Ireland in a Week — Self-Launched
8 days · Ireland & Northern Ireland
Contiki charges £1,170
No-markup version: ~£770 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 8-day self-launched loop of Ireland and Northern Ireland hitting the same highlights as Contiki's coach tour — Dublin's Temple Bar, Kilkenny, Cork and Blarney Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, Galway and the Aran Islands, Derry's Bogside, the Giant's Causeway and Belfast — but on public buses and trains, staying in hostels and budget guesthouses, and booking activities direct. Costs are rough backpacker estimates for a summer trip; book intercity buses early on Expressway/Bus Éireann and Translink for the best fares.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Dublin — Temple Bar & a Pint
Dublin
Land at Dublin Airport and take the Dublin Express or Aircoach (€7–10, ~30 min) or the public 16/41 bus (€2 with Leap card) into the city. Check into a city-centre hostel dorm (Barnacles, Generator or Abigails are good value). Spend the afternoon walking the free sights: Trinity College, Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral exterior and St Stephen's Green. In the evening wander Temple Bar for live music — drink prices there are steep, so grab dinner and a pint on nearby Wexford or Camden Street instead.
🚌Dublin Express coach from airport ~£8
🛏City-centre hostel dorm, Dublin (~£30/night)
- →Self-guided walking tour of Trinity College & city centre
- →Temple Bar live music crawl
Dublin to Cork via Kilkenny
Kilkenny & Cork
Take an early Expressway/Bus Éireann coach or Irish Rail train from Dublin to Kilkenny (~1h45, £8–14). Drop your bag at the bus station lockers and walk to Kilkenny Castle (OPW ticket ~£7, gardens free), St Canice's Cathedral and the medieval mile. Continue by bus or train to Cork (~2h, £10–16). Check into a Cork hostel (Kinlay House or Bru Bar & Hostel). Evening: Cork's English Market area and a pub dinner.
🚌Dublin→Kilkenny coach/train ~£10; Kilkenny→Cork ~£13
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Cork (~£28/night)
- →Kilkenny Castle self-guided visit
- →Medieval Mile walk
- →English Market browse
Blarney Castle & the Road to Galway
Blarney & Galway
Take local bus 215 from Cork to Blarney (~25 min, ~£2) and get there at opening to beat the cruise crowds — kiss the stone and explore the castle and gardens (ticket ~£16 booked direct). Back in Cork by lunch, then take the Expressway coach to Galway (~3h, £15–20). Check into a Galway hostel (Snoozles, Kinlay or Barnacles Quay Street). Evening: walk the Latin Quarter, Eyre Square and Lynch's Castle, and try Irish stew in a trad pub with live music.
🚌Local bus to Blarney £2; Cork→Galway coach ~£17
🛏Hostel dorm, Galway (~£30/night)
- →Blarney Castle & Gardens (book direct online)
- →Galway Latin Quarter evening walk
Aran Islands Day Trip — Dún Aonghasa
Inishmore, Aran Islands
Book the Aran Islands ferry from Rossaveel (Aran Island Ferries, ~£28 return) — a shuttle bus from Galway city centre is included with most tickets, ~1h each way. On Inishmore hire a bike (~£15) and cycle the quiet lanes to the prehistoric hill fort of Dún Aonghasa (OPW entry ~£5) perched over a 100m cliff. Stop at the Seal Colony and a beach on the way back. Ferries are summer-only-ish for day trips, so check the sailing times and don't miss the last boat. Back in Galway for dinner.
🚌Shuttle + ferry to Inishmore ~£28 return; bike hire £15
🛏Hostel dorm, Galway (~£30/night)
- →Aran Islands ferry crossing
- →Cycling Inishmore
- →Dún Aonghasa fort visit
Galway to Derry — via the Cliffs of Moher or direct
Derry/Londonderry
Two options: (A) Take a Cliffs of Moher day tour from Galway (~£40–50 on GetYourGuide, includes the Burren and Doolin) and stay a second night in Galway, moving to Derry on day 6; or (B) travel north directly — Galway to Derry by Expressway/Translink bus via Sligo or via Dublin takes 4.5–6h (~£25–30). The classic route is option A, so this day covers the Cliffs and you'll shift to Derry the next morning. In Derry stay at a city-centre hostel or B&B (Derry City Independent Hostel). Walk the 17th-century city walls (free) at sunset.
🚌Galway–Cliffs day tour coach ~£45 (or Galway→Derry bus ~£28)
🛏Hostel/B&B, Derry (~£30/night)
- →Cliffs of Moher & Burren day tour
- →Derry city walls walk
Derry's Bogside & on to Belfast
Derry & Belfast
Morning: explore the Bogside — the Free Derry Corner murals and the Bloody Sunday memorial are free to walk; the Museum of Free Derry is ~£8 and the Bogside History self-guided audio/app walk ~£5. Optionally take a local black-taxi political tour (~£15 shared) booked direct. After lunch take the Translink Goldline/Ulsterbus or train from Derry to Belfast (~2h, £12–15). Check into a Belfast hostel (Vagabonds or Belfast International Youth Hostel). Evening in the Cathedral Quarter.
🚌Derry→Belfast bus/train ~£14
🛏Hostel dorm, Belfast (~£28/night)
- →Bogside murals & Free Derry Corner walk
- →Museum of Free Derry
- →Optional black-taxi political tour
Giant's Causeway & Titanic Belfast
Giant's Causeway & Belfast
Book a Giant's Causeway day trip from Belfast (GetYourGuide ~£30–40, often including the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and Dark Hedges) or DIY it by taking the Coleraine/Portrush train and the 402 Causeway Coast bus (~£15 total). The Causeway stones themselves are free to visit (visitor centre is optional). Back in Belfast, visit Titanic Belfast (~£25) and do a self-guided walk of the city centre, or take the free hop-on political mural walk. Last evening: Belfast pub trad session.
🚌Causeway day tour ~£35 (or DIY rail+bus ~£15)
🛏Hostel dorm, Belfast (~£28/night)
- →Giant's Causeway
- →Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge
- →Titanic Belfast
Belfast to Dublin — Guinness Storehouse & Departure
Belfast & Dublin
Take the morning Enterprise train or Aircoach bus from Belfast to Dublin (~2h15, £12–20). Book the Guinness Storehouse online in advance (~£22, includes a pint at the Gravity Bar) and optionally the Teeling or Jameson distillery if you want a whiskey pour. If time allows, do the free self-guided Trinity College / GPO 1916 walk. Then catch the airport coach for your flight home.
🚌Belfast→Dublin train/coach ~£16; airport coach ~£8
🛏None (departure day)
- →Guinness Storehouse self-guided tour
- →Optional distillery tasting
Self-launched vs. Contiki
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Contiki | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£770 | £1,170 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £400 per person (34%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Contiki-style trips? Check them out here.~£770
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Ireland in a Week — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £770 per person for 8 days in Ireland & Northern Ireland. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Contiki?+
Yes — Contiki charges around £1,170 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £770 — a saving of roughly £400 (34%) per person.
How long is the Ireland & Northern Ireland trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Ireland & Northern Ireland.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Ireland & Northern Ireland, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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