Private Connemara, Galway and Cliffs of Moher tour
Two days in the West, with an overnight in Galway and the ferry to Inis Oirr.
At a glance
A private two day trip west through Connemara to Galway city, then out to Inis Oirr and the Cliffs of Moher. You travel with your own driver guide, and the itinerary below is a sample you can change.
- Duration
- Two days, with an overnight stay in Galway city
- Back in Dublin
- 8:30 PM
- Price
- Prices are quoted on request. The price is based mainly on the vehicle, driver-guide, route and length of the trip, plus any admissions or other per-person costs included. Overnight tours can also be arranged.
Where you go
- Connemara
- Killary Fjord
- Galway City
- Inis Oirr
- Cliffs of Moher
What travellers saidabout this tour
We took two trips: Galway, Cliffs of Moher, & the Burren, and Kilkenny, Wicklow Mountains, and Glendalough. The trips were well organized and ran efficiently. Even though the excursions appear long, the day goes by surprisingly fast.
What you get
- Ireland's only fjordKillary Harbour runs 16km in from the Atlantic, past Leenane under the Maamtrasna and Maamturk mountains.
- Cong villageA ruined medieval abbey, where Rory O'Connor, the last High King of Ireland, is said to have died.
- Inagh ValleyClear lakes under high mountains on one of the best drives in the West of Ireland.
- A night in GalwayYou stay over, so you get the medieval streets, the buskers and the pubs rather than an hour off the coach.
- Inis OirrJust over two hours on the smallest of the Aran Islands, reached by ferry from Doolin.
- Cliffs of MoherAn hour long cruise along the base of the cliffs, then 1 hour 15 minutes at the top with admission included.
A sample day
This is a starting point. Tell us what you want to see and we will rebuild the route around it.
- 1
Into Connemara
Day one heads west into Connemara. You visit Ireland's only fjord, and the Connemara marble visitor centre explains stone that geologists date at around 600 million years old.
- 2
Cong village
Cong was used for the filming of The Quiet Man in 1952, shot on the grounds of Ashford Castle with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. The film won an Oscar and still brings visitors to the village. Cong also has a ruined medieval abbey, where Rory O'Connor, the last High King of Ireland, is reputed to have died.
- 3
Joyces sheepdog trials
You watch working sheepdogs round up sheep in the Connemara countryside. The newest puppies and lambs are there to see as well.
- 4
Leenaun village and Killary Fjord, lunch stop
Leenane sits at the head of Killary Harbour, under the Maamtrasna and Maamturk mountains on the Galway and Mayo border. The fjord is Ireland's only true one. It runs 16km in from the Atlantic to Aasleagh, below Aasleagh falls, and it is over 45m deep at the centre. Ropes used to grow mussels are visible along much of its length, and this is the lunch stop.
- 5
Kylemore Abbey, photo stop only
Built as a castle in 1868, Kylemore is now home to a Benedictine community of nuns. They arrived in 1920, after their abbey in Ypres was destroyed in the early months of the First World War. This is a photo stop, so you see it from the outside rather than going in.
- 6
Inagh Valley
Leaving Kylemore, the road runs through the Inagh Valley. Clear lakes sit under towering mountains. It is one of the most beautiful drives in the West of Ireland.
- 7
Connemara marble and jewellery factory
The Connemara Marble Visitor Centre in Moycullen, County Galway, is the home of one of Ireland's oldest native industries. A guided tour of the factory covers the geology and heritage of the stone, and you watch silversmiths and craftsmen cutting and polishing the forty shades of green. Geologists estimate the marble at about six hundred million years old.
- 8
Galway city, overnight
You stay the night in Galway, the cultural capital of Ireland. The medieval streets are small and walkable, with street buskers, entertainers and some of the best nightlife in the country. We can arrange the accommodation, or you can book your own.
- 9
Day two: the Wild Atlantic Way and The Burren
After breakfast you leave Galway for a drive along the Wild Atlantic Way. There are views over Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. The road then crosses The Burren, over 200 sq km of limestone that forms a landscape unique to this part of Ireland.
- 10
Doolin and the ferry to Inis Oirr
Doolin is a small fishing village and the ferry port for the islands. Inis Oirr is the smallest of the three Aran Islands, about 3 km by 2 km, with roughly 300 people living there. You get just over two hours to explore on foot, by bicycle or by horse and cart, taking in the ancient castle, one of Ireland's finest beaches, and the pubs and cafes where traditional music is played daily.
- 11
Cliffs of Moher cruise
Leaving the island, the boat runs for one hour along the base of the Cliffs of Moher. The wall is a continuous sheer face over 200m (700ft) high, running for 8 km (5 miles). From the water you see the size of it, and the caves and inlets that are hidden from the clifftop.
- 12
Back in Doolin
The boat returns to Doolin, where you have approximately 45 minutes in the village. It is a short stop before the drive up to the clifftop.
- 131 hour 15 mins
Cliffs of Moher, admission included
You have 1 hour 15 minutes at the top. Admission is included, and it covers the Atlantic Edge interpretive centre, with photographs, exhibits and displays, and The Ledge, a virtual reality cliff face film shown in the audiovisual theatre. You can also walk out to O'Brien's Tower, which stands on a headland with views of the Aran Islands and Galway Bay.
- 148:30 PM
Return to Dublin
From the cliffs the road turns back east. You arrive in Dublin at 8:30 PM.
This itinerary is a sample. Stops, timings and the overnight can all be changed to suit your group, and the quote follows the vehicle, route and length of the trip you settle on, plus any per-person costs included.
What is included
- Cliffs of Moher visitor centre admission, covering the Atlantic Edge interpretive centre and The Ledge virtual reality film
- One hour cruise along the base of the Cliffs of Moher
- Ferry from Doolin to Inis Oirr, with just over two hours on the island
- Guided tour of the Connemara Marble Visitor Centre factory in Moycullen, County Galway
- Sheepdog demonstration at Joyces in the Connemara countryside
- Private vehicle with your own driver guide for both days
Not included
- Overnight accommodation in Galway. We can arrange it, or you can book your own
- Entry to Kylemore Abbey, which is a photo stop only
- Meals, including the lunch stop at Leenaun
- Bicycle or horse and cart hire on Inis Oirr
Good to know
- When it runs
- Available to individuals and groups. Overnight tours can also be arranged.
- Children
- Children under 3 cannot travel.
- Changing your plans
- Private tours: Full refund if you cancel 7 or more days before travel. 50% refund if you cancel less than 7 days but more than 48 hours before. No refund within 48 hours of travel, because drivers, guides and attraction tickets may already have been secured. Tell us by email and we will confirm it in writing.
Why people book this one
Complete your trip
More private routes to start from. Every one can be changed to suit your group.
