Sailing Greece: Mykonos to Kos — Self-Launched Island Hopper
15 days · Greek Islands (Cyclades & Dodecanese)
G Adventures charges £2,100
No-markup version: ~£864 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 15-day self-launched version of G Adventures' Mykonos-to-Kos yacht voyage, rebuilt around Greece's excellent ferry network plus a shared day-sail or two. You'll cover the same island chain — Mykonos, Naxos, Paros/Antiparos, Ios, Santorini, then the wilder Dodecanese stepping stones (Amorgos, Astypalea, Nisyros, Kalymnos, Leros) — staying in hostels and family guesthouses instead of a chartered 15m yacht. Where the original spends nights at anchor, you'll use Blue Star Ferries and SeaJets high-speed catamarans (book on Ferryhopper or direct), plus one or two skippered day sails or a shared small-boat trip so you still get real time on the water, snorkelling and swimming off the boat. All costs are approximate per-person budget-traveller estimates in GBP and will swing with season — July/August ferry and bed prices roughly double.
Day-by-day
Arrive Mykonos — old town & Little Venice at night
Mykonos
Fly or ferry into Mykonos and check into a hostel or guesthouse just outside the pricey old town (Paraga or Platis Gialos have cheaper beds and buses into Chora). Wander the whitewashed lanes, watch sunset from the windmills, and eat a cheap gyros or a taverna dinner in Little Venice. Book your onward Blue Star ferry to Naxos tonight if you haven't already.
🚌Local bus from airport/port to Chora (~£2); ferries booked via Ferryhopper
🛏Hostel or family guesthouse, Mykonos (dorm or double)
- →Sunset at Mykonos windmills
- →Little Venice evening walk
- →Gyros dinner in Chora
Mykonos beaches & a shared day sail
Mykonos
Morning bus to Elia or Agrari beach for a swim, then join a half-day shared catamaran or yacht day sail (bookable on GetYourGuide or Klook, ~£65–85) that includes snorkelling stops and lunch — the closest self-launched equivalent to the original's on-water days. Alternatively hire a kayak or paddleboard for a fraction of the cost.
🚌KTEL local buses (~£2 each way)
🛏Hostel or family guesthouse, Mykonos
- →Beach morning at Elia
- →Shared half-day sailing trip with snorkelling
- →Optional kayak hire
Ferry to Naxos — Chora and Portara
Naxos
Take a Blue Star ferry from Mykonos to Naxos (roughly 1hr, ~£15–20). Check in, then walk the old town's Venetian kastro and the giant Portara gate at sunset. Naxos is far cheaper than Mykonos for food and beds — a good base for the next two nights.
🚌Blue Star ferry Mykonos–Naxos ~£17
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Naxos Chora
- →Blue Star ferry crossing
- →Naxos old town & Portara sunset
- →Taverna dinner with local kitron liqueur
Naxos: Mount Zas hike & inland villages
Naxos
Catch an early bus to Filoti and hike up Mount Zas (1,004m), the highest peak in the Cyclades, with views across the whole archipelago — this is the self-launched version of the original's 'hiking' highlight days. Stop at the cave of Zeus and a village taverna on the way back. Evening back in Chora.
🚌KTEL bus Chora–Filoti ~£3 each way
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Naxos Chora
- →Mount Zas hike (free, ~3hrs round trip)
- →Filoti and Apeiranthos village wander
- →Local bus to trailhead
Paros & Antiparos — the quieter Cyclades
Paros / Antiparos
Short ferry hop to Paros (about 30–45 mins, ~£8), then the tiny car ferry across to Antiparos. Swim at Soros beach, explore the cave of Antiparos, and stay overnight on Paros in Parikia or Naoussa. This mirrors the original's flexible island-hopping stops between Mykonos and Santorini.
🚌SeaJets/Blue Star Paros ferry ~£8; local Antiparos ferry ~£2
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Parikia or Naoussa
- →Ferry to Paros and Antiparos
- →Antiparos cave visit (~£7)
- →Beach time at Soros
Paros free day — Naoussa and Kolymbithres
Paros
Full day on Paros: bus to Naoussa's fishing harbour, then walk to the surreal granite rock formations at Kolymbithres beach. Hire a bike (~£10/day) if you'd rather cruise the coast road. Note that Greek inter-island ferries are weather-dependent — keep this day flexible if a sailing gets cancelled.
🚌Local buses ~£2–3 per hop
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Paros
- →Naoussa harbour walk
- →Kolymbithres beach
- →Optional bike hire
Ferry to Ios — the backpacker island
Ios
Ferry from Paros to Ios (roughly 1–1.5hrs, ~£12). Ios is the Cyclades' classic backpacker island — cheap dorms, Mylopotas beach, and the hilltop ruins of Chora with sunset views over the caldera-facing coast. Chill afternoon swim and a cheap souvlaki dinner.
🚌Ferry Paros–Ios ~£12
🛏Backpacker hostel, Ios (dorm)
- →Ferry to Ios
- →Mylopotas beach swim
- →Chora sunset viewpoint
Ios beaches and a small-boat trip
Ios
Take a shared small-boat trip along Ios' south coast to remote beaches like Manganari or Tripiti (boat trips depart from Mylopotas/Chora, ~£25–35), or hire a kayak and explore the cliffs yourself. Evening back in Chora.
🚌Local bus to Mylopotas ~£2
🛏Backpacker hostel, Ios
- →Shared coastal boat trip
- →Remote beach swimming and snorkelling
- →Chora bars / cheap dinner
Santorini — caldera sunsets
Santorini
Fast ferry Ios to Santorini (about 45 mins, ~£15). Santorini beds are pricey — book a hostel in Fira or Perissa well ahead. Walk the caldera rim from Fira to Oia in the late afternoon (free, ~3hrs) and watch the famous sunset. Skip the overpriced cliff-side restaurants for a gyros and supermarket picnic.
🚌SeaJets/Blue Star ferry ~£15; local bus ~£2
🛏Hostel in Fira or Perissa
- →High-speed ferry to Santorini
- →Fira–Oia caldera walk
- →Oia sunset
Santorini — volcano boat trip or Akrotiri
Santorini
Join a half-day shared caldera boat trip to the volcanic islets and hot springs (bookable on GetYourGuide, ~£30–45) — the self-bookable version of the original's sailing days — or visit the Minoan Bronze Age site at Akrotiri (~£10) plus Red Beach. Swap to a new 'crew' of fellow travellers tonight, just like the original swaps groups here.
🚌Local bus ~£2–3
🛏Hostel in Fira or Perissa
- →Volcano and hot springs boat trip
- →Akrotiri archaeological site
- →Red Beach
Ferry east to Amorgos
Amorgos
Long ferry day east toward the Dodecanese — Santorini to Amorgos runs roughly 1.5–3hrs depending on service (~£15–25). Amorgos is rugged, quiet and dramatically cliff-hugging, with the whitewashed Monastery of Hozoviotissa built into the rock above the sea. Book ahead as schedules thin out beyond the main Cyclades.
🚌Ferry Santorini–Amorgos ~£20
🛏Guesthouse in Aegiali or Katapola
- →Ferry to Amorgos
- →Hozoviotissa monastery walk
- →Chora evening
Amorgos coastal hike to Agia Anna
Amorgos
Hike the clifftop path from Chora down to the tiny chapel of Agia Anna and its swimming beach — one of the best coastal walks in the Aegean and entirely free. Afternoon swim and a taverna lunch of local cheese and raki. This replaces the original's at-anchor swimming stops with accessible dry-land equivalents.
🚌Local bus ~£2–3
🛏Guesthouse in Aegiali or Katapola
- →Chora–Agia Anna clifftop hike
- →Beach swim
- →Taverna lunch
Ferry to Astypalea — the butterfly island
Astypalea
Ferry onward to Astypalea (one of the original's named stops), roughly 2–4hrs, ~£15–25. Astypalea is the westernmost Dodecanese island with a photogenic white Chora crowned by a Venetian castle and excellent quiet beaches. Note: some inter-island legs here only run a few times a week — check Ferryhopper and build in slack.
🚌Ferry ~£20
🛏Guesthouse in Chora or Livadi
- →Ferry to Astypalea
- →Chora castle walk
- →Livadi beach
Kalymnos and Nisyros volcano
Kalymnos / Nisyros
Hop to Kalymnos (a climbers' island with cheap rooms), then a short boat across to Nisyros to walk inside the steaming Polyvotis volcanic crater (~£10 entry plus ~£10 boat). Kalymnos town has a good sponge-divers' museum and inexpensive seafood. Sleep on Kalymnos.
🚌Ferries and local boats ~£20 combined
🛏Guesthouse in Kalymnos (Pothia)
- →Ferry to Kalymnos
- →Nisyros volcano crater walk
- →Kalymnos harbour dinner
Leros and ferry into Kos
Leros / Kos
Final ferry run via Leros into Kos (~£15–20), finishing at the same port the original yacht ends in. If your flight allows, spend a few hours wandering Kos town's ancient agora, Hippocrates plane tree and Neratzia castle before departure. This is the endpoint — book your onward flight or ferry home.
🚌Ferry Leros–Kos ~£18; airport bus ~£3
🛏Optional final night in a Kos hostel if your flight is next day
- →Ferry via Leros to Kos
- →Kos ancient agora and castle
- →Farewell ouzo at the harbour
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£864 | £2,100 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,236 per person (59%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£864
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 Sailing Greece: Mykonos to Kos — Self-Launched Island Hopper cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £864 per person for 15 days in Greek Islands (Cyclades & Dodecanese). 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 £2,100 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £864 — a saving of roughly £1,236 (59%) per person.
How long is the Greek Islands (Cyclades & Dodecanese) trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 day-by-day stops through Greek Islands (Cyclades & Dodecanese).
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 backpacker, beaches, culture trip through Greek Islands (Cyclades & Dodecanese), 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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