Ireland North to South Hiking Tour

After arrival at Dublin airport, meet your MT Sobek guide for the transfer to Northern Ireland and Derry, the last remaining intact walled city in the country. Check into the hotel, and then grab lunch. In the afternoon, join a local guide for a walk along the walls and learn first-hand about the city's complex history and vibrant community.

Today walk along clifftops and stretches of white-sand beaches to reach the Giant's Causeway, a dramatic landscape of steep cliffs and 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns that project into the ocean. The Giant's Causeway has for centuries inspired artists and stirred scientific debate. Legend has it that a feud between an Irish giant and a Scottish giant spurred the former to build the causeway to fight his rival. The clash ends with the Scottish giant fleeing back across the causeway, destroying it on his retreat.

Explore the most northerly point of your journey and of Ireland, the Inishowen Peninsula. This wild and windswept headland, peppered in ancient archaeological remains, is perfect for blowing away the cobwebs. This walk takes you across rugged hills, overlooking dramatic coastal cliffs and hidden coves, providing you with views across the north coast of Inishowen, Northern Ireland and, on a fine day, even Scotland.

Transferring from the north to west coast today stop to climb the uniquely shaped Knocknarea, a little mountain perched on the shores of Sligo Bay. The hill is crowned by a 180-foot high cairn built over a millennium ago in honor of a Celtic heroine, Queen Maeve. Lunch is in Strandhill, the surf village that sits between Knocknarea and the perfect Atlantic waves that break here year round.

Croagh Patrick is considered the holiest mountain in Ireland — the tradition of pilgrimage to its summit stretches back over 5,000 years. Thousands of devout Catholics climb the heather-covered hills and rough-stone paths to the small chapel at the summit every year, some barefoot. Weather permitting, climb to the summit today and take in the magnificent views of the northwestern Wild Atlantic Way along Clew Bay and its 365 islands. This evening, take time to explore the town of Westport on your own.

Today hike along the edge of one of Ireland's three fjords, visit the fairytale castle of Kylemore Abbey, and take in the rugged mountain scenery, with steep, craggy peaks framing the harbor on each side. This part of Ireland was particularly affected by the Great Famine of 1845-49; stone ruins across the landscape speak of the hardship of that era. Pass by a ruined village which was abandoned during that time, and a relief road dating back to 1846 which was constructed by locals in return for food rations.

Renowned the world over, the three isolated rocky outcrops of the Aran Islands once held a position of great trading power in ancient Ireland. Today they are renowned as the bastion of traditional language, culture and music. Inishmore is the largest island, home to one of the most important prehistoric sites in Europe: Dun Aonghusa (Dun Aengus), a semi-circular stone fort perched dramatically on top of a 328-foot drop into the sea. Walk to this spectacular location to take in magnificent vistas of Galway Bay, Connemara, and Black Head in the Burren.

Get an early start this morning and head south, stopping at the staggering 700'-high Cliffs of Moher, home to one of the largest colonies of nesting seabirds on mainland Ireland. Continuing our journey, we'll pause for a short hike along the Kilkee Cliffs to fully take in the breathtaking scenery of the Wild Atlantic Way. Walking along the coastal trail, look out for humpback whales or basking sharks. Spend this evening in the quirky little village of Dingle, one of the great strongholds of traditional Irish music. After dinner, you might like to join the locals in one of the pubs to experience some real craic agus ceoil (fun and music).

One of the highest mountains in Ireland is named after St. Brendan (Breanainn) the Navigator, who, according to legend, had a vision of a promised land while seated at its summit. He and his monks consequently set sail for that land and disembarked in 535 AD (over 900 years before Columbus) on American soil. Though there's no way to prove it, there are many that believe the Irish discovered America. Today you will follow the Dingle Way along a spectacular trail that crosses a saddle to the north of the peak and descends into the fishing village of Brandon.

Today the trail begins on the sand at Ventry Bay, then continues along the bottom of Mount Eagle, following the jagged Wild Atlantic Way around the spectacular Slea Head. Some of the finest archaeological sites in Ireland can be encountered on the Dingle Way, such as standing stones and beehive huts — dry-stone, dome-shaped buildings dating from circa 2,000 BC. At the end of the hike, transfer to Killarney and the final hotel of your journey.

Today hike along a stunning stretch of the Iveragh Peninsula, or the Ring of Kerry, above the spectacular Lakes of Killarney. This is a windswept landscape broken only by the ruins of stone cottages and crumbling ancient monuments. The trail meanders between the mountains of Killarney National Park climbing up past Torc Waterfall to Torc Mountain. On a good day, the panoramic views of today's walk could claim to be the best in Ireland.

Transfer to the iconic Rock of Cashel to explore its medieval castle and Gothic chapel—part of a historic site that dates back millennia. Enjoy lunch together one final time before continuing to the airport to say our farewells.