Reviews
Trip of a lifetime and better than expected! From the well spoken and educated guide, Ahmed, to the beautiful and modern hotels and luxurious. Cruise ship, this was the best Gate 1 tour I have taken. I loved every minute of it!!
Marlene T.
This was our first Gate1 Travel experience though after inquiry, we discovered a number of our fellow travelers had toured with Gate1 previously and expressed that they felt this experience was typical. We were extremely pleased with our trip and felt that this was a good value. Our guide (Ahmed) was superb. Organizational skills were excellent, his knowledge of relevant topics superior and he was able to converse in detail about Egypt's history and modern day circumstances. Ahmed kept the group moving and organized, being personable and gracious at all times. Our drivers were excellent, being friendly and efficient, security minders friendly while being business-like. We are not sure where our next travel destination will be but Gate1 will be our 'go to' provider. I cannot express how pleased we were with our guide, drivers and minders. Our group had zero friction or conflict and while part of that was that they were generally nice people to begin with, how the group was managed and coordinated greatly enhanced the experience. At no time did anyone feel unsafe or insecure while also being provided considerable personal latitude on tours and with free time. In a few (too short) days we met some interesting people, made some new friends, and had a great travel experience.
Dwayne B.
I was able to book the 9 Day Classic Egypt with 4 Day Nile Cruise for myself and my clients. We all felt it was the trip of a lifetime. We felt totally safe the entire time, food and accommodations were great and would rate the whole trip a 10/10 stars. Our guide, Moufid, was the BEST!! So much knowledge and you could tell he loves what he does. Always able to answer any questions and gave specific instructions for every activity. Being able to see all the temples, the pyramids and Coptic Cairo was a dream come true!!
Carolyn A.
Words cannot express what a unique and wonderful trip I just experienced. What made it memorable was the work of our Tour Manager, Mohammed. His vast expertise and command of Egyptian history, culture, and many other subjects provided me a unique and well received prospective of life in Egypt past, present and future. I thought I knew what the pyramids, temples, life of the pharaohs was all about before I met Mohammed. He educated the group in a friendly manner, adding humor and relevant insight at every turn. His communications skills and his domain of the English language coupled with his great sense of humor enabled the group to always feel at ease and attentive. He has a keen ability to readily identify problems before they become bigger problems. Group harmony was always maintained at the highest levels. Something as simple as having Egyptian money to pay for use of toilets goes to show his attention to detail on all matters concerning the group. I have traveled many times with Gate 1 and Mohammed ranks as one of the best. He is a great ambassador for country, and a great asset to the gate 1 family.
Carlos M.
Rania was outstanding! She is a wealth of knowledge and powerhouse of energy. She took excellent care of our group and educated us on the amazing treasures in Egypt. I would highly recommend her and Gate 1 to anyone considering a trip to Egypt.
Gwendelyn R.
Our trip to Egypt was wonderful. Our travel consultant, Rasha, was amazing. Her knowledge was outstanding. We enjoyed ourselves on all the excursions. It would have been nice to travel more with the Nile cruise than we did. All the people with our excursion were pleasant and all the knowledge of Egypt made the trip so pleasant.
Lucile C.
The Egypt tour was incredible! I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge about the history of Egypt from our guide Ahmed who was a walking encyclopedia of everything Egyptian. He spoke passionately about Egyptian ancient and modern history and its people. The tour took us to all the highlights of Egypt that we wanted to see in a logical chronological manner. Gate 1 provided every meal except one and provided an array of Egyptian cuisine. I would recommend this tour to anyone.
Angela W.
The organization from booking to sending us on our way home was a 5-star experience!! Gate 1 did not leave a stone unturned!!All the Gate 1 staff who met us at airport, baggage etc. were just so pleasant and organized! The drivers were great! I was so impressed! But most of all our tour guide for the entire trip to Egypt Ahmed was a gem who brought the stories of Egypt alive, who watched over our group with patience, compassion, shared all his knowledge of getting around Egypt, the do's and don'ts which was priceless information!! The combination of an outstanding tour company and top-notch tour guide was an experience that matched no others! Thank you to ALL for making my first time experience and hopefully not last, memories forever!
Christine G.
I would just like to say that our tour guide, Ahmed, was the best I have ever experienced. His knowledge and passion for his subject matter is phenomenal. His love and compassion for his country are contagious. We all felt so safe and cared for by him. Ahmed is one of your very best assets in Egypt bar. None. I would also like to applaud the staffing crew of Hamsa. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. Always. The staff are always so welcoming, fun, and personable. And we were so well taken care of. Also, we enjoyed the humor of the staff. Great people.
Sidney S.
We really enjoyed our tour of Egypt. Semsem was terrific: knowledgeable, patient and entertaining. The whole tour was well organized. We saw all the highlights of Egypt without any stress at all. We'll be using Gate 1 again!
Merle C.
My trip was great. Our tour director was extremely knowledgeable and was able to answer all questions asked. Egypt has a long and complicated history and having somebody able to share the big picture in addition to detail is unusual and made the trip special. Mohammed also shared his love of Egypt. I was the only solo traveler, and it was my first solo trip. Mohammed went out of his way to insure I felt comfortable and as a result I became an integral part of the group never feeling uncomfortable.
Dorothy S.
It was a great trip with much to see and learn. The accommodation in Cairo was superb and the transport on all legs was perfect. The Nile cruise ship was clean, friendly and organized. The food was exceptionally good with wide variety. I am Gluten free and the staff were very considerate and made me special food. Overall, it was such a great experience, and I highly recommend it to all my friends and family. Thank you for all that you do.
Faranak A.
Our travel guide Medo and his expertise in Egyptology made this trip complete. Having him available throughout the tour added the personal educational piece that ends with other tours, but not with this one. He was always clear and concise in his instructions on itineraries and meeting points. Medo genuinely cared for us all on the trip and always had our best interests at heart. This was our first Gate 1 experience but will not be our last. Keep up the good work and we will pass on our excellent experience with others.
Sharon B.
Our tour manager, Waleed, was excellent. He took good care of the whole group. He made our Egypt experience so beautiful and smooth. He imparted so much knowledge about the places that we visited. He was very prompt, methodical, very organized and he truly took care of us. He took us to the different monuments with a lot of consideration given to the timing of each visit. And one thing that really showed as he was conducting and managing our tours was that he truly loved Egypt and very proud of his country, which of course made us enjoy our tours so much. Please give Waleed our sincerest thanks and appreciation. Egypt is beautiful and is rich and with so much history!
Nora G.
Our guide Mohamed was fantastic. He was very knowledgeable and conveyed his knowledge with enthusiasm. We felt that he was the best guide we could have asked for.
Okan D.
We recently completed our Egypt trip and once again were very pleased with Gate 1 organization and professionalism. We would like to complement our Tour Manager Moufid for delivering the best the tour has to offer. His intellect, humility, and demeanor are very humbling. Gate 1 is very fortunate to have on board a man of great stature.
Medel L.
What an incredible trip-one that truly exceeded our expectations! What made this journey so special and memorable was our exceptional tour manager, Riham. We would like to highly commend her and express our heartfelt appreciation for her outstanding professionalism, attentive care, and sharing her remarkable knowledge of Egyptian history and culture.
Roger W.
I just wanted to say that our guide, Omar, in Egypt made this a trip of a lifetime for us. He was so friendly, helpful and passionate about the history of his country. He made us all feel like family by the time the trip was over. We love traveling with Gate 1 and this is why. You give us the best bargains while cutting no corners. We look forward to many more years of traveling with you.
Rebecca R.
It was absolutely fabulous! We were well looked after all along the way by our tour manager, Ahmed, and had no issues with anything. This was the trip of a lifetime!
Pamela K.
Our tour manager Ahmed was exceptional. This is our 21st Gate 1 tour so we have the experience to compare. It was the little things he did to make our trip even better. He did all the normal things but also secured our Visas, obtained small bills ahead of time to exchange for the larger bills provided by the ATM so that we would have the proper amount to use for the toilets and half the time at meals didn't eat himself because he was too busy making sure the 38 of us had the pre-ordered proper meals and drinks. When my husband and I made a mistake on the time to leave for one of the dinners, he kept in constant touch with us to meet up with the group on our own so we wouldn't miss it. His knowledge of the history of Egypt is unsurpassed. He made us feel safe and cared for the entire trip and we just wanted you to know you have a real treasure in Ahmed.
Linda F.
This trip to Egypt was amazing with wonderful hotels & incredible sights and every detail smoothly organized but the most outstanding part of the tour was our guide Hossam. He was simply amazing, the best guide on any tour I have taken (approx. 25 with gate1). Hosam was so knowledgeable making the fascinating history of Egypt come alive for us. Hossam's sense of humor, his kindness, gentleness and compassion for us as well as everyone we encountered along the way made this trip so memorable.
Elaine C.
We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to our tour manager, Waleed, for his exceptional professionalism and attentive care throughout our Egypt trip. His profound knowledge of Egypt's history and culture brought every site vividly to life and made each visit truly engaging and meaningful. We were especially grateful for the thoughtful way he managed every detail of the journey and for his genuine attentiveness to each group member. He consistently checked in on everyone and even took the time to personally follow up when someone was unable to join a temple visit. His sense of responsibility, kindness, patience, and dedication made us feel safe, well supported, and truly cared for at all times. Waleed, thank you for making our journey to Egypt such a memorable and enriching experience. It truly would not have been the same without you.
Shuqiao C.
It was fantastic and Momo was the best guide we ever had. He was so knowledgeable and made the trip very pleasant. He is an asset to your company. I truly thank him and Gate 1 for such a wonderful experience.
Dennis D.
Rania, our guide for the 12 Day Classic Egypt with 6 Day Nile Cruise, was the best guide and best tour I've taken in over 60 yrs. of traveling. The tour was like a university course in Egyptology. Rania's knowledge is impressive and clear. She is organized, passionate, kind, compassionate. Rania's work is as good as it gets.
Therese L.
Trip was great! Great tour manager, Rina! Great group! Lots of fun and the sites/history was amazing!Hope our next trip is just as amazing!
William K.
For any international traveling, the first thing I like to see is the place and the second is the people. A tour guide plays the most important role in both functions, because they present the story to us and they are the faces of the people there. The tour guide's knowledge of the local history and civilization and his/her language skills in explaining them to the travelers with clarity are extremely critical. In our trip to Jordan and Egypt, both tour guides Waleed and Rania were very good in their knowledge side, and their language skills were also pretty good. Rania is the most impressive tour guide I have ever met on all my travels. Her language clarity is superb, so she was able to pass to us her knowledge of the ancient Egyptian history - an extremely sophisticated and complicated subject. For example, she used the technique of repeating those stories and making connections between one currently visiting temple to previously visited temples, those relations of different gods and goddess, to reenforce the knowledge in our memory. Another impressive aspect is that she gave an out-of-plan two-hour seminar to the group on the subject of "today's Egypt". She talked about society, economy, education, women's status, marriage and family life related subjects. Knowing the reality of Egypt today and its potential of positive growth, it has made it much easier for me to endure the visible poverty, disorder, traffic congestion, and many other imperfections we have observed. I deeply appreciate her efforts in making the tour a success.
Emily S.
I want to highly recommend our tour manger, Neveen (for the 14 day Egypt with 4 day cruise on the Nile tour). Her wealth of knowledge of the complicated and intricate history and myths associated with the sites we visited is really amazing. She is extremely knowledgeable of the sites and their history. Her briefing and explanation of the stories behind the architecture, structure, pictures, etc. made the tour so much more meaningful and fascinating. She has an expert way of communicating and triggering the interest for the sites, which made a huge difference than touring on our own. She treated the group with local snacks. She is very friendly and accommodating; professional and very organized. She was well prepared at each stop; the whole tour was well planned and went smoothly. Gate 1 is so lucky to have her in the team. She definitely presented a very positive and favorable image for Gate 1, and she is a good ambassador for Egypt I would suggest my friends who intend to join the same tour to request to be in Neveen's group, if possible.
Yee H.
Thank you for asking. It was excellent. The Nile river cruise was phenomenal. The Gate 1 Tour Manager, Ahmen was fabulous. The food was extraordinary. The other companions were lovely. All in all, one of my fav (out of approx. 7) Gate 1 trips!
Rakhi D.
We just returned from our Egypt trip. Our trip was marvelous, awe-inspiring, educational and fun. Samer, our tour manager, was excellent with great organizational skills, very knowledgeable about the country and its surroundings and very professional in every way. The hotel choices and location were all excellent choices. Seeing the Pyramids and sailing on the Nile were all a dream come through for us. We felt safe throughout our trip. Thank you Gate I for another wonderful vacation. Looking forward to the next one.
Joyce R.
Our Egyptologist guide Momo was excellent in every way, a true gem at the GEM and the entirety of Egypt. He was hands-down, the best asset of our tour of Egypt. I cannot imagine navigating our way through so many sites without someone like him. Momo brought Egypt to life before our eyes. He is worth, his weight in Egyptian gold.
Heidi F.
I wanted to write and tell you all how much we enjoyed our latest Gate1 trip, to Egypt. It was truly an unforgettable experience, and we loved every second of it! Our tour guide Sam was especially wonderful. He was so friendly and hospitable it seemed like we were traveling with a close family friend. His knowledge and skill as a tour guide was hands down the best we have ever had on a guided trip. We have taken many trips, both with Gate1 and with other tour companies, and we normally shy away from group travel because it is difficult to get everyone on the same page, not to be late waiting on members of the group or have the unfortunate experience of a subpar guide. This was clearly not going to be the case from the first moment we met Sam. His knowledge of the area and skills to keep the group engaged and on time was very, very good! We cannot say enough good things about both Sam as our guide and the trip itself. I traveled with my elderly (but still in good physical shape!) mother and Sam made sure we both had a wonderful time and felt so well cared for the entire trip. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to take this once in a lifetime trip and for employing such a wonderful guide!!
Amanda M.
In regards to my classic Egypt experience I need to add how exceptional my tour manager, Ossama, was. I have travelled extensively with different tour companies and I found Ossama to be one of the most knowledgeable and experienced guides I have ever had the pleasure of touring with.
Joanne R.
My wife and I have been to more than 2 dozen tours and we believe Riham, our manager, was simply the best. She is knowledgeable, experienced, personable, has great communication skills, and passionate about Egypt. She got along with everyone and was full of stories that made the trip special and memorable. We had nothing to worry and she simply took care of everything. I am sure you are aware that it's a great tour manager like Riham that makes a tour an success.
Paul F.
Perfect, fantastic, wonderful tour of a lifetime! This was my first time with a Gate1 tour, and I am very impressed with the attention to logistical details, safety/security for all guests, and providing education and fun for 16 days and nights. In addition to the many sights mentioned on the itinerary, we were also immersed in the culture by visiting local schools, restaurants, markets, and evening social events! All hotels in Egypt and Jordan were first-class (lodging and food), and I can't believe that I was on a 4-night cruise on the River Nile, with exceptional food and lodging, as well! Our two Tour Managers (Wael in Jordan and Walid in Egypt) took extra time to assist all guests with their special needs. We had a guest who needed to leave early due to a physical emergency, and this was handled with extra care by Wael in Jordan. However, our group truly bonded together as "a family" due to Walid in Egypt. His compassion for the history of his country is contagious. We coined the phrase, "We may have left our hearts in San Francisco, but we left four organs in Egypt!" If you don't know what that means, you MUST experience Egyptian artifacts and tombs! On our last day, we were very fortunate that Walid led us on a private tour of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, as a culmination of this trip. To this day, I have not washed the Sahara Desert sand off my shoes.
Cynthia B.
It was wonderful! May have been our first with Gate 1 but will not be our last. Our guide Riham was fantastic! Her knowledge about the region and her enthusiasm was amazing! The group was small enough to be able to move easily around the sites we visited and enjoy them together!
Shanon R.
We recently returned from the 12 Day Classic Egypt with a 6 Day Nile Cruise. Our tour manager was Nehal. We can't say enough positive things about her. She has a great command of the history of the area and was able to turn our trip into more than just a sightseeing experience. It was truly an educational adventure. We came away with a much deeper understanding than we expected. Nehal is considerate, friendly, professional and organized. Our questions were always answered and our needs always met. She is the best!!! This is our first Gate 1 experience and will strongly recommend it to friends. Thanks for a wonderful time!
Joan T.
Egypt was more then I ever could have imagined because of our tour guide Walid. His knowledge and enthusiasm was awesome. It made the trip. I have traveled to many places and now Egypt is in my top 3 with Africa and Antarctica. Walid is an excellent tour guide.
Karen C.
Our trip to Egypt was fantastic. Highlights were the Great Egyptian Museum and the Giza pyramids. Valley of the Kings, Karnak, and Abu Simbal were also amazing. Our guide, Mohammed, made everything come alive with his knowledge and personality. He was fantastic and really made the trip something special.
Karen Z.
Just wanted to express my unqualified praise for our tour guide Moufid he was amazing. He has encyclopedic knowledge not only of Egyptian history and culture, but also of world geopolitics and the impact of Egyptian influence on modern times. For me, he not only inspired unparalleled appreciation of Egypt, but indeed reshaped my own life's journey. I will never forget the trip or Moufid's impact. He is also a truly good person.
Gideon B.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Gate 1 for providing such an enjoyable and unforgettable experience for my family. We booked with Gate 1 after getting good word of mouth from a co-worker. We have never travelled with a Tour Company before, so we had our reservations. We booked the 11-day Classic Egypt Tour and boy was it a great experience. My first impression was meeting our Tour Director Naveen at the hotel, and it was like meeting an old friend. Naveen was warm, friendly, professional and extremely helpful. I felt great about her from the first meeting. The rest of the Tour was her at her best. She truly was a great, great Tour Director. Gate 1 you have a Gem in her and hopefully she continues doing what she does best. The Tour itself was informative and really fun; we had a great time. I'll be looking forward to booking more tours with Gate 1, and Naveen is a big reason why.
Demosthenes C.
Omar was beyond fantastic. His knowledge and friendliness exceeded all expectations. The MS Esplanade food quality and service were perfect. A trip we will never forget because of all involved with making this the most memorable trip ever.
Michael P.
I wanted to thank Amor for the great experience in Egypt, with his amazing knowledge of history. I felt very safe at all times! I already recommended Egypt and Amor to a few friends and coworkers. Amor became a good friend.
Jacqueline S.
Just a note to say, our guide, Omar, was amazing! He is incredibly personable, helpful and so wise. His enthusiasm kept me engaged every moment of the trip. Very thoughtful and sincere. I would rank him at the tiptop of all our Gate1 Guides. This guy's knowledge base is vast and exciting. We were like one big functional family, with him as our wise Egyptian debonair unk.
John W.
It was fabulous. Our guide, Medo, was wonderful. The man who met us at the airport, I cant remember his name, but he was charming, helpful and very funny. The Vally of the Kings was amazing. We saw such color in Seti's tomb. The pyramids and the Sphinx were so big. Hard to realize unless you see them in person. It was a memorable trip!
Sloan T.
I would like to take this time to say how excellent the Egypt tour was. We were a group of 4 traveling together and it far exceeded our expectations. First of all, our tour manager, Hossam, was excellent. From his knowledge and passion for his country, to keeping everyone on time, his sense of humor and to his overall friendliness. With a group of 35, Hossam always made sure to make everyone feel like they were part of a smaller group. He took the time to answer any questions we had and always had a smile on his face. We had many early wakeups calls and the days were filled but we felt like we got everything we could have wanted from Egypt. To walk inside the Great Pyramid, to visit sites such as the Sphinx, Abu Simbel, Karnak and Luxor Temples, the old and new museums, experiencing the Valley of the Kings with King Tut's tomb, to riding a camel in the desert of Cairo, to cruising down the Nile, nothing was left unseen. It was the trip of a lifetime that we will not forget. Thanks once again for an amazing cultural experience.
Dana B.
The trip to Egypt was fantastic. The sights were amazing and awesome. What made our trip even more amazing was our tour guide, Hossam's knowledge of Egypt. The man has such a deep knowledge of Egypt which enhanced our experience. Hossam ranks as one of the best Gate 1 tour guides we have had the pleasure of traveling on Gate 1 with.
Stephen T.
I wanted to make sure our Tour Manager and Tour Guide throughout the Egypt trip, Amid, was specifically acknowledged for his "outstanding" performance. Amid's passion, knowledge of Egyptian history, and deep love for his country touches the hearts of us experiencing this journey with him. Amis also has a great sense of humor, brought a lightness to the group and was respectful to all. He was able to establish very clear expectations, straightforward in his communication and kept it real. He is EXCEPTIONAL as a tour manager, because Amid was also the tour guide for every location over the eleven days. His detailed Egyptian storytelling, his ability to read the inscriptions in all the temples and point out the relevant places and facts were above and beyond what I have experienced from Gate 1 in the past. He is unique and very gifted in his dual role. Almost all the group wanted individual pictures with him at the final dinner. I cannot say enough about the quality he provides. He was like double frosting on a beautiful/profound experience.
Mary P.
I have always been very satisfied with the tour managers and guides employed by Gate One, but Sherif was amazing and should be your model for all tour guides. His command of English is excellent and his knowledge of Egypt (its politics, history, archaeology, geography, agriculture) is beyond excellent. He was able to quickly make changes that would improve our group's comfort and accessibility to sites and handled everything with patience and humor. He made Egypt alive for all of us!
Jayne S.
Another AMAZING Gate1 trip, my second with the company, this time to Jordan and Egypt. Both of our guides, Omar in Jordan and Caroline in Egypt, were fantastic- knowledgeable, organized, helpful, great sense of humor and fun! Such a treat to have these two, and their support teams of excellent drivers and helpful police escorts, guide us through these beautiful countries. Thanks to all!
Serena G.
My experience in Egypt was amazing. I had the best time. Omar is the best tour guide. Very knowledgeable and did a wonderful job. I learned a lot about the Egyptians. Every site I saw was on my bucket list. I can't thank everyone enough. Love the tours, the people and the food. Gate 1 never disappoints. Thank you again.
Ana V.


