DAY 1 | Friday, September 16

DEPART FOR IRELAND

Joy Boat tour of Ireland starts with an overnight flight from to Shannon.  Refer to your American Expeditions tour handbook for tips on making the journey smooth and comfortable.       

DAY 2 | Saturday, September 17

WELCOME TO IRELAND!

Your American Expeditions tour manager will be waiting to greet you in the Arrivals Hall.  Together board your private motor coach and depart for a scenic drive along the coast through the Burren Region. This unique setting is a Karst limestone region and national park, where you will see rare flora and picturesque villages that were abandoned during the famine period. Stop and explore the Burren’s most famous site, the spectacular and majestic Cliffs of Moher. In the small village of Doolin, board the boat to view the cliffs from the water during a guided cruise. Take in the breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean that lies, at the cliff’s highest point, 702 feet above!

After some time for lunch, continue Limerick to check in to our hotel.

Later transfer to Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, an open-air museum set on 26-acres with interactive exhibits. Once the lavish home of medieval nobility, Bunratty now functions as a “living” reproduction of a 19th-century village.

After visiting the park, walk to Bunratty Castle, one of the most complete and authentically restored medieval castles in Ireland. Built-in 1425 and plundered on many occasions, it was restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendor with furnishings and tapestries capturing the times' mood and style. Here we will kick-off of the Joy Boat tour with a celebratory welcome dinner at the Bunratty Medieval Banquet. This festive occasion includes a delicious meal and entertainment, including a selection of Irish medieval and traditional songs and instrumental music by eleven entertainers in honor of your first night on Irish soil!

Later, settle in for a good night’s rest at the hotel. 

DAY 3 | Sunday, September 18

LIMERICK - PADDLING

Wake up to your first day in Ireland!  Enjoy breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Enjoy the morning in Limerick to explore the city center with its attractive Georgian architecture at every turn. Many of the city’s fine historical buildings have been restored in recent years, leading some to speak of a Limerick Renaissance. Those interested can walk through the grounds of King John's Castle.

This afternoon we will meet up with our first Irish Dragon boat team for a few hours of friendship paddling! Practice in their boats, see the local waterways and then divide up with their team members and enjoy some informal races.

After the fun on the water join your new Irish friends at a local pub.

Later return to our hotel in Limerick.

DAY 4 | Monday, September 19

DINGLE PENINSULA - SHEEP DOGS - KILLARNEY |

Following breakfast, check out of the hotel and begin the drive out to some of the finest coastal scenery to be found in Ireland which lies in West Kerry, on the Dingle Peninsula, the most northern of Kerry’s peninsulas. This area is noted for its Celtic monuments and early Christian churches and is a Gaeltacht area, where the Irish language and traditional ways of life are preserved. The area is blessed with never-ending sandy beaches, Ireland’s highest mountain pass, and no shortage of enchanting scenery.

In this section of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, you’ll make your way along the Iveragh Peninsula and the MacGillycuddy Reeks, Ireland’s highest mountain range. Pass Inch, a long beach bordered by dunes, enroute to Dingle town, a thriving fishing village, and Ireland’s westernmost town. Continue along the coast to Slea Head, where the blue of the marine landscape surrounds the Blasket Islands From this point of land we will enjoy a 5km hike along the cliffs with incredible views over, beaches, cliffs and coves. We will pass many of the locations where the movie "Ryan's Daughter" was filmed.

Next stop we will head out in to the fields to see a Sheep Dog demonstration. The sheep farms that dot the landscape of this entire region still actively use sheep dogs to manage their herds. This is a amazing opportunity to see the skills up close.

Continue on to Killarney to settle into your hotel.  The evening is yours to explore; your tour manager will be happy to offer suggestions for places to eat and listen to live Irish music and other traditional entertainment.

DAY 5 | Tuesday, September 20

Killarney National Park - Paddling- Cork

This morning check out of the hotel after breakfast. Board the motor coach for the short ride to where we will step abroad a jaunting car in Killarney National Park. Discover areas of the park that you might not otherwise have access to. Relax as your jarvey (driver) drives the horse and carriage through the magnificent scenery of the National Park, much of which is inaccessible to motorized vehicles. Afterward, we will board a boat for an hour long cruise on Lough Lein. you’ll have free time for lunch and exploration in the town of Killarney, recipient of multiple “tidiest town in Ireland” awards over the years.

Early afternoon we will continue on to the town of Cork. Here we will meet an Irish Dragon Boat team for an afternoon on the water and an evening of fun with the Irish paddlers!

Check in to our hotel in Cork for the night.