in Oughterard in time for dinner, where we will spend the last 4 days of our trip. Our home will consist of 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Click here to see photos of the house.
(Meals: B,L,D)
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
Today is our day in Galway City. We'll have a relaxing morning at the house before heading into the city. We'll walk along the Salt Hill Prominade, a long path on the coast of Galway bay, to check out the various beaches and beautiful scenery. After stopping for a snack, we'll have a 1.5 hour private walking tour of the city with a local tour guide. We'll have dinner, after which we'll attend an amazing show with world-famous Irish step dancers.
(Meals: B,L,D)
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
Today will be another free day to choose an activity of your choice. Again, we can decide to stick together or head out on our own or in a couple of groups. Any expense involved with your choice will be at your own cost.
(Meals: B)
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
We will spend the whole day with our private tour guide, visiting windswept landscapes independently and explore Ireland’s exposed limestone terrain, jagged cliffs and untamed Atlantic Ocean. Stops will include Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, Kinvara, Dunguaire Castle, Aillwee Cave, Lisdoonvarna, and Corkscrew Hill. We'll travel back to Galway along the Wild Atlantic Way, one of the longest defined coaster routes in the world.
(Meals: B,L,D)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
Sadly, our trip comes to an end. We will fly back to Boston where we say goodbye to new friends, with the hope that our paths will cross again some day.
(Meals: B)
