Small group tours of Ireland combine adventure, comfort and meaningful connections.
Much like the best Ireland guided tours, our small-group experiences focus on authenticity. By staying at independent hotels and supporting local businesses, our tours deliver real benefits directly to the communities you visit.
With small group tours of Ireland, everyone wins. You, the locals and the landscapes you’ll remember forever.
We saw so many parts of Ireland that we would have never seen without going on the tour and everyday we were in awe of the beauty of Ireland.
On top of that, each day there were amazing activities (hiking, horseback riding, feeding baby lambs, etc.). Our family loved staying at the locally owned hotels. The accommodations each night were excellent. This was one of the most memorable experiences of our life. We fell in love with Ireland because of this tour.
It was the BEST vacation we have ever had! Our guide was a comedian; a historian; a storyteller; a friend and a great person!
We haven't stopped talking about this trip since we came back. We are all introverts and enjoyed both the alone time and group time, it was a perfect combination. I can't say enough great things about this lovely company. We have never had such a great time on a vacation!
This is by far the best way to see Ireland. You get to visit so many different places, learn the history, all while someone else is navigating the small roads.
We hit the jackpot with our guide. Not only did she tell us all the history of Ireland, but she taught us about Irish music and even treated us to some of her own. Not only did we get an experience of a lifetime, but we walked away with new friends. If you are thinking of doing a tour, Vagabond is the company to choose.
Every Vagabond tour group is a small group.
With a strict maximum of 15 guests, our tour guides can focus on you.
Our five star service is next-level!
You'll be on first-name terms with your VagaGuide and travel buddies from day one.
Forget about waiting in long queues.
Small group tours enjoy more time at attractions plus magically fast hotel check-ins.
Wave goodbye to the beaten path!
Our compact minibuses take you where larger tour vehicles don't dare to go.
Reach out and touch Irish history!
Everyone can get up-close, ask questions and hear answers on a small group tour.
Leave a positive impact behind you.
Choose a small group tour to experience Irish communities and landscapes responsibly.
We want your small group tour of Ireland to fit you just right.
Craving adventure? Go for a Vagabond Cultural Adventure. Prefer a relaxed pace? Choose a Driftwood Journey of Discovery.
Not sure which is best? Our tour comparison guide makes it easy.
Only guests on the 12 Day Vagabond Giant Irish Adventure Tour get to land on Skellig Michael.
The following Vagabond & Driftwood tour itineraries can take a boat trip around both Skellig Islands:
We offer two boat-based Skellig Islands activities.
Choose to land on Skellig Michael (€130 - 5 hour duration) or take a cruise around both Skellig Islands (€50 - 2 hour duration).
The Skellig Michael Landing is only available on one tour itinerary:
The shorter cruise circles both islands and is possible as part of the following tours:
Donegal is one of our favourite places to visit in Ireland. We know you'll love it too!
The following tour itineraries explore Donegal.
⛰️ 12 Day Vagabond Giant Irish Adventure Tour
🥾 7 Day Vagabond Magnetic North Adventure
👑 15 Day Driftwood All Ireland Tour
🏞️ 11 Day Driftwood Discover Ireland Tour
💍 11 Day Driftwood Ring of Ireland Tour
🌊 6 Day Driftwood Northern Island Tour
Find out about the other quaint Irish towns and villages we visit
You may be wondering, just what is a small-group tour?
We define small-group as a tour group that can fit on one of our minibuses; they carry a strict maximum of 15 guests.
Other tour operators in Ireland describe their products as 'small group'. However, on closer inspection, they may offer large tour buses with up to a 40-seat capacity. We strongly advise you to check the exact number of guests who will be joining you on tour before you book.
The number of guests on a small group tour depends on the policy of the tour operator.
Make sure you check with your chosen tour operator before booking a small-group tour; the exact number of guests varies between companies.
Vagabond & Driftwood small-group tours never carry more than 15 guests.
We believe small-group tours offer increased service levels from our tour guides and improved experiences for guests in general.
We limit the number of guests on our small group tours of Ireland.
🚐 The maximum group size is 15 for Driftwood Journeys of Discovery and 13 for Vagabond Cultural Adventures
This focus on genuinely small-group tours ensures exceptional quality and personalised service.
The minimum number of guests for our Ireland tours is 2.
Your departure is 100% guaranteed once you have confirmed your tour — as long as there is one other person booked.
Learn more about our departure guarantee
Dreaming of a night in a romantic Irish castle?
The following Driftwood Journeys of Discovery spend at least one night in a castle hotel:
The following Vagabond Cultural Adventures spend at least one night in a castle hotel:
We just know you'll love our historic castle hotels!
The best small group tour of Ireland's Ancient East is the 6 Day Driftwood Great Southern Ireland Tour.
Discover Viking history, Norman castles, and spectacular scenery on this relaxing 6 day tour of a beautiful region.
Other Vagabond & Driftwood itineraries make brief stops in Ireland's Ancient East but focus mainly on other regions.
Learn more about Ireland's touring routes and geography in this informative blog.
The Wild Atlantic Way is one of our favourite routes to tour.
Here are all of the small-group tour itineraries that explore the Wild Atlantic Way.
🏞️ 11 Day Discover Ireland Tour
🎻 8 Day Jigs & Reels Music Tour
🌄 8 Day Wild Atlantic Way Tour
🏰 7 Day Irish Castles & Kingdoms Tour
⛰️ 12 Day Giant Irish Adventure Tour
🗺️ 7 Day World Tour of Ireland
🌊 7 Day Magnetic North Adventure Tour
🥾 5 Day Edge of the World Tour
Learn more about Ireland's geography on our Wild Atlantic Way blog
We currently run 13 scheduled small group tours of Ireland. Our itineraries visit all corners of the island, including Northern Ireland.
Our tours range from 5-15 days in duration. The per person rate ranges from €1,386 to €4,435 in price (excluding single supplements).
Group sizes vary widely between tour operators in Ireland.
Some companies offer large coach tours with up to 60 guests. Small-group tours restrict guest numbers.
At Vagabond and Driftwood Tours, we think small is beautiful.
Taking a small-group tour of Ireland will give you the following benefits:
