Since 2002, Vagabond Tours of Ireland has offered small group adventure tours that get travelers off the beaten path for an exciting and enriching experience in the Emerald Isle. The company attracts a wide range of couples, singles and families drawn to experiential activities like hiking, horseback riding and sea kayaking along the Wild Atlantic Way, travelers who also want guided experiences that showcase the best of Ireland’s history and local culture.

“We set out to create a unique way for people to experience the full range of what Ireland is all about,” says Vagabond’s founder Rob Rankin. “Most adventure travel is ‘soft adventure,’ such as walking, cycling, kayaking, the type of adventure that Ireland is so well suited for.

At Vagabond, we’ve paired that with the country’s rich culture and history.”

For travelers who prefer more relaxed sightseeing, Vagabond created Driftwood Irish Journeys of Discovery, which Rankin says is “a small group experience that places more emphasis on culture, history, historic homes and gardens.”

Vagabond experiences are a world away from the traditional “tour” of Ireland that many Americans have experienced, typically a mad dash in a bus or rental car from Donegal to Waterford with barely time for tea in Dublin, all in less than a week. On a Vagabond tour, guests explore a region in depth with a knowledgeable guide, stay in cozy Irish hotels and mingle with the locals in the pub for a bit of craic and some traditional music.

Using custom-designed Land Rovers and taking at most 13 passengers, Vagabond brings travelers well off the beaten path in Ireland. Every day is a different adventure and a different activity, which might include hill walking, horseback riding along an Atlantic beach, sea kayaking in a protected cove or mountain biking in a forest. Some of these activities are optional, with nominal additional charges.

Driftwood Irish Journeys of Discover

In 2011, Vagabond started Driftwood Irish Journeys of Discovery, taking small groups of up to 16 guests in specially-outfitted Volkswagen sightseeing vans. Driftwood is geared for less physically adventurous travelers and is at a more relaxed pace. On a Driftwood tour, the emphasis is on Irish culture and history, with a focus on stately homes, historic sites and gardens.

Driftwood guests are still taken off the beaten path, stay in small Irish-owned hotels and find themselves quickly immersed in Irish life. Driftwood offers 5, 7 and 11 day tours of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Vagabond Adventure Tours of Ireland, www.vagabondtoursofireland.ie