Buskett Woodlands and Dingli Cliffs Nature Walking Private Tour
Overview
Appreciate the beauty of nature and learn about Malta’s biodiversity from an experienced and fully qualified botanist, visit Buskett Gardens, one of the few woodland areas found in Malta and appreciate the extraordinary views from Dingli Cliffs, the highest point of the Maltese islands.
Enjoy a perfect combination of fun, education, non-exhaustive exercise and sightseeing with breath-taking views, magnificent scenery and a touch of history.
Enjoy a peaceful walk off the beaten track in these tranquil locations and their surroundings, away from the typical touristic routes and large crowds.
Enjoy a perfect combination of fun, education, non-exhaustive exercise and sightseeing with breath-taking views, magnificent scenery and a touch of history.
Enjoy a peaceful walk off the beaten track in these tranquil locations and their surroundings, away from the typical touristic routes and large crowds.
Inclusions
- Guide (a fully qualified & certified botanist).
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off (included also for guests staying in Gozo)
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Buskett Gardens, Siggiewi, Island of Malta Malta
We start our walking tour with a visit to Buskett Woodlands (also known as Buskett Gardens), this 30-ha site is located in the fertile valley of “Wied il-Luq” in Siġġiewi and is one of the few woodland areas found in Malta.
The gardens contain broadleaved deciduous woodland, native coniferous woodland, with sclerophyllous garrigue and maquis shrubland, as well as groves of fruit trees. Many different trees and shrubs grow in the gardens, including numerous fruit-bearing trees. Renowned as one of the greenest areas in Malta, the gardens are at their best in the spring but also provide shade from the harsh mid-summer sun and offer a quiet place for a walk in the winter months.
We will walk along the valley within these woodlands where we will have the opportunity to appreciate a variety of trees found in the Mediterranean region, including the national tree of Malta (the Sandarac Gum tree) and some of the oldest trees found on the island, dating back at least 500 years.
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Stop At: Verdala Palace, VC62+H6X, Siġġiewi, Malta
We will be able to enjoy great views of the beautiful Verdala Palace; perched on a hilltop adjoining and overlooking Buskett Gardens, this palace was built by Grand Master Hughes de Verdalle in 1588 as a summer residence and hunting lodge. The building now serves as the President's summer residence. The palace is a landmark and not open to the public except for certain occasions.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Misraħ Għar il-Kbir, V92W+QM9, Siġġiewi, Malta
The second part of our walk will take us to “Għar il-Kbir” (meaning the Big Cave), a complex of caves located between Buskett Gardens and Dingli Cliffs, dating thousands of years, it is commonly believed that several families of troglodytes inhabited these caves until 1835. The general structure of the cave system has eight caves spread across two levels.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Dingli Cart Ruts (Clapham Junction) and Caves, Dingli, Island of Malta Malta
Here we will also see the mysterious “Curt Ruts”, a complex network of tracks carved in the rock, the age and purpose of the tracks remain uncertain. In general, most archaeologists presume that the site developed about 2000 BC after new settlers came over from Sicily, starting the Bronze Age in Malta, but no archaeologist has provided a concrete theory regarding their purpose.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Girgenti Palace, VC24+FP5, Siġġiewi, Malta
The tour proceeds to the Inquisitor’s Girgenti Palace, situated near the village of Siġġiewi, in the heart of the Maltese countryside, Girgenti Palace is a delightful mélange of architectural splendour and rustic charm. Dating back 400 years, it was originally used as a countryside lodge by Malta’s inquisitors, and today serves as the Prime Minister’s summer residence. Here we can see spectacular views of the surrounding woodland, naturally irrigated by a nearby spring.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Dingli Cliffs, Panoramic Road, Dingli, Island of Malta Malta
From here we will proceed to Dingli Cliffs, located off the village of Dingli on Malta’s western coast; at around 253 meters above sea-level, these cliffs represent the highest point of the Maltese islands.
The cliffs propose a majestic sight; the views overlooking the terraced fields underneath and the panorama of the vast open seas, with the uninhabited small island of Filfla on its backdrop, are truly breath-taking! Given their impressive height, the cliffs can be considered as natural forts, since no attacker can approach the island from the west. Apart from the fantastic views of the sheer cliffs and clay slopes, this area features several endemic plants and typical Mediterranean flora, including wild orchids, aromatic shrubs, and the national plant of Malta (the Cheirolophus Crassifolius). Both the Buskett Woodlands and Dingli Cliffs are “Natura 2000” protected sites, which is a network of protected areas covering Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats.
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Stop At: St. Mary Magdalene Chapel, Cliff Edge Road, Dingli, Island of Malta Malta
The final part of the tour continues along a trail parallel to the cliffs, offering fantastic views and a cool breeze throughout, perched on the edge of the cliffs, marking the highest point on the Maltese islands is a gorgeous tiny chapel built in 1646, dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene.
A hawker selling local fruit, homemade products and Maltese coffee is also located here, and there are benches to enjoy the views from the highest cliffs of the Maltese islands.
Duration: 30 minutes
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Buskett Gardens, Siggiewi, Island of Malta Malta
We start our walking tour with a visit to Buskett Woodlands (also known as Buskett Gardens), this 30-ha site is located in the fertile valley of “Wied il-Luq” in Siġġiewi and is one of the few woodland areas found in Malta.
The gardens contain broadleaved deciduous woodland, native coniferous woodland, with sclerophyllous garrigue and maquis shrubland, as well as groves of fruit trees. Many different trees and shrubs grow in the gardens, including numerous fruit-bearing trees. Renowned as one of the greenest areas in Malta, the gardens are at their best in the spring but also provide shade from the harsh mid-summer sun and offer a quiet place for a walk in the winter months.
We will walk along the valley within these woodlands where we will have the opportunity to appreciate a variety of trees found in the Mediterranean region, including the national tree of Malta (the Sandarac Gum tree) and some of the oldest trees found on the island, dating back at least 500 years.
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Stop At: Verdala Palace, VC62+H6X, Siġġiewi, Malta
We will be able to enjoy great views of the beautiful Verdala Palace; perched on a hilltop adjoining and overlooking Buskett Gardens, this palace was built by Grand Master Hughes de Verdalle in 1588 as a summer residence and hunting lodge. The building now serves as the President's summer residence. The palace is a landmark and not open to the public except for certain occasions.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Misraħ Għar il-Kbir, V92W+QM9, Siġġiewi, Malta
The second part of our walk will take us to “Għar il-Kbir” (meaning the Big Cave), a complex of caves located between Buskett Gardens and Dingli Cliffs, dating thousands of years, it is commonly believed that several families of troglodytes inhabited these caves until 1835. The general structure of the cave system has eight caves spread across two levels.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Dingli Cart Ruts (Clapham Junction) and Caves, Dingli, Island of Malta Malta
Here we will also see the mysterious “Curt Ruts”, a complex network of tracks carved in the rock, the age and purpose of the tracks remain uncertain. In general, most archaeologists presume that the site developed about 2000 BC after new settlers came over from Sicily, starting the Bronze Age in Malta, but no archaeologist has provided a concrete theory regarding their purpose.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Girgenti Palace, VC24+FP5, Siġġiewi, Malta
The tour proceeds to the Inquisitor’s Girgenti Palace, situated near the village of Siġġiewi, in the heart of the Maltese countryside, Girgenti Palace is a delightful mélange of architectural splendour and rustic charm. Dating back 400 years, it was originally used as a countryside lodge by Malta’s inquisitors, and today serves as the Prime Minister’s summer residence. Here we can see spectacular views of the surrounding woodland, naturally irrigated by a nearby spring.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Dingli Cliffs, Panoramic Road, Dingli, Island of Malta Malta
From here we will proceed to Dingli Cliffs, located off the village of Dingli on Malta’s western coast; at around 253 meters above sea-level, these cliffs represent the highest point of the Maltese islands.
The cliffs propose a majestic sight; the views overlooking the terraced fields underneath and the panorama of the vast open seas, with the uninhabited small island of Filfla on its backdrop, are truly breath-taking! Given their impressive height, the cliffs can be considered as natural forts, since no attacker can approach the island from the west. Apart from the fantastic views of the sheer cliffs and clay slopes, this area features several endemic plants and typical Mediterranean flora, including wild orchids, aromatic shrubs, and the national plant of Malta (the Cheirolophus Crassifolius). Both the Buskett Woodlands and Dingli Cliffs are “Natura 2000” protected sites, which is a network of protected areas covering Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats.
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Stop At: St. Mary Magdalene Chapel, Cliff Edge Road, Dingli, Island of Malta Malta
The final part of the tour continues along a trail parallel to the cliffs, offering fantastic views and a cool breeze throughout, perched on the edge of the cliffs, marking the highest point on the Maltese islands is a gorgeous tiny chapel built in 1646, dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene.
A hawker selling local fruit, homemade products and Maltese coffee is also located here, and there are benches to enjoy the views from the highest cliffs of the Maltese islands.
Duration: 30 minutes
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Most travelers can participate
- The walking distance covered during this tour is approximately 6 km.
- Various stops are included at panoramic and historic sites.
- Although this tour includes some historic attractions, this is not a history tour, the focus of this tour is not history but nature, the tour is overseen by a fully qualified botanist and although he is knowledgeable on some aspects and areas of the Maltese history, he is not a history guide.
- We suggest wearing comfortable trekking shoes and casual but adequate clothing in conformity with the weather conditions (sandals & flip-flops are not recommended).
- Along the way we will stop for a coffee break or a snack at a restaurant/snack bar in Dingli (food or drinks are not included in the price).
- An optional packed lunch can be added to your booking; select the option including packed lunch when booking.
- The optional packed lunch includes a traditional Maltese “Ftira” (a traditional leavened Maltese bread with fillings such as tuna, fresh tomatoes, onions, capers, and olives), some savoury snacks and a bottle of mineral water.
- Guests are allowed to bring their own food/snacks and beverages during this tour.
- The difficulty level of this tour is considered easy, there is an approximate 15-minute walk on a high-inclined footpath.
- This is a private activity, only you and your party will be participating.
- Not recommended for travelers with mobility impairments
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
Joseph_M
April 2023
Very informative and brings a whole new perspective to appreciating nature. Accommodating and responsive. Pleasant to be with. Steve is very knowledgeable tour guide , eager to share his knowledge. Will never look at plants and flowers the same way!
Very informative and brings a whole new perspective to appreciating nature. Accommodating and responsive. Pleasant to be with. Steve is very knowledgeable tour guide , eager to share his knowledge. Will never look at plants and flowers the same way!