Including 5 nights Hotel and B&B Accommodation based on two sharing
Single supplement:
180 $
(Departing: Sunday)
B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner
Tour Includes:
- Explore and discover the island in a Driftwood mini coach tour vehicle.
- Your own expert professional Driftwood tour guide
- 6 FULL days touring Northern Ireland
- Five nights’ accommodation
- Five Full Irish breakfasts to start your day
- Most daily activities and visits
- All relevant taxes
- Guaranteed Euro tour price once you make your deposit
- Lots of laughs
Optional Extras:
- Lunches and evening meals
- Some optional entry fees and additional activity options, for example:
- Black Cab taxi tour of Belfast – GB£10
- Entrance to the Titanic Experience – GB£17
- Bushmills Whiskey Distillery- GB£7
- Dunluce Castle – GB£3
- Boat trip to the Slieve League Cliffs – €20
- Hot, relaxing sea-weed bath – €25
We try and keep any additional costs to a minimum and these account for only a small part of the daily activities on tour. Most of the places we visit are free to enter. The additional activities we do offer have proved to be a big success with customers over the years.
About the Tour
You will journey north to explore thousands of years of fascinating history, breathtaking scenery and legendary places that will take you into the heart of one of Europe’s most secluded regions.
Northern and North-western Ireland has so much to offer as one of the most varied, captivating and beautiful regions in Western Europe.
From the rugged wilderness of Donegal to the iconic Giants Causeway, the outstanding natural beauty of the Glens and beaches of Antrim and the rich history of Belfast and Derry cities, you will visit places that other tourists simply wouldn’t reach.
This Northern Ireland tour is a wonderful mix of magnificent scenery, fresh Irish country air, fascinating local culture and history and not forgetting, lots of laughs. Our small group sizes allow for a lot of flexibility, so every trip is different and molded to suit you and your fellow passengers.
Our small groups also mean that we can stay in smaller out-of-the-way hotels, which provide a warm friendly welcome and first class accommodation. All rooms have private bathrooms and most rooms have TVs and tea and coffee making facilities.
Highlights of the 6 Day Northern Island tour
Marvel at some of Europe’s most magnificent scenery.
- The Glens of Antrim
- The Stunning Causeway coast in Northern Ireland
- The Mountains of Donegal
- The Cliffs and beaches of Ireland’s Atlantic Coastline
- The Wilds of Mayo
- The Glenveigh National Park
Enjoy some of Ireland’s most popular and worthwhile tourist destinations:
- The Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge
- The Giants Causeway
- The Titanic Experience visitor centre in Belfast
Explore some of Ireland’s historical treasures and experience the rich historical past of the region, from Stone Age man to the modern age.
- Celtic ring forts, castles and burial tombs
- The Grianán of Aileach
- Learn about the modern day history of Northern Ireland, especially on the walking tour of Derry and the Black Cab tour of Belfast
- Visit the holy pilgrimage mountain of Croagh Patrick
- Visit the bustling and vibrant town of Westport
- The Northern Irish cities of Derry and Belfast
Some fun side trips during the day:
- Optional visit to Bushmills Irish Whiskey Distillery, the oldest working distillery in the world
- Test your fear of heights at the Carrick a Rede rope bridge
- Visit a traditional Irish weaver in Donegal
And at night:
- Enjoy live music and top quality food in excellent local pubs
- Stay overnight in quality, locally owned guesthouses and small hotel accommodation in friendly, local villages
Day 1: Depart Dublin
Meet at Grand Canal Hotel 08.10am or The Westbury Hotel 08.30am in Dublin City and set off for the north of Ireland
Travel North from Dublin with a stop at the Monasterboice Monastic site with its superb examples of high Celtic crosses
Drive into Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland for lunch
- Optional Black Cab tour of the city. This tour is very highly recommended as it gives visitors an incredibly close hand experience of the city and its turbulent (Cost: GB£10 per person)
or
- take an optional trip to the newly opened £100 million Titanic Experience visitor centre – GB£14.75 per person
or
- Free time to explore this historic city
Follow the coast road out of Belfast and around the base of the Glens of Antrim – you might well see Scotland on a clear day
Overnight in Londonderry Arms Hotel in County Antrim in the small coastal community of Carnlough
(Driving time for the day: 3 hours)
Day 2: Carrick a Rede rope bridge
Test your head for heights at the Carrick a Rede rope bridge (summer only)
Lunch or coffee stop in Ballintoy – one of the ‘Game of Thrones’ filming locations
Optional visit to Bushmills Whiskey distillery. The oldest whiskey distillery in the World (entrance fee: GB£7pp)
- Experience the natural phenomenon of the Giants causeway
- Explore the village of Bushmills
- Visit the ancient McDonald Stronghold of Dun Luce Castle (Entrance fee: GB£2.50) or simply take photos from outside
Overnight in Beech Hill House Hotel, Derry
(Driving time for the day: 2.5 hours)
Day 3: Head into Derry city…
- For optional walking tour of the city including the Bogside area synonymous with the Bloody Sunday massacre (highly recommended – GB£4 per person)
or
- Free time in Derry City
- Cross border from Donegal in the Republic of Ireland, to Northern Ireland
- Stop at the ancient stone fort of Grianan of Aileach and enjoy views of the sea and the Inisowen Peninsula
- Cross the border back into Donegal and the Republic of Ireland
- Walk or bus shuttle (€2) through the Glenveigh National Park area to Glenveigh Castle and Gardens
- Visit the ancient Kilclooney Dolmen in the wilds of Donegal
Overnight in the award winning Nesbitt Arms Hotel in the cultural village of Adara
Day 4: Donegal
- Visit a traditional weaver to see how handmade Donegal tweed is still made
- Go for a walk and explore the caves on the amazingly remote Mahares Beach
- Walk to the 2000ft Slieve League sea cliffs with your guide.
- Or take a boat trip around the base of the cliffs (€20 per person, summer only)
- Head into Donegal town to visit Donegal Castle or explore the town,
- Visit the grave of WB Yeats in Drumcliffe,
- Walk to Queen Maeve’s tomb atop Knocknaree with amazing views of the Sligo coastline (depending on time),
- Take a fantastically relaxing hot seaweed bath, with mysterious healing properties in Enniscrone (Price € 25pp).
Overnight in scenic seaside village of Enniscrone in Sligo
(Drive time for the day: 3.5hrs)
Day 5: Downpatrick Head
- Learn all about the oldest Neolithic settlement in Europe at the Ceide Fields Archaeological site – €4
- Visit the Wild Atlantic Way’s most dramatic locations – Downpatrick Head
- A visit to the impressive ruins of Rosserk Friary.
- Explore the wilderness of north west Mayo and its dramatic coastline. One of the least populated areas of Europe
- Cross over to Belmullet – one of the most remote areas in Ireland
- Explore Westport town, one of Ireland’s most attractive small towns. You could even drop into Matt Malloy’s Pub, owned by the flutist from traditional Irish band ‘The Chieftains’
Overnight in vibrant town of Westport in County Mayo
(Average driving time: 3 hours)
Day 6: mountain of Croagh Patrick
Head east across Ireland and back to Dublin for about 17.30pm
- Visit the holy pilgrimage mountain of Croagh Patrick
- Also just over the road is one of Ireland memorials to The Great Hunger of 1846-51
- And also the beautiful shore-side ruins of Murrisk Abbey
- Or a free morning to explore Westport
- A visit to National Museum of Country life near Castlebar (free entry)
(Average driving time: 4.5 hours – mainly in the afternoon on the way back to Dublin)