Overseas Adventure Travel

Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) is a branded operation of Grand Circle Travel, offering group adventure travel to locations foreign to the United States. Compared to GCT trips, OAT offers slightly smaller groups and a higher level of physical activity, but within the capability of a healthy, fit, and active older adult.

Acquired in 1993 by Alan and Harriet Lewis, who also own Grand Circle Cruise Line and Grand Circle Travel, OAT has been recognized for leadership in tourism and in philanthropy. In 2016, OAT added several new adventures including destinations in Asia, South America, and the South Pacific, as well as a second Cuba program.

History

Safari vehicle with tourists observing lion

28-year-old high school teacher Judi Wineland established Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) in 1978. After journeying to Africa, she identified a need for a more cost-effective, adventurous, and culturally authentic safari experience. She began with tours to rural Tanzania, becoming the country's first US tour operator to offer tented safaris. OAT went on to offer custom small group trips to less-traveled destinations around the world, including to Peru, Nepal, East Africa, and Turkey.

In 1993, OAT was acquired by the Grand Circle Corporation, and the company has since shifted toward offering "soft adventures" for Americans aged 50 and older.

Destinations

OAT offers adventure trips to a variety of destinations in Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the South Pacific. New destinations for 2015 included Brazil, Peru, Indonesia, Sicily, and Tuscany.

Africa

OAT offers several different land adventures in Africa, including four popular safaris throughout Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, and the Serengeti. Trips include game-viewing drives through national parks and encourage immersion in tribal and village culture. Optional tours range from helicopter rides and African dance performances to elephant-back and sunrise balloon safaris.

Asia

OAT's Asian destinations include India, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, Nepal, China, Bhutan, Tibet, Mongolia, and Japan. Both land and small ship adventures are available, including a river cruise on China's Yangtze River. Optional pre- and post-trip extensions take travelers through the Gobi Desert, the heart of Cambodia, Hiroshima, and other regions. Quicker add-on tours are available for more intimate engagement with Asian art, music, and daily life. In 2016, OAT added a 19-day journey to South India and Sri Lanka, including stops in Chennai, Colombo, Negombo, Kumarakom, and Cochin.

Central and South America

Central and South American land adventures include trips to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, and other countries. Popular sites include the Amazon Rain Forest, an overnight stay at Machu Picchu, the Galápagos Islands, Patagonia, and a small ship cruise through the Straight of Magellan and Cape Horn. New for 2016 was a 15-day tour of Chile covering Santiago, San Pedro de Atacama, Punta Arenas, Torres del Paine National Park, and the Chilean Fjords.

Europe

OAT’s European trips are focused on less-traveled regions and sites in Iceland, Spain, Sicily, Tuscany, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Poland, and Russia. A typical itinerary includes visits to iconic landmarks and historical landscapes, walking tours, boat rides, and home-hosted dinners. Optional tours range from hot-air balloon rides to folk shows and local musical performances. New European trips for 2016 included a 17-day excursion to Northern Spain and Portugal, and an 18-day trip through Northern Greece, Albania, and Macedonia.

Australia and New Zealand

OAT offers several South Pacific tour packages, including trips to both popular and less-known destinations throughout Australia and New Zealand. Australian land adventures take travelers through Melbourne, Sydney, and the Great Barrier Reef. Optional tours include full-day wildlife adventures and an Aboriginal cultural tour in Desert Park. In 2016, OAT added a 17-day trip to New Zealand, including stops in Wellington, Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park, Milford Sound, Queenstown, and Auckland.

Cuba People-to-People Program

OAT and the Grand Circle Foundation are fully licensed for people-to-people travel in Cuba. The new 2017 Cuba trip took travelers through Havana, Cienfuegos, and the historic Trinidad (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The 12-day Cuba trip is limited to 12-20 participants and features an itinerary focused heavily on cultural engagement.

Awards

OAT has been named one of the world's best tour operators and safari outfitters by Travel + Leisure readers, while the magazine has twice awarded OAT a Global Vision Award for philanthropy, including a leadership award in 2013. Recently, OAT has been recognized for its industry leadership and philanthropic contributions by several countries, including South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Laos, Turkey, Nepal, Mongolia, and Bhutan.

Group size and age minimums

Overseas Adventure Travel trips are characterized by their small group sizes. Each trip is limited to 10-16 travelers for land adventures and 16-25 for small ship cruises. While OAT caters specifically to Americans aged 50 or older, the minimum age requirement is 13 years old.

Cultural engagement

Overseas Adventure Travel's theme is "Learning and Discovery." Tours typically include at least one tour-paid "in home" meal prepared by a local resident and a visit to a local grade school, many of which receive some financial support from the Grand Circle Foundation. OAT itineraries are heavily focused on interacting with local people where they live, work, and play. Trip leaders are English-speaking residents of the country.

Solo-friendly travel

40 percent of OAT travelers are solo travelers, and OAT structures itineraries to accommodate solo travel. Travel + Leisure magazine named Overseas Adventure Travel as one of the "Best Companies for Traveling Solo". The Travel Channel named OAT the "Top Tour for Budget-Conscious Travelers".

Philanthropy

Through the company's Grand Circle Foundation, more than $97 million has been pledged toward education and preservation in more than 30 countries since 1992. An additional $400k was raised by GCF and travelers for Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. OAT launched a $10 million program for Boston high school students, aimed at doubling the number of four-year college degrees attained by the city's most underserved neighborhoods by 2018. In 2012, OAT pledged $600,000 to benefit WBUR, Boston's NPR station, the largest donation in the station's history.