Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher Day Cruise sailing from Galway City Docks
Description
Awarded 'BEST IRISH EXPERIENCE' and 'Boat Tour of the Year in Ireland', this is the only tour that enables passengers to sail straight from Galway City to see the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher. (All other tours require a bus). Aran Island Ferries luxury vessels (with up to 400 seats) will showcase the spectacular Wild Atlantic Way coastline of Connemara and Clare before docking at the largest of the Aran Islands, Inis Mór. Passengers can explore a traditional Island culture that has survived modern life. The return journey to Galway City will bring passengers on a cruise along the iconic Cliffs of Moher. Learn some fun facts with onboard audio and commentary from the crew as we cruise along the Cliffs of Moher. Discover the nature, wildlife and beauty of Ireland’s West Coast on this day trip. Take this opportunity to breathe the fresh air and get away from it all. Don't forget to slow down.... you're on Island time!
Tour Options
Itinerary
This is the only tour where passengers can sail straight from Galway City. Breath the fresh sea air and admire the views of the Connemara and Clare coastline as we sail towards the Aran Islands.
Passengers can spend 4.5 hours exploring the largest of the Aran Islands, Inis Mór.
We will make our way to the Cliffs of Moher on the return journey. Formed 300 million years ago, the Cliffs rise to a magnificent height of over 200 meters which you can truly appreciate from the water. See Ireland’s largest sea bird colony, 'An Branán Mór Sea Stack' and a Sea Cave used in filming 'Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince'. Watch out for Puffins, dolphins, seals and basking sharks that call these waters home.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(469)
Unfortunately the island is now overrun with day trippers. We didn’t have time to walk up to the fort which was the main reason for the trip. We would have had more time on the island with a flight or the Doolin ferry. Completely wasted and frustrating day.
Great day at Inishmor. The ferry was a little rough but so worth it to experience the beauty of the island. There was so much to do once you got there. I took a tour with a local guide who was funny and knowledgeable. The food and people are great. Definitely recommend!
An Absolutely Amazing Day with Aran Island Ferries There were six of us in our group — myself and my husband, along with four friends visiting from Austria — and every one of us agreed that the trip was fantastic from beginning to end. Our friends from Austria were particularly impressed with the boat and crew. They thought the whole experience was brilliant and great value for money We had great fun exploring the Aran Islands and really enjoyed the time we spent there. The scenery, atmosphere and experience were unforgettable. The return journey to Galway via the Cliffs of Moher was simply out of this world. The information and detail provided by the crew about the cliffs was fascinating and made the journey even more enjoyable. Then came the icing on the cake! We were lucky enough to witness a rescue helicopter carrying out a winchman exercise on the top deck of the vessel. It was an incredible experience and something none of us expected to see. It made an already brilliant day even more memorable. The boat itself was beautiful, comfortable and exceptionally clean. The toilets were spotless, and the crew were incredibly friendly, helpful and professional throughout the entire journey. We would highly recommend Aran Island Ferries to anyone visiting Galway or the west of Ireland. It was a fantastic day from start to finish and an experience we will remember for a very long time. It was great value for money
Couldn’t fault the cruise crew , very organized & efficient & friendly, as soon as everyone booked on , was on board , we set sail well ahead of time . Arran islands was a nice experience , but for me the cliffs of moher was an overrated experience, I felt it was just a tourist trap to bring money to the island . Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed my day , but it wasn’t value for money , as once you arrive on the island also you have to either hire a bike €25 pp , horse& cart €50 pp or take a tour bus £25 pp to see the island add that to the cost of the cruise £54pp + your food makes for an expensive day .
We had seen the Cliffs Of Moher from the top side the day before. They were stunning. They were even more stunning from below. The ferry boat ride was ok. I wasn’t impressed with the Aran Island experience as much. There were bikes to rent but we chose to walk… we made it to the first point, to where the seal colony was to be but there were no seals that day. There were swans in a little off side water way though! That was unexpected and a couple llamas and donkeys. My husband was cranky about the walk and no restrooms. This is not really a tour you can do on foot in that time frame. We never got past the seal colony.. that wasn’t there.
We had a beautiful sailing experience on our way to the aron island we got to see a lot of dolphins swimming and playing along side the boat what an amazing experience then getting to see the cliffs of moher what a magical day
This positive: definitely the best way to see the Cliffs of Mohr, really enjoyed our time on the island. The negative; it’s a big boat, very slow speed, when you get to the island, you’re going to spend more money on a bike, horse carriage, or bus tour. Pretty sure this tour could be booked on the ground and not through this service for less. Not much of a tour, more of a transportation service.
Be aware that this is NOT a tour of the Aran Islands. Your ticket only buys round trip passage on the ferry between Galway and Inishmore. Once on the island you will have to figure out what to do with your time there. You can rent bikes, get on a hop on/hop off tour bus or a horse and carriage, but they all have a separate cost. That being said, the ferry ride was great (responsive staff, announcements pointing out the sites of interest) and Inishmore has plenty of sites interest for a day trip. Plus, there is the Aran Wool Market
There was no narrative on the boat. We didn’t realize that we would need a bus/guide for the whole island experience. The boat took off both times ahead of schedule, we were lucky to be early.
Absolutely amazing!!! Well worth the time. The island was beautiful. The crew and. Captain made it so special by drive by the Cilffs of Moher so that both sides is the boat could see the cliffs up close and slow. The view was spectacular. Friendly and efficient loading and unloading. Clean and comfortable cabin and facilities. You can’t miss this opportunity.
