Vagabond Tours of Ireland

I took the Driftwood 11 Day Discover Ireland Tour with Dave as our guide & driver. It was a fantastic tour with added stories, recommendations and historical facts from our amazing guide. All the hotels were top rate with excellent service. The coastal views, castles, pubs and people were so beautiful that I fell in love with Ireland completely. I recommend using Vagabond for your Ireland vacation. I was traveling solo and liked being part of a small travel group.

We recently returned from the 11-day Ireland Driftwood Tour with Vagabond, and it was truly the trip of a lifetime. Our tour guide, Damien, deserves an 11 out of 10! His knowledge of Ireland’s history, culture, and hidden gems was incredible—he seemed to know everything there is to know about this beautiful country. Damien went above and beyond by recommending fantastic places to eat, listen to live Irish music, and even taking us to extra stops that weren’t on the itinerary. What made the experience even better was his personality—his humor, quick wit, and great storytelling kept us laughing the entire trip. Our group of 12 couldn’t have asked for a better guide or a better time together. Ireland itself is breathtaking, with its rolling green hills, charming farms, ancient castles, and stunning views. I can absolutely see why everyone falls in love with this country, and having Damien as our guide made the whole journey even more special. We highly recommend Vagabond Tours and especially Damien—you won’t be disappointed!

We loved our Vagabond 5-Day Edge of the World Tour with Denise! We usually plan every aspect of our trips, but this time we decided to sit back and let Vagabond handle the details—and we’re so glad we did. The small group size was a great fit for us; it gave us a chance to really get to know everyone and feel like our voices mattered. We especially appreciated the personalized touches, like suggestions for where to go in Dingle and Killarney, and even making a group dinner reservation knowing options were limited in Spanish Point. The itinerary struck the right balance: we saw iconic landmarks like the Cliffs of Moher, but also discovered hidden gems and charming inns we’d may never have chosen or known on our own. Highlights included the Sheep Dog Demo at Bridget and Shamus’s, exploring the Dingle town, getting to know our group and horseback riding up a mountain with breathtaking views of the Dingle Coast—a truly magical experience. Our guide, Denise, was phenomenal. Her driving skills were impressive, her stories and historical insights fascinating and witty, and her attention to detail made the trip seamless. She’s awesome! We couldn’t have asked for a better group, itinerary, or guide. This tour gave us fabulous destinations, memorable experiences, and new friends along the way.

Our 12-day Vagabond Giant Irish Adventure was nothing short of amazing, and a huge part of that was thanks to our incredible guide Jasper. Jasper kept everything organized and on time, while also making sure we laughed and just soaked up the beauty of Ireland. Jasper’s deep knowledge of Irish history and culture brought every stop to life. What stood out most was how much Jasper truly cared about everyone on the tour. He was attentive to every detail and always went the extra mile to make sure our hotels, restaurants, tour activities and options were ready to receive our group. By the end of the 12 days, it didn’t feel like we were just saying goodbye to a guide, but to a friend who brought a group of people from three different places together for an unforgettable experience.

Our 12 Day Giant Irish Adventure was One of the most amazing trips! Wonderful landscapes and the People that we met were very interesting and kind. But I would have to say that what made this trip so amazing was our Guide, Jasper! He was very accommodating and a joy to spend time with. He lead us to some of the most amazing places in Ireland.

A couple at our church went on a Vagabond tour. They enjoyed it and told us about it, so my wife and I decided to book with Vagabond. We are very pleased that we did! We selected the 7-Day World Tour of Ireland. We wanted to be active, and we were not disappointed. Our guide, Jasper, was awesome! He took us to many of the tourist stops we expected. However, he also took us to fabulously beautiful places off the beaten path. I know we only saw a small part of such a beautiful country over a week. But what we saw was wonderful. Literally zero complaints about the tour or the company. The 7 days flew by so fast that we were sad to see the tour come to an end. The other 10 people on our tour were great. We all made fast friends and have stayed in touch since the tour ended. I hope that we will be friends for life, including Jasper. He really went above and beyond to make sure we experienced as much as possible on our tour. If you're thinking about a small group tour, I recommend you go ahead and just book it with Vagabond. You won't be disappointed.

Just returned from a 7 Day Driftwood Tour by Vagabond and had to let everyone know that this is one of the best ways to tour Ireland. We had decided on where we wanted to go in Ireland and when I came upon Vagabond Tours, they had the exact tour that we planned and Vagabond caters to small groups which was the icing on the cake. Our tour operator, Steve, was super. He's very knowledgeable of Ireland's history, you could feel his passion for his country and he was so entertaining and funny!! He knew we had a lot of movie buffs on our tour so he made sure to point out all the locations of where movies where filmed, especially Ryan's Daughter and the Quiet Man. They made our hotel arrangements for us and most of dinner reservations. The hotels and restaurants were all great. Pre-tour communication was awesome, they let us know where we needed to make our own dinner reservations, if necessary, and kept us apprised of any changes in the hotel situations or tour info. I highly recommend using Vagabond Tours. I'm hoping to make a return visit and will definitely book them when I do.

We had a wonderful adventure in Ireland! Vagabond & Driftwood Small Group Tours of Ireland, 11 day tour, with our phenomenal tour guide, Dave Lee ensured we had the trip of a lifetime. Learning about Irish history, culture and food was second to the beautiful Irish countryside that we visited. We made new friends on the tour and spent time with family too! The hotels in each city were wonderful and included breakfast. Our tour guides, knowledge of each tour stop enriched our adventure! If we get the opportunity to go back to Ireland will definitely use Vagabond as our tour company!

Paddy was a great tour guide. If you're going on a vagabond tour, make sure to listen to your guide. Tour groups that listen to the rules get to do more stuff than just what's on the itinerary because they will be able to trust you to be back to the van on time. We were able to see a lot of non touristy parts of ireland that were super scenic and peaceful. I loved seeing loads of animals including sheep, cows, dolphins, deer, birds, and dogs. We did do the bike ride and sea safari as optional extras. Very good add ons. You don't miss anything from the main tour when participating in the extras.

Everything about Vagabond Adventure Tours was amazing. We had a wonderful group that became fast friends. Our guide, Brendan, was phenomenal and had a personal touch by teaching us about the culture, seeing hidden gems, listening to Irish stories and songs. Our off road adventures had us laughing and enjoying all the countryside had to offer. The excursions were fantastic. The hotels were cozy and had tons of charm. All the food was delicious from the gourmet to the roadside stops for chicken filets. Every view is a postcard.

5 Days touring Ireland.... sign me up.... I along with some family and friends took Vagabonds 5 day edge of the world tour and I was shocked at how much fun was packed into just 5 days. I would highly recommend Vagabond tours.

We went on the Treasure Island Driftwood Tour. It was fantastic! Our drivers/guides, Dave and Andrew, were amazing. My family had a wonderful time, and the guides went out of their way to make it spectacular for the whole group. It is an awesome way to see Ireland and learn about the culture and history.

I just returned from Vagabond's 12 Day Giant Adventure Tour and it was awesome! Just like their website graphic, we went all around the island, except for in the other direction. We hiked at least once a day and our average hike was 3 miles. Some were up hills, not sure of elevation, but nothing like the Lares Trek in Peru, lol! We had a mix of ages in our group, from 17-72 years old and all could do the hikes. Us older ladies (64, 67 and 72) exercised regularly before the trip and usually led the group. We hiked to waterfalls, castles, through beautiful green wooded areas , to the Giant's Causeway (my favorite hike!!!!), to a beach, and more. Morning big breakfasts at our hotel and then we'd buy lunch at a grocery store and have a picnic wherever we hiked. Our guide would play music and tell us Irish folklore; the van was comfy and modern; he'd stop regularly for bathroom breaks; the hotels were lovely! I also paid extra for a few wild boat rides and a horseback ride on the beach. Personally, I could have gone more than 12 days. Go with Vagabond, you won't be sorry!

I used Driftwood Tours, which is the less energetic side of Vagabond Adventure Tours of Ireland. What a fun, full, fabulous time I had in Ireland. My tour guide, Mark, was entertaining and informative with insights and suggestions for everything that made my 11-day trip satisfying. Hotel reservations were very good with breakfast included. With only 16 maximum passenger van, we went places that the larger tour bus groups could never go. My only warning is know yourself before you go. It is very much a walking/day hiking tour as a sightseeing-from-the-van tour. This is a good thing because the food was delicious. Pack light. There are excellent opportunities to do laundry so pack raincoat and waterproof footwear and save room for souvenirs. Budget if you must, it is spectacularly easy to spend with treasures at every stop.

My mother and I had a wonderful time on Vagabond's 7-day Driftwood tour. The guides were fantastic -- Sean's stories had us all laughing whenever we were on the bus. The itinerary was excellent; we got to see much more of the country than we'd have done if we tried to plan the trip on our own. I am not normally a "tour" person, but the small size of our tour (14 people) really suited us. We got to know the others on our tour and loved having the option each night to have dinner with our trip companions, or on our own. We had lots of options to choose certain activities over others, so we got to have things to our liking and physical abilities (especially important to my mom, who couldn't do a lot of hiking). Our tour guides took care of arranging reservations and tickets for any extra activities we wanted to do -- even to the point of hand-delivering concert tickets to us at the restaurant where we were eating dinner. It was like having a concierge on the tour with us! I highly recommend Vagabond, especially for first-time travelers to Ireland.

We have traveled many times throughout the world but this was our first tour. We loved it. Our guide Niall was exceptional. He presented the culture day to day with rich stories and learned background. He possessed a great sense of humor and lots of energy to keep the group moving. The tour we took was the giant 12 day. It was pretty active but at the same time others could go their own pace, or opt out of a mountain climb or cliff walk for another option. Most of the overnights were in beautiful locations and some ranged from 3 star to 5 start. Our only complaint was two of the places were not at the same standard as the others but most nights it was exceptional. We took advantage of historic walks, horseback riding on the beach, sea kayaking, exploring museums and castles, touring distillery's and enjoying local flavor of culture and of course the pubs. A great trip summed up in a word. FUN. I would do it again.

There aren't sufficient words to describe our tour. My husband, and another couple booked this trip to celebrate both our 20th Anniversaries. IT WAS AMAZING! Though we went at the end of the season which is usually rainy, we had great period of sunshine. The hikes, the history, the landmarks, the accommodations were so good. Our guide, Edel, MADE our trip. She was knowledgeable, fun, funny, a GREAT storyteller and I felt so safe with her. If you get opportunity to go to Ireland, GO WITH VAGABOND! They are the best!

We loved our 6 day End of the World tour in Ireland, and our guide Henry was wonderful! My husband and I have traveled far and often, and don't generally go on tours, but this tour may have changed our minds. The Irish roads are a bit confusing, and I loved being able to relax and enjoy the scenery without worrying about navigating while my husband drove. There were only ten of us travelers, and Henry was able to gauge our interests and change our days a bit according to people's preferences. We traveled early in the season, which was mid April. The weather was great for Ireland- a few cloudy and windy days and then sunny and hi in the high 50's and low 60's, so we got our Irish tans- on the face only! Incredible scenery, and Henry knew just when to stop for hiking and walking, bathroom breaks and wonderful cafe and pastry shops. I loved the bed and breakfasts and the fact that we stayed away from touristy stops; it felt like we were experiencing the hills of Ireland by ourselves. Our van mates were terrific, and this helped to make the trip truly fun!! We highly recommend the Vagabond tours in Ireland. If you want to laugh, be amazed, get a bit of a workout, have fun, and see much of the wonderful and friendly country of Ireland, just do it!!

Vagabond tour- Larry as guide 7 day North by Northwest tour July 8th start date 4.5 stars out of 5 for the entire trip This was my first guided tour in a foreign country, so I was a bit skeptical on whether or not it was for me. I'm generally a "want the flexibility to do what I want" kind of guy, but this vacation I made an exception. Our Guide: Larry was our tour guide, and for past 7 days he was like a distant family member who was proud of his homeland and wanted to convert as many people as possible to the Irish ways. Larry had an answer to almost all our questions regarding local customs and traditions. On a daily basis we got a taste of Irish music sung by Larry himself. Move over Bing Crosby hello Larry! Larry always kept his cool and kept us inline when we attempted to stray from the plan. This will happen when you have 10 different people wanting to do their own thing at times. You could always ask Larry a question, he was never intimidating. He even explained Hurling to us during the provincial semi-finals -Those cheating Kilkarney b*$@&!" Go Waterford! He's also a very good driver. He knows the country back roads very well. Rob lucked out when he hired Larry. Larry is a good egg. Transportation: The "Vagatron", as it's referred as, is a modified Land Rover that will fit 12' but during the trip you will be in the Vagatron quite a bit of driving from one site to another (How else are you going to get around?). We had 10 in our party, and we were comfortable for most of our 1 hour jaunts from location A to B. The rolling and bumpy bog land from Derry to county Donegal, can be a bit taxing if you get car sick, but was well worth the beautiful views of the Irish countryside. You won't see this Ireland from a big bus. I get car sick pretty easy, but I was able to make it. I was sitting in the back during that leg of our tour which is the springiness section of the vehicle. The last day was mostly travel back to Dublin. We did stop to see one site and the ferry ride across to co. Kerry, but it was about it. You ask "What I would have liked?", if tour had an ice chest and that as a group we ponied up a set amount for the trip and had it filled with water, soft drinks and snacks for times we were in the rover. We did stop in towns to stock up, but I think it would have been a value added accessory on the tour. Accommodations: All hotels and B&B's are considered 3 stars. I thought all accommodations were totally acceptable for a shower and sleep. Most of the hotels are kept up-to-date; the older hotels are niche hotels that use skeleton keys and are full of history. We were in our rooms for only 6 hours (at best) due to the local pubs. There was one exceptional B&B and that was the strand house in Portstewart. The rooms, breakfast and the hostess Earnestine were exceptional. This is place where you want to hangout and just relax. It was the first place I had real Irish oatmeal. I would consider staying there a whole week. The Sights and Sounds: Being on the move as much as we were, we had the opportunity to see and participate in the many attractions and beauty that Ireland had to offer. We went on what I would consider a few beginning level hikes, in the country hillsides and bogs. I would call them as easy hikes being an intermediate hiker myself. For example: I would have made St. Patrick's peak in 2 hours, given the large rocks that make the path for at least 1/2 of the trail up to the peak, but only had time to make it up to the saddle, which is still beautiful. Belfast was an education and makes you really reflect on the history of Ireland and tis troubles. The one thing I've learned about my trip to Ireland is that I will reconsider complaining about the small stuff. The Irish have had to make due with very little resources under smothering conditions and for so long. The country side and its people are some of the most beautiful I've seen for a country of little natural resources. Fellow passengers: Like in every tour with people from different walks of life, personalities will come into play, and we had most of them. However the group found a way to play well and enjoy the entire trip as a group. Sure a few folks would hang to themselves, but you'd get sick of me too if you're around the same folks 18 hours a day. Overall I enjoyed all the company in our party. We are even collaborating on a scrapbook. The weather: Was the best weather since 2006! No rain, and the only fog was up north which we drove around. And yes I got an Irish tan. Improvements: Laundry: I only wanted to bring three changes of clothes to Ireland (packing lite on this trip) and unfortunately most of them were for cold weather. If you go on the 7 day tour, take at least 5 days and prepare yourself to do Landry in the r