Jade. Viridian. Kelly. Moss. Olive...It's impossible to name all the greens of Ireland. And the feeling of being there - how do you capture that? Words won't do. A photo is good, but so much is missing. That sense of openness - of the land and the people. That enchanting fragrance of fresh rain and smoking peat. The elation of standing atop a cliff overlooking crashing surf. There's only one way to truly see what makes Ireland so special. You have to be there. To feel the depth of history. To be seat-high in a charming sea of sheep. To hobnob at a neighborhood pub with locals, so full of good humor and pride in their heritage. To behold infinite shades of green.
Day 1 Spin through a classic Irish landscape
of emerald hills, small farms, quaint cottages and woolly sheep 
A gorgeous cycling route winds through Moll's Gap and the Gap of Dunloe, a narrow pass between the Purple Mountains and MacGillycuddy's Reeks.
Day 2 A private whiskey tasting
Pedal by pristine lakes, stately cliffs and glacier-carved mountains on the untamed Beara Peninsula Browse Kenmare's craft shops, stroll by the River Finnihy, check out the nearby prehistoric stone circle or kick back with a pint at a cozy pub.
Day 3 Garinish Island - its unique and beautiful gardens are world renowned
A gradual five-mile climb leads to magnificent Caha Pass, complete with tunnels and panoramic views of Bantry Bay Ride through Glengarriff on your way to picturesque Bantry Fresh sea air fills your lungs as you ferry to Garinish Island 
A charismatic local troubadour regales us with Irish songs and legend.
Day 4 Soak up fascinating history and lively village culture
Admire sweeping vistas of the south coast's verdant bluffs as you ride to Ring, a waterfront hamlet near the town where the famous Irish rebel Michael Collins was born Stunning coastal scenery lines your bike route to Courtmacsherry Bay and the ruins of 13th-century Timoleague Abbey.
Days 5-6 Explore riverside Kinsale, also known as the "Gourmet Capital of Ireland," with our private guides
Pedal to the Old Head of Kinsale, where a ruined castle and watchtower from the Napoleonic War stand sentinel The afternoon is up to you - in the mood to shop, play golf or visit a 17th-century fort?
Trip Highlights
- A classic Irish landscape of green hills, small farms, quaint cottages and woolly sheep
- Soak up fascinating history and lively village culture
- A private whiskey tasting
- Bike on the rugged Beara Peninsula
- Garinish Island - its unique and beautiful gardens are world renowned
Casual Inns
Brook Lane Hotel (2 nights): It's just a short stroll to the center of Kenmare from this contemporary boutique hotel.
The Maritime Hotel (1 night): An ultra-modern hotel on the quayside overlooking Bantry Bay. (pool, spa)
Perryville House (2 nights): Overlooking the marina, this cozy manor house offers privacy and a welcoming atmosphere in the heart of Kinsale.
Routes For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of
interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one
day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat
from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each
day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
| Daily Route Options | ||||||||||
| Day | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | ||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | |
| 1 | 15 | 600 | 25* | 1300 | ||||||
| 2 | 26* | 2100 | 50* | 3100 | 64 | 3400 | ||||
| Optional afternoon fishing, city and river walk, visit to a stone circle or golf | ||||||||||
| Private whiskey tasting | ||||||||||
| 3 | 19* | 1400 | 36 | 2200 | 41 | 2800 | ||||
| Optional Garinish Island visit (1 hour) | ||||||||||
| 4 | 24* | 1900 | 41* | 2800 | 52 | 3400 | ||||
| Optional afternoon city walk | ||||||||||
| 5 | 24* | 1700 | 37 | 2400 | ||||||
| Optional afternoon golf or Charles Fort self-guided tour | ||||||||||
| 6 | Kinsale guided city walk (1.5 miles) | |||||||||
* Includes a shuttle
2013 Dates & Pricing*
CLASSIC TRIPS
- 6/9-14 Price: $3398 pp dbl. occ., (+ $430 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/30-7/5 Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $430 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/4-9 Price: $3398 pp dbl. occ., (+ $430 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/25-30 Price: $3098 pp dbl. occ., (+ $430 for sgl. occ.)
- 9/8-13 Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $430 for sgl. occ.)
- 9/22-27 Price: $3098 pp dbl. occ., (+ $430 for sgl. occ.)
SINGLES-SOLOS TRIPS
- 7/14-19 Price: $3398 pp dbl. occ., (+ $430 for sgl. occ.)
*Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.
Guest Trip Reviews
This being my first Backroads trip, I really didn't know what to expect. I loved that within the structure of the itinerary, there was always room to move at my own speed. It meant that the trip was truly tailor-made for me on a day to day basis.- Palo Alto, CA
The trip was fantastic. You did a great job choosing "back roads" and small interesting towns for us to visit. I never could have put such a fabulous trip together myself - it was such a pleasure to have everything so well planned out: great itineraries, restaurants and sightseeing choices. And our leaders - they were so fabulous! They were funny, entertaining, knowledgeable, helpful - I run out of adjectives to describe how great they were. They had everything so completely under control all we had to do was have fun. The food was great, every town they took us to was more charming than the last and the hotels were just lovely. I am so glad you added the Casual Inns trip.- Washington, DC
Very enjoyable trip! The rides were appropriately challenging, the scenery was beautiful and our leaders were knowledgeable about the area and lots of fun to be with.- Mahomet IL
I really enjoyed the challenging biking, the scenery and the wonderful Irish people. What a great way to really immerse yourself into a country and its culture!- Nokomis, FL
We had a lot of logistics to consider when booking our trip that were not simple. [Our Trip Consutant] was superb at being responsive and patient while we worked things out and made the booking process effortless. Backroads is the best active travel company out there!- Benton City, WA
Another top notch Backroads trip! Great itinerary and biking routes - a perfect blend of cycling time and free time. It was great fun! This trip was my niece's high school graduation gift from me. She chose Ireland, and I chose Backroads, because I knew that we would be well cared for, that we would experience the local culture and that the scenery would be stunning. You never fail to deliver! Thank you for your incredible customer service - it is consistently excellent from the people who you book the trips with to the leaders and other support persons. I always feel that I get my money's worth and so much more. My hope is that this glorious Backroads vacation will inspire my niece to get out and see the world. As we were leaving she turned to me and said, "Maybe I will come back here and study abroad". Perfect.- Los Angeles, CA
This was my sixth bicycle trip with Backroads, and based on past experience I had high expectations. The trip was everything I'd hoped it would be. I had got married since my last Backroads trip, so riding with my wife and introducing her to the Backroads experience made this trip especially memorable.- Indianapolis, IN
This is the best trip I have had the pleasure of taking with Backroads. The country and scenery were spectacular, the leaders were fantastic, and the Backroads Way' (every little detail handled and then some) was in full force. I don't know how you manage consistent excellence like this, but no other company can come close! There are bicycle tour companies and then there's Backroads where the guest experience is unsurpassed!- Benton City, WA