Yes, for most people who want one active day in the mountains behind Side. The Green Canyon jeep safari is a full day out, about seven hours with hotel pickup, that combines forest tracks and river crossings in the Taurus foothills, the Oymapınar dam and Green Lake, with lunch at the Gölbaşı Restaurant on the lakeshore. The 2026 list price is €20 per adult, or €25 with a boat trip on the lake, before any seasonal discount shown on the tour page. It is not the right day if you want to drive yourself, or if you want a quiet day on the water.
What the day actually involves
We collect you from your hotel in the Side region in the morning; the tour starts around 09:00, and the tour page shows the pickup time for your hotel. The group travels as a convoy of open jeeps, leaving the coast for gravel roads, forest tracks and shallow river crossings. There is a tea stop in a local town. The route continues to the Oymapınar dam on the Manavgat river and on to Green Lake, where the boat option adds a cruise on the lake and lunch is at the Gölbaşı Restaurant on the shore. You are back at the hotel in the late afternoon.
Who drives
Our drivers do. Guests do not drive the jeeps on this tour; it is a condition of the tour, not a preference. If driving yourself is the point, the quad and buggy safaris are built for that, with instruction and a guide.
What it costs in 2026
- Shared jeep, without the boat trip: €20 per adult (12 and over), €15 per child aged 3 to 11.
- Shared jeep, with the Green Lake boat trip: €25 per adult, €20 per child.
- Private jeep, bookable from 2027: €150 for up to eight people, or €200 with the boat trip; each extra guest pays €15, or €20 with the boat trip.
Hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, the guide and travel insurance are included. Drinks, photos, goggles and a bandana are not. Seasonal discounts, when they run, are shown on the tour page with the live price for your date.
Who enjoys it
- Couples and groups of friends who want scenery and a social day rather than another beach day.
- Families with children of school age: children from 3 can join.
- First-time visitors who want to see the inland side of the region in one day.
Who should book something else
- Children under 3, guests with heart conditions and wheelchair users: the tour is not suitable. Pregnant guests and anyone with back or neck problems should also choose another day, because the roads are bumpy.
- Anyone who wants to drive: book a quad or buggy safari instead.
- Anyone who wants a calm day on the water: the Green Canyon boat trip reaches the same lake without the off-road part.
Jeep safari or Green Canyon boat trip?
Both reach the same water. The jeep safari spends the first half of the day on dirt tracks and in villages before it reaches the lake, with the boat as an option; the boat trip is built around the lake itself, with a cruise between the canyon walls, swim stops and lunch at a restaurant near the water. Choose the jeep for variety and a little dust, the boat for a slower day.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Green Canyon jeep safari?
About seven hours door to door, with morning pickup from hotels in the Side region and drop-off in the late afternoon.
Can I drive the jeep myself?
No. Our drivers drive on this tour. To drive yourself, book a quad or buggy safari, where drivers must be at least 16.
Is the jeep safari suitable for children?
Children from 3 years can join at the child price, which covers ages 3 to 11. The tour is not suitable for children under 3.
Do I need the boat trip option?
No. The boat option adds a cruise on Green Lake. At list prices it is €5 more per adult (€25 instead of €20); the tour page shows the exact difference for your date.
What should I bring on the jeep safari?
Swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, a sun hat, sunglasses and a bandana or scarf against the dust.
When does the Green Canyon jeep safari run?
The shared tour runs from March to the end of November. The option with the boat trip runs from May to mid-November in 2026, and from March in 2027.
What happens if it rains on the day of the jeep safari?
The jeep safari runs in the rain. We call it off only for a storm or when it is unsafe, and whenever we cancel, you get back everything you paid.
If I decide not to go, do I get my money back?
Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the tour starts, with a full refund of what you paid. Later cancellations and no-shows are covered on our cancellation and refund page.
Which months are busiest for the jeep safari?
On our 2026 bookings, August was the busiest month for this tour, with 810 guests, followed by July with 512 and October with 365. June (189 guests) and September (274) were quieter.
Can we swim in Green Lake on the jeep safari?
Yes, if you book the option with the boat trip, which includes a swim break in the lake. Without the boat trip, you spend that hour at the lakeside restaurant instead.
Is my hotel in the pickup area?
Pickup is included from hotels in Side, Sorgun, Titreyengöl, Kumköy, Çolaklı, Evrenseki, Gündoğdu, Kızılağaç and Kızılot. Search for your hotel under "Check your pickup area" on the tour page to see whether it is covered and its pickup time. If your hotel is in Side old town, choose Side Anadolu Türkü Evi as your pickup point; we send its Google Maps link the day before.
Which languages does the guide speak?
The jeep safari is guided in English, German and Russian. You choose the guide's language when you book.
Is there an evening jeep safari instead of the full day?
Yes. Our sunset jeep safari is a 5-hour evening party tour with DJ music in the jeeps, a swim at Green Lake, dinner on a catamaran cruise and a stop at Manavgat Waterfall, at €35 per adult in 2026. It is only for guests aged 12 and over, so families with children aged 3 to 11 should book the day safari.
