Frequently Asked
Questions

Yes — and we mean it. We've been running tours since 2012 and the great majority of guests are not 25-year-old motocross superstars. Most are recreational riders at beginner or intermediate level who want to improve and have a great time.

For beginners, we recommend the 3-day Learn & Ride tour or a training day as a starting point. All multi-day tours begin with a full training day specifically to level the field. If you can ride a motorcycle on the road, you can do one of our tours.

80% of the difficulty is in your head. Diogo's job is to prove that to you on day one.

A simple guide:

• Beginner or want to learn? → Start with a training day or the 3-day tour.
• Want a guided multi-day adventure? → Choose from our 3 or 5-day tours based on your fitness and experience.
• Experienced off-road rider who wants to explore independently? → Rental with our GPX tracks and itinerary is perfect.
• Doing the TET or ACT? → Rental. We have the bikes, the tracks and the knowledge to make it great.
• Not sure? → Get in touch. A 5-minute conversation usually makes it obvious.

Solo travellers are the norm, not the exception. The majority of people who join our tours arrive alone and leave with friends. That's kind of the whole point of small groups.

Groups of friends are of course very welcome too — if you have 3–5 people, you can essentially have a private tour on a date that suits you. Just get in touch.

Pillion Passengers:
While it is technically possible to ride off-road with a pillion passenger, we generally do not recommend it. Off-road riding with two people requires considerable experience, and our rental motorcycles are not designed or equipped for two-up riding. Guests wishing to ride with a passenger must use their own motorcycle, have suitable off-road experience, and accept full responsibility for doing so.

Non-Riding Partners
Non-riding partners are more than welcome to join the adventure. We can arrange the same accommodation as the riding group, if they have their own vehicle we can recommend interesting places to visit and activities to enjoy during the day, and, on selected tours, we may also be able to arrange transportation so they can meet the group at lunch stops or at the next overnight destination. If you're travelling with a partner, simply get in touch and we'll be happy to discuss the best options for your trip.

No maximum age. We've had riders in their 60s and 70s have the time of their lives. Off-road riding is about skill and mindset, not physical power.

General fitness helps — you'll be on a bike for several hours a day — but you don't need to be an athlete. If you have specific physical limitations or health concerns, tell us in advance and we'll adapt the plan accordingly. We have Plan B and Plan C for every situation.

By train (recommended):

1. From the airport, take the Metro or a Taxi/Uber to Oriente train station (~10 min)
2. Buy a ticket to Santarém at the ticket office (2nd floor) — costs €8–16, takes about 1 hour. Trains run roughly every 30 min; the "IC" is slightly faster than the "R".
3. Get off at "Santarém" — not "Vale de Santarém"
4. Take a Taxi or Uber from the station to the hotel (~5 min).

By Uber/Bolt (direct, more comfortable): Direct from the airport to the hotel, around €45–95 depending on traffic. Bolt is usually cheaper. Splitting with travel companions makes this very reasonable.

• Lisbon Metro map
• Train schedules (CP)
• UMU Hotel (where we usually host guests)

For all multi-day tours: arrive the day before the tour begins. There's a welcome dinner on the evening of arrival — this is part of the experience, not optional. It's where the group meets, you get briefed on the days ahead, and you eat very well.

For day trips and training: arrive the morning of the session. We open at 9am and typically start our session at ~9h30am. Confirm exact arrangements when booking.

You can bring your own bike or rent one of ours. If you're renting, we have the Honda CRF300L (€100–120/day on tours) and optionally a KTM 390 EnduroR. Lowering kits are available for shorter riders.

If you're bringing your own bike, it should ideally be an adventure or dual-sport bike with decent off-road capability (enduro tyres strongly recommended). Let us know what you're riding so we can determine if it's adequate or not for the adventure ahead.

Less difficult than you think, probably. We are not a hard enduro company. Our focus is on enjoyment and distance, and even though a few challenges are always in order, we don't like to make people sweat. Tracks are chosen for scenery and terrain variety, with difficulty adapted to the group.

The 3-day tour is specifically designed for beginners and average riders. The 5-day tours are better suited to riders with some off-road experience who want a bigger physical challenge.

Here's how we guarantee everyone has a good time:

1. We speak beforehand to discuss any concerns
2. Tours are limited to small groups
3. Every tour starts with a training day
4. Every difficulty is a learning opportunity — not a problem
5. There will always be Plans B and C for any situation

Included in all multi-day tours:

• Accommodation (3/4★ hotels or charming rural stays)
• Welcome dinner on the evening of arrival
• (5 Day tours include 4 additional dinners)
• Professional guide and instructor on motorbike
• Photos and video clips of the trip
• Transfers within Santarém

Not included: Flights, your motorcycle (rental available), riding gear (rental available), evening meals after day one, travel insurance.

Always conveniently located — walking distance from the restaurant where we eat dinner. I choose 3/4★ hotels or charming rural accommodations. Comfortable, clean, well-located, with AC and private bathrooms in every room.

Expect soul, not marble. These are real places in real towns — not resort hotels. That's intentional. It's part of the experience.

Don't expect golden toilets and champagne Jacuzzis. Do expect great locations, comfortable beds, and some genuinely beautiful places to stay.

Rooms are twin share by default. If you'd prefer a single room, a supplement of +€35/night applies (only charged if no other participant wants to share).

Food is taken very seriously. Every meal is a genuine deep-dive into Portuguese gastronomy — authentic, traditional, delicious, with big portions and good local wine.

No tourist traps. No hotel buffets. Real restaurants in real towns where real Portuguese people eat. This is one of the things riders consistently mention in reviews.

Portugal has great weather most of the year — even in winter, it's rarely cold enough to make riding miserable. Rain happens occasionally, especially in spring and winter, but is usually brief.

We ride in mild rain. It's part of the adventure and honestly often produces the best photos. If conditions are genuinely dangerous, we adapt the route or take a rest day.

Tour cancellation due to weather alone is extremely rare. If a tour is cancelled by us for any reason, see the cancellation policy in the Bookings section below.

A Day Trip is a guided off-road ride on our selected tracks — the focus is on the riding experience, though some basic technique guidance is included. Ideal if you just want a great day out on good trails.

A Private Masterclass is a focused 1-day training session with Diogo, specifically designed to improve your skills. The curriculum covers energy conservation, traction, clutch control, technical turns, hill technique, emergency stops and more. Ideal if you want to progress significantly in one day.

Yes — and it's an excellent idea. All multi-day tours already include a training day as part of the programme. If you're planning a rental, doing a training day first (even just a day trip) will make your solo adventure significantly more enjoyable and safer.

Get in touch and we'll build a combined package that fits your schedule.

We strongly recommend prior off-road experience before embarking on an unguided adventure. You should also have basic mechanical knowledge — enough to deal with a puncture or minor issue independently.

If you're new to off-road, we recommend doing a training day or the 3-day guided tour first. Once you have that foundation, the rental is a very different and rewarding experience.

All rentals include a 3rd party insurance (with a 400€ deductible) and a low-liability self insurance. This means you have "full scratch insurance" and your liability over the bike is only 1000.00€ in case of broken parts, and 2000.00€ in case of total loss, theft, or engine water ingress. These conditions apply as long as you stay on the trails/plans we provide and ride within the limits of the law and common sense.

A €400 security deposit is required at check-in. This is returned in full on check-out, assuming the bike comes back in good order (washed and fuelled). In the event of damage not covered by insurance, the deposit may be used to cover repair costs (but not limited to).

For minor drops and cosmetic damage from normal off-road riding — don't panic. We understand this is off-road. Talk to us honestly and we'll find a fair solution.

The TET no…the ACT maybe! — We do get a lot of requests for ACT or TET, but after we review the logistical challenges of riding these North-to-South tracks with our guests they often end up preferring to ride our own tracks, which offer much more "bang for the buck" in terms of off-road time and a much safer experience.

We often reserve this to returning guests only or very experienced riders.

• €100 reservation deposit to confirm booking (bank transfer)
• Remaining rental cost + €400 security deposit paid at check-in (cash or card)
• Bikes must be returned washed and fuelled — penalty of €15 for dirty return + cost of missing fuel
• Security deposit returned in full on check-out (assuming no damage beyond insurance coverage)

Rental rules and conditions:

1. Driving license: You need a motorcycle license (A2 or superior)
2. Payments and deposits: You will be asked to pay 100€ as a reservation deposit. Upon arrival you will have to pay the remaining cost of your rental + a security deposit of 400€/bike.
3. Returning: Bikes must be returned washed and fueled (Penalty = 15€ + missing fuel).
4. Working hours: Bikes can be picked/dropped between 9am and 6pm (Delay fee = 50€ per every 30min period).
5. Road assistance and rescue: If you need local assistance we will charge you a 100€ fee + 1€/km (distance from Santarem to your location). If this happens due to mechanical malfunction that you are not responsible for, the assistance won't be charged. Important Note: Clutch problems will always be considered user misuse. A clutch (even if not new) does not simply stop working in a single day without a prolonged period of mild symptons. It will only fail during the rental period if excessively overheated on technical sections. It is the user responsability to operate the clutch properly, adjust the clutch cable if necessary and report as soon as he feels the first signs of clutch slippage. Other possible breakdown cause: Falling hard to the left side may cause damages to the gear lever spindle/rod, which will lock the bike in a certain gear.
6. 3rd party insurance: The bikes come with a basic 3rd party insurance with a 400€ deductible. This insurance can only be used to pay for 3rd party damage, not the bike you are renting.
7. Special Rental Insurance (Optional): This gives you "full scratch insurance" and limits the liability over the bike to 1000.00€ in case of broken parts, and 2000.00€ in case of total loss, theft, of engine water ingress. These conditions apply as long as you stay on the trails/plans we provide and ride within the limits of the law and common sense.
8. Damages: These damages/losses will be charged according to the price list HERE
9. Personal & travel insurance: It is highly recommended that you bring your European Health Insurance Card and/or hire your own personal travel insurance covering outdoor/motorized sports, trip cancellation costs, etc. Sometimes credit cards/banks offer these services at very reasonable prices.
10. Bike replacement/repairs: Even though we dont have a 24/7 road assistance service, and we are limited to the bikes/parts we have in stock, in case of an accident or breakdown, we will try to repair/replace the bike as fast as possible so you can continue to enjoy your holiday.
11. Rental contract: You can check the full rental contract HERE

Protection gear is mandatory for all activities. You must have:

• Full-face off-road helmet (enduro/MX) with goggles or visor
• Adventure jacket with armour, or separate body armour
• Light adventure or enduro pants
• Kneepads (worn under pants)
• Enduro/off-road boots
• Gloves (light and ventilated for summer; winter gloves for colder months)
• Backpack with hydration (camelback or bottle)
• A waterproof/windcutter layer — this is how you regulate temperature year-round

Rental gear is available from us if you can't travel with your own: boots, helmets, armour, kneepads and gloves from €5–20/day.

On multi-day tours you'll carry your personal belongings in a provided 40L drybag. Everything fits easily:

• Personal toiletries and electronics
• One t-shirt + underwear per day
• One set of dinner clothes per trip (practical — nobody expects smart dress)
• A waterproof/windcutter layer (also carried in your backpack while riding)
• Any medication or personal items

For larger groups, we may bring a support vehicle to carry luggage — in which case you have more flexibility.

Portugal is generally excellent for riding year-round:

• Summer (Jul–Aug): Very hot, 35–45°C. Ventilated gear essential.
• Spring/Autumn: Ideal riding weather, 18–28°C. Occasional brief rain.
• Winter (Dec–Feb): Cool but rarely freezing, 8–15°C. More chance of rain, but often beautiful clear days. The Winter Sun Tour is specifically designed for this season.

Whatever the season, pack a waterproof layer and a mid-layer. You'll thank us.

1. If you already have an idea of what you want, please fill out the pre-registration form (that will also automatically calculate all costs) and wait for our reply. If you need some guidance, use the contact form specifying which tour or activity you're interested in.
2. We confirm availability and send you a registration form.
3. Pay the reservation deposit to confirm your spot (bank transfer).
4. Pay the remaining balance a few days before arrival (bank transfer) or in person at check-in (cash or card).

• Guided tours: €300 deposit to confirm booking
• Unguided rentals: €100 deposit + €400 safety deposit at check-in

Remaining balances can be paid by bank transfer before arrival, or cash/card at check-in.

Cancellation by you:

• Deposits are non-refundable
• Cancel >15 days before: deposit becomes credit valid for 1 year on any of our activities
• Cancel <15 days before: deposit is lost

Cancellation by OFFroad-OFFcourse:

• Cancelled >60 days before: full refund of all payments
• Cancelled >30 days before: full refund + €300 discount on any future booking

We strongly recommend travel insurance covering trip cancellations, flights and personal expenses. Credit card providers often include this — check before buying a separate policy.

Before the trip: Email is best for detailed questions.

During the trip: Mainly WhatsApp. A few days before each rental/tour a WhatsApp group will be created with all participants and assigned staff.

All OROC guides have basic first-aid training and carry first-aid supplies, so for minor falls and scrapes (which are part of off-road riding) we'll patch you up and hopefully get you back on the bike immediately.

In the event of a bigger incident, fortunately Portugal has a good public health system, emergency services and network coverage so even the most remote rescues are very straightforward.

This is why we strongly recommend personal travel insurance that covers adventure sports activities. Your credit card may already include this — check before purchasing a separate policy. EU citizens should bring their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

Yes. OFFroad-OFFcourse is a registered tourism operator in Portugal: Registo RNAVT nº 12867, based in Santarém. Diogo is RNAVT certified, first-aid trained and has been operating tours and training since 2012.

We strongly recommend it. A good policy should cover trip cancellations, medical expenses, and adventure sports activities (off-road motorcycling). OFFroad-OFFcourse cannot be held responsible for third-party costs such as flights or hotels in the event of cancellation.

Check your credit card benefits — many premium cards include travel and activity insurance that covers this kind of trip. If not, specialist travel insurance for adventure sports is available from various providers.