Sightseeing Tours Donegal
From Dublin & Dublin Airport
We can offer you many sightseeing options as a private group. Dublin City Tours with a city tour guide either by Day or By Night. Visiting the Dublin Doors, St Patricks Cathedral, Guinness Storehouse, The Phoenix Park on your panoramic tour experience. Or take a day trip to The Boyne Valley and Newgrange Neolithic Passage Tomb. Wicklow Glendalough and Powerscourt Gardens is another sightseeing option to consider. We will be happy to quote you with no obligation.
We also offer transfers to and from any of the Dublin City Centre or Surrounding Hotels connecting Dublin Airport.
From our Donegal Base
Based in Letterkenny we are positioned where you could base your tour in one hotel and take many different day trips. Slieve League sea cliff for example higher than the Cliffs of Moher and included in your Day trip could be part of the Wild Atlantic Way and stopover in Donegal Town .
You could visit Glenveigh National Park and Castle. Take in Derry The Walled City or Belfast and The Antrim Coast. The options are vast. And Garvan is happy to create a Bespoke Tour with you to take in whichever sights you like.
What are private sightseeing tours in Donegal?
Private sightseeing tours in Donegal are guided group trips in a hired coach or minibus with a professional driver, planned around the places you want to see across the county and the wider Wild Atlantic Way. They suit families, visiting groups, clubs and event parties who prefer to travel together at their own pace rather than drive rural roads themselves. Letterkenny Coaches runs these tours from a base in Letterkenny, covering landmarks such as Slieve League and Glenveagh National Park, with longer tours over several days and nationwide itineraries available on request. We spend a lot of time in Kerry and Galway. The Wild Atlantic Way is a very popular tours nowadays, or part at a time, like doing the Camino.
What our sightseeing tours include
Our private sightseeing tours give you a comfortable vehicle, a driver who knows the roads and a route built around your group. Each booking covers the following.
A vehicle to suit the group. We match the trip to the right vehicle from our fleet, from a 7 seater up to a 53 seater coach, so the whole party travels together. And with the right amount of luggage storage. Plus a bit extra for shopping - it happens!
A local driver. Your driver knows Donegal roads, timings and the practical stops that make a long day easier, from viewpoints to places to eat. Our drivers work from Donegal and Dublin, but they all know the routes so well.
A route planned around you. We plan the day around the sights you want to see and the time you have, rather than a fixed loop.
Comfortable travel for mixed groups. Tours work for families, older travellers and children alike, with no one left driving unfamiliar rural roads, which is a distraction and is dangerous too.
Flexible timings. Collection and return points are agreed in advance and we build in time for stops, photos and lunch. Delays happen, like shopping or whiskey tasting and thats all fine too. The idea is to have fun.
Support from enquiry to return. The team helps you shape the plan before you book at all and stays contactable throughout the trip.
Who our Donegal sightseeing tours are for
Private sightseeing tours suit any group that would rather relax and take in the scenery than share cars or navigate for themselves. We regularly help:
- Families and larger family groups on holiday in the North West
- Visitors from overseas exploring the Wild Atlantic Way
- Clubs, societies and community groups on a day out
- Wedding parties and event guests who want a scenic extra
- Ancestry and heritage visitors tracing roots around Donegal
- Donegal groups looking to get away for a trip
Groups travelling for golf are usually better served by our dedicated golf tours in Donegal. Business visitors are better served by our corporate travel service. We have coaches for every type of group.
Why groups choose Letterkenny Coaches for sightseeing
Local knowledge built in. Our drivers live and work in Donegal and Dublin, so the route reflects real conditions, from the state of the coast roads to the best time to reach a viewpoint before the crowds.
One team from planning to return. You deal directly with the people running the trip, usually Garvan as he tends to oversee everything we do, to ensure that every trip is a good trip. We help shape the plan, confirm timings in writing and stay reachable on the day.
A fleet sized for the group. With vehicles from 7 to 53 seats, we keep the party together in one vehicle rather than splitting across cars. Unless you need a mix of vehicles, which happens quite a bit.
A portfolio of sightseeing tours across Ireland
From our Letterkenny base we run day trips across Donegal and longer tours that reach the length of the whole country. The galleries below show real places we have taken private groups, from the Ring of Kerry to the historic sites of the South East like Cashel. They give a sense of how far a private coach tour can take your group and the range of sights along the way.
Molly Gallivan's cottage and traditional farm, near Kenmare, County Kerry
Molly Gallivan's is a restored traditional farm and cottage on the old road between Kenmare in Kerry and Glengarriff in beautiful West Cork, where groups can see how rural families once lived and worked in the hills of south Kerry or west Cork. It makes a natural stop on a longer tour of the south west, with space to stretch the legs, take in the mountain views and hear a little of the area's history. We have brought private groups here as part of tours over several days that pair the Ring of Kerry with the Beara Peninsula. Tasting the local cheeses and meats or visiting offshore islands.
Rock of Cashel, County Tipperary
The Rock of Cashel is one of Ireland's most recognisable medieval sites, a group of a round tower, a chapel and a proper cathedral set spectacularly on a rocky height above County Tipperary and linked to the kings of Munster and to Saint Patrick. It is a great highlight to build into a tour that crosses the middle of the country, with a coach able to set groups down close to the entrance - VIP treatment all the way. On the same routes we have based groups at hotels such as The Kingsley in Cork, using the city as a comfortable overnight stop before travelling on.
Valentia Island and the Skellig Islands, County Kerry
Valentia Island sits off the Iveragh Peninsula in the far south west, reached by a bridge from Portmagee and known for its lighthouse at Cromwell Point and its views out toward the Skellig Islands. On a clear day groups can see Skellig Michael, the monastic island rock that is now a World Heritage Site, sitting on the horizon. It makes a memorable end point for a tour of the Kerry coast and one our drivers enjoy as much as the passengers. But the lads keep their eyes firmly on the road when they are driving.
These are a few of the places we have travelled. Tell us the sights your group would like to see and we will plan the tour around them with you.
How to book a sightseeing tour
1. Tell us your plan. Contact the team with your group size, the date and the places you would like to see.
2. We shape the route. We suggest a realistic route and time schedules for the day or work from your own wish list. We might have a few surprise ideas for you.
3. You get a quote. We confirm the vehicle, the plan and the price in writing, so everything is clear before you commit.
4. We confirm the details. Collection point, timings and any stops are agreed ahead of the trip.
5. Enjoy the tour. Your driver looks after the route and the timings, so the group can relax.
How much do private sightseeing tours cost?
The cost of a private sightseeing tour depends on the details of the trip rather than a fixed rate. The main factors are the size of the group and the vehicle needed, the length of the day, the distance covered and the number of stops. A short local tour around Letterkenny and the nearby coast costs less than a full day reaching Slieve League and Glencolmcille or a tour that runs over several days along the Wild Atlantic way to Sligo, Mayo and Galway.. We do not publish set fares because no two trips are the same. Travel times quoted are always approximate and depend on traffic, weather and road conditions.
Sightseeing across Donegal and the Wild Atlantic Way
From our Letterkenny base we cover the whole of Donegal and the wider Wild Atlantic Way. Popular routes take in Slieve League, Glenveagh National Park and the beaches of the Fanad and Inishowen peninsulas. We also run tours that cross into Derry and the Antrim coast and longer trips over several days that reach further across Ireland from the Donegal base. For wider trip ideas across the county, Discover Ireland's Donegal guide is a useful starting point. Wherever the route goes, the aim is a comfortable day with the driving left to us.
Molly Gallivan's Cottage & Traditional Farm in Releagh, Bonane, near Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland
Rock of Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland
Valentia Island, Lighthouse and Skellig Island, County Kerry, Ireland
Frequently asked questions about private sightseeing tours
What size groups can you take on a sightseeing tour?
We cater for small groups and large parties alike, with vehicles from 7 seats up to a 53 seat coach. Smaller minibuses suit families and couples travelling with friends, while the larger coaches work for clubs, societies and bigger event groups. If your group falls between two vehicle sizes we will recommend the option that gives everyone comfortable space, including room for coats, bags and shopping picked up along the way. Tell us your final numbers when you enquire and we will confirm the right vehicle for the day around Donegal.
Can we choose our own route and stops?
Yes. Most groups come with a few places they want to see and we build the day around them, adding practical stops for photos, food and rest. If you are not sure where to go, the driver can suggest a route that fits your time and the season, since some coastal spots are better earlier in the day. We agree the plan before the trip so you know the shape of the day. There is room to adjust timings on the day itself if the group wants longer at a particular stop in Donegal.
How long does a typical sightseeing tour take?
Tours range from a half day of a few hours to a full day of eight or more hours, depending on how far you travel and how many stops you make. A loop around the local coast takes less time than a run to Slieve League or a tour that crosses into Northern Ireland. Longer trips can run over several days with overnight stays arranged separately. We confirm the expected timings in writing before the trip. All travel times are approximate and depend on traffic, weather and the roads across the North West.
Do you provide tours for visitors from overseas?
Yes. We regularly carry visitors from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and further afield who want to see the region without driving on rural roads themselves. The driver handles the navigation, the parking and the timings, which many overseas guests find easier than hiring a car. We can plan around flight arrival times, hotel locations and any heritage or ancestry stops that matter to your group. We cover the main sights along the Wild Atlantic Way and across County Donegal.
How far in advance should we book?
Earlier is better, especially for the summer season, bank holiday weekends and larger groups that need a bigger coach. Popular dates and the biggest vehicles book up first, so a few weeks of notice gives the best chance of the vehicle and driver you want. We do take shorter notice bookings when we have availability, so it is always worth asking even close to your date. Let us know your group size and the places you would like to see in Donegal and we will confirm what we can arrange.
Is a private coach cheaper than multiple taxis for a group?
For most group sizes a single private coach is usually simpler and much better value than several taxis to book through our coach hire in Donegal page.
Can you combine a sightseeing tour with an airport pick-up?
Yes, we can collect your group from the airport and go straight into a tour, arranged alongside our airport transfers service. Recently we picked up a group in Dublin Airport in the morning, took them to their first hotel in Wicklow, then brought them to Johnny Foxes for dinner and Irish Dancing, then back to their hotel.
Do you run sightseeing tours for golf groups between rounds?
Yes, golf parties are usually best served by our dedicated golf tours in Donegal which cover both course transport and sightseeing. Quite often we have golfers and non golfers in the one group, so we get the golfers to the course, then take the non golfers out on tour.
Where can I find day trip route ideas around Donegal?
Our guide to Donegal day trips by coach sets out several scenic routes you can use as a starting point.
Can you arrange corporate or event group sightseeing?
Yes, group day trips for businesses and events can be arranged through our corporate travel in Donegal service.
Ready to plan your Donegal sightseeing tour?
Tell the team your group size, your date and the places you would like to see. We will put together a route, confirm the right vehicle and send a clear quote with no obligation.
24 Coylin Ct, Ballyboe, Rathmelton, Co. Donegal, F92 XR20, Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)86 812 2616 | +353 (0)74 91 52715
Email: info@letterkennycoaches.com
No pressure. Clear advice. A practical next step for your group.