What happens on the Side horse safari
The whole outing in order, so nothing on the day is a surprise.
You are collected at your hotel's main entrance gate, driven to the riding centre in the countryside behind Side, matched to a horse, given a helmet and a short lesson, and ridden out for about 1 hour at a walk — pine forest, open land, a stretch along the shoreline — before the same vehicle takes you back. About 3 hours in total, from your hotel door and back.
1. Pickup at your hotel
An air-conditioned vehicle collects you at your hotel's main entrance gate — the security checkpoint, not the lobby. Your exact time is assigned from the day's schedule and sent to you before the day; please be ready shortly before it. The vehicle is shared with the other riders being collected for the same ride, so the drive includes their pickups too.
2. The drive to the riding centre
Into the countryside behind Side. The pickup covers the whole strip, from Gündoğdu in the west to Kızılot and Çenger in the east, and the drive is longer from the ends than from the middle — that is already inside the 3 hours.
3. Meeting the horses
No rush on arrival. The instructors look at each rider — build, confidence, experience — and match you to a horse that suits you. Helmets are handed out. If you have brought apples or carrots, ask the staff before you feed a horse; they will tell you which one and how.
4. The briefing and short lesson
How to sit, how to hold the reins, how to steer, how to stop. It takes minutes, it is done before anyone moves off, and it is the part that turns a nervous first-timer into someone who is fine. Young or nervous riders can have a staff member walk alongside holding the horse's head for the whole ride.
5. The ride
About 1 hour at a relaxed walk, the guide alongside the group throughout. Soft trails through the pine forest first, then open countryside, then the part everyone remembers: a stretch along the Mediterranean shoreline with sand underfoot and the sea beside you. Riders who can show real experience may be offered a controlled faster stretch where conditions allow — at the guide's discretion, never guaranteed.
The exact route may vary with weather, ground conditions, horse welfare, safety and the group's ability. The guide reads the day.
6. Back to your hotel
Dismount, say goodbye to your horse, and the same vehicle takes you back to the same gate. Professional photos and videos, if you want them, are available to purchase at the riding centre before you leave — they are not part of the fare.
Ready to ride?
One ride to book, three to request, hotel transfer included, nothing charged online.
Book the horse safari