Northern Ireland Tours & Vacations

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Visas in the UK are granted on a UK wide basis, so if you’re coming from overseas and have been given a visa it will be valid for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Visa regulations are always subject to change, which is more likely after Britain's exit from the European Union (EU).

Citizens of the EU, Australia, Canada and the United States have visa-free access to Wales provided you meet the immigration rules. Learn more about visas on the GOV.UK website.

If you’re traveling by air, the easiest airport to fly into is Belfast International Airport (BFS).

You can also fly into the smaller George Belfast City Airport (BHD) which is only three miles from the city centre.

The ferry is a good option if you’re traveling from Scotland or England and want to take your car. 

If you’re coming from the Republic of Ireland, you can take the TransLink cross-border train from Dublin to Belfast Central Station. 

Tipping isn’t expected but if you’re happy with a meal or service, a tip is always appreciated. Rounding up a taxi fare is common.

• “Wee” = a word used (for pretty much everything!) but especially for small or cure things

• “Craic” = a term used to describe a great time or a good laugh
• “Bout ye?” = “How are you?”
• “Buck eegit” = an endearing term for someone who is being or did something silly
• “Houl yer whisht” = “please be quiet” or “shut up”
• “Yoke” = a term used to describe an object, e.g. “Will you pass me that yoke (TV remote, hairbrush, glass, etc) over there?”
• “Catch yourself on” = “Don’t be so ridiculous!”
• “Baltic” = a term used when the weather is very cold, e.g. “It’s pure baltic outside this morning!”
• “Aye” = “yes”
• “Banter” = similar to craic, it’s a term used to describe having a good laugh

Mobile phone coverage is generally very good in most parts of Northern Ireland, but it might be patchy in more remote areas. Ensure global roaming is activated before you arrive if traveling from overseas.

Drinking tap water is safe in England unless otherwise marked. We recommend bringing a refillable bottle with you to avoid buying single-use plastic bottles to do your bit for the environment.

Major credit cards are widely accepted in shops and hotels in Northern Ireland. Smaller shops may not accept credit cards, so it’s never a bad idea to carry some cash for smaller items such as a coffee, or if you’re splitting bills with your group.

ATMs are called cash machines or cashpoints in Northern Ireland.

You’ll see plenty of them on main streets and shopping centers.

You can use Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Plus, Amex and Cirrus at most cash machines, as well as international bank cash machines in bigger towns and cities.

Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Belfast is the most LGBTQI+ friendly destination in Northern Ireland with many social meeting places for the LGBTQI+ community.

Belfast is also home to the largest LGBTQI+ festival in Ireland. Some areas of the country such as smaller country towns might be more hostile to LGBTQI+ travelers.

For more detailed and up-to-date advice, we recommend visiting Equaldex or Smartraveller before you travel.

We are committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. We do our best to help you see the world, regardless of physical or mental limitations. 

We are always happy to talk to travelers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them toward the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.