Southern Europe Self-Launched: Dubrovnik, Montenegro, Albania & Corfu
8 days · Croatia, Montenegro, Albania & Greece
G Adventures charges £1,150
No-markup version: ~£426 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of G Adventures' 8-day Roamies trip from Dubrovnik to Corfu — covering the walled cities of Dubrovnik and Kotor, the dramatic Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Tirana's colourful buzz and the Ionian island of Corfu. Instead of a guided group, you'll string it together yourself with local buses, a ferry across the Adriatic, and self-bookable hikes and boat trips. Expect a fast-paced Balkan-and-Ionian route with hostel nights, cheap eats and plenty of swimming. All costs are approximate, per person, in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Dubrovnik — old town orientation
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Land or arrive into Dubrovnik and check into a hostel inside or just outside the Old Town walls (Old Town Hostel, Hostel Angelina or similar). Spend the late afternoon walking the Stradun and the marble lanes on a free tip-based walking tour (meet at Pile Gate, ~£0-8 tip), or just DIY it: Dubrovnik Cathedral, the Franciscan Monastery and its old pharmacy, and the Lovrijenac Fort viewpoint. Swim at Buža Cliff Bar if the sun is out. Buy your bus ticket for Kotor tomorrow evening from the main bus station (Autobusni Kolodvor) or via the Arriva/Balkans booking sites.
🚌Local airport shuttle or city bus from Dubrovnik Airport (~£8); everything in town on foot
🛏Hostel dorm in/near Dubrovnik Old Town (~£22)
- →Self-guided Old Town walk (Stradun, Cathedral, Franciscan Monastery)
- →Free walking tour (tip-based)
- →Lovrijenac Fort & Buža cliff swim
Dubrovnik to Kotor via Perast
Kotor, Montenegro
Take the morning bus from Dubrovnik to Kotor (~3 hrs, £15-20, book ahead in summer — it crosses the border at Karasovići/Ilino Brdo, so bring your passport). Alternatively use a shared transfer minibus. Drop bags at a hostel in Kotor Old Town (Old Town Kotor Hostel or Hostel Pupa). In the afternoon take local bus #1 or the hourly Blueline bus toward Perast (~£1.50) to see the baroque waterfront and the islets, then return to Kotor to wander the Old City, St Tryphon's Cathedral and the clock tower. Optional: kayak the bay (~£18).
🚌Dubrovnik–Kotor bus ~£17; local bus to Perast ~£3 return
🛏Hostel dorm in Kotor Old Town (~£18)
- →Perast waterfront & Our Lady of the Rocks views
- →Kotor Old City self-guided walk
- →Optional sea kayaking in the bay (~£18)
Ladder of Kotor hike & bay time
Kotor, Montenegro
Early start for the Ladder of Kotor — the switchback trail climbing from behind the Old Town to the fortress of San Giovanni and beyond (2-3 hrs up, free, bring water and proper shoes; go before 8am to beat the heat and the cruise crowds). Descend into the Old Town for lunch. Afternoon options: the Maritime Museum (£3.50), Kotor Cat Museum, St Nicholas' Church, a boat trip to the Blue Cave (~£20-25 from Kotor harbour), or a lazy swim at Dobrota. Cash is king in Montenegro; withdraw euros in town.
🚌On foot; optional local bus/boat for bay trips (~£5)
🛏Hostel dorm in Kotor Old Town (~£18)
- →Ladder of Kotor / San Giovanni fortress hike (free)
- →Old Town museums & churches
- →Optional Blue Cave boat trip (~£22)
Kotor to Tirana via Lake Skadar & St Stefan
Tirana, Albania
Long travel day south. Take the morning bus from Kotor to Bar or Podgorica, then the Bar–Tirana or Podgorica–Tirana coach (direct services run most days, ~£15-20 total, 5-6 hrs). If you have a car-share or want to break it up, stop at the St Stefan viewpoint above Budva and at Lake Skadar National Park (Virpazar) for a short boat/kayak paddle among the lily pads (~£12). Arrive Tirana, check into Trip'n'Hostel Pink Bubble or a similar Blloku-area hostel, and do a self-guided evening loop of Skanderbeg Square, the Pyramid and the colourful facades of Blloku.
🚌Kotor–Bar/Podgorica bus ~£5 + coach to Tirana ~£13; optional Skadar boat ~£12
🛏Hostel dorm, Blloku area Tirana (~£14)
- →St Stefan viewpoint
- →Lake Skadar National Park stop
- →Self-guided Tirana evening walk (Skanderbeg Square, Blloku)
- →Cheap Albanian dinner — byrek & tavë kosi (~£6)
Tirana: mountains, museums & food markets
Tirana, Albania
Full day in Tirana. Pick one: a day hike in Dajti National Park (take the Dajti Ekspres cable car, ~£5 return, then walk the trails), or the history circuit — the Bunk'Art 1 & 2 museums (~£6 each), the National History Museum and the House of Leaves. Hit the New Bazaar (Pazari i Ri) for local produce, sweets and a cheap long lunch, then a coffee in Blloku. Free walking tours of Tirana run daily from Skanderbeg Square (tip-based, ~£5). Evening: cheap eats and raki, or a day-trip plan to Krujë if you'd rather swap hiking for Ottoman history (local bus ~£3 return).
🚌Local buses/taxis ~£5; Dajti cable car ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm, Blloku area Tirana (~£14)
- →Dajti National Park hike or Bunk'Art museums
- →New Bazaar food market
- →Free walking tour (tip-based)
Tirana to Corfu via Saranda ferry
Corfu, Greece
Bus from Tirana to Saranda (~4-5 hrs, £10-12) with a stop at the Lekuresi Castle viewpoint over the bay, and if timing allows a detour to the Blue Eye spring or Mirror Beach. From Saranda take the passenger ferry or fast catamaran to Corfu Town (~30-90 mins, £20-25, book ahead with Sarris Cruises or Ionian Seaways — passport needed). Walk or take local bus #2 from Corfu Town to the Pink Palace in Agios Gordios (the classic backpacker base), or pick a guesthouse in Corfu Town. Sunset swim and a cheap gyros dinner.
🚌Tirana–Saranda bus ~£11; Saranda–Corfu ferry ~£23; local bus ~£2
🛏Hostel/guesthouse, Agios Gordios or Corfu Town (~£22)
- →Lekuresi Castle viewpoint
- →Saranda seafront
- →Sunset swim at Agios Gordios
Corfu: UNESCO town, olive oil & beaches
Corfu, Greece
Take the local bus into Corfu Town and explore the UNESCO-listed old quarter on foot: the Liston, the two fortresses (Palaio Frourio ~£5), the Cathedral and the tiny lanes of Campiello. Add the Archaeological Museum (~£3) and, if you're happy on local buses, Achilleion Palace (~£9 entry). Alternatively stay west-coast: hike the coastal path between Agios Gordios and Paramonas, or book an olive-oil tasting / honey farm visit direct with a small local producer (~£15-20). Group nightlife in Corfu Town is an easy DIY — the bus runs late in summer (~£2 each way).
🚌Local buses ~£5; optional taxi back at night ~£5
🛏Hostel/guesthouse, Agios Gordios or Corfu Town (~£22)
- →UNESCO Corfu Town self-guided walk
- →Palaio Frourio fortress
- →Olive oil / honey tasting with a local producer
- →Coastal hike or beach afternoon
Corfu — onward travel
Corfu, Greece
Last morning: a final swim, breakfast at a bakery in Corfu Town, and a wander through the old streets before heading to Corfu Airport by local bus #15 (~£2) or onward by ferry to Igoumenitsa/Italy (book direct with the ferry operator). The trip ends here — no set departure time, so you're free to extend on Paxos, Antipaxos, or head north to Albania's Riviera.
🚌Local bus to Corfu Airport ~£2 (or onward ferry ~£10+)
🛏None (checkout) — add a night if you need it (~£22)
- →Final swim & Corfu Town wander
- →Optional day trip to Paxos/Antipaxos
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£426 | £1,150 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £724 per person (63%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£426
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 Southern Europe Self-Launched: Dubrovnik, Montenegro, Albania & Corfu cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £426 per person for 8 days in Croatia, Montenegro, Albania & Greece. 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,150 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £426 — a saving of roughly £724 (63%) per person.
How long is the Croatia, Montenegro, Albania & Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Croatia, Montenegro, Albania & Greece.
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, backpacker trip through Croatia, Montenegro, Albania & Greece, 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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