From Malta: Gozo & Comino Full-Day Buggy Tour with Lunch

Gozo is at its best when you leave the main roads, and this tour gives you the keys to do just that. You follow a lead driver through coastal tracks, country lanes, and off-road routes that reach places a large coach cannot. The return boat ride adds Comino’s caves and a possible swim at the Blue Lagoon.

I like the mix of self-drive freedom and a local guide, plus the picnic lunch that gives you time to stop without hunting for a restaurant. I also like the boat crossing, especially if the sea is calm enough for the Comino caves and summer swim stop. The main caution is the €450 insurance excess, which you must pay if you cause an accident, and the buggy supply has not always been dependable.

Key points at a glance

• Automatic two-seat buggies: Each vehicle takes one driver and one passenger, with seatbelts and helmets provided.
• Gozo’s harder-to-reach sights: Reach the Inland Sea, Wied il-Ghasri, Qbajjar Salt Pans, and Ta’ Cenc Cliffs by road and off-road track.
• Boat time is part of the day: Cross to Gozo by Yippee boat when conditions allow, then return past Comino’s caves.
• Summer swimming stop: Swim from the boat at one of Comino’s lagoons, with Blue Lagoon included when weather permits.
• Drivers need the right license: You must be at least 21 and hold a valid full driving license. Provisional and learner licenses do not count.
• Lunch is included: A picnic of Maltese dishes is served during a longer rest stop.

Why a buggy is a smart way to see Gozo

Gozo is compact, but its best corners are not arranged for a neat coach tour. A buggy lets you reach narrow routes, rough tracks, salt pans, cliffs, and open coastal viewpoints while keeping the day active.

You are not simply being driven from one photo stop to another. After a safety briefing, you take the wheel and follow a lead driver in convoy. That gives you a sense of freedom, but you are not left to find your own way across unfamiliar roads.

The buggies launched with a new fleet in August 2024. They are automatic, so you do not need to manage a clutch or manual gear changes. Each seats one driver and one passenger, making this a good fit for couples, friends, and families who can share driving duties.

The ride is still a driving activity, not a soft sightseeing trip. You should expect dust, bumps, sun, and the need to concentrate. Closed-toe shoes are required, and sunglasses are useful. A helmet, hairnet, fuel, and raincoat when needed are supplied.

Crossing from Malta to Gozo by boat

Your day begins with pickup from your hotel or the closest accessible point. The precise meeting place depends on the operator’s pickup network, and you receive the instructions by email or WhatsApp. Give a mobile number with the international prefix when booking, and arrive five minutes early.

The transport then takes you to the boat or ferry crossing. When weather allows, the crossing is on a Yippee boat reserved for the company’s clients. If conditions prevent that boat service, ferry tickets are provided instead.

The sea crossing is more than a transfer. It gives you an early look at Malta’s pale cliffs and open water, and it breaks up the road travel before the buggy section begins. Keep your phone ready, but do not count on perfect conditions. Boat plans depend on wind and sea conditions.

The operation can involve a large number of people at the transfer points. One Christmas departure gathered more than 100 people from several minibuses before the ferry, but the buggy activity itself was organized into convoy groups. Staff kept the group together at the ferry and on Gozo, which is helpful if you are concerned about finding the next meeting point.

Taking the wheel across Gozo

Once on Gozo, you are taken to the buggy area and shown the controls. The briefing covers the vehicles, the convoy system, and the insurance terms before you set off.

The guide leads from the front, so you can focus on driving and scenery rather than map reading. The guides work in English, French, or Arabic. Specific guides praised for clear and pleasant leading include Wissar, Ouissem, and Yannick, though the guide assigned to your date may be different.

The pace is designed around a convoy. That means you will stop and regroup rather than drive entirely at your own speed. I see this as a fair trade: you get the fun of self-driving without the stress of navigating Gozo’s less familiar tracks.

The tour is especially useful for people who want more than the standard town-and-church circuit. You will see countryside, open shore, and rougher routes that are difficult for a normal bus. The tradeoff is that the ride may feel less relaxed than a minibus tour, especially if you are not used to off-road driving.

The Inland Sea and Dwejra’s rough coast

The Dwejra area is one of Gozo’s most striking coastal zones, and the Inland Sea is one of its defining sights. This sheltered body of water sits beside the open sea and is linked to it by a narrow natural passage through the rock.

The buggy route brings you into the area, giving you time to take in the contrast between calm water and exposed coast. The surrounding rock is bare, weathered, and dramatic, with the kind of open views that make the off-road approach worthwhile.

An optional boat trip on the Inland Sea is not included. If you want to take it, budget extra time and money, and check the day’s operating conditions. The main tour already includes a separate boat experience around Comino, so you do not need this add-on to get time on the water.

Wied il-Ghasri and the salt pans

Wied il-Ghasri is a narrow sea inlet cut into Gozo’s coast. Its steep sides make it feel more enclosed than the broad coastal stops, and the route down toward the water gives you a closer look at the island’s rock formations.

This is one of the places where the buggy format makes sense. A coach can bring you near many Gozo sights, but a smaller vehicle is better suited to narrow approaches and rougher connecting tracks. You should still expect a stop shaped by the day’s convoy timing, not unlimited time for a long walk.

At Qbajjar, the salt pans offer a very different view. Shallow rectangular pools are cut into the rock near the sea, where salt is traditionally gathered after evaporation. The pattern of the pans is easy to appreciate from the route, and the stop adds a human working connection to Gozo’s coast rather than offering only scenery.

The salt pans can look stark in bright sun. Bring sunglasses, water, and sun protection, especially in summer. Your helmet and driving gear do not replace the need for your own basic protection from heat.

Ta’ Cenc Cliffs and the Maltese picnic

Ta’ Cenc Cliffs provide one of the day’s broadest coastal views. From the high ground, you get a sense of Gozo’s exposed southern edge and the height of the cliffs above the sea.

The cliffs are a good reminder that this is not just a beach excursion. Much of the appeal is the changing scenery between stops: country tracks, open rock, cultivated areas, and high coastal ground. The route lets you see Gozo as a working island and a natural one.

Lunch comes during an extended stop, giving you a chance to get off the buggy, stretch your legs, and recharge. The picnic includes Maltese dishes, so this is more useful than a quick snack eaten beside the vehicle.

A picnic is practical, but it does not offer the choice or comfort of a restaurant meal. If you have dietary restrictions, confirm what can be provided before booking. The supplied information identifies the meal as a Maltese picnic but does not list its exact contents.

Returning by Comino’s caves and Blue Lagoon

The return journey is one of the tour’s strongest features. Instead of simply reversing the land transfer, you board a Yippee boat and travel around Comino, passing its caves and coastal formations.

The exact route depends on weather. When sea conditions cooperate, the boat pauses at one of Comino’s lagoons for a swim during the summer season. Blue Lagoon is the headline stop, though the information also describes a stop at one of Comino’s lagoons, so the precise swimming location can vary.

Bring swimwear and a towel if you want to get in the water. You can also remain aboard and enjoy the views if swimming is not your priority. The stop is seasonal, and poor weather can remove the Comino boat section altogether. In that case, ferry tickets are provided, but the replacement will not offer the same sightseeing or swim time.

This is worth keeping in mind when comparing the tour with a land-only Gozo excursion. You are paying for two kinds of activity: an active drive on Gozo and a coastal boat experience around Comino. On a calm summer day, that combination gives the tour a strong sense of variety.

Price, group size, and what you really receive

The advertised price is $135 per group up to one person, but that wording needs checking at the time of booking. Since each buggy carries one driver and one passenger, confirm whether the final price is for a vehicle, a single participant, or another booking unit.

Value depends heavily on how many people share the buggy and how much you use the included transport. Pickup in Malta or Gozo, the crossing, the buggy, fuel, safety equipment, guide, picnic, and return boat are bundled together. Paying separately for those pieces would take time and could cost more, especially if you need transport to Gozo.

You should also understand the insurance. The buggies are third-party insured, but the first €450 of any claim is excluded. That amount is yours to pay if an accident leads to a covered claim. Drive carefully, follow the lead driver, and ask questions during the briefing before you accept the vehicle.

The advertised information includes a duration field of 24 days, which is clearly inconsistent with the full-day description and the stated cruise pickup of 8:00 a.m. with return at about 6:00 p.m. Treat this as a full-day outing and confirm the start time for your date before paying.

Who will enjoy this Gozo day most

I would choose this tour if you want active sightseeing and prefer to reach Gozo’s coast by vehicle rather than spend the day on foot or in a coach. It suits couples and friends who are happy to share a buggy, as well as families with eligible adult drivers.

It is also a good choice if you want one booking to cover Gozo and Comino. The route gives you inland and coastal scenery, a Maltese lunch, and a boat ride with a possible summer swim.

I would not choose it if you want a quiet, flexible day with long stops. The convoy structure keeps the group moving, and the driving requires attention. It is not suitable for pregnant women, and anyone without a full valid license cannot drive.

Drivers must be at least 21. Original licenses are accepted, and the supplied information also says pictures and copies can be accepted with a form of identification, but provisional and learner licenses are not accepted. Bring the license and identification you plan to use, and clarify any uncertainty before departure.

Practical advice before you book

Wear closed-toe shoes that you do not mind getting dusty. Pack swimwear, a towel, sunglasses, and any personal sun protection you need. Alcohol and drugs are not permitted.

Provide your WhatsApp number and accommodation details so the pickup team can send the nearest meeting point and time. Pickup may be at your hotel or at the closest accessible location, not necessarily directly outside the entrance.

If you are arriving by cruise ship, the stated meeting point is outside Magazino Hall at 8:00 a.m., with an approximate return around 6:00 p.m. That leaves little room for schedule changes, so check that the timing works with your ship’s departure.

The operator has a strong overall rating of 4.8 from 39 ratings, but the experience is not immune to operational problems. On one August departure, two buggies were reportedly unavailable and a jeep was used instead. A promised $100 refund had not arrived at the time of the complaint. This does not define every departure, but it is a reason to confirm the vehicle arrangement and any refund terms in writing if the equipment changes.

Should you book the Gozo and Comino buggy tour?

Book it if you want an energetic full-day outing with real driving, off-road access, Gozo’s major coastal sights, a Maltese picnic, and a boat ride around Comino. The combination is more varied than a standard island bus tour, and guides such as Wissar, Ouissem, and Yannick have shown the value of having a capable lead driver.

Think twice if you need guaranteed buggy availability, a calm pace, or a completely weather-proof plan. The €450 insurance excess matters, the Comino section can be changed by sea conditions, and the booking information contains a confusing duration entry.

For the best chance of getting the full experience, choose a season with a good chance of swimming, bring the right license and gear, and confirm the final price and vehicle details before departure. If those conditions suit you, this is a practical way to see Gozo’s rougher corners and Comino’s coast in one long, active day.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

It is described as a full-day tour. Cruise pickup is listed at 8:00 a.m., with an approximate return at 6:00 p.m. The booking information also displays a 24-day duration field, which appears inconsistent, so confirm the timing for your date.

What driving license do I need?

Drivers must be at least 21 and hold a valid full driving license. Provisional and learner licenses are not accepted. The supplied information says pictures and copies may be accepted with a form of identification, but you should bring the original license if possible.

How many people fit in one buggy?

Each automatic buggy seats one driver and one passenger. Seatbelts are fitted, and helmets are provided.

Is the Comino boat trip guaranteed?

No. The Comino boat section depends on weather and sea conditions. If it cannot operate, ferry tickets are provided instead.

Can I swim at the Blue Lagoon?

A summer swim stop is included when conditions allow. Bring swimwear and a towel if you plan to swim.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A picnic with Maltese dishes is included during an extended stop. The exact menu is not specified.

What is the insurance excess?

The insurance cover excludes the first €450 of any claim. The driver or hirer must pay that amount if an accident leads to a claim.