Summer is our busiest quad season in Side, and the route behind the coast is built for it. You are moving for most of the ride, so there is airflow the whole way; the mud pits and water-splash stops are the built-in cool-down; and every departure runs as a morning or an afternoon session, keeping you off the track at the stillest part of the day. The Side quad ATV safari is €25 per adult and €15 per child, about 3 hours door to door, 1.5 to 2 hours of it off-road.
What a quad feels like in July and August
A quad is an open machine: no roof, no doors, no glass between you and the track. In high summer that is an advantage more often than a problem: once the convoy is rolling through the forest tracks of the Taurus foothills, air comes through the helmet vents and over your arms. The heat you notice is at the stops, not in the saddle: when the convoy pauses to regroup, the airflow stops with it. Those pauses are short by design, with guides riding front and back.
The second summer factor is not temperature but dust: the ground is at its driest now, so the tracks throw up far more than in spring. That shapes the kit list below; our guide to what the track is really like covers the surfaces.
The water stops are the cool-down
The route includes mud pits and water-splash sections, and in summer they stop being a novelty and become the point. You get wet, you get muddy, then you ride on and dry off in the moving air within minutes. There is no clean line around them, so bring a complete change of clothes.
Morning or afternoon: choosing your session
Every quad departure runs either in the morning or in the afternoon. You pick the block when you book; we confirm the exact time with your reservation, since it depends on where your hotel sits on the pick-up loop through Side centre, Kumköy, Evrenseki, Çolaklı, Gündoğdu, Sorgun and Titreyengöl. The morning session leaves your pool afternoon free; the afternoon has the sun dropping as you ride and ends with a shower at our base.
Summer kit that actually helps
- Water before you ride. Drink at the hotel and again at the base, where drinks are sold.
- Sunscreen before pick-up. Forearms, the backs of your hands and your neck are exposed on a quad.
- Goggles. Sunglasses do not seal against summer dust; goggles are a paid extra at our base, worth it in August.
- A bandana. Also sold at the base: keeps dust off your mouth and nose, and you can soak it first.
- A light long-sleeve top, optional. Thin sleeves shield your arms from sun and dust, and the airflow still cools you.
- Closed shoes. Not optional, see below.
- A change of clothes and a towel. There are changing cabins and showers at our base.
More detail in our guide to what to wear for a quad or buggy safari in Side.
Why closed shoes still matter when it is hot
Flip-flops are the one beach habit that does not travel to the base. Your feet work the machine and sit close to hot and moving parts, the ground at the stops is loose and stony, and the water sections soak everything anyway. Old trainers you do not mind ruining are the right summer shoe.
Who should take the passenger seat in the heat
A quad can carry a belted passenger behind the driver, and in summer that seat is a real choice. Take it if you tire easily in heat or have back or neck issues, since the track is bumpy by nature. Drivers ride from 16 with ID at the base, passengers from 6, securely belted. Every tour starts with a safety briefing and a supervised test drive, and that test drive decides: if you are not comfortable, you ride as a passenger.
If you would rather sit side by side and share the driving, with a steering wheel, roll cage and seat belts, our Side buggy safari (€30 adult / €18 child, about 4 hours) does that instead. The quad stays the summer favourite for full personal control and maximum airflow.
Quad options in summer
| Tour | Adult / Child | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Side quad ATV safari | €25 / €15 | about 3 hours |
| Quad safari from Kumköy | €30 / €18 | 3 hours |
| Rafting and quad combo | €30 / €18 | 7 hours |
| Rafting, zipline and quad, 3 in 1 | €38 / €23 | 8 hours |
Combo days add guided rafting in Köprülü Canyon; the 3 in 1 adds a zipline over the river. Every departure is on our quad safari page.
Frequently asked questions
Is a quad safari too hot in July and August?
It is our busiest quad period, and the tour design is why: you are moving for most of the ride, the water and mud sections soak you deliberately, and riding time is 1.5 to 2 hours, not a full day in the sun.
Can children come along in summer?
Yes. Children ride as belted passengers from age 6, and the child price on the Side quad safari is €15. Infants are free but do not ride.
What if I am not confident driving in the heat?
Say so at the base. The supervised test drive exists to settle exactly this before the convoy leaves, and moving to the passenger seat is completely normal. Guests with back or neck problems should ride as passengers whatever the season.
Book your summer quad safari in Side
If you are in Side in July or August and want something that actually cools you down, this is it: pine tracks, dust, mud pits, water splashes and a machine you control yourself. Reserve the Side quad ATV safari at €25 adult and €15 child, with free hotel transfer, helmet, briefing and test drive included. Book free now, pay on the day.