Retracing Charles Darwin’s travels in North Wales
6 days
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Small Group Tour
Discover the story behind Charles Darwin’s 1831 and 1842 tours of Wales, with a six-day, five-night small group journey to Shrewsbury and Snowdonia. See the dramatic Welsh landscapes and travel to key sites visited by Darwin.
Immerse yourself in the story of Darwin’s life with a local Darwin expert and our Tour Leaders, as you explore Darwin’s hometown of S...
$6,047
From$4,479
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Overview
Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule
Highlights
- Walk in the footsteps of famous scientist and geologist Charles Darwin and discover sites from his childhood and the places where he trained for his legendary voyage on HMS Beagle.
- Witness the spectacular landscapes of north Wales, including the mountains of Snowdonia’s National Park, the tranquil Llyn Ogwen Lake, and the rugged coasts of Anglesey.
- Relive the experience and evidence that Darwin used to unravel the origin of these landscapes in 1831 and 1842.
- Learn the human history behind Darwin’s discoveries, as you travel on a small group tour of Wales with a Darwin expert and our Tour Leader.
- Stay in style at highly recommended hotels, including a Darwin-themed hotel in Shrewsbury, and a welcoming country house hotel in north Wales.
What's this trip about?
Discover the story behind Charles Darwin’s 1831 and 1842 tours of Wales, with a six-day, five-night small group journey to Shrewsbury and Snowdonia. See the dramatic Welsh landscapes and travel to key sites visited by Darwin.
Immerse yourself in the story of Darwin’s life with a local Darwin expert and our Tour Leaders, as you explore Darwin’s hometown of Shrewsbury, take short walks in Snowdonia and see incredible sights. Hear how Darwin trained in understanding the Welsh landscape and geology before his famous voyage of discovery on HMS Beagle, which led to the groundbreaking Theory of Evolution.
Uncover the best of Wales with a tour of the mountainous Eryri National Park (Snowdonia), and a day to beautiful Anglesey, with its rich geological treasures and impressive coastlines, where Darwin travelled with Cambridge Professor Adam Sedgwick.
Admire sites such as South Stack Lighthouse on Anglesey, scenic Llyn Ogwen and the incredible glacier-formed landscapes around Llanberis and Cwm Idwal. See signs of Welsh history and conflict around ruined forts and well-kept castles.
Enjoy comfortable accommodation throughout your tour, starting with a Darwin-themed Georgian townhouse in Shrewsbury that boasts a relaxing garden and well-appointed rooms. Travel on to a welcoming country house hotel and restaurant in north Wales, offering an exceptional menu of delicious Welsh dishes.
Take away a unique experience of travelling in Wales and Snowdonia, with a fascinating look at Darwin’s life and work, and enjoy walks to areas of incredible beauty and interest.
Details
Itinerary focusOff the Beaten Path
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range18 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityShrewsbury
End CityShrewsbury
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Min Group Size
Max Group Size
Trip includes
- The services of your tour expert who will be with the group throughout the tour, staying at the same hotel
- Local experts who will accompany the group and give talks on selected days
- All transportation costs from the start to the end of the tour, including the services of a professional coach driver.
- All accommodation costs for the nights stated, assuming two people sharing a double room. Single occupancy rooms are available for a surcharge. See single supplement in ‘Need to know’ tab.
- All breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
- Entry fees, local guide fees and activity fees, where arranged as part of the tour.
- All service charges and most gratuities
Itinerary
Day 1: Picturesque Shrewsbury - Darwin's hometown
Your journey begins in the welcoming town of Shrewsbury, with a check in to Darwin’s Townhouse, your hotel for the night. Named after and dedicated to the man himself, this boutique hotel is the perfect springboard for your journey into Wales.
You...
Day 2: Into Wales - on Darwin's trail
After a hearty breakfast in Shrewsbury, you’ll be heading over the border into Wales, and following Darwin’s route through the rolling foothills of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
On the way, we’ll stop...
Day 3: Cwn Idwal - mountains, valleys and lakes
Heading out from Ty’n Rhos, the morning’s drive will take you to the Cwm Idwal, the very first Welsh National Nature Reserve, and an important site in Charles Darwin’s scientific life.
With its own plant life and distinctive, fossil-filled boulder...
Day 4: Anglesey - a land of rugged coasts, multicoloured mines and lonely lighthouses.
Today we’ll be exploring what is now considered part of Darwin’s first tour. No official records show that Darwin visited the Isle of Anglesey, but Michael’s research has uncovered plenty of evidence to suggest that he accompanied Cambridge Professor Adam Sedgwick t...
Day 5: Returning to Shrewsbury - sights of Snowdonia
It’s time to bid farewell to Ty’n Rhos and head back to Shrewsbury, but don’t worry – the journey back is through the spectacular landscapes of southern Snowdonia.
After a pleasant morning stop in, yes, a Welsh vineyard, we’ll head south through S...
Day 6: Darwin's town and journey's end
After a restful night at Darwin’s Townhouse, you’ll have the morning to take a guided tour around Shrewsbury. Accompanied by your expert, take in the significant sites from Darwin’s childhood. Darwin was born in Shrewsbury in 1809 and the town still holds his histor...
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Dates & Availability
Price From $4,479
Price per day$747
Last Updated: 3/25/2025
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with GeoCultura.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- Travel insurance. Guests should carry their own health and travel insurance.
- Alcoholic drinks with meals are not included.
- Extra or optional activities not described in the itinerary.
- Personal expenditures, including bar bills, and extras at hotels, such as laundry
- Transportation to the start venue or from the end venue of the tour
- Passport and visa fees.
Accommodation
Nights 1 & 5: Darwin’s Townhouse, Shrewsbury
Tucked away in the heart of Shrewsbury, Darwin’s Townhouse is a Grade II* listed building, and offers a 19-bedroom boutique bed and breakfast experience, just steps away from the River Severn and the eclectic town. Outside the Townhouse, ‘there is a terrific lawned garden and a light-filled conservatory where locally sourced breakfast brings artisan jams [and] free-range eggs from Hollowdene’s happy hens’. Good Hotel Guide (46th edition)
Tucked away in the heart of Shrewsbury, Darwin’s Townhouse is a Grade II* listed building, and offers a 19-bedroom boutique bed and breakfast experience, just steps away from the River Severn and the eclectic town. Outside the Townhouse, ‘there is a terrific lawned garden and a light-filled conservatory where locally sourced breakfast brings artisan jams [and] free-range eggs from Hollowdene’s happy hens’. Good Hotel Guide (46th edition)
Nights 2-4: Ty’n Rhos, Caernarfon
A ‘beautifully situated’ country house hotel, the Ty’n Rhos has grown out of a former farmstead to include 19 bedrooms and a restaurant. Along with its ‘comfortable, well-equipped’ bedrooms, the Ty’n Rhos’ menu includes ‘marinated wild trout’, and ‘haddock with Welsh rarebit’ for breakfast. Good Hotel Guide (46th edition)
A ‘beautifully situated’ country house hotel, the Ty’n Rhos has grown out of a former farmstead to include 19 bedrooms and a restaurant. Along with its ‘comfortable, well-equipped’ bedrooms, the Ty’n Rhos’ menu includes ‘marinated wild trout’, and ‘haddock with Welsh rarebit’ for breakfast. Good Hotel Guide (46th edition)
Note: If required for reasons beyond our control, GeoCultura reserves the right to substitute alternative accommodation of equal or higher quality or adapt the itinerary if required.
Transportation & Flights
Transport will be by small luxury coach.,
Requirements
,Double room for single occupancy is £399.
Cancellation policy
Deposit: A deposit of 10% of the tour price is due upon registration for a tour.
Final payment: Full payment is due 60 days before a tour begins, or upon registration if within the 60-day window.
Cancellation by participant: A participant may cancel a registration after securing a confirmed place on a tour for any reason. The following refund terms will apply:
- Greater than 60 days before tour begins: Any monies paid plus half of the deposit will be refunded
- 30 to 59 days before tour begins: 35% of tour price will be refunded
- 15 to 29 days before tour begins: 25% of tour price will be refunded
- Within 14 days of tour or during the tour: No monies will be refunded
Cancellation by GeoCultura: GeoCultura reserves the right to cancel any tour due to low enrolment, inability to run the tour or concerns about the safety, health or welfare of participants. If a tour is cancelled before it begins, all monies paid will be refunded (including any deposit).
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against
unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies.
It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before
or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination.
It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements.
For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements,
please visit this link
.
Meals Included
All breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
Age Requirements
18 years and up
Optional Activities
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Additional Information
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Trip ID
geocul-ReChDaTrNoWa
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