I have followed Forum conversations about companies other than RS with interest, especially as I began my solo travels outside Europe a few years ago.
Gate1 comes up often.
Caveat: I have thoroughly enjoyed two previous RS tours (Loire Valley and Turkey) and two My Way (Alpine Europe and Spain). Kaleidoscope of Scotland was my first Gate1 so my impressions should be read only through this lens. Unlike RS, where I feel I know what to expect, I had no basis of comparison for Gate1.
Group size: I was fortunate this tour had only 20 participants. Apparently with the “Classic” level it can be and usually is much higher. The bus was RS size and the option to spread out with fewer people was therefore similar. The driver was excellent. If it had been a larger group it would have taken far too long for all the logistics (luggage, meals, on and off the bus, etc).
Note- like some other companies, Gate1 offers airfare at significant savings. 5 tour members were a day late, and with missing bags, due to flight complications from the convoluted routing they were given. OTOH, they seemed to take it in stride. They use Gate1 as a “package”.
Loyalty: several couples had taken so many Gate1 tours they lost count, but at least 10-12! Several were doing this tour in tandem with their Ireland tour. It seems to have the same devotion of trust in the company that RS has. (But I noted more tour members brought up budget constraints than in my RS tours.) There was also a mix of really seasoned travelers and those for whom this was their first trip outside the US.
Very definitely, most in the group were devotees of group and/or cruise travel vs being independent. Large suitcases (except mine!) and those were delivered to and from the bus at each hotel. They seemed to appreciate some “hand holding”.
The tour director and local guides provided some insightful context for culture and history as an overview, but there were fewer local guides and the overall vibe of the group was… polite interest- my opinion, only, and only for this tour. No interest in further questions or discussion. Is lack of energy the right word? The genuine enthusiasm on a RS tour seemed lacking. (Again- this is my observation from only this particular Gate1 tour.)
About half the group were pretty slow walkers. The tour description said an average of 2-3 miles daily but that seems exaggerated, if you didn't wander around during the free times.
The hotels, with one shabby exception, were at least the same and possibly a little higher caliber than RS as far as location and amenities. (I dislike group dinners, so not fair to compare.)
The tour director was efficient and personable.
Conclusion: I was able to see what I hoped (two local cancellations were not Gate 1’s fault) and I felt safe as a solo traveler. If this were the only company offering a location and itinerary I wanted, I would use their services again, if there was a small group option. But otherwise, not.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
9714 posts
Thanks for sharing. It is always great to hear someone’s experience. It seemed like most of your disappointment came from the make up or “vibe” of the group.
I agree that making your own airline arrangements is the way to go. I have seen similar unusual airline routings from tour members when I have been on Gate 1 tours. Also, it is easier to deal with travel issues if you can deal directly with the airlines.
I’m glad you saw what you hoped to see and that you were willing to step out and see if a method of travel was a match for you. So many people make judgements without actually trying something. You went out and did it. I hope for many happy travels ahead for you.
Posted by
USA
265 posts
Thanks for sharing! I'm glad you got to explore Scotland! I was just looking at Gate 1's website this week.
Posted by
Charleston & Birmingham
5022 posts
Since Gate 1 attracts many teachers, I think your chances of getting a smaller tour group size are better when school is not in session. In late May 2019 we took a tour of Spain which also had a smaller than capacity group size. We have taken 2 Gate 1 tours and always make our own flight arrangements when traveling on a group tour.
Posted by
Seattle, WA & Bordeaux, France
527 posts
Thank you for this review of Gate1! It's helpful to get some context from a person new to Gate1. I have never, ever taken a group tour but have been looking at/considering a couple Gate1 tours as the itineraries fit our interests and, quite frankly, I'm a little tired of being the tour guide. It would be nice to just show up and have someone else take care of the logistics. Lol!
Posted by
OP
West Coast
368 posts
Thanks for all your insights or that you found this helpful! A solo, introverted and, now older traveler, I know I have to compromise some independence if I want the security of someone in charge who knows ( for the most part!) where- and how- I am.
I learned two things with this Gate1 experience: for me, it was, as I hoped, a means to the end of seeing as much as possible of Scotland safely and within my time and budget constraints. The bus rides can be long (on any tour) yet independently using trains and buses also can be. As well as then having to navigate delays and etc. Sometimes it's just nice to get dropped off right at your lodging!
I also enjoy spending time researching all I can prior to any trip. With this tour, it would still be possible to get a broad overview of Scotland's long history and culture if you instead prefer to "just show up". (Not judging!)
The second new thing I learned is that moving foward I will seek out options that aren't 100% (or nearly so) from the US. It adds, for me, personally, a really interesting dimension to the travel.
Hidden Hebrides (separately reviewed) is the third tour I've taken with a company not based in the US and for me it made a positive difference.
Aside from the small size (8!) everyone but me on the HH tour was from the UK and also a family of 3 from Australia. I so enjoyed just listening to them talk among themselves, at the meals or while hiking and they warmly included me.
Thanks again!
Posted by
Chicagoland
1331 posts
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Gate 1. Like you, as we age I'm looking at alternatives for future travels. I'm fine with public transportation, but sometimes the logistics are difficult.
What was the makeup of your tour group? Age range, couples or singles or friends?
I hope you enjoyed Scotland. It's such a beautiful and friendly country.
Posted by
Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
2181 posts
TravelStride (https://www.travelstride.com/tour-operator-reviews) has a website that offers profiles and some side-by-side comparisons of various tour companies. It's a little quirky to figure out how to do the comparisons, but easier to search for individual tour companies and read their profiles. They also show an ordered list of tour companies, but by default it is sorted by what they call "Top Picks," whatever that means. You can select sort by Highest Average Rating, which makes more sense, but you have to resort every time you apply a filter.
Anyway, if you can figure out how it works, it's a good resource for comparing different companies.
Posted by
OP
West Coast
368 posts
I don't know that you can extrapolate from my Gate1 tour group's ages what the composition of others may be. I read somewhere that Scotland is very popular with retirees at the shoulder seasons!
Anyway, there were two mid- 20s adult "children" traveling with their mothers, but the rest were pretty much retired and about 70. And another few were still working and were maybe late 50s? It can be hard to tell.
About half (10) of the group had some challenges getting up and down the bus steps at every stop, or climbing stairs at castles, etc but they all soldiered on! I believe the tours are rated by activity level and this was at the lower end.
Posted by
Chicagoland
1331 posts
Bon Voyage! Thanks for the additional information. I realize travel group demographics can be all over the spectrum.
Lane, thanks for the link. Another tool in the travel box.
Posted by
Midwest
595 posts
Thank you for posting. Always interesting to read. From seeing some YouTube videos of tours for Gate1 I thought they had a younger crowd on the tours. I guess older people have the time and resources to travel.
Always thought the guides are the best part of any RS tour and there are many good parts.
Had a friend be on an Ireland tour overlapping my RS tour last year. Not Gate1 but they had two full buses and stayed far out of town. We met for dinner one night and hearing what they did vs what we did I wondered are we visiting the same country? Many cases you get what you pay for. She loved her tour and was so happy someone else carried their bags. So everyone has their own way to travel.