Active Croatia: Islands & Adriatic Coast — Self-Launched
7 days · Croatia
Exodus charges £2,440
No-markup version: ~£584 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, solo-friendly version of Exodus's week-long Dalmatian multi-activity trip: hike Vidova Gora on Brač, kayak off Korčula, cycle the saltwater lakes of Mljet National Park, taste Pelješac wines and walk Dubrovnik's Old Town — all using public ferries, catamarans and local buses instead of a private minivan and tour leader. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP based on hostel/guesthouse/budget hotel rates and shoulder-season pricing.
Day-by-day
Arrive Split — Diocletian's Palace & Dalmatian dinner
Split
Fly into Split Airport (SPU) and take the local shuttle bus or airport bus (Pleso/ATP line, ~£5) or a shared taxi (~£25 split between passengers) to the Old Town area. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse within walking distance of Diocletian's Palace. Spend the late afternoon wandering the 1,700-year-old palace complex, the Riva seafront promenade and the lively courtyards-turned-cafés. In the evening, skip the group dinner and join a small-group food and wine walking tour booked on GetYourGuide (~£45-55) or simply eat at a konoba off the main drag for traditional pašticada or grilled fish (~£15-20).
🚌Airport shuttle bus to Split centre (~£5) or shared/private transfer
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in/near Split Old Town (£25-40/night dorm or private basic room)
- →Self-guided walk of Diocletian's Palace and Split Old Town
- →Riva promenade sunset stroll
- →Optional GetYourGuide Split food & wine small-group tour
- →Traditional Dalmatian dinner at a local konoba
Ferry to Brač — hike Vidova Gora & olive oil tasting
Brač / Supetar / Škrip
Walk to Split ferry port and take the car ferry to Supetar on Brač (Jadrolinija, ~1 hour, ~£6-8 one way; buy at the port or online in advance). From Supetar, take the local bus or a short taxi to the hamlet of Gažul/Nerežišća area where the trail to Vidova Gora (780 m — the highest point of the Adriatic islands) begins. The hike is roughly 7 km / 4.3 miles with big views over Hvar, Korčula and the Pelješac Peninsula; follow the marked trail or use a mapping app. Afterwards, visit the Museum of Olive Oil in Škrip for a tasting and light lunch (~£8-12). Return to Split by evening ferry.
🚌Jadrolinija ferry Split–Supetar (~£6-8 each way); local bus/taxi Supetar–Gažul/Škrip
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Split (£25-40/night)
- →Ferry to Brač (Supetar)
- →Self-guided hike to Vidova Gora summit (~7 km)
- →Museum of Olive Oil, Škrip — tasting and light lunch
Choose your adventure: Vis & Blue Cave boat trip, e-bike Marjan, or Cetina rafting
Split / Vis / Cetina River
Pick your own activity and book directly the night before. Option 1: full-day boat excursion to the Blue Cave on Biševo, Komiža, Stiniva Bay, the Blue Lagoon and Hvar town — book via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£100-130 including entry to the Blue Cave). Option 2: guided e-bike tour of Marjan Hill Park through Split (~£40-55). Option 3: Cetina River rafting from Blato na Cetini, bookable on GetYourGuide/Klook (~£45-60 with transport). Or take a free day: swim at Bačvice Beach and explore the palace cellars (Roman subterranean halls, ~£6).
🚌Included in booked activity or local city bus/walk (independent options 1-3 include pickup)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Split (£25-40/night)
- →Option: GetYourGuide full-day Vis & Blue Cave boat trip
- →Option: Marjan Park e-bike tour
- →Option: Cetina River rafting (3 hours)
- →Option: free day — Bačvice Beach and Diocletian's Palace cellars
Catamaran to Korčula — sea kayaking and Old Town
Korčula
Take a morning catamaran or ferry from Split to Korčula (Krilo/Kapetan Luka catamaran ~2.5-3 hours, ~£20-28; check seasonal timetables and book ahead in summer). Check into a guesthouse or hostel in Korčula Old Town. Book a sea kayaking tour along the coastline (GetYourGuide/Klook or a local operator at the harbour, ~£40-55) to paddle past islets and pine-fringed coves with a swim stop. In the evening, wander the narrow lanes of the medieval walled town — reputedly Marco Polo's birthplace — and try a glass of local pošip wine in a family-run konoba.
🚌Krilo/Kapetan Luka catamaran or Jadrolinija ferry Split–Korčula (~£20-28)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Korčula Old Town (£30-45/night)
- →Catamaran Split–Korčula
- →Guided sea kayaking along Korčula coast with swim stop
- →Self-guided walk of Korčula Old Town
- →Pošip wine tasting in a local konoba
Mljet National Park — cycle the saltwater lakes
Mljet / Korčula
Take the morning catamaran from Korčula to Pomena on Mljet (~45 minutes, ~£10-14; seasonal service, buy online or at the port). Enter Mljet National Park (~£18-22 entry, includes ferry to St Mary's Islet) and rent a bike at the park entrance (~£10-15 for the day). Cycle the 17 km / 10.6 mile circuit around Veliko and Malo Jezero, two tranquil saltwater lakes ringed by pine forest. Visit the 12th-century Benedictine monastery on St Mary's Islet, swim in the lakes, then catamaran back to Korčula in the afternoon.
🚌Catamaran Korčula–Pomena (~£10-14 each way); park ferry to St Mary's Islet included in park ticket
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Korčula Old Town (£30-45/night)
- →Catamaran Korčula–Mljet (Pomena)
- →Mljet National Park entry & bike hire
- →Cycle 17 km around Veliko and Malo Jezero lakes
- →Visit St Mary's Islet Benedictine monastery
- →Swim in the saltwater lakes
Pelješac wines & Dubrovnik Old Town
Pelješac Peninsula / Dubrovnik
Take the short ferry from Korčula to Orebić on the Pelješac Peninsula (~20 minutes, ~£3-5). Join a small-group Pelješac wine-tasting tour or wine tour from Orebić/Korčula (GetYourGuide ~£45-70, includes cellar tour, Plavac Mali tasting, olive oil and cheese), or if travelling independently take the local bus to Potomje and visit a family winery direct (~£12-18 tasting). Continue by local bus down the peninsula to Dubrovnik (~1 hour, ~£8-12; check Plavac/Arriva timetables via the new Pelješac Bridge). In the late afternoon, walk the UNESCO-listed Old Town — Stradun, the city walls (~£30 to walk the walls) and Renaissance palaces.
🚌Jadrolinija ferry Korčula–Orebić (~£3-5); local/regional bus Pelješac–Dubrovnik (~£8-12)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in/near Dubrovnik Old Town (£30-50/night)
- →Ferry Korčula–Orebić
- →Pelješac wine tasting with cellar tour (Plavac Mali, olive oil, cheese)
- →Local bus to Dubrovnik
- →Self-guided Dubrovnik Old Town walk
- →Optional walk the Dubrovnik city walls
Dubrovnik — trip ends
Dubrovnik
Enjoy a final breakfast and, if time allows, take the cable car up Mount Srđ for panoramic views (~£8-10) or swim at Banje Beach below the walls. Take the local airport shuttle bus or a shared taxi to Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) for your flight home. If you have extra time, consider an extension to Montenegro (Kotor/Budva) or a Bosnian day trip to Mostar using local buses.
🚌Shuttle bus or shared taxi to Dubrovnik Airport (~£5-25)
🛏Checkout — no overnight (budget for extra nights if extending)
- →Optional Mount Srđ cable car
- →Swim at Banje Beach
- →Airport shuttle to Dubrovnik Airport (DBV)
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£584 | £2,440 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,856 per person (76%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£584
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Active Croatia: Islands & Adriatic Coast — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £584 per person for 7 days in Croatia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £2,440 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £584 — a saving of roughly £1,856 (76%) per person.
How long is the Croatia trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Croatia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Croatia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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