Our private day tour with Michael of the Boyne Valley was the highlight of our two week visit to Ireland. I can't say enough about what an enjoyable and informative day it was. Michael was very professional and very knowledgeable about the Neolithic sights that we had wanted to see, primarily Newgrange and Knowth. In fact, Michael created the first websites for Newgrange and Knowth and has spent decades learning about their history, which he is happy to relate. In addition to those large passage tombs, Michael took us to Four Knocks, which is a passage tomb off the beaten path that we never would have found. Four Knocks was definitely a highlight as it was much more remote and added to the experience of visiting these ancient monuments, the Neolithic art inside was spectacular.
We had requested a visit to Monasterboice, and along the way Michael also took us to Mellifont Abbey which was also incredibly impressive. I had thought we wouldn't have had time but it fit seamlessly into our day, as did the drive through the site of the Battle of the Boyne which Michael explained in detail. To cap off the fantastic day, we visited the Hill of Tara on the way back to Dublin where he described all of the features and the archaeological finds. Throughout the day there were additional sights here and there that he would point out.
He has a very easygoing manner and as a Boyne Valley native you can tell how much he enjoys sharing his home and the thousands of years of history found there.
As for the booking process, it was very easy through his website and Michael was an excellent communicator. He also knew all of the staff at the various sights and we were able to walk in with no issue. This was a top-notch private tour and I highly recommend to anyone wanting to visit this part of Ireland.
