KILLORGLIN, IRELAND "“ July 2007 "“ Go Ireland has announced an attractive, feature- and value-filled portfolio of tours for exploring Ireland on foot this year. Always very attuned to the needs of single travelers, this organization offers single rooms at a supplement on all tours, plus the option of twin-room shares for members of the same sex, thereby eliminating the single-supplement cost.

Yoga and Walking Holiday
The new Yoga Week tour combines gentle walking in Ireland's scenic Lakeland region with daily two-hour yoga sessions taught by an experienced yoga instructor. Relaxation, flexibility, concentration and mental calmness are achieved through yoga techniques that cover postures (asanas) and breathing (pranayama) in a program suitable for both beginners and experienced yoga students.

Five afternoons of walking take an easy pace of 4 to 5 miles daily through Killarney National Park, where the spectacular landscape features lakes, oak forests, waterfalls and boglands, and is home to the native Irish red deer. Highlights include a visit to Muckross House, a stunning 1840's mansion with elegant gardens; the 15th-century Muckross Friary; the 4,500-year-old copper mines on Ross Island; a boat trip to Inishfallen Island with its sixth-century Abbey; and the wonderful traditional music and dance of Killarney. A packed lunch is provided for walks, which are followed each afternoon by yoga. Guests enjoy the company, knowledge and instruction of an expert Go Ireland walking guide who runs a thriving yoga school throughout other seasons of the year.

A free day provides opportunity to explore Kerry, with its neo-Gothic cathedral, myriad shops, restaurants and pubs. More attractive options include a visit to the historic Ring of Kerry, or a swim with Fungi the Dolphin in Dingle. Accommodations are in a charming three-star hotel, beautifully situated within the park.

Offered Sept 1, the seven-night Yoga Week Tour is priced in Euros at €990 per person, double occupancy. Included are:
Seven nights' accommodations at a three-star hotel (Irish Tourist Board approved)
Full Irish breakfast daily
Four-course dinner each evening
Packed lunch on the five walking days
Boat trip to Inishfallen Island
Expertise of a superb yoga/walking guide throughout the itinerary
Transfers to and from Shannon airport on Saturdays (see Go Ireland timetable)

A Celtic Heritage Experience
With the eight-day Celtic Kerry Footsteps tour, easy walking in the region known as the Kingdom of Kerry offers an informative introduction to ancient and modern Ireland. Based in the National Park town of Killarney and the friendly market town of Caherciveen, walkers will enjoy the stunning lake, mountain and Atlantic-coast scenery of the southwest of Ireland. The itinerary covers just 3 to 6 miles of flat ground each day, with coastal and inland walks through sub-tropical flora. Physical activity is planned for a maximum of four hours, leaving the remainder of the day open for cultural adventures. Guests may learn about the ancient art of water divining, and take a lesson in playing the bodhran, a traditional Irish drum. Interesting visits include Killarney, a vibrant town in the heart of the Killarney National Park; 15th-century Ross Castle; and 19th-century Muckross House, with its beautifully landscaped gardens, traditional farms and historic abbey. An Irish whiskey tasting, a jaunting car ride in Killarney, horseback riding and a maze trail by the Atlantic Ocean add to the excitement. There's also a guided cycle tour of Valentia Island, known as The Treasure Island, fascinating for its unique folkloric experience and distinctive archaeological features. Pub visits set a lively scene for getting to know the locals.

Accommodations in Killarney and Caherciveen are in excellent family-run guesthouses with charmingly appointed rooms, each with private bath, TV, and tea- and coffee-making facilities. Offered August 11, September 1, and September 22, the Celtic Kerry Footsteps tour is priced at €955 per person, double occupancy, which includes:
Seven nights' accommodations in Irish Tourist Board approved guesthouse
Full Irish breakfast daily; vegetarian menu also offered
Packed lunch on five days
Dinner on six evenings (four at guesthouse / two in local restaurants)
All itinerant visits and activities, including bike hire (horseback riding is €15 extra per person)
Round-trip ferry crossing for Valentia Island visit
Transfers to and from walks each day
Experienced local guide throughout itinerary
Transfers to and from Shannon or Kerry airport (as per Go Ireland schedule)

A Trio of Walking Options with Go Ireland
The Kerry Gems tour is based in Glenbeigh, County Kerry, and explores the southwest of Ireland. Four legs of the Kerry Way, featuring ancient coach and butter roads, lead from the Atlantic Ocean along the shores of Dingle Bay and through the wild valleys of Mid Kerry to the Killarney National Park. Moderate walking covers 7 to 11 miles per day with gradual ascents of up to 1,300 feet.
Priced at just €750 per person, double occupancy, this seven-night guided walking vacation includes accommodations in a walking lodge, breakfast and dinner daily, five packed lunches, and more. Many departure dates are offered through October 13, 2007.

Exclusive Solo Weeks are designed for single travelers, with availability on tours beginning August 25 and September 22, 2007. As an added bonus, the first six people to book on solo dates will each have a room to themselves without having to pay the single supplement. Additional solo travelers may choose to be paired off on a twin-share basis with members of the same sex. Details are available at http://www.govisitireland.com/solo.html.

A tour of Connemara, Burren and Aran Islands in the west of Ireland features accommodations at hotels and guesthouses in locations that provide the maximum variety of geology, scenery and walking conditions. The Burren is a remarkable area of more than 100 square miles of limestone landscape, where a diversity of flora flourishes in cracks and crevices. Arial views of Ireland's west coast are dramatic on a featured round-trip flight to the Aran Islands, where Gaelic is still spoken and the many archaeological sites include the pre-historic fort of Dun Aonghasa. Early pilgrimage sites and flowered boglands define the landscape of Connemara. Moderate walks take in 6 to12 miles per day, with gradual ascents of up to 900 feet.

This seven-night guided tour is offered September 8; and October 6, 2007. The rate is €1,025 per person, double occupancy. The tour includes breakfast and dinner daily, six packed lunches, all luggage transfers between hotels, and more.

Majestic Kerry is a luxurious, multi-center guided walk on The Dingle and Kerry Ways, with accommodations at a selection of elegant manor houses, hotels and guesthouses in villages throughout Kerry. Washed by the Gulf Stream, the southwest of Ireland enjoys a mild climate that promotes rich vegetation, with wild flowers and hedgerows providing lush counterpoint to the rugged, craggy coastline and inland mountains and lakes. This tour gives an opportunity to explore the spectacular landscape, history and archaeology of an area that forms two fingers of land projecting into the Atlantic Ocean the Dingle and Iveragh Peninsulas in Kerry using legs of two long-distance walking routes, The Dingle Way and The Kerry Way. Two boat trips explore the Lakes of Killarney and Great Skellig Island, home in the eighth century to Irish monks and now a World Heritage site. Easy walking covers 3 to 6 miles daily, with gradual ascents of up to 825 feet.

This seven-night tour is offered July 21; and August 25, 2007, priced at €1,695 per person, double occupancy. Included are luxury accommodations, full breakfast daily, seven four-course dinners, six packed lunches, luggage transfers between hotels, expert local guide throughout, notes and maps of the region, and more. www.govisitireland.com / 800-721-4672.

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