Woodland – Water – History

€79/Per Person*

These two day tours will bring us to places steeped in history, near woodland and lake.

Option A: This trip leads us to the Northern shores of Lough Corrib, a boat trip will bring us to the Island of Inchagoill with its interesting history and beautiful ruins, we will take a walk in the woods of Cong and spend some time in that lovely village on the border of two counties.

Option B: On this trip we travel to East Galway, we will visit the Workhouse Centre in Portumna, it will give you a deep insight into a dark time in Irish history, we will also see the magnificent gardens of Portumna Castle and walk the woodlands on the shores of Lough Derg.

Option A: Lough Corrib (Boat trip to Inchagoill island) – Cong Abbey and the village – Cong Forest

We drive out into Connemara through the lowlands north of Galway and the eastern shores of Lough Corrib. We will spend the morning exploring the woodland starting at the ruins of Cong Abbey and the Monks’ fishing house. Cong Abbey was built in the 12th century by the Augustinian Order under the rule of Turlough O’Connor, High King of Ireland. From here we will venture out into the woods around Cong and Ashford Castle, once the home of the Guinness family. After our walk we will have time to explore Cong village and stop for a nice lunch or picnic.

In the afternoon we take the boat from Lisloughrey Pier for a lovely trip on Lough Corrib and a visit of Inchagoill, on a guided tour we will hear about the interesting history of the island. The landscape of Connemara will surround us, from the lake the perspective is very different. After our boat trip it is time to go back to where we started and say goodbye after a wonderful day out.

Easy walking, please bring suitable clothing for changeable weather.

Boat ticket (€25) included for open bookings. Pick up for open tours along the route from Kinvara via Oranmore, Galway North and Headford. Price per person *€104 incl. Boat ticket, 7 guests (Prices for smaller groups on request)

Please contact us for available dates and private tours. Pickup for those tours can be arranged prior to booking. 

Option B: Portumna Forest – Lough Derg – Portummna Castle Gardens – The Irish Workhouse Centre

We travel into the East of County Galway to Portumna at the northern shores of Lough Derg, the largest lake on the river Shannon. The name Portumna comes from the Irish Port Omna, the landing place of the oak tree. This calls for a walk in the almost 600 ha of the woodlands connected to Portumna Castle built by one of the most influential Galway families, the de Burgos, in the 17th century. We will visit the magnificent gardens and have the option for a light lunch in the Castle Tea Rooms or we might venture into Portumna for various options. A very special part of the day will be the visit to the Irish Workhouse Centre which is the only centre in Ireland dedicated to telling the story of the Irish workhouse and also one of the best preserved buildings of its kind. You might learn much about Irish history you did not know, the tours here are excellent. From here we return to our starting point and I imagine we will all appreciate having a comfortable home to go back to.

Easy walking, please bring suitable clothing for changeable weather.

Pick up along the route from Kinvara to Oranmore to Portumna for open tours. Price per person *€79 plus ticket for Workhouse centre (ca 8 €) / 7 guests

Please contact us for available dates and private tours. Pickup for those tours can be arranged prior to booking.  Price per person *79 € / 7 participants / plus entry ticket for Workhouse Centre ca 8 € (Prices for smaller groups on request)

What's Included

Day tours are chauffeured and guided, some are available to join on certain dates, currently limited to 6 people. To book your place please check our calendar to see available tours and dates. Day tours are also available to book for private groups of max 7 people on a date of your choice. You will be picked up by your chauffeur guide at a convenient meeting point, which will be arranged prior to booking. Please contact us for availability on your date and to arrange your booking.

Transport

Our vehicle for chauffeured tours is a practically new Volkswagen Transporter for maximum 8 guests, for 2021 we are limiting our guest numbers to 6. Sitting a bit higher than in a limousine you will have a great view and see more of the landscape passing by. For extended tours we have plenty of room for your luggage.

Great Photo Locations

Taking photos has become so easy, we will make sure to stop at the best locations so that you can bring back amazing photos, share them and keep them as a memory of a special trip. For our SONAS Tours we suggest switching off your devices and spend some time 'offline' to be free to experience your surroundings.

Supporting Trees

Sustainable tourism is important to us. One measure to make a difference for climate change is to plant trees. 10 % of our proceeds are going towards native trees being planted in Ireland.

Peace of Mind

Andaire is registered with the Irish Tourist board and you will see the white and green logo of the Covid-19-Safety charter on our website which shows you we have been educated in infection control and adhere to strict hygiene measures and are also subject to spot checks. You can find us on the Directory of Covid-19 Compliant Businesses.

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