Reviews
What a Wonderful Trip! We saw all the The Big Five, multiple times. The meals were delicious and introduced us to Kenyan cuisine. The accommodations were interesting and more than comfortable. The guides, Geof, Dennis, Muthee, and Moses, were welcoming and took great care of us. They were exceptionally knowledgeable and personable. The small group was awesome! We would certainly do again. Many Thanks to all that made this a most memorable trip,
Terry R.What a wonderful experience! Our Uganda tour exceeded my expectations from the tour managers, the hotels and friendliness of their staffs, sights that we saw and guides who led us. It was amazing. We traveled the most with Paul and he did an excellent job in providing information, local color, water in the vehicles and even kept a roll of toilet paper for the ladies to use at the rest stops along the way. The trekking was wonderful and we were fortunate to see 10 chimpanzees and a gorilla family of 16! The total experience is one where I am still pinching myself that I experienced so much in a short amount of time. I will be a Ugandan Ambassador for the future. Looking forward to my next Gate 1 adventure in April to Albania, Montenegro, Croatia & Slovenia. Thanks again.
Cynthia B.Our Discovery trip to Namibia was incredible due to the leadership and knowledge of our tour guide Herunga. His enthusiasm and love for his country was obvious as he shared commentary on the countryside, animal life and the customs and traditions of Namibia. Kudos also for our bus driver- Kenneth. Kind and funny and more than capable of driving our bus over washboard roads! We truly enjoyed our excursion!
Deborah L.We had a wonderful trip to South Africa. Our guide Anna was outstanding. She as very intelligent very concerned in our safety, very to take in timing for all our excursions ,giving us accurate and interesting information. The hotels and meals were very good. But the real reason that our trip was so good was Anna our guide. I will give this trip a 10 out of 10.
Christa R.I recently completed an extraordinary trip to South Africa, Botswana, Victoria Falls with Gate1. Without question, a really marvelous trip was made spectacular by the tour director Jason. Although I have not taken many, many tours, Jason easily was the best I have ever encountered. Highly informative, kind, intuitive, caring, diligent, and efficient, he made a spectacular trip all that it was. I think he is everything that a Tour Director should be. All of us were blown away at how successful the trip was, and attributed the smoothness and richness of the trip to his knowledge and efforts. I cannot recommend him highly enough. Cheers to Gate1 for having someone like Jason there for the members who are lucky enough to cross his path.
Steven P.Our trip to South Africa was the best. Our tour Manager Gavin was very well knowledgeable and friendly. Experienced the Apartheid Museum, land in Eswatini ,Cultural Dance and Dinner, Game drive in Kruger nation park we're very memorable. Overall we all enjoyed the trip.
Suketu M.The 14-Day Classic South Africa with Robben Island & Victoria Falls was wonderful. Our tour guide, Jason was available whenever we were needed. He took care of our every need. He also is very well-versed in the history and background of South Africa among other things. He answered every question that was asked in great detail. A friend in our group had a birthday during the tour and Jason arranged for a cake, ice cream and champagne to be served. Because we decided to stay an extra day in Johannesburg at the end of the tour, Jason arranged transportation for us for that day so we were able to visit the Apartheid Museum and shop at Eastgate Mall before going to the airport for our return trip home. Everything was Awesome! Thank You for a lifetime trip. We want to return in the future - so much to see, learn and experience.
Sherry S.Our trip to South Africa and Victoria Falls was amazing! This was our 5th trip with Gate 1 and we are already planning our next adventure! Our tour guide Belinda was kind, knowledgeable and extremely helpful. She consistently treated everyone with respect and courtesy. We expressed wanting to go to Robben Island (please add to itinerary), and she assisted us in obtaining tickets and where to catch the ferry. Belinda did not hesitate to give us valuable information regarding shopping, currency exchange, safety and great restaurant recommendations. Honestly, our group had a few difficult people who complained unnecessarily and she handled them with great patience and professionalism. Lastly, I appreciate how our tour guide assists us in navigating through the airport to catch our return flight home without incident. Gate 1 will always be our choice for group travel!
Michelle R.I just completed a trip to Africa. Our tour manager, Reiner was AMAZING! He makes me want to do more tours. He was so nice, knowledgeable, prompt approachable all rolled into one amazing guide! I just wanted to give him extra kudos, he truly deserves it!
Angela M.Fantastic! Our tour manager Jason was absolutely amazing. He helped us arrange our flight back to Cape Town from Victoria Falls because we arranged our own flights and we were scheduled to fly home from Cape Town not from Johannesburg as was planned for our trip with Gate 1. He made sure that we didn't miss any of our planned excursions, there are just too many things he did for our group and for us to list here. All of our accommodations were beautiful and our tour guide, Deon, at the Mabula Game Reserve and our tour guide, Emmanuel, in Kasane for the Chobe National Park tour and Chobe River Safari Cruise were wonderful too. They were very knowledgeable, friendly and fun. Because of them we are Gate 1 travelers for life!
Sarah B.This was the first Discovery tour I did and I loved it! I've done about 13 escorted tours and Herunga was the best tour manager I ever had. I was amazed at how he made everyone feel important and was sure to meet any special dietary needs the tour participants had. He was extremely organized. His knowledge of the animals, stars, geology and history of Namibia was awe inspiring. The extensive driving on gravel roads was tiring and there wasn't much free time but Namibia was my favorite trip.
Kathryn G.Trip was spectacular. It was our first Gate 1 trip, but won't be our last. Our guide, Don, was the best guide we've ever had. What a wonderful company you are -across the board.
Barbara B.I have only wonderful things to say about Gate 1 and have already encouraged about 5 people to consider your company for all their trips. Our guide, Roger, was phenomenal in every aspect. He was attentive to needs, approachable by all, and expressed concern at our wellbeing every single day! Because of my diabetes, I was worried about going on the morning safari trips without nourishment. So he took it upon himself to ask the chef at Mabula to make me an egg sandwich in the mornings (before breakfast opened), so I would not encounter any health matters out in the wilderness. Is that caring or what?! I was super impressed with the hotels, all meals, all excursions; in fact, I don't have a single complaint to share. I am sorry I didn't know about Gate 1 sooner as I would have used your company to make all of my previous tour trips. In that Africa was my last continent, it was made extremely memorable through the care and attention I received so far from home. I am a huge fan!
Teresa M.Best ever! Three game drives to see all big 5, an actual kingdom in Eswatini, Mandela, Soweto, impala in our hotel area, Capetown, the Cradle of Human Kind, lions etc. The many venues were more than expected, as the real South African history was explained by some of the people who lived it and were engaged in the most recent student uprising in the mid 70's and current struggles. Belinda, our guide for the trip, made the bus ride commentary a learning time. She knew many of the other guides in the parks and museums who were also professionals. I need to mention the two bus drivers who literally went out of their way, Becki and Peter. All of these people love their country and so do I. The hotels were excellent and some of the choices were perfectly chosen to reflect the areas surrounding. Best trip ever!
Terry W.I just wanted to send along a quick email and let you know just how AMAZING our trip was with Gate 1. My husband and I love to travel and not only was our vacation on par with how we like to travel (ex: very busy but not chaos) but it was SO MUCH EASIER than having to try to sort out all the details by ourselves. Particularly where safe lodging was and how safe our environments were. It was so comforting to have someone there could answer our questions and give us real and genuine answers about places to go and the safety of our environment. I doubt not we will travel through Gate 1 for our major international trips again. Charl (our tour guide) and Francis (our driver/guide in Zimbabwe) were absolutely phenomenal. Charl's fount of knowledge made even the longer bus rides extremely enjoyable and his knowledge of exactly where to go and how to get there was incredible. I cannot count how many times I was genuinely thankful that my husband and I did not try to make this trip ourselves and had the expertise of Charl (and Chris when he was our driver) to make sure we got everywhere we needed to go when we needed to get there and safely. Francis is just a true delight of a person to have around. He was so excited about Zimbabwe and tourism and his country and that genuine love just came through 10 fold. I am so happy to have had the experience of meeting him and would happily and easily tour with him again. (Charl too of course!). He was so positive and loving about Zimbabwe that I kind of wanna move there now. Thanks so much to both of them for such an excellent trip!
Kelli L.The trip was outstanding. My wife and I loved every minute of the trip. Our guide, Mr. Herunga was one of the best guides we ever had with Gate1 and other tours, and the driver, Nathan, was not only an excellent driver, but also having been a tour guide, he could also answer many questions. Both of them sat with our group and meals and we so enjoyed that. Herunga was extremely attentive to all the needs of our 17 fellow travelers, several of whom had requirements that required a lot of his attention, dietary restrictions or other needs. He consistently demonstrated grace, patience, empathy and a can do attitude which all of us appreciated, but especially for my wife and me, we observed his care for their needs. Some matters that came up were simply beyond his control, but he took all matters in stride and did all he could to help. His attitude was always for the best interest of the group and that was everyone in the group and above all, he did all this with a great sense of humor. He also evinced great knowledge about his country, Namibia, whether about language, topography, geology, plant and wildlife, culture, foods, climate and so many other things. He also had familiarized himself with the US beforehand so he could draw comparisons on landscapes. As he escorted us to the gates at the airport, many of our group exchanged hugs with Nathan and him. Though there had been some grumbling about some of the matters noted above, including the cold weather, over which Herunga had no control, without exception, we found him to be an outstanding tour guide. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best, I would give him a 10+.
Oliver M.The trip was AMAZING! The lodging choices were perfect! Our Gate1 guide, Don, is so knowledgeable on all things Africa, as well as being a beautiful soul who looked after us every step of the way! The highlight of the trip for me was the time we spent at the Moremi Crossing camp in the Okavanko Delta. The game drives and time in Moremi Crossing are memories I will cherish the rest of my life. Thank you for all of your help with the registration process!
Mardi K.It was a great trip. There were so many different experiences and different regions that it seemed like lots of "mini trips" rolled into one. There are multiple "favorites" and all are easy to recommend to our friends and acquaintances. Our guide worked hard to enable us to do and see everything on our itinerary, working around weather conditions, etc. Adel did a super job.
Margaret R.The Namibia tour was better than imagined! The guides were excellent, professional, organized, knowledgeable, caring and fun! We were amazed by all the logistics they handled smoothly and always pleasant. Can't say enough good things about Herunga & Silver ..Kudos to them !! The food , drinks & lodging were top notch ..good location, well-appointed with great service//ambiance. One of the best Gate 1 trips ever!!!
Rebecca F.We just completed a trip to Kenya Africa March 24-April 3. This trip was incredible. We knew this trip would be special but never expected it to be so amazing. We had one of the best guides Christopher. We had a small group 4 travelers. I always hope to have a guide that goes the extra mile. Christopher did not go the extra mile, he did a 10K . Extremely thoughtful, provided massive information about animals, parks, people of Kenya and culture. Because of our small group we did not have any other guides. No matter what park we were in he was able to provide information. He was excited to show us the animals. He gave me the opportunity to get safely close to the animals so I have amazing photos.
Kathy G.Hi, I completed the survey on our recent South Africa trip, but wanted to add a comment about our travel manager, Renier. Our group of four (and actually our entire group on the tour) could not speak highly enough about Renier. He was super friendly with a great sense of humor. Extremely knowledgeable about every place we went. He loves what he does and it shows!. He found a way to make a group of 23 individuals into a close group in just a couple days. He made safety a number one priority followed closely by making sure we all had a great time and had every need covered. This was our 5th Gate 1 trip and they just keep getting better! We are already looking for our next trip. A tour manager can really make a difference in a trip, and Renier certainly did.Thank you Gate1 for a trip that probably cant be beat!. Please thank Renier for us one more time!
John J.I've just returned from my first trip with Gate 1 and it was spectacular ! The group size was perfect for this, allowing for ease of communications, team building (camaraderie), and movement (in and out of buses and other transport). Roger, our group leader was beyond compare. Perfect easy going personality, extremely knowledgeable, and tirelessly working to enhance every guests experience. I've already recommended Gate 1 to friends of mine, and fully expect to take future trips with Gate 1. The only risk, is that this trip was so perfect, the sequel has a hard act to follow. But that doesn't mean you don't try ! Keep up the fantastic work, I had high expectations going in, and they were exceeded beyond belief. Thank You !
Anthony PI know you're swamped with travel challenges, but I just want to share my excellent experience in Kenya and Tanzania and thank you for another great Gate 1 trip! We've had many incredible tour managers with Gate 1 and Wolfugan in Tanzania has now taken top spot. He was attentive to our every need, but so much more. He was a wealth of information which he shared in such interesting ways, providing us with great insight into the country, the culture, and the amazing wildlife. He didn't always just answer a question, he sometimes encouraged us to think by asking a question back and truly engaging us in learning. We are avid birders, so we asked him to point out birds along the way that he might not otherwise. His knowledge of all the local birds was beyond my imagination and his ability to spot an interesting bird while driving a game vehicle blew us away. The other two people in our game drive vehicle soon became birders too! His knowledge of the wildlife was superb as expected and his ability to maneuver the vehicle into just the right spot for viewing and even considered the lighting for great photographs allowed me to get the most amazing photographs and memories for a life time. Wolfugan truly went the extra mile to ensure we were having the best experience on drives, in our lodging, and at our meals. He made us comfortable with all of the Covid requirements being managed. He was friendly, personable, obviously very intelligent, and a delight to be around. I've been back home for a week, but my heart is still in Africa. Thank you Gate 1 for another amazing adventure!
Joyce T.My first Safari, but won't be my last. Our Tour Guide, Christopher was fantastic. While filling out my post trip survey, I obviously gave him all "Excellent", but I wanted to write to truly tell you how Christopher made my trip complete. He handled every detail from the moment I landed in Nairobi, to the moment I left. Throughout my stay Christopher was extremely attentive to all of my needs. His knowledge of animals and birds was unbelievable. His insight into the Kenyan people, customs, food and all things Kenyan made the trip complete. His dialogue throughout the trip was educational, inspirational, humorous and enlightening. If I could give Christopher 5 out of 5 stars or 10 out of 10, I would do it without hesitation. Thank you Gate 1 and Christopher. Also, a shout out to Timothy who assisted in our Safari. He was excellent as well.
Arthur R.Thank You for such a wonderful experience! I truly enjoyed every minute of my trip to South Africa October 5th through 16th 2021. Shaun was the tour guide and he was excellent. Shaun was very knowledgeable, accommodating, patient and a master of his craft. By far, the best tour guide I've ever had. Our itinerary was well planned with many fun activities. Gate 1 provided excellent lodging and hotel accommodations. The food was very good with many options for everyone. Honestly, I had no complaints. I highly recommend Gate 1 Travel. Again, Kudos to Shaun. I'm already planning my next Gate 1 Tour for 2022.
Elijah J.My husband and I recently completed the 10 Day Kenya safari exploration (discovery tour) and Chris and Tony were great guides for our entire trip. They were knowledgeable, great at their jobs and concerned about keeping us all safe, healthy, and happy. We loved the trips and our guides - they went above and beyond to make our Kenya trip memorable for the entire group. Thank you!
Angela H.I just wanted you to know that the 7-day Safari in Kenya last week was PERFECTION! Amid this Coronavirus mess, Gate One and their staff pulled everything off without a hitch and I had a blast. Tony and Christopher, our guides, were absolutely exceptional. They were efficient, kept us safe, laughed, made everything fun and comfortable. Their knowledge of not only Kenya but America combined our cultures seamlessly. We could always turn to them for whatever we needed. I highly recommend them. Thanks again for ANOTHER fantastic memory Gate One!
Amanda H.It was amazing! It exceeded all of our expectations! 27 minutes into our 1st safari in the Masai, we witnessed our 1st kill! we were looking at a beautiful cheetah and she just stood up, crouched and took off! It was thrilling & exciting to be witnessing the circle of life! Then in the same safari we saw a jaguar, multiple male & female lions with babies, elephants, giraffes, a hyena and multiple other amazing animals. Our Guide was floored that we saw so much in 3 hours, he actually stopped the truck, turned around & asked us who the magic one was! We told him that we now had high expectations for the next day! We ended up seeing all of the big 5 throughout the entire trip! Just blessed, very lucky and thankful! We look forward to booking our next vacation with Gate 1!
Elizabeth A. Seattle, WAMy trip to South Africa was amazing! I am thankful to Gate 1 for making it such a memorable trip. The flights, hotels, and food were wonderful and I was very satisfied with all the accommodations. The itinerary gave me a very in depth look at South African history, the people and their way of life. Our tour guide Dexter was wonderful, knowledgeable, attentive and very kind. Our two bus drivers, February and Elvis were wonderful and made us feel very safe. The safaris were amazing! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I am happy I did it with Gate 1. I will definitely continue to travel with Gate 1 and recommend it highly to my family and friends.
Liana B. Bronx, NYOur trip was absolutely wonderful! We only have good things to say about the entire trip! Our tour guide, Peter, was amazing. Extremely knowledgeable about the countries, cultures, wildlife, etc. he was also very organized and related well to everyone in the diverse group. Thanks to Gate 1 for an awesome vacation!
Sara C. Gainesville, GAWe have a fantastic time, it really was a great holiday. Roger was a very able tour guide, charming, very informative & a likable bloke. The tour was good and full of highlights, the best being the safaris of course. We saw the big 5 so that was a big deal for us, plus so many animals and birds - truly amazing experiences. Also, the hotels were a surprise, not sure what we were expecting, but these were much better than that. So top marks Gate 1. Above all, well done.
George J. Perth, AustraliaWe greatly enjoyed our trip to South Africa. Cape Town has such amazing beauty in its scenery and on the safari we had great opportunity to see wildlife up close. Thank you Gate 1!
Heidy H. Palm Springs, CAIncredible doesn’t begin to describe it! From the moment we were met at the airport until the moment we left it just kept getting better. The accommodations were outstanding. The highlight though of course were the game drives. All of our drivers were so extremely knowledgeable which allowed us to track and see all of the Big 5. Don was our tour manager and he just made everything seem so effortless although I know there was a lot of coordination going on in the background. It won’t be our last visit to Africa or our last trip with Gate 1....thanks for the trip of a lifetime!
Margaret M. Ontario, CanadaOur trip was amazing! I was skeptical of getting along with everyone in such a large group but it was a wonderful experience. Our guide Shai was amazing and very thoughtful. I will book another vacation through Gate 1 in the future. Thank you so much for the great experience.
Brandy B. Ontario, OROur trip was Fantastic! Beautiful, eye-opening, and Wonderful! We saw and learned so much! Shawn was extremely aware and responsive to everyone's questions and desires. He is the Best! The scenery, animals, history - both past and present, food, culture, land use, Everything was Awesome! Thank You for a lifetime trip. We want to return in the future - so much to see, learn and experience.
May May C. Newtown, CTI have to say this was truly the trip of a lifetime...and that's coming from an experienced, life-long traveler. Gate 1 Travel does it right - accommodations were impeccable, beautifully located, and well appointed. Colleen Webster, our guide, was exceptional. She put her heart and soul into making sure everyone was well cared for and had a memorable trip. She went above and beyond for me and the others. This trip was seamless and I will never forget one single minute of it. Thank you!
Geraldine G. Arvada, COWhat a fabulous trip, such a great place to visit and our tour guide Adele made it even so much better, very knowledgeable and friendly, she was special, no hesitation on recommending Gate 1 Travel!
John N. Victoria, AUThe trip itself was TERRIFIC!! I'm not certain if all your guides in Africa are as knowledgeable as Jason Mair, but his command of the tour group and his knowledge ... When it came to the animals, he certainly knew his business and was able to assist us in getting the best photos because he knew, instinctively, what the animal's reaction was going to be in each situation.
Kathleen B. Tuxedo Park, NYFantastic great group and travel guide, thanks for your great service Lyn and your help with bookings for my plane with good seats. Excellent accomodidation in top hotels, loved it.
Mary G. Beverley Park, NSW, AUOur trip was absolutely great. There was nothing for us to worry about. The organisational skills of the Tour Guide was exceptional. We enjoyed the trip so much that we have been actively promoting Gate1 as a travel agent. Now a word about our tour guide Stuart McMillan. Stuart is by far the best tour guide that we have ever had and I say that since my wife and I have travelled extensively since 2001... He was extremely friendly, knew his stuff, compassionate, thoughtful and above all just a great guy ... We wish we meet up with him again on future Gate1 trips. Great one Gate1, keep up the good work. Our group will definitely be back and we are currently looking at a trip to see more wildlife in Africa through your organisation in 2020.
John R. Victoria, AU.PHENOMENAL! The sights, the animals, and the people. Africa was everything we expected and more. Even the weather cooperated; much more moderate than the historical weather data predicted. If it weren't for the distance and the long, LONG, L-O-N-G plane rides, we'd love to go back.
Frederick Y. El Cajon, CAMy Gate1 tour to South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, and Botswana was fabulous!! The tours, food, hotel rooms, our guide Jason Muir, and all the amazing wildlife we saw were all wonderful. It certainly cost more than my other 12 Gate1 tours, but it was worth the cost. I would recommend it to anyone. I forgot to mention that the local people of all the countries were very helpful, friendly, and very SMILEY!!
Dee S. Anthem, AZWe loved, loved, loved our trip. Our Gate 1 tour guide Tesse is a gem! As it was our first time in South Africa, it was far more than we expected! The tour group that we were assigned to were just fabulous people. We just meshed as a team! The Cape Town and Johannesberg bus drivers and our Mabula game driver George were knowledgeable, patient, and safe drivers!...I will tell my friends and family about our experiences and your wonderful service!
Elaine M. Las Vegas, NVWe had a fantastic time! Everything was great....our tour guide Dexter, the hotels, the food, the game drives and the add on winery tour and cape peninsula tour.
Linda V. Pequannock, NJWe thoroughly enjoyed the trip. We had good weather except for rain on the last day, and Colleen our tour guide did an excellent job...Everyone we met in South Africa was friendly and helpful. We thoroughly enjoyed all the scenic tours as well as the great white shark cage diving. The only challenge in the tour was the long flights to get there, but we knew that up front...I would recommend this well planned tour to anyone.
Craig E. Hernando Beach, FLVery nice! I enjoyed it very much! Our Tour guide John was excellent! He gave us excellent information about South Africa like history and things to watch out for. Will go again on Gate 1 Travel.
Lucie C. North Potomac, MDAs my husband said: “The best trip ever!” It was number 1 on my Bucket List and I was not disappointed. Can’t say enough about it. The accommodations were beautiful and Peter, our guide, was excellent. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Kathleen N. Ridgewood, NJIt was a trip not to forget. Many diversified sights and experiences. But also would need to be physically fit and ready for the hectic schedules. We met many like-minded and very friendly fellow travellers. Highly recommend this South African experience.
Pit W. Forest Hill, VIC, AUWe had a wonderful time in South Africa. Judi and I were very pleased with the hotel accommodations along the way. The schedule was very good and allowed us to see and learn so much more than we ever could on our own. Jason, our very knowledgeable Gate 1 tour guide, did an outstanding job, paying attention to our daily needs and making sure that we got the most out of every stop along the way. Our day in Kruger National Park is the most memorable of the many pleasant experiences that we had on our tour. Now I just need to sift through all my photos. With hundreds of good shots, this may take a little time...thank you Gate 1.
Vincent L. Huntley, ILIt was absolutely fabulous! It was our first Gate 1 Tour, and we loved it! Jason, our tour guide, was A +! He was very concerned that all was good: our well being was his top priority! His knowledge about all aspects of South Africa was incredible! Gate 1 had everything top-notch organized and first rate! We had traveled internationally before, but this was THE BEST!
Steve P. Richmond, TX