Wild Rover Tours

A Dublin coach-tour company with a driver and a guide on board

Wild Rover Tours runs its own day trips, overnight tours and private tours from Dublin, with its own guides, drivers and coaches. The about page says the company works "From our base in Dublin" and was founded by John and Jacqueline Goldrick; the office is on Stephen Street Lower in Dublin 2. Day trips leave Dublin for the west coast (the Cliffs of Moher, Galway, the Wild Atlantic Way, Ennis, Bunratty and Limerick), the southeast (Kilkenny, the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough) and Northern Ireland (Belfast, Dunluce Castle and the Giant's Causeway). The 2-day tours reach Kerry, Dingle, Connemara and the Aran Islands, and private tours can start in Dublin, Galway, Belfast "or most major locations across Ireland." Prices are in euros.

The company's main claim is on the day-tours page: "We are the only day tour operator to offer a professional driver and a separate expert guide on each of our tours." The homepage says it has delivered tours "since 2010," while the day-tours page says "since 2011." Its menu also carries attraction pages for places such as the Aran Islands, Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, the Dingle Peninsula, Galway City, Kilkenny, Waterford and the Wild Atlantic Way, along with an FAQ, a blog, accommodation recommendations, an Environmental Impact Statement and a "Protecting Our Planet" page. Among its core values, the about page lists "Foster Sustainability" and "knowledgeable guides AND drivers."

Day trips and overnight tours

The day-tours page lists these from Dublin with their starting prices:

• Cliffs of Moher, Galway City & Wild Atlantic Way, from €70.
• Kilkenny Medieval City, Wicklow Mountains & Glendalough, €43, with an "Exclusive traditional sheep dog demonstration."
• Giants Causeway, Belfast City & Dunluce Castle, from €80, which "Includes Black Taxi Tour / Titanic Experience" (the about page says guests choose one).
• Belfast City Sights & Walking Tour, €60, including the Giant's Causeway, Dunluce Castle and the Northern Ireland coastal drive.
• Ireland's Friendliest Town, Ennis & Bunratty Castle, from €65; the about page also describes a Cliffs of Moher, Ennis Town and Historic Limerick day.

The overnight tours are the Ring of Kerry & Dingle Peninsula 2 Day Tour (€210) and a Two Day Connemara Tour covering Galway, the Cliffs of Moher with a boat trip, and the Aran Islands. The about page adds detail to the day routes: the Kilkenny day takes in "medieval Kilkenny," the Wicklow Mountains and "the ancient monastic settlement of Glendalough," and the Belfast walking-tour day combines a guided walk "with free time in the city" before the drive to Dunluce Castle and the Giant's Causeway.

What the price covers is stated clearly: "Entrance fees and free guided walking tours are included," and the company says it accepts no "soft commission stops." Coaches are described as "Ireland's newest fleet of luxury coaches, complete with Wi-Fi, USB charging ports, and spacious seating." The homepage offers 12.5% off every additional Wild Rover day tour booked and 20% off DoDublin Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours, applied at checkout.

Private tours

The homepage pitches private tours as a choice between "expertly crafted sample itineraries" and a plan created "from scratch," for a full day or "an unforgettable multi-day journey." The sample routes are the Cliffs of Moher with the Wild Atlantic Way and Galway, Belfast, Waterford and Kilkenny, Glendalough with the Wicklow Mountains and Kilkenny, Connemara and Galway, Northern Ireland with the Giant's Causeway, the Titanic Experience or a Black Taxi Tour, Cork with Blarney Castle and the Rock of Cashel, and a Game of Thrones tour. Unlike the group tours, private tours use "a dedicated driver-guide who focuses entirely on your group," in vehicles from saloons to mini or maxi coaches depending on group size. They are "guided in English," and the company says it can ask about an additional translator on request. It handles logistics, timings and admissions, and quotes by email at private@wildrovertours.com.

On the day, booking and terms

The homepage states "a free cancellation policy up to 24 hours in advance and a best price guarantee when you book direct," and the footer links to separate Terms & Conditions, Cancellation Policy and Best Price Guarantee pages. Booking is online, and the site also sells gift vouchers. Contact numbers are listed for Ireland (+353 1 284 5560), the US (+1 845 444 1218) and the UK (+44 2038 686 779), with the email info@wildrovertours.com.

The reviews on the day-tours page, which the company chose to display, give a realistic picture of the west-coast day. One guest says the Cliffs of Moher and Galway day took 13 hours with about 2 hours at each stop. Two warn that the roads are narrow, winding and bumpy, so travelers prone to motion sickness may find the drive hard. Another says the onboard Wi-Fi did not work on their coach and that the coach had no toilet, which led to an unplanned stop. Most name both their guide and their driver, which fits the company's two-person model, and several single out guides for their stories about Irish history, culture and mythology and drivers for handling narrow coastal roads in a large coach.

For awards, the homepage lists the TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award for Ireland from 2013 to 2024, a 2020 TripAdvisor Choice Award as "2nd Best Day Trip in the World" in Best Cultural Experiences, and a 2023 listing among the Top 20 Activities in Northern Europe.

What stays open, and who it suits

The site does not state a maximum group size for the coach tours, the exact pick-up points and departure times, or whether children pay less. Its accessibility information is limited to the coach description. The day-tours page also does not set out what the 2-day tours include in the way of hotel nights and meals, so that is a question to ask before booking one.

Wild Rover Tours suits visitors based in Dublin who want to see the Cliffs of Moher, Belfast and the Giant's Causeway, or Wicklow and Kilkenny, in a day without driving, with admissions included and a guide whose job is only to talk. Families and groups who want their own pace can book the private version. Travelers who find long coach days uncomfortable should weigh the length of the west-coast trip before choosing it.