Self-Launched Highlights of Ireland: Dublin to Belfast
9 days · Ireland & Northern Ireland
G Adventures charges £1,990
No-markup version: ~£650 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' nine-day Dublin-to-Belfast small-group tour, rebuilt for independent travellers using hostels and guesthouses, public buses and trains, and self-bookable tours. You'll hit the same highlights — Dublin's pubs and museums, Killarney and the Ring of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher and the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway's cobbled streets, a Derry lunch stop, the Dark Hedges, Bushmills Distillery and the Giant's Causeway — while paying roughly a third of the group tour price. Costs are approximate per-person estimates at 2025/26 backpacker rates and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Dublin
Dublin
Land at Dublin Airport and take the Dublin Express (route 782) or Aircoach (route 700) into the city centre, both around £7-9 one way and running frequently. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse around Temple Bar, Smithfield or the Liberties. Spend the evening acclimatising with a wander along the Liffey and a first pint in a proper local pub — try somewhere off Temple Bar itself for cheaper prices. Book your Ring of Kerry day tour and Bushmills tour online tonight if you haven't already.
🚌Dublin Express/Aircoach airport bus ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, central Dublin (£25-35 pp)
- →Airport transfer into Dublin
- →Evening walk along the Liffey
- →Pub dinner and trad music session
Dublin free day: history, distillery and cobbled streets
Dublin
Full day to explore on foot. Book the Guinness Storehouse (~€29) or Jameson Distillery Bow St (~€22) direct online, visit St Patrick's Cathedral (~€8), Dublin Castle, and the free National Museum of Ireland — Archaeology (Viking gold, bog bodies) and the National Gallery. In the afternoon wander Grafton Street, Merrion Square and the Ha'penny Bridge, then catch a trad music session in a pub like The Cobblestone in Smithfield (often free entry, just buy a drink). Book your train to Killarney for tomorrow morning.
🚌Walking; occasional city bus/Luas ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, central Dublin (£25-35 pp)
- →Guinness Storehouse or Jameson Distillery (pre-booked)
- →St Patrick's Cathedral & Dublin Castle
- →Free national museums
- →Trad music session at The Cobblestone
Train to Killarney and into the national park
Killarney
Take an early Irish Rail train from Dublin Heuston to Killarney (roughly 3-3.5 hrs, book online in advance for ~£25-35; a Bus Éireann option exists but is slower at 5+ hrs). Drop bags at your guesthouse or hostel, then walk or cycle into Killarney National Park — free entry — to see Muckross House and Gardens and the lakeshore. Rent a bike in town (~£15/day) for the best access. Evening in Killarney's pub strip with live music.
🚌Irish Rail Dublin Heuston–Killarney ~£30
🛏Hostel or family-run guesthouse in Killarney (£28-40 pp)
- →Killarney National Park (free)
- →Muckross House & Gardens
- →Bike hire around the lakes
- →Live music in town
Ring of Kerry day tour
Killarney / Ring of Kerry
Book a full-day Ring of Kerry coach tour departing Killarney — these run daily in season and cost around £35-45 via GetYourGuide, Viator or the local operators in town. You'll loop the Iveragh Peninsula past Waterville, Sneem, Moll's Gap and Ladies View, with photo stops and a lunch break (buy your own lunch, ~£10-12). Alternatively, if you want full independence, take the local bus to Kenmare and walk sections of the Kerry Way, but the coach tour covers far more ground in a day. Back in Killarney for the evening.
🚌Ring of Kerry coach tour included in activity cost
🛏Hostel or family-run guesthouse in Killarney (£28-40 pp)
- →Ring of Kerry full-day coach tour
- →Ladies View & Moll's Gap photo stops
- →Kenmare and Sneem villages
Cliffs of Moher and the Wild Atlantic Way, on to Galway
Cliffs of Moher / Galway
Take a Bus Éireann or Expressway service from Killarney to Galway via Limerick (roughly 4-4.5 hrs, ~£20-25; check connections — some require a change at Limerick, where a short detour to Bunratty is possible). A cleaner option is a pre-booked day tour from Killarney or Limerick that includes the Cliffs of Moher and a Wild Atlantic Way stop en route to Galway. At the Cliffs, walk the safe cliff-top trails from the visitor centre viewpoint (note: some access points have been closed for safety — the viewpoint and visitor centre are still open; entry ~€10-12). Arrive Galway in the evening and find a pub for dinner and music.
🚌Bus Killarney–Limerick–Galway ~£22
🛏Hostel in Galway's Latin Quarter (£25-35 pp)
- →Cliffs of Moher viewpoint & visitor centre
- →Wild Atlantic Way cliff-top walk
- →Evening in Galway pubs
Galway walking tour and free afternoon
Galway
Join a self-bookable guided walking tour of Galway — the local 'Free Walking Tour Galway' runs daily on a tip basis (budget £8-10 tip), covering Lynch's Castle, the Spanish Arch, the Claddagh and the medieval lanes. Or book a paid small-group tour via GetYourGuide (~£15). The afternoon is free: Galway City Museum (free), the Long Walk, and a pint at Tigh Neachtain's or a trad session at The Crane Bar. Optional side trip to Dunguaire Castle (~€8.50) or a bus to Salthill for the coastal promenade.
🚌Walking; optional local bus to Salthill ~£3
🛏Hostel in Galway's Latin Quarter (£25-35 pp)
- →Galway guided walking tour
- →Galway City Museum (free)
- →Spanish Arch & the Claddagh
- →Trad session at The Crane Bar
Galway to Belfast via Derry
Derry / Belfast
The long travel day. Best route: Expressway bus Galway–Derry (via Sligo and Donegal, roughly 4.5-5 hrs, ~£25-30 online), then a Translink Goldliner bus Derry–Belfast (roughly 2 hrs, ~£12). Break the journey with a couple of hours in Derry's walled city — walk the complete 17th-century city walls (free) and cross the Peace Bridge. Alternatively take the faster route Galway–Dublin–Belfast by bus or train, but the Derry stop is worth the extra time. Arrive Belfast, check into a hostel around the Cathedral Quarter or Queen's Quarter.
🚌Expressway Galway–Derry ~£28 + Translink Derry–Belfast ~£12
🛏Hostel in Belfast (£22-32 pp)
- →Derry city walls walk (free)
- →Peace Bridge
- →Cathedral Quarter evening
Dark Hedges, Bushmills Distillery and Giant's Causeway
Belfast / Causeway Coast
Book a Causeway Coast day tour from Belfast with a local operator via GetYourGuide or Viator (~£35-45) — most include the Dark Hedges, Bushmills Distillery, the Giant's Causeway and often Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and Dunluce Castle. Alternatively, go fully independent: take the Translink train Belfast–Coleraine (~£10) and the Causeway Rambler or 402 bus along the coast, but bus frequency is limited so the tour is better value. Giant's Causeway visitor experience is ~£14 (the stones themselves are free to access if you skip the centre), and Bushmills tour is ~£12-14. Return to Belfast for the evening.
🚌Causeway Coast day tour (transport included in tour cost)
🛏Hostel in Belfast (£22-32 pp)
- →Giant's Causeway
- →Old Bushmills Distillery tour
- →The Dark Hedges
- →Dunluce Castle / Carrick-a-Rede (if included)
Belfast free morning and departure
Belfast
Spend the morning in Belfast: a Black Taxi Tour of the murals and peace walls (~£15-20, bookable through hostels or GetYourGuide), Titanic Belfast (book online ~£20-25) or the free Ulster Museum and Botanic Gardens. Then take the Aircoach or Translink bus to Belfast City or Dublin Airport — or, if flying out of Dublin, the Enterprise train Belfast–Dublin (~£20-30, 2 hrs) plus a connection. Trip ends.
🚌Aircoach to Belfast airport ~£6 or train to Dublin ~£25
🛏Departure day
- →Black Taxi Tour or Titanic Belfast (optional)
- →Ulster Museum (free)
- →Departure transfer
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£650 | £1,990 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,340 per person (67%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£650
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 Self-Launched Highlights of Ireland: Dublin to Belfast cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £650 per person for 9 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,990 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £650 — a saving of roughly £1,340 (67%) per person.
How long is the Ireland & Northern Ireland trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 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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