fantastic. we went to out of the way places where there were no people or tourist. the tour guide was funny, smart, knowledgeable, and patience. Edwina was great. lots of the people shopped for souvenirs but my wife and I spent all our time exploring everything. here is the deal i came home and got the stuff online without paying duty on it. we did the 7 day tour and enjoyed it all. would have like to do even more out of the way places. fitbit said we walked 100 miles in 9 days. great. we saw an ancient 6000 year old stone ring at the corner of no and where. what a beautiful setting. mountains, pristine lake waterfall, rushing creeks and nobody but us. Cool. Blarney castle had great gardens but to many people to go inside but that's OK Dingle town was great and the Skellig hotel has the greatest view over the bay. lots of music in Dingle town.

I took the Driftwood 7 day Treasure Ireland Tour with my parents in October 2015. I enjoyed it so much, I've already booked a second tour soon with the same company. In fact, the only problem with this tour is you will want to go back again as soon as it’s over. Ireland is unforgettable and Vagabond/Driftwood make it even more so!

Although I've resisted group travel in the past, I never could have arranged such an efficient, diverse itinerary on my own. We hit all the big spots-- Blarney Castle, Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, Aran Islands-- but also saw some unexpected hidden gems that ended up being favorites – beautiful Gougane Barra, Bantry House, seal spotting in Glengarrif, tropical gardens on Garnish Island, sheep herding demonstration, and a mystical stone circle in the middle of a farmer's land. Plus we were able to relax and take in the scenery rather than worrying about driving and navigating. I also really appreciated the focus on meeting and supporting local merchants and craftsmen. I feel like we got to see more of the real Ireland with this tour, not a commercialized, touristy version where every stop is designed to sell cheesy souvenirs.

There were 11 people total on our tour- a mix of couples, parents and adult children, friends, and solo travelers, ranging in age from 20's to 80's, from all over the U.S. Part of the fun of the tour was getting to know each other. We really felt like family by the end. Our guide (Nick) was excellent- very funny and laid back. We never felt like we were being herded from one place to the next. It felt more like traveling with a fun new (extremely knowledgeable) Irish friend. His personal stories, perspective, and insight added so much to our experience.

The hotels we stayed at were a nice blend of country houses, town center properties, and even a castle, and were perfect for what we needed at the end of a long day- clean, friendly staff, good beds, nice showers, Wi-Fi, good pubs close by (often with live music) and hearty breakfasts. There can be variations in room sizes, but that comes with the period buildings, and it all seemed to even out with our group by the end.

We usually ate lunch together as a group, and ended up having most of our dinners together, too. There were not always multiple restaurant options at meal times due to location and scheduling, and food was a little more expensive than I'd expected... but also way, way tastier. (I'm still dreaming of the Irish goat cheese). It certainly banished my preconceived notions of potatoes and corned beef and cabbage!

Finally, I will add that although Driftwood is the less active option compared to Vagabond, there was still plenty of (mostly optional) walking on this tour. I wore my fitbit and averaged between 15,000-20,000 steps each day (about 7-10 miles of walking). This much activity is not a requirement, but if you are worried this tour means sitting on a bus all day, rest assured you can find a way to work off all that Guinness!