Tour Style: Cultural Activity Holidays
Comfort Level: Hotels
Print this pageExperience the wilderness of Connemara and the traditional Irish Culture of the Aran Islands, with its many hidden treasures, on this short but captivating 3-Day activity tour.
This activity tour of Ireland's 'Wild West' promises an ever-changing sea of landscapes, taking us from the heritage town of Westport, overlooked by St. Patrick's holy peak, to the bohemian city of Galway via wild Connemara and the magical Aran Islands.
We'll cycle and walk through the desolate Doolough valley, with its dark, silent lakes. Then we’ll explore Ireland's only fjord, with either a walk along its Famine Track or an optional kayak in its pristine waters, and we’ll discover a Gothic fairy-tale castle shimmering in its lakeside setting, before we head out to the mystical Aran Islands, a bastion of traditional Ireland. This is a short, action-packed couple of days where you have the opportunity to experience the glory of the west of Ireland from dawn to dusk! Our tour ends in the vibrant medieval city of Galway, with its historic buildings, lively street entertainers and many colourful pubs.
This busy day, full of ever-changing landscapes, begins with a walk though the woods, into the picturesque village of Cong, with its historic Abbey. After our visit, we’ll explore and enjoy lunch in the heritage town of Westport, situated in the shadow of Ireland’s holy mountain - Croagh Patrick. Afterwards, we head out along the shoreline of stunning Clew Bay, learning of the Pirate queen Gráinne Ní Mháille as we travel towards magnificent Connemara, with its dramatic valleys and magical landscapes. Here, you'll have the option to walk or pedal the stunningly desolate Doolough Valley, studded with dark lakes and overhanging waterfalls, on the way to Killary Fjord. We spend the remainder of the day with a visit to the Gothic fantasy of Kylemore Abbey, shimmering in its lakeside setting, where you can explore the magnificent castle, Gothic church and Victorian gardens.
We begin our day with a visit to Ireland's only fjord, where you can either walk the ancient Famine track along the shore, or opt to kayak in its pristine waters. Following our activities, we’ll enjoy a scenic drive through the lonesome Inagh Valley (or, if you have the energy, it makes for a stunning cycle!) towards the south Connemara coastline, where we take to the waves for a boat ride out across Galway Bay to the magical Aran Islands. Unlike most tourists, we’ll spend the night on Inis Mor, immersed in the community of the island. As the tourist boat sets sail from the harbour in the late afternoon, we’ll explore the vast web of stone walls and ancient ruins on bike and foot, experiencing the timelessness of island life. Tonight, we’ll stay amongst the community, in local guest houses, and go in search of traditional music in one of Inis Mor’s three pubs.
After our night experiencing the culture and traditions of 'Island life', we'll explore the history and terrain of this arid landscape on foot or bike, where our walking and cycling trails are bounded only by the shore. We visit Europe’s most impressive promontory fort, Dun Aengus, an ancient stone fort perched perilously on the 100ft towering cliff edge. After lunch, we take to the waves again, heading back though Galway Bay to south Connemara, where we hug the scenic coastline, passing through colourful villages in the Connemara Gaeltacht as we go. We’ll end our day with a walk or cycle along Galway’s famous Salthill Promenade, and through Claddagh Village into the bohemian city of Galway, with its many historic buildings, lively street entertainers and colourful pubs.
This tour is available on the following dates:
All of our tours are subject to a minimum amount of bookings - if you can see a green tick to show the tour is guaranteed to run, this means we have already met the minimum amount of bookings required.
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