Having cycled all over Ireland, we have found the western coast region including the Burren, Aran Islands and Connemara to have the most spectacular scenery, with a tremendous abundance of historical monuments, a rich and unique culture, warm and inviting people, and surprisingly few tourists. The hotels and food are a highlight with genuine hospitality. This is one of our favourite tours!
Only Great Explorations:
- Small groups, extraordinary guides, and authentic experiences.
- A view you will never forget: the one from the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most stunning in Ireland.
- Learn about the archaelogical wonders of Dun Aengus, the prehistoric stone forts, from a local expert.
- Order off the menu at restaurants you won’t find in guidebooks.
- Distinctive, charming hotels too small for larger groups.
- We design and operate our own trips so there are only good surprises.
Trip Reviews
“I loved all the areas we visited!! Our Travel Advisor was awesome and our guides couldn’t have been more helpful. They were entertaining, sweet, caring and a pleasure to be with. We loved everything!”
“Enjoyed Gerry the most. How informative both Brian and Gerry were. Really appreciated everything they shared and did for us. Excellent food at all locations. Brian historical and current perspective on Ireland was appreciated. Gerry’s reading were delightful. Liked all museums. Did not use or refer to maps/route instructions. Followed leads. Rides were easier than expected. Really good ebikes.”
“Our guide Brian and assistant Gerry made all the difference in our experience. These two guys should be commended for ensuring we had the best ride experience possible! Most accommodations were superb. Very enjoyable trip knowing the weather may throw some curve balls – and it did! Beautiful countryside. Great Explorations mapped a fine course. Comparing to another biking tour operator, who we bumped into a few times, I preferred our route and time in the saddle! The hosts, people in general, were awesome everywhere. Brian and Gerry’s commitment to ensure we felt welcomed was evident. To see the interfaces between hosts and our leads was delightful. Zetland hosts are top notch and heart-warming. Food was great everywhere. Stand outs are Sheedy’s Doolin for their extraordinary breakfast presentation and Screebe House for dinner. Appreciated the whiskey tasting and education at Zetland. The Pearse museum was really nice. Honestly, our experience each and every day was fantastic. Clearly, the guides made this possible. Highly encourage having Brian and Gerry for future rides. Gerry offered personal, profound reading at specific points along the course that we all appreciated – church ruin, Cliffs of Mohr, end of our bike ride- just perfect, and so nice for him to offer a personal touch. Perfect distances each day for our group. It was easier than expected only because we rode Germany last year without ebikes and it was exhausting. Ebikes not necessary for Ireland but a couple days with rain and wind, we were happy to have the ebikes! Did not use the maps. We asked for leads to guide us, and they did. Never really looked at map material. Hands done – Brian and Gerry. Who is asked to lead an excursion like this, can make or break the experience. These guys were wonderful to spend the week touring Ireland. Went with Great Explorations due to two separate, personal recommendations from friends.”
“Superb scenery. The region was more varied than expected – even each day. Guides Veronica and Brian were a particularly wonderful combination. They were organized, upbeat and just made things happen. The maps & route instructions were very good, and we actually followed the routes! Was secure enough that didn’t have to worry (much) if got out ahead or stayed behind to take photos. (Again, guides were very good at stopping at key points in any event). All the hotels were good to excellent. The meals were generally good, some very good. Doolin breakfasts were outstanding. Selected GE based on good experience with prior trip (Camino, most recently) and balance of good riding and local culture. Canadian is a definite added plus!”
“I had only been on one group active vacation in the past. I came with open mind without set expectations except to have a great time. Mission accomplished! Far exceeded expectations in terms of beautiful scenery for biking. Particularly Connemara. We had a great group camaraderie (easy because we knew each other). The riding scenery was fantastic.”
“It was a wonderful trip! I really liked our guide. I heard from others that these rides are better when we have 2 guides, but I didn’t now that and felt fine.”
“Can’t believe how beautiful Ireland is. Beautiful routes and we lucked out on the weather.”
“The scenery and the people of Ireland were better than we could ask for. It is why we want to go back again. The trip was planned perfectly and made it all the more enjoyable. Brian was a great guide and he helped make the trip more memorable.”
“Our guide was very good and he did his best to insure our safety and confort.”
“The cycling, weather, acommodations, and food were all better than expected.”
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