Side buggy tour: what's included at a glance
Both fares, €30 for a driver and €15 for a passenger, cover the same package. The only difference between them is who holds the wheel. Here is the full list, in the order you meet each item on the day:
- Round-trip hotel transfer from Side, Kumköy, Evrenseki, Çolaklı, Titreyengöl, Sorgun, Kızılağaç, Gündoğdu and Kızılot
- Information briefing
- Safety briefing
- Vehicle explanation and practice drive
- The buggy for the safari
- Helmet, worn for the whole safari
- Professional guidance on the route
- Insurance, where applicable under the operating policy
- Changing cabins and showers at the base
The hotel transfer, both ways
The transfer picks you up at your hotel, drives you out to the base on privately held off-road land behind the Side coast, and returns you once it is all over. It is included for hotels in the nine areas listed above; from anywhere else, such as Manavgat town centre, Antalya, Belek or Alanya, please check with us on WhatsApp before booking whether a transfer can be arranged.
Your pickup happens earlier than the departure you book, whether that is 08:00, 11:00 or 13:00. Those three times are when the activity is scheduled to depart. The exact time the transfer reaches your hotel depends on the hotel and on the route taken that day, and it is confirmed with your booking.
Two briefings and a practice drive
Nobody heads onto the main route cold. First comes the information briefing: what the buggy is, which control does what, where the route runs, how the group is arranged, which rules apply, how stopping works and what lies ahead. Next, the safety talk covers staying behind the guide, spacing between buggies, when you may overtake or must stop, a sensible pace, the protective kit, what happens in an emergency, and listening to the guide.
After that comes the vehicle explanation and the practice drive. It is compulsory for every driver, and the guide uses it to assess each one before deciding who steers on the main safari. A guest who does not drive, or prefers not to, still goes round the full course beside a driver, paying the passenger fare.
Passengers, who can join from age 6 and always ride with a driver, receive everything on this list too. The practice drive is the one item aimed at drivers, because it is where the guide decides who steers; a passenger still sits through both briefings, wears the same helmet and uses the same showers afterwards. Children aged 6 to 15 come along as passengers on exactly these terms, at the €15 passenger fare.
On the route: buggy, helmet and guide
You get an automatic buggy for the safari: a wheel, two pedals and a seat you sit inside, enclosed by tubing that runs round and above the seats. A helmet is provided and stays on for the whole safari. A guide leads the way over 18 km that mix forest tracks, dirt roads, dust, uneven ground and small stream crossings, with water-splash stops along it.
Insurance is part of the package as far as the operating policy provides for it. We do not describe it beyond that wording, so if you have a specific question about cover, ask us before you book.
At the base: changing cabins and showers
Once the safari is over you can wash off the dust in the showers and change in the cabins at the base. That is why spare clothes are worth bringing, and a towel too.
Those are the facilities we can confirm. We do not list anything else at the base, so please do not plan around facilities that are not mentioned here.
What is not included
A few things are deliberately left out of the price and paid for separately if you want them:
- Goggles — sold at the base
- Bandana — sold at the base
- Food and drinks
- Photos and video taken by the base team, which are paid for separately
What to bring and wear
Old, comfortable outdoor clothes that can get dusty, dirty or muddy work well, ideally in darker colours rather than white. Closed shoes or trainers are the right footwear, because flip-flops are not suitable for driving. Add a change of clothes for after the shower if you like.
Drivers need an ID with them, which the base uses to confirm they are 16 or older. You do not need a driving licence, since the whole route is on a private off-road course, not a public road. A little cash or another way to pay for extras is handy if you want goggles, a bandana, drinks or photos.
When the price is paid
Booking costs you nothing at the time: the site has no card form and takes no online payment. You pay on the tour day. If something comes up, cancelling is free up to 48 hours before the start, and bookings open from tomorrow onwards, online or on WhatsApp at +90 536 603 75 84.