What changes compared with rafting alone – and what does not
The rafting is exactly the same as on the rafting-only tour from Side: the same 12 kilometres of the Köprüçay, a trained guide in every raft, a safety briefing and a practice session on calm water, helmet, life jacket and paddle. Anyone who has rafted with us before will recognise every step.
What is new is the second half of the day. After the river you get onto a quad and ride for 40 minutes along a closed off-road track through the national park's pine forest – at the handlebars yourself, with an instructor alongside the group. That combination is the Rafting & Quad Safari from Side, and it is why many guests choose this day rather than two separate excursions.
How the day runs
You are collected from your hotel in Side or one of the surrounding resorts, generally at around 08:00 to 08:30. The exact time depends on your hotel and the route and is confirmed personally after you book. The air-conditioned vehicle then heads up through Manavgat into the national park, to the rafting base in the valley.
At the base the helmet and life jacket are fitted, then come the briefing and the practice session, then the run itself. Lunch is served by the river, and the quad stage runs in whatever order the base is working that day – sometimes before the meal, sometimes after. You are normally back at your hotel at roughly 16:30 to 18:30; the return moves with the size of the group, the day's schedule and the traffic.
- Hotel pickup, approximately 08:00–08:30
- Drive into Köprülü Canyon National Park
- Briefing, equipment, practice session
- 12 km of rafting on the Köprüçay
- Lunch by the river (drinks extra)
- 40-minute quad safari through the pine forest
- Return drive, roughly 16:30–18:30
The quad track: 40 minutes in the pine forest
The quads never touch public roads: they run on a closed off-road track inside the national park. Before you set off there is a briefing and a short practice drive, you are given a helmet and safety equipment, and an instructor stays with the group for the whole ride. No driving licence is needed for this, and no previous experience either.
Anyone who would rather not drive rides along as a passenger – same track, same pace set by the group. Expect dust: the trail is dry, and a bandana for your mouth and nose can be bought at the base as an extra. You get dirty twice on this day, once wet and once dusty, so swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and a full change of clothes belong in your bag.
Who can join
Neither half of the day needs experience. Non-swimmers can raft because the fitted life jacket keeps them afloat and a guide sits in the boat. Children aged 4 to 11 pay the child fare; for children under 4 the rafting is not recommended.
The day is not suitable during pregnancy, with a serious heart condition, with asthma or a similar respiratory condition, with a severe back or mobility problem, or after a recent operation. Anyone who has been drinking goes neither on the river nor on a quad. If you are unsure about a health condition, ask us on WhatsApp before you book and we will check with the operator.
Price and what is included
The Rafting & Quad Safari from Side costs €30 per person, and children aged 4 to 11 pay €18. For comparison, rafting alone from Side starts at €18. Both prices carry the same inclusions – round-trip transfer in an air-conditioned vehicle, a guide in the boat, briefing and practice, helmet, life jacket and paddle, accident and activity insurance, and lunch by the river.
Drinks are always extra, including at lunch. Also extra: water shoes if you do not bring your own (rent or buy at the base), professional photos and video, and the bandana for the quad track. Nothing is charged online – you book, we confirm, and you pay on the day of the tour.
Is this the right package for you?
Rafting and quad suits guests who want to use the whole day at the canyon and fancy driving themselves. If you would rather leave the driving to someone else but still want a ride through the forest, the overview of every rafting package from Side also lists the jeep safari, the zipline and the buggy version with their real prices.
If you only want the river, rafting alone at €18 remains the simplest choice; a separate three-activity package covers rafting, zipline and quad in one day, also on the packages page.