From Galway: Guided Tour of Connemara and Extended Visit to National Park
4.8
450 Ratings
Galway

Our distinctive Connemara Day Tour comprises of a 3 hour interval allowing tourists to traverse the over 3000 hectares of the Connemara National Park, all while experiencing the best parts of Connemara on the Wild Atlantic Way.

Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • The Claddagh - Departing Galway we head out via The Claddagh, home of the famous Claddagh Ring.
  • Salthill Promenade - On our left the Salthill Promenade and Galway Bay.
  • Barna - First little village on our tour, Barna. Once a thriving fishing village.
  • Spiddal - ‘An Spidéal’ meaning ‘The Hospital’ in Irish. Spiddal marks the start of the ‘Gealtacht’ or Irish speaking area.
  • Costelloe - Once home to Bruce Ismay, CEO of White Star Lines and Titanic survivor.
  • Screebe - A quick photostop at the picturesque little waterfall.
  • Connemara - We travel through the bog lands of Connemara, formed over millions of years,
  • Clifden - Founded in 1812 by John D’Arcy and referred to as ‘the Capital of Connemara’ also home to the annual Connemara Pony Show,
  • Clifden Castle - This ruined manor house was built in early 19th century by John D’Arcy, founder of Clifden.
  • Sky Road - Renowned worldwide for heart stopping twists and turns, the Sky Road swoops and soars above the Atlantic Ocean. One of the ‘Discovery Points’ on the Wild Atlantic Way.
  • Connemara National Park & Visitor Centre - Our main stop on this tour, you now have 3 hours to explore the 3000+ hectares of mountain, bog, grasslands and woodlands.
  • Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden - A quick photostop at Kylemore Abbey. Built in the 1860’s by Mitchell Henry as a wedding gift to his wife Margaret.
  • Quiet Man Bridge - A photo on The Quiet Man Bridge, used in the 1960’s movie of the same name, is a must for all John Wayne fans.
What's Included
  • Local guide
  • Driver/guide
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Live commentary on board
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
  • Entry to Kylemore Abbey - tickets can be purchased from the driver at discounted rates, cash only.
  • Hotel Pickup
Additional Information
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
Location
Merchants Road
Tour departs: Merchants Road, Galway outside the Kinlay Hostel, H91 F2KT at 09:30. Please present 15 minutes prior to departure. Tour returns: Merchants Road, Galway at 18:30.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(450 Ratings)
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1 star
Nicki_b
May 11, 2024
Blue Skies and Wild Vistas - Fantastic experience! Door to door service with a knowledgeable driver/host. We were on schedule which allowed us to maximize our time at either the hike in Connemara or enjoy Kylemore Abbey. We saw so many beautiful places and sights and learned so much about the land and way of living in the region. This was definitely a highlight of my Ireland trip! Oh, the apple pie with custard at Kylemore Abbey is a must!!!!
Review provided by Viator
Joanna_h
Apr 26, 2024
Great experience! - Mike was a great guide! Super informative. The tour itself was wonderful. Once on the tour, you will choose either Connemara Park OR Kylemore Abbey. Connemara park was grateful! Different trails for varied skill levels - wear good hiking shoes for the harder trails!
Review provided by Viator
Caig_p
Apr 25, 2024
Great tour - Our driver Mike was great. He had lots of interesting narration during the tour. Some more time at the Park would be nice but probably not practical. The skyway was fun. Pickup was obvious with folks waiting for us early.
Review provided by Viator
Valschull
Mar 26, 2024
Comfortable, easy and enjoyable. - Comfortable bus, entertaining and helpful driver, varied scenery... This tour is worth-while. Crossing Connemara you see Connemara ponies, plenty of sheep (and new-born lambs in March), dry-stone walling, mountains, lakes and peat bogs. There's a shuttle bus at Kylemore Abbey to take you to the magnificent walled garden, or you can walk. Then there's time for eating and shopping, and wandering around at the Abbey building. A very nice way to tour the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Javier_a
Mar 25, 2024
The stops along the way made the trip - Had an incredible trip! Due to weather, we ditched the national park and were allowed to change our trip to Kylemore Abbey and had an amazing time!
Review provided by Viator
660laurec
Nov 26, 2023
A perfect day in Connemara - Wonderful day with our very warm and very interesting driver guide. Great landscapes. A big thank you for this beautiful day
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Annep590
Oct 14, 2023
Great day with Michael - We were in a small bus with a very interesting driver/guide. He gave us a fantastic day in a wonderful corner of Ireland. We made several photo stops at unusual places. We had the choice between spending 3 hours at Diamand Mountain or 3 hours at Kylemore Abbey. We ate a delicious lamb stew at the abbey restaurant.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mona_w
Oct 13, 2023
Great day trip! - Our driver/ guide Mike was very professional and knowledgeable. We hiked up the red trail at Connemara and the views were spectacular! It was a very memorable experience which I would highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Sherri_h
May 3, 2024
A nice way to survey some of the highlights of Connemara. - The scenery of beautiful Connemara! Our guide Mike was knowledgeable of the area and a pleasant host for the day.
Review provided by Viator
Estela_g
Apr 24, 2024
Ok but did not follow the program - The driver, Mike, was very nice and really good at explaining things, but though most part of the passengers didn't have English as first language, he spoke very fast and so a lot of people didn't understand a word. The stops were ok for a tour, 3 hours were enough, if not for getting to the top of Diamond Hill, at least for walking part of the trail and see the landscape. The program said that after Connemara National Park we would stop for 15 minutes at Kylemore Abbey, but that stop didn't happen. The bus simply took the passengers that had stayed at the Abbey and continued the route. That's why I'm not giving the tour 5 stars
Review provided by Viator
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up to 9 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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