This epic 12 day Irish tour effortlessly explores more of Ireland than most Irish people will visit in their lifetime. From the Giant’s Causeway in the very north east to the Blarney Stone in the south west, the tour is filled with amazing and varied scenery, fantastic walks, great outdoor activity options. Not to mention fascinating historical and legendary sites. This really is a tour of a lifetime.

On this incredible Irish adventure you will experience and learn about both the modern and ancient history of Ireland. This 'Giant Irish Adventure Tour' is made up of our award winning 8 day tour plus with the added bonus of experiencing Northern Ireland and the the rugged north west coast. On this Vagabond Tour you will travel the length of the famous 'Wild Atlantic Way'. Please see below more details on parts of Ireland you will explore.

Northern and Northwest Ireland:

In 2007 Northern Ireland was named as one of the top ten places in the world to visit by Lonely Planet travel guides. Not surprising really when you consider the great scenery, fascinating history and political situation, the activity options and the genuinely warm welcome. Plus, of course, for many it is a completely new area to be explored as the peace has unfolded over the last ten years. All the highlights such as Belfast, Derry, The Antrim coastline and the Giant's Causeway are covered – plus plenty of secret places of our own. Fans of the Game of Thrones will be treated to see many of the stunning backdrops from the series, which were shot largely in Northern Ireland. To check out these scene location click here.

Northwest and Western Ireland:

Heading across to the north-west imagine a country of wild moorland, rugged mountain ranges, and endless unspoilt beaches. Counties Donegal, Sligo and Mayo feature some of Europe's least populated regions – at times we will have the landscape all to ourselves as we walk in the hills of Donegal, explore the megalithic tombs at Carrowkeel or walk along silver strand beach in Mayo. There are of course a few well known highlights, like Croagh Patrick, Ireland's holiest mountain and plenty of breathtaking lesser known locations.

Western Ireland:

The Western section of the tour weaves it way down the coast from county Mayo into counties Galway and Clare and down towards the mighty River Shannon. Firstly we enter Connemara, a favorite area for Irish people to come on holiday due to the rugged scenery, local friendliness and culture. Continuing south, either through or round Galway city we enter the southerly province of Munster and county Clare to explore the unique landscape of the Burren, enjoy the live traditional Irish music in area and marvel at the Cliffs of Moher.

South West Ireland:

The south west is the most popular area of Ireland for visitors, and with good reason. We spend four nights in Counties Kerry and Cork exploring the three peninsulas of Dingle, Iveragh (the Ring of Kerry) and Beara. Each has its unique scenery and atmosphere, from the green rolling fields and buzzing town of Dingle, to the majestic mountains of the Ring of Kerry and the remote and unspoilt wilderness of the Beara Peninsula. We take trips to islands, sea-kayak with seals, visit ancient archaeological sites and enjoy first class Cork and Kerry hospitality before heading inland and back through Limerick and Tipperary to Dublin.

Revel at some of Europe's very best scenery, including:

• The Glens of Antrim
• Galway's Connemara Region
• The Wild Moorlands and Mountains of County Mayo
• Ireland's highest mountain range The Macgillycuddy Reeks
• The Green fields and stone walls of Dingle
• Ireland's wild and rugged Atlantic coastline from the Northeast corner all the way to the south west
• The Burren Limestone Plateau
• The Caher Mountains of the Beara Peninsula

Enjoy some of Ireland's most popular and worthwhile tourist destinations:

• The Giants Causeway and Carrick a Rede rope-bridge
• Blarney Castle to kiss the magical Blarney Stone
• Killarney National Park
• The Cliffs of Moher
• Scene locations from The Game of Thrones
• The Wild Atlantic Way

Enjoy some fantastic activity options:

• Walking and hiking through some of Ireland's best scenery
• Horse-riding on the Dingle Peninsula
• Sea-kayaking with Fungi the Dolphin in Dingle
• Try your hand at surfing an Atlantic Wave
• Go bike touring or mountain biking in the Killarney National Park
• Learn the ancient art of "Vagaball"!
• Optional trip to the Aran Islands

Wonder at some of Ireland's historical treasures and experience the rich historical past of the region, from Stone Age man to the modern age:

• Clamber over the cliff-top ruins of Dun Luce Castle
• Climb Knocknaree Mountain to Queen Maeve's tomb
• Visit The Rock of Cashel
• Optional trip to the Skellig islands, one of Ireland UNESCO World Heritage sites and a scene location for Star Wars - The Force Awakens.
• Ancient Neolithic Stone circles, Celtic ring forts, castles, monastic sites and built tombs
• Take a Black cab tour of the fascinating Belfast city
• A walking tour of Londonderry/Derry city

Take some free time to explore local communities and meet the Irish people in locations such as:

• The vibrant and buzzing Galway city
• The galleries and pubs (about 54 in total!) in Dingle town (pop. about 2500)
• The shops and boutiques of picturesque Kenmare

Some fun little side trips:

• Relax in a hot, rejuvenating Seaweed bath
• Visit a working sheep farm for a demonstration of working dogs and also sheep shearing
• Take a boat trip to try Spot Dingle's most Friendly occupant - Funghi the Dolphin in Dingle Bay

And at night:

• Live music and excellent food in some of Ireland's best pubs and restaurants.
• Overnight in quality, locally owned guesthouse and small hotel accommodation in small, friendly local communities.
• Spend a night in a castle

• Off the beaten track adventure in Vagabond 4X4 tour vehicle.
• Services of highly trained professional Vagabond tour guide
• 12 FULL days on tour
• 11 nights accommodation (4 nights B&B, 6 nights Hotel, 1 Night in a castle).
• 11 Full Irish breakfasts.
• Fantastic guided walks
• Entrance to most of the historical and archaeological sites along the way, including Blarney Stone and Rock of Cashel. Also entry to the Giant's Causeway Centre and the Cliffs of Moher
• Demonstrations of local craftsmen at work
• All relevant taxes.
• Guaranteed tour price from the moment you make your deposit
• Loads of laughs...

AND...Your departure is guaranteed once we have confirmed your booking (we have never cancelled a tour, thats a promise)

Price - Optional Extras description

We try and keep any additional costs to a minimum and these activities account for only a small part of the daily activities on tour. As we stated above, most of the historical sites we visit are free to enter, as of course are the walks and beaches. The additional activities we do offer are ones that have proved to be a big success with customers over the years.

• Lunches and evening meals

Some optional entrance fees and additional activity options, for example:

• Horse-riding - €30 for an hour
• Sea-Kayaking - €45 for three hours
• Bike touring or mountain biking in Killarney National Park - €25
• Boat trip to the Skellig Islands (extremely weather dependent) - €60 (€70 July & Aug)
• Day trip to the Aran Islands –€25
• Black Cab taxi tour of Belfast - GB£10
• Bushmills Whiskey Distillery – GB£7.50
• Walking tour of Derry - GB£4
• Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge – GB£5.6