Yes on both counts, on every rafting and jeep safari combo we run: lunch is included in the price and return hotel pickup is included in the price. The one exception in our combo range is the three-activity rafting, zipline and buggy day, where food and drink are listed as a guest expense — so if you are comparing a two-activity day with a three-activity day, that is a real difference, and the meal is yours to pay for at the base.
Below are the questions guests actually send us before booking a combo day, answered from the tour records rather than from a brochure.
Is lunch included, and what is it?
Included on every rafting and jeep safari combo. On the Side combo it is a riverside lunch listed in the price. On the Kumköy combo it is a riverside lunch of grilled chicken with salads, taken between the two activities. The Evrenseki and Manavgat departures both list lunch at the riverside facility as included.
On the 3-in-1 rafting, zipline and buggy day, food and beverage expenses appear on the excluded list. Budget for it.
Are drinks included with lunch?
No — on none of them. Every combo lists drinks separately from the meal. Bring cash for the riverside restaurant.
Is hotel pickup included, and what time?
Included on all of them, in both directions. What differs is the vehicle. The Side combo collects you in open-top jeeps straight from your hotel, which is part of the experience and also means wind and dust from the first minute. The Kumköy combo uses an air-conditioned vehicle for the road transfer and switches to the open 4x4 at the canyon.
Pickup is in the morning, and your exact collection time depends on your hotel and is confirmed to you personally after you book — we do not publish a single time, because a Kumköy hotel and a Manavgat hotel are not collected at the same moment. The Evrenseki departure ends at approximately 18:00.
What safety equipment do I have to hire?
None. Helmets, paddles and life jackets are supplied on every combo. The Kumköy departure goes further and lists a wetsuit as part of the standard kit — worth knowing if you are travelling in spring or autumn, because the Köprülü river is cold whatever the air temperature is doing.
Why does Kumköy cost €40 when Side is €28?
A fair question and the answer is not "because Kumköy is further away". The Side combo at €28 adult and €17 child is a seven-hour day on an approximately 12-kilometre rafting track, with the jeep doubling as your transfer. The Kumköy combo at €40 adult and €24 child is a nine-hour day, roughly 14 kilometres of Grade II–III rapids, a wetsuit in the kit, a swim stop in the Köprülü pools, a crossing of the Roman-era Oluk Bridge, and an air-conditioned road transfer.
Two more hours, more river, and a more comfortable drive. Whether that is worth €12 depends on how much you like being dusty.
What is genuinely not included?
- All drinks, at lunch and during the day
- Professional photo and video of your rafting run — the riverside team shoots the boats through the rapids and offers the set afterwards
- Optional add-ons at the canyon such as zipline, quad or buggy, arranged and paid on site
- Gratuities for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
One note on our own paperwork: the Side combo record carries the line "there are absolutely no hidden costs in this tour reservation" filed inside its exclusions list. It is a reassurance that has been put in the wrong column, not a charge.
Can children come, and from what age?
Children aged 4–11 are classified in the child category for pricing and safety equipment across the range, and infants aged 0–3 travel free on the Kumköy departure. Our records also state that rafting is not recommended for children aged 0–4.
There is an inconsistency here that we would rather flag than paper over: the Kumköy record applies the child rate from age four while separately advising against children under six on the rafting leg. Tell us your children's ages when you book and we will confirm what applies on your date before you pay anything.
Do I need to be able to swim?
No. A life jacket is worn for the entire rafting stage and a professional guide steers every boat, so non-swimmers take part safely. The cliff jumping and swim breaks are optional — anyone can sit them out on the bank without missing the run.
Do I drive anything?
Not on the jeep combos. Every jeep has a professional driver and you are a passenger, which is why no off-road experience is needed. On the 3-in-1 day you do take the wheel of a buggy, in a convoy behind an escort.
Who should not book a combo day?
- Pregnant guests, and anyone with serious back or heart conditions. The Kumköy record states this directly and it applies to any rafting day.
- Anyone who wants one activity done properly rather than two done quickly. A combo compresses both halves. If rafting is the thing you actually care about, a dedicated rafting day gives you more river for less money.
- Anyone unwilling to get soaked and dusty in the same afternoon. You will be both.
- Guests who need a fixed timetable. These are eight- and nine-hour days with a morning pickup window, not a scheduled service.
What to bring
Clothes you do not mind soaking, water-resistant shoes that stay on your feet, a full change of dry clothing, a towel, swimwear, sunglasses and sunscreen for the jeep leg, and a waterproof bag or case for anything you take onto the water. Phones and cameras go in waterproof storage during the rafting.
Booking and cancellation
The Kumköy departure carries free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Start from the combo adventure day tours collection to see every departure with its own price, or go straight to the Side rafting and jeep safari if you are staying in Side itself.
Still weighing it up? Rafting day or rafting-and-jeep-safari combo compares the €20 single-activity day with the €28 combo, rafting from Side answered covers the river itself, and what to wear rafting is the packing list in full.