Rafting and Quad Safari 5 in 1 from Side packs a river, a canyon, a mountain road and a quad bike ride into one active day in Köprülü Canyon National Park. It starts with a cabrio safari from the rafting centre to the start point, across the Roman Oluk Bridge, followed by 14 km of rafting on the Köprüçay River. Then you glide over the river on a zipline and ride a quad bike along a forest track in the mountains.
We pick up guests from hotels in Gündoğdu, Çolaklı, Evrenseki, Kumköy, Side, Sorgun, Titreyengöl, Kızılot and Kızılağaç.
Book your seat online with no prepayment — you pay on the bus on the day of the tour.
Rafting and Quad Safari 5 in 1 from Side at a glance
- Hotel pickup: 09:00–10:00
- Back at your hotel: 18:30–19:30
- Itinerary: cabrio safari, Oluk Bridge, 14 km of rafting, zipline and quad safari
- Payment: cash on the bus ($, €, ₺)
Tour programme
- 09:00–10:00 | Hotel pickup
We pick you up at your hotel gate, by the security post, just outside the barrier. Your exact pickup time will be on your e-ticket once your booking is confirmed.
- Rafting centre in Köprülü Canyon National Park
We drive to Köprülü Canyon in an air-conditioned minibus. At the rafting centre there’s time to change and leave your things on the bus or at the centre.
- Briefing before the rafting
Helmet, life jacket and a briefing on the riverbank: how to sit in the raft and paddle on command.
- Cabrio safari and Oluk Bridge
Open-top safari buses take us to the rafting start point by Oluk Bridge. We cross the Roman bridge on the way; there’s usually no separate stop.
- 14 km of rafting on the Köprüçay River
A raft usually takes 8–10 people plus an instructor. The finish is at the rafting centre.
- Zipline over the Köprüçay River
A ride along a steel cable over the river. Staff help you put on the equipment.
- Quad safari
A ride on a dedicated track next to the rafting centre, one quad for two people. Before the start you get a helmet and a run-through of the controls.
- Lunch and free time by the river
Lunch at the rafting centre, then free time by the river while the whole group gathers for the drive back.
- 18:30–19:30 | Back to your hotel
Times are approximate and depend on where your hotel is and on traffic.
The order of stops may change, but nothing is left out of the programme.
How does the Rafting and Quad Safari 5 in 1 tour from Side work?
Morning drive to Köprülü Canyon National Park
In the morning, between about 09:00 and 10:00 depending on your area, we pick you up from your hotel and drive to Köprülü Canyon National Park in an air-conditioned minibus.
Side gradually falls behind: the sea views give way to pines, mountain slopes and the rocks of the canyon, and the air gets fresher.
A rafting centre on the riverbank and a briefing before the start
The rafting centre sits right on the bank of the Köprüçay. You can change into your swimwear there and leave your bags on the bus or at the centre itself. This is also where you hear how the day will run.
Then the instructors fit you with a helmet and a life jacket and go through the essentials on the bank: where to sit in the raft, how to hold the paddle and what each command means. You’re not allowed to go rafting barefoot, so if you don’t have suitable shoes, you can hire or buy water shoes here.
The route also suits people who have never sat in a raft: there are no difficult rapids on it. Children aged 6 and over raft with the adults. Children under 6 can’t take part in the rafting or the quad safari.
Cabrio safari in open-top buses
We ride to the start point in open-top safari buses. With no roof overhead, you feel the wind and the mountain air the whole way, with pines and mountain slopes on either side and, in places, views over Köprülü Canyon.
Oluk Bridge: a Roman landmark over the Köprüçay
On the way to the start we drive across Oluk Bridge over the Köprüçay River. It was built in Roman times, around the 2nd century, so it’s about 1,900 years old, and it stands about 27 metres high.
The road over the bridge is narrow, so there’s usually no separate stop here. From the open bus, though, you see the bridge up close, and as you cross, you look down on the river far below. You can take photos on the move.
14 km of rafting on a mountain river
The main part of the day is rafting down the Köprüçay River. The route is about 14 km long.
Guests are divided between the rafts, usually 8–10 people plus an instructor in each. The instructor tells you when to paddle, when to hold on and how to take the faster stretches.
Calm stretches of the river alternate with faster ones where the raft rocks on the waves and you get splashed. The Köprüçay is a mountain river: even in summer the water is usually around 15–20°C, which is especially refreshing after the heat of the coast. The whole raft paddles in one rhythm, on the instructor’s commands. We finish right at the rafting centre we set off from.
A zipline ride above the river
After the rafting comes the zipline over the Köprüçay River. Staff help you put on the equipment, check every buckle and clip you onto the cable.
Then you glide along a steel cable with the river below, the rocks and green slopes of the canyon on either side and the wind in your face. After the ride we head back to the rafting centre.
Quad safari on a forest and mountain track
The quad safari starts at a site next to the rafting centre, in the same part of Köprülü Canyon National Park. Before the start, staff check the quads, hand out helmets and explain where the throttle and the brake are, how to take bends and how much distance to keep from other riders.
A quad bike is a four-wheeled vehicle you sit astride, much like a motorbike. Two people share one quad, and you can drive from the age of 14.
The track runs through forest and mountain terrain, with bends, climbs, descents and a bit of dust from the wheels. Closed-toe shoes come in handy here.
Lunch by the river: chicken, pasta and salad
After the activities it’s time for lunch at the rafting centre. The menu usually includes chicken, pasta and salad. After lunch you can change into dry clothes and relax by the river.
Rafting tours in Köprülü Canyon run in mixed groups: on the bus and at the rafting centre you’ll be with guests on other programmes, such as rafting and zipline only, the buggy safari, Tazi Canyon or Selge. So there can be some waiting at the end of the day: while some guests finish their part of the programme, others relax by the river, and then we all head back together.
Back to your hotel
Towards evening we board the minibus and head back. Guests are usually back at their hotels between 18:30 and 19:30; the time depends on traffic and on the order in which the minibus drops guests off.
Rafting, a zipline and a quad bike in one day, with lunch and hotel transfer included.
Book your seat online with no prepayment. You pay for the tour on the bus on the day.
Tour video
Tour video
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7 tours in Köprülü Canyon: which one to choose?
The main difference between the programmes is whether they include Tazi Canyon, rafting, a zipline, or a buggy or quad safari.
1. Tours with Tazi Canyon and rafting
2. Tours without Tazi Canyon
- Rafting 4 in 1 from Side | $20
Cabrio safari from the rafting centre to the rafting start point, Roman Oluk Bridge, 14 km of rafting, zipline over part of the canyon.
- Rafting and Buggy Safari 5 in 1 from Side | $30
Everything in Rafting 4 in 1, plus a buggy safari on a dedicated track.
- Rafting and Quad Safari 5 in 1 from Side | $30 — you are on this page
Everything in Rafting 4 in 1, plus a quad safari on a dedicated track.
3. Tours without rafting
- Tazi Canyon 5 in 1 from Side | $25
Cabrio safari from the rafting centre via Oluk Bridge to Tazi Canyon (about an hour in an open-top bus), Selge, Adam Kayalar, lunch and a rest by the river. Rafting is not part of this programme.
What is included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned minibus
- Cabrio safari in open-top buses from the rafting centre to the rafting start point
- Drive across the Roman Oluk Bridge
- 14 km of rafting on the Köprüçay River
- Helmet and life jacket
- Shared raft for 8–10 people with an instructor
- Zipline over the Köprüçay River
- Quad safari on a dedicated track (one quad for two people)
- Lunch
- Insurance
What is not included
- Drinks during the tour
- Personal expenses: souvenirs and other purchases
Optional extras
- Photos and video of your tour — $15 per person
- Rafting shoes (water shoes) — $5 to hire, $10 to buy. They stay firmly on your feet, don’t slip and protect your soles in the raft and in the water.
- Wetsuit — $10. Useful in spring or autumn, or if you get cold quickly in the water.
- Paddling the route in a two-seater kayak — $10 per kayak, not per person. If you’d like this option, mention it in the “Special Requests” field when you book.
- Your own quad — $10. As standard, two people share one quad; if you’d like one to yourself, please mention it when you book.
What to bring
- Swimsuit or swim shorts
- Towel
- A change of clothes — you’ll be wet after the rafting
- Closed-toe shoes for the quad safari
- Sunscreen and sunglasses
- Drinking water
- A light snack — the mountain air and the activities work up an appetite, and lunch at the rafting centre isn’t until the afternoon. A bread roll from your hotel breakfast, some fruit or a handful of nuts will do.
- Phone or camera for photos before and after the rafting
- Cash for drinks, photos, shoes, a wetsuit and personal expenses
Distance to Köprülü Canyon
- Kızılot to Köprülü Canyon: 80 km, about 1 hour 15 minutes
- Kızılağaç to Köprülü Canyon: 77 km, about 1 hour 13 minutes
- Titreyengöl to Köprülü Canyon: 68 km, about 1 hour 10 minutes
- Sorgun to Köprülü Canyon: 63 km, about 1 hour 10 minutes
- Side to Köprülü Canyon: 63 km, about 1 hour 10 minutes
- Kumköy to Köprülü Canyon: 58 km, about 1 hour 5 minutes
- Evrenseki to Köprülü Canyon: 55 km, about 1 hour 5 minutes
- Çolaklı to Köprülü Canyon: 53 km, about 1 hour
- Gündoğdu to Köprülü Canyon: 50 km, about 55 minutes
Distances and travel times are based on Google Maps and are intended as a guide. The actual journey time depends on traffic and on how long it takes to pick up guests from other hotels.
Discounts
- Book at least 7 days in advance — 4% off
- Book at least 30 days in advance — 5% off
- $1 off for each person in your booking who follows our Instagram (@goldwaytravel)
- Discounts can’t be combined: choose either the early booking discount or the follower discount, whichever saves you more
FAQ about Rafting and Quad Safari 5 in 1 from Side
How much does the Rafting and Quad Safari 5 in 1 tour from Side cost?
Adults $30, children 6–12 $20. The price includes 14 km of rafting, zipline, quad safari, cabrio safari, Oluk Bridge, lunch and hotel transfer.
How do I book the Rafting and Quad Safari 5 in 1 tour from Side?
Choose the date and the number of adults and children in the “Online Booking” form; the total is worked out automatically. In the form that opens, enter your full name, hotel, WhatsApp number and email, then send it. No prepayment: you pay on the bus on the day of the tour. Once your booking is confirmed, we send you an e-ticket with the exact pickup time via WhatsApp or Telegram. For step-by-step instructions with pictures, see
“How to book and pay on the bus”.
What is a quad safari?
A quad safari is a ride on a quad bike along a dedicated track in the Köprülü Canyon National Park area.
A quad bike is a four-wheeled vehicle you sit astride. Each quad is designed for two people. Riding a quad on your own costs an extra $10; please mention it when you book.
You can drive a quad from the age of 14. Children aged 6–13 ride as passengers with an adult. Children aged 0–5 don’t ride the quads. No driving licence is required. Before setting off, staff hand out helmets and go through the controls and the rules on the track.
Where does the zipline run?
The zipline runs over the Köprüçay River in Köprülü Canyon: you ride down a steel cable above the water.
First, staff help you put on the equipment and check it, then clip each guest into the safety system. After the ride, the group returns to the rafting centre.
All you need to do is listen to the staff and follow a few simple instructions.
What is a cabrio safari?
A cabrio safari is a ride in open-top buses from the rafting centre to the rafting start point.
The route runs through the pine forests and mountain areas of Köprülü Canyon National Park, and on the way the buses cross the Roman Oluk Bridge.
To and from your hotel you travel in an air-conditioned minibus; the open-top buses are part of the programme inside the park.
Can I go rafting with no experience?
Yes, no experience is needed.
The rafting takes place on the Köprüçay River. The route is suitable for beginners and has no difficult rapids. There’s an instructor in every raft.
Before the start you’re shown how to sit, how to hold the paddle and how to follow commands. Everyone wears a helmet and a life jacket.
How cold is the water in the Köprüçay River?
The Köprüçay is a mountain river, so the water is cool.
It’s usually around 15–20°C. If you feel the cold easily, you can hire a wetsuit for $10.
How long does the rafting take?
The rafting route is about 14 km long.
On the water it takes about 1.5–2 hours. The exact time depends on the water level and the pace of the group.
What time will we be back at the hotel?
Guests are usually back at their hotels between 18:30 and 19:30.
The exact time depends on where your hotel is, on traffic and on when the whole group finishes the programme.
From what age can children go rafting?
Children can take part in the rafting from the age of 6.
Children aged 0–5 travel free but don’t take part in the rafting or the quad safari.
Children aged 6–12 pay the child price. They take part in the whole programme, including the rafting and the zipline, and ride the quad as a passenger with an adult. From the age of 13 the adult price applies.
Can I choose a two-seater kayak?
Yes, you can.
A two-seater kayak costs extra: $10 per kayak, not per person. If you’d like this option, mention it in the “Special Requests” field when you book.
What shoes do I need for rafting and the quad safari?
You need shoes that stay firmly on your feet and don’t slip on wet surfaces.
You are not allowed to go rafting barefoot. At the rafting centre you can hire water shoes for $5 or buy a pair for $10.
For the quad safari, closed-toe shoes are the better choice.
Do I need a wetsuit?
In summer, swimwear is enough for most guests.
A wetsuit is worth taking in spring or autumn, or if you get cold quickly in cool water. Wetsuit hire costs $10.
Where can I leave my things during the active part of the programme?
You can leave your things on the bus or at the rafting centre.
While you’re on the water, the bus goes back to the rafting centre, so your things are there waiting when you finish.
It’s best not to bring valuables on the tour.
Are photos and video included in the price?
No, professional photos and video cost extra.
Photos and video cost $15 per person. Buying them is optional.
During the rafting it’s best to leave your phone on the bus with your things, so you don’t risk it on the water.
Will my child have their own seat on the bus?
Children aged 6–12 who travel at the child price get their own seat.
Children aged 0–5 travel free and don’t get a seat of their own: they sit on an adult’s lap.
If your child under 6 needs their own seat, pay the child price for them when you book.
