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Wind your way through Ireland's incredible Wild West
Bike through the incredible karst landscape of the Burren region towards the Atlantic cliffs, the Aran Islands, and onwards to the vast expanse of Connemara. Witness relics of megalithic culture, high medieval crosses, and commanding currags as you journey through Ireland's 'Wild West', encountering some of the most enchanting scenery on the Emerald Isle.
This hilly region of Ireland is made accessible to everyone through the use of electrically-assisted bikes.
Highlights
- Enchanting evergreen mountains
- Wild Atlantic Way
- Lisdoonvarna
- Poulnabrone Dolmen
- Doorty Cross
- Cliffs of Moher
- Connemara
- Gorgeous coasts and the Aran Islands
- Clifden
- Skyroad
- Claggadhduff caves
- Connemara National Park
- Letterfrack
- Kylemore Abbey and Gardens
- Guinness in lively Dublin pubs
Learn More
Learn more about guided tours or see more cycling tours in Ireland.
Interested in adding to your itinerary? Take a look at our cycling day tours in Dublin. -
Traveler photos
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Daily program
Day 1: Arrival in Dublin
In Dublin, your hotel welcomes you. At 6:00 pm, you'll meet in the hotel lobby for a guided city tour through the lively Irish capital. The evening is then yours to enjoy. Perhaps you'd like to soak up the authentic and cozy atmosphere of a traditional Irish pub, where the sounds of Ceilidh music ring out onto the streets.Overnight in Dublin.
Day 2: Dublin – Lisdoonvarna (18 miles/28 km)
After enjoying your first Irish breakfast, a bus takes you to the west coast of Ireland (a 3-hour drive). At the gates of the Burren region, you'll hop on your bikes and cycle the first kilometers on the Wild Atlantic Way.In the late afternoon, you'll reach Lisdoonvarna. Lisdoonvarna is the capital of the region, with almost 830 inhabitants, and is famous for having the only health spa in the country, as well as the largest marriage market in Europe - the Matchmaking Festival takes place in September! The hotel awaits you in the evening, and dinner is in the Michelin-rated hotel restaurant.
Overnight in Lisdoonvarna.
Day 3: Burren region loop (38 miles/60 km)
After breakfast, you'll cycle through the Burren region, a primal karst landscape with unexpectedly opulent flora. Your bike takes you over steady rolling hills, almost without any traffic, through a fascinating stone desert. You'll visit the Poulnabrone Dolmen, an impressive sign of settlement in the Neolithic Age.Arrive in Kilfenora, known for its cathedral, a partly restored ruin of the 12th century. Nearby, there are three richly ornamented Celtic high crosses, including the famous Doorty Cross. In the afternoon, you'll reach one of the tour's highlights - the Cliffs of Moher - fighting incessantly against powerful breakers. After a walk along the impressive rock formations, you'll head back to your hotel, either by bus or bike. Dinner again in the excellent hotel restaurant.
Overnight in Lisdoonvarna.
Day 4: Lisdoonvarna – Aran Islands – Clifden (6 miles/10 km + 2 miles/3 km hiking)
After enjoying breakfast, you'll cycle to a jetty in Doolin and take a ferry to Inishmore, the largest of the three Aran Islands (in bad weather conditions, the ferry services might be canceled). A never-ending tangle of low stone walls covers the island in order to protect it against erosions. You'll walk across the flat limestones - the geological continuation of the Burren.Your day's destination is Dún Aengus, an over three-thousand-year-old stone fort with a breathtaking view. Today, the Aran Islands are famous for their high-quality knitwear, and hardly any visitor leaves the island without a well-filled bag from the Aran Sweater Market! In the late afternoon, a ferry takes you back to the mainland. From there, you'll take a bus through Connemara's mystical landscape to Clifden. For dinner, you'll meet in the excellent hotel restaurant in Recess.
Overnight in Recess.
Day 5: Clifden round trip (31 miles/50 km)
After an ample breakfast, you'll cycle through one of Ireland's most beautiful landscapes of peat bogs and countless lakes. Only once in a while, on coastal stretches, will you come across some traffic. In Roundstone, a sleepy fishing village, you'll enjoy a Guinness or an Irish coffee in a typical local pub.On your ride back to Clifden, lovely beaches brighten up the wild vegetation. Given that lunch is included in the tour package on Thursday, the evening is yours to enjoy. We highly recommend a stroll through town and a visit to one of the Irish pubs, presenting Irish live music at its best. Here, there's a good chance to enter into conversation with the fun-loving Irish!
Overnight in Clifden.
Day 6: Clifden – Letterfrack (28 miles/44 km)
With a last look at Connemara's secret capital, you'll follow the beautiful Skyroad to its highest point, where a breathtaking panorama awaits you: bays, islands, and white sandy beaches appear in magical colors and light. Past Claggadhduff, where every cave is said to have served as a smuggling location in former times, your route leads to Cleggan. From the little harbor, numerous fishing boats still head to sea day-in-day-out. It's an ideal place to invite you for lunch in a special restaurant.You'll continue your tour and reach the Connemara National Park near Letterfrack. The park extends from the ocean to the peak of the Benbaun (729 m). In total, it boasts 2000 hectares of uncomparable nature, which have been protected since 1980. In the early afternoon, you'll be welcomed at your hotel in a beautiful setting next to the Atlantic Ocean (two nights). For dinner, you'll be treated by the Chef de Cuisine.
Overnight in Letterfrack.
Day 7: Connemara loop (27 miles/42 km)
Today's route might be the most impressive of the tour as it leads through the heart of Connemara. Passing by Letterfrack across Tully Cross, you'll follow the Connemara Loop, part of the Wild Atlantic Way. Majestic mountains and spectacular beaches alternate with the marshy highland of Lough Fee.You'll reach the only fjord of Ireland - Killary Harbour, with a length of 15km, is flanked by peaks up to 800m in height. It is well-known for its numerous mussel beds. Here, Joe Joyce awaits you with his brilliantly trained sheepdogs. After his demonstration, you'll cycle to Kylemore Abbey, the oldest Irish Benedictine abbey, with beautiful gardens. After a visit, you'll head back to your hotel, where you'll enjoy your farewell dinner.
Overnight in Letterfrack.
Day 8: Departure
In the morning, a bus takes you to the airport in Dublin (a 3.5 hour drive).Surface and terrain
Cycling is mostly on paved roads through sparsely populated terrain with only light traffic. Some traffic may occur along the coastal trail.
This tour is hilly and rarely flat. It is specifically designed for travelers to use electrically-assisted bikes in order to make the itinerary more leisurely.
Hotels
These are sample hotels and may vary by availability.
Dublin: Camden Court Hotel
Lisdoonvarna: Hotel Wild Honey Inn
Clifden: Abbeyglen Castle Hotel
Letterfrack: Rosleague Manor Hotel
Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.
How to get there
Tour start and end
Nearest airport: Dublin, IrelandFrom the airport in Dublin you will reach the starting hotel within 25 minutes by taxi (approximately €40). There are also shuttle busses (bus line 7570) leaving regularly which also take you to the starting hotel (approximately €6).
In order to participate completely in the travel program, your flight would need to land at the latest 4 pm. Your return flight can be planned from 3pm onwards.
Tips on getting to and from your tour.
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Dates
Jul 27*; Aug 3, 10, 2024 (minimum 8 participants; *indicates fully booked)
Prices
Tour package
Per person, double occupancy €2959 Single room surcharge (1 person/1 room) €3658 Included services
- 7 nights accommodation
- Breakfast
- Luggage transfers
- Guide during the whole tour
- 5 multi-course dinners (beverages excluded)
- 1 lunch
- Support vehicle
- All visitors and tourist taxes
- All transfers as mentioned in the tour description
- All entry fees as mentioned in the tour description
- Electrically-assisted bike rental
- City guide in Dublin
- Sheepdog presentation
- 2 boat trips
- Cliffs of Moher visit
- Kylemore Abbey visit
- Round trip Inishmore
Bike rentals
Bikes available on this tour and included in the tour costs (must be reserved in advance at the time of booking):
- Electrically-assisted bikes*
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
bike rentals will be equipped with the following at no additional charge:
- Saddlebag (water-repellent), rear
- Rotalis waterbottle souvenir
Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary tools and equipment to change the pedals.Helmets:
Helmet rental is not available on this tour. We recommend that you bring your own helmet for safety and hygiene purposes.Bike Protection:
Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.
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Route Map
Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.
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Reviews
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★★★★★ Tim and Priscilla August 22, 2022
Best Ebike trip ever: Irish countryside with adult children
We just wanted to thank you. Our recent Ireland ebike tour with Stephano as guide and Sarah as driver/picnic arranger was too perfect for words. Although the guides spoke in German and in Italian, Stephano also spoke exceptionally well in English. We were worried due to reading another guest review and as the other 10 bikers were Swiss or German. However, half of the guests also spoke English. We connected well and had a most enjoyable time with a lovely group of strangers that got along amazingly well. Our hotels were wonderful and varied from a charming inn to a mansion - and all very clean and lovely. The food was simply the best at each place of lodging, and included. We especially enjoyed the amazing picnics the two guides arranged for us so we could bike on the most scenic roads with numerous cows, sheep, horses and boats etc - and not worry about where to eat. Stephano was exceptionally knowledgeable and happy, sharing interesting history along our route and equal kindness for all the guests. He was an expert biker and made 30-40 miles of biking up and down hills easy and fun - and, we were on terrific ebikes. He encouraged us to stop whenever we wanted, and we did, to take many photos along the way. Sarah as the driver brought extra bikes in case we needed them (we did not) and prepared amazing picnics in lovely shady spots, as well as had our luggage waiting in our rooms at each inn upon arrival. They worked as a seamless team and were happy everyday not letting us know how much work they did behind the scenes making sure our bikes were all in tiptop shape. We stayed 2 nights at each inn/hotel as we came in a night earlier to Dublin to see the Book of Kells. However, the biking on quiet lanes and the ferry with hike on Inishmore (Aran Island) was more beautiful than we expected or we can describe. The weather was sunny everyday - in Ireland! But we were prepared with rain gear just in case too. We could not have asked for a better trip for our two adult kids and us (ranging in age from 40 - 70.) The trip had 14 guests (ages 19 -81) and two well experienced guides. So much fun! Ireland is so beautiful. I would highly recommend this trip, and hope to ebike with Stephano and Sarah again.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- This is the first guided ebike tour we have gone on. We love biking, and recommend bringing padded bike liners/pants. ;D
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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BikeTours.com staff reply from taylor August 22, 2022
Thank you so much for providing this lovely feedback!
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★★★★★ MarcieB August 23, 2019
The Wild Atlantic Way of Ireland is not to be missed!
There were two dates for the E-bike tour (Dublin and West Ireland). . . July and August. We selected the August date and packed rain/wind gear . . . just in case! When we received the advanced brochure for the trip, it was in English and the bike tour company was indicated: Rotalis ~ Die Radreise Manufaktur. Hmmm, I thought. An e-bike tour of Ireland by a German outfitter will probably be a mixed group of English and German speakers. That was true, up to a point. Of the thirteen members of the group, eleven were German speakers and we were the two English speakers. Several in the German group told us they take Rotalis trips on a regular basis and wondered how we had ended up in a predominately German tour. The good news is that I understand some conversational German. Although attempts were made to converse with us in English, among themselves it was natural to speak their own language. The Dublin city guide assumed everybody spoke German and off we went. My husband and I had to return to the hotel within 15 minutes because it was a bit overwhelming for me to try and translate all the architectural/historical details the guide was providing. She felt badly to see us go and said she could have provided an English translation, but she was providing a lot of information and we felt we would have slowed down their pace.
So, other than the language issue, I would highly recommend this tour if the number of English speakers could bring the ratio to 50-50. The two guides (a driver/chef/mechanic and the tour guide/mechanic/group leader) were extremely helpful and always spoke to us in English.
The E-bikes had already served several groups and were beginning to show some signs of wear. Chains would periodically fall off and need attention and some of the hand brakes were only working on one side. At one point, they ended up renting an additional bike for my husband in Clifden so he could continue riding. They mentioned that 2020 would bring a new fleet of e-bikes. With Bosch components they were pretty impressive as far as ease of use and power choices were concerned.
Staying two nights in three different locales was fabulous. The food, snacks and activities were always locally sourced and culturally authentic. The pacing was good, the stops were timely and the adventures unforgettable! I don't think any of us will forget the turbulent little ferry ride to Inishmore in the Aran Islands. Yes, there was some rain, some wind and some challenges, but we all made it and made some new friendships.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 3-10, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our 10th Biketours.com
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe August 24, 2019
Marcie - thanks kindly for the review. We're glad you enjoyed the tour despite the language issue. You never quite know what the make-up of a group tour will be, but it always makes things interesting! The guides on this tour are always bilingual and able to provide an English version of the information - don't hesitate to utilize it! Thanks also for noting about the e-bikes and their imminent replacement. We're so glad you enjoyed your trip overall, and we LOVE the photos, thanks for posting them! And, 10 BikeTours.com tours, WOW! Thank you!
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