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Maurice Whelan

Adventure comes naturally when your a kid you want to climb that tree, cross that stream and even the largest step outside your comfort zone is easy because as a kid you do what feel right at the time and have no sense of danger. Then we all grow up and life gets in the way of adventure. That is if we allow it to happen and forget what it is like to be a kid and exploring new places.

This is why I spent 7 years travelling to shake off the mundane and see what the world is like when you allow it to introduce you to new experiences.

Now I am back home in Ireland since 2012 and after experiencing adventure activities in so many other countries I realized that Ireland has everything needed for world-class adventure along with a vibrant history and culture which I enjoy sharing with people.

Whether its a gentle cycle in your local park or scaling the highest peaks I believe we all need to get outdoors much more. Nature is our playground and we need to remember what it is like to play again.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"Saying that "I" specialize in Hiking and cycling would be to deny the amazing team that I work with at Ireland Walk Hike Bike. Our company was set up with one purpose in mind – to show guests the real Ireland that we know and love. Having watched many visitors “flash” through Ireland – my business partner and founder of the company Linda Woods decided back in 1994 to find a better way to see the country. As Linda says “My aim was to slow people down, so they really get their feet into the soul of the country, meet the locals & discover what makes Ireland & the Irish tick………” and 24 years later – this is exactly what Ireland Walk Hike Bike is still doing today….

We specialise in hiking and cycling holidays both Guided or Self Guided and take great pride in designing bespoke holidays in line with the needs of our guests."

How did you get involved in travel?

"My professional career began in the fitness industry where I managed a gym and worked as a personal trainer. I then got itchy feet and took off to travel the world and in the intervening years worked in various roles in the hospitality sector. I ended up in Hotel management and quickly realised that if I continued on this path my balance between the ability to enjoy the activities I love and to make a living was severely skewed. I packed in my role in hotel management and sought out a new opportunity to allow me combine my passion for being active and sharing my home country with people. 1 year later I was director of Ireland Walk Hike Bike creating and delivering holidays of a lifetime for our guests. 5 years on and I am lucky to say I am one of those annoying people who has my dream job."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"Trekking in Northern Laos and after 7 hours of intense hiking through the jungle we came to our overnight stop which was a shack made from Wood and sheets of corrugated iron. Certainly not the Ritz but perfectly adequate for the night. Our guide got a fire going and after a few hours we ate dinner and it got very dark in the jungle. Suddenly a number of children emerged from the darkness and came toward our hut. The guide explained that they were from a local village not too far away. We spent the next 3 hours showing the kids photos on our digital cameras and trying to communicate with them by drawing pictures. The catch was we had no paper so we had to write on our bodies. It began with arms and legs but by the time the kids left our camp I looked liked I had been tattooed from head to toe !!"

Maurice is part of the following groups: Ireland Travel Agents
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Recent trip reviews for Maurice

Ireland hiking 5/19
Ireland | May 5 - May 12, 2019

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Peter P.
Midlothian, VA | Reviewed on May 19, 2019
There were 10 of us hiking together during the first week of May in 2019. The KimKim team made our planning requests easy to book and were able to adjust the trip and tailor it to our needs. We would without a doubt use KimKim for any of our future travel plans. The response I received from all our friends after the hike was how everything from transportation, lodging, communication, and the hiking went without a hitch. We have never been on a trip where everyone from Maurice to the drivers... Read more

There were 10 of us hiking together during the first week of May in 2019. The KimKim team made our planning requests easy to book and were able to adjust the trip and tailor it to our needs. We would without a doubt use KimKim for any of our future travel plans. The response I received from all our friends after the hike was how everything from transportation, lodging, communication, and the hiking went without a hitch. We have never been on a trip where everyone from Maurice to the drivers and the owners of of our accomodations we stayed in, were so accommodating and quick to respond to our needs. Maurice in particular, prior to our trip was quick to respond to some of our unusual transportation changes we needed to make throughout our trip . He also assisted us in changes we needed to make during our trip due to a few of our travelers not able to complete a few legs of the hike. The response time and solutions, were completed in most cases less than 1 hour. That was amazing. We have never in all our holidays been treated so well. The hike itself was above what we had expected . Beautiful countryside, great views and just enough challenges to let you know you were actually hiking and earned your Guinness at the pub at the end of the day. The Wild Atlantic Way Hike is not to be missed. Thank you for making our Holiday a memory we will never forget.

Local specialist: Maurice Whelan

Whiskey cycling trip
Ireland | Sep 30 - Oct 7, 2018

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Pierre M.
Canada | Reviewed on Oct 18, 2018
Hi! Fantastic trip, can’t say enough about Maurice; very courteous, responded very quickly to any concerns or questions. Excellent trip organizer. Only negative comment is that the written road directions provided need to be updated. For example., “ turn RIGHT leaving the Skibbereen heritage center parking lot” We’ll it’s actually a LEFT turn. So this happened on a few occasions where the GPS and written directions were in conflict. Who to believe? This added a challenging dimension to the... Read more

Hi! Fantastic trip, can’t say enough about Maurice; very courteous, responded very quickly to any concerns or questions. Excellent trip organizer. Only negative comment is that the written road directions provided need to be updated. For example., “ turn RIGHT leaving the Skibbereen heritage center parking lot” We’ll it’s actually a LEFT turn. So this happened on a few occasions where the GPS and written directions were in conflict. Who to believe? This added a challenging dimension to the trip. Not a big deal, still an amazing trip. Thank you for everything. I would definitely recommend your company! Pierre

Local specialist: Maurice Whelan

Trip to Ireland
Ireland | Aug 17 - Aug 22, 2018

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Renee A.
Lacey, WA | Reviewed on Aug 26, 2018
I loved this company that I found through Kimkim - Ireland Walk Hike Bike.
I sent my dates, what I was going to do, and they arranged everything for me! They were so helpful for me as an independent traveler, and flexible with what I wanted to do, and available if I needed help. I was able to plan the travel between the cities I was visiting on my own (Belfast and Dublin), and they helped me figure out the hikes and transportation on the Dingle Penninsula. I was in wonderful bed and...
Read more

I loved this company that I found through Kimkim - Ireland Walk Hike Bike.
I sent my dates, what I was going to do, and they arranged everything for me! They were so helpful for me as an independent traveler, and flexible with what I wanted to do, and available if I needed help. I was able to plan the travel between the cities I was visiting on my own (Belfast and Dublin), and they helped me figure out the hikes and transportation on the Dingle Penninsula. I was in wonderful bed and breakfast accommodations and had great directions on my hike. The hikes were beautiful- especially the hike where I saw the Blanket Islands from high up - 20 km a day was a perfect distance when I just had a small backpack to carry with needed supplies. The prices was great, especially for the quality I received. I would like to book with this company again.

Local specialist: Maurice Whelan

Tour of Ireland
Ireland | Jul 21 - Aug 2, 2018

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Paul K.
Carlsbad, CA | Reviewed on Aug 11, 2018

Our trip was thoughtfully planned to provide us with the opportunity to drive to many unforgettable places and sights in Ireland.

Local specialist: Maurice Whelan