Dean Garrison

Our accommodations were great and our Guide, Denis Beakey, was AMAZING!!! Extremely knowledgeable and pleasant. He was a five star guide for a five star experience.

My husband and I had an AMAZING trip in Ireland for our ten year anniversary! The kimkim team and Ireland walk hike bike did such a fantastic job. The B&Bs we stayed at were all wonderful and they provided a very detailed day to day itinerary for our hiking adventure!

Our trip to Ireland was an unforgettable adventure. Dean had to make our dream journey happen after having to stall for two years due to COVID 19. He never forgot our original wishes. The travel arrangements he made for us were precisely what we had hoped for. Whether driving, biking, or walking, I highly recommend the Kimkim group. It met all of our expectations and so much more. We thank the team for an unforgettable experience.

We had never been to Ireland - and needed more than someone to book hotels. We needed advice on where to go, what to see, car rental, etc... and most importantly... someone who would take the time to understand who we are and what we want re hotel vs. B&B, guided trip vs. self-drive, time for hikes, kayaking, etc. Kimkim Travel and Dean were outstanding in all regards. High points of our trip included - time to drive and stop and hike thru Sheeps Head Penisula, the Ring of Kerry, Dingle and Doolin... All breath taking and great fun.

Linda was a fabulous tour guide who made our Ireland holiday a GRAND adventure! She was a font of Irish knowledge and we learned so much from her. She was so attentive to details and was very patient and kind with each of our requests.
My favorite day was the day that Linda took us to the town of Glin to visit the O'Shaughnessy pub and the little shanty where my great-great grandfather O'Shaughnessy lived. It was wonderful to learn more about my Irish heritage. I also enjoyed my tour... read more

Linda was a fabulous tour guide who made our Ireland holiday a GRAND adventure! She was a font of Irish knowledge and we learned so much from her. She was so attentive to details and was very patient and kind with each of our requests.
My favorite day was the day that Linda took us to the town of Glin to visit the O'Shaughnessy pub and the little shanty where my great-great grandfather O'Shaughnessy lived. It was wonderful to learn more about my Irish heritage. I also enjoyed my tour of Kylemore Abbey which was a welcomed change from all of the hiking. All of our accommodations were very nice, and the various innkeepers were so welcoming.
I will treasure the memories of our family Ireland trip forever and will always be grateful to Linda for making our experience truly amazing.

Fantastic organisation and amazing walks all around the ring of Kerry, can't recommend enough!

Great trip. kimkim provided wonderful places to stay. We got emails along the way asking us how we were doing.
Only one place we stayed said we did not get breakfast (Wicklow Heather Lodge). Places we loved the most. Fernrod B&B, Lighthouse B&B,
Dingle was the best stop for us. Loved this town.
Highlights-Wicklow mountains, peaceful pass, ring of Kerry and the cliffs of moher.
Great time, great company, we will use them again for sure tI help us plan our trip. read more

Great trip. kimkim provided wonderful places to stay. We got emails along the way asking us how we were doing.
Only one place we stayed said we did not get breakfast (Wicklow Heather Lodge). Places we loved the most. Fernrod B&B, Lighthouse B&B,
Dingle was the best stop for us. Loved this town.
Highlights-Wicklow mountains, peaceful pass, ring of Kerry and the cliffs of moher.
Great time, great company, we will use them again for sure tI help us plan our trip.

Everything was perfect. I don't know what resources KimKim has for this, but it would be awesome to have audio to listen to in the car while driving to the next destination so we get some history or background on the next destination while we are driving.

A friend and I had decided to plan a trip to Ireland . I had used kim kim for a trip I planned with my son to Australia. We worked with Dean this time around . He was great . We ended up having to reschedule our trip 2x because of Covid and he kept us well informed . We finally made it to Ireland , ever detail was planned . We had a bus tour guide Bud who was fantastic . David our private driver for 2 days was so knowledgeable and went above and beyond . I can’t find one negative moment of this trip. Thanks again Dean and kim kim for the most wonderful girls trip ever .

Our experience with the team at KimKim was very professional. We had a well organized itinerary. The team checked in with us to ensure everything was going well and helped us make some necessary changes in hotels when we found the one that had been booked was unacceptable.

We had a glorious 16 days along the Wild Atlantic Way. The helpful hints of where to stop for coffee break or where to go for dinner helped us find hidden gems we wouldn't have found on our own. The place we loved... read more

Our experience with the team at KimKim was very professional. We had a well organized itinerary. The team checked in with us to ensure everything was going well and helped us make some necessary changes in hotels when we found the one that had been booked was unacceptable.

We had a glorious 16 days along the Wild Atlantic Way. The helpful hints of where to stop for coffee break or where to go for dinner helped us find hidden gems we wouldn't have found on our own. The place we loved the best was the Glen Arm Castle and Walled Garden. A delightful place to stop explore and rejuvenate before heading onward.

I have nothing but good things to say about booking with Ireland Walk, Hike, Bike. A few details about the trip...It was my mom (60+ yrs), myself (38), and my 9 mo old daughter. We were there for 10 days and walked portions of "The Kerry Way" most of the days. I carried my daughter in a hiking backpack while my mom carried the food / snacks. Coordinating a trip with a nine month old in another country can be intimidating to state it lightly. We had cabs picking us up and dropping us to at the... read more

I have nothing but good things to say about booking with Ireland Walk, Hike, Bike. A few details about the trip...It was my mom (60+ yrs), myself (38), and my 9 mo old daughter. We were there for 10 days and walked portions of "The Kerry Way" most of the days. I carried my daughter in a hiking backpack while my mom carried the food / snacks. Coordinating a trip with a nine month old in another country can be intimidating to state it lightly. We had cabs picking us up and dropping us to at the start/end of hikes which meant a carseat needed to be transferred. We needed a travel cot for her to sleep in and we needed flexibility in our days just in case she wasn't up for the hike that day and we needed to be done early. Thus, the reason for booking through Ireland Walk, Hike, Bike. I couldn't have been happier that we did this!

From the beginning, they had superb communication and custom built a route that allowed us to maximize what we were seeing each day, but still have some flexibility if needed. It was really nice to give them a budget and have them plan accordingly for hotels, transportation, etc. All of the lodging accommodations were phenomenal with breakfast included. The staff was friendly, the rooms were clean and well stocked, and my daughter's travel cot was ready to go at each location. The transportation to and from hikes was timely and each of our drivers were incredibly knowledgeable and we learned so much from them! No one ever made us feel like a "burden" with a carseat and so many bags full of baby stuff like diapers and formula. Everyone helped where they could and we never had any hiccups.

They reached out to us throughout the trip to ensure that all was going well and to check to see if we had any questions. We had one day that we needed to shorten and they accommodated that as well! Traveling with a little one and knowing that we were just a phone call away from assistance really provided me with a peace of mind that we would be taken care of throughout the trip! Loved our holiday and would highly recommend this company!

Our guide Maurice from Ireland Walk Bike Hike was very helpful both before and during our recent trip to Ireland. He and a woman from their office (whose name I don't recall) called twice in our 7 day trip to make sure all was well. Galway was a good base for excursions. Westport was a lovely little town. We heard the best Trad music there and on my husband's birthday too! Ballina was a fun. We tried the traditional hot seaweed baths since this wasn't something we could do in the US. It was... read more

Our guide Maurice from Ireland Walk Bike Hike was very helpful both before and during our recent trip to Ireland. He and a woman from their office (whose name I don't recall) called twice in our 7 day trip to make sure all was well. Galway was a good base for excursions. Westport was a lovely little town. We heard the best Trad music there and on my husband's birthday too! Ballina was a fun. We tried the traditional hot seaweed baths since this wasn't something we could do in the US. It was a relaxing end to our trip. If we had it to do again, we would have spent 1 less night in Galway (we had 3) and added another stop or longer in Westport. We enjoyed our trip!

I had a really great trip with Kimkim. Everything was so easy all the way through and the team was always a phone call away if I had any questions or needed some help.
Dean was fantastic and even dropped in for a face to face half way through to check in. I received phone calls from the team during the trip which was really comforting as I was travelling alone.
Petrina was also always close by when I needed anything and responded very quickly to any questions I had.
The hosts at each of my... read more

I had a really great trip with Kimkim. Everything was so easy all the way through and the team was always a phone call away if I had any questions or needed some help.
Dean was fantastic and even dropped in for a face to face half way through to check in. I received phone calls from the team during the trip which was really comforting as I was travelling alone.
Petrina was also always close by when I needed anything and responded very quickly to any questions I had.
The hosts at each of my BnBs we’re fantastic, and I’d really love for them to know I enjoyed my stay, particularly my stay with Kathleen at Finglas House in Camp. I was quite unwell during my night there and she was very accommodating.
The pack provided by Kimkim containing route notes, maps and dining recommendations was great! I actually enjoyed readying about the next day’s activities before bed each night. They were thorough and obviously put together by people who were familiar with each walk. My favourite I think would have to be the one from Dingle to Dunquin, absolutely stunning.
Overall, I’d definitely book another holiday with Kimkim, and I plan to return to travel the north next time!
Thanks team.

Our trip to Ireland was memorable and we will use kimkim and Ireland Walk Bike Hike again to plan new adventures. Although we did not bike at all we had many walks and shorter hikes in beautiful places. Our windy, rainy excursion to the Aran Islands was warmed by an Irish Coffee at a small island pub followed by a boat trip around the Cliffs of Moher. Our itinerary was ambitious and we will spend more time in fewer places next visit. Many thanks to trip planner Dean from Tralee who was... read more

Our trip to Ireland was memorable and we will use kimkim and Ireland Walk Bike Hike again to plan new adventures. Although we did not bike at all we had many walks and shorter hikes in beautiful places. Our windy, rainy excursion to the Aran Islands was warmed by an Irish Coffee at a small island pub followed by a boat trip around the Cliffs of Moher. Our itinerary was ambitious and we will spend more time in fewer places next visit. Many thanks to trip planner Dean from Tralee who was so helpful and even visited us one morning at breakfast to offer assistance. We love photos of beautiful places and we will enjoy the hundreds pictures we took. The B&B’s were comfortable, and all were clean and welcoming. Big Irish breakfasts are wonderful!! We travelled from Glendalough Abby and Lake to the Ring of Kerry, astounded at the beautiful landscape and historical sights. We enjoyed the Pubs in Dingle and the funky town vibe. The Cliffs of Moher are a spectacular experience and traveling the small roads north to Westport was an adventure full of lovely country sights. We even stayed at Ballyseede Castle and enjoyed a night of luxury. Our travels were slowed by traffic ‘jams’ of sheep and cattle on several occasions and the scent of peat or “turf” fires let us enjoy a bit of the rural life of Ireland.

Thanks Dean and Petrina! We had an amazing time in Ireland, and loved every moment of it! We would love to come back and see more of your beautiful country. All the work you put in for us, both in terms of making our bookings and planning our itinerary, is much appreciated. Almost everything worked like clockwork. We were also lucky to have great weather during our time there, and on the one day it wasn't great due to the rain, quite magically Dean showed up, and helped us plan our... read more

Thanks Dean and Petrina! We had an amazing time in Ireland, and loved every moment of it! We would love to come back and see more of your beautiful country. All the work you put in for us, both in terms of making our bookings and planning our itinerary, is much appreciated. Almost everything worked like clockwork. We were also lucky to have great weather during our time there, and on the one day it wasn't great due to the rain, quite magically Dean showed up, and helped us plan our day!

In terms of guides and related feedback - here are a couple of things -

1. Hilltop Treks - Celts and Castles Tour. We had specifically requested a tour of Newgrange. Turns out this tour regularly does not enter Newgrange. That would have been a huge disappointment for us. As it turns out our tour started early since all the tourists got there in time, and the guide was able to eke out the time for us to see the inside of Newgrange which was amazing. I don't think the trip would have been worthwhile for us if we had not entered Newgrange. All's well that ends well - but I wanted to mention this, for future reference for you. In case there are others who specifically request a tour of Newgrange, it might be better to find a tour company that routinely goes inside the monument.
2. Lally Tours - Cliffs of Moher tour - In the interest of full disclosure, it would have been nice to know before that the money we paid earlier for the tour does not cover the cost of visiting the caves. Interestingly, they don't even mention it on their website. Also, we would have preferred a tour that covered Dunguaire castle vs the caves.

Overall, for us, I think it would have been better to have been given the option of a couple of tour companies before the bookings were made, so we could have checked out their itineraries and seen which ones worked the best with our interests.

Places that were most memorable - honestly, we enjoyed everything.
In Dublin - our favorites were the tour of Trinity college (the guide was really good), and the Book of Kells, and the Musical Pub Crawl.
Waterford - loved the tour of Waterford Factory
Cobh - loved the town and the beautiful St Colman's Cathedral
Ring of Kerry - loved the Derrynane Loop Walk. Your directions were perfect!
Dingle and Slea Head - were our absolute favorites! Absolutely stunningly gorgeous! Our favorite stop there was the Dunmore Head hike (which was not mentioned in your information - you may want to add it to your repertoire!).

Challenges - we had only one. We were unable to find the Old Head of Kinsale hike. I think we made some error in getting there and hence it took us for ever, and when we got there we were turned around. We parked at the Speckled Door, but were unable to find the start of the hike. It looked to us like you had to walk on a narrow road shared by cars which seemed risky. We asked the gentleman at the bar at the Specked Door, but he was too busy to help us. That's what delayed us in getting to Kenmare that night, and led to the problem at the B and B.
Everything else was really perfect.

I mention the above not as criticisms, but in the spirit of constructive feedback!

It was too much driving for the week, we wish we would’ve had more activities to do.

I had a great time! Everything was so easy at every step of the way. I especially liked the route that kept me on back roads with minimal time on the Ring of Kerry road.

Very friendly. Pick ups as planned. Accommodations very nice. Food was excellent

Dean was great to work with and it was nice to have things set up and prepaid along the way (car, B&Bs, etc). Also good suggestions on places to stop, sites to see. One place not to miss is Skellig Michael, especially on a clear day, but reserve well ahead!

My granddaughter and I had a wonderful trip!

Petrina arranged everything beautifully and was responsive to all my questions and doubts.
My only complaint was the weather. I doubt she could do anything about it, though.

Ireland is beautiful. The people, the scenery and the food were lovely.

Thank you for all your help.

Stephanie Penn

I thought overall this was a well planned trip. Every day was different and it felt that there were different themes. We didn't drive long between locations. What made it so successful is that we had a framework and a structure, but allowed us the flexibility to change our plans during the course of the day. Weather is Ireland is always unpredictable. We had a challenging start but the weather came through nicely at the tail end of our trip.

On the first day, driving up to Galway made... read more

I thought overall this was a well planned trip. Every day was different and it felt that there were different themes. We didn't drive long between locations. What made it so successful is that we had a framework and a structure, but allowed us the flexibility to change our plans during the course of the day. Weather is Ireland is always unpredictable. We had a challenging start but the weather came through nicely at the tail end of our trip.

On the first day, driving up to Galway made sense because it was accessible and it was an easy way to get started with some light tourist walking through the streets and getting a flavor of Irish culture. We especially enjoyed watching the finals of the premier league championship in a packed local pub which resembled a mosh pit. The noise and enthusiasm was electrifying.

I enjoyed Doolin, especially the pubs where the locals attended listening to music. I highly recommend Sheedy's B&B. We enjoyed hiking the cliffs of Mohr from Doolin to the tourist center as it was private and less people. Getting a taxi to take us back to Doolin was easy and convenient vs. taking a bus back into town. I think starting from the Tourist center is a mistake as there are too many people.

The Dingle penisula was my favorite part of the trip. Enjoyed the B&B and appreciated majestic views of the mountains in the backdrop along the coastline. Great walking trails. We just barely missed getting the boat over to Blassket Island but enoyed the museum had some nice walks in the AM along the coastline. We loved the Falconary and that was truly was an unique and unforgettable experience. The pub and music nightlife was great too.

Touring Skellig Michael was another highlight of the trip and we were fortunate for a very nice sunny day. Memorable. A must!

Heading up to Limerick the next day and seeing the castles and walking the trails was a good day to "strecth the legs". Nightlife was great too.

Ending our trip in Dublin was a good way to slow it down a bit. We enjoyed the museums at Trinity college, GPO (must), public gardens, as well as the Jamenson and Guinesse. Although it is a touristy thing to do, taking the "hop on and hop off" bus tour is a good way to get around to see the city. The early am drive from Dublin to Shannon airport was easy and not too taxing.

Blown away with frances hospitality coming to visit us in killarney in person and calls to make sure all ok.
Margo our bike hike guide was unbelievable. She was encouraging, so informed about so much, great conversation, felt totally blessed to have her for a full day. All accommodations were above expectations. Great locations, bfasts and hosts.
The Hertz GPS was slow and didn't provide accuracy we e expected. That is not your responsibility. Hertz did a wonderful thing in not... read more

Blown away with frances hospitality coming to visit us in killarney in person and calls to make sure all ok.
Margo our bike hike guide was unbelievable. She was encouraging, so informed about so much, great conversation, felt totally blessed to have her for a full day. All accommodations were above expectations. Great locations, bfasts and hosts.
The Hertz GPS was slow and didn't provide accuracy we e expected. That is not your responsibility. Hertz did a wonderful thing in not charging us since we were 1hour late.

Pat Liddy tour was fantastic !!!!

Only suggestions would be to strongly urge drivers download offline maps if they have capability on their phones. That ended up better than Hertz gps.
Also, information on the charges to the suggested route stops. We probably would have changed some of our stops to be able to spend more time. (Ex. Bunratty castle). or not go . It got a bit frustrating to pay at every stop for more info. If I had known I would have planned better.
However, every place was amazing and the trip went without a gliche. It was amazing!!
Oh, also maybe add info about bus pass and needing exact change on buses in Dublin,
along with brief comment on norms of tipping and that last admission to quite a few sites is4-5p. We missed going in to some locations.

I'm rambling along so I hope makes sense.

Thank you for an amazing trip
Ireland should definitely be a must do for everyone.
God bless

Travel advice was great. Walk Bike Hike was very friendly. Great B&B hosts.