There is such a thing as a PhD by publication. This means that instead of the traditional model where a PhD candidate works with an advisor from the beginning of their PhD project, the candidate instead applies to a university to be examined on the basis of research they have already published. In principle, the already-published research could have been done "on your own" without an advisor; whether that is "manageable by individual efforts" depends on how literally you take that, since it would at least be very unlikely to complete enough research without ever writing an "Acknowledgements" section.
For example, at the University of Portsmouth you can apply for a PhD by publication by submitting "peer reviewed academic papers, complete books, chapters in anthologies, or equivalent materials accepted for publication, exhibited or performed" plus a 5,000 to 10,000-word commentary tying it all together. You still have to pass a viva voce examination, and I would guess (or hope) that the university assigns a supervisor who can help you with the commentary and to prepare for the viva. Nonetheless, the actual research of the PhD project would have been done "on your own".
One of my former colleagues took this route as an already established academic, earning his PhD on the basis of 10 years of research which he had completed while employed as a senior lecturer. As far as I know, he did not have a PhD supervisor while conducting that research, though I'm sure he benefited from working in an environment where he could learn from other researchers.
There is also such a thing as an honourary PhD, but this isn't a thing you can plan to earn.