Ireland
Birds & Gaelic Heritage
May 31-June 12, 2024
Your place on this Venture is reserved when your deposit of $700/person has been received. Deposit/registration may be made via the ‘book now’ button above, or by contacting the Ventures office. We accept credit cards for an additional fee (2.9% for MC, Visa, Discover; 3.9% for AmEx), but you may also pay by bank transfer, cash, check, or money order (payable to ‘VENTURES BIRDING’) sent to PO Box 1095, Skyland, NC 28776. This Venture is limited to 10 participants.
Cost of Ireland Venture: $5250 per person from Dublin, based on double occupancy ($650 single supplement) Price includes: All accommodation, overland transport, internal flights, all meals and snacks, all non-alcoholic drinks, guiding fees & tips, entrance fees, trip information packet, bird list, and guide/leader service throughout. Not included: Flight to Dublin, alcoholic beverages, laundry, gratuities and items of a personal nature.
You may wish to arrive in Dublin the day before in order to rest before the tour starts. Just let us know your flight plans and also whether you will need a hotel room.
Come discover the quiet corners of County Kerry, Clare and Galway for yourselves on this unmissable 10 day venture to the Republic of Ireland. With its wild windswept coastline on the Atlantic edge it's a real blast of Gaelic heritage both natural and cultural. And it's this combination of nature, landscape and heart-warming hospitality that makes this trip especially appealing.
Ireland is such a great place to unwind and commune with nature and as we will be close to the ocean at all times, this trip really connects you with the marine life of this wild part of the Atlantic fringe. The area is a haven for species such as Atlantic Puffin, Manx Shearwater, Arctic Tern, Parasitic Jaeger, Great Skua, Black Guillemot and the rare and elusive Corn Crake. The Dingle peninsula is one of the best places for cetaceans and we will explore our surroundings by boat on the lookout for Bottlenose Dolphin, Harbor Porpoise and also Minke, Fin, Humpback and Orca. European Otter, Gray Seal and with any luck Basking and Blue Shark will be added to the tally also. Ireland is one of those places where luck and perseverance rewards you with something very special.
We start and end the expedition in Dublin, where we will experience the cultural heritage of this amazing city, then quickly move onto the west coast taking in the spectacular Skellig Michael, and the great landscapes and beaches of the Dingle Peninsula including Great Blasket Island. We will also visit the Burren National Park, an ancient limestone terrace which is home to a wide variety of orchids and other specialist plants. We will also have time in the west coast city of Galway so as not to miss that great music scene and outstanding food, before moving on to Inishbofin Island with its fantastic mix of both culture and wildlife.
The stunning scenery, amazing cultural heritage and productive marine ecosystem make this a trip of a lifetime. This part of the world will clear the cobwebs and refresh your enthusiasm, understanding and love for nature, and the real need for peace and quiet in our already busy world.
What birds can we hope to see?
Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Common Murre, Black Guillemot, Common Shelduck, Tufted Duck, Corn Crake, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Great Skua, Common Gull, Roseate Tern, Northern Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, White-tailed Eagle, Common Kingfisher, Red-billed Chough, Hooded Crow, Willow Warbler, White-throated Dipper, Northern Wheatear, Rock Pipit, Lesser Redpoll, Eurasian Siskin and many more.
What wildlife can we hope to see?
European Otter, Red Deer, Humpback, Minke and Fin Whales, Mountain Hare, Baskin and Blue Sharks