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| Ireland: The Southwest
A 7-Day tour starting from $3,198
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| About This Tour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Old Gaelic culture is alive and well on the Dingle Peninsula. Green, rugged, proud, this westernmost point of Ireland quietly lives among flower-laden headlands, atop black-rock cliffs, and in pub-lined villages. During your week-long adventure, you learn of Gaelic culture and early Christian and Celtic history while walking along the coast in Dingle, strolling through sand dunes, and meandering through moss-covered forests in Killarney National Park. You may even be afforded encounters with wildlife such as the Irish red deer, otter, and the great crested grebe. Your adventures during the day are rewarded with spectacular cuisine and charming accommodations in the evening, including a former estate of the Earl of Pembroke. Through this seductive, legendary nook of the Emerald Isle, all are drawn into the melody sung since the 14th century: Ich am of Irlonde. |
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• Experienced, friendly, and knowledgeable guides
• Transportation during the trip • All accommodations while on tour, including a charming village hotel and country manor • All meals included except two lunches and one dinner; alcoholic beverages not included
DAY 1 Arrival - Dingle; 3 miles, easy to moderate
From the Shannon region, you journey southwest by mini-bus with your new walking companions and Irish guide(s). Your destination is the picturesque village of Dingle and the charming Benners Hotel. After lunch at one of the village pubs, you drive to the harbor mouth where you may spot the friendly resident dolphin, Funghi, who swims alongside bathing visitors. The return walk takes you back through this ancient village where you learn the town’s turbulent history and how it eventually prospered thanks to a superb natural harbor. Tonight, you gather for a brief orientation meeting followed by dinner at a local restaurant. On the menu is fresh seafood harvested from the surrounding pristine sea. After dinner, you may choose to pay a visit the local pubs where traditional Irish music can lighten the heart of even the most weary traveler. Benners Hotel, Dingle DAY 2 Coastal walk; 6 miles, easy; additional option; 4 miles, easy to moderate The morning walk encompasses some of the stunning coastal scenery made famous by Ryan’s Daughter, David Leans’ epic movie. Following along backroads and the shoreline, the route passes where, in 1680, an ill-fated attempt by the Spanish to assist the Desmond rebellion against the Elizabethans at Dun an Or (fort of gold) took place. You return to Dingle for lunch at a local pub or café before an afternoon walk above the town. The afternoon’s journey takes an old bog road up Cnoc a’Carn (approximately 600-ft ascent), overlooking the ancient town. You loop back to Dingle in time to explore its many craft shops before meeting the group for a superb dinner. Benners Hotel, Dingle DAY 3 Slea Head; 5 miles, moderate with one steep (but short) climb; afternoon walk; 3 miles, easy This morning you set out towards Slea Head where small farms cling to the precipitous slopes along Dingle Way. The land here exposes Iron Age remains, such as beehive huts used by eremite monks and farmers. Rounding the head, breathtaking views of the Blasket Islands spread out before you—the westernmost inhabited part of Europe. After lunch in Dunquin, the focus turns to the evolution of the early-Irish Church from the 6th to the 12th centuries. Within a few square miles there is an unusual density of early Christian settlement sites including Reask, Gallarus Oratory, and Kilmalkedar church. Returning to Dingle, there is time to relax at your charming hotel before enjoying a sumptuous dinner at a local restaurant. Benners Hotel, Dingle DAY 4 Inch Strand; 5 miles, easy to moderate; Killarney National Park; 2.5 miles, easy After breakfast you travel by private mini-bus into a richly varied countryside—one that has been heralded in song for centuries: Killarney and the Kingdom of Kerry. Along the way, you stop for a morning walk at Inch Strand, a massive sand dune peninsula inhabited only by sea birds and the roar of the surf. In Killarney, you head to the emerald jewel of Ireland: an 11,000-acre reserve protecting the largest remaining tracts of natural oak woodland in the country, the last remaining herd of native Irish red deer, the three lakes of Killarney, and the eastern end of Ireland’s highest mountain range, the Macgillicuddy’s Reeks. Following an afternoon of walking the well-maintained trails of Killarney National Park, you become royalty during your stay at the former home of the Earl of Pembroke—the Cahernane Hotel. Dinner this evening is at the hotel’s exquisite restaurant. Cahernane Hotel, Killarney DAY 5 Old Kenmare Road; 5 miles, easy to moderate; Muckross Lake; 4 miles, easy Today’s walk begins along the Old Kenmare Road. The route starts with a brief ascent (approximately 600 ft), as you are afforded spectacular views of heather-clad mountains and the Lakes of Killarney. Later you arrive in the charming, picturesque town of Kenmare for a delightful pub lunch. This afternoon an easy four-mile walk passes through the woodland surrounding Muckross Lake (middle lake). Here along the limestone reefs of this peninsula a unique yew wood grows that seems a likely habitat for the leprechaun. The walk concludes at The Victorian Muckross House, a late 19th-century mansion, which now serves as a museum of Kerry folklife providing insight into this magical area of Ireland. You are free to choose from one of Killarney’s numerous restaurants or pubs for dinner on your own this evening. Cahernane Hotel, Killarney DAY 6 Lakes of Killarney and Inishfallen Island; 3 miles, easy to moderate, optional visit to the Muckross House A boat journey is scheduled this morning, for there is no more beautiful way to see the three lakes of Killarney and Inishfallen Island. Following the boat excursion, a picnic lunch is unpacked at the grounds of Lord Brandon’s Cottage, the site of a local gentry’s hunting lodge. The afternoon begins with an easy three-mile walk through a natural peat bog, with stops to examine its flora and fauna. Upon arrival at Derrycunnihy Cascade, the walk becomes a little more strenuous. Some may wish to return to Killarney to peruse the woolen shops while others may choose to visit the Muckross House. This evening, you partake in a festive farewell dinner at a fine local restaurant. Cahernane Hotel, Killarney DAY 7 Farewell and departure This morning breakfast is served early, then you boarding the mini-bus and arrive late-morning at the Shannon airport where you bid farewell to fellow walkers and guides. Note: The above is a 2008 itinerary. The 2009 itinerary will be available soon - please call for details Itinerary Changes Please bear in mind that this is a typical itinerary, and the actual walks and sites may vary due to season, special events, or weather. We reserve the right to alter the itinerary since tour arrangements are made up to a year in advance, and unforeseen circumstances that mandate change may arise. Itinerary changes are made to improve the tour and your experience.
• Coastal routes throughout the Dingle Peninsula
• Visits to Killarney National Park in the Kingdom of Kerry • Walks along the sand dune peninsula of Inch Strand • Early Christian and Celtic history • Charming village hotel and country manor Walk Ratings • Easy to moderate terrain • 5-8 miles per day with occasional options All tour prices are per person, in US dollars, based on double occupancy.
2008 Single Supplement $300 2009 Single Supplement $345 As arrangements are confirmed at least a year in advance, the tour price is subject to change. Reserve early to guarantee the best available price. |
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| Note: All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
