Our Rides

WE TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

Every part of FlaminGO is made in Portugal, from your spectacularly good looking and friendly (not to mention, modest) drivers, through to the eight vintage Portuguese-made UMM jeeps. These ex-military 4x4s shaped the FlaminGO story as most of them take just 7 people, keeping our adventures personal and authentic. More than 2000 5-star reviews confirm this is the best and most exciting way to tackle Lisbon’s wild, wild west. After all, #thisisnotatuktuk.

In summer 2020 we’re launching ocean adventures with our first boat. She’s small, fast and sure to become Portugal’s greatest seafaring vessel since the Age of Discovery (Era dos Descobrimentos). See, I told you we’re modest!

THE JEEPS

One look at these muscular cars and you’ll understand the love story between man and machine. If that doesn’t get you, the roar of the engine surely will.

Our off-road beasts cruise from hilltop castles to the sheer coastline on paths no other tourists can reach. In summer, let the breeze whip through your hair as we bounce along off-road tracks. We’ll pass through the villages we grew up in, stop for what might the best lunch of your trip and then take an unmarked forest trail towards the coastline. In the cooler months the roof stays on and we make the most of off-road tracks, blasting tunes and splashing up puddles of mud as we skid past house-sized boulders, pine forests and giant ferns.

Our jeeps are all originals from UMM, a Portuguese brand that built all-terrain jeeps for our army, police and firefighters between 1976 and 2006. In the ‘90s UMM even manufactured a special vehicle to safely chauffeur pope John Paul II along the roads of Portugal’s Madeira island. Unfortunately production wound down soon after that but we’re sure it had nothing to do with the Pope’s experience! Every UMM jeep is now a legendary slice of Portuguese engineering.

We’ve fully restored all of our cross-country champions inside and out, slapping in new sound systems and added all those modern 21st century conveniences: on-board internet, Bluetooth, smartphone chargers and more. If you have a bigger group, we can send multiple jeeps. Ask nicely and we’ll even bring water guns for you to battle it out as we cruise around.

THE BOAT

A new decade called for new adventures, and for us that meant swapping four-wheels for an outboard motor.

We’ve taken our rugged and authentic brand of adventure to the sea with a sexy, speedy little Bayliner capri 2050.

With her we’ll discover the salty Atlantic Ocean and Tejo River, zipping around the coastline with killer tunes, ice cold drinks and Portuguese petiscos on board.

We’ll bring the fun, you just need to bring sunglasses.

MEET THE FLEET

QB – The Original Gangster

Some call him The Beast, but beneath that tough exterior he holds a soft spot in our hearts as our OG. Yep, this handsome son-of-a-devil was our first jeep. Fit and fast (with suave velvet and leather seats) he’ll muscle his way through any situation – without breaking a sweat.

XH – The Bridezilla

If the tortoise and the hare legend taught us anything, it’s that slow and steady can win the race. Our ivory friend here doesn’t kick above 80km/h – but that’s no curse for this bride-to-be. The narrow, rock-lined roads she conquers are not made for speed. Young, beautiful and noisy as hell, what she lacks in speed she makes up for in sass – with a fresh soundsystem and comfortable suspension to rival a luxury road car.

RJ – The Old Wolf

Experience comes at a cost. But a few cosmetic battle scars won’t detract from what’s under the hood. With fresh new white socks (rims) and a shirt (roof), this old boy has a new confidence in his kit. Particularly if that confidence involves conquering Sintra’s sandy coastline. That’s where he reallys shines.

UB – The School Bus

All aboard for today’s lesson. Hold on tight and listen up, because every excursion on our yellow friend is one part history and three parts physical education. If you’ve got a crew, this safari jeep has space to take the whole class (up to nine people) on an unforgettable field trip. With an amazing sound system, UB also loves to dance and has a habit of turning into a party bus after lunch.

QJ – The Daredevil

Size does matter. And our extreme sports loving friend knows he’s got it. He isn’t afraid of anything – that’s because he’s got the biggest… tyres. And you know what they say about huge tyres? Huge traction. Perfect for tackling the muddy terrain in winter.

RG – The Good Boy

We all know it’s truly what under the hood that matters most, but this good boy just had his coat groomed and is looking for attention. Forever rolling the streets with a smile on his face, nothing can outshine our white-coated friend.

SX – The Baby

No matter how old you get, you can never overcome being the youngest child. An early ‘90s baby, this fresh-faced lad is the youngest of our fleet and fondly remembers when Hanson’s MMMBop ruled his soundsystem. Like any Millennial he’s kept up with the times and can blast whatever you want from Spotify, but he still has that crush on Jennifer Aniston #classic.

Boat – The Dreamer

While he’s no Caravela, he does have big ambitions (and a motor). We’re not following Vasco da Gama’s path to Goa, Macau or even Angola, but we will make our own discoveries cruising the salty Atlantic sea. The roaring V6 205HP engine is fast and furious, so wear sunglasses and prepare for speed.