Vagabond Tours was the most amazing company to work with. Right from my first inquiry email their... read more
Vagabond Tours was the most amazing company to work with. Right from my first inquiry email their... read more
My husband and I just got back from a Vagabond Driftwood Discover Ireland Tour. Can’t say enough... read more
Our 7 day tour was wonderful. The small group was so manageable, the van comfortable, and the two guides were fabulous. Sam the Storyteller wove Ireland’s recent history and ancient lore together seamlessly, and quite magically. Edwina spoke with the authority of one who not only is a savvy native, but has listened to stories as she roamed across the country. Professional, competent, they were wonderful. Our accommodations were 4 star, but located in beautiful smaller towns. Vagabond has made great effort to reduce their environmental impact. Water bottles were provided, as were recyclable coffee go cups. I really appreciated their respect for the beautiful land we were touring.
Hello Adventure138611, thank you for your review and recognizing our strong ethos around trying to be sustainable. Presently we are the only Irish Tour Operator to have achieved Gold Level Status Eco Tourism Ireland Award. Our tour guides are amazing, they really do bring their own personalities and interests into their job, so no two tours are ever the same! Kind regards, Rob Rankin, Owner.
Our group of 3 couples signed up for the 7 day "world tour of Ireland". We choose this tour company based on the number of outdoor activities and adventures available to us. We were very happy with the itinerary, activities available for us to participate in and all of the accommodations. Our guide was terrific and made the trip all the more meaningful. I recommend this tour company without any reservations.
Hello spokanemom2, thank you for your review and any future recommendations you may be able to make on our behalf. At Vagabond, we like to spend lots of time outside, being active and enjoying the wonderful scenery. Thank you, Rob Rankin, Owner.
We were on the 8 day Vagabond tour that went clockwise. We had a great guide in Carmel. For our first vacation in Ireland, it was just about perfect for what we wanted. We had a few days to ourselves first in Dublin (always recommended) and as part of that we took a separate 1 day trip to Giants Causeway and the Titanic exhibit in Belfast (both great) - but that was not with Vagabond.
Our tour was the active/overview that we really wanted. We hiked a LOT and did a vigorous bike ride through Killarney National Park. A few of us kayaked at Dingle, a few others did horseback riding, many of us took the boat trip out to the Skelligs (unfortunately landing wasn't possible for the hike up the island due to very rough waters) but even seeing Skellig Michael up close was fascinating. And plenty of time to shop and eat/drink! We frequently stopped "for a pint" after an active afternoon.
There are places I definitely wish we could have stayed longer -- I really wanted to walk/hike at Gougane Barra, one of the remotest-seeming places we were at, and even with 2 nights at Dingle, I wanted more time for hiking. We took a recommended hike toward the lighthouse from the hotel early one morning and had a beautiful walk - wish we could have done more! Spanish Point was a beautiful area and felt our time there was way too short. This is in no way a critique of Vagabond, since the nature of the tour is an overview. I'd highly recommend Vagabond.
The only very minor quibbles I wrote separately to Vagabond about was a request for power charging capabilities on the van -- we did charge up at night and I had a portable charger with us on the van and tried to share it, we would have loved to just plug in during van rides; and a request for Vagabond to exert a little pressure on some of their hotels and inns to use secure WiFi - even the larger hotel at Dingle was unsecured. Again, these are minor quibbles and the trip was fantastic.
Hello Debdeb, thank you for your review of the Vagabond 8 Day Wild Irish Rover Tour, this is our National Geographic award winning tour, so its always good to hear our guests enjoying it. We try and balance the hikes with the other soft adventure options to take part in. We take on board your comment about charging points, it would seem it is becoming more of the norn as a request. Kind regards, Rob Rankin, Owner.
Wish there were more than 5 stars to rate this tour and our tour guide Mark. The whole small group tour of Ireland was amazing! My husband and I can’t rave enough about what a great time we had and what we learned, saw and experienced! Everything about the tour was superb. The tour gave us a chance to really experience the real Ireland. Our lodgings were not just hotels, but warm, friendly accommodations, including the “haunted” castle. The tour was run professionally, with attention to every detail. Our tour guide was warm and friendly as well as extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. We can’t say enough good things about this tour and our guide!
Hello Resort664736, thank you for your review of the 11 Day Driftwood Discover Ireland Tour. We like to showcase the real Ireland and ensure you have an authentic experience. We have the best Vagaguide team!
As a return visitor to Ireland and as a seasoned traveler, who has taken over 20 tours around the world, there is no question that the guide makes the tour. We hit the jackpot with Mark Doherty, "the renaissance man". He entertained our group every day with songs, poetry, Irish history, culture, current events and that quick Irish wit! He always went out of his way to consider the group's interests and desires, to make the tour significant and memorable for each and every person in our group. His keen ability to time our stops, at the popular tourist sights to avoid the crowds was terrific, but his ability to assess our group interests and include smaller venues that he thought we would appreciate was really considerate. He is a gem!
Our hotel accommodations were fine, with great cuisine and our lunch stops were also great. The tour pace was perfect and included enough time for shopping and wandering around the towns to experience every day life in rural Ireland. An itinerary that includes the North is not common among Ireland tours and was politically insightful and the scenery was magnificant.
Vagabond's emphasis on sustainability is admirable. In all aspects, Vagabond small group tours of Ireland has got it!
Hello Ann Marie, wow such a lovely review from a seasoned, savvy traveler is very much appreciated, thank you. Mark is super, as are all our guides, he really can do it all, sing, guide and tell the history of Ireland. We love going off the beaten track and showcasing all the secrets Ireland has to offer. Kind regards, Rob Rankin, Owner.
Hiking through valleys and cliff tops with incredible views ( Cliffs of Moher, Giants Causeway, Slieve League). Biking through national forest. Sea kayaking in search of Fungi the dolphin. Kissing the Blarney Stone. Horseback riding in the rain. Picnics on the beach and in secret places where we had the whole place to ourselves. Front row seat watching David Geaney toe-tapping at his parents’ Dingle Pub. Visiting a sheep farm to see how sheep dogs are trained and be amazed. May the force be with you on Skellig Island, Last but not least, forming new friendships and sharing a few pints with the small group of travelers.
Hello Mai, what a wonderful way to sum up a Vagabond Cultural Adventure Tour! Sounds like you really got to experience all that Ireland has to offer. Thank you for the review, Rob Rankin, Owner.