Every private day trip Costa Excursions runs from Málaga includes door-to-door hotel pickup and a fluent English-speaking local guide — no shuttle bus to a meeting point, no language gap once you arrive. That’s true for every tour on this page, at no extra cost, whether you’re staying in Málaga city, Marbella, or anywhere along the Costa del Sol. Below: exactly how pickup works, who your guide will actually be, what a typical morning looks like, and how this compares to booking a group tour or renting a car yourself.
Table of Contents
How Hotel Pickup Actually Works
You give us your hotel, villa, or apartment address when you book. On the day, your driver-guide picks you up directly from the entrance — no walking to a central meeting point, no waiting around with a group of strangers checking a clipboard for your name. Pickup covers Málaga city and the wider Costa del Sol, including Marbella, Puerto Banús, Estepona, Benahavís, Fuengirola, and Mijas. Drop-off at the end of the day is the same address, door to door. If your flight lands early or late, or your hotel changes at the last minute, you message your guide directly — not a call center.
What a Typical Pickup Morning Looks Like
Most tours start between 8:30 and 9:30am, timed around your destination and the season — earlier in summer to beat both heat and crowds, a little later in winter. Your guide will have confirmed the exact pickup time with you the day before, usually by WhatsApp. They pull up in a private, air-conditioned vehicle sized to your group — not a 20-seat coach — and you’re on the road within a couple of minutes of stepping outside. From there, the day is genuinely yours: ask to stop for photos, skip a section you’re not interested in, take a longer lunch, or add ten minutes at a viewpoint the guide knows but isn’t on any official itinerary. That flexibility is the actual point of a private tour — the itinerary bends around you, not the other way around.
Who Your Guide Will Be
Costa Excursions is run by Peter and Thomas, who personally lead many tours themselves, alongside a small team of named local guides — Antonio, Juan, Valme, Karim, Steven, and Dale — all fluent English speakers who know the routes, the history, and the practical logistics (border crossings, timed-entry tickets, best photo stops, which restaurant is actually good versus which one just has the best view) firsthand. You’re not getting a rotating pool of subcontracted drivers pulled from an app; you get someone who runs this specific route regularly and can hold a real conversation about what you’re seeing, not a memorized script.
Private Tour vs. Group Bus Tour vs. Self-Drive
| Private with Costa Excursions | Group bus tour (OTA) | Self-drive rental car | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickup | Door-to-door, your hotel | Fixed meeting point, fixed time | You drive, you park |
| Guide language | One guide, fluent English, one-on-one | Often multilingual narration to 20+ people | None — you’re on your own |
| Itinerary | Flexible — stop, skip, extend as you like | Fixed stops, fixed timing | Fully flexible, but you plan it all yourself |
| Parking / border logistics | Handled by your guide | Handled by the operator | Your problem — Ronda’s old town and Gibraltar’s border are both genuinely tricky |
| Pricing | Per group, not per person | Per person, adds up fast for families | Car rental + fuel + parking + tolls |
Tourists enjoy a walk along the scenic trail near the famous Ronda bridge in Spain.
Tours with Hotel Pickup and an English-Speaking Guide
Ronda Private Day Trip — from €600/group
Puente Nuevo bridge, the oldest bullring in Spain, and Ronda’s old town, at a pace that lets you actually enjoy the gorge views instead of rushing past them for a photo. View tour details →
Gibraltar Private Tour — from €890/group
The Rock of Gibraltar, the Barbary macaques, and Main Street — and no passport is needed for the land crossing since July 2026, which your guide will confirm and handle on the day. View tour details →
Ronda Winery & Tapas Tour — from €600/group
A seated wine tasting at Finca La Melonera vineyard, plus Ronda’s old town — built for travellers who want the wine region without a rushed, standing-room tasting. View tour details →
Caminito del Rey — from €450–550/group
Timed-entry tickets and the drive itself are the two things people worry about most for this one — both handled for you, so you just show up and walk. View full guide →
Nerja & Frigiliana
White-village charm in Frigiliana and a relaxed Mediterranean afternoon in Nerja, including the Balcón de Europa — a good pick for a slower-paced day. View tour details →
Málaga City Tour
Old town, the Picasso Museum area, and Málaga’s food scene on foot, with a guide who lives here and actually eats at the places they recommend. View tour details →
Common Questions Before Booking
What if my flight is delayed?
Message your guide directly — pickup times are confirmed by WhatsApp the day before specifically so there’s a direct line if plans shift, rather than routing a change through a booking platform.
Traveling with kids, or a family member with mobility limitations?
Tell us when you book. Because the itinerary isn’t fixed, tours can be adjusted — shorter walking sections, more frequent stops, or skipping a destination that isn’t practical, without affecting anyone else’s day, because there is no one else’s day to affect.
Large group, or multiple families traveling together?
Let us know your group size when booking and we’ll confirm the right vehicle — pricing is per group, so a larger party doesn’t mean paying per head the way a group tour does.
Ready to book, or have a question about pickup first?
WhatsApp us directly at +34 651 026 027 — tell us your hotel and we’ll confirm pickup timing before you book. Or see all our tours →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all Costa Excursions tours include hotel pickup from Malaga?
Yes — every private day trip includes door-to-door pickup from your hotel, villa, or apartment in Málaga or the wider Costa del Sol, at no extra cost.
Will my guide speak fluent English?
Yes. All of Costa Excursions’ guides — including owners Peter and Thomas and named local guides Antonio, Juan, Valme, Karim, Steven, and Dale — are fluent English speakers.
What areas do you pick up from?
Málaga city and the Costa del Sol, including Marbella, Puerto Banús, Estepona, Benahavís, Fuengirola, and Mijas.
Is the tour private, or will I be grouped with other travelers?
All tours are private — your vehicle and guide are exclusively for your group, not shared with other travelers.
What time do tours usually start?
Most tours start between 8:30 and 9:30am, timed to the destination and season, and the exact time is confirmed with your guide the day before.
Can the itinerary be adjusted for kids or mobility needs?
Yes — because tours are private and not shared with other travelers, pacing, stops, and walking sections can be adjusted without affecting anyone else’s day.
Is pricing per person or per group?
Per group, not per person — a family or larger party doesn’t pay more per head the way a group bus tour typically charges.
What if my flight is delayed?
Pickup times are confirmed by WhatsApp the day before specifically so there’s a direct line to your guide if flight or travel plans shift.
How do I book a private day trip from Malaga with hotel pickup?
Contact Costa Excursions through the website or WhatsApp at +34 651 026 027 with your hotel address, preferred tour, and travel dates, and they’ll confirm pickup timing before you book.
Does hotel pickup cost extra?
No — hotel pickup and an English-speaking guide are included in every tour price, not an add-on.
