Guided Small Group Tours of Ireland

Small group trips to Ireland involve travelling with a group of like-minded explorers while being led by an expert local guide.

Choose Nordic Visitor and your group will be capped at 15 people maximum. This way you’ll be able to get to know your fellow travellers and enjoy a more personal experience while learning from your knowledgeable guide.

Journeying around Ireland in a comfortable minibus also means that you can reach places that large groups and coaches can’t get to.

Exploring with a local tour guide means you’ll have an authentic travel experience in Ireland. Your guide will take you to all the best places, and you’ll discover why Ireland is so special from someone who calls it home. Plus, there will always be an expert on hand to answer any questions you might have.

The best tour for you depends on what you’d like to experience on your ideal Irish getaway. If you want to get a taste of Ireland on a hassle-free, expert-led trip, then our Nordic Visitor guided Ireland tours tick all the boxes.

These are some of the top things to do on small group escorted tours of Ireland:

• • Spend time in Dublin, immersing yourself in the capital’s lively cultural scene
• • Visit famous Irish castles with your guide and learn about their legends and history
• • Head to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most popular stops on the Wild Atlantic Way
• • Soak up beautiful scenery in nature reserves, like Wicklow Mountain National Park
• • Tour Ireland’s oldest distillery, Kilbeggan, and enjoy a dram or two of whiskey
   

You find out more about Ireland’s must-see places and cool Irish facts in these blog articles.

Nordic Visitor welcomes a wide range of guests who can choose from a variety of small group trips in Northern Europe. This means you’ll find that our guests are often varied in age and interests.

It’s good to know that these Irish tours aren’t recommended for families with young children as they include distillery visits. The legal drinking age in Ireland is 18, so anyone aged 17 or under would be unable to take part in a distillery tour.

If you’d like to explore the Emerald Isle with kids, you can check out our expert-curated Ireland self-drive packages. These independent road trip itineraries are ideal for travelling with children as they allow plenty of day-to-day flexibility.

To get the most out of your trip, we recommend being comfortable with walking 1-3 kilometres (0.5-2 miles) over the course of a day.

This will enable you to experience Ireland’s stunning natural landscapes and enjoy each sightseeing opportunity. We also ask that you’re able to carry your own luggage onto the minibus each day.

If you’re not sure whether a trip is right for you, please contact us for more information before booking.

Breakfast is provided each morning, so you can begin each day with plenty of energy. And depending on the trip, a number of your evening meals will also be included. You can see exactly which meals are part of your tour package in the “what’s included” tab.

Fine dining may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Irish food and drink. But thanks to the country’s extensive coastal larder you’ll find a variety of tasty seafood on most menus. Think mouthwateringly fresh shellfish and lobster.

Don’t worry if seafood isn’t for you though, as there will be plenty of other options to choose from.

As part of your tour, you’ll be able to sample some local whiskey. There will also be plenty of opportunities to order a pint of Guinness, perhaps Ireland’s most iconic tipple, during your trip.

If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know when you book so we can make arrangements before you arrive.

Our travel experts have handpicked each of the hotels, B&B’s and guesthouses you’ll be staying in based on excellent reviews, personal experience and comfort. So you can be assured that your room will be a restful place to spend the evening after a day of adventure.

It’s also good to know that because you’ll often be staying in historic properties, your room size is likely to vary from one night to the next. And as these properties don’t have lifts, you might need to use stairs to get to your room.

While triple rooms aren’t available, you can choose between single, twin and double rooms on your trip. Please get in touch with us if there are 3 or more people on your booking and we’ll be able to assist you with room types.

You can bring one suitcase or large bag per person for your overnight items. It’s also a good idea to bring a small rucksack for your daily essentials. This way you’ll always have items such as your camera, extra layers and wallet to hand.

Throughout the trip, your luggage will travel with you on the minibus. So when you arrive at a new overnight stop, we ask that you please take your bag to your room. And that you bring it back onto the minibus the following morning for the next stage of your journey.

Each of our minibuses has been chosen so that you can travel between stops in comfort on your guided tour. And although our vehicles can seat 17 people, we only allow up to 15 guests onboard to ensure there’s plenty of space.

Most of our tour buses are designed to accommodate the standing height and seating room of someone who’s just above 6 feet (183 centimetres). This means that even many of our taller guests can travel with ease.

There will also be plenty of comfort breaks along the way where you can stretch your legs and enjoy some fresh air. This is also a good time to pause and snap photos of the stunning surroundings.

Tipping is entirely up to you. In Ireland providing a gratuity for your tour guide is not expected. Of course, if you’d like to show your gratitude with a tip, we’re sure your guide will appreciate it.

The answer to this really depends on how you’d like to experience Ireland. On a Nordic Visitor small group tour, you’ll enjoy a stress-free trip where we take care of all the planning for you.

Choosing a guided tour package means you can relax from the moment you touch down in Ireland. With your local guide at the wheel, all you have to do is sit back, take in the views and experience the local culture. This is perfect if you want to get an insider’s insight into a destination and would prefer not to drive on your trip.

You can also rest easy knowing that we only partner with reliable suppliers, so your accommodation and excursion providers will be of a high standard. This peace of mind, along with small group sizes, makes guided trips ideal if you’re travelling solo to Ireland but like exploring with company.

Discover why a guided tour of Ireland is one of the best small group trips in Europe for solo travellers.

On the other hand, if you prefer the freedom of seeing the sights at your own pace, then we recommend checking out these self-drive tours in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Scotland is another top Celtic destination. So if you have 2 weeks, or even 3 weeks, for your getaway, why not combine your visit to the Emerald Isle with a trip to Scotland? You can browse our Scotland and Ireland self-drive tour packages for inspiration.

Of course, it’s easy to extend your stay in Ireland by adding extra nights in Dublin when you book your trip online. You can enjoy more time in this vibrant city by spending additional nights here before or after the guided portion of your tour.

If you have already booked your package and would like to add extra nights, please contact your travel expert. They will be able to assist with your request.

Yes, you can choose your preferred start date from each tour’s calendar of scheduled departures. If you’re booking online, you’ll be able to see how many places are left on each departure. And remember, each tour operates with a maximum of just 15 guests.

We advise checking what flights are available before booking your trip. But it’s best to wait until your travel consultant confirms your tour package by email before buying flights.

If you have missed out on flights, please get in touch and we’ll do our best to accommodate a change of dates.

The weather in Ireland is known for being changeable, meaning you’re likely to experience a variety of conditions. So come prepared for rain or shine, and you’ll be able to explore your surroundings no matter the weather.

As well as with your main suitcase, we recommend bringing a daypack. You can use this to carry spare layers along with daily essentials, such as your wallet, umbrella, camera, water bottle and snacks.

This packing list is a good place to begin:

• Walking boots or shoes with good grip
• Waterproof jacket and trousers
• Insulated jacket
• Warm fleece or jumper
• Light base layers
• Warm hat, scarf and gloves
• Rucksack
• Sunglasses
• Umbrella
• Reusable water bottle

For seasonal tips and more information on what to bring with you, read this handy Ireland packing guide. And to make sure you have the right plug attachments, check our guide to electricity and adapters in Ireland.