A Mykonos ATV quad tour is a ride on a quad bike over the island’s roads and dirt tracks. You head to beaches, viewpoints and villages with a guide or on your own. This post covers the formats, the roads, the stops, the licence rules and the booking rules. The homepage lists more Greece Tours like this one.
Each tour card below opens a live GetYourGuide booking. Dates, pickup points and group sizes are shown on each card.
What is a Mykonos ATV quad tour and what does it include?
A Mykonos ATV quad tour is a ride on a four-wheel quad bike over paved roads and dirt tracks. You can join a guided group, rent a quad for a self-guided ride, or book a private ride. A jeep tour is the car-based alternative.
An ATV, short for all-terrain vehicle, runs on low-pressure tyres. The rider sits on the seat with a leg on each side and steers with handlebars. A model with four wheels is called a quad bike. It is designed for a wider variety of terrain than other vehicles. A Mykonos ATV quad tour uses this machine.
If you plan to cross into Turkey as well, the homepage also lists Turkey tours.
The guided group format runs on 650cc quads. Riders receive helmets, safety instructions and a briefing from the guides, and the briefing is tailored to skill levels. The guides make sure each rider feels confident before the group sets off. Energy bars and cold mineral water come with the ride. The tour provider also arranges hotel pickup and drop-off.
Another guided format uses quads of 450cc to 600cc. Its tickets come in two kinds: one rider per quad, or two riders per quad on a 600cc machine. Bottled water, fuel and helmets are included, and pickup comes with both kinds. A Mykonos ATV quad tour of this type suits a pair who want to share one quad.
A further format sells a 450cc quad in two ways, as a guided ride and as a rental. Pickup is included with both. Reservations are made per vehicle, not per person. This quad is described as a high-quality ATV suited to off-road riding.
The off-road adventure with beach stops is a guided Mykonos ATV quad tour for up to 20 travellers. Equipment, bottled water, snacks and hotel pickup are included. The guides supply helmets and give a safety overview before the ride. Alcoholic drinks and riding goggles are not included, so bring your own goggles.
A Mykonos ATV quad tour can also be self-guided. You rent a 450cc quad and plan the route yourself with the maps that come with it. Helmets and maps are included, but fuel is not, so you buy the petrol yourself. The day opens with an orientation. After that you explore the island on your own.
Travellers who enjoy driving and exploring alone suit the rental. It also offers an extra driver, which suits a partner or a friend. Helmets cover the driver and a passenger. The quad is easy to park and to steer through the small streets of Mykonos.
A private Mykonos ATV quad tour keeps the whole experience to your own party. On one private format you drive your own ATV or buggy at a relaxed pace with a local guide. Water for each rider and petrol are included. Both vehicles are driven by you, not by the guide.
The private jeep tour is the car-based alternative to a quad ride. You travel in an air-conditioned 4×4 jeep with a local guide, so you do not share the vehicle with strangers. Bottled water, coffee or tea, and pickup and drop-off from any spot on the island are included. The tour suits couples, families and adventurous travellers.
Choose the format by who rides. First-time riders suit the guided group, because the briefing is tailored to skill levels. Couples suit the two-person quad or the private ride. Experienced riders suit the self-guided rental. Friends can ride one quad each on a Mykonos ATV quad tour. Anyone who prefers a car to a quad suits the jeep.
Where does a Mykonos ATV quad tour start and which roads does it use?
A guided Mykonos ATV quad tour starts at the Old Port, Tourlos or your hotel, depending on the format. It runs three to four hours over paved roads and dirt tracks.
Start with the size of the ground. Mykonos is a small island, about 14 kilometres at its longest and 10 kilometres wide. Each Mykonos ATV quad tour works inside that frame, and the guided rides described below run three to four hours.
The island is mainly hilly, and near the coasts there are no large flat surfaces. On one guided ride with 450cc to 600cc quads, the guides steer riders down goat paths and seaside trails. Traction changes quickly on the Aegean soils there.
An ATV is one way to get around Mykonos, next to the bus, taxi, car, scooter and boat. Ano Mera lies on the same main road as the airport. A car or scooter covers the run from Mykonos Town to Ano Mera in about 15 minutes. The road crosses the Cycladic countryside.
The Old Port is the start of one guided off-road ride with beach stops. Riders meet next to the police station, check in and put on their gear. The ride lasts four hours. Ano Mera is its last stop. This Mykonos ATV quad tour reaches the village at the end, not at the start.
Tourlos is the departure point listed for one guided safari ride. The rider and the operator agree the exact pickup place and time by message. The route follows a dirt road, and the quads are 450cc to 600cc machines. A Mykonos ATV quad tour of this kind therefore begins with a short message before the ride.
A private guided ride lets the rider choose the meeting place: Mykonos Town, the port or the hotel. The rider makes the request at checkout. The start time is flexible, while the ride itself lasts four hours. A Mykonos ATV quad tour of this kind begins where the rider asks.
The 450cc rental is self-guided, so no guide waits at a meeting point. The operator offers pickup and drop-off at the port, the airport or the hotel on request. Maps come with the rental, and riders plan their own route. A self-guided Mykonos ATV quad tour can leave the main roads and reach beaches that only dirt paths serve.
Ride length follows the format. The ride on 650cc quads lasts about three hours. The safari ride on 450cc to 600cc quads lasts three to four. The guided off-road ride with beach stops lasts four hours, and so does the private guided ride. Pick the ride whose length fits the hours you have.
The guided safari moves at the pace of the group. Guides ask riders to keep their spacing, because dust reduces visibility and the tracks can shift quickly. Riders stick to designated tracks. The 650cc ride has no formal lunch stop. On a Mykonos ATV quad tour of this kind, the guides plan the stops.
Surfaces change within one ride. On the guided safari, the tracks include packed dirt lanes, loose shale and narrow sandy stretches. The sandy stretches slide when a rider leans too hard. Coastal roads and villages join the dirt on the ride with 650cc quads. The private four-hour ride offers a light off-road track, with a paved route as the alternative.
Which beaches and viewpoints does a Mykonos ATV quad tour reach?
A Mykonos ATV quad tour reaches north-coast beaches such as Fokos, Agios Sostis and Ftelia. Longer routes add Kalafatis, Elia and Ornos. Viewpoints include Armenistis lighthouse, the Boni windmill and Tragonisi, and every route names its own stops.
On the 650cc ride, a Mykonos ATV quad tour looks out over the Aegean Sea from Armenistis lighthouse. The next stop is Ano Mera Monastery. Rugged off-road paths then lead to Fokos beach and Spilia Agia Anna. Riders can ask for a break to rest or explore along the route.
One Mykonos ATV quad tour times every stop on a route from the lighthouse to Mykonos Town. The lighthouse gets twenty minutes, Panormos ten and Kalafatis fifteen. Elia gets twenty-five minutes for the coast and photos. Ornos gets twenty. The last stop is an hour in Mykonos Town, among Little Venice and the windmills.
A Mykonos ATV quad tour that visits Ftelia gives this north-coast beach a long break. The quad safari allows an hour there, and the sunset ride allows forty-five minutes. The sand is fine and access is easy. Strong northerly winds make the beach a windsurfing spot. The off-road adventure includes ancient ruins near Ftelia.
A Mykonos ATV quad tour reaches Fokos on the north side, where the beach stays calm even in high season. It has no umbrellas or sunbeds, and the sea can turn choppy in the wind. On the private ride, Fokos is a stop for swimming and sunbathing. The off-road adventure adds Myrsini, another untouched beach with clear water.
The quad safari is a Mykonos ATV quad tour with a thirty-minute stop at Agios Sostis. This north-coast beach lies far from the crowds and beach bars of the south, and its water is crystal clear. The Tragonisi stop adds thirty minutes with views of the islet, Ikaria, Amorgos and Naxos. Agrari beach follows for forty minutes.
Armenistis lighthouse is a viewpoint stop on the 650cc ride, the sunset ride, the quad safari and the private ride. It stands on the north-west coast, high above the Aegean Sea. The stop lasts twenty minutes on the sunset ride and thirty on the safari and the private ride. Riders use it for photos and the view.
The private ride adds a viewpoint over Mykonos Town at the Agricultural Museum and the Boni windmill. The mill dates from the sixteenth century. It stands on a hill in Ano Miloi, above the bay of the town. The site holds a miller’s house and two small twin churches. Part of the museum display sits inside the mill.
Kalafatis gets a fifteen-minute pause on the sunset ride. Trees give natural shade, and the beach has two parts: one for watersports and one for swimming. Riders on that ride can cool off in the water. At Ano Mera, the same ride adds walking trails that lead into rocky land and down to nearby beaches.
The sunset ride ends at Agios Ioannis Diakoftis, a south-west beach that faces the channel between Mykonos and Delos. The sand is soft and the water is clear for swimming and snorkelling. A small church stands just above the beach. The sunset from there is exceptional, and the view of the channel is wide.
On the private ride, a Mykonos ATV quad tour gives Kapari twenty minutes. Kapari is an unorganised beach behind the chapel of Agios Ioannis. The water is very calm and clear, and the spot suits watching the sunset. Agios Ioannis lies a ten-minute walk away.
Who can drive a Mykonos ATV quad tour and which licence rules apply?
Drivers on a Mykonos ATV quad tour need a valid category B car licence. The age limit depends on the format: 18 on the guided 650cc ride and 23 on the self-guided rental. Driver and passenger both wear helmets, and Greek rules require it.
In Greece a quad is driven with a category B car licence. A motorcycle licence covers only a light quad of up to 49 cc. Tour quads are larger than that, so a Mykonos ATV quad tour calls for the car licence. The motorcycle licence is the wrong one to bring.
Bring the original licence, never a photocopy or a phone copy. The rental formats also ask for a passport and an ID card. Drivers with a licence from outside the EU can need an international driving permit as well. A provisional licence is not valid in Greece for driving or hiring any vehicle.
Age limits depend on the format. The guided 650cc ride asks every participant to be at least 18 and to hold a valid driving licence. A private four-hour guided ride sets 18 for the main driver too. A guided Mykonos ATV quad tour of that kind needs an adult at the handlebars.
Rentals set the bar higher. The 450cc rental asks drivers to be at least 21, and the self-guided rental asks for 23. The 450cc rental adds a daily surcharge for drivers under 26 and for licences issued less than a year ago. It also names restrictions for novice drivers.
Passengers ride on the same quad. Two people share one quad on the rental. On the private guided ride, one quad carries a maximum of two. On the off-road adventure with beach stops, guests under 18 can only ride as passengers. On that Mykonos ATV quad tour a younger guest rides behind an adult driver.
Greek rules require insurance, number plates and helmets for a quad on the road. The driver and every passenger must wear a helmet. A full-face helmet works, and so does a motorcycle helmet with protective goggles. The helmet rule does not cover a quad that has a cabin.
Insurance has limits. The 450cc rental covers third-party damage but not theft. Riding without a helmet can void your insurance, and a travel policy can exclude quad riding as an extreme sport. The hire firm can charge you for damage to the quad. Read the cover before a Mykonos ATV quad tour that you drive yourself.
No rider drinks before the ride. The 450cc rental states that drinking before riding is strictly prohibited for safety reasons. Greek law sets the blood alcohol limit at 0.5 per mille for drivers. Drivers whose licence is under two years old face a stricter limit of 0.2 per mille.
A first-time rider learns the controls at the start. On the private four-hour ride you meet the guide, gear up and learn ATV basics. On the four-hour guided ride the tour leader gives a quick throttle tutorial. Riders on that Mykonos ATV quad tour are told to yield to pedestrians, watch for livestock and respect private property.
Get full instruction and training before you ride, and keep both feet on the footrests. Skip the flip-flops. Make smooth moves on the throttle and the brake. A beginner needs no speed on paved roads or dirt tracks. Local councils can set their own limits on where quads run, so ask the hire firm.
What do the season, the wind and the booking rules mean for a Mykonos ATV quad tour?
A Mykonos ATV quad tour meets the meltemi, a dry wind from the north, between late spring and mid-September. The afternoon brings the strongest wind. Pick a morning or sunset start, wear closed shoes and sun cover, and book before you travel.
Wind is the weather fact to check before a Mykonos ATV quad tour in summer. The meltemi blows out of the north and is dry. Afternoon is when it is strongest, and at night it can die down. On a clear day it can rise without warning.
On a quad you ride in the open, exposed to sun and wind. The wind makes the air feel cooler. It does nothing to prevent sunburn or dehydration. July and August are hot, dry and intensely sunny. Sun cream, sunglasses and a hat belong in the bag, and so does water.
Midsummer adds heat and dust to a Mykonos ATV quad tour. Dust hangs in the air and the tracks bake. Midday in July and August can be brutally hot. Mean daily highs reach 27.8 degrees Celsius in July and 27.6 in August. August gets 1.3 millimetres of rain on average, and July only 0.1.
Spring and autumn run cooler and wetter. The mean daily high is 18.8 degrees Celsius in April, with 18.7 millimetres of rain. October reaches 22 degrees, with 24.3 millimetres of rain. Spring brings occasional rain and muddy tracks early in the season. By late spring the high is 22.6 and rain falls to 5.9 millimetres.
June and September bring milder heat and a quieter island than midsummer. The June high is 26.3 degrees Celsius, with 3.6 millimetres of rain. The September high is 25.7, with 10.4 millimetres. Rental shops on Mykonos run a season from April to October.
A Mykonos ATV quad tour can start in the morning or in the late afternoon. One 650cc guided tour begins at 9:00 am and lasts about 3 hours. The sunset safari starts around 5:00 pm and runs 3 to 4 hours. In mid-July the sun sets at 8:38 pm. In mid-September it sets at 7:25 pm.
Closed-toe shoes are a must on a Mykonos ATV quad tour. Long sleeves protect the arms from the sun, and a light wind layer helps on the coast. Light riding gloves add control and protection. If the tour has a beach stop, bring swimwear and a towel, or a change of clothes.
- Closed-toe shoes and long trousers
- Sun cream, sunglasses and a hat
- Water, gloves and a light wind layer
- Swimwear and a towel for a beach stop
Book a Mykonos ATV quad tour before you travel. The 650cc guided tour can sell out, and a pay-later option holds a place without payment up front. On the self-guided ride, one booking covers one vehicle, not one person. Early booking is worth considering for weekends and public holidays in the high season.
The cancellation line of a Mykonos ATV quad tour decides your refund. The 650cc guided tour refunds in full when you cancel at least 24 hours ahead. So does the off-road tour with beach stops. On the 4-hour guided tour, cancelling later than that gets no money back, and changes are refused.
The off-road tour with beach stops depends on good weather. If it is cancelled for poor conditions, the offer is another date or a full refund. The 4-hour guided tour makes the same offer when its minimum group is not reached. Rental terms differ, so read the cancellation line first. The tour cards on this page show open dates.