Greek Islands, Greece

Island-hop through the stunning Greek Islands independently — from Athens to Paros, Ios and Santorini — at a fraction of the cost of a guided group tour. You'll use the same public ferries, stay in comparable hostels and budget hotels, enjoy the same iconic sunsets, caldera hikes and beach days, all on your own schedule. This self-launched version cuts out the group tour premium while keeping every highlight: the Acropolis, Lefkes village, Mylopotas Beach, the Odysseas Elytis Theatre sunset, and Santorini's caldera rim hike. Estimated costs are approximate and based on mid-2025 budget traveller rates.

Travel Crew

~£635

Skip the group tour markup and island-hop Paros and Santorini on your own terms. This self-launched itinerary covers the same 4-star-quality experiences — whitewashed Cycladic villages, a catamaran sunset cruise, volcanic hot springs, and the legendary Oia sunset — but booked independently at a fraction of the price. Ferries are your transport backbone, budget-friendly guesthouses and boutique hotels replace the packaged accommodation, and every activity can be booked via GetYourGuide or directly with local operators. All costs are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£465

This self-launched itinerary replicates Intrepid Travel's popular Essential Southern Balkans route — from Dubrovnik's medieval walls through Montenegro's coastal towns, into Albania's eclectic capital Tirana, along the stunning Albanian Riviera, through Ottoman Gjirokaster, and finally across to the Greek island of Corfu. By swapping the group tour's private vehicle transfers for public buses and shared minibuses, booking accommodation directly, and self-booking included activities, you can experience the same bucket-list journey for a fraction of the cost. All cost estimates are approximate and based on current budget traveller rates in the region.

Travel Crew

~£540

Island-hop through the stunning Greek Islands independently — from Athens to Paros, Ios and Santorini — at a fraction of the cost of a guided group tour. You'll use the same public ferries, stay in comparable hostels and budget hotels, enjoy the same iconic sunsets, caldera hikes and beach days, all on your own schedule. This self-guided version cuts out the group tour premium while keeping every highlight: the Acropolis, Lefkes village, Mylopotas Beach, the Odysseas Elytis Theatre sunset, and Santorini's caldera rim hike. Estimated costs are approximate and based on mid-2025 budget traveller rates.

Travel Crew

~£635

This self-guided itinerary replicates Intrepid Travel's popular Essential Southern Balkans route — from Dubrovnik's medieval walls through Montenegro's coastal towns, into Albania's eclectic capital Tirana, along the stunning Albanian Riviera, through Ottoman Gjirokaster, and finally across to the Greek island of Corfu. By swapping the group tour's private vehicle transfers for public buses and shared minibuses, booking accommodation directly, and self-booking included activities, you can experience the same bucket-list journey for a fraction of the cost. All cost estimates are approximate and based on current budget traveller rates in the region.

Travel Crew

~£540

Three of Greece's most iconic islands — Zakynthos, Mykonos, and Santorini — without the tour operator price tag. This self-launched 8-day itinerary mirrors the Travel Zone commercial route, swapping private transfers and package markups for public ferries, budget hotels, and self-bookable cruises via GetYourGuide. You'll still hit Shipwreck Beach, the Nea Kameni volcano, and the Oia sunset — just at a fraction of the cost. All costs are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£730

Hit the same legendary trails and crystal-clear rivers of northwest Greece — without the guided group price tag. This self-launched version of the Meteora and Zagori route swaps the private van and group host for public buses, local taxis, and self-booked guesthouses, while keeping everything that makes this corner of Greece special: the gravity-defying monasteries of Meteora, the world's deepest gorge, ancient Zagori stone bridges, and rafting the impossibly turquoise Voidomatis River. Estimated cost is roughly £500–600 per person (excluding flights), compared to the Much Better Adventures tour price.

Travel Crew

~£405

Summit the legendary Mountain of the Gods independently — same trails, same refuges, a fraction of the cost. This self-launched version follows the exact same route as the Much Better Adventures group tour: arriving into Thessaloniki, basing yourself in Litochoro, ascending to the Plateau of Muses refuge on Day 2, and pushing for the summit (Mytikas 2918m or Skolio 2911m) on Day 3. You'll swap the included guide for a self-booked licensed mountain guide (strongly recommended and required for the Mytikas scramble), travel by public bus instead of private transfers, and stay in the same guesthouses and mountain refuges. All costs are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£305

Trade the guided group price tag for the freedom of doing it yourself — same stunning Cretan gorges, sea caves, pink sand lagoons and wild swims, a fraction of the cost. Based near Kissamos in western Crete, this self-launched version follows the same route: hike Sirikari and Kampos gorges, swim to sea caves and Limpet Island, snorkel a WWII shipwreck, and finish at the turquoise pools of Elafonissi. You'll book a local guesthouse, hire a car or use taxis to reach the trailheads, and join self-bookable guided sea-swimming or snorkelling sessions where needed. All costs are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£650

This self-launched version of Much Better Adventures' popular Crete hiking and wild swimming trip lets you explore the same stunning gorges, sea caves, pink sand lagoons and open-water swim spots at a fraction of the guided-tour price. Based in Kissamos on Crete's northwest coast, you'll hire a rental car to reach remote coves and trailheads, swim the same turquoise bays, hike through Sirikari and Kampos Gorges, snorkel a WWII shipwreck, and feast on traditional Cretan taverna food every evening — all on your own schedule. All costs are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£530

Trace the footsteps of gods, heroes and Olympians across mainland Greece — entirely on your own terms. This self-launched version of Exodus's classic Ancient Greece tour covers the same unmissable sites: the Acropolis in Athens, the ruins of Corinth and Mycenae, Epidaurus, Mystras, Ancient Messene, Olympia, and the oracle at Delphi. Swap the private minibus for local KTEL buses and shared taxis, and trade the group hotel mark-up for well-located budget hotels and guesthouses. All the history, a fraction of the price.

Travel Crew

~£740

This self-launched version of G Adventures' Classic Greece to Turkey Adventure covers the same epic 20-day route from Athens to Istanbul — ancient ruins, monasteries, volcanic landscapes, and Cappadocia's fairy chimneys — at a fraction of the cost. Swap the group tour package for budget hotels, hostels, and locally booked activities, and use Greece's excellent bus and train network plus budget flights and ferries to cross into Turkey. You'll hit every major highlight: the Acropolis, Meteora, Delphi, Thessaloniki, Gallipoli, Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Cappadocia, and Istanbul. Estimated cost is roughly £1,400–£1,700 per person, saving you well over £2,500 versus the operator price.

Travel Crew

~£1,560