Private caves and Myrtos tour, reviewed
A private car with a driver from your hotel at the time you choose, five hours over the Ainos road to Drogarati, then the boat at Melissani, then a swim at Myrtos and back. The inclusion list says driver, not guide, and the price is per person. Entrance fees and food are yours. Sixteen ratings is a small base for a 4.9, so read the written reviews for what they describe rather than the average: a driver who changed the order of stops when a venue was too busy.
Going without a car?Every tour here picks you up in Argostoli and cancels free up to 24 hours before. Reserve the date now, decide later.
Check tour availabilityWhat the listing itself says
Included, as the listing writes it
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Professional driver
Not included, as the listing writes it
- Entrance fees
- Food and drinks
Two lines in, two out, and the shortest lists on this site. What you are paying over a hundred euros a head for is the car, the driver and the start time. The listing says per person, so a couple pays twice the figure, with the cave fees on top. The inclusion list says professional driver; it does not say licensed guide, and the reviews below call him a guide anyway because he talked about the island all the way. Take the wording as written. The private and semi-private options compared.
What reviewers found
Eight entries under the listing, two of them star-only, from 2023 to August 2026. Three with something concrete in them:
Had a great trip, and our guide was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Arrived at one venue and was too busy so rearranged the tour which worked much better and alleviated the need to queue for long spells in the heat. Our guide was always happy to be flexible with our trip if we wanted to add something extra or different. Would highly recommended.
This was a great way to see the island! Our tour guide George was both friendly and knowledgeable, and the caves at Drogarati and Melissani were stunning. Plenty of flexibility built into the tour as well, which is a definite benefit over a larger coach tour. Would 100% recommend.
Demitris was the most attentive driver, polite, informative, could not of wished a better driver
Steve’s is the review to book on. In late July the car arrived at a venue that was too busy, the driver reordered the day, and nobody stood in the heat. That is exactly the freedom a coach cannot offer and the reason to choose your own start time: leave the hotel for the 09:00 opening and the reorder may never be needed. Vesna names the same thing as “Plenty of flexibility built into the tour as well, which is a definite benefit over a larger coach tour.” Michelle, in 2023, did it from a ship and called it “It was our favorite stop on the cruise, thanks to this tour!” so a ship is another way in; ask at booking.
Verdict
Book it if you want to set the start time yourself, be at the lake for opening, and swim at Myrtos rather than look at it. The driver is the product: the reviews describe him changing the order of the day to avoid a queue. The base is 4.9 from 16 ratings, and the price is per person, so a party of four pays a lot more than the coach.
Who it suits
- Couples and small families who want their own car and their own clock
- Anyone who wants to be at Melissani for the 09:00 opening or after 15:30
- Anyone who wants Myrtos as a swim, not a viewpoint
- Anyone staying outside the coach pickup zones, if the driver will come
Who it does not suit
- Anyone who wants a licensed guide inside the caves: the inclusion list says driver
- Larger parties on a budget: the price is per person
- Anyone who wants the tickets in the fare: that is the flagship
Other tours to consider
The semi-private van from the cruise terminal is the small-group tour. Both tickets included in a coach is the flagship. The whole island for the lowest fare is the island tour.
Small groupKefalonia: Melissani, Drogarati & Beach Small-Group Tour
Entry fees includedBoth cave tickets includedFrom Argostoli: Melissani Lake & Drogarati Caves Tour
Full island dayKefalonia: Melissani, Myrtos, Fiscardo & Wine Tasting
Frequently asked questions
Is the private caves tour priced per person or per car?
Per person, by the listing’s own wording, over a hundred euros each. Entrance fees and food are excluded, so budget the combined ticket to both caves on top. Tickets, including reduced and free categories.
Is there a guide on the private tour?
The inclusion list says professional driver, not licensed guide. Reviewers call him a guide because he talked about the island throughout, but the commentary inside the caves is the boatman’s at Melissani and self-guided at Drogarati. What the boatman does.
Can the private tour avoid the queue at Melissani?
Two ways. Choose a start time that reaches the lake for the 09:00 opening or after 15:30, or let the driver reorder the stops, which a July 2026 reviewer describes him doing when a venue was too busy. The light and the queue, hour by hour.
Can cruise passengers book the private tour?
One 2023 reviewer did it as a cruise stop. The listing offers hotel pickup at the time you choose; ask at booking about the port. The cruise page lists the tours designed for the terminal.