Our recent 7-day Driftwood tour was incredible! The small bus tour is the way to go and I can't recommend Vagabond Tours highly enough. Many of the places you visit simply aren't feasible with a larger tour bus. It's so much better with just a dozen or so people. So many fascinating tour stops, so much history to absorb. Some major sites, of course, but many out-of-the-way places and roads where the scenery is non-stop. In addition, the quaint guesthouses are a perfect complement to the tour. We had two guides during our tour, Aisling and Pat. Both were excellent in their own right. Our first guide, Aisling, gave us info on pop culture and the vernacular lessons. Our second, Pat, was absolutely outstanding with his depth and detail on Irish history. He is the perfect soundtrack to fabulous tour; a true walking / talking encyclopedia. 'The folk' are definitely on his side as he managed to arrive at seemingly every destination just as the rain stopped!

A couple of Driftwood 7-day Treasure tour tips for future bookings -
1. Don't opt for a sit-down lunch if you want to see any of the small towns (Tralee, Kenmare, Bantry, etc.) as you have very limited time. Bring snacks and eat as you explore or find some quick take-away sandwiches.
2. Galway is superior to Dingle for general shopping, if you're into that.
3. The Fish Box in Dingle is outstanding! Order 1 starter and 1 main for 2 people (trust me).
4. If the weather is nice on your trip to Garnish Island, skip the house tour (40 min), plenty to see outside.
5. Take the optional driving tour around the peninsula on your Dingle day.
6. Most important - lean on the Vagabond folks prior to booking to find out which tour Pat is doing and book that one!!

Just got home from the most wonderful 11 day tour of Ireland with Vagabond! I echo a recent review from Sherpa... The route, the various town-specific tours selected for us, the amazing historic sites, and the incredible natural beauty of Ireland were all outstanding. Equally outstanding were some of our accommodations - I was scurrying around taking pictures of gardens at several of our hotels! The small tour and bus size allowed for exploring off the main highways and getting to know our guide and fellow travelers - normally I would say "what a hoot", but given we just got back from Ireland, I'll say "what great crack!" Our guide, Andrew Duggan, has set the gold standard. His knowledge and love of history and his country, love of amazing natural places, humor, and willingness to share all that generously with us took this trip over the top. If all of that isn't wonderful enough, we were told the company owner has a policy of offsetting the carbon footprint of each tour by planting native trees! I highly highly highly recommend this tour and company to anyone looking to visit Ireland! (Just read the tips for writing a great review (after the fact) - so I'll add this: What to bring - layers! The weather was great - everything from full sun to full rain and everything in between, sometimes in the same day. Layers!)

Really an EXCELLENT PLUS! Only a few times in life do the planets align for perfection!! Our 11 Day tour was one such time. Breathtaking sites, the Belfast Black Cab tour, the coastal drives, our tour group, the Irish people, the food and accommodations, we could go on with more space. BUT, the #1 highlight was our guide, ANDREW DUGGAN. His enthusiasm, sense of humor, storytelling, knowledge and visible passion for his country, not to mention his driving, made this tour more than excellent. On a scale of 1-5, he gets an 11!!!!!!! Thank you to the company for offering this great tour, and the Leprechauns and pot bellied trolls for giving us Andrew. Andrew went out of his way to accommodate our wants, lost items, family roots, spent time conversing with each of us & kept the coach super clean, even in rain, wind & mud, 100%!!!. ANDREW IS A TRUE AMBASSADOR FOR IRELAND. Special memories because of him!!!

PS: And it all started with Ciara. Her help and ongoing communication got us on the right path to ensure our enjoyment.