Welcome to Ireland. After landing at Shannon Airport, your Hammond Tours Irish Driver-Guide meets you in the arrivals hall and the coach departs for the west coast. First stop is Salthill, the beloved seaside suburb of Galway, for a walk along the famous Prom and lunch with views across the bay. Then north along the Wild Atlantic Way into County Mayo, arriving in the charming town of Westport, which sits beneath the slopes of Croagh Patrick, to check in before a group welcome dinner.

After breakfast we head to spectacular Achill Island, connected to the mainland by a short bridge and one of the most breathtaking landscapes in the country. Towering sea cliffs, golden beaches and blanket bog stretch as far as the eye can see. We visit the hauntingly beautiful Keem Bay, a horseshoe cove of turquoise water framed by dramatic cliffs, and explore the famous Deserted Village, a silent pre-Famine settlement that speaks volumes about Ireland's past. A magical day on the Wild Atlantic Way.

Departing Westport, we travel through the wild and beautiful Joyce Country of Connemara, where lakes, bogs and mountains feel like the very edge of the world. En route we stop at Joyce Country Sheepdogs for a private herding demonstration, a wonderfully entertaining display as Border Collies move a flock across the hillside with nothing but whistles and hand signals. We then visit iconic Kylemore Abbey, a magnificent neo-Gothic castle set against a mirror lake, before continuing on to Galway for two nights.

Today we make a day trip south into County Clare to one of Ireland's most iconic natural wonders. Rising over 700 feet above the Atlantic along 8 kilometres of coastline, the Cliffs of Moher offer views on a clear autumn day all the way to the Aran Islands and the mountains of Connemara. Walk the paved pathways, take in the drama from O'Brien's Tower, and feel the Atlantic wind before we return to Galway. The night is yours to explore the city's pubs, live music, and colourful streets.

We head south from Galway, stopping at Bunratty Castle & Folk Park in County Clare, one of Ireland's most authentic heritage experiences, where a beautifully restored medieval castle is surrounded by a living village of 19th-century buildings. From there we board the Shannon Ferry from Killimer across the estuary to Tarbert in County Kerry, a scenic crossing of Ireland's greatest river. We then make our way along the northern edge of the Dingle Peninsula to Dingle itself, one of Ireland's most beloved towns.

Today is devoted to the magnificent Slea Head Drive, a loop of the Dingle Peninsula widely regarded as one of the most spectacular drives in Europe. Along the way you'll encounter ancient beehive huts (clocháns) used by early Christian monks, the dramatic headland of Slea Head with views out to the Blasket Islands, and a coastline of wild sandy beaches and sea-carved cliffs. The afternoon brings time to explore Dingle town, with its colourful pubs, seafood restaurants and artisan shops.

We bid farewell to the Dingle Peninsula and travel east through the spectacular Gap of Dunloe country into Killarney, stopping for lunch in one of Kerry's most welcoming towns, surrounded by the lakes and mountains of Killarney National Park. We then head north through County Limerick into County Clare, arriving in the elegant market town of Ennis for our final night together, with a farewell group dinner at the Old Ground Hotel, a landmark of Irish hospitality since 1749.