Islands of Bermuda: Self-Launched Walking Adventure
8 days · Bermuda
Exodus charges £2,440
No-markup version: ~£1,230 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Explore Bermuda's spectacular coastal trails, pink-sand beaches, sea grottoes and lush woodland paths entirely on your own terms — no tour operator markup required. This self-launched version of Exodus's popular Islands of Bermuda Walk follows the same 6 walking sections across the archipelago, using Bermuda's excellent public bus and ferry network (purchase your own 7-day travel pass on arrival for ~£30) and staying in a comfortable guesthouse rather than a resort hotel. All walks are well-marked and traffic-free, making this ideal for independent travellers. Estimated costs are approximate and based on mid-2020s budget traveller rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Bermuda
Hamilton, Bermuda
Fly into L.F. Wade International Airport. On arrival, buy a 7-day travel pass at the airport or from any bus depot — this gives you unlimited access to all Bermuda public buses and ferries (~£30). Take the #10 or #11 bus from the airport into Hamilton (~£3 without pass). Check into your guesthouse and head out for dinner at one of Hamilton's many casual restaurants on Front Street. Stroll the waterfront to get your bearings.
🚌Public bus from airport to Hamilton using travel pass
🛏Rosemont Guest Suites or similar guesthouse in Hamilton (~£90–120/night for a private room)
- →Purchase 7-day bus and ferry travel pass at airport (~£30)
- →Take the public bus into Hamilton from the airport
- →Explore Hamilton's waterfront and Front Street
- →Dinner at a local restaurant in Hamilton
Somerset to the Dockyard
Somerset / Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda
Take the ferry from Hamilton to Somerset (~25 min, covered by travel pass). Start your walk at Somerset Bridge — the world's smallest drawbridge — and follow the Railway Trail through screw palm and cedar trees to 19th-century Fort Scaur, with panoramic views across to Hamilton. Continue to Somerset Village for lunch at a café by Mangrove Bay, then follow the coastal track west to the Royal Naval Dockyard. Explore the Clocktower Mall, the National Museum of Bermuda (~£10 entry), and grab a Dark 'n' Stormy at the Frog & Onion pub. Take the ferry back to Hamilton in the evening.
🚌Ferry Hamilton–Somerset and return (travel pass)
🛏Rosemont Guest Suites or similar guesthouse in Hamilton
- →Ferry from Hamilton to Somerset (travel pass)
- →Walk Somerset Bridge — world's smallest drawbridge
- →Hike the Railway Trail to Fort Scaur (views over Hamilton)
- →Lunch by Mangrove Bay in Somerset Village
- →Explore the Royal Naval Dockyard and National Museum of Bermuda (~£10)
Exploring the East End — St George's
St George's, Bermuda
Take the #10 or #11 bus east from Hamilton to St George's (~45 min, travel pass). Spend the morning exploring this UNESCO World Heritage Site — wander the colourful streets, visit King's Square and St Peter's Church (oldest Anglican church in the Western Hemisphere). Then follow the coastal trail past prickly pear and casuarina trees to Gates Bay, where Sir George Somers first landed in 1609. Continue along the herb-scented coastal track to Ferry Reach, passing 17th-century forts and the distinctive Corsican tower. Return to Hamilton by bus in the late afternoon.
🚌Public bus Hamilton–St George's and return (travel pass)
🛏Rosemont Guest Suites or similar guesthouse in Hamilton
- →Bus from Hamilton to St George's (travel pass)
- →Explore St George's UNESCO World Heritage town on foot
- →Walk the coastal path to Gates Bay (historic landing site, 1609)
- →Hike Ferry Reach coastal trail past 17th-century forts
- →Visit the Unfinished Church — a striking historic ruin
St David's and Cooper's Island Nature Reserve
St David's / Cooper's Island, Bermuda
Take the bus to St David's, Bermuda's most remote and traditional community. Walk to Red Hole Bay, where fragrant hibiscus scents the ocean air, then continue to St David's Battery for dramatic cliff-top views stretching across the open Atlantic. Cross over to Cooper's Island Nature Reserve — Bermuda's newest protected area — a truly isolated and unspoilt landscape of beaches, mangroves and coastal scrub. Look out for nesting seabirds. Return to Hamilton by bus in the afternoon, leaving the evening free for dining in Hamilton.
🚌Public bus to/from St David's (travel pass)
🛏Rosemont Guest Suites or similar guesthouse in Hamilton
- →Bus to St David's (travel pass)
- →Walk to Red Hole Bay
- →St David's Battery cliff-top viewpoint
- →Explore Cooper's Island Nature Reserve (free entry)
- →Spot seabirds and enjoy secluded beaches
Sights of the South Shore
South Shore, Bermuda
Take the bus to Gibbs Hill Lighthouse — climb the spiral staircase for panoramic views across Great Sound and the west end (~£3 entry). Descend to the South Shore Trail, a spectacular string of nine pink-sand bays linked by a scented path of flowering morning glory and oleander. Swim at Horseshoe Bay (Bermuda's most famous beach) and take a dip at quieter Chaplin Bay. A shaded path leads past cassava fields back towards the bus stop. Stop for a cocktail at a beach bar before taking the bus back to Hamilton.
🚌Public bus to/from South Shore (travel pass)
🛏Rosemont Guest Suites or similar guesthouse in Hamilton
- →Bus to Gibbs Hill Lighthouse (~£3 entry to climb)
- →Hike the South Shore Trail through 9 pink-sand bays
- →Swim at Horseshoe Bay Beach (free)
- →Swim at Chaplin Bay (quieter and secluded)
- →Beach bar cocktail on the South Shore
Coast and Caves
Flatts Village / Blue Hole / Crystal Caves, Bermuda
Take the bus north-east from Hamilton to Flatts Village, where locals cast nets into the beautiful Harrington Sound. Walk the coastal route east, taking in sea grottoes and views over the northern shore to reach Blue Hole Park — a small nature reserve of caves and aquamarine pools (free entry). Continue to the Crystal and Fantasy Caves, two of Bermuda's most impressive sea caves filled with stalactites and aquamarine waters (~£25 entry for both). Enjoy a well-earned Dark 'n' Stormy at the nearby café before catching the bus back to Hamilton.
🚌Public bus to/from Flatts Village and Crystal Caves area (travel pass)
🛏Rosemont Guest Suites or similar guesthouse in Hamilton
- →Bus to Flatts Village (travel pass)
- →Coastal walk along Harrington Sound
- →Blue Hole Park — caves and aquamarine pools (free)
- →Crystal Caves and Fantasy Caves tour (~£25 combined entry)
- →Dark 'n' Stormy cocktail — Bermuda's national drink
Botanical Gardens and Spittal Pond
Paget / Smith's Parish, Bermuda
Start with a gentle walk to Paget Marsh, a wetland nature reserve alive with the chattering of yellow kiskadee birds and home to herons and warblers (free entry). Continue to the Bermuda Botanical Gardens — free to enter and beautifully kept, with the Double Fantasy plant that inspired John Lennon's album name. Head to Spittal Pond Nature Reserve, Bermuda's largest protected nature area, to spot herons, egrets and migrating shorebirds. Walk the clifftop coastal path vibrant with sea lavender, keeping an eye out for humpback whales in the warm Atlantic waters below. Head back into Hamilton for a farewell dinner.
🚌Public bus to/from Paget and Smith's Parish (travel pass)
🛏Rosemont Guest Suites or similar guesthouse in Hamilton
- →Walk to Paget Marsh wetland nature reserve (free)
- →Bermuda Botanical Gardens — spot the Double Fantasy plant (free entry)
- →Spittal Pond Nature Reserve — birdwatching and coastal walking (free)
- →Scan the Atlantic for humpback whales from the clifftop path
- →Farewell dinner in Hamilton
Depart Bermuda
Hamilton / L.F. Wade International Airport, Bermuda
Most flights depart in the afternoon or evening, leaving you time for a final morning stroll around Hamilton or a last swim at a nearby beach. Check out and store your bags at the guesthouse if needed. Take the public bus to the airport from Hamilton (~30 min, travel pass). A light lunch before departure rounds off a wonderful week in this sub-tropical gem.
🚌Public bus Hamilton to airport (travel pass)
- →Final morning walk around Hamilton
- →Optional: last swim at a South Shore beach
- →Bus from Hamilton to L.F. Wade International Airport (travel pass)
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,230 | £2,440 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,210 per person (50%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,230
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 Islands of Bermuda: Self-Launched Walking Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,230 per person for 8 days in Bermuda. 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 £1,230 — a saving of roughly £1,210 (50%) per person.
How long is the Bermuda trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Bermuda.
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 hiking, slow-travel, culture trip through Bermuda, 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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