Highlights of Donegal – 9 Night Self-Guided Bike Tour
Tour Overview
Donegal truly is one of Ireland’s gems, so much so that National Geographic Traveller named it as “The World’s Coolest Destination for 2017” and Lonely Planet ranked it as one of the top 4 destinations to visit in the world in 2024. In this self-guided bike tour you can savour Ireland’s most awe inspiring land and seascapes. Along the way you will meet some of the friendliest and warmest people on the planet. This is the tour that has everything; amazing coast, stunning national parks, open boglands, ancient history, pleasant villages and legendary hospitality.
Duration
10 Days/9 Nights
Tour Price
From €1,720
Season
April – September
Terrain
Very hilly. E-bike Recommended
Difficulty
Difficulty With Ebike
Tour Highlights
Cycling in Donegal – One of Lonely Planet’s top destinations for 2024
The Sliabh Liag (Slieve League) cliffs – Among the highest sea cliffs in Europe, offering breathtaking views over the Atlantic Ocean
History at Glencolmcille, Kilclooney and Glenveagh – Explore ancient sites and historic landmarks throughout your journey
Glenveagh National Park and Gardens – Pristine wilderness with red deer, golden eagles, and stunning mountain scenery
Numerous sandy beaches – Golden strands perfect for a refreshing Atlantic dip
Numerous options for extra cycling – Extend your daily routes to explore even more of this beautiful region
Traditional music – Experience authentic Irish culture in local pubs and villages
Legendary Irish Hospitality – Warm welcomes await you in family-run B&Bs and small hotels
Tour Photos
Tour Itinerary
This self-guided bike tour of County Donegal – Ireland’s stunningly beautiful but less explored North West corner starts in historic Donegal Town. The town is steeped in history, with its imposing 15th century castle and ruined abbey. It also has a great selection of lively pubs and cafés. There are easy transport connections to Dublin Airport and Ireland West Airport making it the ideal arrival point for your adventure.
We will meet you at your Bed & Breakfast at 9:30 a.m. and set you up with everything you need for your bike tour. Once ready you cycle west, along Donegal Bay. The smell of the sea will soon be all around as you pass quiet bays, headlands and inlets. If you feel like some extra cycling visit the lighthouse at the end of St. John’s Point. Cycle to the fishing port of Killybegs and on along the dramatic coastline to Carrick. Jaw-dropping coastal views, golden beaches, tiny bays and headlands create a picture-perfect coastline. Visit Muckross Head where the beauty is all around. Continue to Carrick for your overnight stop.
In the morning cycle to one of the most awe-inspiring places along the entire Wild Atlantic Way – the Sliabh Liag Cliffs. Take your time here to soak up the beauty of your surroundings. After leaving Sliabh Liag, more breath-taking coast, beautiful sandy beaches and 5,000 years of history await. Don’t miss the side trip to the Silver Strand – one of Ireland’s most beautiful beaches. From there continue to Glencolmcille valley where a treasure trove of history from the stone age to the present awaits. Return to Carrick where you will spend your second night.
Your cycle today takes you from Carrick north over wild boglands. You have the option of cycling to the now deserted harbour at Port – one of the most remote and atmospheric spots on Ireland’s western seaboard. Experience the adrenalin rush of a cycle down amazing Granny Valley to Maghera where a pristine beach, a series of caves, and pretty Assarancagh Waterfall await. Cycle along Loughros Beag Bay to the heritage town of Ardara – a centre for traditional weaving. Continue to your overnight stop in the village of Glenties.
The stunning area west of Glenties around the villages of Portnoo and Rossbeg is just waiting to be explored. A newly opened cycle path will bring you from Glenties to Portnoo. Here you can stroll along the magnificent golden strand. At low tide it is possible to walk out to tiny Inishkeel Island. Cycle along the coast at Rossbeg where you can take in the views over the bay and mountains beyond. On the way back towards Glenties the stone age dolmen at Kilclooney is not to be missed.
Follow the coast north from Glenties. overlooking the many inlets, sand dunes and islands of Gweebarra Bay. If you simply can’t get enough of dramatic coast a cycle around Crohy Head should do nicely. From the harbour at Burtonport you have the option to visit one of the many inhabited islands off the Donegal Coast. Arranmore is a 20 minute ferry trip from Burtonport. (Ferry tickets not included) The boat trip itself makes the journey worthwhile! Make your way back to the mainland where you cycle past yet more beautiful golden beaches to the village of Annagry.
The unique beauty of the Donegal Highlands is all around during today’s cycle. Pass the hauntingly beautiful Poisoned Glen and majestic Mount Errigal. Your cycling tour then takes you to Glenveagh National Park. Red deer and golden eagles live here among the pristine lakes and mountains. A cycle along the lakeshore here is a wonderful experience. Follow the paths through the park to Lough Gartan. Continue through lush farmland to the bustling town of Letterkenny.
A stunning cycle along the southern end of Glenveagh National Park awaits. Leaving from Letterkenny a stop at the Newmills Corn and Flax mill is an option. Climb gradually towards the viewing point at the southern end of Glenveagh National Park, where beautiful views of the lake and valley await. Follow the perfect quite road through the Derryveagh Mountains and back to Glenties once again.
Your last day of cycling brings you back once again to Donegal Town. From Glenties cycle through typical Irish boglands before following more quiet roads and a descent back to your starting point in Donegal. This cycle will typically take half a day. If you simply can’t stop exploring, a cycle around tranquil Lough Eske nestled at the foot of the Bluestack Mountains, is a lovely extra option. Time to enjoy the last night of your tour, and perhaps a final Irish Stout.
Time to leave the “Coolest Place on the Planet”. Donegal has good bus connections to airports and other points around Ireland.
Additional Information
2026 Dates
Arrival Day: Friday
Tours available: Friday 10 April 2026 – Friday 25 September 2026
Peak Season: Friday 29 May 2026 – Friday 21 August 2026
Prices
Price per person sharing: €1,720
Peak Season: €1,790
Single occupancy: €360
Bicycle: €130
E-bike: €290
E-Tandem: €540
Self-Guided bike tour price includes:
- Bed and breakfast accommodation in B&B’s and small hotels
- Welcome meeting and bike set up on arrival evening or first morning
- Luggage transfers
- Comprehensive guide booklet
- Maps and turn by turn directions
- GPS unit with all routes pre-programmed (one per room)
- GPX tracks available pre-tour by request
- Emergency support
Not included in price:
- Travel to and from start/finish of tour
- Meals other than breakfast
- Entry to sites and attractions not included as part of the tour
- Evening entertainment
The accommodation we use on this tour is a mixture of family-run Bed and Breakfasts and small hotels. These are ideal places to cater to the needs of the cyclist. Your host will serve you a delicious breakfast in the morning — setting you up perfectly for the day ahead.
Choose a single, double, twin, or family (one double and one single bed) room. The accommodations we use have their own private bathroom.
We make every effort to choose locations as close as possible to the village or town centre, making it easy to explore your surroundings once you have checked in.
1: Book Online
Click one of the “Book Now” buttons on this page. To confirm the booking, you will be asked to pay a deposit of €150 to secure your place. Please note that this deposit is non-returnable, so it is important that you have all your travel details correct before proceeding to book.
2: Pay Balance
Payment is required at least 4 weeks before arrival. You will receive an automatic reminder close to the date when payment is due. Once we have received full payment, we will email you your accommodation list, along with your bike tour guide notes and other essential information.
3: Enjoy Your Adventure
We will meet you on the morning of your first cycle and get you set up with your bike, notes, GPS etc. Time to let the adventure begin!
Please see our Booking Terms and Conditions.
This bike tour starts in Donegal Town. It is easily accessible from Dublin Airport, via regular direct buses.
Use the links below to check the bus timetables.
From Dublin Airport and Dublin City
By Bus: Direct buses (route 30/X30) run to Donegal Town from Dublin Airport and City every 90 minutes. For timetables see https://www.expressway.ie/route/ Look for route 30/X30
Parking
If you are arriving by car, on-street parking is available in Donegal Town. A permit lasting up to 1 month is available at a cost of €20.
To acquire a permit visit https://donegal-permit.giantleap.net/#/parking/products/agreement Select “Donegal Town”. We recommend No. 4 Car Park.
Bring your own bicycle or choose the bicycle that best suits your needs.
Touring Bikes
Comfortable 27-Speed touring bike with Shimano gears and disc brakes. Step-through and crossbar frames available.
E-bikes
Comfortable e-bike with Bosch motor and battery, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. Recommended for bike touring in Donegal’s hilly terrain.
E-Tandem
High-quality Gepida Thoris E-tandem with Bosch motor and batteries. Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and gears.
Accessories
All bikes are provided with the following accessories free of charge;
- Front handlebar bag (7 litre capacity)
- Waterproof rear pannier – Ortleib back city roller (20 litre capacity)
- Lock
- Repair kit, including spare inner tubes
- Helmet. Please feel free to bring your own helmet if preferred
- High visibility vest
Below you will find the answer to some of the most commonly asked questions about the Highlights of Donegal Bike Tour. For other more general FAQ’s please visit our FAQ page.
Who is this tour suitable for?
This tour is suitable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness, who is comfortable with cycling 60 km+ daily. The routes are very hilly, so we strongly recommend using an electric bike to make the most of your experience.
What cycling experience do I need?
You must be a competent cyclist with adequate bicycle handling ability and a clear understanding of the rules of the road.
Will I be cycling along with others?
Possibly, but this is not guaranteed. At busy times of the year (June/July/August) it is quite likely (but again not guaranteed) that others will be following the same routes as you. In the quieter months when numbers are smaller it is quite possible that yours will be the only group on the road at that time.
Is this tour on cycle paths or public roads?
For the vast majority of this tour you are on roads that are also open to traffic. However as we focus on small back roads the traffic is almost non-existent in most places. There are some short stretches on roads with moderate traffic. However even here cycling is not difficult.
Are the routes hilly?
The routes on this bike tour are VERY hilly (this is partly why it is so beautiful.) The gradient varies constantly from gentle to very steep. The length of the climbs also varies greatly. For this reason we strongly recommend using an electric bike.
How do I get to the start?
This bike tour starts in Donegal Town. It has regular direct bus connections to Dublin Airport (the arrival point for most people into Ireland). There are also direct connections to Ireland West (Knock) Airport. Belfast Airport has bus connections with one change.
How do I get from the end of the tour?
The tour finishes in Letterkenny. There are regular bus connections to the major airports and other parts of Ireland. We provide a list of contact numbers in our tour notes.
Tour Options
Reserve Now
What Customers Say About Ireland by Bike
My wife and I loved our bike trip with Ireland by Bike. The routes Seamus designed are gorgeous – through open meadows, by oceans and inlets, and across mountain valleys. This is a truly stunning part of the world. What made it especially nice is that 80% of the roads had almost no traffic. We also loved the freedom of a self-guided tour. We started early some days, and after lunch on other
days – whatever we felt like. We took more or fewer side trips, based on how energetic we felt. If we found an especially relaxing spot, we stopped there for hours. No-one told us what to do, or when to do it. It was an adventure, that we could control.
It was also quite comfortable. The B&B’s were all well done, with wonderful hosts who often met us with tea and snack ready. Having our luggage transported every day by Ireland by Bike made things really easy. And the way they provided directions for the routes was simple to follow. We made it even more comfortable by using eBikes. We got lots of exercise, but those uphill climbs were so much easier, as were those last 10 km of each day’s biking. eBikes also make it easier to stop/start to take lots of photos, and as a couple in our 60’s, ebikes let us do more of the optional routes.
We’ll be coming back again, for sure. At least 10 times each day, my wife and I said to each other “this is so beautiful!” We met open and friendly people all along the way. We explored cliffs by the ocean, beaches with caves, a 4000 year old “dolmen,” lighthouses, castles, and farms. This was actually our 30-year anniversary celebration. It was perfect!
One of our most enjoyable holidays ever. The scenery is spectacular. We loved the quiet roads. The local people in the cities, towns and villages were so friendly and hospitable.
This was my first time on a cycling vacation, and prior to training for this trip, I hadn’t been on a bike in close to 10 years. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly everything went. I gave excellent marks for the value for the money because of how nice it was to have the entire trip essentially planned out for us. To not have to deal with the hassle of booking, logistics, and hauling around gear and luggage was wonderful.
On the whole, I had a most amazing time, especially as we were blessed with gorgeous weather for most of the trip. All the B&Bs we stayed at were well kept, with wonderful hosts. Seamus and Nora were wonderfully responsive to any requests or concerns we had during the trip. The views were gorgeous at every turn, from the breath taking seaside cliffs at Port to the simple joy of seeing and smelling the gorse brightening all the roadsides and hillsides.
The accommodations were top; better than I expected. It was nice meeting Seamus and Nora. The transfer of luggage was flawless. It was a tour to be remembered for life.
I would absolutely recommend Ireland by Bike to anyone cycling in Ireland and if I ever return to Ireland for any reason I would go cycling just because it was so great and easy with Ireland by Bike.
