Quad in Gozo: our experience and tips

Here I am again with an unmissable activity: quad biking on Gozo. To give you some context, Gozo is the second most‑visited island in the Maltese archipelago. What’s more, it is only 5 km north of Malta. After visiting Malta, you realise even more how calm and authentic Gozo is—it’s wonderfully pleasant! In general, travellers go there for just one day. But, believe me, spending a few days on the island offers some great surprises.
If you are staying only a short time in Malta and still want to visit Gozo, in my opinion a guided quad‑biking day is the best option. You will spend a whole day on a quad, which will give you a good overview, not to mention the stops at all the must‑see places.

Personally, it was one of the best days I spent there (that says a lot). But before telling you about my quad day on Gozo, I would like to tell you a bit more about the island. Besides its picturesque villages, Gozo has some very beautiful beaches (much quieter than Malta’s). If you want a stay surrounded by nature and tranquillity, Gozo is more than worth the detour! By the way, if you want to know more, I invite you to read our article on the things to see and do on Gozo.

Also, if you really want to ride a quad in Malta (the archipelago), I clearly recommend the island of Gozo rather than the main island of Malta. On Gozo there is less traffic, natural and wild landscapes with lots of little paths everywhere… the island is perfect for a peaceful adventure or for picking up speed. Plus, it is twice as small as Malta—it is easier to go all the way around! On the island of Malta, it is more hassle: too many cars, narrow roads and less nature. In short, for a real quad adventure, head for Gozo!

I hope that after these few lines I have already made you want to look into it, or even to go. Come on, let me take you along to discover my quad excursion, which I would do again without hesitation! As usual, we did this outing with Manawa, with whom we have been working for years now. If you don’t know them yet, it’s an activity‑booking site in many countries and, above all, 100 % reliable! Rest assured, what we write here remains our own and we are entirely in control of what we write.

Since we were staying on Malta at the start of our trip, the Gozo Pride Tours company picked us up just a few minutes’ walk from our hotel, in St Paul’s Bay. That’s what we had agreed with them a few days after our booking. There was just a slight delay, so if that happens to you, don’t worry, it simply means we weren’t the first to be picked up.

Once on the road, we were taken to Ċirkewwa, in the north of the island; this is where most of the boats leave from. We were on a medium‑sized, private boat—I would say there were about fifteen of us on board. We were at the back, ideal for taking photos and enjoying the 15‑minute crossing.

After our first steps on Gozo, we were taken straight in hand by our instructors, Mark and Rene, who took us to the company’s headquarters. There we found that we were in a group with quite a few French people, which is always nice (and you never know if you might miss some information, as the instructors speak only English, haha)! Once there, drivers must hand over their licence. To explain better, when you book your activity you have several choices:

• take one quad each
• take one quad with driver + passenger, knowing that you can swap depending on the stops (45 minutes then another 45, etc.), provided you both have your licence.

Even though the company asks you to send your driving licence by email in advance, make sure you bring it on the day! They will definitely check it; it would be a shame to forget it and have to stay behind, wouldn’t it?

Once the paperwork is done (it only takes 5 minutes, don’t worry!), we are given hairnets (not very glamorous, I admit) and helmets. Then Mark and Rene explain how to use the quad and give us the safety rules. Same here, it’s quite quick, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate—they are there for that!

Now for the serious business and we start driving the quad. We are the last of the quads in a line of 14. Honestly, it’s a good position. Let me explain: if we want to slow down a bit and then speed up, we don’t get in anyone’s way—we’re a bit freer, I would say! Well, behind us there were still the buggies (three in total), but they were slower. Of course, at the front Mark set the pace and Rene was at the back.

To give you a better idea of the schedule, we started at 10:30 by skirting Gozo’s coastline, and it already took our breath away. As a passenger, I admit I was a bit hesitant at first to take out my phone and snap photos. You just need a little time to get used to it and choose the right moment! There are also stopping times to do it without any problem.

By the way, our first stop was in Nadur, one of the island’s main villages. Here they take our photo on the quad and the panorama is truly superb. We then head for Xamla Valley, but we don’t go all the way down to the famous Ramla Bay beach—that’s a bit of a shame. We went down there at the end of our stay and I can tell you it is a magnificent golden red‑sand beach.

At 11:30 we take a lunch break in Xewkija. This village is where you are most likely to eat Maltese, there are quite a few local taverns. As for us, we ate in a taverna on the village’s main square, right in front of the Rotunda of Saint John the Baptist (it is one of the island’s most emblematic religious buildings). It is indeed an impressive church, both outside and inside! We even went back at the end of our stay.

For the meal, we tried a few Maltese specialities with a pastizzi as a starter (a cheese‑filled pastry) and, for the main course, a bragioli (beef dish)—everything was very good! Quantity‑wise, it might have seemed small for some. Personally, I thought it was just right so as not to feel heavy and to keep riding the quad, haha.

After a one‑hour lunch break, we get back on the quad, pass through several villages and small streets, heading west of the island: Xlendi Bay (this was where we had our accommodation on Gozo). And there—a real postcard scene: a turquoise bay between two cliffs, like a fjord but Mediterranean style. As there are plenty of little paths around, we leave our quads and take time to snap some lovely photos! I’d say we stopped for about 15 minutes. That may seem short, but at the time I thought it was enough. It already gives a good overview!

If ever you go there on your own, know that from Xlendi you can hike to the famous Sanap Cliffs via Xlendi Tower. It will take you about 2 h 30, with coastal landscapes scrolling before your eyes. If you prefer a short walk, there are stairs on the other side of the bay that offer a direct view of Xlendi Tower and lead to the cave: Għar ta’ Karolina. Here, it will only be a 25‑minute round‑trip. I’m giving you these little tips because I discovered them myself when I came back to Gozo. Of course, during the quad day we didn’t have time to do all that, and it wasn’t the aim of the excursion either, because we had to do a tour of the must‑sees.

After this little pause at Xlendi Bay, we hit the road again towards Dwejra Bay. This time we’re not in the saddle for long as it’s only 20 minutes by quad. On the way, even though we’re going quite fast, I have time to snap Ta’ Pinu Basilica as best I can! It is truly magnificent! Unfortunately, we didn’t stop there during the guided quad excursion, but we came back later by ourselves. Honestly, and I’m not exaggerating, it’s one of the most beautiful basilicas I’ve seen inside. It’s very well preserved!

We continue our journey and stop at a local shop offering wines, honey, coffee and small souvenirs. We tasted several wines and they were pretty good. But, as I said at the start, there were French people in the group who felt the same as me—being good French people, it’s hard to prefer a wine from elsewhere, haha. For your information, there are many vineyards on Gozo, so even in restaurants you will always be offered local wines.

We then go down quite a few slopes to reach Dwejra Bay. I admit it’s almost the stretch that impressed me the most (in terms of sensations) during the day! Once there, and after recovering from the sensations, I discover a super‑natural spot. Transparent water, magnificent cliffs, and the entrance to a cave that links the Inland Sea (a lagoon of intense blue) to the Mediterranean Sea. I take the opportunity to take lots of photos and above all enjoy the calm of the place. I won’t hide that it’s touristy, but it’s manageable: it’s not bothersome, we’re not stepping on each other’s toes. However, I can’t guarantee it’s the same in high season. For your information, this is where the famous Azure Window was, which collapsed in 2017 due to erosion. The site was even more visited before. But personally, I find it spectacular, and above all natural.

We leave this place to go to the salt pans in Marsalforn. We pass through the villages of Għarb and Żebbuġ. These are two villages known for local crafts. We then arrive at the salt pans: there are plenty of rectangular pools where sea water is left to dry so that the salt can be collected. They are surrounded by stone and well organised. There are so many that it’s pretty to see! Mark hands out salt to each of us; the crystals are really big, with a strong taste—nothing like the salt we know! He also explains the process to us: once the water has evaporated in the pools, the crystallised salt is harvested by hand by Gozo families, between May and September each year. It is passed down from generation to generation! It was interesting to cover this point.

We ride another four minutes by quad to reach our last stop: Qbajjar Bay. A nice little beach with crystal‑clear—and above all warm—water! We were quite surprised that it was warm, considering that until then we had only been able to swim in water at 17–18 °C maximum! We stayed 35 minutes here: we had time to walk around the rocks for different viewpoints and to dip our feet (it was too tempting, haha). I would say it was just a shame not to have had more time—we could have had a proper swim to round off the day. But it’s not a big deal, we still enjoyed it! What struck us most was the calm of this spot. It’s mainly frequented by locals, and there were still more people swimming there compared with the other swimming spots we’d already seen.

Last stretch to return to Gozo Pride Tours’ centre in Ix‑Xewkija. We know it’s our last ride, so we make the most of it. Actually, we don’t want it to end! We want to keep enjoying the sensations while travelling Gozo’s streets and roads. Once at the provider’s centre, we hand in all our equipment. Mark and Rene thank us for the day, and we do the same. I thought we were a good group and there was a good atmosphere between English, French and Americans. Then we go back to Mġarr port to return to Malta by boat.

For transport you have the choice between the back of a jeep or a minibus. There are few places in the jeep: we weren’t quick enough, so we leave by minibus. Once at Mġarr, we take a medium‑sized boat, just like on the way out. And then, surprise: we don’t take the same route at all. We make a little detour via Comino and the Blue Lagoon. Honestly, it was the cherry on top to finish this day that was already great! What’s more, I really hadn’t noticed that it was part of the programme. For us, it gave us a nice preview of our boat trip to the Blue Lagoon planned for the next day. And for those who had to catch a flight home the next day, the excursion was more than complete!

Back in Ċirkewwa, several buses are waiting for us: you just have to be careful to take the same one you took in the morning (the one that picked us up a few minutes from our hotel). For us it was quite easy: even if it wasn’t the same driver, our minibus was red. In the minibus, we debrief the day until we get dropped off.

So, that’s our whole schedule! Honestly, time flew and we saw a good overview of all the unmissables of Gozo.

You have surely understood, through these lines, that I am really happy with this guided quad outing. Everything was well organised; our only concern was enjoying the sensations and the scenery. Besides, in terms of sensations, we had everything. We went through climbs, descents, bends, straights, more or less speed, etc. Everything was there!

What’s more, as we were a whole convoy, the cars let us pass without any problem. And if there were sections where they didn’t, Rene, the instructor, made them wait. Everything was smooth and safe; we really enjoyed it! If it tempts you, go for it without hesitation! I 100 % recommend the company Gozo Pride Tours. Not to mention that we really saw the main spots: it was magnificent! If you want to discover Gozo, I can only recommend this outing.

The only small reflection I had is that between this day and my four days on Gozo, I did not have the same impression of the island at all. After this day I had the impression there was almost nothing on Gozo in terms of commerce. Whereas in reality, there are still restaurants, many religious buildings, shops. I think maybe it’s because on the quad we didn’t go through Victoria, the capital.

I understand why, given the crowds (pedestrians) but also the cars, buses. I think it’s complicated to manage a convoy of quads + buggies under those conditions. And then, we wouldn’t have been able to drive much in all that. But I still think that Victoria, and especially its citadel, are unmissable in Gozo.

To tell you a bit more about the provider Gozo Pride Tours, it is very well known for its excursions all over the island of Gozo. The company was founded more than 22 years ago! It offers jeep excursions, quad and buggy outings, and even private cruises around Gozo and Comino.

It aims to show all the must‑sees of Gozo by offering different itineraries, which often include a local meal, tastings of island products and private boat transfers to avoid waiting. Everything is designed to make life easier, and you don’t have to worry about anything! I agree with what comes out of the reviews: organisation, sensations, unique discoveries and a friendly atmosphere. However, it does not offer the possibility of renting a quad to explore on your own. In any case, I can assure you that you will have a top day with them on Gozo!

As usual, here is what you need to remember if you want to do a quad excursion in Gozo.

To get to Gozo from Malta, you have two options:

• The simplest: take the ferry at Ċirkewwa (in the north of Malta), right opposite the island of Gozo. You won’t see the time pass, it takes only 25 minutes! And you can board with your car without any problem.
• If you are in Valletta: if you have chosen the capital for your stay, know that you can take a ferry from there. The journey is just a little longer!

If you go with a provider for an excursion, transport from Malta to Gozo is generally included. You will just have to tell your provider where you are staying and, depending on that, they will send you a nearby meeting point. As simple as that!

If you would like a bit more detail on how to get to Gozo, I advise you to read our dedicated article. You will find even more information there!

If you want to discover Gozo differently, in adventure and freedom mode, a guided quad day is a very good idea! As for the price, you should count around €115 for a single driver, and if you are two on the quad it will be about €195. That may seem expensive at first glance, but when you see everything it includes, I think it’s worth it. To give you a better idea of everything included:

• the quad (luckily, right?)
• the equipment (helmet, hairnets)
• a local guide who knows the island inside out
• a Maltese lunch
• round‑trip transfers (private)
• the tour of Gozo’s must‑sees

Personally, I think that’s quite good, and for all that, the price is really fair. Besides, as I said, it’s not just an outing; it’s a well‑framed adventure with a good atmosphere. I have very fond memories. I was able to enjoy the sensations and landscapes without worrying about anything, and with no hassle.

If you prefer to rent a quad to spend your day completely independently and make your own way, several agencies rent quads. Generally it’s for a half‑day or a full day, with insurance, helmet and island map. Quad rental prices on Gozo are around €70–90 for a day. You just need to be at least 21 years old, have a driving licence and wear closed shoes (forget flip‑flops, haha).

Tip: book your quad well in advance, especially in high season—they go quickly! Even after doing a guided quad excursion on Gozo, I think renting a quad in total freedom is still a good option, because there are quite a few dirt tracks on the island or narrow, rough roads that are difficult by car.

If you want to do a quad excursion on Gozo, know that it lasts a full day, from late morning to late afternoon (about 6–7 hours). Most outings start around 10 a.m. and end around 4:30 p.m. or 5 p.m., punctuated by the must‑sees: Ramla Valley, Xlendi Bay, Dwejra, Marsalforn, and so on!

If you have little time or don’t want to spend a whole day on a quad, there are providers who offer half‑day tours (between 3 and 4 hours). There are even short excursions to enjoy the sunset. So you have quite a few choices, depending on what you prefer and the time you have! In any case, I’m sure you will enjoy good sensations while making plenty of discoveries!

As for me, I did the following itinerary with the provider. It lets you discover the island in a loop while passing many must‑sees: Nadur, Ramla Valley (some providers go down to Ramla Bay), Xewkija, Xlendi Bay, Dwejra Bay, Marsalforn and Qbajjar Bay. Believe me, that’s already a good overview in one day! Note that in winter they also add the Sanap Cliffs, just after Xewkija. There are also other providers who choose to include the capital, Victoria. Whether you do the tour on a quad with a specialist or entirely independently, at least this gives you an idea of a loop itinerary that includes many of Gozo’s unmissable places.

Otherwise, there is another itinerary that might interest you if you prefer to rent a quad on Gozo to be completely independent: you can leave from Mġarr, right in the south, next to the port of arrival on Gozo. From here, you go to Dwejra Bay via the Ta’ Pinu road. Along the way, I advise you to stop at the Xewkija Rotunda, then the famous Ta’ Pinu Basilica. You then arrive at Dwejra, where the Inland Sea and Fungus Rock await you.

Then you can go to Xlendi Bay while following the coast to the Sanap Cliffs. On the way, you can climb the Ras il‑Bajda stairs for beautiful viewpoints over Xlendi Bay and Xlendi Tower. Finally, to go from north to south, you can head to Marsalforn and the beach at Qbajjar Bay, passing the salt pans, the hidden cove of Wied il‑Għasri and the village of Żebbuġ. Then, you can continue on to Nadur for a snack or meal break, and finish with the island’s largest beach: Ramla Bay.

It’s a packed itinerary, especially as you will have to guide yourself with the map or GPS, but it’s doable if you don’t want to miss anything. Of course, you can always adjust it to your wishes and preferences, or simply to lighten it.

This article on our quad outing comes to an end. I hope our experience made you want to go quad biking on Gozo, whether solo or with a guide. Whatever your choice, I’m willing to bet you’ll be happy with your day on Gozo!

If you plan to stay several days on the island, as another activity, I recommend snorkelling on Gozo. There are truly superb spots for it—I tell you everything in our dedicated article!

See you soon for more adventures,

Written by Laura CALLES

Thanks to Mélanie and Sylvain, I had the chance to explore the beautiful Maltese archipelago and share all the beauty of its islands with you. A little piece of paradise not to be missed!

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