Updated December 2025—Are you considering a guided tour of Ireland or would you rather wing it without the help of an expert tour guide?
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For those of you who are hesitant about driving in Ireland and don’t need the added stress that often comes with this, a guided tour is a great alternative.
Guided package tours are also a good way for first-time visitors to get acquainted with the country and see its main tourist attractions.
Here you’ll find information on 7 tour companies to choose from, all of them researched for you by Ireland on a Budget and all of them offering various price points, from budget-friendly providers to more expensive options.
Many them are based in the U.S., but some operate in Ireland.
In addition to these, Aer Lingus also offers vacation packages that are worth looking into.
The total cost of an Aer Lingus vacation includes airfare, accommodation, meals, and transportation. as well as rental car if you choose a package that includes that.
All other tours mentioned in this post exclude the cost of airfare, except for Gate 1 Travel. When different currencies are quoted, the price is based on the current exchange rate as of Dec. 6, 2025.
With that in mind, let’s dive in and learn more about the 7 tour companies in Ireland that you should consider when you’re planning your vacation to the Emerald Isle.
1. CIE Tours
CIE Tours, based in Morristown, NJ, has been around since 1932, which means that they have a lot of experience in the industry.
The company offers package tours to Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales, as well as Italy, Iceland, and Central and Eastern Europe.
CIE Tours also offers multi-destination tours that include Ireland and the country of your choice, be it the Scottish Highlands, England’s Lake District, London, or Iceland.
Its Taste of Ireland Self Drive 7 Days 6 Nights tour is perfect for people who have never been to Ireland before and is currently priced at an affordable $995 per person.
The package includes accommodation, transportation by bus, 6 breakfasts and 2 dinners, as well as a feast in a medieval castle.
This particular guided CIE tour of Ireland begins in Dublin and ends in Shannon, which is where you’ll catch your return flight.
Attractions in between include the Ring of Kerry, the Skellig Experience, a sheepdog demonstration in Killarney, Blarney Castle in Cork, the Cliffs of Moher, and a medieval banquet experience at Bunratty Castle & Folk Park.
Details on other tours can be found on the CIE website.
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2. Vagabond Tours
Vagabond Tours offers two different types of small group tours and is one of the 7 tour companies in Ireland that you should consider.
One of them is called Driftwood Tours, which is a guided tour but with the option to veer off the beaten path every now and again.
Such tours included a tour guide, transportation by coach, a variety of low-key activities, and plenty of free time.
Driftwood Tours can last anywhere from 6 to 11 days.
The 7-day Irish Castles and Kingdoms Tour costs approximately €2,295 per person sharing (about $2,671.90 US/£2,002.58 Sterling/$3,695.18 CAD/$4,025.33 AUD).
That includes most daily activities and visits, transportation to all destinations, accommodation for 6 nights, including a night in the 4-star Ballyseede Castle in Tralee, County Kerry, 6 Irish breakfasts, and tickets to the various attractions that are included in the tour (Blarney Castle & Gardens, the Skibbereen Heritage Centre and Cahir Castle, as well as a guided farm tour and sheepdog demo, and ferry tickets for the Tarbert to Killimer ferry crossing).
By contrast, the Vagabond Tours are for those who want the ultimate adventure in Ireland. That includes exploring the sights but also getting involved in activities like kayaking, surfing, hiking, and cycling.
The company’s 7-day Magnetic North Adventure Tour is a great example of a high adventure tour.
This one leaves from Dublin and takes in many of the popular attractions in Northern Ireland, including a climb of Slieve Gullion mountain, where you will discover one of Ireland’s highest passage tombs; the Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim; day trips to Derry and Belfast; a guided boat trip under the amazing Slieve League Cliffs in County Donegal; a sheepdog demonstration, also in Donegal; exploring the picturesque grounds of Mount Falcon Estate Hotel in County Mayo, as well as horseback riding near the lovely town of Westport.
This trip, beginning at €2,060/$2,398.31 US/£1,797.52 Sterling/$3,316.81 CAD/$3,613.15 AUD per person, is like others offered by Vagabond Tours, offering accommodation, admission for most daily activities and visits, a hearty Irish breakfast each day, transportation, as well as a guided tour of Belfast and a guided tour of Derry’s city walls.
Some of the places where you’ll stay on this tour include the Harbourview Hotel, once owned by Winston Churchill and located in Carnlough, part of the beautiful Coastal Causeway region; the Bishop’s Gate Hotel in Derry; Arnolds Hotel in Dunfanaghy, County Donegal, the Mount Falcon Estate near Ballina, County Mayo, and The Wyatt Hotel in Westport, also in County Mayo.
3. Railtours Ireland
Fancy getting around Ireland by train?
RailtoursIreland offers exactly that, providing approximately 40 tours, everything from 1-day tours to 11-day vacations, leaving Dublin’s historic Heuston Station.
While most of your journey on a Railtours vacation will take place on a train, there are times when you’ll need to transfer to a coach bus, provided by Railtours.
Its popular All Ireland Tour Plus includes the Wild Atlantic Way and Northern Ireland’s Causeway coast. Popular stops on this tour are Cork City, Blarney Castle, the Ring of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara, and the Aran Islands.
The price of this tour is $2,685 US/£2,015.76 Sterling/$3,719.87 CAD/$4,053.60 AUD per person.
The cost includes train tickets, along with a full Irish breakfast each day, as well as bus travel, admission to the various visitor attractions, and accommodation.
Customers who book this tour will receive a complimentary 48-hr Do Dublin Hop On/Hop Off sightseeing tour ticket and a free B&B upgrade in Killarney (subject to availability).
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4. Wild Rover Tours
If you’re looking for historically detailed day tours of Ireland or two-day tours that will take you to the most popular destinations in Ireland (includes Dingle, Ring of Kerry and the Galway area), you might want to take a look at Wild Rover, founded by John and Jacqueline Goldrick.
The couple were inspired to create a tour company based on their own travels, as well as the opportunity to create tours that would focus on authentic Irish experiences.
Pricing might be a tad higher than competitor Paddywagon Tours. However, they are known for offering very polished, structured tours and seem to be popular with American visitors.
Their popular day tours include Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher and Galway City as well as Dublin to the Giant’s Causeway and Belfast City, which also includes a visit to either Titanic Belfast or a Belfast Black Taxi Tour (your choice) and Dunluce Castle, as well as tours to Kilkenny, the Wicklow Mountains and the Glendalough Monastic Site, which also includes a sheepdog trial visit to a local farm.
The cost of day tours ranges from between €40 and €90 per person.
An overnight 2-day tour costs around €210 per person. Those tours are seasonal. Accommodation and breakfast are usually included in the cost.
5. Trafalgar Tours
Like CIE Tours, Trafalgar has been in the travel business for a long time – since 1947, in fact. So, you can expect them to deliver top-quality tours around Ireland and across the world.
In addition to the daily breakfast that you’ll get on a Trafalgar tour, some packages also include dinner.
Keep that in mind when deciding which tour company to choose for your trip to Ireland.
You can book anywhere from 6 days to 23 days with Trafalgar.
Its Best of Ireland tour starts at $2,706 per person (£2,027.51 Sterling/$3,742.34 CAD/$4,076.41 AUD).
It includes 15 cities, 9 breakfasts, 1 lunch, and 4 dinners.
Expect to visit Counties Wicklow, Waterford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Galway, Mayo, and Sligo.
Check out its other Ireland offerings here.
6. Brendan Vacations
With nearly 50 years in the travel industry, the folks at Brendan Vacations know a thing or two about crafting just the right kind of vacation packages for their customers.
The company offers a number of tours including guided vacations, private chauffeur-led trips, self-drive tours, locally hosted rail trips and lux self-drive tours.
There are plenty of vacation packages to choose from, including its 10-day Best of Ireland – Signature tour from $2,706 per person (£2,026.89 Sterling/$3,747.08 CAD/$4,075.19 AUD) as well as its Castles and Manors – Signature tour, from $2,742 per person (£2,053.85 Sterling/$3,796.93 CAD/$4,129.41 AUD).
The above tours include transportation, meals and accommodation.
Brendan Vacations also offer tour packages to Scotland.
7. Gate 1 Travel
Gate 1 Travel is known for its wide-ranging package tours to destinations around the world, including Ireland.
Their 8 Day Essential Ireland is the most affordable package available, with prices starting at $1,949 per person for air & land. It includes 3 nights in Dublin, 1 night in Cork and 2 nights in Killarney, as well as 6 breakfasts and 1 dinner with wine.
I’ve personally taken a number of Gate 1 package tours to other countries and can highly recommend them.
You can find lots more Ireland vacation packages with Gate 1 on the company’s website. Generally speaking, their tours include flight, transportation, and accommodation, and even some meals, so really good value.
Additional Tour Companies that You May Want to Consider
Paddywagon Tours offers economical tours of Ireland that won’t break your budget. That includes many day tours as well as multi-day excursions.
For tourists who want to get a quick snapshot of the tourist attractions outside of Dublin, Paddywagon’s day tours are a great way to do that. They range in price from €33 and up.
If you’re interested in taking a multi-day tour with Paddywagon Tours, there are several to choose from, including tours lasting 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9 days.
Irish Experience Tours – this travel company offers small group tour as well as longer itineraries. Their small group tours are capped at 16 people, and the longer tours are approximately 11-13 days covering a lot of Ireland.
Rabbie’s Tours – small group tours are typically offered by this popular tour company, including short 3-day trips for a maximum of 16 people, which tends to offer a more personal, flexible and intimate experience than large coach tours. They are also known for employing really knowledgeable guides. They also provide tours of England, Scotland, Wales and some European destinations.
Wild N’ Happy Travel – headquartered in Killarney, County Kerry, this tour operator offers day tours, multi-day tours, private tours and self-drive tours. Some of the experiences that you can expect to get from Wild N’ Happy Travels include cycling tours, hiking and walking tours, eco tours, kayaking tours, and more.
Celtic Tours Vacations – this Albany, New York-based travel company that offers escorted tours, self-drive vacations, small group tours, independent trips, B&B packages, golf vacation options, and collaborations with chauffeurs in Ireland. Their 2026 Irish Rose tour includes Northern Ireland, Donegal, Mayo, the Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry and Dublin.
Connect the Dots Tours – founded by Mark Doherty, a member of my Licensed Private Driver Network, this popular tour company is known for offering a wide variety of small group tours that are culturally rich and immersive. Mark hires only guides who have 10+ years of experience guiding.
My Ireland Tours – a family-run business located in County Cork that offers tours of both Ireland and Britain, with 6, 8, 10 and 14-day tour offerings of Ireland; 9 and 14-day tours of Scotland and Ireland; 10 and 18-day tours of Britain and Ireland, as well as specialty castle tours and tours of Northern Ireland.
Overland Ireland – this Galway-based travel company was founded in 2024 by two avid adventurers, Clodagh and Reinier, and today offers a range of small group tours of Ireland as well as private tours for visitors who want a more intimate experience.
You can also find a list of tour companies doing business in Ireland in the above-mentioned Licensed Private Driver Network, which is a compilation of licensed private drivers and tour professionals who cover all corners of Ireland.
Tips for Choosing the Right Vacation Package
- Book with a small group, if possible. If you travel in smaller groups, the chances are you’ll get to experience the more authentic side of Ireland. Plus, the tour company may be able to secure a nicer hotel with a smaller group.
- Try not to book tours where you’re frenetically going from one place to another. Instead, opt for tour companies that give you the chance to stay in one destination for two nights, for example, instead of one.
- Check out the location of the hotel you’ll be staying in. It’s much better if your tour company has you stay in accommodation that is located in the middle of a town or city or at least very close to it so that you can do some exploring by yourself.
- Before you pay, check to see what’s included in the total cost. In addition, ask if that price is set once you make a deposit or pay in full.
- If there are some things that you’ll need to pay extra for, make sure that is detailed upfront so there are no surprises.
- Always read the company’s cancellation policy and other important information that can usually be found on the tour company website.
The tour companies listed above will no doubt answer any questions that you may have.
Go to the contact page on their websites to see how you can reach a customer service agent before you make the final decision.
Have you purchased a package tour? Let me know in the comments section below.
Hi hello, good job I’m happy to read your blog and it’s very useful information thanks for sharing.