Giants Causeway Tour from Belfast: North Coast Filming Sites

The Dark Hedges were a real place long before they became the King's Road.

A privately guided tour from Belfast travels the North Antrim Coast for 7 to 8 hours, stopping at five Game of Thrones filming locations and natural landmarks: the Dark Hedges, Ballintoy Harbour (the Iron Islands), Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, the Giant's Causeway and Dunluce Castle. Your guide connects the show's scenes to the real history, mythology and politics of the region, and you spend roughly an hour at the Causeway exploring the rock formations on your own.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Dark Hedges10m
2. Ballintoy Harbour25m
3. Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge1h 10m
4. Giant's Causeway1h 30m
5. Dunluce Castle30m

Game of Thrones North Coast tour

• Visit the Dark Hedges
• Explore Ballintoy Harbour (Iron Islands)
• See Larrybane filming location
• Walk the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
• Tour the Giant's Causeway
• Visit Dunluce Castle ruins

The experience

You're picked up from your Belfast hotel in a private air-conditioned Mercedes and travel north along the coast with a guide who knows where each scene was filmed and why the locations matter to the story. The route itself follows what Game of Thrones fans call the King's Road, the longest highway in the show, and the first stop is the Dark Hedges: a tree-lined lane that stood for centuries before the series used it. Your guide explains the local mythology attached to the place, including the "Grey Lady" legend that predates the show by generations.

The tour moves through Ballintoy Harbour, which doubled as the Iron Islands in the series, then crosses the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, a real 20-metre span 30 metres above the rocks that the show also featured. At the Giant's Causeway, you have just over an hour to walk the hexagonal basalt columns on your own, and your guide shares the Irish myth of Finn McCool and the giants who supposedly created the formation. Named rock features like the Wishing Chair, the Camel and the Giant's Foot are scattered across the site, and a cliff-top path runs along the edge. The final stop is Dunluce Castle, a medieval ruin from the 13th century that has stood nearly 800 years and sits preserved on the grounds where territorial wars played out in the 15th and 16th centuries.

The vehicle carries up to seven passengers, so the group stays small. WiFi is available on board, and the guide speaks English throughout. Hotel pickup is included, so you don't arrange your own transport to the starting point.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned Mercedes.
• hotel pickup from Belfast.
• a live English-speaking guide.
• WiFi on board.
• access to all five filming locations and landmarks on the North Antrim Coast.

Options for this experience

2 options

Standard Mercedes VehicleUp to 4 per booking · Guide in English · No fixed timePickup is included

Large Mercedes (seats up to 7)Up to 7 per booking · Guide in English · No fixed timeLarge Mercedes: a spacious Mercedes vehicle that comfortably holds up to 7 passengers. Relax on leather seats with WiFi.... Includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 33 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Taxi Tours NI

Is this one for you?Groups of up to seven travel together in one vehicle, so you avoid the crowds of larger coach tours while keeping costs lower than a solo private hire. The 7 to 8 hour duration fits a full day from Belfast without requiring an overnight stay on the coast.

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Top questions

What is the Dark Hedges and why does it matter in Game of Thrones?

The Dark Hedges is a tree-lined lane in County Antrim that the show used as the King's Road, the longest highway running from Castle Black to King's Landing. The lane has its own local mythology (a "Grey Lady" spirit tied to the place long before filming began), and your guide explains both the show's use of it and the real history underneath.

How much time do I get to explore the Giant's Causeway on my own?

You have just over an hour at the Giant's Causeway to walk the hexagonal rock formations and the cliff-top path. Your guide shares the myth of Finn McCool and the giants before you explore, then leaves time for you to discover named features like the Wishing Chair, the Camel and the Giant's Foot at your own pace.

Does the tour include the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge crossing?

The tour stops at Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, which spans 20 metres and sits 30 metres above the rocks below. The bridge is a real attraction maintained by the National Trust and was also used in Game of Thrones filming. You have time to cross it and explore the tiny island it connects to.

What is Dunluce Castle and how old is it?

Dunluce Castle is a medieval ruin documented to exist from the 13th century, making it nearly 800 years old. It sits on the North Coast and has been preserved to show the history of the region and the territorial wars fought there between the 15th and 16th centuries.

How long is the full tour and what's included in the vehicle?

The tour lasts 7 to 8 hours and includes private transportation in an air-conditioned Mercedes, WiFi on board and hotel pickup from Belfast. Your guide speaks English throughout and travels with you to each of the five filming locations and landmarks.