Sustainable & Responsible Tourism in Ireland

We are a certified B Corp, committed to driving forward a more ethical and sustainable business model for the future.

In practice, that means bringing long-term benefits to our guests, our team, our suppliers and their communities.

We have joined a community of over 2600 businesses globally who are certified B Corps.

Local is better. Local is more authentic. Local is more sustainable.

Our small-group tours spend an average of 9 days and 8 nights in rural Ireland. Our providers are locally-owned so the bulk of our guest spend is retained in the community.

Aside from the economic benefits, this approach aims to avoid overtourism. Even better, staying local is more rewarding for you, our guest.

We wanted to make driving an EV to work at Vagabond easier.

Installing a fast car charging point was the first step to achieving this.

Even better, the energy used to charge our cars is generated from...

Our HQ location in the sunny south east of Ireland meant that installing solar power was a no-brainer.

The solar panels installed on our roof in 2019 have helped us lower conventional energy use and, consequently, carbon emissions.

Another reason to feel good when the sun shines!

In 2022, we are planting native trees around Ireland in partnership with Trees on the Land.

This represents a tree planted for every guest who travels with us.

Using native Irish tree species promotes biodiversity and helps foster more effective natural habitats for insects, birds and mammals.

We estimate that we conserve at least 48,000 litres of water per year.

Our tour vehicles are jet-washed ONLY at completion of each tour. We use eco-friendly cleaning products while on tour; Lilly’s Eco Clean internally and NoH20 externally. The micro-fibre cloths are washed with Ecover eco-friendly tablets are stored in washable cloth bags for re-use.

Even our toilets are green! All cisterns at VagaHQ are fitted with 2x 500ml water bottles, reducing the amount required per flush.

All waste generated both on tour and at VagaHQ is recycled.

This includes office paper, card and cardboard, hard and soft plastic, polystyrene, batteries, phones and printer cartridges, metals and glass.

We compost all organic waste. Also 100% compostable are our branded coffee cups, provided free to all tour guests.

We believe our small-group tours are one of the most efficient ways to see Ireland.

All of our tour vehicles use the very latest and most efficient Mercedes turbo-diesel engines. They carry up to 15 people, plus luggage.

The CO₂ emitted per person is relatively small when compared to, say, 2 people driving a rental car.

Our VagaGuides are expertly trained to drive in a smooth, safe and considerate way, further reducing fuel consumption.

Vagabond Tours actively supports staff who want to cycle to work.

Tax-free bikes and e-bikes are available to all of our employees via the Bike To Work scheme.

The net effect is a reduction in traffic congestion and lower carbon emissions.

Moyee are an Irish coffee startup who both source and roast their coffee beans in Ethiopia.

Keeping an extra step of the supply chain at source ensures skills, jobs and added value remain in Africa.

The coffee's delicious too!