Side Safari Tours

Safari tours from Side

Side is famous for the ruins of its old harbour town – the Apollo Temple and the ancient theatre on a small peninsula – and for the long sandy beaches of Kumköy, Çolaklı, Sorgun, Titreyengöl and Evrenseki. A short drive inland, the foothills of the Taurus Mountains begin, and that is where our day tours head. Side belongs to Manavgat district, so most routes lead into the mountains and canyons behind Manavgat.

The Side Jeep Safari is a full day in open 4×4 jeeps with experienced drivers at the wheel. The convoy climbs into the hills north of Manavgat, pauses in a village for tea and gözleme, looks down on the Oymapınar Dam and Green Canyon, and ends with a long lunch at a lakeside restaurant where you can swim. Water fights between the jeeps are part of the fun.

If you would rather take the controls yourself, the Side Quad Safari and the Side Buggy Safari head for forest and river tracks along the Manavgat River, with dust, mud and shallow river crossings. Each trip lasts four hours, of which about 1.5–2 hours are spent riding.

On the water, the Side Green Canyon Boat Tour cruises the turquoise lake behind the Oymapınar Dam, with swim stops, lunch and soft drinks on board. For white water, the Side Rafting Tour paddles about 14 km of the Köprüçay river in Köprülü Canyon, and Side Zipline & Rafting adds a short zipline ride at the rafting base.

Where the routes go

All Side safaris leave the coast and head inland. The quad and buggy tracks lie in the wooded foothills behind Side and Manavgat, close to the Manavgat River. Green Canyon – the reservoir of the Oymapınar Dam, in the mountains north of Manavgat – is about 45–60 minutes away by road: the jeep safari reaches it via village roads and viewpoints, the boat tour explores it from the water.

Köprülü Canyon National Park lies further away, in the Taurus Mountains between Serik and Manavgat, about 1–1.5 hours from Side. The rafting bases are around Beşkonak and Bozyaka on the Köprüçay river, and the park is also home to Oluk Köprüsü, a historic Roman stone bridge.

Which Side safari suits you?

• Families with young children: the jeep safari and the Green Canyon boat tour welcome children of all ages. In the jeep you ride with a seat belt while the driver drives; on the boat there are life jackets and a changing cabin.
• First-timers: rafting on class II–III rapids is open to everyone from age 7, with an instructor in every raft and no swimming skills required.
• Adrenaline seekers: drive your own quad or buggy (drivers from 16, no licence needed), or combine the zipline with rafting.
• Short on time: quad and buggy trips take four hours and run in a morning, a midday and a sunset group, so the rest of the day stays free for the beach or the old town.

Horses rather than horsepower? The Side Horse Riding Tour leaves from a riding club close to Side and spends about 1.5 hours in pine forest and on a stretch of sandy beach. Beginners are given calm horses and a short briefing, children can ride from 6 years, and the sunset group reaches the beach in the soft evening light.

Season and practical tips

Rafting runs mainly from April to October, with some days in November when water and weather allow. In midsummer the morning group of the quad and buggy safaris is the cooler choice. Pack swimwear and a towel for the jeep safari, the boat tour and rafting; for quad and buggy, wear clothes and closed shoes that can get muddy. A waterproof pouch keeps your phone safe during the jeep water fights and on the river.

You pay nothing when you book: payment is in cash on the tour day, in euros, or in US dollars, pounds or Turkish lira at the day’s rate. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the tour.

Hotel pickup in Side

Pickup and drop-off are free from hotels in Side, Kumköy, Çolaklı, Sorgun, Titreyengöl, Evrenseki and Gündoğdu. The pickup time depends on where your hotel is; we send it to you after booking, together with your QR e-ticket by e-mail. You can book on the site or via WhatsApp, and our guides speak Turkish, English, German and Russian.