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Featured Tours
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IRELAND'S GARDEN JOURNEY -
IRELAND'S GARDEN JOURNEY -
IRELAND'S GARDEN JOURNEY -
IRELAND'S GARDEN JOURNEY -
IRELAND'S GARDEN JOURNEY
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Tailor-Made Private Group - Sample
Discover Ireland’s diverse and timeless landscapes, friendly people, their music & poetry. Uncover the layers of history and experience a country rich in culture. Join fellow garden enthusiast while enjoying some of the finest gardens in the country.
Magnificent formal gardens, sweeping terraces, walled gardens and rambling walks all highlight the impressive variety of Irish gardens
Tour designed to your Garden Club's specifications. Minumum group size 20.
Individuals please inquire.
Group Tours will be designed and priced to your specifications. Minimum group size 20 passengers. Please see our suggested inclusions and itinerary to get a feel for how wonderful a tour of the gardens in Ireland will be.
If you are not part of a group but are interested in the tour please give us a call to discuss options.
SAMPLE OF POSSIBLE TOUR INCLUSIONS
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8 Nights Accommodation
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Services of professional English speaking local guide and local experts
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Services of Further Afield Travel and Tours leader Sandy Lidka
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All tours and admissions at no extra cost
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All customary gratuities for guides and sightseeing events
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Optional Air inclusion from Toronto with transfers
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10 meals, Welcome Dinner and Gala Dinner included
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Tailor the tour to include additional lunches and dinners.
POSSIBLE GARDENS TO INCLUDE:
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Powerscourt Gardens,
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Mount Usher
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Shirley Beatty’s small garden
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National Botanic Gardens
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Phoenix Park Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden
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Belvedere House Gardens
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Brigit’s Garden
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Kylemore Abbey
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Derreen Garden
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Ilnacullin island
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Blarney Castle and Gardens
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Irish National Stud’s Japanese Gardens
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Hunting Brook Garden
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SAMPLE ITINERARY – tailor this tour to your Garden Club Members
Day 1 - Toronto • Dublin
Depart North America on your overnight flight to Dublin
Day 2 - Dublin (D, WD)
Arrive Dublin, twice voted the friendliest city in Europe, as well as being crowned a UNESCO City of Literature.
Discover: Lets kick off your tour with a visit to Powerscourt Gardens, voted No.3 in the World’s Top Ten Gardens by National Geographic. The Gardens stretch over 47 acres and offer visitors a sublime blend of formal gardens, sweeping terraces, statues and ornamental lakes, secret hollows and rambling walks. Managed by Head Gardener, Alex Slazenger and a team of four gardeners, Powerscourt Gardens were designed from 1731 onwards, with the desire to create a garden which was part of the wider surrounding landscape. Powerscourt Gardens include The Walled Gardens, The Italian Garden, The Dolphin Pond, The Japanese Gardens, Pets Cemetery and Pepperpot Tower, among other features and attractions.
Discover: Delightful in every aspect, Mount Usher is one of the finest examples of an authentic ‘Robinsonian’ style garden combining a distinguished collection of trees and shrubs with informal floral planting schemes in a sheltered valley setting. There is an ever changing panoply of colours and textures enhanced by wafting scents as one season changes to another. (Ashford, Co. Wicklow)
As we make our way back to your hotel, our guide will provide a panoramic city tour of the South side of Dublin. Tonight, join fellow tour members for Welcome Dinner and Traditional Irish entertainment at the renowned Merry Ploughboys Pub. The only Irish Pub in Ireland owned and managed by Traditional Irish Musicians. (Award winning Irish music and Irish dancers)
Accommodation: 2 nights
Meals: Full Irish breakfast, Welcome Dinner
Day 3 - Dublin (B)
Discover: National Botanic Gardens are noted for their fine plant collections holding more than 15,000 plant species and cultivars from a variety of habitats from around the world. Within the living collections at the National Botanic Gardens, there is over 300 endangered species from around the world, and 6 species already extinct in the wild. These are a vital resource, like a Noah's Ark for the future. The gardens are famous for their exquisitely restored and planted glasshouses, notably the Turner Curvilinear Range and the Great Palm House, both recipients of the Europa Nostra award for excellence in conservation architecture. Enjoy the herbaceous borders, rose garden, the alpine yard, the pond area, rock garden and arboretum.
Discover: Shirley Beatty’s small garden No 18 is a Regency villa, built in the 1830s, which provides the perfect backdrop for a small rear garden, extending to 30 m. Current planting started in 2009 and the garden now consists of herbaceous borders, leading through, under an archway, to a small vegetable garden and plant area. The borders are filled with a wide selection of rare and unusual plants, which Shirley has collected over her 50 years gardening experience and travels. The challenge is to include, in what is a confined space, a range of plants, which will provide interest and colour throughout the year.
Enjoy an evening of leisure in Dublin.
Meals: Full Irish breakfast
Day 4 - Galway (B, D)
Discover: Start the morning with a visit to Phoenix Park, measuring twice the size of New York’s Central Park and home to Bloom, the country’s largest annual garden. Appreciate first-hand the impressive beauty and productivity of a Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden, the splendour of a formal cutting garden and glorious craftsmanship of a Turner-designed peach house (Áras an Uachtaráin), or the timeless charm of a double herbaceous border (Farmleigh).
Discover: Depart Dublin, making our way towards Galway, visit to Belvedere House Gardens and Park, a magnificent estate with fully restored Georgian Villa, Victorian Walled Garden and a naturalistic designed 18th century parkland punctuated with Romantic follies including the largest in Ireland, the Jealous Wall. The Belvedere House is an elegant country estate with a most peculiar and fascinating history.
Arrive Galway city, where the past lingers in the air – traces of old Galway, including the city walls and the distinctive Spanish Arch, give the city an ancient atmosphere. Follow the salty air that breezes through the winding lanes to traditional shops and pavement cafés on a Guided Walking Tour of Galway.
Accommodation: 2 nights
Meals: Full Irish breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 - Galway (B)
Discover: Our first garden visit today is to Brigit’s Garden: a Garden & Celtic Heritage Centre. The creation of the gardens began in 1997 and opened to the public in 2004. The gardens are laid out in a relaxed style reflecting the ancient Celtic calendar marking the changing seasons. The garden is named after our second patron saint, St. Brigid.
Discover: Visit Kylemore Abbey, built in the late 1800s by Mitchell Henry MP, a wealthy business man and liberal politician. The story of Kylemore Abbey is a truly remarkable one that spans over 150 year of tragedy, romance, innovation, education and spirituality. The Victorian Walled Garden of Kylemore Abbey is an oasis in the wild Connemara Countryside. Developed along with the Castle in the late 1800s it once boated 21 heated glass houses and a work force of 40 gardeners. Comprising of roughly 6 acres, the Garden is divided in two by a beautiful mountain stream. The Eastern half includes the formal flower garden, glass houses and the head gardener’s house. The western part of the garden includes the vegetable garden, herbaceous border, fruit trees, a rockery and herb garden.
Day 6 - Killarney (B, D)
Discover: This morning enjoy a walking tour of the ‘The Burren’ with Tony Kirby. The Burren is an anglicisation phonetically of the Gaelic An Bhoireann which means a place of stone. The Burren is of true international significance for flora. Nowhere else in the world will you find the region's bizarre and complex mix of flowers from different habitats and climatic zones. The fascination lies in the melange. The renowned botanist Bob Gibbons rates the Burren as one of the top 50 botanical sites on earth in his book "Wildflower Wonders of the World" (New Holland Publications 2011)
Discover: Step on to the edge of the world at the Cliffs of Moher (Aillte an Mothair, or Ailltreacha Mothair). The entirely vertical cliffs rise to a height of 214m, their edge abruptly falling away into the Atlantic. The surrounding landscape itself is a marvel of natural delights, with delicate sea campion, blushing sea pinks and wildflowers dotting the springy coastal grass around your feet.
Accommodation: 2 nights
Meals: Full Irish breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 - Killarney (B)
Discover: Hugging the Ring of Kerry, the 92 mile-long Beara Peninsula is named after the Spanish Princess Beara. The Peninsula is tranquil, unspoiled and one of Ireland’s hidden travel gems. Take a boat to Garinish Island (also known as Garnish and Ilnacullin island) is Ireland’s Garden of Eden. Squirreled away in Glengarriff Harbor, the island is home to a series of ornamental gardens first planted by former-owner John Annan Bryce and the Edwardian garden designer Howard Peto. Thanks to its sheltered position and almost subtropical climate, a rich variety of plants can still be seen today – along with a colony of basking seals on its southern rocks. Oh, and plenty of quiet solitude. Just like the rest of the Beara.
Discover: At the head of Kilmakilloge harbour and surrounded by the Caha mountains, lays Derreen’s Garden. The mature woodland garden was laid out 150 years ago with sub tropical plants from around the world. The garden is full of rare and exotic plants, many which were brought back from the Himalayas and elsewhere. Derreen is particularly known for its collection of rhododendrons. The labyrinth of narrow mossy paths weave their way through groves of bamboo, towering eucalyptus, tree ferns and conifers.
Meals: Full Irish breakfast
Day 8 - Kildare (B)
Discover: Visit the historic Blarney Castle and Gardens, perhaps most famous for the Blarney Stone. The Blarney Castle Gardens and Rock Close provide a range of themed gardens built into the estate, like Fern Garden, located deep in the woods and designed to feel like a tropical jungle. Poison Garden, beside the battlements, is home to a fascinating collection of deadly and dangerous plants from around the world, like the caged specimens of deadly nightshade, wolfsbane and poison ivy. Get in touch with your Celtic past at the Rock Close, a mystical place where majestic yew and oak trees grow around an ancient druidic settlement. Follow the trail through giant gunnera leaves and bamboo and you’ll find a giant dolmen stone, a set of ‘wishing steps’ and a witch's kitchen. The water garden and waterfalls create the perfect backdrop to a magical experience for everyone.
Discover: Visit the Irish National Stud’s Japanese Gardens, renowned throughout the world – created between the years 1906 and 1910. The gardens were laid out by Japanese craftsman Tassa Eida and his son Minoru. Their aim was, through trees, plants, flowers, lawns, rocks and water, to symbolise the ‘Life of Man’.
This afternoon, check into Barberstown Castle, nestled on 20 acres of surrounding gardens, Barberstown was one of the first great Irish country houses which opened as a hotel in 1971.
It has maintained the elegance of design over eight Centuries by sympathetically blending its Victorian and Elizabethan extensions with the original Castle Battlement of 1288.
Accommodation: 2 nights
Meals: Full Irish breakfast
Day 9 - Kildare (B)
Discover: Hunting Brook garden is the boldly idiosyncratic creation of Jimi Blake - a Gardening Consultant, Planting Designer, and International Lecturer giving talks and presentations all over the world. Hunting Brook is one of Ireland's largest private collections of plants. Jimi will take you on a breathtaking journey through the newest and most exciting perennials in his collection in Hunting Brook, and from his travels to other gardens and nurseries. He will share with you how he incorporates these choice perennials into his planting schemes in Hunting Brook. Be prepared for your plant wish list to explode!
This evening, join your fellow members for a farewell dinner.
Meals: Full Irish breakfast
Day 10 - Dublin • Toronto (B)
After breakfast, transfer to Dublin airport for your flight home.
Meals: Full Irish breakfast
Further Afield Travel and Tours can assist with optional pre or post tour extensions.
Rates and departure date to be determined by your Garden Club Members.
To Reserve your group with Further Afield Travel and Tours, simply call our office or send us a request.
Note: Itineraries, hotels, ships, tours may change and be substituted and changes to the order of your tour during your trip due to uncontrollable factors. By acceptance of such tickets, coupons, contracts and exchange orders, the client agrees to the terms and conditions.
Information & Conditions
TOUR COSTS are per person and listed in CANADIAN DOLLARS. Prices are subject to change due to airfare increases, exchange rate fluctuations or other factors beyond our control. Cancellation Charges will vary among tour operators. Detailed cancellation information available on request and will be provided with booking confirmation. Penalties increase closer to departure. A Tour Leader will accompany all groups unless otherwise stated, based on minimum group size.
TRAVEL PROTECTION is valuable; we recommend out of province health insurance, cancellation insurance and baggage delay/loss. Further Afield Travel and Tours specialist will review your needs at time of booking.
SINGLE ROOM supplements apply and availability is based upon request.
BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE on most tours is limited to one checked suitcase per person plus a complimentary carry on bag. Airline fees may apply and subject to the terms of the airline.
NOT INCLUDED in tour costs: meals except as noted, passport and visa expense, alcohol and other beverages unless included, baggage handling fees, seat assignment, telephone calls and other items of a personal nature. Excursions are not included except as specifically noted in the itinerary.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Further Afield Travel and Tours Inc., and its tour operators act only as agents for the hotels, airlines, bus companies, railroads, cruise lines or owners of contractors providing accommodations, transportation or other services. Terms and conditions are subject to the tour operators, hotels, airlines, bus companies, railroads, cruise lines or owners of contractors providing accommodations, transportation or other services. Further Afield Travel and Tours and neither the companies affiliated in providing such services can be held liable or responsible, for any additional expense or liability sustained or incurred by the travel participant or their travelling companion(s) directly or indirectly for any loss, injury, accident or delay which may result from acts of God, acts of government, dangers incident to the sea, fire, wars (whether declared or not), civil disturbances, strikes, riots, thefts, pilferage, epidemics, quarantines, medical or customs regulations, changes, cancellation or delays in an itinerary or schedules beyond the control of Further Afield Travel and Tours and said suppliers of such services.
In the event a tour, cruise, cruise tour or other travel service is cancelled, Further Afield Travel and Tours responsibility is limited to a full refund. Further Afield Travel and Tours reserves the right to make changes to the itineraries, hotels, ships and tours, which we feel improve the tour or because of circumstances beyond our control.
This contract permits price increases. No price increases are permitted after the customer has paid in full. If the price increase is more than 7% except increases resulting from an increase in Retail Sales Tax or Federal Good and Services tax or Harmonized Sales Tax. The customer has the right to cancel the contract and obtain a full refund.
Further Afield Travel and Tours prices are based on current exchange rates at the time of literature printing. If the Canadian dollar fluctuates considerably, we reserve the right to adjust our prices to reflect the new exchange.
A valid passport is required for travel outside of Canada/USA. Passports must be valid for a minimum of 6 months after your return date. If a parent is travelling along with a child(ren) a notarized letter from the other parent is required. It is the customers’ responsibility to ensure that they have obtained the appropriate travel documentation. Entry into another country may be refused even if travel documents are completed. Further Afield Travel and Tours shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage resulting from improper or insufficient passports, visas or other documents.
As it is common for airlines to make changes to flight schedules; Further Afield Travel and Tours will make alternate arrangements for those passenger who have booked into an air inclusive group departure. Further Afield Travel and Tours cannot be held responsible for flights booked by passengers.
Further Afield Travel and Tours reserves the right to decline an individual at any time, for any reason, at our sole discretion. The Travellers should be in good physical condition. Those who require assistance must travel with a companion who is capable and totally responsible for the traveller needing assistance.
Living standards and practices at the destination may differ from those in Canada in respect to the provision of utilities, services and accommodation.
You will be advised of any health requirements to enter a country, however, we recommend that you check with your doctor or local health clinics for further protection. Further Afield Travel and Tours makes every effort to fulfill special meal requests, seating, dining preference, however these are requests and we cannot guarantee your request will be granted.
Travel protection is valuable; we recommend out of province health insurance, cancellation insurance and baggage delay/loss.
Through your payment to us for these travel services, you acknowledge your acceptance of our terms set forth in this notice. Thank you for booking with Further Afield Travel and Tours Inc. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Further Afield Travel is a retail travel agency licensed under the Ontario Government Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations, Travel Industry Act 2002 - Registration No. 50021919. Funds on deposit are protected by the Compensation Fund, administered by TICO (Travel Industry Council of Ontario) as defined by the Ontario Travel Industry Act 2002 and Ontario Regulation 26/05.
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We appreciate your business and look forward to working with you again soon.