Just outside Side the asphalt ends, and that is where this day really begins. You are collected from your hotel in the morning after breakfast time and join a convoy of open-top 4x4 jeeps, each seating eight to ten guests and driven by a professional driver — nobody in your group needs to take the wheel. The first stop is an old Roman bridge, and from there the track climbs through a landscape most visitors never see: orchards of oranges and lemons, pomegranate trees, cotton and sesame fields, with a chance of spotting nomadic Yörük families living in the foothills the way they have for generations.
The route strings together the greatest hits of the Manavgat highlands. You pause at ancient Roman aqueducts, look down on the impossibly green water of Green Lake from a panoramic viewpoint, and roll into Oymapınar village, where there is time to swim and where freshly made Turkish pancakes are served with a drink. A photo stop at Oymapınar Dam and a viewpoint above Green Canyon follow before lunch at a lakeside restaurant, with the emerald water right below you. Afterwards you can add a one-hour boat trip on Green Lake for a small extra charge, visit a traditional village mosque with your guide, and, depending on the day's program, stop at Manavgat Waterfall on the way back (entrance fee payable on site).
In summer, be ready for the famous water fights between the jeeps — children usually declare this the best part of their holiday, so pack a dry change of clothes and a waterproof pouch for your phone. In the cooler months the convoy switches to covered jeeps and the water games take a break, leaving the mountain scenery to do the talking. The pace is sightseeing, not extreme off-road: bumpy and dusty in places, so guests with back or neck problems should let the team know before boarding. Young children are welcome riding with an adult. Pickup and drop-off are included from hotels in Side, Kumköy, Çolaklı, Evrenseki, Gündoğdu, Sorgun, Titreyengöl, Kızılağaç and Kızılot, and you are back at your hotel in the late afternoon. Reservation is free — you pay on the tour day, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
