England, Scotland & Wales
Reviews
I want to praise Elaine, each tour guide, and our bus driver. As my sister remarked, Elaine possesses all the qualities one would look for in a tour guide. She is personable, knowledgeable, witty, extremely helpful, and aware at all times. She ran a tight ship, but did so in a way that was not at all obtrusive. As I commented to her, this was my fourth Gate 1 trip and it is the one where I felt I connected with my fellow travelers the most. The local tour guides were also excellent. Their knowledge and their anecdotes added much to the experience. And, I cannot say enough good about our driver. He is incredibly skilled. I felt completely safe at all times. I have already recommended Gate 1 to several people and plan on continuing to do so.
Elizabeth W.This was our sixteenth trip with Gate 1, and I would like you to know that we rank our guide, Michael, in the top two guides on all our trips. We had an incredible experience with Mike. He brought a blend of efficiency and warmth as he kept the group moving on schedule and fostered an atmosphere of harmony. Mike had outstanding knowledge of the areas we visited, and his presentation was professional and easily understood.
Joel F.We truly enjoyed our trip, and it was a pleasure being taken care of by our Tour Manager, George. He had the perfect touch, every day. We came away feeling as if we really knew Scotland. We are repeat customers, and intend to continue our future journeys with Gate 1, as well as recommend your excellent company to our friends and family!
Karen M.The trip was excellent and worry free thanks to our awesome tour director, Craig. He and the other tour guides were great. Craig was very attentive, knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. Also very patient. Keep him around!!! We have already booked our next trip with Gate1 and trust that it will be just as great!
Larry E.What an unforgettable experience. This trip through Southern England was nothing short of magical - from the breathtaking countryside to the charming towns steeped in history, including but not limited to the magnificent castles, palaces, Roman Baths, Cathedral with the Magna Carta, Shakespeare's birthplace, and the iconic Stonehenge. But what truly made this journey exceptional was the tour guide, Phil, who was nothing less than phenomenal. His passion, deep knowledge, warmth, and unwavering enthusiasm elevated every stop and moment along the way. He didn't just guide us - he brought history to life, made us laugh, answered every question with a kind smile, and made us feel like we were part of something special. I have traveled a lot, but this tour will forever stand out in my memory. Thank you, Gate One and Phil, for an experience that was as enriching as it was unforgettable. I'm already awaiting my next adventure!!
Viline C.Concerning our 16 day Scotland and Ireland trip, it was a truly a great experience. Our tour director (Gil) and our coach driver (Dan) were exceptional. Gil was very kind, professional, knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. We have traveled on 5 Gate 1 tours, along with several other travel companies, and Gil was the best tour manager we have ever had. Dan was an exceptional driver. He is also very kind, respectful, attentive, and professional. Both Gil and Dan are "people person" and very personable and interacted well with everyone. We had a super great trip. We will only travel with Gate 1 in the future.
Daniel C.Our tour director Debbie was absolutely fantastic! She is extremely knowledgeable and just an all-around great person. We feel fortunate that we got to spend 16 days with her. Our bus driver Robbie was also a gem. Obviously, he is a talented driver, but he is also a fun and courteous man to be with. This was our second Gate 1 tour and there will be more of them in our future.
Kenneth N.This tip exceeded our expectations. The guides were all great. Loved the sheep farm and turf cutting tour. David was the most excellent guide. No one could've topped him. He's so knowledgeable and took excellent care of us. Loved our bus driver, Joe, too. Hotels were top notch. I will recommend Gate 1 to everyone who asks.
Marsha M.My wife and I just returned from our 12th Gate 1 trip to England and Scotland. All of our excursions thus far have been wonderful and our plans are to continue traveling with Gate 1 for as long as possible. Our tour guide Helen was nothing short of wonderful. Her enthusiasm, knowledge, preparation, and joyfulness was infectious. All our previous tour guides have been excellent, but on this trip Helen created a new standard. In addition, our bus driver John was also superb not only friendly and engaging but also very knowledgeable and it was a pleasure to see him in the mornings, picking us up and dropping us off. In addition, we always seem to make new friends and acquaintances with individuals on our trips. Thank you, Gate 1 for opening the world to us.
Arthur K.I'd like to compliment Craig for his skills in being an experienced tour manager for our Essential Paris & London tour. Our group was large (40), and he had done his homework and preparation to handle our entire tour. It was especially nice to have the printed information he gave to us about our touring sites and recommendations on what to see in our free time. My daughter and I were impressed with his abilities, travel savvy and always helpful and pleasant manner.
Lisa M.I felt it important to add a note to say how wonderful our guide and driver were on this whole trip. It was my first guided tour, of any kind, and the care and concern they took, especially around the issues of Storm Amy were amazing. Not only did I feel like I would be as safe as possible, something would be done to ensure we had some sort of good time. The speed with which Mike came up with alternative activities was amazing. I particularly appreciated the trip to Portree and going to the Gaelic book shop, then returning there for dinner. The whole experience was lovely.
Margaret P.We had a wonderful time. I've been on 7 different Gate One tours and this one did not disappoint. Adam, our tour guide was spot on! He was witty and hilarious and kept a good vibe going even at our most tired stages of running from one town to the next. Thank you for letting me travel the world on a beer budget with champagne taste!
Kalisa B.Our Driver Graham was an excellent driver, and was so helpful and personable, throughout. He was great fun to eat dinner with and never complained if we had to check our baggage underneath for something. A great guy! I cannot say enough good things about our tour manager, David. He is a good and kind man, very thoughtful , very generous, very well prepared, and he made sure we saw videos on the bus to help us learn about upcoming stops (such as Leicester), recommended good places to eat, many times invited any in the group to accompany him when he was going to eat on free time (and insured we found tables to eat at), helped people with connections, and was really everything you would want in an ideal tour manager. This tour exceeded our expectations, and made us want to travel on Gate1/Discovery tours in the future.
Stephen S.This trip was absolutely wonderful!!! Our Tour Manager, Elaine, was one of the best and just brought it all to life. She was intelligent, kind, patient, organized and so thoughtful. The small gestures and little displays of thoughtfulness added so much and her vast experience makes her an absolute gem! We all loved her! And our bus driver ( Kris from Poland) was just a delight and also terrific. The location of the hotel was perfect- close to the center of Oxford, comfortable with nice rooms and a good breakfast each morning, kind staff and it was clean. The itinerary was fantastic! We saw so much and truly enjoyed each and every visit! Bletchley Park was phenomenal and the stops in the Cotswolds were gorgeous. As well information provided by both our local Oxford Guide as well as Elaine on additional options for Oxford - things like arrival and departure times, restaurants, additional attractions to take advantage of in Oxford and free options like Evensong were invaluable to those of us who are planners and want to stuff as much as we can into our schedule. The variety of travel choices between included and optional excursions was just excellent and although we tend to prefer the Discovery tours due to small group size, it was a treat to stay in one hotel for the week.
Barbara S.The trip was wonderful! We covered over 1,000 miles and saw so much! The historic significance of the places we visited were jaw droppingly awe inspiring. These are the places we have studied about. Gate 1 always does a great job with the itinerary.
Jennifer B.Thank you. My trip was wonderful. Though we had been to Paris before but not London, this was our for experience to both countries with Gate 1. Our tour guide, Craig, made us feel welcomed by being friendly and helpful when we arrived in Paris, our for stop on the two-country tour. He was very approachable and we appreciated that. I personally appreciated how he kept us on time with every planned tour. I thought he made things light and fun. I really loved the hotels we stayed in, the food at each restaurant was wonderful and the front desk staff were so helpful. Our bus guides were fabulous, knowledgeable and even funny which made the tours fun as well. My favorite part of the entire trip was London. There's so much history, the guide was incredible and shared so many details. Even getting out and exploring on our own, felt easy to maneuver and found the people to be quite polite and lovely. I have heard great things about Gate 1 Travel and I can honestly say, you all hold up to the compliments. It was a great experience. We would use Gate1 Travel again, for sure.
Tonya A.Andrea was the most special tour manager one could hope for. Not only was she quite the professional with her extensive knowledge but you could really tell she was committed to the best in customer satisfaction and really lead with her whole heart and soul. Truly she is ONE OF A KIND. We all felt the same way.
Paul D.I would just like to inform you of the wonderful job our tour guide Debra did. She made the whole trip worry free and made us all feel personally comfortable and special. I have been on other tours and can say that this was hands down, the absolute best. Debra brought every stop alive and special. It was all unexpected. We just didn't see stuff. We experienced the culture and history of Scotland and Ireland. If I come back to do an England tour I most definitely will try to get Debra again. She was excellent. I also want to mention how great our bus driver was. Cathol was amazing and I am sorry if I misspelled his name.
Jane M.Our tour guide in Scotland was Yvonne and she was excellent. Yvonne was quite knowledgeable with regard to her country, its' history and and other cultural details to enhance our experience. She was also extremely kind, patient and made our trip great fun. She is a superb member of the Gate 1 staff.
Sandra G.I had an incredible experience on the Classic Scotland tour, and the main reason was because of our extraordinary tour manager, Tracy. She was absolutely wonderful. So professional, friendly and caring. She made sure that each and every traveler felt safe and had an enjoyable tour. She shared a lot of detailed information with us, so that we could understand and appreciate all of the wonderful places we saw. We also had a wonderful driver, Ian. He was so very helpful and friendly. Gate 1 is very fortunate to have such wonderful people working with them.
Joanne P.I just returned from a Scotland tour with gate1. I would like to recognize and give thanks to my tour guide Jackie, along with our driver Marecin. Jackie was very professional and knowledgeable with our group. Pointing out a wealth of interesting sites and information. Marecin did an excellent job handling the narrow roads and traffic we in counted. So, thank you for a wonderful experience.
Terry B.This was our first trip with Gate1, and it was wonderful! We will definitely use Gate1 again for our future international trips. It started with the great service we received from Charlotte in booking our trip for us and ensuring we were grouped together with my sister and husband. We had an exceptional tour manager, Peter. Gate1 is very fortunate to have him as a part of their company. He is always "one step ahead" taking care of business to ensure his group has a wonderful experience. His personality brings the group together with his infectious laugh, historical expertise, special surprises, wonderful sayings, and funny jokes. He definitely knows how to cater to different personalities, made everyone feel welcome, and always checked on how everyone was doing. He made the difference in making this trip successful! We also are thankful for an exceptional driver, Dariusz, who kept us safe with his great driving skills, always had plenty of water, was very kind, and kept the bus clean. We enjoyed all the sightseeing, and all the accommodations were wonderful. We have no complaints.
Gail K.Our trip was flawless! Thank you so much for your help. Our flights were perfect, well timed for connections to be made, with time to spare. Our luggage got to destinations properly and without incident. Our Tour Manager, Peter, was beyond wonderful. He is so very knowledgeable of the history of both Scotland and Ireland, but he was also engaging, personable, and made sure each member of the group was comfortable with our trip as we traveled. Our coach driver, Dariuscz, was also so skilled. His having to navigate the bus through narrow roadways took great talent. The sites we saw were all fascinating, and we had time at each stop to appreciate their value. Thank you so much for helping us set up this trip. This was our first Gate 1 trip and will certainly not be our last. We have saved your information and will ask for your help again when we set out to travel (probably in a year from now).
Marilyn L.We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you and a big kiss to our incredible tour manager, Emmeline. She was truly the complete package keeping us entertained, informed, on time, and most importantly, safe throughout the entire trip. There was never a dull moment, even during the long bus rides. Emmeline filled the time with engaging activities like storytelling, sing-alongs, fun contests, limerick writing, music, and fascinating historical insights. Her energy and creativity made every moment enjoyable. She also helped foster a wonderful sense of camaraderie among all the guests, making it feel like we were traveling with a group of old friends. Many on our tour were first-time Gate 1 travelers, and I jokingly warned them that they've been spoiled-finding another tour manager like Emmeline on future trips will be a tough challenge! Thank you again for such a memorable experience. Emmeline is a gem!
Lucila R.A trip of a lifetime! It could not have been any better. Olga, in booking our trip was excellent and helped us with all of our questions. We had a small flight delay that concerned us, however a call to the emergency line was answered and immediately calmed our concern. Our tour guide and coach driver were fantastic! Our driver, Kevin, was so happy and pleasant that our day started with a smile. He was always on time and got us to destinations on time. Excellent job Kevin! Lennie, I cannot say enough good things about this man, friend and guide. Lennie was so knowledgeable about all of the sites, the history behind Scotland and Ireland. He presented all the information in a clear and unbiased format. Lennie went above and beyond, providing some mini city tours that were very informative. If I could I would rate Lennie and Kevin above 5 stars!!!
Wayne V.Loved Lenny, our tour coordinator, he goes the extra mile, kept us on task & schedule, and kept us entertained, a GREAT wealth of information, offered us good advice for food options and free time activities, was always easy to talk to and accessible. Loved Kevin, our driver, sweet, funny, welcoming, helpful, and a Fabulous & Safe driver!! We were so thankful for his expertise!
Chris P.The trip was wonderful. Alec, our Tour Manager and driver Marcelo were the best. Alec's knowledge of the history of both Scotland and Ireland made it more than a bus trip through countries. They were warm and caring and guided us through busy streets and locations. I would recommend Gate 1 and will schedule my next tour.
Sharon T.It was my first trip with Gate 1 and it will not be my last. I see many more trips in my future. I just wish our tour manager Tarik and bus driver Darius and all the people on this trip could be on my next trip. Tarik and Darius made a amazing team. Thank you Gate 1 for a trip that will forever be a great memory of new friends and places.
Penny B.I just wanted to compliment the tour manager and the coach driver. This was our 12th trip with Gate 1. All previous tour managers were excellent, yet Emmeline, the tour manager, was exceptional. Her in-depth knowledge of history and language on top of her acting background made our trip very enjoyable. Her presentations were superb! Everybody loved her!! The coach driver, Robbie, was also the best driver on our 12 trips. We felt very comfortable being on his coach while he was driving narrow winding roads. He kept the coach in perfect condition. My compliments to the Gate 1 management, too, recruiting and keeping good members in your team!!
Keebom K.Our trip to Scotland & Ireland was awesome. This was our first tour with Gate 1 Travel. We enjoyed every day of the tour. We came back home happily. Gate 1 took care of us very good. Excellent service, nice motel, food. The tour manager David was excellent, he has lots of knowledge of both countries History, culture & food. We will use Gate 1 travel again & recommend it to my friends & families.
Hemendra P.Our trip was great! It was everything I wanted and more. Ireland was on my bucket list and seeing Ireland and Scotland was amazing. I felt like we saw it all. David our guide and Darius are wonderful. I've been telling all my friends about Gate 1 this was our first very well done.
Lillian D.Just wanted to add to our survey feedback. Malcolm was the difference in the tour from other trips - a brilliant guide makes for a brilliant experience, and this truly was for the whole group. Camaraderie isn't easy to build in just 12 days, but Malcolm's warmth and knowledge led the way. The excellent local experiences were so wonderful. The brief optional pub stop where we were entertained by a former champion singer was surpassed only by the sweet bagpipe performance by the publican's granddaughter. Really, the trip was all so joyful and educational that it will be difficult to top. Please know that Malcolm is clearly one of your best guides, and that driver John was a charming addition who handled roads that many in the group noted they would not have wanted to tackle on their own. Great, great travel experience!
Barry S.Thank you for a great trip to Scotland (12 Day Kalediscope). I want to say a big thank to AnnMarie our guide throughout the trip and to the to the driver, Marchin. They were both fantastic. Ann Marie worked hard to make us feel comfortable and enjoy our trip. She was knowledgeable, funny and a real pleasure to be around. I will miss her. Marchin was the BEST driver I have ever had. He handled the tour bus like he a real pro. I always felt safe. He also was a pleasure a to be around, knowledgeable, welcoming and very well groomed. If I could have Marchin be my driver on every tour I would. You have two special employees. Gate1 is very lucky.
Kathleen C.I had a wonderful Scotland trip. Paul, our tour manager, the group on the tour, the places visited and the way I felt taken care of... was outstanding. I wanted to also mention our driver David was super friendly, a very careful and mindful driver and I hope I get the chance to go with David again. Cheers to all!
Robert S.My wife and I just returned from our 16 Day trip to Scotland/Ireland. We had a wonderful trip! We would both like to give credit to our phenomenal tour guide John, and driver Dan. John and Dan were extremely punctual. John always provided valuable insight, while exhibiting patience and an excellent sense of humor. Dan was an excellent driver and also provided insight relative to the various areas we traveled in, especially in Ireland. We felt that the trip was extremely well organized and provided an excellent value. This was our second trip with Gate1 and we cannot wait for our next trip this coming February.
Howard C.Just returned from 12 Day Kaleidoscope of Scotland and it was AMAZING. Mark, our driver for the tour was extremely helpful and very nice, not to mention an outstanding driver and always aware of things...plus he always had a uniform and professional demeanor. George was EXCEPTIONAL. This was our 9th Gate 1 Tour, and I would put him at the top of the list. He had recommendation sheets for us for our free time in cities and places to eat. He moved our group of 27 travelers around with ease and professionalism, plus he was just fun to be around. His knowledge of the country was second to none and we would love to travel with him again if the situation presented itself. He also had various treats for us many days that represented the local snacks of that area. Our group had a common love for travel, and some had difficulty with the number of steps, etc. but George made all feel welcomed and assisted as needed. Congrats to Mark and George and keep that team together for the betterment of Gate1 and future participants.
Joseph O.Helen was an amazing tour guide. She was very good at getting everyone to be on-time, which helped with group harmony. Everyone really enjoyed her discussions on the bus, filled with interesting information and a wonderful sense of humor. She was constantly encouraging us to ask questions about anything and was tactful in discussing topics that could become controversial among the group members. She gave us treats almost every time we got on the bus to expose us to more of the culture.
Susan B.I wanted to drop a line about our Tour Manager Debbie who went above and beyond in my opinion to make this trip as fun and issue free as possible. I was very impressed with her from day one of our tour, she was very professional, organized and extremely knowledgeable with both common and local information about all our locations. Any issues that did arise, she handled quickly and always made sure to check on every person in the group. She was always upbeat in her communication, providing the required information, but took time to get to know all of the people on our tour. She answered all of our inquiries about our locations, as well as about her personally and always listened to individuals as they talked about themselves. I would have her as my tour manager for our next trip. Our next trip will be with Gate 1 in large part to the excellent quality of our Tour Guide Debbie.
Charlie W.We had a wonderful trip to Scotland/Ireland! Rowan, our local tour guide in Derry, was especially knowledgeable, interesting, and gave me a new understanding of the area and its history. Jim, our bus driver, was exceptional as well. He was kind, knowledgeable, an excellent driver, and we truly enjoyed our time with him. Ian, our tour manager, was also an exceptional, friendly person who made our trip fun and meaningful!
Nancy M.JUST A COMMENT ON THE WALKING TOUR OF THE COTSWALDS.IT WAS FANTASTIC! THE BEAR HOTEL WAS BY FAR MY FAVORITE! THE STAFF AND FOOD WAS ABOVE PAR AS WAS THE ATMOSPHERE! THE WREN WAS A PERFECT LOCATION AND FOOD WAS GREAT.ALL THE INCLUDED MEALS WERE GREAT!! I WOULD LOVE TO GO BACK IF EVER YOU COME UP WITH A DIFFERNT ROUTE!! IT WAS A GREAT TRIP!!
Linda G.Hello! I want to express how excellent it was for my niece and me to travel with Gate 1 for the first time. Upon arrival at our hotel in Paris, France, we were immediately greeted by our tour director, Adoram. Our itineraries, excursions, and departure times were fully explained to us. Adoram was outstanding, knowledgeable, friendly, and always ready to go the extra mile to make sure everyone felt comfortable and informed. The itineraries were thoughtfully planned, with the perfect balance of sightseeing, free time, and cultural immersion. Every destination felt well-curated, and we had the opportunity to experience both the major highlights and hidden gems of each location. The local guides were equally impressive, offering rich historical context and insider tips that made every stop more meaningful. Accommodation was clean, comfortable, and often exceeded expectations. Transportation and transfers were smooth and efficient, allowing us to relax and fully enjoy the journey. I especially appreciated Gate 1's attention to detail, safety, and organization, which made travel stress-free. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Gate 1. I highly recommend Gate 1 to all my friends and acquaintances. And I am in the process of choosing my next adventure with Gate 1. Thank you for everything and keep up the good work!
Mellanie M.I just went on the England and Scotland 10-day tour. My tour manager was Andreea. She was excellent, her knowledge and enthusiasm made the tour extremely enjoyable. Never having gone on a Gate1 tour before I was extremely impressed. I will book with Gate1 again and tell all my family and friends to do so as well. Well done Andreea you were awesome!
Gloria H.My husband and I had a fabulous trip. Our guide took great care of us the entire time, and we were very impressed by our driver's skill and care for our safety. Andreea and Graham were outstanding, and we thoroughly enjoyed our local guides as well, particularly Stewart in London. We loved making friends and the entire trip went very smoothly. Our friends will all hear that our trips with Gate 1 were excellent.
Kimberly E.Our Program Director was Debbie. I wanted to inform you about how AMAZING she was. Debbie has such a vast knowledge of Scotland's history that she made me fall in love with this beautiful country. Not only is Debbie knowledgeable, but she is also a bright light that touches everyone with her friendliness, professionalism, charm, humor, and love. We could tell how much she loved sharing information and the historical sites of Scotland on this tour. Debbie made all 38 of us feel like family for 10 days. A family that all got along and bonded together. It was truly a sad morning when we said goodbye to Debbie. Thank you, Debbie, for the trip of a lifetime with memories I will cherish forever.
Harry S.We just want to give a rave review for our tour guide Philip. He made our whole trip absolutely fabulous. His humor, knowledge of history & knowledge of every area we went to was amazing. He had a great sense of humor & had us laughing all the time. He was organized, great personality, & just a wonderful person & tour guide. We cannot say enough positive things about him! I would go on any tour he led & highly recommend him. He represented Gate 1 in a very positive way & you should be very proud he is connected with your company. This is our second tour with Gate 1 & both tour guides were great & the selection of locations were excellent. We will be booking a lot more!!
Phil A.We had a wonderful trip. Our guide, Khristiene, was wonderful. I appreciate her communication style, professionalism and expertise. We had never done a guided tour before and loved it! We will sign up with Gat 1 Travel again!
Carol S.Recent trip was wonderful no glitches. John and Danny were the absolute BEST!! John was always pleasant, kept us entertained on the bus rides. He knew his history and knowledgeable about where we were going and places we passed through. He was approachable, honest and kind. He made this trip fabulous. Danny's driving is top notch. He too always pleasant and approachable. They both made this vacation special. They made the perfect team!!
Maria C.My niece and I had a wonderful trip! Debbie is a great guide, knowledgeable and personable. Our bus driver Christine a real peach. We saw Scotland, heard her history and experienced haggis! My favorite town was Edinburgh and Glamis Castle my favorite castle because our guide Anne was so fun, told ghost stories etc.! Of course, Stirling, although big, was spectacular too. I am a MacGregor so finding my plaid and my clan history was part of the total enjoyment!
Moira T.I don't admit it lightly, but this trip ran so much more smoothly and was way more fun with David's management than I ever could have accomplished on my own, plus we got to experience his knowledge and charm along the way. Personally, I am so appreciative for the time and effort he took to make my birthday a special day. That especially is a memory I will never forget. I expected the locations and activities on this trip to be beautiful and interesting, but it was an unexpected surprise to have such a lovely time with our guide. It will be hard for me to take another trip that beats this one, and I'll compare every other trip to it forever. David was truly what made this trip so special. If all Gate 1 trips are organized as proficiently as David's (he assured me they are!), I have no hesitation in booking another trip with Gate 1 and plan to do so sometime in the next few months.
Riley S.James was the most enjoyable guide I have experienced with Gate 1, and other guides have been very good. His range of life experiences, and his willingness to share so much of himself was appreciated. You are lucky to have him. I enjoyed his Gaelic too. The love he feels for Scotland was transferred to the people on the tour. Thank you. Marchen was an exceptional driver, was a big asset to the tour, and a lovely person.
Catherine C.


