Elaphite Islands: Private boat tour (Cap Camarat 7.5wa)

A private boat day to the Elaphite Islands is interesting because it turns a big-ticket coastline into a small-group adventure. You can float between islands, stop for swims, and spend your time exactly where you want, instead of following a fixed checklist. This is private speedboat travel, with hotel pickup to get you moving fast.

I like two things right away. First, you get the best kind of flexibility, you decide how long to stay at each stop. Second, the tour is built around water time, with snorkeling equipment plus a GoPro and towels. The main thing to consider is simple: food is not included, so plan on lunch on the islands if you’re there long enough.

Key reasons this Elaphite boat tour is a smart pick

• Cap Camarat 7.5wa speedboat, brand new and made for smooth island hopping
• Private group up to 7, so you can keep the day feeling calm
• Three cave stops on Koločep (Green Cave, Blue Cave, Three Caves)
• Lopud includes Šunj sandy beach plus time to walk where locals live
• Drinks included (water, cola, white wine, beer) for a no-stress break
• Grebeni, Koločep, Lopud, Šipan all in one outing, with a flexible schedule

Entering the pace-controlled world of the Elaphite Islands

This is the kind of day where the coastline does the talking. The Elaphite Islands sit off Dubrovnik in a cluster, and the best part is that you can hop between them quickly enough to actually enjoy the water, not just travel over it.

On this private tour, you are not trading privacy for logistics. You are picked up, you get on a clean, modern speedboat, and then you cruise island to island with a skipper who also acts as your guide. That matters because you are not only getting locations, you are getting context about where to look and when to stop.

The big practical win is how the timing works. You can run the tour for 4 hours or stretch it to 8 hours, and at each island stop you can choose how long to stay. If your group wants more swimming, you can lean that way. If you want a short walk and then straight back into the sea, you can do that too.

Price and value: $530 per group, up to 7, not per person

At $530 per group for up to 7 people, this tour can pencil out better than it first looks. The math is simple: you’re paying once for the boat and skipper, and then splitting the cost across your group.

What makes that price feel reasonable is what’s bundled. The tour includes fuel, the skipper, drinks, towels, snorkeling equipment, and a GoPro. It also includes pickup and drop-off from Dubrovnik. If you’ve priced private boat days elsewhere, you’ll know those extras often get added later, so getting them included changes the value.

The one clear gap is food. If you’re booking a longer 6 to 8 hour day, you’ll likely want lunch, and the good news is that there are restaurants on Lopud and Šipan. You just need to plan for it yourself since the tour doesn’t provide meals.

Your boat day, minus the crowd energy

This tour is private group travel. That means your time stays yours. You are not waiting for other people to get ready at each stop, and you’re not pushed to move on when you’d rather linger.

The boat itself matters more than many people think. You’re on the Cap Camarat 7.5wa, described as brand new. A newer boat usually means a cleaner, more reliable ride, especially when you are moving between island stops in open water. It also helps that the tour uses a skipper who can guide and handle the day, so you can focus on enjoying it rather than figuring out logistics on the fly.

One more subtle point: the day is designed for water. With towels, snorkeling gear, and GoPro included, you’re set up to actually use the stops. You can’t say that for every “coast cruise” that is mostly just looking from the boat.

Pickup in Dubrovnik: the small detail that makes the day smoother

You’ll be picked up in Dubrovnik at the address you specify, about 20 minutes before the start time. That’s a small detail, but it changes the feel of the day. Instead of spending your morning organizing transit to a marina, you just get on the van or car and head to the water.

The tour duration is flexible, 4 to 8 hours, and the schedule is also flexible based on your preferences. If your group is traveling with a tight plan, you can choose a shorter day. If you want that slower, swim-focused island feeling, choose longer.

You also get an English live guide through the skipper. Even if your group speaks another language, English is the one listed, so plan on that as your shared base for the story and advice.

First cruise stop: Grebeni and getting oriented fast

Before you reach the Elaphite Islands proper, the tour first shows you Grebeni, a starting point that helps you get your bearings. This is the moment when your eyes start reading the coastline the way locals do: where the coves are, where the water turns clear, and where you’ll want to stop later.

I like this kind of opening because it prevents that “we’re driving, when do we get there” feeling. You see a first island zone, then the tour moves into the islands you came for.

If you care about timing, this early cruise segment is also useful. In one recent experience, the skipper was early and timely, which helped the group get ahead of busier times. Even if you cannot control everything, leaving promptly sets you up better for quieter water.

Koločep caves: Green Cave, Blue Cave, and Three Caves

Koločep is where the tour gets its reputation for memorable stops. You’ll make three cave stops here: Green Cave, Blue Cave, and Three Caves. This is not just scenic cruising. It’s a chance to experience the coastline differently, with water, shadow, and that cave-light effect people chase in Croatia.

Here’s how to think about these cave stops in a practical way. The caves are short, visual moments, but the payoff comes from what you can do around them: swim, snorkel, and float in clear water near dramatic rock formations. The included snorkeling gear makes it easier to stay in the water and not treat snorkeling as an extra task you must gear up for.

A small consideration: caves are tight and photo-friendly, so you’ll want to move calmly when you’re near the entrances. Keep your snorkeling routine simple. If you want GoPro footage, think about doing it in a smooth sequence rather than stopping mid-stream to reconfigure.

This is also a big reason the tour feels worth it even when you compare prices. Cave entrances on a private boat stop are time-efficient. You’re not waiting for a long public ferry hop just to reach one scenic zone.

Lopud: Šunj sandy beach plus walk time on the island

After Koločep, the day shifts to Lopud, and it opens with a stop at Šunj, a sandy beach. Sandy beaches are the reset button for a sea-day. If your group has been in and out of caves, this feels more relaxed and gives you a more classic beach break.

Then you get the chance to visit the populated area on Lopud. You’ll have time for a walk, which is a nice balance to the more swim-heavy sections earlier. A short stroll matters because it keeps the day from becoming one long water loop. You get to see how people actually live on the islands, not just how they vacation there.

One practical note: this is one of the best places to build in lunch if you’re doing a longer tour. Restaurants are available on Lopud if you want food, and it’s a natural point to take your break before continuing to the next island.

Šipan island time: quieter scenery with lunch options

The final island stop is Šipan. It’s another classic Elaphite experience, with time to cruise and time to enjoy the water. If you’ve got a group that loves quiet coves or wants fewer interruptions, Šipan is often the right kind of ending to the day because the pace can feel lighter as the tour moves toward the finish.

Like Lopud, Šipan has restaurants, so you can catch lunch here as well if you prefer to eat later or if your group decided they don’t want to stop for food on Lopud.

This final leg also helps you judge how to use your remaining time. If you’ve been saving your energy, Šipan is a solid place to spend it. If you used all your energy on earlier swims, you can keep it simpler, enjoy the views, and do shorter water breaks.

Snorkeling gear, towels, and GoPro: making the water time count

This tour includes snorkeling equipment, towels, and a GoPro. That combination is what turns the day from sightseeing into actual island water time.

Here’s what I’d do if you want the best results. Put your swimwear on before you meet the pickup so you waste less time later. Then treat your snorkeling stops as quick sessions rather than long projects, especially around caves where you might be moving between areas.

Also, manage expectations. The GoPro can produce great footage, but it’s not magic. Keep your buoyancy in mind, avoid overthinking settings, and focus on getting a few clean clips instead of trying to capture everything at once.

One extra detail from real-world experience: one skipper named Simon has been described as lending his GoPro and providing goggles so people could watch fish. Even if your included gear is enough, it’s a good sign that the guide can help you make snorkeling more comfortable.

Drinks included: the easy break that keeps the mood right

You’ll have drinks included, specifically water, cola, white wine, and beer. This matters because it removes the micro-planning that can ruin a good boat day. You do not need to buy refreshments mid-tour or keep track of what your group wants.

What I like about drinks being included is that they help you relax at each pause. You can cool down after a swim, sip something cold, and get ready for the next stop without shifting into logistics mode.

If your group has mixed preferences, you have options. Water stays the default, cola is there for something sweeter, and wine and beer cover the more celebratory mood. Just remember to pace it, especially if you plan on doing multiple water sessions.

How to plan your 4-hour vs 8-hour choice

Choosing between 4 and 8 hours is mostly about how much water time you want versus how much walking you want.

A 4-hour tour can work if you want the core highlights without pressure. You’ll still get cave experiences on Koločep, plus time around Lopud and Šipan depending on how the skipper times it with your group. It’s a great option when you are visiting Dubrovnik and want to fit the islands in without losing your evening plans.

An 8-hour tour is for slow living. You can spend more time near the caves, linger on sandy beach time at Šunj, take a longer walk on Lopud, and still have breathing room on Šipan for extra swimming or an unhurried lunch stop.

If you’re traveling with kids, or with people who need frequent breaks, the longer option can help. More hours means more flexibility to match energy levels.

What to bring and how to avoid the usual boat-day mistakes

The tour asks you to bring swimwear, and that’s the big one. Towels are provided, snorkeling equipment is provided, and pickup is included, so you’re not packing a full beach kit. Still, I recommend bringing a simple add-on depending on your habits, like sunglasses or a hat, since the sun can be intense on open water.

Also think about comfort. You’ll be moving between islands and spending time in and out of the water. Wear shoes that work for short boarding steps if you have them, and plan to keep your valuables secure since you’re on a speedboat.

If you want the best photos and least hassle, keep one person responsible for small gear like GoPro handling. That way, you’re not all clustering at once and losing swim time.

Who this private Elaphite tour suits best

This is a strong fit for:

• Couples or small groups who want privacy instead of a crowded ferry day
• People who care about swimming and snorkeling more than land sightseeing
• Travelers who want a day that is flexible, where you choose how long you stay at each stop
• Groups of up to 7 who can share the boat cost and turn it into good value

It might be less ideal if your group only wants a short photo stop and zero water activity. The tour is built around water time, caves, and snorkeling gear, so you’ll get more out of it if you actually plan to use the sea.

Should you book this private Elaphite Islands speedboat tour?

If your goal is a private, swim-forward day around Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan, this is an easy yes. The value stands out because so much is included: fuel, skipper-guide, drinks, towels, snorkeling gear, GoPro, and pickup. The price is per group, not per person, which helps if you’re traveling with friends or family.

I’d book it if you want flexibility and you like the idea of real island time, not just a quick pass. If you know your group will want lunch, plan for that since food is not included, and use Lopud or Šipan restaurants when it fits your pace.

FAQ

How long is the Elaphite Islands private boat tour?

The tour duration can be 4 to 8 hours, depending on what you choose during the day.

How many people can be on the private boat?

It’s priced for a private group up to 7 people.

Where does pickup happen?

Pickup is in Dubrovnik, from the address you specify, about 20 minutes before the tour starts. Drop-off is back in Dubrovnik.

What is included in the price?

The price includes fuel, the skipper (who also guides), drinks (water, cola, white wine, beer), towels, snorkeling equipment, a GoPro, and pickup.

Is food included?

No. Food is not included, though there are restaurants on Lopud and Šipan if you want lunch.

What do I need to bring?

Bring swimwear.

Is the tour guide available in English?

Yes, the guide is available in English.

The booking call

Book this tour if you want a private Elaphite Island day with built-in swimming time, caves on Koločep, and included snorkeling gear and drinks. Skip it if your group mainly wants a land-focused day or if you need a meal provided for free.