Can an older "slow walker" enjoy "The Best of Ireland" tour?

I am planning on accompanying my mother (80+ years young) on the "Best of Ireland" tour, and wanted to find out how difficult it would be for her, as she is a slow walker. She does not need a wheelchair or a cane, but walks slowly and deliberately. Is it possible to skip some of the more "vigorous" walks on the tour? My mother went on the Tauck Italy tour, and in certain places she either skipped more strenuous parts of the walk (such as in Venice), or caught up to the group at certain points using taxis (or in Venice a water taxi!). Would appreciate any advice from those who have been on this tour.

Comments

  • Just finished up this Tour in October. We are not really sure how to make a recommendation for your Mother. There is a lot of walking, and some over dirt paths covered with small stones so that you are not walking in the dirt. And there are a lot of cobble stone sidewalks and roadways to walk over. We are sure that you mother would enjoy what she would see, but she may not like having to miss a lot due to the fact that she cannot keep up with the group so that she can see everything on the tour. We have been on tours with older seniors that have not been able to keep up, and quite honestly we do not know what they thought at the end of the tour, but a lot us did not like missing things because we ran out of time to see it all.

    A good discussion with Tauck and your travel agent would provide more guidance.
  • Ask her if she is willing to use a transport chair so she can easily get from point A to B (with you pushing) and then walking when the group arrives at a location. If she is willing to do this, you can shop for one on Amazon or Google. Pay attention to size overall (seat width and leg stretch), and size of rear wheels (12 inch good), and hand (vs wheel) breaks. Convince her that this is a minor compromise for a large gain.
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