oat tours in portugal

Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours)

Global operator

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Travelers age

Trip prices

$2,895 — 9,190

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Age Range:  Primarily 50+

Average Tour Price: $4,538

Average Tour Duration: 15 Days

Group Size:  Small groups - between 10 and 16 travelers, max of 24 on small ship cruises

Travel Style:  Culturally immersive and local experiences. Walking between 3-6 miles a day.

• Group Tours
• Small Ship & Expedition Cruises
• River Cruises
• Custom Itineraries
• North America
• Central America & Caribbean
• South America
• Rivers & Seas
• Australia & Pacific
• Middle East & North Africa

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Overseas adventure travel (o.a.t. tours) reviews & ratings.

Policy over practical customer service. zero customer service

don't expect humanity or common sense

This letter is effectively what was communicated no less than 8 times in writing and conversation to OAT representatives up the chain, beginning 19 days before the t...

Trip of a Lifetime

Our recent Tanzanian Safari was indeed the trip of a lifetime. Saw the big 5, met the wonderful locals and spent 5 days in the Serengeti. Saw many lions, zebras, gi...

Booked for July and gave them $12,000. They talked us into early arrival and then come back to us a two months later saying we can't offer. We have to keep our airli...

My favorite OAT adventure

I went to this adventure with my sister-in-law and we had the absolute best time! Our guide were all amazing and our trip leader Martin was exceptional! My sister-i-...

We visited Panama on this trip with OAT

We visited Panama on this trip with OAT including walking through El Chorrillo neighborhood and listening to the stories of the survivors of the US invasion. We woul...

See all Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours) reviews

Editoral Review of Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours)

Founded in 1978, Overseas Adventure Travel specializes in small group and small ship adventure tours . Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) is now part of the Boston-based Grand Circle Corporation, which also includes Grand Circle Travel and Grand Circle Cruise Line.

Quick Facts

Founded in 1978

Very welcome to solo travelers - Free or low single supplement

Average Tour Price - $4,538

Average Tour Duration - 15 Days

Small Groups - between 10 and 16 travelers, max of 24 on small ship cruises

Travel Style - Culturally immersive and local experiences. Walking between 3-6 miles a day

Age Range - Primarily 50+

What Makes Overseas Adventure Travel Stand Out?

• Solo traveler friendly
• Cultural immersion
• Grand Circle Foundation

Overseas Adventure Travel is solo traveler friendly . They offer free or low single supplements. OAT understands that solo travelers desire to follow their own schedule, desires and needs. They help handle all the details to make sure your trip is affordable, easy and enjoyable.

A major focus of OAT is cultural immersion . Travelers can expect to visit local schools, churches, and homes (where you might be treated to a home-cooked meal). Experienced guides -- all fluent in English -- lead groups off the beaten path when possible.

OAT strives to give back to the world they send travelers around.  A portion of all proceeds goes to the Grand Circle Foundation, which supports cultural and educational programs in the countries visited.

Who Will Enjoy Traveling With Overseas Adventure Travel?

• Solo travelers
• Cultural enthusiasts

 OAT specializes in small group tours around the world serving Americans aged 50 and older. They appeal to the old fashioned - the fact that they still offer a physical catalogue is testament - and their travel style reflects an appreciation of the classics coupled with an adventurous spirit to explore each destination deeper and from a local perspective. 

Overall, prices fall into the moderate range, and are especially a bargain for solo travelers , who can save substantially by not having to pay for single supplements. Accommodations are designed to be both comfortable as well as unique and in keeping with the local spirit of the destination. If your hostelling days are over but you feel too adventurous for a standard hotel, OAT will be a great company to travel with. 

OAT travelers are those with a passion for culture . They don’t just want to see a destination, they want to experience it. For these travelers, spending a day in a Maasai village in Kenya, eating dinner with a local family in Chile's oasis town and interacting with local musicians at the bustling Libertad Plaza in San Salvador, Belize is a welcomed adventure.

Top Destinations

OAT operates tours all over the world, specializing in remote, off the beaten path destinations. African safaris are an especially popular offering, though you can also travel to Japan , India , Peru , Iceland , Vietnam , Albania , or Morocco , to name just a few of its far-flung destinations. OAT also runs small-ship cruises through the Galapagos , on the Amazon , and along the Turkish coast.

OAT Travel Style

With Overseas Adventure Travel you’ll find a combination of transportation and accommodation styles, but all with an element of comfort. Groups are small, with a max of 16 (24 on small ship cruises). 

Accommodations vary, but generally favor being local and non-traditional over a basic centrally located hotel. Their exact words are “emphasis on authenticity, rather than amenities”.

Their style is all about unique and meaningful cultural interaction . While you’ll learn the history and see the famous sights, their true focus is about people and connections. This means you’ll enjoy meals with local families, like you’re just a friend over for dinner; visit schools and see the amazing work being done in small communities. The visceral understanding and perspective that comes from learning to cook traditional meals and make traditional crafts is what you’ll find on an OAT tour.

Why Choose a Tour with OAT?

OAT offers a unique up close and personal experience, guaranteeing that its groups will never exceed more than 10-16 travelers. A spirit of spontaneity is part of what makes traveling with OAT special, as they strive to take advantage of every interesting opportunity during a trip. 

Traveling with Overseas Adventure Travel allows for an in depth cultural travel experience in comfort. Many opportunities exist for travelers to find deals, and it’s a great way to meet new friends in a similar age range.

If you traveled extensively in your youth and are not ready to slow down, but perhaps are looking for a few more logistical ducks to be taken care of for you, OAT could be the perfect fit. They offer a variety of options for more independent minded travelers, as well as ample free time to explore and plan your own adventure during cruise port stops and on their group tours.

Alternatively, if this is your first travel experience, OAT will be a great starting point. You’ll gain cultural insights, meet locals, as well as hit on all the best tourist sites that provide cultural and historical context to your destination.

Overseas Adventure Travel Covid Safety Precautions

Through December 31st 2020, Overseas Adventure Travel is offering Risk Free booking. You can transfer your departure with all change fees waived.  

Some countries are beginning to reopen to international visitors with entry restrictions while others have remained closed. Stay up to date and see a full list of which countries are open  »  

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More Details

Solo friendly.

• No single supplement
• Solo & Singles Travel

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About the company.

Overseas Adventure Travel offers unique small group adventures worldwide to Americans over 50. By land and sea, we explore on—and off—the beaten path with a resident OAT Trip Leader, immersing ourselves in local cultures, sampling unique modes of transportation, and staying in authentic lodgings that reflect the essence of your destination. Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises serves both our GCT and OAT brands with an award-winning fleet known for exceptional value and high-quality experiences in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Custom-designed according to our travelers’ specifications, our fleet includes 50+ small river and ocean-going ships that we own or privately charter.

Grand Circle Corporation is a global enterprise—comprised of a family of travel companies—committed to changing people’s lives by offering high-impact experiences to our travelers and building local communities through philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, and volunteerism.

Simply by traveling with OAT, you support the work of the nonprofit Grand Circle Foundation, which was created with the mission of changing people’s lives through travel—both those of our travelers, and of the people who welcome us so warmly into their homelands.

Journey with the Leader in Adventure Travel and Watch Your Dreams Take Flight : It is the stuff of dreams: gazelles bowing to lap at a glassy pool in the Serengeti as the vast sky turns purple with night, the tiered splendor of the Himalayas, rising behind a Tibetan monastery. Dreams like these are everyday realities for OAT travelers, thanks to the principles which ground every OAT adventure: value, choice, discovery, and carefully paced itineraries.

Our Value puts your travel dreams within reach: OAT can help you realize your travel dreams for a lot less than you thought possible. Together with our regional offices located throughout the world, we’ve been able to establish long-term relationships with many local vendors and hotels. Buying direct brings down our costs—and allows us to pass the savings on to you. And negotiating directly for hotel space also allows us to secure as many single room allotments as possible for our solo travelers. That way, we can also extend our great value to solo travelers. In fact, we offer the best value for solo travelers, guaranteed.

The Choice is yours : You’ll always have plenty of choices with OAT. We offer you a breadth of awe-inspiring travel destinations—from the peaks of the Andes to the sweeping desert sands of the Sahara to the rugged natural beauty of Iceland. You'll also enjoy more trip extension choices than ever before—like hiking to ancient monasteries in Bhutan or discovering the Moai monolithic rock statues on Easter Island. You have plenty of choices within each adventure, too, including several interesting optional tours. And the free time we’ve woven into our itineraries allows you plenty of opportunities for independent exploration. You can shop, unwind, perhaps linger at a sidewalk café, visit an interesting gallery or museum, or explore a cobbled street that caught your eye earlier in the day. You can do as much or as little as you want on an OAT adventure—the choice is yours.

OAT Difference

Adventure Travel : Adventure travel with OAT is a journey beyond the familiar, one that takes you into the very heart of a destination—to meet people where they work and live.

OAT Advantages : Journey with the leader in adventure travel and watch your dreams take flight, thanks to the principles which ground every OAT adventure: value, choice, discovery, and carefully paced itineraries.

Small Groups, Big Discoveries : When you discover the world in an OAT small group, you’ll journey off the beaten path to the places the big tour groups miss—and enjoy an intimate, discovery-filled adventure filled with personal connections, shared experiences, and treasured memories.

Trip Leaders : No matter where in the world you venture with OAT, you'll have one of our resident, expert Trip Leaders by your side. All are fluent in English and possess the skills, certification, and experience necessary to ensure an enriching adventure.

Airport Transfers : We’ve listened to your feedback, and will now offer international airport transfers to and from your hotel to our travelers who choose to purchase their own airfare on OAT adventures as part of our Personalize Your Trip program, which allows you create the OAT adventure that's right for you.

Personalize your trip : OAT travelers have long expressed the desire to decide exactly where they’re going, how they get there, and when they wish to leave. That’s why we developed a variety of choices that enhance the value of every trip we offer, allowing you to create the adventure that works best for you.

Traveling solo? Enjoy your own room or cabin—at no extra cost : You’re in control of your travel dreams—and we’re making them more affordable than ever: Maybe you prefer the freedom of solo travel—or maybe you and your usual traveling companion can’t agree on a destination. Whatever the reason, you don’t have to put your travel dreams on hold. When it’s time to go it alone, you’ll never pay a Single Supplement to have your own room or cabin with OAT.

Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours) Trips & Specials

Real Affordable Peru

Japan's Cultural Treasures

Mongolia & the Gobi Desert

Untamed Iceland

Heart of India

Northern Greece, Albania & Macedonia: Ancient Lands of Alexander the Great

From Siam to Saigon: Thailand & Vietnam Revealed

Southern Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana

Want a tailor-made trip instead, your trip, your way, planned by an expert:.

• You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
• Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics

Top Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours) Trip Categories

Overseas adventure travel (o.a.t. tours) company ranking by category, similar companies.

Associations

United states tour operators association.

USTOA is a nonprofit professional association representing the tour operator industry.Its members are made up of companies who provide services worldwide but who conduct business in the U.S.

Do I need Travel Insurance?

There are many options for travel insurance , and most tour companies require that you have it prior to traveling. OAT offers their own protection plan, which you can purchase conveniently through them, and covers cancellation. Even if you choose to purchase your airfare separately and not through OAT, you can still purchase their protection plan.

What is the Average Group Size?

What is the age range?

Is there a Single Supplement for Solo Travelers?

What kind of luggage should I bring?

Can my grandchildren join me on the tour?

Are O.A.T. Tours handicap accessible?

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Portugal: Lisbon, All-inclusive Algarve w/Douro valley cruise

Complete portugal by train, portugal by high-speed train, discovery of portugal - 7 days, highlights of portugal w/hanging garden of europe, lisbon porto and madeira, discovering the best of portugal, best of the azores: 7 days in são miguel, best of lisbon tour (with sintra, évora and cascais) - 5 days in portugal, hiking the azores.

• Christmas & New Year

“Things got better. The tour and the company were impressive.”

• Sip on sweet Port wine in the old cellars of Porto
• Fall in love with the Art Nouveau houses and canal boats of Aveiro
• Embark on some of the most scenic train rides in all of Europe

“Loved the small group size and diverse ages on our tour of Portugal. The boutique hotels and their locations were excellent.”

• In-depth Cultural

“Flag was so nice to reschule my arrival transfer 2 times at no extra cost. I suggest Flag to everybody willing to travel to Portugal.”

“All transfers went smoothly and the tours in Lisbon and Sintra were really fun. It was really nice to just walk around the city during the extra days.”

“The price was good and the hotel & food was top class. We will not hesitate to book through you again.”

“All transfers were punctual. We had a wonderful time!”

“Great tour, excellent local guide and perfect driver-guide.”

• Go on a tour to Sete Cidades and marvel at the breathtaking views
• Have the fantastic experience of watching whales
• Visit the Furnas village and see volcanic phenomena

“From the greenery to the crystal-clear waters, it felt like we found our own little paradise.”

• Food & Culinary
• Wine tasting
• Go for a half-day tour in Lisbon and explore the picturesque neighborhoods of the
• Watch a Fado Show in Lisbon
• Get to know Évora, a city with more than 2000 years

“Exceptional service, expertise, and warm personality greatly enhanced our experience.”

• Hiking & Trekking
• Coastal Walks

“It was great! They did the best they could given the weather. I highly recommend doing a food tour as well!”

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