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    Self Guided Tours of Ireland

    Join one of our Self Guided or Self Drive trips in Ireland to enjoy flexibility without any of the stress or planning.

    Browse our collection of self guided hiking/walking, biking/cycling or driving trips on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, Causeway Coast, or Ancient East.

    Travel At Your Own Pace
    Flexible & Stress Free
    Spectacular Locations
    Handpicked Accommodation

    Find Your Ideal Self Guided Holiday in Ireland

    Explore the magic of Ireland while enjoying the flexibility to travel at your own pace while still avoiding the stress of planning and reserving. Leave the details to us on a self guided tour of Ireland.

    Our self guided trips are designed to showcase the very best of the Wild Atlantic Way, Causeway Coast and islands of Ireland. Discover quintessential villages, wild seascapes, and rugged mountains, taste Ireland’s fresh cuisine, soak up our amazing scenery and come face to face with the island’s wildlife. By day, enjoy amazing experiences and by night, kick back in hand-picked accommodation.

    With a combination of flexibility to travel your own way as well as leaving the planning, research and reservations up to us, let us introduce you to Ireland’s most beautiful regions, meeting up with fantastic local characters along the journey.

    Browse our categories of Self Guided trips below in order to learn more, or use the search function above.

    Self Guided FAQs & Tips

    How to Travel to Ireland Read More

    See below for our guide on various travel links within the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and Australia/New Zealand:

    Travel to Ireland

    What to Wear in Ireland Read More

    See below for advice on what you should wear for various activities depending on the self guided trip you choose.

    Walking/Hiking

    What to Wear when Hiking

    Footwear: Boot vs Shoe

    Biking/Cycling

    What to Pack on a Cycling Trip

    What is the Weather Like in Ireland? Read More

    Ireland is well-known for its ever-changing weather conditions – we often get all four seasons in a single day!

    Especially in summer, expect to experience everything from rain to sunshine to winds and clouds and rainbows. When the sun comes out, it generally stays out for a good long time, and yes, sun burns are even a possibility.

    Summer days are exceptionally long, with as much as 18 hours of daylight, whereas winter hosts some of the most amazing sunrises and sunsets, as well as the possibility of both snow and even in some places, the Northern Lights.

    Do keep in mind that due to Ireland’s northernly position, the Gaelic seasonal calendar is a little bit different than the regular one, with each season roughly starting one month earlier than most traditional calendars.

    So, our best advice is to pack both your raincoat and some suntan lotion.

    Learn more about Ireland’s climate and weather

    Or, browse by season:

    Can I be a Solo Traveller on Self Guided Trips? Read More

    While solo travellers are very welcome on our small group trips, unfortunately for self guided and self drive trips, our minimum number is 2 people. This is for safety reasons.

    Read more FAQs on both guided and self guided trips.

    What Kind of Accommodation Can I Expect? Read More

    From spending nights in elegant castles, to relaxing by a cosy fireplace in a beautiful 4-star country guesthouses and B&Bs, you can be sure to have a memorable time in whichever self guided holiday you choose.

    No matter where you stay, look forward to tasting some locally-sourced food from on Ireland’s up-and-coming culinary world. Looking for luxury? Many Self Guided and  Private Departure trips offer an option to upgrade from Classic accommodation to Deluxe or Luxury standard accommodation.

    Find Ireland’s Best Castle Hotels

    What Fitness Level Do I Need? Read More

    Our Self Guided trips are open to people with various levels of fitness, and perfect for a group of varied levels, or who simply want the opportunity to set their own pace each day.

    Our small group trips are graded by difficulty: green trips are the easiest, while blue trips offer an intermediate challenge and red graded activities are the most challenging. Click the link below to view our guides and videos on grading for each activity holiday that we offer.

    Our Trip Grading Explained

    When it comes to most Self Guided and Self Drive trips, you are free to travel at your own pace – whether this means challenging yourself by zooming up the hills, taking things at a relaxing pace, or anything in between. Of course, distance, terrain and elevation also must be taken into account.

    To make your trip more enjoyable, it is good to get your body prepared before heading on your adventure. While our grading system caters for a range of fitness levels, it’s important to choose the trip that’s right for you and your group.

    If you’re not sure which trip is right for you, contact our expert trip designers who will help match your fitness levels, interests and preferences to the perfect trip. 

    Our holidays reviewed
    in your own words

    Overall it was different than our previous self guided tours in a very positive way. I liked the GPS navigation was super easy; our guide was available at any moment and ensured we had everythingwe needed; the bikes were well maintained and taken care of by our guide the whole time; the accommodations were hotels in each town and always had fantastic food served; each accommodation was near pubs and restaurants; Wilderness is a very easy and professional team to work with overall I will definitely use this company and recommend it to anyone who is interested. Thanks!!

    Robin Given
    Self Guided plus+ Cycling - Wild Atlantic Way Southwest
    Reviewed on 10/07/2022

    Rated 4.95 out of 5 based on 1,432 reviews

    Read More Reviews

    As Recommended By...

    You'll be in good company on a Wilderness Ireland Trip. Some of the biggest and best known names in the business have recommended us.

    Los Angeles Times
    National Geographic Adventure
    Vogue
    Men's Health
    USA Today

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