FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions About our Irish Tours

The good news is Ireland is now open for international travellers who are fully vaccinated or have the EU Digital Covid Certificate (DCC).

Adult travellers who arrive in Ireland with proof of vaccination or the DCC will have no travel-related testing or quarantine requirement.

If you don’t carry valid proof of vaccination or the EU Digital Covid Certificate when you arrive in Ireland from a country to which the emergency brake hasn't been applied, you will need to:

• Present evidence of a negative PCR test result within 72 hours prior to arrival into the country;
• Self-quarantine at an address provided on the Passenger Locator Form (this will be subject to spot checks);
• Undergo post-arrival testing, provided by the Irish health service.

A mandatory 14 day hotel quarantine is only required if you arrive in Ireland without proof of vaccination from a country to which the emergency brake mechanism has been applied.

What’s the Emergency Brake?

The EU will apply an 'emergency brake' mechanism to countries where Covid-19 and/or variants of concern are becoming widespread.

If you arrive in Ireland from a country to which this mechanism has been applied, you will have to undergo some form of quarantine. This will be dependent on your vaccination status.

The emergency brake mechanism will be continually assessed by the EU based on the spread of variants. All relevant updates will be posted here. Confirmed 2021 guests will be notified directly of major changes.

Read the official Irish government advice on travelling to Ireland during the pandemic

Adult travellers who arrive in Ireland must show either a valid EU Digital Covid Certificate (more details below) or valid proof of vaccination from their home country (if not part of the EU or participating partner countries).

In Northern Ireland, a self-isolation period of up to 10 days is currently applicable to all travellers whose journey has originated in the U.S. or Canada, as well as these other restrictions.

Unfortunately, these restrictions apply regardless of your vaccination status due to the current ‘amber’ status of both the United States and Canada on this UK government 'traffic light' list.

For Returning US Citizens

Before boarding a flight to the United States, all air passengers, including US citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have either:

All travellers arriving in Ireland must show proof of vaccination OR a valid EU Digital Covid Certificate (DCC) to avoid quarantine.

As a result, we expect the number of unvaccinated guests on our tours in the 2021 season to be negligible.

Can I Get Tested At Dublin Airport?

Yes. Dependent on time and the requirements of your country/airline, you can get tested at Dublin Airport before your departure.

Two private companies, RocDoc Health Check and Randox are providing RT-PCR and rapid/antigen testing at Dublin Airport.

You will need to book the service in advance, leaving enough time to get tested and make your way through security.

Read more about this service and the booking process on the Dublin Airport website

Testing Centres in Dublin City/Downtown

If you have a little more time in Dublin before your departing flight, we would recommend getting tested in the city.

No matter where your hotel is in Dublin, there are plenty of test facilities available.

A number of testing centres are within easy walking distance of our tour drop-off point at the Grand Canal Hotel.

Check our list of Covid-19 testing centres in Dublin [pdf, 115kb]

The welfare of our guests and staff, as well as that of the communities we visit, will always be paramount.

While Ireland may be fully reopened at the time of your tour — and the legendary Vagabond craic is guaranteed — we have put precautionary measures in place to keep everyone safe:

Travel is not currently recommended to the United Kingdom (UK) from the USA.

This is due to a recent surge in Delta variant cases there.

If you're from the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, travelling for the sole purpose of tourism and staying less than 3 months in Ireland, you do not need a visa.

From a different country? Check the visa requirements on the official Irish government website.

If in doubt, please contact the Irish Immigration Service. Alternatively, contact the Irish embassy or consulate in your home country.

Vagabond Cultural Adventure Tours are centred around adventure activities. We think you'll enjoy them if you're an active person with at least a moderate level of fitness.

More detail on Vagabond adventure activities:

The minimum number for our tours is two people.

In normal times your departure is 100% guaranteed once you've booked your tour (as long as there is one other person booked). Prior to the pandemic we had never ever cancelled a tour.

The maximum group size is 13 for active Vagabond Tours.

The maximum group size is 15 for relaxed Driftwood Tours.

We welcome lots of solo travellers on tour. Take one of our small group tours for a hassle-free way to explore Ireland and meet new friends.

Read more about solo travel with us in Ireland

Anytime is a good time to visit Ireland!

All of our tours leave from our pick-up/drop-off point at the Grand Canal Hotel in Dublin.

Our pick-up times from the Grand Canal Hotel vary by tour:

We require a deposit of €100 per person of the tour price to secure your booking.

The remaining balance is due 30 days before departure. If there is less than 30 days until departure when you book, full payment is required.

Find out more on our Book A Tour page

All ages enjoy our tours.

However, there's a minimum age of 8 years old for a scheduled tour. Do you have younger children? Check out our private family tour page.

We have two types of tours: active Vagabond and relaxed Driftwood.

Our relaxed and easy-paced Driftwood Tours range in length from 6-11 days.

Our active and adventurous Vagabond Tours range in length from 5-12 days.