A Kos jeep safari is a full day in an open 4×4 on the dirt tracks of the island interior: the ridge over Dikeos, the abandoned village of Haihoutes, the tracks behind Antimachia and the western cliffs, with a village lunch and an afternoon swim. Plan the rest of the island with Greece Tours.
This guide covers the day: where the tracks go and what stands at the end of them, what the safari costs against the quad and private versions, who drives and what licence a self-drive convoy needs, what the ride is like, the village lunch, how it compares with the coach tour, and when to book.
What does a Kos jeep safari cover?
A full day in an open 4×4 on the dirt tracks of the island interior: the ridge road over Dikeos, the abandoned village of Haihoutes, the tracks behind Antimachia and the Kefalos headland, with a village lunch and swim stop.
A Kos jeep safari runs the dirt tracks of the island interior. The route exists because the island has two road networks. The asphalt runs the north coast between the resorts; the tracks run the spine, the ridges and the abandoned settlements above them. A hire car is not insured on the second, and a coach cannot enter it. May, June, September and October are the months for the tracks. A buff or scarf keeps the track dust off your face. Self-drive convoys ask for a full licence held a year. Six to eight passengers ride in each vehicle on a Kos jeep safari. Haihoutes is the abandoned village at the head of a valley.
The guided version of a Kos jeep safari needs no licence. Groups are small — six to eight per vehicle, two to four vehicles in convoy — and the guide leads in the first jeep with the drivers following. The day runs seven to eight hours with pickup between half past eight and half past nine. The cliffs above Agios Theologos look over open sea. The Dikeos ridge climbs above Asfendiou and Zia. Heavy rain postpones a Kos jeep safari rather than cancelling it. The afternoon swim stop falls on the south coast.
Where do the tracks go?
Up through Asfendiou and Zia onto the Dikeos ridge, west to Haihoutes and the Amaniou plateau, down past Antimachia to the Kefalos hills, and out to the western cliffs above Agios Theologos.
The Dikeos ridge climbs above Asfendiou and Zia. Haihoutes is the set piece. The village was abandoned in the 1960s when its families moved to the coast, and the shell of the houses, the church and the old coffee house sit under plane trees at the head of a valley. One family reopened the kafeneio, and it is the mid-morning stop. Heavy rain postpones a Kos jeep safari rather than cancelling it. The afternoon swim stop falls on the south coast. Lunch is at an inland taverna rather than a resort restaurant. The convoy runs two to four jeeps behind a lead guide. The kafeneio at Haihoutes reopened under the plane trees.
Self-drive convoys ask for a full licence held a year. The western end is the wilder half. The tracks above Agios Theologos run along cliffs over the open sea with no settlement in sight, which is the part of Kos that surprises visitors who know only the beach strip. The mountain itself is covered at Mount Dikeos. Six to eight passengers ride in each vehicle on a Kos jeep safari. Haihoutes is the abandoned village at the head of a valley. Children over six take to the open jeep and the swim. Quad and buggy tours cover the same ground at a higher price.
What does a Kos jeep safari cost?
From about 60 to 90 euros per adult with lunch and drinks included, and from about 30 to 50 euros for children. A self-drive place in your own hired 4×4 within the convoy runs lower where operators offer it.
Haihoutes is the abandoned village at the head of a valley. The fare covers the vehicle, the guide, fuel, lunch at a village taverna and the drinks at the stops. Site entries are extra where the route includes one, and the tip for the guide is normal rather than expected. Children over six take to the open jeep and the swim. Quad and buggy tours cover the same ground at a higher price. Krasotyri appears on the table at the village lunch. A hire car carries no insurance on these tracks. A Kos jeep safari passes behind Antimachia on the way west.
Lunch is at an inland taverna rather than a resort restaurant. Private jeep hire with a driver-guide for a family runs from about 350 to 500 euros for the day, which sets the route and the pace. Quad and buggy versions of the same tracks price higher per head because each machine carries one or two. The convoy runs two to four jeeps behind a lead guide. The kafeneio at Haihoutes reopened under the plane trees. Booking two to four days ahead fills the small convoys. A Kos jeep safari runs seven to eight hours with hotel pickup.
Who drives, and do you need a licence?
On the guided safaris the operator’s driver takes the wheel and no licence is needed. On the self-drive convoys the visitor drives a hired 4×4 with a full licence held for at least one year, following the lead vehicle.
The kafeneio at Haihoutes reopened under the plane trees. The self-drive version suits confident drivers and costs less. The tracks are loose gravel with ruts and steep sections, and the operator briefs the convoy before it leaves: spacing, gears on descents, and the rule about not overtaking the lead jeep. Booking two to four days ahead fills the small convoys. A Kos jeep safari runs seven to eight hours with hotel pickup. A Kos jeep safari is dusty, bumpy and open-sided. The guided version of a Kos jeep safari needs no licence. The cliffs above Agios Theologos look over open sea.
Krasotyri appears on the table at the village lunch. The quad tours over the same ground carry a separate licence requirement and a minimum age, and they exclude passengers who want to be driven. Anyone in a mixed party checks that before booking the whole group onto one product. A hire car carries no insurance on these tracks. A Kos jeep safari passes behind Antimachia on the way west. A Kos jeep safari runs the dirt tracks of the island interior. May, June, September and October are the months for the tracks.
What is the day like on the tracks?
Dusty, bumpy and open-sided. The jeeps run with the roof off or the windows down, the tracks throw dust over the convoy, and the temperature inland runs three to five degrees above the coast at midday.
A Kos jeep safari passes behind Antimachia on the way west. The stops break it up: a viewpoint on the ridge, the kafeneio at Haihoutes, a hill chapel, lunch at a village taverna, and a swim at a south-coast beach in the afternoon. Nobody sits in a vehicle for more than forty minutes at a stretch. A Kos jeep safari runs the dirt tracks of the island interior. May, June, September and October are the months for the tracks. A buff or scarf keeps the track dust off your face. Self-drive convoys ask for a full licence held a year. Six to eight passengers ride in each vehicle on a Kos jeep safari.
A Kos jeep safari is dusty, bumpy and open-sided. Bring a scarf or a buff for the dust, sunglasses, a hat that survives wind, closed shoes, swimwear under your clothes and a towel. Cameras go in a bag rather than on a lap, because the tracks shake everything loose. The guided version of a Kos jeep safari needs no licence. The cliffs above Agios Theologos look over open sea. The Dikeos ridge climbs above Asfendiou and Zia. Heavy rain postpones a Kos jeep safari rather than cancelling it.
What do you eat and where?
Lunch is at an inland taverna in Zia, Pyli or a Kefalos village rather than a resort restaurant: grilled meat, local cheese, salad, bread and wine, included in the fare on the guided tours.
The cliffs above Agios Theologos look over open sea. The village kitchens are the reason regular visitors book the safari a second time. Krasotyri, the island’s wine-matured cheese, appears on most tables, and the meat is grilled to order rather than held. Vegetarian plates are prepared on request stated at booking. The Dikeos ridge climbs above Asfendiou and Zia. Heavy rain postpones a Kos jeep safari rather than cancelling it. The afternoon swim stop falls on the south coast. Lunch is at an inland taverna rather than a resort restaurant. The convoy runs two to four jeeps behind a lead guide.
A buff or scarf keeps the track dust off your face. The kafeneio stop at Haihoutes serves Greek coffee, spoon sweets and raki mid-morning. It is a working village house rather than a tour stop, and the family running it does the talking. Self-drive convoys ask for a full licence held a year. Six to eight passengers ride in each vehicle on a Kos jeep safari. Haihoutes is the abandoned village at the head of a valley. Children over six take to the open jeep and the swim.
How does the jeep safari compare with the coach tour?
The coach covers the Asklepion, Zia, Antimachia and Kefalos on asphalt with fifty passengers. The jeep skips most of the archaeology and takes the tracks between them with eight, trading sites for landscape.
Six to eight passengers ride in each vehicle on a Kos jeep safari. Travellers on a first visit take the coach for the sites and the commentary. Travellers who have seen the Asklepion take the jeep for the interior. The two days barely overlap on the ground despite covering the same island. Haihoutes is the abandoned village at the head of a valley. Children over six take to the open jeep and the swim. Quad and buggy tours cover the same ground at a higher price. Krasotyri appears on the table at the village lunch.
The afternoon swim stop falls on the south coast. The full comparison of formats, prices and stops sits in Kos island tour, which covers the coach, quad and tuk-tuk versions alongside this one. Lunch is at an inland taverna rather than a resort restaurant. The convoy runs two to four jeeps behind a lead guide. The kafeneio at Haihoutes reopened under the plane trees. Booking two to four days ahead fills the small convoys.
Who does a Kos jeep safari suit?
Active travellers, families with children over six, and anyone who has done the beaches and wants the island’s back country. It suits people who accept dust and heat in exchange for places no coach reaches.
The convoy runs two to four jeeps behind a lead guide. Children take to the open jeep and the swim stop and lose interest in the viewpoints. The seats are high and belted and the drivers keep the convoy slow, which reassures most parents by the second stop. The kafeneio at Haihoutes reopened under the plane trees. Booking two to four days ahead fills the small convoys. A Kos jeep safari runs seven to eight hours with hotel pickup. A Kos jeep safari is dusty, bumpy and open-sided.
Quad and buggy tours cover the same ground at a higher price. It is the wrong day for anyone with back trouble, for pregnant travellers, and for parties wanting archaeology explained at length. The tracks are rough by design and the guide talks landscape rather than inscriptions. Krasotyri appears on the table at the village lunch. A hire car carries no insurance on these tracks. A Kos jeep safari passes behind Antimachia on the way west. A Kos jeep safari runs the dirt tracks of the island interior.
When does the season run and how far ahead do you book?
April to the end of October, running four to six days a week in high summer. Book two to four days ahead in July and August, because each vehicle takes eight and the convoys are small.
A hire car carries no insurance on these tracks. May, June, September and October are the months for it. The tracks are firm rather than dusty after the spring rain, the interior is green into June, and the midday heat inland in August is what most passengers complain about. A Kos jeep safari passes behind Antimachia on the way west. A Kos jeep safari runs the dirt tracks of the island interior. May, June, September and October are the months for the tracks. A buff or scarf keeps the track dust off your face.
A Kos jeep safari runs seven to eight hours with hotel pickup. Cancellation runs free to twenty-four hours with most operators, and heavy rain postpones rather than cancels because the tracks turn to mud. The village end of the route is covered at Antimachia and the mountain village at Zia. The island overview sits at Kos. A Kos jeep safari is dusty, bumpy and open-sided. The guided version of a Kos jeep safari needs no licence. The cliffs above Agios Theologos look over open sea. The Dikeos ridge climbs above Asfendiou and Zia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Kos jeep safari cost?
From about 60 to 90 euros per adult with lunch and drinks included and 30 to 50 euros for children. Private jeep hire with a driver-guide runs from about 350 to 500 euros for the day.
Do you drive on a Kos jeep safari?
On the guided safaris the operator’s driver takes the wheel and no licence is needed. On the self-drive convoys the visitor drives a hired 4×4 with a full licence held for at least one year.
What does a Kos jeep safari visit?
The Dikeos ridge above Asfendiou and Zia, the abandoned village of Haihoutes with its reopened kafeneio, the tracks behind Antimachia, and the western cliffs above Agios Theologos.