Why families tend to look at the buggy
In the buggy the two seats sit side by side, so your child is next to you rather than behind you, and you can see each other the whole way round the course. That seating is what allows a younger passenger to ride with an adult driver.
The quad works differently: its passenger sits behind the driver, and quad passengers must be 8 or older. For a family with children under 8, the buggy is therefore the machine that lets them come along. Older children can ride on either, and the course, the routes and the programme are the same for both.
Ages at a glance
Nobody needs a driving licence here, teenagers included, because the route is a private off-road course, not a public road. Each driver still faces the compulsory test ride, and it is a real check. A teenager who cannot get through it, or who would sooner not drive after all, simply rides in the passenger seat.
- Under 4: not recommended, as a small child can find it hard to hold on safely
- Younger children: in the buggy, a younger passenger can ride beside an adult driver
- Quad passengers: 8 or older
- 16 and 17: can drive after completing the compulsory test ride, with an ID to show the age
- Adults: drive or ride as passenger, depending on the test ride and on preference
What a family pays
Every person who comes along pays, children included. The driver pays the driver's price and the person in the passenger seat pays half; that half-price passenger fare is the only reduction. Nobody gets a free seat, whatever their age, and a relative who joins only to watch is counted as well.
Because each buggy takes one driver and one passenger, a parent with one child needs one buggy, and two parents with two children need two. On the short route each driver pays €35 and each passenger €17.50; on the long route the figures are €43 and €21.50. Nothing is taken in advance; the euros change hands on the day itself.
Pregnancy, backs and necks
Expectant mothers should give the safari a miss, and so should anyone whose back or neck causes trouble. That goes for both seats, so it matters for parents as much as for children.
If one parent is affected, the other adult can drive with a child as passenger, and the parent who sits it out can simply stay at the hotel. If they would like to ride out with the group and watch, remember that every person who joins is counted and pays. Tell us on WhatsApp when you book and we will help you plan the seats.
Dressing children for dust and river
Put children in old or comfortable clothes you will not mind seeing dirty. The course runs over forest tracks, dusty open ground and shallow river sections in the Aspendos countryside along the Köprüçay river, and mud is possible when conditions allow, though never guaranteed. Proper closed shoes matter; flip-flops and slippers are not recommended.
Every rider gets a helmet, children included, and it is the only kit we supply. Goggles are on sale at the base, but dust masks and bandanas are something to bring from home if you want them.
- An old T-shirt and shorts or light trousers, ideally not white
- Closed shoes such as trainers
- A bandana or scarf to pull over the nose and mouth
- Their own sunglasses
- Fresh clothes to change into before heading back
Planning the day around children
The whole programme takes about 4–4.5 hours hotel to hotel, including the transfer, the briefing and the test ride. There are two sessions, morning and afternoon, and your pickup time is confirmed the day before; the meeting point is the main entrance of your hotel. From the Belek area the drive to the course takes around 35–40 minutes, depending on the hotel.
If your children are riding off-road for the first time, the short 18 km route keeps the outing compact; the long 28 km route adds 10 km of the same course.