Aran Islands Tour from Galway with Cliffs of Moher Cruise

What Is in the $89

The listing includes a live guide and driver, an air-conditioned bus to Doolin, return ferry tickets to Inis Oirr, the admission fee to the Cliffs of Moher and the guided cruise along the base of the Cliffs. For scale, a standalone Cliffs of Moher adult ticket starts from €8 and the site is open daily from 8am to 7pm, so most of what you pay here is the boat day. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later.

The Honest Catch

The $89 buys the crossings and the entry, not the food or the island fun, so budget lunch, a drink in Doolin or on the island, and any pony and trap or bike hire on top. There is no hotel pickup, so plan to be at the office by 8:40 to 8:45 AM. The whole day is 10.5 hours on a group coach, and the listing says it is likely to sell out.

If you want a longer west coast trip with the Inis Oirr ferry and a Cliffs cruise in the price, the 7-day Ireland small group tour from Dublin includes exactly that for groups of up to 12. Prices on this page come from the operator listing.

Check in and Departure from Galway

Check in at the operator office in Galway by 8:40 to 8:45 AM at the latest. Public paid parking sits on Merchants Road, and the listing warns that city traffic can be heavy at peak hours, so allow extra travel time. The bus leaves at 9:00 AM sharp.

Galway itself is the fourth most populous city in the Republic with 85,910 residents at the 2022 census, and its Spanish Arch and cathedral are worth a look the evening before.

South Through the Burren to Doolin

The route runs south along the Wild Atlantic Way, a 2,500 km coastal route from Donegal to Kinsale launched in 2014, and through the Burren region. The Burren in northwest County Clare covers about 530 square km of karst limestone roughly 325 million years old, with about 70 megalithic tombs and nearly 500 stone forts. Doolin itself is a village about 4 miles from the Cliffs of Moher, known for nightly traditional music in its pubs and for being the ferry hub for the Aran Islands.

The listing also namechecks Lisdoonvarna, home of the matchmaking festival.

Express Ferry to Inis Oirr

The express ferry makes the short sailing from Doolin to Inis Oirr, also written Inisheer, the smallest of the three Aran Islands. The Aran Islands had 1,347 residents in 2022, mostly Irish speakers, and cover about 46 square km in Galway Bay. On the island the listing points to an ancient castle, a sunken church, one of Ireland's most beautiful beaches, a shipwreck and several pubs, restaurants and cafes.

A pony and trap or a bike can be hired just off the pier for an extra cost, or you can walk the boreens. Note that seasonal ferries from Doolin are seasonal, while year-round sailings run from Rossaveal in County Galway.

Cruise Along the Base of the Cliffs

The ferry from Inis Oirr returns to Doolin with a guided cruise along the base of the Cliffs of Moher, which rise 214 m and stretch for 8 km along the Atlantic coast. If motion sickness or a medical condition puts you off the second sailing, you can disembark at Doolin Pier and wait for the group instead. That option is stated outright in the listing, which is worth knowing before you book.

Pub Meal and 1 Hour on the Cliff Top

Back on land the group stops for a traditional Irish pub meal near the Cliffs, paid on the day. After lunch the group spends 1 hour at the top of the Cliffs of Moher, admission already covered. The site includes car parking, wi-fi, O'Brien's Tower and an interactive exhibition, and the visitor centre has two cafes and a gift store if you want a second coffee.

The Cliffs reach their 214 m height just north of O'Brien's Tower. Bring a jacket, the ground along the cliff edge is open to the weather.

The Coast Road Home to Galway

From the Cliffs the bus follows the coast road along the Wild Atlantic Way back to Galway, arriving at about 19:30. That closes a 10.5-hour day, so eat a proper breakfast before the 8:40 check in. If you want to keep going west after this, the Ring of Kerry day tour from Killarney covers a different stretch of the same coast from a different base.

No Hotel Pickup, Early Check in

There is no hotel pickup or drop-off. You must reach the operator office in Galway in time to check in by 8:40 to 8:45 AM, and the listing warns about heavy peak-hour traffic. If you are staying outside the centre, that is a very early taxi.

Travellers who want door-to-door collection should look at the Ring of Kerry tour from Killarney, where pickup on request is listed as included.

A Full Day on a Group Coach

The tour is 10.5 hours with a group whose size is not stated and no stated cap, so it is not a small-group product. If crowds are the issue, the 7-day Ireland tour with Inis Oirr caps at 12 passengers and includes the same island and Cliffs cruise as part of a week from Dublin. The 5-day south west small group tour caps at 16 and covers the Cliffs and the Burren from Dublin in five days with rooms included.

Food and Extras Cost Extra

Lunch, drinks, island activities, bike or trap hire and gratuities are all paid on the day. Travellers who want meals and admissions wrapped into one price should compare the multi-day listings on the homepage instead, where breakfast is included on every night.

Fixed Pace, Fixed Time

You get 1 hour at the top of the Cliffs and whatever island time the ferry schedule allows. There is no stated minimum age, wheelchair access or difficulty level, so those points are simply not stated and you should ask the operator before booking. If you would rather have 2 hours at the Cliffs and time in Galway itself from Dublin, the Cliffs of Moher day tour from Dublin runs 13 hours with visitor centre entry included.

And if the free 24-hour cancellation window is too tight, the 3-day Ireland rail tour from Dublin allows free cancellation up to 6 days before.

Getting to Galway

From Dublin, the train from Heuston takes about 2h 20m to 2h 50m on the Irish Rail timetable, and the bus about 2h 30m. By road the drive takes roughly 2.5 hours on the M4 and M6, with a toll to budget on the M6. Coming from Dublin Airport, the Dublin Bus 16 and 41 cost €2 to €3.30 and take 30 to 50 minutes, Aircoach route 700 costs about €8 to €10 for 30 to 40 minutes, and a taxi into the city runs roughly €30 to €45.

Before and After the Tour

The tour starts at 9:00 AM sharp, so arrive in Galway the night before and stay central to make the 8:40 check in easy. Galway averages 5.9 C in January and 15.9 C in July with about 1,156 mm of rain a year, so pack for showers in any season. If you are building a longer west coast itinerary, the 5-day south west Ireland tour from Dublin covers Galway, Clare, Kerry and Cork with four nights of rooms.

For a first visit, planners suggest 7 days to cover one or two regions well. The 7-day Ireland to island small group tour runs that length from Dublin.

Pairing It with More of the Country

This route never crosses the border, so pounds sterling and the UK ETA rule do not come into play here. Northern Ireland only matters if you extend the trip north, which is what the 5-day Northern Ireland and Atlantic coast tour does, linking Antrim, Derry, Donegal, Mayo and Galway. Browse the full range of Ireland vacation tours to see how a day like this fits a week or ten days.