Travelers arrive throughout the day into Shannon International Airport on the west side of Ireland, about a 30 minute taxi ride to our hotel in Limerick. The day is free in Limerick until a Welcome Dinner this evening to rendezvous with the group coming back from the Pre-tour in the Aran Islands.

Our coach takes us towards the southwest corner of Ireland this morning, through County Kerry, bound for the lovely Dingle peninsula. The Dingle area is a Gaeltacht, meaning one of the few remaining enclaves where the Irish language, Gaelige, is still the mother tongue and the language of the street. Upon arrival, we embark from the town of Dingle on the spectacular Slea Head Drive, with several stops to enjoy points of interest and dramatic coastal panoramas.

We spend two nights in Dingle enjoying one of the most traditionally Irish corners of the Emerald Isle!

Dingle Pilgrim Way – 5/9 km, rated 2B/3C

This morning’s Dingle Peninsula trail combines fuchsia-lined country lanes, pastoral rural landscapes, and early Christian stone monuments like Gallarus Oratory (6th to 9th century) and Kilmalkedar Church (12th century).

The evening is free to experience the charms of small-town Ireland. Enjoy taking in the waterfront atmosphere on the Dingle Harbor with its photogenic fishing fleet and relax with a pub dinner–the many pubs of Dingle offer one of our best opportunities to enjoy a traditional Irish jam session!

Gap of Dunloe Walk – 12 km, rated 2A

Glacier-carved Gap of Dunloe, in Killarney National Park, provides the setting for today’s memorable nature walk, a perennial WAI favorite. The plethora of panoramas in this dramatic gorge is accentuated by its babbling brook, crossed at intervals by picturesque stone bridges as it courses between remote mountain lakes. Following a boat ride across the lovely vistas of Upper Lake, a short drive delivers us to our hotel in the town of Killarney.

A scenic drive across counties Tipperary and Cork takes us to today’s highlight, a visit to magnificent, medieval Rock of Cashel. This craggy stronghold rises dramatically from the Tipperary Plains and boasts a heritage of both royal and religious power dating back to the 5th century.

From Cashel, we continue to Enniscorthy, an attractive small town draped along the meandering River Slaney. Enniscorthy Castle dates back to the 13th century. The Norman castle played a prominent role in many battles of the Cromwell period, and later during the 1798 Uprising, during which 20,000 Irish rebels perished in the Battle of Vinegar Hill, just above Enniscorthy. The rebels were pitifully armed, only with farmers’ pike; it as the last major attempt to hold and defend ground against the British troops of King George III.

Our hotel this evening is directly adjacent to the River Slaney.

Glendalough Between the Lakes Walk – 5/9 km, rated 1A/2B

Our Adventure on the Emerald Isle continues this morning at the 6th century monastic city of Glendalough in the enchanting green Wicklow Mountains. The film in the visitor center and our nature walk in this “valley between the lakes” offer an intriguing glimpse into ancient Irish Catholicism, in a breathtaking setting. Later this afternoon, we arrive in Dublin, capital of Ireland, founded, surprisingly, by Vikings in the 9th century.

Dinner is on your own this evening, but be sure to finish in time for an unforgettable taste of Ireland’s fast-paced music and dance. Riverdance is an internationally acclaimed team of singers, dancers, and musicians that epitomizes the Celtic energy of this uniquely Irish form of entertainment (The Riverdance show is contingent upon scheduling and availability of tickets).

Story of Dublin Walk – 11 km, rated 1A

A walk from our hotel passes Trinity College (housing the Book of Kells), Grafton Street, the National Museum, Christchurch Cathedral, and Dublin Castle (admissions not included). This is a walk that could easily take a full day; it’s the perfect way to experience this charming and very walkable Irish capital.

Join us this evening to share a light-hearted Farewell Dinner and reminisce about our experiences together in this blessed Emerald Isle of Ireland.

You are free to depart at your leisure this morning. WAI guides will help batch travelers who share a similar departure schedule and would like to share a taxi to Dublin International Airport. It’s time to return to our North American reality. We won’t soon forget our Walking Adventure through the history, culture, and scenery of enchanting Ireland!

Travelers arrive throughout the day into Shannon International Airport on the west side of Ireland, about a 30 minute taxi ride to our hotel in Limerick. The only group activity is our Welcome Orientation and dinner this evening in anticipation of an unforgettable Emerald Isle of Ireland pre-tour to explore the Aran Islands, Galway, & the stunning Cliffs of Moher!

Inisheer O’Brien’s Castle Walk – 3 km rated 2B

Our coach takes us into County Clare this morning to marvel at vistas along the stupendous Cliffs of Moher, 600-foot tall sandstone cliffs rising boldly out of the North Atlantic Ocean. From Doolin, we board a ferry to cross Galway Bay for a stay on the remote and rugged Aran Island of Inishmore. En route, we stop at Inisheer, smallest of the three Aran Islands. Here, we walk through a primarily Gaelic-speaking fishing village to hike to an evocative ruin of O’Brien’s Castle, a 14th century fortress, on the hill above the village.

Back aboard our ferry, our final stop is the island of Inishmore, largest of the Aran Islands. Join us this evening for a scrumptious dinner in our hotel in Kilronan, the main settlement on an island of less than 900 souls.

Inishmore Dun Aengus Fortress Walk – 5 km rated 2B
Galway Walking Tour – 2 km, unrated

We rise early this morning for a memorable experience hiking an ancient trail that winds between a patchwork of picturesque stone walls to Dun Aengus. This prehistoric fortress (over 3000 years old) perched atop 300-foot tall sea cliffs presides over one of Ireland’s most remote and starkly ageless corners. This island of bare limestone forced early settlers to manufacture soil by hand, mixing sand and seaweed on the barren plateau.

After time for one more only-in-Ireland activity this morning, the ferry returns us to the mainland where we rejoin our coach on the northern side of the bay and drive to the storied city of Galway, named European Capital of Culture for 2020.

After time for lunch, an afternoon walking tour with our national guide introduces us to this charming town of pedestrianized lanes and shares stories of the “tribes”, Anglo-Norman merchant families who ruled the city beginning in the 15th century.

Later, we motor south to our hotel in Limerick to rendezvous for dinner with travelers arriving for the Main tour only.

To register, a non-refundable $500 deposit is required to hold your spot. This deposit amount is higher than usual due to non-refundable payments required for Riverdance tickets and by our local partners.

A final payment is due June 1, 2022, and is non-refundable once paid. You will receive a reminder email from us a week or two in advance.

Soon after registration, an “Adventure Advice” email will be sent with critical information on flight arrangements as well as important steps to take in the months before your trip. Please do not buy your airline tickets until you review this Adventure Advice email.

Please follow this link to read our full General Tour Conditions.

With help from local experts and walking guides, these itineraries are crafted with extensive on-site planning by WAI tour planners.

When planning Classic Curated Tours, our objective is to capture the essence of a destination—the history, culture, and natural wonders unique to that part of the world. We then build activities and walks that take us inside these characteristics.

Yes, these tours are educational, but they are also interactive and immersive; walking gets us off the bus and penetrates local cultures to not only see, but also touch, smell, and feel these special spaces.

Along the way, interactions with locals amplify the experience by sharing insights into the magic of that particular location.

We generally walk at a pace of 2 to 3 miles per hour. Walks that are oriented more towards education may take longer due to stops for guide commentary. Nature walks, on the other hand, generally continue at a steadier pace because we’re stopping less to talk.In most cases, we are not “strolling.” We are walking at a relaxed but steady pace. Your experience will be significantly affected by your level of physical fitness. If not walking regularly at home, we strongly recommend that you make a priority of “training” beforehand to both enjoy the trip and avoid medical issues due to overexertion.

If you have questions about your ability to participate, please contact our office at [email protected].

We have adopted a walk difficulty rating system which contains a numeric indicator for trail incline and an alpha indicator for trail terrain. The explanation for this system is presented on the table below:

INCLINE

1. Minimal hills or stair climbing. Cumulative elevation gain: <200 feet.
2. Some moderate hills and stair climbing. Cumulative elevation gain: 200-1000 feet.
3. Some significant hill or stair climbing. Cumulative elevation gain: 1000-2000 feet.

TERRAIN

A. Almost entirely on pavement.
B. A significant part of the route is on well-groomed trails with very few obstacles.
C. A significant part of the route is on somewhat difficult terrain (rocky / rooted paths or soft sand).

Both the Emerald Isle of Ireland and the Aran Islands, Galway, & the Cliffs of Moher Pre-tour start in Limerick and finish in Dublin. The official starting point is our hotel in Limerick, best served by Shannon Airport, (airport code SNN). The official finishing point of the tour is our hotel in Dublin, best served by Dublin Airport (airport code DUB).

Transfers are not included in the tour price but taxi service is easily arranged upon arrival at the Shannon airport. WAI guides will help batch travelers who share a similar departure schedule and would like to share a taxi to Dublin Airport.

We recommend that you contact Laura Pfahler, the travel agent we work with, to help book your flight arrangements. In this age of airfare complications and airport uncertainty, using a travel agent is a good investment! More details about flight arrangements and travel agent contact information will be provided in an Adventure Advice PDF by email after you register for the Adventure.  Please do not book your airfare prior to receiving these flight details from us!

• Laura Pfahler: 503.434.6401 or [email protected]

WAI believes strongly in the importance of travel insurance for financial and medical protection from any number of unforeseen circumstances that can arise before departure or during your Adventure. This is now especially true in the era of COVID-19, which is typically treated like any other illness for travel insurance purposes. Many travel insurance providers are available for you to consider. Laura Pfahler and Sharon Mitchell of World Travel Inc. are travel agents who provide air travel and insurance services to many WAI travelers.

• Laura Pfahler: 503.434.6401 or [email protected]
• Sharon Mitchell: 971.261.2091 or [email protected]

Check out Insurance Tips from World Travel for a short introduction to travel insurance. (NOTE: WAI receives no commission or financial remuneration from World Travel Inc.).

As always, do some shopping to ensure you are getting the best value. Using the SquareMouth.com website can be a good way to compare pricing.

Other options include:

• Allianz
• Betins
• Travel Guard
• Travel Insured International

NOTE: We suggest purchasing from a reputable, well-established insurance company (avoid buying insurance from an unknown company found only online). Travelers interested in purchasing “cancel for any reason” insurance coverage should be careful to check pricing and terms BEFORE they register for a tour. Recent changes in the international travel landscape has caused changes in the policies of some insurance companies, and made the purchase of this particular type of policy even more time-sensitive.

Walking Adventures International reserves the right to cancel this tour departure with fewer than 12 participants, in which case registered participants will receive a 100% refund of payments received. This refund policy contains one exclusion related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Many suppliers require non-refundable deposits as a condition of booking services. Unforeseen circumstances linked to the virus can force us to cancel a tour. Due to these supplier’s non-refundable policies, WAI attempts to retrieve as much of these deposits as possible, but cannot guarantee a 100% refund. In cases where full refunds cannot be obtained for a cancelled tour, we will do our best to transfer unrefunded money as traveler credits to be applied to a future tour to that destination.

View our full Coronavirus FAQ for more details.

Walking Adventures International official policy is to endeavor to mirror any COVID-19 policies in place in the destinations through which we travel.

As of March 5, 2022, Ireland dropped any COVID-19 related entry requirements. Proof of vaccination is not currently required to enter Ireland and no testing or quarantine is required upon entry. At present (Apr 9, 2022), the USA still requires a negative Covid-19 test taken the day before departing Ireland for the USA.

Requirements and restrictions have been fluid. WAI will update travelers upon learning of any changes.

Travelers participating in the Emerald Isle of Ireland tour must agree to abide by policies in place at the time of travel.

Upon registering for this Adventure, you will receive a welcome email and initial invoice notifying you of your tour balance and due date. All payments for the tour or optional services/excursions can now be made online.

Soon after registration, an “Adventure Advice” email will be sent with critical information on flight arrangements as well as important steps to take in the months before your trip. Please do not buy your airline tickets until you review this Adventure Advice email.

About 10 weeks before departure, you will receive a final statement reminder about the final tour payment, which is due June 1, 2022. Please see our General Tour Conditions for the full terms and conditions for participation in this Adventure.

Around 2-3 weeks before departure, you will receive a final email packet with details of the program, including hotel names and contact information, a list of fellow travelers, and a more detailed daily schedule.

Take a few minutes to peruse the Emerald Isle of Ireland itinerary. We maintain that walking is still and always the best way to experience our world!