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A guided one-hour horseback ride through the pine forests and river paths of the Hisaronu hills, twenty minutes inland from Marmaris centre. No riding experience needed. Hotel pickup included from £24.
The horse safari surprises people who weren’t sure they wanted to do it. That was the case with Nicola and her daughter Amy, who arrived at the ranch this April. Amy had never been near a horse before and was quietly nervous — until she spotted Sisi, one of our mares, standing by the fence with a brand-new white foal at her side. She walked straight over, held out a carrot, and the foal stepped forward to take it from her hand. By the time the tour started, the nerves had gone completely. She and her mum rode together through the river and through the forest, and Amy came back to feed the foal again before they left.
We get versions of that story regularly. The ride draws families and couples who want something quieter than a buggy or a jeep — something that puts you inside the landscape rather than charging through it.
A half-day guided ride through the pine forests and river paths of the Hisaronu hills, following a natural watercourse that flows down from the Marmaris highlands through the Degirmenyani valley. The ranch sits on the Hisaronu road, about twenty minutes inland from Marmaris centre — far enough from the resort to feel genuinely remote, close enough that the transfers are easy.
The route covers approximately four kilometres of trail, including roughly 300–400 metres of shallow river riding where the water rises around the horses’ legs and the pine canopy closes overhead. You’re on private, traffic-free tracks through the national park forest. You won’t see a road or a building for most of the hour you’re in the saddle.
No riding experience is needed. No licence, no prior lessons, no particular fitness level. If you can sit upright and follow basic instructions, you can do this. Our instructors have been working with complete beginners for years and select horses specifically for inexperienced riders — calm, well-trained animals that respond gently and don’t startle easily.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Trail length | Approximately 4 km |
| River crossing | 300–400 m of shallow river riding |
| Time in the saddle | 1 hour |
| Total experience | Around 3 hours door to door |
| Location | Hisaronu road, ~20 min inland from Marmaris |
| Setting | National park forest, traffic-free private trails |
| Riding pace | Calm walking pace, set by the group |
| Helmets | Provided, individually fitted, compulsory |
The ranch is a working farm, not a tourism facility dressed up to look like one. That distinction matters more than it sounds.
The horses are young and well-kept. Almost all of our horses are young adults — we have very few older animals in the herd. They’re exercised properly, not over-ridden, and the group sizes are managed to keep it that way.
The setting is genuinely wild. The Hisaronu hills and the Degirmenyani river route aren’t a groomed theme-park trail. The forest is the national park forest. The river is a real river. The mud on your boots at the end is real mud.
The farm is worth more than an hour. Plenty of guests arrive for the tour and end up staying most of the morning or afternoon. There are donkeys, rabbits, goats, ducks and geese on the property. There’s a büfe on site where you can buy snacks and cold drinks. Some guests bring their own breakfast and use the ranch’s samovar to make tea — we’ve had people spend three or four hours there before the transfer back. If you want to feed the horses before or after the ride, you can buy apples and carrots at the ranch.
Photos and video are handled properly. For safety reasons, personal cameras and mobile phones are not permitted during the ride. Our team photographs and films the session for you — images and footage are available to purchase afterwards at prices you agree beforehand. You won’t miss the shot because you were trying to hold a phone while the horse crossed the river.
We collect you from your hotel at your chosen session time. Pickup is included at no extra charge from Marmaris centre, Icmeler, Siteler and Armutalan — if you’re staying elsewhere nearby, contact us the day before and we’ll confirm whether we can reach you. The drive to the ranch takes about twenty minutes, winding up into the pine hills above the resort. Most guests say the view from the road is the first moment they realise they’ve properly left the holiday strip behind.
Your instructor meets you at the ranch, introduces you to the horses, and goes through the briefing before anyone mounts. Helmets are provided, fitted individually, and compulsory for everyone. The briefing covers how to sit, how to signal your horse, what to do if something unexpected happens, and what the river crossing will feel like. It’s thorough without being long — you’ll be in the saddle within about twenty minutes of arriving.
The convoy moves out at a pace set by the group. For most sessions this means a calm walking pace through the forest, opening up slightly on the clearer stretches. The river section is the highlight for most riders — 300 to 400 metres of wading through moving water, the horses entirely comfortable in it, the sound of the current replacing everything else for a few minutes.
English-speaking guides accompany every session. The pace is adjusted for the group — if there are young children or very nervous first-timers, nobody is left behind or rushed.
Back at the ranch you can feed the animals, buy something from the büfe, or simply sit by the river. The transfer back leaves when the group is ready. Door to door, allow around three hours total for the experience.
The tour runs four sessions daily from April through to the end of October.
| Session | Hotel pickup time |
|---|---|
| Morning | 10:00 |
| Midday | 12:00 |
| Afternoon | 14:00 |
| Late afternoon | 16:00 |
The afternoon and late-afternoon sessions are the popular ones in midsummer — the forest stays cool under the pine canopy and the light through the trees during the river crossing is at its best. The morning slot is the quietest if you prefer fewer riders in the group.
Adult rider (age 6 and over): £24 — Includes round-trip hotel transfer, helmet, safety briefing, full insurance and the guided one-hour ride.
Child riding with a parent (under 6, sharing a horse): Free — Young children ride in front of a parent on the same horse at no charge.
No deposit. No online payment. You pay in cash to the guide on the morning of the tour. Cancellation is free at any point — nothing was paid, so there’s nothing to refund.
The tour is suitable for almost everyone, with a few practical limits we apply for the welfare of the horses and the safety of the riders.
| Rider profile | Can join? |
|---|---|
| Complete beginners | ✅ Yes — the tour is designed for them |
| Children under 6 (with parent) | ✅ Free, sharing a horse with a parent |
| Children aged 6 and over | ✅ Own horse, full price |
| Riders up to 100 kg | ✅ Yes |
| Adults in their 60s, 70s and beyond | ✅ Yes — common, no issue |
| Pregnant guests | ❌ Not recommended |
| Significant mobility limitations | ❌ Not suitable — please contact us first |
| Serious spinal conditions | ❌ Not suitable |
| Riders over 100 kg | ❌ Welfare limit for the horses |
The 100 kg limit is a welfare rule, not a judgement — it applies uniformly. We’ve had grandparents on the tour who hadn’t ridden since childhood and found the whole thing completely manageable.
You don’t need much.
Comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting dusty (or muddy near the river) work best. Closed shoes are essential — trainers are ideal, sandals and flip-flops are not suitable. Sunglasses and sunscreen matter more for the transfers than the ride itself, since the forest provides shade for most of the hour. A small amount of cash is useful for the büfe, photo purchases, or animal feed (apples and carrots are sold at the ranch).
There are no specific clothing restrictions, but lighter colours show the mud more. Helmets are provided. Everything else is standard holiday kit.
Leave your phone and camera at the ranch or in the transfer vehicle. Personal devices aren’t permitted on the ride for safety reasons — the photography team covers you.
Do I need riding experience for the horse safari? No. The tour is designed for complete beginners. Instructors give a full briefing before the ride and accompany the group throughout. Horses are selected specifically for inexperienced riders.
How long does the tour take? Allow about three hours door to door. That’s roughly twenty minutes of transfer each way, a briefing and equipment fitting on arrival, one hour of riding, and time at the ranch before the return.
How much does it cost? £24 per person for riders aged 6 and over. Children under 6 who ride with a parent on the same horse are free. Hotel transfer, helmet, insurance and guide are all included. No deposit — pay cash on the day.
Where is the ranch? On the Hisaronu road, about twenty minutes inland from Marmaris centre. We collect you from your hotel — you don’t need to find it yourself.
Can young children join? Yes. Children under 6 ride in front of a parent on the same horse at no charge. Children aged 6 and over ride independently. A parent or guardian must be present for all child participants.
Why can’t I use my phone during the ride? Safety. Holding a device while on horseback increases the risk of distraction and dropping, which can startle the horses. Our team photographs and films the session for you, and footage is available to purchase afterwards.
What happens if it rains? Light summer rain doesn’t cancel the tour — the forest provides cover and the experience is often better in cooler conditions. Heavy storms or severe weather will result in cancellation with advance notice. As no payment is taken upfront, there is nothing to refund.
Is there anything else to do at the ranch? Yes. The farm has donkeys, rabbits, goats, ducks and geese, plus a büfe selling snacks and drinks. You can buy apples and carrots to feed the horses. Some guests bring breakfast and spend the morning there before or after the ride — the ranch is open to visitors for the full session period.
Can I combine the horse safari with other Marmaris tours? Yes. Many guests book this for a half-day and pair it with a Marmaris boat trip or jeep safari on another day. Add both to your basket and we’ll coordinate pickup times so nothing overlaps.
Select your session and date in the booking panel above. You’ll receive an immediate confirmation by email. Pay the guide in cash on the morning of the tour — no card, no deposit, no app required.
Prefer to message? WhatsApp and email bookings get the same fixed prices and a confirmation within the hour during normal daytime hours. If you’re planning several days of activities across your stay, send us your full list and we’ll build a schedule around your holiday.
This is consistently one of the quieter, more personal tours we run — not the loudest day of your holiday, but often the one people mention last when they’re describing the trip back home.
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