Overview
Your ship gives you a day in Wales. We spend it in the mountains.
From the terminal it's over Telford's bridge and into Snowdonia: Cwm Idwal under its ring of cliffs, the inn at Pen y Gwryd where the 1953 Everest team trained, and Beddgelert in its valley. On the way back there's Caernarfon Castle, and the station sign with the longest place name in Europe.
The last stop is South Stack, the lighthouse on Holy Island, a short drive from the quay, and you're back aboard in good time.
- Duration
- 1 day
- Group size
- Up to 7 guests
- Vehicle
- Mercedes V-Class
Includes
- Expert bilingual local guide
- Travel in a Mercedes V-Class
- Daily pick-ups & drop offs
- Fully customisable
Excludes
- Flights, transfers and accommodation
- Food and drink
- Entry fees to attractions
- Mountains & lakes
- Coast & beaches
- Castles
Itinerary
From the quay to the mountains
Collected at the cruise terminal, you're across the Menai Strait and among the peaks of Snowdonia within the hour. Swallow Falls and the village of Beddgelert, then back by way of Edward I's fortress at Caernarfon. The last miles are on Holy Island itself, at the cliffs and seabird ledges of South Stack, before we see you to the ship.
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Telford's 1826 span, the world's first major suspension bridge
Thomas Telford's suspension bridge of 1826, the first major one in the world, crossing the Menai Strait where the ferries used to run. The small town on the Anglesey bank takes its name from it, with a waterfront walk to Church Island, and shops and restaurants near the bridge. -
Wales's oldest nature reserve, a dramatic hanging valley and lake
A hanging valley and lake under the cliffs of Glyder Fawr, Wales's first National Nature Reserve, where Darwin came in 1831 and only later realised he had been looking at the work of glaciers. The legend is darker: Idwal, a prince's son, was drowned in the lake by his guardian, and no bird, they say, has flown over it since. The circuit of the lake is about three miles from the Ogwen car park. -
The inn where the 1953 Everest team trained before setting out
Gained historical significance as the base camp for the 1953 British Mount Everest expedition led by Sir John Hunt. The expedition aimed to conquer Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world. The team, which included renowned climbers such as Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, used Pen y Gwryd as their training ground before departing for Everest. -
Snowdonia's most popular waterfall, a short way from Betws-y-Coed
A series of falls on the Afon Llugwy two miles above Betws-y-Coed, the most visited waterfall in Snowdonia since the Victorians came by train. The Welsh name, Rhaeadr Ewynnol, means the foaming fall; 'ewynnol' sounds like 'y wennol', the swallow, and the English name stuck. -
Often called the prettiest village in Wales, and famed for ice cream
Often called the prettiest village in Wales, where the Glaslyn meets the Colwyn under the mountains. The name means Gelert's grave, and the story of the prince who killed his faithful hound by mistake is told at the grave a short walk downstream. Parts of the village date from the 12th century; it grew on copper mining in the 18th and 19th. Famous for its ice cream, and for the National Trust's Tŷ Isaf shop in a late 17th-century house in the centre. -
Edward I's mightiest fortress, guarding the Menai Strait since 1283
Edward I's fortress palace at the mouth of the Seiont, begun in 1283, its banded masonry and polygonal towers modelled on the walls of Constantinople. The first English Prince of Wales was born here in 1284, and the investiture of Prince Charles took place here in 1969. A World Heritage Site with its walled town, and one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Europe. -
The village with Europe's longest name, and the photo to prove it
The village with the longest place name in Europe, 58 letters, stretched to that length in the 1860s as a stunt to bring visitors to the new railway station. It still works: everyone stops to be photographed under the station sign. The name means roughly 'St Mary's church in the hollow of the white hazel near the rapid whirlpool and St Tysilio's church by the red cave'. -
Clifftop seabird colonies around one of Wales's most photographed spots
A lighthouse of 1809 on a rock off the west coast of Holy Island, reached down 400 steps and across a bridge: an island off an island off an island. The cliffs hold thousands of guillemots, razorbills and puffins in early summer, and choughs all year, and the RSPB's rare-breed sheep graze the heath above. Above the car park are the Iron Age hut circles of Tŷ Mawr.
What guests say
Great tour of Wales!
Our cruise line stopped at the Holyhead port in July 2024. We didn't like any of the cruise line tours on offer so we were looking for something else. We are so glad we found Celticos - and John Pritchard! After our tour and back on the ship, some of our fellow passengers were disappointed to just have wandered the port on their own. They didn't enjoy their day nearly as much as we did.
Trusting someone you don't know to get you back to the cruise ship on time feels like a bit of a gamble, but from the consistent and easy communication we had with John in advance of our tour, the positive online reviews, and also immediately when we met him, this concern was put to rest. John was well aware of the time and kept us in good shape all day, so rest assured you are in good hands.
And... it was an amazing tour! We packed a lot into about 6.5 - 7 hours! We saw a beautiful mountain pass in Snowdonia, Beddgellert - a stunning Welsh town, lots of heather (I had always wanted to see it), the Menai bridge, Swallow Falls, the town with the longest name, Conway Castle and South Stack lighthouse. Each site was incredibly beautiful. Wish we could have had longer at many of the spots!
John was a knowledge and friendly tour guide. He totally adapted the tour to what we were looking for. His vehicle was comfortable and reliable. He found great places for bathroom and lunch / snacks. All of our needs were met perfectly. And - we really enjoyed meeting John!
We would highly recommend Celticos and John Pritchard!
John was a wonderful guide! We were two couples on a Viking cruise, and we decided at this particular port to hire a private guide rather than use the Viking options. We were so glad we did (nothing against Viking!). John met us at Holyhead right on time and chauffeured us to places that we would not have been able to go in a larger vehicle. We saw Snowdonia and Anglesey and lots more with beautiful views and stops along the way. Wales is just gorgeous. John is friendly, easy to work with, and all around a great guy...and he returned us to the ship in plenty of time. This was one of the highlights of our British Isles cruise. Thank you, John!
Great day exploring Wales with John! We only had one day on a cruise stop and are so happy we booked this private tour. He kept it fluid and we got to see so much with spur of the moment stops when we expressed an interest. We even took a short hike up to a lake in Snowdonia. We visited South Stack lighthouse, looked for puffins, visited Roman building remains, Menai bridge, the walled/castle town of Conway, Caernarfon Castle, and even learned some Welsh. Fun day with a bit of everything. John is a knowledgeable and fun guy!
Custom shore excursion from Holyhead that was a trip highlight for us. John is an exceptional guide who managed to include our entire wish list with other stops added in based on our interests. Never felt rushed despite seeing do much. Highly recommend!
Frequently asked questions
- Can we change the itinerary?
Yes. Every tour we run is customised, so treat this itinerary as a starting point. Tell us what interests you and we will build the days around it.
- Can this tour be combined with other tours, or made longer or shorter?
Yes. A day tour can be built into a multi-day tour, and a multi-day tour can be shortened, extended or joined to another. Tell us how many days you have and we will plan around them.
- Are admission fees included?
No. Entry to castles, gardens and other attractions is paid on the day, where a fee applies. Many of the castles are cared for by Cadw, and we can advise on the best-value tickets when you book.
- Is food included?
No. As we tour we will suggest eating places that our guests have enjoyed.
- What should we wear and bring?
Sensible footwear for some light walking, and a rain jacket, just in case.
- How much walking is involved?
Some, and none of it strenuous: the walk from the car to a castle gate or a viewpoint. If walking is a concern, tell us and we will plan the stops accordingly.
- Where should we stay?
Somewhere central, so that touring time is not spent driving to the start. Our accommodation advice lists places our guests have used, and we are happy to suggest a base for your tour.
