Our Driftwood Tour was amazing. Having a small group made the adventure so much more fun. We took the Ancient East Tour that is now called the Southern Tour. Our guide was Andrew. He was very diligent to tend to our needs and show us all the beautiful and historic sites. His wit was contagious. Our group was always laughing and having a great time. Having a smaller vehicle let us explore places that big buses couldn’t reach. One day it rained quite a bit. Our guide was able to pivot and take us to other amazing sites. It was refreshing to sit back and have the tour company take care of all the tours, hotel reservations and set up lunch locations. We also enjoyed a shared photo app that allowed us to share all our photos. My only dilemma is what trip to book with them next.

This was our first visit to Ireland and our experience with Vagabond Tours was phenomenal! I want to compliment the organization on their communication. All emails were answered in a very timely manner and a couple of occasions when I did make a telephone call the phones where answered right away and I never had to leave a voicemail. Booking and payment was a breeze. The tour truly met our expectations and was enjoyable throughout. Our guide Denise was wonderful and was treasure trove of knowledge on the history and lore of the country. Her personal stories added to our enjoyment and experience. The drives between the sites and attractions was never excessive and it was great to know and have everything taken care of by Vagabond when we arrived. It was nice to be able to step out of the van enjoy the sights without having to stand in line for tickets. The lodging was fantastic at every stop. I appreciate that we stayed in cozy private inns that truly made us feel welcome and part of the community. When meals were include they were always filling and delicious. In the end, we had a great time and saw more of Ireland than we ever could had we done this by ourselves. If you are thinking of booking a tour like this to Ireland, keep Vagabond/ Driftwood at the top of your list, you won’t be disappointed.

5 Day Vagabond Edge of the World Tour: I had a great time. The only disappointment, probably just for me, was that I didn't get to see the grykes and clints of the Burren. But Shane was a great guide, informative and with his own special sense of humor. He seemed to easily adapt our tour to a change in any situation. One example, the day of the sheep dog trial demonstration and Shamus' (sp?) performance, which was my favorite visit. Being in a small group was a definite plus. If I return to Ireland, I would choose Vagabond again.

I really enjoyed this trip. Ireland is amazing. I'd love to return. The tour was diverse and entertaining. Getting to walk about was excellent. Our tour guide was great. Amusing and adventurous. Thanks so much for providing this experience.

We did the 5 day tour but it was not listed as an option on the review list. The tour was wonderful. Our guide Shane Kelly was wonderful, funny, hardworking, and a wealth of knowledge on the history of Ireland. The small group experience was so fun, you get to form relationships with the entire tour group, which makes every adventure more meaningful.

I had an amazing time. Ireland was such a stunningly beautiful country, with cultural and historical roots that go so much deeper than I ever imagined, and Vagabond Tours was the perfect way to get the experience I wanted. The 7-day world tour was a perfect blend of culture, history, and nature outings. TL;DR Great way to see Ireland for a fantastic price, with small groups and excellent lodgings and guides. I would absolutely recommend this tour company and if I go back to Ireland, I will probably try the Magnetic North tour, since it gets the Northern half of the island that I didn’t get to see on the 7-day World Tour. Itinerary - We left from Dublin and made a clockwise (normally it’s counter-clockwise) circuit of the Southern half of Ireland. You can look online for the exact stops, which include the big names everyone’s heard of, but what I really came to love are the lesser-known stops we made that most tourists probably miss, spots like Kilkee Cliffs, Cahergal stone fort, Annascaul Lake, stone circles and fairy trees, and so much more. I think these side stops probably depend somewhat on the guide and the weather too, so you might see different places on every run. Lodgings (5/5) - So I will say up front that not every hotel was a 5-star luxury suite. Some of the places were a bit more sparse than some people may like (i.e. hot water or heating issues), but every place would make up for it with the great food or fantastic location. From what I understand, Vagabond partners with these hotels in these towns and villages that don’t normally get as much tourist traffic, and do so in a sustainable personal way so that everyone wins: local economy gets a boost, Vagabond (I’m guessing, correct me if I’m wrong) gets some deals and sustainable partnerships that keep guests happy, and we as guests get sweet authentic locations with character and charm. Transportation (4/5) - It was a very large van or a very small bus “suped up” for off-roading (it even has a snorkel). It was a nice size that let us get to places that large coaches can’t go. It was mostly comfortable, though there are some spots right over the axle and the last row of seats that wouldn’t be great. We had a group of 10 that left a couple open spaces for bags and such, but in the summer with a full load, I imagine the drives could get fairly uncomfortable, but it was fine for us in October with a less-than-full group. Guides (5/5) - The tour guides we had were fantastic, wonderful people with whom I felt perfectly comfortable. Due to driving hour limitations, we had Tim for the first part of the trip, who then traded off with Brendan for the 2nd half. Tim is an absolute master of his craft, a charming funny guy who really emphasized the mythology and almost spiritual side of Ireland, and combined that with a deep love for nature that was infectious. Brendan is a bit more subtle, and I was continually amazed at his knowledge of the local area: local heroes, economics, history, politics, all fused with the kind of down-to-earth pragmatism that is near and dear to my heart. I greatly enjoyed our chats in between destinations and admire them both very much. Tour Group (5/5) - Let me preface this by saying I’ve traveled with full-size coach tours before, and it always left a bad taste in my mouth, the cliques and little tribes that form, and an overall sense of estrangement that I personally encountered. With the small size of our group, i really brought all of us together, and everybody got along splendidly. Honestly, the group of people on this tour were all so great, and it’s really thanks to them that a great trip was elevated to an unforgettable one. I give credit to Vagabond as well for how they train their guides to really shepherd the group socially to try and amplify cohesion and bring people out of their shells. It’s subtle and smart business. Cheers to them. Anecdotes - Just a couple little flavor things that I think fly under the radar, things you don’t find on the brochure. The weather was mostly good, but a few days were pretty stormy and even cancelled pretty much all of our water activities. The locals reassured us that we have to look at it positively, that the rain is a very big part of the Irish experience and daily life and we should look at it as adding authenticity to our trip. The rain also presented us some opportunities for crazy experiences, like hiking and getting soaked, and getting to really hear and see stormy seas smashing against the high cliffs at Kilkee or Bray Head. The energy of those places was something I’ve never experienced before, especially as a native of the Rocky Mountains who knows nothing of the sea. Just a quick Tim anecdote, after I came down from kissing the Blarney Stone, Tim gave me this mischievous look and said something like, “Oh yeah I can tell. I see something in your eye there, a sparkle. You must have the gift of gab!” His stories about leprechauns and fairies were very entertaining and enriching, better and older than anything you’d get from J.R.R Tolkien’s world. Very quick, very funny, and such a cool guy. Last one, when we were staying in Dingle, another member of the group and I joined Brendan over in O’Sullivan’s Courthouse Pub, as authentic a pub as you could ever imagine, with a low ceiling, barrel tables scattered around, and a humming mix of patrons. We stayed for some live music by two locals, an unassuming gentleman in a flat cap who was an absolute master on the guitar, and a woman whose beautiful vocals were so lovely that she could spellbind the entire pub, everyone falling silent to listen whether they wanted to or not. I was in awe of them both. I greatly enjoyed Brendan and the other guest’s company. One of the other patrons we were chatting with started buying us rounds, and all in all it ended up as one of my favorite parts of the trip. If you go on this. Tour, make sure you really try and look. For experiences that are uncharted, not found in the brochure. You’ll be glad you did.

Our guide Shane was top notch! He had a very diverse group and made sure everyone had a vote in the extra special options he found for us every single day. Loved our side jaunts to a lamb orphanage- serotonin was wayy up after that :) Annascaul lake was stunningly beautiful and the history he taught us in a fun way added so much depth to our experience. I wish we had spent less days in Dublin and more days on tour with Shane!! One note- the hotel in Dingle was a let down after the amazing experience at the Armada Hotel near Spanish Point Beach. Suggestion would be to let that one off your list of options and see if you can find better, maybe something with a space to lounge near a fireplace, during those cozy, curl up, rainy days.

My wife and I went on the 5 day Edge of the World tour, and we were extremely pleased with our experience. Denise was a great host - always engaging, providing great information and fun stories, and expertly navigating through the winding roads of western Ireland. We had a fun group of 13 where you felt like you could engage with the group or simply go off on your own and there was no pressure either way. It was great not having to book the hotels or do a ton of research. The hotels were wonderful, the selection of activities was great, and we were surprised how much we enjoyed the food. We highly recommend Vagabond and hope to do another tour in the future!

I have never before been on such an amazing trip. Their were 15 of us explorers mainly people from USA and me from AUS (Australia). We all got along briliantly and have made friends for life, Our driver/guide Angela Gavigan was absolutely amazing and make sure we all had a great time. What a wonderful time we all had, we have all stayed in touch and look forward to catching up together again one day.

The 6 Day Northern Ireland Tour was fabulous! Great hotels, food, the places we visited were all well planned and so interesting and beautiful. Donegal, a sheep farm, Derry, Belfast, Titanic Museum, Giant’s Causeway. So many places visited. The guide/driver Philip really made the trip. His knowledge of the history of both Ireland and Northern Ireland were incredible. I learned so much, travelled with great people and made memories that will last a lifetime. I can’t recommend this company highly enough. Philip was so accommodating, personable and friendly. I will definitely travel with Vagabond again. We also had the Photo Circle App where we were able to share pictures and contact information.

I don’t have enough words to describe the positive comments I have for Vagabond tours. The van was clean and comfortable, our guide was amazing, entertaining and informative, and Vagabonds business model of small groups being taken to beautiful places that were not packed with tourists, having time to explore but also opportunity for education, history, and engagement with local educators, artisans and business owners was even better than I was expecting. Ireland is magical, its residents are welcoming and friendly, and the scenery is stunning. Our only responsibility on the tour was to enjoy ourselves, and the only tough decision was what wonderful meal to order at night, because all the choices sounded and were proven to be, delicious!

Cannot say enough good things wonderful things about my Vagabond tour. Our guides Tim and Brendan were both amazing. The sights and activities planned were great. The bus was comfortable, and our group was fabulous. This was my first group tour and I am already looking to when I can book another through Vagabond. Onto the north of Ireland next!

I took the Vagabond Driftwood 11 Day Discover Ireland tour in October 2023. I did a great deal of research before booking with Vagabond and I had high hopes for the experience. I can honestly say that this tour exceeded my expectations!!! Our Guide, Dave Lee, was exceptional in every way. He explained the history of each place we stopped at and of Irish history in general; explained the day’s itinerary; answered the many many questions we asked; gave us recommendations for food, music, shopping etc. He has a wonderful gift for storytelling, a delightful sense of humour and the ability to gauge how each person was feeling. He went out of the way to honour any requests and to personalize the tour. He took careful notes of requests and researched new places along the way. He is a true gentleman and takes his responsibilities very seriously. He is also an excellent driver, which is an added bonus especially on the narrow, twisting back roads. He made our experience a 10+++ This itinerary covers the very best of Ireland and kept us quite busy, but there was also plenty of time to relax or explore on our own. On a bus designed for 16 passengers, there were only 13 of us. The seating was very comfortable and there was plenty of storage options. The huge windows allowed for excellent viewing. The hotels we stayed at were very good to exceptional as were the full breakfasts. I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful Vagabond is, from all their communications through to delivery of a wonderful experience! Highly recommend!

What an introduction to Ireland. Our guides Tim and Brendan made our experience educational, fun and beyond our expectations. They really try hard to insure that each guest is getting what they need from the tour. We experienced places and things that we never could have if we planned the trip on our own, and neither one of us had to drive. We had never been on a group tour before and are glad we chose Vagabond.

The tour was Driftwood 11 day discover Ireland tour. The whole tour from start to finish was fantastic. Learned so much from our wonderful tour guide Thomas who was so easy going. Travelling solo I really appreciated my wonderful American travelling companions who were a heap of fun & I felt safe at all the beautiful accommodations & destinations, even going out at night in the local area by myself. Loved all of the off the beaten track locations. Small group allowed a much more comfortable & intimate tour. Cannot recommend Vagabond locally owned business enough. Thank you to all the team.