Taurus Mountains Jeep Safari Tour & Green Lake Boat Ride

Waterfall, mountain pass, village tea garden, lakeside lunch, and a swim in Green Lake — all in one day off the main roads.

A full-day jeep safari from Side takes you through the Taurus Mountains and countryside on an off-road route with a live guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, and a boat ride on Green Lake. The itinerary moves between Manavgat Waterfall, a 1800-year-old Roman bridge, a tea garden in the hills, and a swimming stop in the lake's emerald water. A guide in English, French or German leads the group; the driver navigates the terrain and the timing holds the day together.

Step-by-step itinerary

Jeep safari and nature exploration

• Pick up from hotel by jeep
• Visit Manavgat Waterfall
• Off-road safari to Taurus Mountains
• Photo breaks at Naras Bridge and orchards
• Tea garden break with Turkish gözleme
• Visit Seyran Hill viewpoint
• Lunch by Green Lake
• Optional water gun fights before lunch
• Swim in Green Lake bay
• Return jeep ride to hotel

The Experience

The jeep picks you up from your hotel in the morning and heads straight to Manavgat Waterfall, where you get a half-hour break to walk around this regional landmark. From there the route turns inland into the Taurus Mountains on unpaved roads, passing orange orchards, Roman-era aqueducts, and the 1800-year-old Naras Bridge — the guide stops for photos at each one. The landscape shifts as you climb; the road narrows and the views open up across the foothills.

Mid-morning you pull into a tea garden in the countryside where the group gathers for homemade Turkish gözleme (fried flatbread) and drinks. After that, the jeeps head to Seyran Hill for views of the Oymapınar Dam and Green Lake below. Lunch happens at a restaurant on the lake's edge — the menu is chicken or fish with rice and salad, made fresh daily from organic ingredients. You can swim in the facility's pool, walk the grounds, or rest before the afternoon water stop.

After lunch the group boards a boat for the main swim in Green Lake itself. The water is cool and a different shade of green depending on the light and depth; you float in a bay ringed by forested slopes. The return journey retraces the mountain roads back to your hotel. The whole day runs about seven hours from pickup to drop-off.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in a comfortable all-terrain jeep.
• a live guide in your choice of English, French or German.
• lunch with chicken or fish, rice and salad at the lakeside restaurant.
• a boat ride and swim in Green Lake.
• tea and homemade gözleme at the countryside tea garden.
• photo stops at Roman-era monuments and the 1800-year-old Naras Bridge.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Payless

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full day exploring mountain villages and swimming in rivers rather than staying on the coast, with a guide handling all logistics and timing across multiple stops.

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Top questions

What is Manavgat Waterfall like, and how much time do you spend there?

Manavgat Waterfall is the regional symbol and the first stop on the route; you get a half-hour break to walk around it and take photos before the jeeps head into the mountains.

Can you swim during this tour, or is it just sightseeing?

You swim twice — once in the pool at the lakeside restaurant after lunch, and again in Green Lake itself during a boat stop in the afternoon where the water is cool and surrounded by forest.

What kind of roads does the jeep travel on?

The route is mostly off-road through the Taurus Mountains countryside, passing through orange groves and past Roman ruins; the terrain is unpaved but the jeeps are built for it and the driver knows the route.

Is lunch included, and what are the options?

Lunch is included at a restaurant by Green Lake; the menu offers chicken or fish with rice and salad, prepared daily from organic products.

Do you need to speak the guide's language, or can you join if you only speak English?

The guide speaks English, French or German — you choose the language when you book, so the commentary and stops are in the language you pick.

What should I know before booking if I have a back or joint problem?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health because of the off-road terrain and the physical demands of climbing in and out of the jeep; you should have at least a moderate level of fitness.