There are many ways to travel in Ireland, but one of the most popular is undoubtedly the self-drive tour. Convenient and comfortable, it can be used for a complete tour, with a car at your disposal and a visit program with stop-off points. You’re free to follow it to the letter or not: that’s the advantage of this formula!
Take a self-drive tour of Connemara – © Karlo
If you’re more of a traveler who likes the freedom of exploring a country on your own, then a self-guided tour is the way to go when visiting Ireland.
This type of package is generally offered by travel agencies and tour operators. Great specialists in this kind of offer, they have the advantage of offering you a turnkey trip. In other words: they take care of everything!
Book your ferry or flight, rent your car on site, define your itinerary, book your accommodation… In short: the travel agency allows you to benefit from a tailor-made trip, adapted to your desires. Don’t worry about putting together your own trip: the establishment takes care of everything!
At the start of your trip, the agency will send you a “travel kit” containing all the information you need to make your stay a success. It generally includes :
This travel kit is usually all you need to manage your trip as you wish!
And best of all, in the event of a problem, you’re never alone! You can easily contact your agency by phone wherever you are. You can also use the roadbook provided by the agency… In short: although no guide is physically present with you, you remain in a supervised environment if you wish! On demand, without compromising the privacy of your trip!
There are many agencies specializing in self-guided tours in Ireland. Our favourites include :
All of them offer a wide range of self-drive packages for Ireland. They have many years’ experience in this field. These are serious service providers.
Lough inagh – © Karlo
A self-guided tour of Ireland doesn’t mean you have to adopt an iron discipline to keep up with the program. And that’s the advantage of this type of formula!
A self-guided tour of Ireland is designed above all to help you relax, see the sights and explore the island at your own pace! There’s no need to run: the program is generally well thought-out to avoid stress… And your pre-booked accommodation is waiting for you in the evening!
In fact, this is the only constraint of a self-drive tour: if your accommodation is already booked in advance, you’ll have to get to your stopover by evening. This is where you will have to sleep: it is of course possible to choose other accommodation, but this will be at your own expense, in addition to the accommodation initially planned!
As for the rest: you’re in control of your day and your explorations! The program is just a “crutch” in case you run out of ideas. It’s up to you to follow him… or not! You can then consult your favorite travel guide and explore other places of interest according to your current aspirations!
In short, an autotour offers a framework that can be transgressed according to your wishes. No stress, no pressure: these are vacations and moments of pleasure above all!
An Irish road – © kilhan
Self-drive tours can take many forms. And it’s not just by car! You can request any type of vehicle: van, 4×4, motorcycle… There are so many ways to explore Ireland!
Most of these vehicles come with unlimited mileage: perfect for exploring Ireland without being restricted! You’re then free to explore Ireland’s roads as you wish… You’ll just have to pay for the fill-ups!
Important: all Irish vehicles are subject to left-hand drive. While this may be a little frightening at first, you’ll soon get the hang of it! It all becomes automatic within the first half-hour of driving… as long as you stay alert!
You can also take your own car with you on a ferry trip. This will save you the cost of a rental, and allow you to drive in an environment you’re already familiar with… with the steering wheel on the left! Simple and practical!
The Connemara Way – © mark_gusev
Of course, you can also organize your own self-guided tour. You’ll need to manage reservations, the program and the stages to be completed. Nothing insurmountable, but it will require a little more work and anticipation than going through a professional travel agency. It’s worth noting that organizing the trip yourself has the advantage of being less costly… (because there are no agency fees).
It’s also possible to just take your tickets to Ireland, your rental car and improvise to find accommodation each evening! This option is possible, but it’s important to note that it can be difficult to find one at short notice during the high season. Many hotels and B&Bs are overbooked in summer: it’s generally easier to find last-minute accommodation in spring or autumn than in summer.
Organizing your own self-guided tour in Ireland has many advantages:
It does, however, require more personal involvement, as well as a natural curiosity… It’s also more suited to adventurers who like the unexpected and spontaneity. After all, that’s part of the charm of a trip!