One of the reasons why travelers dislike travel packages is they find them restrictive and inflexible. Packaged trips don’t really give you a say on the itineraries, accommodation, restaurants, or stops along the way.
The only real advantage of these packages is they take you from point A to point B, without you having to do all the driving.
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Irish Tours for Independent Travelers
Fortunately, there are travel companies offering alternatives to the standard ‘travel package’.
These alternatives appeal to those with the independent traveler’s mindset. They want you to see the best places in a convenient way, but also enjoy the destinations according to your taste and the type of experience you are after.
Do you identify with that type of traveler?
If so, then let’s see what choices you have in Ireland!
How can you go on a ‘safe adventure’ following your own rules in Ireland?
We’ll be talking about Rabbie’s Tours today, a company that has specialized in delivering these types of experiences for the last 24 years.
Following their success in organizing small off-the-beaten-path group tours in Scotland, they decided to embark on an Ireland adventure in 2007. So, they’re relatively new to Ireland, but with lots of experience.
They create niche tours that also manage to appeal to many.
So…
What is the formula for the success of Rabbies' Tours?
These are the pillars of Rabbies' Tours success:
- They know the places they visit like the back of their hands. Based on that knowledge, they build lovely itineraries and tour routes. Then, once on the tour itself, not everything is set in stone: they can take a detour, make a further stop along the way, allow more time in one place… These changes are based on the group’s feedback, requests, and tastes, and the guide’s personal expertise.
- They admit they’re obsessed with quality. This also explains why they don’t offer one day tours to Northern Ireland or to the Cliffs of Moher from Dublin. The demand for these tours is huge. However, that travel style, where you cover enormous travel distances in a small amount of time without many stops or fun along the way doesn’t match Rabbie’s values.
- They only organize small group tours of up to 16 passengers. They believe it’s the only way they can guarantee authentic personal experiences.They go off the beaten path as much as possible.
- Travelling on a mini-coach allows them to take the country roads and get to the marvelous Irish hidden gems.Travel your way” is their motto. You can choose your accommodation or let them help you find it, skip or visit an attraction, go for a budget restaurant, or pamper yourself with a luxury meal. None of these things are included on their tours, so you can truly customize your experience and travel your way.
- Their guides are the best storytellers. They carefully select their driver-guides for their passion, knowledge of Ireland, and ability to be informational but fun at the same time.
You can see Rabbies' selection of Ireland tours here.
And if these are not customized enough for you, they even offer the choice of private tours (totally tailor-made).
A big thank you to Rabbie's Tours for sharing their experiences with us today. Wishing them a very happy summer touring Ireland this year. I really appreciate the lovely photos they provided for this post.
Irish Tour Companies to Review
Here are some other Irish tour companies you may be interested in...
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The Best Time to Visit Ireland
Thanks for following my recipes and ramblings.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
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Sheila
This looks like a good company for planning a less expensive trip to Ireland. Thanks for the information.
Irish American Mom
Hi Sheila - Glad you found this helpful.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Kay G.
I want to go on one of their tours! I truly do!!
My nephew and his wife went to Ireland last year for their honeymoon! You know they loved it!!
They are now expecting a baby in August, it will be a boy!
Irish American Mom
Hi Kay - Lovely to hear you're going to be a great auntie very soon, and that your nephew and his wife loved their trip to Ireland. Thanks so much for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad
Gene
I've made a note of their service for any future trips to Scotland or a return to Ireland. We do appreciate the countryside over the cities — aren't all cities pretty much alike? We made an overnight in Cork and it could have been set anywhere in the USA.
I should note that our trip with Grand Circle (Galway to Dublin) did include all of the sites shown in the photos. We most enjoyed the days spent in Killarney and Kilkenny. We also got to spend a day with local families and share a meal with them.
Thanks for making Rabbie's known,
Gene
Irish American Mom
Hi Gene - Killarney and Kilkenny are wonderful places to visit. They are full of character. Just like you, I prefer rural spots to big cities. Thanks so much for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad
irishnannie
I was unaware of Rabbie's tours...very interesting! I have to say I have had in my mind that it was tour or not...no middle ground...
This is a terrific option!
As always, God bless you and thank you, Mairead* and Rabbie's tours!
Irish American Mom
Hi Irishnannie - I only learned about Rabbie's tours when they contacted me and asked me to help spread the word about their work. It sounds like an interesting touring conept.
All the best,
Mairéad