Who can drive a buggy in Side: the age line
The rule for the wheel is a single number: a driver must be at least 16. Below that age a guest can still join the day, but only in the passenger seat, riding with someone who drives. Passengers are accepted from the age of 6, so most mixed groups and families can share the same departure, with everyone over 16 free to decide whether they want to steer or sit alongside.
Age opens the door, but it is not the whole answer. Every driver also completes a compulsory practice drive before the main route, and the guide watching it decides who continues at the wheel. Being 16 makes you eligible; handling the buggy calmly during that practice run is what keeps you in the driver's seat for the 18 km off-road route.
Why nobody asks to see a driving licence
You can leave your licence at the hotel: none is needed here, since the whole safari keeps to an enclosed off-road route that is not a public road at any point. That is the full reason, and it is the only one we give. We make no statement about traffic law in Türkiye; the rule belongs to this safari, not to driving in general.
In practice this means a guest who has never driven a car can still be a driver, as long as they are 16 or over and the guide is happy with how they manage during practice. It also means an experienced motorist gets no shortcut. The same information briefing, the same safety briefing and the same practice drive apply to everyone who wants to steer.
ID at the base: proof of age only
Drivers bring an identity document with them. Staff glance at it for one reason only, the date of birth, because it proves age and has nothing to do with driving permits. If you are travelling with teenagers who will drive, make sure their ID comes along in the bag on the day.
The booking form itself does not check anyone's age. It counts drivers and passengers, and the age check happens in person on arrival. Please book each person in the role that matches their age, drivers at 16 and over and passengers from 6, so that what you reserved and what the base sees on the day line up without any fuss.
Passengers: from 6, always beside a driver
A passenger rides with a driver in the same buggy and travels the same route. Anyone aged 6 to 15 takes part this way; from 16 a guest may drive or, if they prefer, ride as a passenger. Fares are per person: €30 for a driver and €15 for a passenger, which is exactly half. There is no separate price for children, so a ten-year-old pays the passenger fare like any other passenger.
Because every passenger needs a driver, the booking form will not accept more passengers than drivers on one booking. A family with one adult who wants to drive and two children therefore has to message us first. Children under 6 cannot be booked on this safari at all.
When the guide decides you should not drive
The practice drive is a real assessment, not a formality, and whoever steers on the main loop is decided by the guide alone. Most of what they watch is common sense: whether you follow instructions, keep control on uneven ground and stop when asked.
Swapping seats, whether the guide suggests it or you prefer it yourself, ends nothing. You still cover all 18 km, just beside a driver, and you are charged as a passenger. Some guests find they enjoy the bumps and splashes more when someone else is steering.
Other limits on who may take part
A few rules apply to drivers and passengers alike. Anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs takes no part at all, not even as a passenger. The safari is not suitable during pregnancy. Guests with back or neck problems should ask us before booking, because the buggy shakes on rough ground and the passenger seat may suit them better. The same goes for recent surgery or a heart condition.
This is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are unsure about a condition, check with a medical professional first and then message us on WhatsApp at +90 536 603 75 84 so we can talk it through before you reserve.
Checklist before you book as a driver
Run through these points and you will know whether to book yourself as a driver or as a passenger.
- You are 16 or older on the day of the safari.
- You will bring an ID document showing your date of birth.
- You are happy to do the compulsory practice drive and accept the guide's decision.
- You will be completely sober, as will everyone in your party.
- You have no health question you still need to ask us about.
- You will wear closed shoes or trainers, not flip-flops, for driving.