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Self Guided Cycling

10 review(s)

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Self Guided Cycling

Find Your Perfect Self Guided Cycling Trip in Ireland

With each self guided cycling trip in Ireland designed by one of our cycling experts, you’ll explore the very best of each region. Experience the magic of Ireland’s emerald hills, rugged coasts, ancient history, crumbling ruins, hearty cuisine and friendly locals on your two-wheeled self guided adventure.

Self guided trips are the perfect choice for those of you who prefer to explore the wilds of Ireland at your own pace, and value a bit more flexibility. Cycling at your own pace, you’ll enjoy the freedom to speed up or slow down according to your preferences.

Passing something interesting? Self guided trips mean that you can choose to venture off to some of the many fascinating stops along the way. Self guided trips also mean you can stop to get the perfect photo or just enjoy the views without feeling like you’re on someone else’s schedule.

Quality Assured

To ensure a high level of comfort and friendly service, our team of expert travel designers have hand-picked each of your accommodations. Generally a 3 to 4 star standard, your accommodations have been chosen for their cosiness, comfort, friendly service, and ideal locations.

Enjoy daily cycling routes carefully mapped out by our team of cycling enthusiasts, sharing the very best of Ireland’s spectacular landscapes with you. Looped routes and luggage transfers mean that you’ll only carry with you what you need for the day. Or, opt for Self Guided+ tours, meaning you’ll have a soigneur/support driver, enabling your to discover linear routes or even get a boost back to your evening’s accommodation!

Self guided tours are ideal for couples or groups of friends who prefer a private tour during which you can travel at your own pace.

So, get ready to pedal through Ireland’s rich variety of breath-taking routes during your epic Irish adventure to explore our country’s most stunning landscapes, diverse flora and fauna rich culture and and hands-on history.

Guided vs Self Guided

Guided Read More

These trips are led by two qualified and experienced Wilderness guides. One of these guides will cycle on the road with you each day, providing you with guidance and imparting their local knowledge of the landscape, flora and fauna. Your other guide acts as an all-round trip wizard driving the support vehicle, shuttling luggage, preparing gourmet coffee stops and lunches, acting as mechanic, taking care of essential tour arrangements and a whole lot more besides.

For further insight and full details please check out guided cycling tours.

Self Guided plus+ Read More

Our Self-Guided+ trips are not guided but provide a highly personalised level of support you won’t find on regular self-guided bike tours. A dedicated member of the Wilderness Team will be on hand throughout the trip, performing the equivalent role of the “soigneur” – a key member of every pro cycling team. Essentially they will take care of everything on the trip, except for cycling on the road with you. Throughout your adventure, they will be on hand to drive the support vehicle, transferring your luggage, provide snacks and drinks throughout the day, shuttle riders where required, offer navigational advice, first aid and take care of cleaning and servicing bikes at the end of the day.

Using the route files and Garmin GPS head units provided, you can choose to ride at your own pace stopping for coffee and lunches along the way at locations recommended by your Soigneur. As with our guided trips, you will stay at hand-picked accommodation pre-booked by us and, in the evenings, you can choose to eat from a selection of recommended restaurants.

Self Guided Read More

This is our simplest type of cycling trip which is neither guided nor supported. On each trip you will receive a high-end Trek rental bike, accompanied by a Garmin Edge 1030 GPS with route notes fully loaded. In addition, you will also be provided a digital copy of each day’s route, along with recommendations for places of interests, cafes and local lunch spots.

All of your accommodation will be pre-booked by us using the same care and attention we apply to all of our other cycling trips. Each day your luggage will be transferred from place to place, leaving you free to ride with only the items you need. In the event of any problems on the road, we offer an on-call support service to ensure you receive the necessary assistance wherever you might be.

Compare These Trips Read More

What’s Included on the Trip	Guided	Self Guided plus+	Self Guided
Qualified Expert Guides	✔	⨯	⨯
Soigneur	✔	✔	⨯
Guidance and Local Insights	✔	✔	⨯
Support Vehicle	✔	✔	⨯
Hotels/Lodges	✔	✔	✔
Most Meals	✔	⨯	⨯
Gourmet Picnic Lunches	✔	⨯	⨯
Ride Snacks & Drinks	✔	✔	⨯
Baggage Transfer	✔	✔	✔
Bike Maintenance & Care	✔	✔	⨯
Premium Bike Rental	On Request	✔	✔
Expert Bike Fit	On Request	✔	✔
Garmin GPS & Route Notes	✔	✔	✔
On Trip Support	✔	✔	24/7 Phone
First Aid Cover	✔	✔	⨯

Our Self Guided Cycling Holidays

3 Self Guided Cycling Trips with 10 Reviews

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Available Trip Dates

Location

Grading

Duration

Self Guided+ Cycling – Wild Atlantic Way Southwest

6 review(s)

Journey along hand-picked bike routes along Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way coast
Bike spectacular southwest scenery in Kerry, Dingle Peninsula, Burren, and Cliffs of Moher
Relax in comfortable guesthouses and hotels in excellent towns and villages
Enjoy a self-guided biking holiday while your soigneur / support guide looks after all the details
Focus on the road as the arrival, departure, luggage transfers and on-road support are organised

Region:: South West – Cork & Kerry
Duration:: 7 Days / 6 Nights
Grading:: Your Own Pace ? What does this mean?
Click here to learn more about our trip difficulty grading system.
Carbon Footprint:: 273kg ? What does this mean?
Click here to find out about our carbon labelling project and what we're doing to be more sustainable.

Download Itinerary View Trip Details

Self Guided+ Cycling – Connemara & The Burren

Enjoy full vehicle and mechanical support from a qualified guide, while enjoying the freedom to cycle at your own pace through the amazing mountains and lakes of Connemara
Enjoy the freedom of self guided cycling on the Wild Atlantic Way with your own soigneur
Explore the spectacular Burren landscapes, a source of inspiration for the Lord of the Rings
End the day in warm and welcoming locally-owned hotels and guesthouses

Region:: West – Connemara, Burren & Aran Islands
Duration:: 7 Days / 6 Nights
Grading:: Your Own Pace ? What does this mean?
Click here to learn more about our trip difficulty grading system.
Carbon Footprint:: 196kg ? What does this mean?
Click here to find out about our carbon labelling project and what we're doing to be more sustainable.

Download Itinerary View Trip Details

Self Guided Cycling – The Wilds of Sligo

4 review(s)

Cycle at your own pace along Ireland's epic coastal road, the Wild Atlantic Way
Taste the best in Irish food and toe-tapping traditional music in some of Ireland's best pubs and restaurants
End the day in warm and welcoming locally-owned hotels and guesthouses
Explore the wilds of Sligo, a remote and undiscovered gem

Region:: North West – Donegal & Sligo
Duration:: 7 Days / 6 Nights
Grading:: Your Own Pace ? What does this mean?
Click here to learn more about our trip difficulty grading system.
Carbon Footprint:: 145kg ? What does this mean?
Click here to find out about our carbon labelling project and what we're doing to be more sustainable.

Download Itinerary View Trip Details

Guided Road Cycling Trips

Looking for something different? Discover our range of guided cycling trips.

View All Guided Trips

Our holidays reviewed in your own words...

Every client receives a feedback survey when they return from their guided, self guided or tailor made holiday with us. Once completed the review is published on our website just as soon as our database updates. The little touches and details are important to us and where issues are raised we make positive changes to our trips to improve your experience.

That’s why we read each of our client’s reviews and although we don’t respond to all of them, if it’s glowing feedback then we get the satisfaction of helping to make your holidays truly memorable.

John Griffin

Self Guided+ Cycling - Wild Atlantic Way Southwest

Age: 60 - 70
Country: Canada
Trip Date: 11/06/2022
Trips Taken: 1

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

Would certainly recommend Wilderness Ireland, and the route we took. One suggestion to benefit both Wilderness Ireland and the customer would be to provide a takeaway or 2 with your logo on it. Water bottle, jersey, etc. people would certainly notice it back in Canada and ask.

Pauline Head

Self Guided+ Cycling - Wild Atlantic Way Southwest

Age: 60 - 70
Country: Canada
Trip Date: 21/05/2022
Trips Taken: 1

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

I would highly recommend this company and this trip! I had to miss the last few days of cycling due to an injury but still was able to see the countryside from the support van... I can't wait to get back and complete the tour!

John Brand

Self Guided+ Cycling - Wild Atlantic Way Southwest

Age: 60 - 70
Country: Canada
Trip Date: 21/05/2022
Trips Taken: 1

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

The whole experience was exceptional right from the booking stage to the last day of cycling. Our guide Andrew went over and above to ensure everything was looked after.....all in all a great experience, will be looking at future trips with wilderness Ireland

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Speak to an Expert

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Patricia Doe

An avid cyclist and hiker, Patricia enjoys exploring Ireland’s wild landscapes every chance she gets u2013 she particularly loves the under-appreciated regions of Mayo, Connemara, Sligo and Donegal. Having spent nearly a decade in the hospitality industry, Patricia is an expert on Ireland’s luxury and unique accommodations. As Wilderness Ireland’s General Manager and head of the sales team, Patricia is ready to help make your Irish adventure spectacular!

– Patricia Doe

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