2025 Ireland

Ireland is a magical place meant to be experienced at ground level, not from the window of a bus. On our Lost in Ireland adventure we’ll take you on the countryside paths and through the cobblestone streets of some of the most beautiful towns on the Emerald Isle. We’ll meet the people, get to know the culture, walk the spectacular countryside, and experience much more of this wonderful land.

We’ll take you to some of the most charming and fascinating areas of Ireland … towns like Dingle, Ennis, and Killarney. You’ll walk along windswept coastlines where impossibly green mountains end in surf-pounded rocky cliffs, complete with wheeling seabirds. You’ll stroll along countryside lanes bordered by rock walls and occasional flocks of sheep. And you’ll wander pastel colored villages with pubs aplenty and picture postcard views everywhere you look! Experience the legendary charm and warmth of the native Irish. Our adventure spans the wondrous southwest of Ireland, encompassing County Clare and County Kerry. Here the Irish heritage is at its peak, with Irish (not English) being the primary language. Get off the beaten path with us and experience enchanting Ireland!

See more details below. Registration will open within the next couple of weeks — please check back!

This tour starts in Killarney and ends in Ennis. Shuttles and taxis are available to/from Shannon and Dublin. We’ll provide more information on that closer to departure. You can view, download, and/or print the most up-to-date itinerary here.

You’ll get the most out of study travel if you research what to do during your free time. This allows you to reap the benefits of group travel, while also customizing the tour to your interests and activity level. Read more about How to Be an Independent Group Traveler.

Kirsten serves as Director of the Harry C. Piper Center for Vocation and Career at St. Olaf. An avid adventurer and traveler, Kirsten spent much of her childhood at a cabin a lake away from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).  Hiking, portaging, and exploring the great north woods with friends and family taught Kirsten so much about the wonder of the natural world. As Sigurd Olson so eloquently said, “Awareness is becoming acquainted with environment, no matter where one happens to be. Man does not suddenly become aware or infused with wonder; it is something we are born with.” I am delighted to share the wonder and beauty of Ireland with you!

A 1998 Phi Beta Kappa graduate of St. Olaf College, Kirsten double majored in psychology and exercise science. She obtained her Masters in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota, specializing in Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology. In her free time, Kirsten is an alpine ski coach for the Buck Hill Ski Racing USSA Team.

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Expect a fun, active tour in community with fellow alumni, families, and friends of St. Olaf!

This is an active tour, with scheduled hikes/walks on most days, over uneven terrain. You need to be a fit traveler who can walk several miles per day at an average pace.

To see certain sites on the itinerary, you should be capable of walking five to ten miles over the course of a day, of climbing stairs that may not have handrails, of climbing in and out of various types of transportation, of keeping pace with an active group of travelers on long days of traveling, of dealing with the emotional highs and lows that can occur when experiencing different cultures, and of traveling with a group for several hours each day.

Movement between cities will be by air-conditioned private motor coach. Movement within each city and at cultural/historic sites will be on foot, requiring a lot of walking and standing, often over uneven ground. 

You will be responsible for your own luggage; traveling lightly is highly recommended.

Hotels will be tourist class (four-star or superior rating) with private baths, air conditioning, and English-speaking staff.

The tour price is $5,377 per person. For single occupancy, add $895.Inclusions and exclusions vary from tour to tour. Please read the following information carefully.

Inclusions: leadership by Kirsten Cahoon, full-time hiking guides, accommodations, breakfast daily and group meals as listed on the itinerary, admissions for group activities, ground transportation during the tour except for airport transfers, gratuities to group guides, drivers, and meal servers, and some limited medical coverage while overseas. 

Exclusions: Airfare to and from Ireland is not included. Participants are solely responsible for all expenses not specifically included in the tour fee. Examples of excluded expenses are: airfare between your hometown and Ireland, transfers to/from your hometown airport, any passport fees, any recommended immunizations or vaccinations, baggage insurance, trip cancellation insurance above $2,000 lifetime coverage, beverages at most group meals, tips to housekeeping staff, laundry, dry cleaning, phone charges, room service or other items of a personal nature, expenses incurred during free time or non-group activities, lunch and dinner, unless specifically included on tour itinerary.

This schedule is based on payments St. Olaf College must make to vendors to guarantee group rates. We highly recommend that you purchase additional trip cancellation insurance at the time of registration to recover your payments should you need to withdraw from the tour. (Only a limited amount of trip cancellation coverage is included with the tour price and only for certain medical reasons. See more on our Travel Insurance page.)

Deposit due:                      $500 upon registration
Refund if you cancel:      Full refund ($500) until October 31, 2024. If the deposit is made after October 31, 2024, there is no refund.

Interim payment due:    $2,500 by November 1, 2024
Refund if you cancel:      $1,250 until April 30, 2025

Final payment due:         May 1, 2025
Refund if you cancel:      None, unless the program is full and your place can be resold

Cancellations must be in writing.

Read St. Olaf’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Check your passport: ensure that it has at least 6 months’ validity past the program return date. Should you need to renew, visit the U.S. Department of State for instructions.

Take time to Prepare for your adventure by checking out a variety of resources, including frequently asked questions, general health information, included travel insurance, safety overview, and more.

Hold the dates of July 19–27, 2025, but do not book non-refundable airfare until we can confirm the program is a go. Meanwhile, take a look at our tips on Booking Your Flights.