Patrick picked us up right in front of our hotel and led us on a day of adventure along the west... read more
Patrick picked us up right in front of our hotel and led us on a day of adventure along the west... read more
Our group did a tour with Phil to Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. We had a great time. The pace... read more
We hired Jim Parslow and Ireland West Tours for a day tour of the Connemara region from Galway.
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT: We really enjoyed our tour and would highly recommend anyone consider visiting the Connemara or other areas of Ireland to use Ireland West Tours.
A little background my fiancé and I are in our 30s. We wanted to maximize our time and see as much of the Connemara as possible covering the highlights and "get off the beaten path". Jim exceeded our expectations. We covered a wide range of scenery ranging from mountains, castles, meadows, bogs, rivers, oceans, cliffs, lakes, beaches, and a fjord. At times we felt like Jim was the "Mayor of Ireland" because of his connections with the local people and familiarity of the area.
Even though we had a rental car for our entire Ireland trip , it was nice to have Jim tour us around the area and not have to worry about driving while receiving background knowledge about the area, Irish culture, and different sites.
Jim was very accommodating and made sure we were meeting our goals of the tour. We really could not have efficiently or effectively covered as much territory or visited the places we saw without Jim's tour. As a couple examples he phoned a head and arranged a private castle tour for us, we drove down back roads to feed Connemara ponies, see true "Irish traffic jams" of cattle/sheep covering the road without any one else or surroundings nearby, made suggestions on photo stops, and served as our professional photographer. Jim really gave us a day of Irish culture immersion giving lots of background of the area, history, etc. We received more information than we had on any tour while in the country.
It's evident that Jim is passionate about Ireland, ensuring visitors maximize their experience while visiting the country, and caring about people. I think these characteristics along with our experience for the day really prove that visitors looking for a tour guide in Ireland should heavily consider booking with Ireland West Tours and Jim Parslow.
Traveling with my husband, adult son and his college friend, we had 2 days in Galway, and only one to go sightseeing outside of town. I booked a day trip with Jim Parslow, and am so glad I did! Jim was punctual, kind, knowledgeable, and very perceptive in his ability to know just what would appeal to us as a group. While Jim did the driving, we were able to see the fantastic scenery, and he kept us entertained with his stories, history, and knowledge. Oh, did I mention he loves to take photographs, so no need for selfies, Jim takes all of the pictures, all you have to do is smile! We went places we never would have found, heard unique stories from people we never would have met, and had a fabulous day! Thank-you Jim, and stay well.
My husband and I just returned from a month long vacation of Ireland and the UK and took many private tours. Jim's full day tour was by far the best of the best! Jim's passion for the area and sense of humor was evident as he shared his knowledge of history and folklore. He knew backroads and magical places that you'd never see a tour bus. He allowed us to set the pace and was so accommodating as I often asked to stop and photograph the amazing scenery. If we had known how wonderful a day with Jim would be, we would have booked another day as well. Book well in advance so you don't miss out on this experience!
We travelled with another couple and had found Jim through TripAdvisor and booked him months ago. Could not heap enough praise or support of all the positive comments already posted. We had amazing weather which increased the choices that he gave us and for 2 full days, we saw everything we could have wanted and more. Jim knew all the places to go both on and off the beaten trail, he called ahead to determine the best timing for events requiring tickets or reservations or meal planning (great choices for pub meals) and provided us with insights into dinner and music after dropping us off at our B&B in Galway. Just a GREAT experience overall with a most delightful, knowledgeable and charming man.
We toured with Jim of Ireland West Tours and are so glad we did. He was prompt and organized. He suggested that we see the Cliffs of Moher from the water, and it was a wonderful experience. He took us to places we would never have seen on our own. The two 18-year olds traveling with us loved it all. Each new experience was their favorite. Thanks so much for a wonderful day.
Jim was just wonderful. We booked a full day with a pickup in Galway and a drop-off at Dromoland. We were also traveling with our Son and he dropped him off at the Train back to Dublin. Jim was a great story teller and rather then me having to drive I was able to sit back and enjoy the wonderfull scenery we drove through. He was flexible to our wants and needs and showed us sights there were no way I would find by my self. He was reasonably priced . I would highly recommend him as an alternate to renting a car or even taking a bus tour. And Jim is also a photographer and took pictures of us all along the way as well as pointing out the best places to take photos.