Wind Star's October Monday in Kuşadası: two ways to ride

Sixteen hours alongside, on a ship of 148 guests. That is what the port schedule as of early October 2026 shows for Wind Star in Kuşadası: two Mondays in October 2026, each from 07:00 to 23:00. The one still ahead is Monday 12 October 2026, and there are no further Wind Star calls listed for the twelve months after that.

So this post is really about a single day. If her plans change, or new dates are added, they will appear on the Wind Star page alongside the safari session that suits each one.

Wind Star is the ship that gives her class its name. She entered service in 1986 and carries 148 guests.

Morning or evening: the trade-off

With 16 hours in port, both of our sessions fit comfortably. Each puts the free time in a different place.

Option one: 11:00

• 07:00 Wind Star arrives. You have more than three hours before you need us.
• 10:10 meet at the Kervansaray (The Big Ottoman Palace), about 50 m from the cruise port's exit. Directions on the map.
• A drive of about 15 minutes to the trailhead.
• 11:00 around 2 hours of riding through pine forest behind Pamucak beach, with a 30-minute break by the sea.
• 13:45–14:15 back at the port, with close to nine hours left before departure.

Option two: 16:00

• The morning and early afternoon are yours.
• 15:10 meet at the same Kervansaray spot.
• 16:00 the same forest ride and beach stop.
• 18:45–19:15 back at the port, still nearly four hours before the 23:00 departure.

Neither is better in itself. The morning ride leaves you a long afternoon in town. The later ride suits people who would rather start slowly, or who want to see Kuşadası first and ride afterwards.

The 60-minute rule on a 23:00 sailing

We always ask cruise guests to be back at the port at least an hour before the ship departs. On this call that means 22:00, and both sessions return well before it. The tighter limit is your all-aboard time, which appears in the daily programme and is usually earlier than the departure itself. Check it on the day. Unless it is unusually early, it will not affect either ride.

For anyone reading this with a different date in mind: a session needs the ship in port by 10:10 and sailing at 15:15 or later for the 11:00 ride, or in port by 15:10 and sailing at 20:15 or later for the 16:00 ride.

October on the trails

Mid-October is within our riding season. We only shut down for the winter, between 1 December and 31 March, and the trails open again on 1 April. The horse safari's beach stop includes a swim only when the season allows, so ask us if that is part of your plan for 12 October.

As for which ride: the quad safari and the buggy safari need no driving licence. Drivers must be 16 or older, there are single and double vehicles, and everyone gets a helmet, goggles and a safety briefing before following the guide in convoy. Children under about 2 cannot join. The horse safari is the quieter choice for beginners aged 8 and up, with younger children accompanied by an experienced adult companion, in a small group with a riding guide and helmets provided.

If your trip goes beyond the cruise

Some guests spend a night or two in Kuşadası before boarding or after leaving the ship. In that case the port timetable stops mattering: you can book any day the safaris run (April to November), and we collect you from your hotel. Just choose the date and session that suit you, rather than the cruise call.

Setting up your booking

Pick Wind Star and 12 October 2026 in the cruise day planner. It lists both sessions as suitable and fills in the booking form for whichever you choose. The reservation page is the alternative if you prefer.

Before your cruise, one last look at Wind Star's Kuşadası calls and hours confirms nothing has moved.