Yes: a 16-year-old can drive a buggy in Side
The rule on this safari is straightforward. A guest who is 16 or older may drive the buggy, and that includes 16- and 17-year-olds. There is no extra hurdle for teenagers and no separate teen category: from 16, a guest books as a driver in exactly the same way as an adult.
No driving licence comes into it, since the safari is held on a private off-road course and teenagers are never on a public road. The buggy is automatic — steering wheel, accelerator, brake — so a teen who has never driven a car can still learn the controls during the vehicle explanation and practice drive.
Guests under 16 do not drive. A 15-year-old joins as a passenger beside a driver, and so does any child from 6 upwards.
What a 16-year-old needs to bring
At registration the base checks an ID for every driver. For a teenager this matters most, because the ID is how the base confirms they really are 16 or 17. It is checked as proof of age only, not as a licence. So make sure the ID they bring actually shows their date of birth.
Beyond that, the kit is the same as for everyone: old, comfortable outdoor clothes in dark colours, closed shoes or trainers rather than flip-flops, and spare clothes for the showers afterwards if they like. Helmets come from the base and stay on throughout. Goggles and a bandana cost extra; the base has both for sale.
Parents and guardians: tell us first
If a 16- or 17-year-old will be driving, let us know before you book. We then confirm the arrangements with the base for your date, so there are no surprises at registration. Message us on WhatsApp with the teenager's age and the departure you have in mind.
We are not going to guess at rules we have not had confirmed, and we would rather check than have a young driver disappointed on the day.
The practice drive and the guide's decision
There is no shortcut for teenagers: arrival, sign-in, the information talk, the safety talk, a walk-round of the buggy, the practice drive, the guide's verdict — and only after all that the 18 km off-road loop.
The safety briefing covers the habits the guide will be watching for — following the guide, keeping a safe distance, the rules for overtaking and stopping, an appropriate speed, protective equipment and what happens in an emergency. During that warm-up lap the guide sizes up every driver, and the call on who continues at the wheel is the guide's to make. Being old enough is the entry condition, not a guarantee.
Should the guide hold a teenager back, or should the teenager go off the idea after the warm-up, they finish the loop next to a driver and pay the €15 passenger price. Nobody is left behind at the base.
Can a teen driver take a younger sibling?
Passengers always sit beside someone who is steering, and a 16- or 17-year-old at the wheel counts exactly as any other driver does. So a teenager can, in principle, have a younger brother or sister aged 6 or over in the passenger seat. Mention this when you tell us about the teen driver, and we will confirm it with the base along with everything else.
Bear in mind that the form rejects any booking where passengers outnumber drivers. Children under 6 cannot be booked in any seat.
- Under 6: not bookable
- 6 to 15: passenger only, beside a driver
- 16 and 17: may drive, with an ID showing their age — tell us before booking
- 18 and over: may drive, with an ID showing their age
Booking a teenage driver
A teen driver is booked as a driver at €30; a teen who prefers the passenger seat is booked as a passenger at €15. The fare is paid in person on the day of the safari, with no card details taken on this site. Plans can still change: cancelling is free until 48 hours before the start.
Pick from the three departures — 08:00, 11:00 or 13:00 — remembering these are activity departure times and the hotel pickup is earlier, confirmed with the booking. The transfer is included from Side, Kumköy, Evrenseki, Çolaklı, Titreyengöl, Sorgun, Kızılağaç, Gündoğdu and Kızılot, and the whole programme takes about 4–4.5 hours door to door.
One rule applies to every age: nobody under the influence of alcohol or drugs takes part, as driver or passenger. Reach us on WhatsApp at +90 536 603 75 84; the booking is made with Murat Atalay Travel Agency, TÜRSAB licence No. 11294.