What a jeep safari from Side looks like
Pickup is from your hotel in Side, Kumköy, Evrenseki, Çolaklı, Kızılağaç, Titreyengöl or Manavgat in the morning. The jeeps drive in a convoy out of the resort strip and up into the Taurus foothills, where the road turns to dust and the water fights start. Most routes stop at a viewpoint over the Oymapınar dam and the Green Canyon reservoir, pass through a mountain village, and break for lunch near the river before a swim stop. You are back at the hotel in the late afternoon.
Jeep, quad or buggy?
On a jeep safari you are a passenger in an open 4x4 with a local driver, which makes it the easiest choice for families, mixed groups and anyone who wants the scenery without the steering. On a quad safari you ride your own bike on forest tracks with a guide in front; passengers can share a quad with the rider. A buggy is a two-seat off-road car on a purpose-built track, faster and muddier than the other two. Age and licence rules for riders are listed on each tour page.
The sunset version
The sunset jeep safari leaves in the late afternoon, drives the same mountain roads in cooler air, and ends with dinner and a party rather than a swim stop. Some departures add a catamaran cruise on the way back. It suits couples and groups who want the safari without the midday heat.
What to bring
Old clothes you do not mind getting wet and dusty, closed shoes, a hat, sunscreen and a waterproof pouch for your phone. Bring a little cash for drinks, ice cream and the photos taken along the route. Leave jewellery at the hotel.
Who it suits
Children ride happily in the jeeps; the water fights are usually the highlight of their holiday. The bumpy roads are not suitable if you are pregnant or have back or neck problems, and the quad and buggy versions have their own minimum ages for riders.