Croatia Island Hopping: Dubrovnik to Trogir (Self-Launched)
8 days · Croatia
Nature Trips charges £1,750
No-markup version: ~£650 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Nature Trips' 8-day Deluxe Cruise from Dubrovnik to Trogir — same route, same islands, same swim stops and old towns, but done independently on Croatia's excellent ferry network (Jadrolinija, Krilo/Kapetan Luka catamarans) and staying in hostels, guesthouses and sobas instead of a deluxe cruise cabin. You'll hit Dubrovnik, Ston, Mljet National Park, Korčula, Vis, Hvar (with a Blue Cave trip and Pakleni Islands), Bol's Zlatni rat beach and Trogir — booking day trips individually via GetYourGuide/Klook or directly with local operators. Costs assume late-May/September shoulder season, dorm or private room in guesthouses, self-catering breakfasts plus supermarket lunches, and one restaurant meal a day. Ferries and catamarans must be booked early in high season — they sell out.
Day-by-day
Arrive Dubrovnik — Old Town and Mount Srđ
Dubrovnik
Fly into Dubrovnik (or arrive by bus from Split, ~4.5h, £22-28). Base yourself near Gruž harbour or in the Old Town — Gruž is cheaper and where the ferries leave from. Late afternoon, walk the Old Town walls and Stradun, then take the Srđ cable car (£10 return, or hike up for free in ~40 mins) for sunset views over the ramparts and Elaphiti Islands. Grab a welcome beer on the Buža cliff bar instead of the onboard cocktail. Book your Ston/Mljet day plans and catamaran tickets tonight.
🚌Airport shuttle bus to Gruž ~£6, or local bus £2. Cable car £10 return.
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Gruž / Old Town (dorm £20-28, private room £45-60)
- →Walk the Dubrovnik Old Town walls (Wall ticket ~£30, or free wander of the streets)
- →Srđ cable car and sunset viewpoint
- →Buža cliff bar and Stradun evening stroll
Dubrovnik to Ston and on to Slano
Ston / Slano
Take the local bus from Dubrovnik bus station to Ston (1h, ~£7). Walk a stretch of the medieval Ston ramparts — the longest fortified wall system in Europe (£8-10 for the short wall). Then visit an oyster/mussel farm in Mali Ston bay for a tasting (~£15 direct booking, or just eat oysters at a konoba). Continue by bus to Slano (~20 mins, £2) for a quiet bay night and a swim. Slano is small — book a soba/apartment in advance.
🚌Local bus Dubrovnik–Ston ~£7, Ston–Slano ~£2.
🛏Soba or apartment in Slano (£30-45 private; dorms rare here)
- →Ston medieval ramparts walk
- →Oyster farm tasting in Mali Ston bay
- →Swim at Slano bay
Mljet National Park — salt lakes and St Mary Isle
Mljet (Pomena / Polače)
Bus or shared transfer back to Dubrovnik, then the morning catamaran/ferry to Sobra or Polače on Mljet (Jadrolinija car ferry from Prapratno ~£5, or Krilo catamaran from Dubrovnik ~£15, 1h30). Enter Mljet National Park (£20) and walk or cycle the salt lakes, take the little boat across to St Mary Isle and the 12th-century Benedictine monastery (£3 boat). Rent a kayak or bike inside the park (£10-15). Stay in Pomena or Polače — book ahead, small supply.
🚌Catamaran Dubrovnik–Mljet ~£15 each way; bus to Sobra/Polace pier ~£3.
🛏Guesthouse or soba on Mljet (£30-45 private)
- →Mljet National Park salt lakes walk
- →Boat to St Mary Isle and Benedictine monastery
- →Kayak or bike rental in the park
Ferry to Korčula — Old Town and medieval walls
Korčula
Morning ferry or catamaran from Mljet to Korčula (Krilo ~£12, 1h). Drop bags at your guesthouse in Korčula Old Town or Lumbarda. Wander the grid-plan medieval town, climb the Revelin tower and St Mark's Cathedral bell tower (£4), and walk the seaward walls. Join a free/cheap walking tour (tip-based, ~£8-10) or a GetYourGuide history walk (~£18). Evening: swim at Banje beach and eat at a konoba in Lumbarda if you want the Dalmatian village dinner the cruise offered as optional (pekа lamb, ~£25).
🚌Catamaran Mljet–Korčula ~£12; everything walkable.
🛏Guesthouse in Korčula Old Town or Lumbarda (£35-50 private)
- →Korčula Old Town walking tour
- →Revelin tower and cathedral bell tower
- →Swim at Banje beach
- →Optional Lumbarda dinner excursion
Korčula to Vis — the island the cruise ships miss
Vis
Take the Krilo catamaran Korčula–Vis (seasonal, ~2h30, £20-25; otherwise route via Hvar or Split). Vis is the furthest-out island and the most characterful — base in Vis town or Komiža. Afternoon: walk to the Roman thermal baths (Villae Rusticae) along the waterfront, visit the Vis town museum (£4), and rent a scooter or e-bike to reach Stiniva beach the next morning (£30/day). Sunset at Fort George or Prirovo.
🚌Catamaran Korčula–Vis ~£22; scooter rental ~£30/day.
🛏Guesthouse in Vis town or Komiža (£35-50 private)
- →Roman thermal ruins and Villae Rusticae waterfront walk
- →Vis town museum
- →Scooter rental for Stiniva and Stončica beaches
Blue Cave and Hvar Town
Hvar
Early boat from Vis to Biševo's Blue Cave — book a small-group speedboat trip direct with a Komiža operator or via GetYourGuide (~£35-45, includes Blue Cave entry £10 and often the Green Cave and Stiniva). Then catamaran Vis–Hvar (~1h, £12). Afternoon: climb to the Hvar town fort (Španjola, £4), see the Renaissance cathedral and the 1612 Arsenal theatre, and swim off the Pakleni Islands by water taxi (£8 return from Hvar harbour) instead of the cruise's onboard lunch stop.
🚌Speedboat Blue Cave trip ~£40; catamaran Vis–Hvar ~£12; Pakleni water taxi ~£8.
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Hvar Town (£30-45 dorm/private; book early, prices spike in July-August)
- →Blue Cave (Biševo) small-group speedboat tour
- →Hvar town fort hike and Renaissance cathedral
- →Arsenal theatre (1612)
- →Pakleni Islands swim stop
Hvar to Bol (Zlatni rat) and on to Trogir
Bol / Trogir
Morning catamaran Hvar–Bol (~40 mins, £10). Walk 20 minutes from Bol harbour to Zlatni rat (Golden Horn) beach for a swim — free, no entry. Lunch in Bol, then afternoon catamaran or ferry Bol–Split (~1h, £12) and local bus #37 Split–Trogir (~50 mins, £4). Evening in Trogir: wander the UNESCO-listed old town on its tiny island, see the cathedral portal, and eat at a konoba along the riva (dinner ~£18).
🚌Catamaran Hvar–Bol ~£10, Bol–Split ~£12, bus Split–Trogir ~£4.
🛏Guesthouse or soba in Trogir Old Town (£30-45 private)
- →Zlatni rat beach (Golden Horn), Bol
- →Trogir UNESCO old town self-guided walk
- →Trogir cathedral and riva evening
Morning in Trogir and departure
Trogir / Split
Free morning in Trogir — coffee on the riva, the Kamerlengo fortress (£4), or a swim at Okrug beach. Local bus to Split airport (line 37 to Split then shuttle, ~£5 total; direct taxi ~£25). If you're flying out of Dubrovnik instead, take the bus Split–Dubrovnik (~4.5h, £25).
🚌Bus Trogir–Split ~£2, airport shuttle ~£3, or taxi to Split airport ~£25.
🛏None (departure day)
- →Kamerlengo fortress
- →Trogir morning market and riva
- →Optional Okrug beach swim
Self-launched vs. Nature Trips
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Nature Trips | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£650 | £1,750 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,100 per person (63%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Nature Trips-style trips? Check them out here.~£650
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 Croatia Island Hopping: Dubrovnik to Trogir (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £650 per person for 8 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 Nature Trips?+
Yes — Nature Trips charges around £1,750 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £650 — a saving of roughly £1,100 (63%) per person.
How long is the Croatia trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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 beaches, culture, backpacker 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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