Fantastic trip! Tracy, our Tour Manager, has a wonderful sense of humor. Very knowledgeable about Australia and provided interesting tidbits of info that you wouldn't find on Google. Many Thanks to Tracy for making my Australia trip a memorable one.

I just returned from the Australia New Zealand tour, and I must say, Dana was PHENOMENAL! My birthday was the second full day on the trip and she went entirely above and beyond and got the entire tour group of 41 people involved in celebrating with me. She made a remarkable, unforgettable trip even more distinctive and truly special for me. Especially with this being my first group travel with Gate 1 and with a tour group in general. Our group ended up getting quite close and it's because of Dana. She had us on schedule, went above and beyond with suggestions during free time, making accommodations with luggage and heavy weights due to the mid trip weight restrictions, and she even had an evening where each of us received a gift from her. Dana went so past above and beyond, this woman is gifted and special and she made sure that had a magical experience in Australia in a myriad of ways, even when weather was unpredictable and challenging (Great Barrier Reef). She is a stellar ambassador for her country and she executed her tour guide duties with magnanimity. I hope that if I am able to go on another Gate 1 tour to Australia I would be lucky enough to get paired with Dana again.

Sarah had some big shoes to fill after we left Dana in Australia, but she absolutely held her own! Managing 41 distinct personalities for the second leg of a long trip is not for the weak, and Sarah did a phenomenal job steering our particularly large group. She kept our coach rides lively and comfortable, treating us to all sorts of snacks and goodies while playing excellent old-school music. Beyond the fun, Sarah brought a beautiful depth to our journey. She eagerly answered all our questions about Maori culture, and the traditional blessings she shared at the beginning and end of our trip were truly special. What impressed me most was her ability to pivot easily whenever challenges arose. When a traveler didn't receive her food, Sarah immediately stepped in and ensured that everyone received their meals were for the remainder of the trip. Even when a few people were temporarily separated from us, Sarah handled it with total grace and efficiency, making sure everyone was safely accounted for. Sarah is patient, resourceful, and a joy to travel with. Thank you, Sarah, for keeping our Kiwi adventure seamless, meaningful, and so much fun!

I was extremely pleased with our tours of Australia and New Zealand. The main reason for our satisfaction was our tour guide Dana. I have traveled to many countries and have had many tour guides. Dana was exceptional, knowledgeable, organized, conscientious, caring and would not relent until everyone in the tour group was satisfied. I would say she is the best tour guide I have ever had. She went above and beyond the call of her duty to provide for all of us. Our tour guide in New Zealand Sarah was also wonderful. She truly cared to provide the best service possible and did her best in making sure all of us were satisfied with our requests and needs. Both Dana and Sarah were excellent representatives of their country, culture and the tour company Gate 1.

The tour was great and much of it was due to the tour director, Tracy! She was without a doubt the BEST (!!) I have had on the 9 Discovery tours that I have taken with Gate 1. She went above and beyond to make sure that everything was taken care of. She did so much more than was needed to make our experience the best it could be. (She even pulled us around so that we could see more when snorkeling.) She has a great a sense of humor and is so knowledgeable, friendly, energetic, and organized. Tracey is enthusiastic and obviously loves what she does. Her upbeat attitude is contagious and helped to make our group coalesce and enjoy each other. I can't say enough good things about Tracey.

Sarah, the tour manager, was approachable, very responsible, took very good care of the 'family', that's what she called our group of 19. Not only us, she cares for all other tourists and bystanders for everyone's safety, etc. We had a fantastic time, and memorable experience as usual with Gate1! Thanks to Sarah and Gate1!

Our trip was fantastic!!! And our guide Juliette was amazing! Her thoroughness and attention to detail and knowledge of the history of the area was 5 stars!

Dana, our Tour Manager, was so much fun! She's very upbeat and such a joy to have her as our TM. She's very knowledgeable, informative, shared a lot of good information about Australia. Truly enjoyed dinners with her as she was full of energy, made those gatherings entertain the whole group.

Our tour guide Tracey was absolutely exceptional. This is our 8th tour and she is the best of the best. Her ability to deal with many different people in a calm, patient friendly manner was outstanding. Also, her organizational skills made the trip run so much smoother than others have in the past. If we could pick Tracey for every tour, we certainly would.

Amazing! What a value! Can't say enough great things about every part of it!

The trip was very good. Kevin, the tour guide, made it a memorable trip with his great sense of humour. I will give 10 out of 10.

In the many trips I have taken with Gate 1 and others Agency's, without doubt, Al, our tour guide on this trip was the best in every way. His friendly and easy-going way made this trip so much more enjoyable!

Al, our guide on our Australia Trip was excellent. He really brought the seven of us on the tour who were strangers in the beginning together as a group of friends. He had great suggestions for restaurants and things to do in our free time. He offered to make reservations for us but never made anyone feel uncomfortable if they chose to not join the group. He accompanied us on some of our free time adventures and often walked with us to our reservations to be sure we found our way and knew how to get back. He had so many interesting stories about growing up in Australia that gave us a real understanding of the country. Al was fun to be with and made the trip enjoyable. He was very organized and very professional with the tasks of a tour leader. We wish we could travel with him again.

My New Zealand walking trip was absolutely superb. Our guide, Kelsey, was truly outstanding and made the entire experience unforgettable. I'm already excited about planning my next journey with Gate 1.

We just finished a fabulous trip to New Zealand- a country of remarkable beauty! Our trip was flawlessly executed thanks to Noels and her enthusiastic personality! Her love for her country shone through as she shared a tremendous amount of knowledge each day. We couldn't have asked for a better tour manager! Kudos to Buzz our Maori bus driver as well for his great sense of humor and expert driving!

My trip was amazing, the guide Matt was exceptional, the hotels were good, food great, places beautiful.

Excellent. Richard was a very patient and good guide. I appreciated him leading us on tours and just the kindness he showed us. It was a very interesting tour. Good food also. I'd highly recommend your Discovery Tours to everyone.

Our New Zealand travel guide was top notch like all our other Gate 1 travel guides have been. Lindsay made the trip come alive, him being half Scottish and half Maori, and he tells great stories, knows his history of New Zealand. He took good care of all of us. Cannot say enough good things about him.

We have been on several tours with different companies and different tour managers. Gareth is one of the most professional and knowledgeable managers we have had the pleasure of meeting. Not only was he attentive to the administrative details; he provided us with informative and entertaining commentary about New Zealand and its history and culture. He is a great storyteller! He provided us with several options for free time that would appeal to different interests and always made himself available for any questions or concerns we might have. I was particularly impressed with the respect he showed for the Maori culture and his use of the language. He obviously enjoys his work, shared with us his love of rugby and his Highlanders (we saw a televised game with him!) and is an excellent ambassador for his country. Thank you for this opportunity.

Sarah was truly an exceptional guide. Her wit, knowledge, leadership and daily positive attitude was wonderful. She's a great asset to your organization. One in a million!!

The hotel you selected was excellent. While it was not "near" any other shops, restaurants, or beaches, the location was perfect for just relaxing and engaging in optional tours and activities at the hotel. We met so many of the staff, and everyone was friendly and remembered our names. They really put a personal touch on everything. We are looking forward to going back next year!

Lindsay was a fantastic tour manager. His vast knowledge base about NZ is large, and he has an encyclopedic knowledge about NZ's history and the Morai culture. He willingly shared with us facts, stories, and interesting information throughout the tour which made the longer drives on the coach more tolerable. I'm always one to find at least one recommendation for a TM, but I really do not have any for Lindsay. His experience as a TM shows. I always pride myself on trying to stump the TM with a question, but with Lindsay but I could not as he had an answer for all questions. He added much value to our trip by recommending certain vendors for souvenirs along the way, restaurants depending on your desires, and always asked us if we had any questions that he could answer. He kept informing us by posting the next day's itinerary, and reminded us of upcoming events, their timing, and when we needed to be ready, all of which necessitated very few questions from the group. I would go out of my way to take a tour with Lindsay again, if that tells you anything.

Trip was great & the guide "Fiona" was SUPER GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!! All aspects of the trip were good including locations, bus drivers, lodging, food, transportation, organization & our guide Fiona....thanks

My New Zealand trip has been my favorite of all my Gate 1 journeys. The itinerary covered both the North and South Islands and lasted more than 15 days, yet it felt much shorter thanks to our outstanding guide, Kevin. His humor, quick wit, and warm personality made every day enjoyable. It was truly a pleasure to have him leading our group.

Best vacation EVER!! My family was thrilled with every aspect of the vacation. Our guide/docent, Kevin, was attentive, informative, professional yet personable and a ton of fun! We will be returning to Gate 1 in the future.

The trip was awesome. Guide Phil was great and our bus driver Josh was the best. NZ is a wonderful country with the friendliest people. Thank you!

Our tour manager, Tracey, was incredible. I was traveling with three others, and typically I am the one who manages the details of the trip, and makes sure things go smoothly for us. With Tracey, I was able to fully relax and enjoy myself without worrying. I felt taken care of, and that I wasn't missing out on anything as she had done the research and provided us with a plethora of information ahead of time, even providing a well-thought-out list of activities to do in our free time. This is my fourth Gate 1 trip, and I can confidently say that Tracey is an absolute gem and elevated our vacation experience like no other. Her thoughtfulness and thoroughness towards each travelers' needs, goals, and priorities was remarkable. If it were possible, I would wish that Tracey could be our tour manager for all of future tours.

Our vacation to New Zealand was spectacular! From the moment we arrived until we walked through security to fly home, we were well looked after. Another trip of a life time, another great Gate 1 tour. We are already booked to go to Australia next year with Gate 1! Thank you, thank you, thank you! My mom and I will talk about this trip for the rest of our lives.

My wife Elyse and I want to take this opportunity to share our experience with Tracey, our Tour Manager: This was our fourth trip with Gate1, and by far Tracey was the best Tour Manager we've had. She was always there for everyone, and helped us experience New Zealand in ways we couldn't have imagined. We are back home now and already miss her.

The trip to Fiji was je of a kind. It was an entirely unique experience to stay in a hotel in the middle of Sonaisali Island. We rode the boat to check in for our hotel accommodation . The Locals -Fijians are very warm, hospitable and fun loving people. There is a good selection of activities in the Island and Mainland. Overall, I highly recommend this trip. Thank you Victor and thank you Gate 1.

I just finished the New Zealand tour with Kevin. When a tour is excellent (the bus, the bus drivers, the agenda, the hotels, the food, registration), it's hard to stand out. Kevin absolutely stood out. For this tour I expected an advanced wikipedia article with pictures. Kevin gave us a fun, entertaining, incredibly knowledge packed two week immersive experience in New Zealand. Staff we talked to whispered that we were lucky we got Kevin. Bus drivers hinted we got the best in Kevin. Everything went perfectly from Kevin being a catalyst bringing the tour together to quietly solving numerous issues. (One member of the tour left his phone in a bathroom, then we left. Soon, problem solved without disrupting the tour.) Kevin's jokes and friendly personality were second to none.

Our trip to Australia was fantastic, my wife Debra and I enjoyed the places and activities we went to and saw. Our guide, Tracey, was attentive to our group, she was well prepared, our daily activities were detailed in daily activity sheets that she provided for us every day. Tracey did an outstanding job making sure that all our questions were answered and that she included everyone in all the new experiences we were enjoying. She did a great job. The small group size, 12 people, was wonderful. We would use Gate 1 in the future for vacation again.

Our tour Manager Juliet was very professional , organized, friendly, concerned that the group (40) are together every time, get their needs & answers all concerns on a very timely manner. Made sure everybody in the group get along well., treats very body fairly. She did a very outstanding job & very knowledgeable . Hope will meet her again in future de travels with Gate 1.

Our tour guide in Australia and New Zealand, Juliet, was extraordinary. She made every single person feel special and important. Her positivity, cheerfulness, utmost patience, and professionalism were incredible. She was knowledgeable about the locations, history and culture and made the stories alive and fun. She was made for this job! Incredible warmth and humanity.

My husband and I cannot say enough wonderful things regarding our recent trip. We thoroughly enjoyed the optional excursions-especially stargazing beneath Ayers Rock, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef and surprisingly, the Hobbiton movie set-which made our time there very special. This was our 9th Gate 1 trip, and Matt was the best tour manager we've ever experienced with Gate 1. His good humor, personal warmth, hospitality, knowledge of and love for the world Down Under will always be a highlight of this epic adventure in our memories. His genuine and congenial efforts to get to know each group participant individually was remarkable and much appreciated. He went above and beyond to make sure our group had the greatest vacation possible. We feel so blessed to have been able to travel to Australia and New Zealand through Gate 1 with Matt. We will continue to recommend Gate 1 to our traveling friends.

On this Discovery tour to Australia and Tasmania, we had the best tour guide ever. Al exhibited the characteristics of what we feel a perfect tour guide should have. He was very organized, accommodating, knowledgeable, kind and funny. Al did a great job keeping all of us organized and on time as well. Several of us wanted to do the Sydney Opera House tour, which was not available with our other Gate 1 scheduled activities, Al went above and beyond to walk us to and through numerous areas in the Opera House. Al shared his pride and knowledge of his Australia in a very easy-to-understand manner, always prompting more discussion, in which he was willing to engage. Al always had great suggestions for leisure time and meals on our own for all kinds of palates. At all five intercontinental flights and our international flights back to the United States, Al guided us to check-in, lifted our heavy luggage onto the scales, got us to security and waited on the other side pointing us to our next gate(s). Every day was a new adventure, and we can't thank Al enough for making our Australian adventure one of our favorite travels ever. We felt Al did everything humanly possible to assure everyone had a great time. Gate 1 should be proud to have him as one of their guides.

We just completed our first Gate 1 tour. Several of our friends have traveled with Gate 1 and recommended it. I must say that our first experience with Gate 1 was outstanding. The itinerary was excellent. The delivery of this trip was a trip of a lifetime, thanks to Tania our tour guide who was outstanding. She really made this trip extra special. Her love for what she does is felt throughout the trip. To maintain this level of service for so many days is incredible. She really cares about each and everyone of the guest. The drivers Chris and Vlad were also outstanding and very attentive to us. I know that there is a tremendous coordination between all of the vendors in each location. The experience that I have from this trip is a new appreciation of the New Zealand culture and beautiful surroundings. We learned so much from Tania on this trip of the Maroi people, the culture, the history of each location and more.... We have not stopped talking about this trip and have encouraged others to take a Gate 1 Trip. We had already booked our second Gate 1 trip to the Galapagos in April 2026 (before we went on this trip). Thank you to all of the people at Gate 1 responsible for putting these trips together. Great job. And extra kudos to Tania for making this trip the outstanding experience it was.

The trip was great! I enjoyed both Australia and Fiji but the former was more insightful and more educational due to the outstanding skills of the Tour Manager, Vic.

We had a FANTASTIC trip! It far exceeded my husband's and my expectations. We've recommended Gate 1 to many of our friends. The hotels we stay in are always superb as are the personable and informative guides. We've always had a great time on our Gate 1 trips. We will be scheduling many future trips with your company. Thank you so much for providing these great experiences.

This trip was far more than advertised. Both of the tour managers went above and beyond. Tracy and Aaron made the experience and knowledge of the two countries gave me a better understanding of the down under life. The optional tours were more than I expected.

We had a wonderful trip to Australia made possible by the exemplary service provided by our tour manager guide Ms. Juliet. She paid attention to all the details of the trip on a daily basis and attended to individual needs as and when they arose. She treated each person with warmth and care. She ensured that all members of the group were having a wonderful time in all parts of Australia. She coordinated well with local guides and provided additional information and descriptions when needed. To this end we did gather a lot of information about Australian. We thank Gate 1 for providing such an excellent tour manager. This has been out fifth tour and all the tour managers have been very good but Ms. Juliet was excellent.

It was one of the best trips yet! Susan was a phenomenal tour manager- one of the best I have ever experienced with Gate 1. The pacing, the optional tours, the hotels, etc. were all well chosen. This trip was my fourth Gate 1 trip this year and I have two more trips to go. Gate 1 does group travel right!

The trip was wonderful. Dana was a great guide and leader. Very knowledgeable and a pleasure to be around.

Wonderful trip to Australia! Vic was a super guide with so much information. Gate 1 always proves to be the best choice for travel. I've already booked a river cruise for 2026! Always glad to refer my friends to Gate 1. Thanks for a great memory!!!

Our New Zealand trip went well. We all had a fantastic time. The weather was good during our visit. Gate 1 travel did an excellent job in selecting hotels and arranging our flights.