Walking vacation in Ireland
| country: | Ireland |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2007: 2 Sep |
| price: | From CA $2695 (7 days) excluding flights. Single supplement CA $400 |
the amazing things you'll be doing
The Dingle & Iveragh Peninsulas - The Dingle Way - Mount Brandon area - Ring of Kerry - Village of Sneem - Views along the Kerry Way - Killarney National Park - The Gap of Dunloe
Follow The Dingle Way through a realm of pristine beaches & crystalline seas. Green roads lined with fuchsia & gorse lead through pastoral countryside, hills covered with heather & bracken. Gannets & shearwaters take flight over the jagged cliffs. A quiet, shaded glen shelters a sacred well; ancient history leaves a tangible presence. At Dingle Town, old Irish ways are celebrated daily, in life and language. Noble Mount Brandon rises from rocky fields, its peak wreathed in clouds.
Walk the Kerry Way and visit the charming village of Sneem, an artisan’s haven. Massive circular walls at Staigue Fort, the handiwork of the early Celts. At Killarney National Park, a canopy of native oak woods; a carpet of moss on the forest floor; ferns cluster beneath waterfalls. The lakes lie still and peaceful. The spirit is enchanted.
This is a fully guided, all-inclusive walking and hiking adventure tour on the best walking trails in Southwest Ireland. Enjoy fine accommodations & dining and responsible small group travel. We walk approx 6-10 miles per day.
Follow The Dingle Way through a realm of pristine beaches & crystalline seas. Green roads lined with fuchsia & gorse lead through pastoral countryside, hills covered with heather & bracken. Gannets & shearwaters take flight over the jagged cliffs. A quiet, shaded glen shelters a sacred well; ancient history leaves a tangible presence. At Dingle Town, old Irish ways are celebrated daily, in life and language. Noble Mount Brandon rises from rocky fields, its peak wreathed in clouds.
Walk the Kerry Way and visit the charming village of Sneem, an artisan’s haven. Massive circular walls at Staigue Fort, the handiwork of the early Celts. At Killarney National Park, a canopy of native oak woods; a carpet of moss on the forest floor; ferns cluster beneath waterfalls. The lakes lie still and peaceful. The spirit is enchanted.
This is a fully guided, all-inclusive walking and hiking adventure tour on the best walking trails in Southwest Ireland. Enjoy fine accommodations & dining and responsible small group travel. We walk approx 6-10 miles per day.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival. Upon arriving in Shannon in Southwest Ireland, you will be transferred to the first night’s accommodation in Killarney to meet your guide and traveling companions. Your guide will give you an orientation to your adventure and Ireland. Killarney is nestled amidst deep, lake filled valleys with astounding sights such as the famous Ladies’ View and the MacGillicuddy Reeks – Ireland’s largest mountain range and home of Carrauntoohil, the highest peak. After dinner we’ll visit a traditional Irish pub for some music and fun. We’ll overnight at a traditional guesthouse. |
| Day 2: | Irish Oak Forest to Gap of Dunloe walk. After a good hearty Irish breakfast, we’ll transfer by coach ride to Ladies’ View, made famous by Queen Victoria, for our walk through the old Irish Oak Forest (over 400 years old) into the Black Valley and exit via the spectacular Gap of Dunloe. We’ll finish our walk at the cottage of Kate Kearney for refreshments. We’ll enjoy another dinner in Killarney and overnight at the same inn.(Walk up to 14 km or 9 miles) |
| Day 3: | Muckross House & Killarney NP walk. Today’s adventure takes us to the historic Muckross House, with its beautiful country gardens. As we walk along the shores of the famous lakes here, you’ll feel the sense of history and the strength of the Irish heritage. After our picnic, we’ll continue through Killarney National Park toward Peakeen Mountain, with glorious views over Kenmare Bay. We are guaranteed to see some native Irish deer along the way, as we walk the “Old Kenmare Road”, once used by the gentry of the area during pre-famine times. After our dinner in Killarney, we’ll have the option to enjoy entertainment in the town of Killarney. We’ll stay at the same inn.(Walk up to 15 km or 9 ½ miles) |
| Day 4: | Inch Beach walk. This morning we must say goodbye to our hospitable innkeepers and head out on our way to the town of Dingle. We will stop along the way to walk the spectacular shores of Inch Beach, where movies such as “Ryan’s Daughter” and “Far and Away” were filmed. The water on the golden shores, of the miles and miles of beach here, are warmed by the Gulf Streamand may entice you to swim and revel in the beauty of this Irish landscape. We’ll enjoy dinner and overnight in another welcoming guesthouse. This evening offers another opportunity to do an “Irish jig” and listen to the music of a culture whose love for life and everything Irish comes through in their songs. We dare you to stay sitting down all evening!(Walk up to 10 km or 6 miles) |
| Day 5: | Slea Head walk. Today’s walk will leave you with fond memories and a strong impression of your visit to Ireland. The walk around the magnificent Slea Head (the nearest “parish” in Europe to North America) is one of the richest areas of archaeology in Ireland with its numerous beehive huts and promontory forts. We’ll enjoy breathtaking views across to the Blasket Islands and the Kerry Peninsula. We’ll return to Dingle and overnight at the same inn.(Walk up to 16 km or 10 miles) |
| Day 6: | Choice of walks or Blasket Islands visit. Today there is a choice of walks. Option #1: Weather permitting, we’ll do a circular walk in the mountains behind the Town of Dingle with unrivalled views, north to the Shannon River and south to the Beara Peninsula. Option #2: We can walk the Dingle Way to Annascaul along the north shore of Dingle Bay. Option #3: We can visit the Blasket Islands. This island visit is a must for those who have Irish/American interests and connections. Regardless of which option we choose we’ll have a memorable Irish experience to round off our week of walking the magical Southwest corner of Ireland. We’ll enjoy a farewell dinner and our last night in the town of Dingle.(Walk up to: Option #1 – 10 km or 6 miles, Option #2 – 16 km or 10 miles, Option #3 – island visit) |
| Day 7: | Departure. This morning after another hearty Irish breakfast, we’ll say farewell to our guides and our friends in Ireland, ending our wonderful adventure together. You can transfer to the town of Tralee (45 minutes), where an excellent bus and rail service is available for towns/cities/airports. Private transfers can also be arranged to Shannon, Kerry or Cork International Airports. |
how this holiday makes a difference
 A fully guided, all-inclusive walking and hiking adventure tour on the best walking trails in Southwest Ireland. On this tour we practice "no-trace" hiking which means we travel on durable surfaces and use existing trails to minimize the impact on the environment. Our guests use only reusable dishes and containers, our guides make ever effort to gather garbage along the trails we use. We practice a strict you pack it in; you pack it out policy and even supply our guests with potty packs while hiking. Due to the delicate ecology of the remote areas we travel while in Ireland, we promise small group travel with typically no more than 12 hikers at one time in an effort to reduce the impact on the landscape. While in Ireland we will employ local guides, purchase food locally and stay in locally owned and operated small scale inns in our effort to enhance the economy of the smaller, more remote areas of the country. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |