Guide

All Intrepid group trips in Europe are accompanied by one of our local European group leaders. ’Local’ in this context means a leader who is European or lives in Europe. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader takes care of logistics, will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Intrepid we also aim to support local guides in the individual cities or locations we travel to. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend an optional local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

Meals

7 breakfasts

Others

Included activities Belfast Orientation Walk Giant's Causeway Aran Islands Guided Day Trip Cliffs of Moher Ring of Kerry Day Trip

Transport

Train,Public bus,Private vehicle,Ferry TRANSPORT IN EUROPE: Half the fun of travel is the travelling itself, that's why we like to travel the local way – whether that means mingling with commuters on a local train, watching the scenery roll by from the window of a long distance bus, arriving on a high speed train in the city centre of your next destination, or navigating each city's public transport system. In Europe, you are guaranteed to travel by genuine local public transport wherever possible, which puts you right in the centre of the action. LONG TRAVEL DAYS: As we cover lots of ground on this trip, expect some long travel days on local trains and buses. This is an opportunity to mix with the locals and enjoy the scenery out the window. Travel schedules are known to change with little notice. Not all transport may have air conditioning.

Accommodation

OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION: The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances. TWIN SHARE BASIS: Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own. CHECK-IN TIME: Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination. PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION: If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights. FACILITIES: Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges. Hotel (5 nights),Hostel (2 nights)

Not included:

Others

Other activities and services not included

Flights

International flights are not included

Optional

Other activities and services not included

Insurance

Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered. If you require travel insurance, TourRadar has partnered up with World Nomads to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here (https://www.tourradar.com/travel-insurance).

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Day 1 Day 1: Belfast
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Belfast

Welcome to Belfast and the Emerald Isle! Your Irish adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6 pm. As you don't spend much time in Belfast as part of the trip, we recommend you arrive a few days early to make the most of it. If you happen to do so, spend some time wandering the streets of the bohemian Cathedral Quarter, or perhaps visit the leafy suburbs of South Belfast or the stately City Hall in Donegal Square. Make sure you also visit the revitalised waterfront area where you will find the Titanic Belfast monument on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard where the legendary RMS Titanic was built. The monument tells the story of the ship's ill-fated maiden voyage in 1912.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 2 Day 2: Giant'S Causeway / Belfast
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Giant'S Causeway / Belfast

Take a private transfer to the renowned natural wonder known as The Giant's Causeway (approximately 2.5 hours), travelling along the scenic and rugged wild coast north of Belfast. Giant's Causeway is home to roughly 40,000 basalt columns. The landmark has inspired artists and storytellers for centuries. Depending on the school of thought you wish to believe, they are either the result of an ancient volcanic eruption or a rather big argument between rival giants! Upon return to Belfast in the evening, why not visit the areas that have a connection to the Troubles, such as Shankill Road, the unionist Protestant area, the nationalist and Catholic area, as well as the 'Peace Wall'. Explore the local neighbourhoods to get more of a feel of this regenerated city, perhaps with a visit to a local pub for a meal with your travel crew.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 3 Day 3: Galway
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Galway

This morning, travel by public bus to the harbour city of Galway – capital of the county of the same name. You will be crossing the border from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland, so you may need to switch your Pounds for some Euros at this point. While you're in Galway, you could visit the impressive Galway Cathedral. Its full name, the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, is far more elaborate than the simplicity of its building.Accommodation: Hostel
Day 4 Day 4: Aran Islands / Galway
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Aran Islands / Galway

Enjoy a day trip by ferry to the Aran islands, which have been crafted by centuries of wild winds and smashing waves. The islands are one of the few places where the Irish language is still spoken on an everyday basis. You’ll travel by minibus and on foot to explore the native flora and fauna, with visits to the ruins of a church and a lighthouse. There are also some remains from Bronze and Iron Age fortresses to be found. If you're lucky you may even spot a seal lounging on the rocky shore! Return to Galway for a free evening and time for more exploration. The best way to take in the spirit of this city is by attending a live performance in one of the many pubs, accompanied by a pint of Guinness, of course.Accommodation: Hostel
Day 5 Day 5: Cliffs Of Moher / Adare / Killarney
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Cliffs Of Moher / Adare / Killarney

The magnificent Cliffs of Moher will leave you in awe with their striking look over the Irish coastline. The daring can walk to the edge and watch puffins nesting along the cliff face (from April to late July). Learn about the history of the famous site and its feathered inhabitants at the Cliffs Exhibition. Next stop is the quaint village of Adare. Arrival into Killarney is in the late afternoon. You'll learn quickly that pubs are the heartbeat of Ireland, whether you're interested in guzzling beer or simply getting to know more about Irish culture, pubs are definitely an important part of any Irish adventure – the place for infectiously cheerful music, tall tales and making friends over a pint or two. The Irish take their beer seriously, so this is a great chance to taste a variety of rich 'real ales'. Get to know classic pub fare such as Irish stew, chowders and fish and chips, while also sampling less familiar dishes such as coddle, boxty and champ.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 6 Day 6: Ring Of Kerry / Killarney
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Ring Of Kerry / Killarney

Prepare for picturesque rolling green hills and breathe in the salty coastal air as you travel along the Iveragh Peninsula, better known as the Ring of Kerry – a mystical and unspoilt region of Ireland. You'll pass through bucolic villages and enjoy views across some of Ireland's greatest beaches, beautiful lakes and rivers as well as a bit of dramatic coastal scenery. It's the perfect place for a small town crime drama to be set. Travelling by private vehicle will allow you to stop frequently at any of the numerous outlooks along the way for photos. You’ll visit a sheep farm and will see a demonstration of sheep herding – with skilled border collie dogs at work rounding up the sheep, and following commands from the shepherd, they’re no doubt full of practice. Arrive back into Killarney in the early afternoon. If there is enough time perhaps head out to Ross Castle, picturesquely sitting on the shores of Lough Leane.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 7 Day 7: Dublin / Cork
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Dublin / Cork

Travel by train to Cork and take a city tour led by your leader. Cork is known as the culinary capital of Ireland, so grab a bite before boarding another train this time bound for the real, proud capital of the Republic of Ireland - Dublin. Spend the afternoon exploring the cobbled streets of this humming city or drop into the pub for a pint and a yarn. Dublin has much to offer, so make sure you go out and maximise your time here. In the evening, perhaps get your group together and cosy up at a local pub or head into town to find a cool restaurant or bar in Dublin’s Creative Quarter, also known as the city’s 'hipster triangle'.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 8 Day 8: Dublin
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Dublin

As there are no activities planned for today, you are free to head on your way at any time, providing you comply with the accommodation’s internal check-out policy. You might want to return to Belfast by train or further explore Dublin and surrounding area. Your leader can be of assistance in organising train tickets back to Belfast. If you’d like, additional accommodation can be booked in both locations (subject to availability).

8 days tour

Northern & Southern Ireland

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Northern & Southern Ireland

Day 1: Belfast

Day 2: Giant'S Causeway / Belfast

Day 3: Galway

Day 4: Aran Islands / Galway

Day 5: Cliffs Of Moher / Adare / Killarney

Day 6: Ring Of Kerry / Killarney

Day 7: Dublin / Cork

Day 8: Dublin

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