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Gateway to IrelandThe Emerald Isle is a special place. There are ancient sites, rolling green hills, towering cliffs, and imposing castles to see. You can't help but enjoy the charm and wit of the Irish that you'll meet in the intimate villages, lively cities, and all those pubs. This tour is designed to give you a sampling of all that Ireland has to offer whether it be scenery, history, or culture. Erin go bragh.
Guaranteed Departure - The tour listed below will definitely be operating as scheduled.
Tour Dates: May 15, 2010 - May 22, 2010 - 7 nights, 8 days plus departure day.
Tour Price: $1,545 - land only. Price includes all taxes and fees, 7 nights lodging in perfectly located premier hotels, coach transportation, airport transfers, all breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners, and much more (see below). Price is per person based on two people sharing a room. Single supplement is available, please contact us for information. Airfare not included in price. Group Rate: If you are a group of 6 or more you are eligible for a discount of $50 per person. Please Contact us for details. What you get for you're money: - Better Hotel Location – We want you to be able to explore on your own and you can’t do that from a hotel outside of the city. On this tour we stay in central Dublin (right in the Temple Bar), central Waterford, central Bunratty, and central Killarney Town, all wonderfully walkable areas. - Personal Service – For this, like all of our tours, we handle every aspect of the trip personally. From planning to customer service to leading the tour, you deal with the same people. This allows us to respond quicker and be flexible with changes and allows you to get to know us and feel more comfortable. - Experienced Guide, Guaranteed – We are in our 10th year of guiding tours and we run each one personally. Traveling with another company leaves your vacation in the hands of several guides with widely varying levels of quality and experience. There’s no risk with Great Explorations Tours because you know what you’re getting every single time. Great hotels, hometown service, and experience; you can’t find that with another tour company. By purchasing this tour, you are stating that you have read and understand our Policies and Procedures. Clicking the "Pay Now" button above will take you to the PayPal website. It is completely safe and will return you to this site following payment. Please note that while a $250 deposit per person is all that is required to reserve your spot, the full payment is due by March 16th, 2010. Contact us with any questions or concerns you may have. (PayPal note: You do not need a PayPal account to purchase our tours with PayPal, simply click "Continue" below the "Don't have a PayPal account?" heading to the left of the Log In box.)
Today you'll be leaving for Dublin. We refer to it as day zero because you won't actually arrive in Ireland until the next day. Enjoy your flight and try to get some sleep.
Arrive in Dublin and catch your complimentary transfer to your first hotel. Take some time to relax and then it's time for a tour of the wonderful Irish capital. Your guides will lead you on a brief walking tour of central Dublin showing you all the great sights as well as filling you in on all the history of the city. The tour will include admission to St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Book of Kells exhibit at Trinity College (pictured). In the evening the whole group will get together for a welcome dinner. Hotel: Temple Bar Hotel Dublin - in central Dublin, located in the Temple Bar district which is loaded with pubs and restaurants (link opens in a new window). Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner
We'll be leaving Dublin this morning and heading south toward the Wicklow Mountains. Our first stop is the immaculately kept Powerscourt House and Gardens (pictured). You'll have time to wander the gardens and see all the manicured beauty. After lunch, we continue south to the Viking city of Waterford, where we'll be spending the night. Before arriving in Waterford City, we make a stop at Glendalough, a gorgeous glacial valley with beautiful lakes that was the site of a monestary as early as the 6th century. Dinner at the hotel is included tonight. Hotel: Waterford Tower Hotel - on the waterfront very near Reginald's Tower (link opens in a new window). Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner
Today we'll be stopping by two of Ireland's most famous castles as we make our way to the charming town of Killarney. First we tour the amazing fortress that tops the imposing Rock of Cashel (pictured). Leaving Cashel we head to Blarney to tour their famous castle. You will all come away with the legendary Blarney "gift of gab" after kissing the well known stone. Hotel: Scott's Hotel Killarney - in the heart of Killarney town (link opens in a new window). Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner.
The Ring of Kerry is some of the most varied, beautiful scenery in all of Ireland. Today we'll drive the amazing loop with a stop for lunch and plenty of stops for fantastic pictures. The evening is all yours to enjoy the town of Killarney where you can do some shopping or create your own pub crawl. Your guide will gladly help you find the perfect way to spend your time in Killarney. Hotel: Scott's Hotel Killarney (link opens in a new window). Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch.
Today we leave Killarney and County Kerry to head north toward the bayside city of Galway. On the way we'll be stopping at the picturesque Cliffs of Moher (pictured). From the top of the cliffs, you'll have a wonderful view from high above the Atlantic Ocean as it crashes into the rock below. We'll also pass through the limestone fields of the Burren and admire its unique composition. Hotel: Galway Bay Hotel - along the promenade in a quieter area of Galway gives you some time to unwind (link opens in a new window). Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner.
North of Galway city lies the region known as Connemara. Home to Connemara National Park, the rugged, untouched beauty of the region will captivate you on our drive through it, with plenty of picture stops of course. Leaving Connemara, we head south again to the village of Bunratty, a very small town with a very well preserved castle (pictured). Perhaps more famously, Bunratty castle is home to a medieval banquet dinner held in its ancient dining hall. We'll enjoy the banquet and entertainment that comes with it, but don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to visit Durty Nelly's pub next door. Hotel: Bunratty Castle Hotel - directly across from the castle and Durty Nelly's pub and adjacent to the Blarney Woolen Mills shops (link opens in a new window). Meals Included: Breakfast and Medieval Banquet Dinner.
On our last full day in Ireland, we head back to Dublin. Before arriving at the hotel, we stop at the world famous Guinness St. James Gate Brewery (pictured). We'll take the tour through the museum that ends with a pint at the pub on top of the building. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy Dublin and do anything that you want on your last night in Ireland. Your guides will gladly give you tips and suggestions on places to go or things to see. Hotel: Arlington Hotel Temple Bar Dublin - although different than our hotel on night 1, this hotel is located in the same Temple Bar district where you will not be short of dining or drinking options (link opens in a new window). Meals Included: Breakfast.
Today is sadly the day you will leave the Emerald Isle to head back home. Transfers to the airport will be provided. We hope you enjoyed your vacation. Meals Included: Breakfast.
What's Included in This Tour:
Inerested in learning a little more about what a tour to Ireland might be like? Click here to read our travel tips for this tour.
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