Guatemala, Belize & Mexico
Reviews
I recently returned home after taking the Copper Canyon trip. I want to make some comments about our Tour Manager; he was exceptional! I have been on 16 Gate 1 trips, and I must say Edel was one of the best tour managers I have experienced, he was well organized and very helpful in taking time to make our free time filled with activities we might not have done on our own. He is very knowledgeable of the area and shared stories about the local people which helped me understand the history of the region. Edel helps making Gate 1 my continued travel company.
Guadalupe A.I usually dont go on planned group tours. The last one I went on was through Exxotica - WOW, what a difference between you and them - you should be giving classes to other tours on how to operate. You guys are FIRST RATE ! I will never go with anyone else. THANK you for a great trip.
Charen K.What a surprise and full of joy, my tour manager Aquilino was my local tour guide at Tikal when I visited Guatemala in 2022. His knowledge and narrative of Maya history left a deep impression on me. As a tour manager this time he showed us his other ability and care. He always put our interest at the top, to secure us an unforgettable and yet safe experience, not only for active time but our spare time as well. With tour manager Aquilino my trip to Guatemala and Belize has been way above my expectations.
Rong X.Our tour guide, Bacho, was just wonderful. In addition to his knowledge about visited sites, he went the extra mile to make sure every single one of us was having a good time, always reaching out to whoever might be in need of something. He is a wonderful guide, and above all a wonderful caring human being. You are as lucky to have him, as we were.
Jacqueline B.The Gate1Travel trip to Copper Canyon and the Sea of Cortez was very unique and extremely informative. Our expert tour guide, Manuel, shared extensive knowledge of the culture (past & present), the land/agriculture/ancient sites, relevant history, and the people from unique tribes inhabiting the remote areas we visited. The views of Copper Canyon and the Sea of Cortez were both breathtaking, but I also loved staying in the charming boutique hotels in El Fuerte and Alamos, watching amazing performances by a broad range of very talented singers and dancers, seeing an incredible pottery demonstration, delighting in birdwatching (especially hummingbirds), hiking in the mountains, and cruising on the Sea of Cortez. It was a trip full of wonderful surprises and enjoyable fellow travelers. Manuel is a remarkable tour guide and I am grateful for his knowledge, his organizational skills, and his dedication to making this trip unforgettable. This trip will long be remembered.
Catherine T.Our Gate 1 Tour of Mexico's Copper Canyon was fabulous and went way beyond our expectations. From the day we started until the day we ended, everything went so smoothly and we experienced so many wonderful opportunities to enjoy the beauty, culture, and history of the Copper Canyon area of Mexico. Adrian, our tour guide, was one of the best tour guides we have ever had with Gate 1. His organization and knowledge was superb! He made the trip so special for all of us. Thank you for continuing to give your clients the very best opportunities to see the world!
Jeanne F.Our 12 day Culture and Adventure in Guatemala and Belize was fabulous thanks to our outstanding tour director, Aquilino. His knowledge of the history, culture, traditions of the Mayans, as well as present day Guatemalans was incredible. We especially appreciated Aquilina sharing personal stories. Aquilino is a true gem of a tour director and a real asset to Gate 1.
Carole J.Aquilino, the tour director for our 12 day trip to Guatemala and Belize, was beyond excellent and absolutely made the trip for us. He is knowledgeable, personable, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and professional. He brought life to the Mayan sites we visited and connected us through ideas and emotions to the places and people we encountered. He enhanced every experience small and large throughout the trip.
Wendy A.The trip was great we had an awesome time! It was our first time traveling with Gate 1 so we didn't know what to expect but our guide Ivan was amazing!
Ronnie I.This trip was extraordinary. The hotel accommodations, optional tours and itinerary were perfect. Our tour director, Alejandro, was exceptional. He was responsible, organized, attentive, kind, knowledgeable and always available to meet our needs. Please make sure he stays with Gate 1!
Angela J.The trip was great. Thoroughly enjoyed the guide, bus driver sites and hotels. One of the best Gate 1 tours yet!
Cathy B.Guatalela is a beautiful country! The scenery, the food, the people and the Mayan ruins were wonderful. The Gate 1 itinerary covered lots of different areas and made sure we saw all the major attractions. Our guide Estuardo was another wonderful guide. Friendly and knowledgeable. Our driver Manuel handled the bus well no matter the road type. I would (and already have) recommend this trip to anyone. I traveled alone but easily found travel buddies with in the group of 27. The two highlights were seeing Tikal while being able to clime to the top of the pyramid and the hotel on Lake Atitlan. Our view of the lake and volcanos was like a postcard. Thanks again for another great trip.
Amanda J.I want to say what a wonderful guide we had. His name is Garry. This person has phenomenal knowledge about the history of Guatemala, about its culture, about the peoples inhabiting it. Excellent English, intelligent person. My wife and I are delighted to communicate with this man. Thanks to the erudition and kindness of Garry, our visit to Guatemala has become unforgettable.
Mikhail G.My main reason for providing this feedback is to praise our wonderful guide, Manuel. This was our 5th Gate1 adventure and Manuel was the best we've had so far. I nicknamed him "Professor". He was incredibly knowledgeable about every aspect of this region of Mexico. As a naturalist, he excelled in his knowledge of the flora and fauna of the region as well as the history, geography, geology and culture. He arranged for amazing entertainment that usually accompanied our dinners (either before or after). His walking tours were very informative. His organization skills were spot on as he kept our group on time, safe and healthy. No one got sick under his guidance as we were all well informed about the need for timeliness, when and where we could eat/drink safely. His personality was well received by the group adding some humor and wit to the mix. He's been a guide for a long time and his experience really showed. Truly an exceptional guide and I hope Gate1 treats him well!
Marc D.My trip was excellent! It was the first time I traveled with Gate 1. The tour to colonial Mexico was fabulous! The tour guides were superb . Liliana, María, Erick were exceptional at their jobs as tour leaders. Aurelio, the bus drive, was skillful and always alert. He made the tour bus an exquisite coach ride for all. He was caring and thoughtful for each and everyone on the tour bus. He always had a beautiful smile to greet us. Liliana , our principal Gate1 tour guide and escort throughout the trip was a genius! Her knowledge of each of the towns and cities was extraordinarily vast. Her enthusiasm for the history of her country was brilliantly shared throughout the tour. Her charm, her meticulous manners to safety and care of each participant can not be overly stated. Liliana is a gem of a Gate1 tour escort. She connected with each person as a friend for always. I look forward to seeing her again on another Gate 1 tour. This was an excellent trip. The locations of the hotels was excellent. The accommodations were greatly appreciated and very comfortable. I would definitely recommend this tour. Thank you to all the Gate 1 staff who worked to make the Colonial Mexico Tour a memorable success for me.
Adrienne C.It was a great trip. Our tour guide (Ivan) was a very experienced tour guide. Everything was arranged so smoothly and even problems came up, he was able to solve them in a timely manner. I would recommend Gate 1 to anyone who likes to travel. Job well done!
Ying A.I just wanted to add, Gate 1 you knocked it out of the park regarding the Guatemala trip!! Everything was top notch!! I want to return in the near future. Thank you for your great service!!
Mary K.This trip was an amazing experience for us. It has been a while since our last trip due to the Pandemic, but this Kaleidoscope trip to Guatemala and Honduras Mayan sites were both spectacular and the small towns we visited were the icing on the cake. Our guide and driver, Estuardo and Manuel, were a superb team who made the trip wonderful and fun as well as safe and together we built memories that will last a lifetime. We would like to recognize both for their commitment to everyone in the trip and their attention to the smallest of details that made the traveling and hotel transitions go very smooth. I would highly recommend this tour to Gate 1 to everyone who wants to relax, learn about new cultures, and enjoy a wonderful gastronomy and the colorful people of Guatemala.
Edna M.Our trip to Guatemala was fantastic. Even though it was called an independent tour, by choosing all of the optional day trips it was like being on a guided/escorted Gate 1 tour. Every day we had a new and exciting place to visit and explore with our tour guide. Our guide picked us up at our hotel everyday right on schedule. The trip was a little shorter than a normal Gate 1 tour, but it was a well balance view of the history, life style and culture of Guatemala. Our guide Willie was great and very knowledgeable of the history of Guatemala; plus he spoke English very well. We received a great overview of Guatemala; both visual and spoken history. This independent tour was like being on an escorted/guide tour; a lot to see and do. Another great tour by Gate 1.
Larry G. Elkins, WVAbsolutely great! In particular, our trip director, Esturdo, was an outstanding representative for Guatemala & Gate 1. He knew "his stuff" which made for an interesting and enjoyable time in Guatemala. His work for Gate 1 deserves special recognition.
Dennis W. Clemson, SCThe trip was great! Loved the lush greenery, flowers and other vegetation in Guatemala and Honduras! Birds and monkeys too! All the hotels were top notch and the food delicious. Our guide, Estuarto, was wonderful and very knowledgeable about all the culture, customs and sites in Guatemala and Honduras. He took good care of the group and made sure we were safe and had what we needed. The bus was great too as was the driver Saulo. Loved the markets, museums and Lake Atitlan, the ruins at Copan and Tikal were marvelous too. All in all, I feel like I got to know lots about Guatemala and Honduras and I would recommend the trip to others interested in Central America.
Celia S. Louisville, KYMy trip was incredible thanks mainly to Marco for his excellence as a tour guide. You all are lucky to have him. He is one of the best guides I ever have had.
Dorian G. Miramar, FL"Bacho" (Bonifacio) was the best guide I've ever had. In addition to being a really fine human being, his organizational ability was beyond reproach, even somehow managing to make it seem low-key despite all that went into it. Gate 1 is very fortunate to have him.
Catherine B. Montague, CAThe trip was great with only 16 people in the group. The tour director Tony was very knowledgeable and gave us a lot of information on Mayan civilization. Also the tour guide in Copan, Honduras was very good. We were lucky with weather and accommodation was good. Overall we like the tour and would recommend our friends and relatives to take this trip with Gate 1.
Lev A. Santa Monica, CAThis trip was fabulous. I'm really thankful for Gate 1 for providing such an interesting journey.
Valeri V. Richmond Hill, CanadaOur Mexico trip was our 14th Gate 1 trip and it was perfect as usual. Baccho, our tour manager, was excellent, attentive to our needs, and filled almost every minute with great activities and additional optional walking tours.
Kenneth M. Bay Village, OHThe trip was GREAT. The tour guide "Tony" was very knowledgeable and really cared about us. We had a good group of people. The hotels, food, sightseeing was all wonderful.
Lee O. Fort Dodge, IAOur guide Tony was wonderful and knowledgeable. Tony explained the history of each and every place we visited and was able to answer everyone's questions and concerns. I thought the hotels chosen were the best and the restaurants were excellent. Restaurant service was excellent and the food was delicious. Guatemala-Honduras were never on my bucket list. I am very happy I chose to visit there. I made a great choice. Thank you Gate 1 for another great tour!
Susan T. San Francisco, CAVery nice! We had a good time and learned a lot about Mayan civilization. Our tour guide Sergio was very knowledgeable and friendly. The size of 16 people was ideal for visiting Guatemala.
Stanley K. Landenberg, PAThe trip was great! The combination of a plush hotel and a historic one was was special. I learned so much on the excursions. The guide, Sergio Garcia was really special. He greeted us with a welcoming smile that one would expect from a close friend or special family member, and he was especially helpful with our problems.
Frances C. Thousand Oaks, CAThe trip was fantastic! Sergio was awesome, the sites were everything I've read about in books, and the logistics were spot on as usual. My sister and I enjoyed everything we saw especially Tikal and Lake Atitlan. The Guatemalan people were warm and we truly felt their love for the Mayan heritage and history. Another great trip! Why we always go with Gate 1.
Terry C. Waldorf, MDWe had a great time in Guatemala! It’s a beautiful country. We felt very safe. Our guide, Marco Antonio Garrido, is one of the best, very knowledgeable and with a very good sense of humor. We learned a lot about the history of the country in such a short trip. Thank you Gate 1 for this awesome experience!
Rosemarie E. Bronx, NYI had a wonderful time during my trip. It was sunny most of the time, Accommodations were very good and our tour manager Estuardo was excellent. We had equal time of touring and time to explore on our own or just to rest.
Arthur N. Fontana, CAIt was a great trip. The guide, Tony, was wonderful. Drivers were safe and professional. Tony was very helpful, knowledgeable and very precise in all his instructions. I had been to Guatemala before with a group...but I learned so much more about the country on this trip.
Eileen T. Brooklyn, NYWe had an amazing time. Guatemala is a beautiful country with so much rich history. Our tour guide Estuardo was amazingly knowledgeable. Thank you Gate 1 for another successful fabulous vacation!
Mirna B. Burtonsville, MDThe trip was everything promised, and more. Our main tour guide, Bacho, was simply outstanding. Starting in Cancun and working our way towards our finale at the museums in Mexico City was the perfect sequence for fully embracing this unique culture.
Jim L. Waynesboro, VAIt was fabulous. Everything clicked. First time on an organized tour. Enjoyed myself immensely.
Liza G. Milton, VTWe loved it- had a wonderful time! Stuart was very knowledgeable and caring! Great guide!
David S. Dublin, CAThe trip was very nice. I really enjoyed it. The tour director was good, and the hotels were good too.
Hector F. Silver Spring, MDWe had a wonderful trip, thank you! We loved seeing the ruins of Tikal and the market of Chichicastenango. Our hotel in Guatemala City was terrific and the hotel in Chichicastenango was unique. We enjoyed them both. We had a wonderful small group of 10 to travel with and enjoyed every minute.
Karen C. Venice, FLGuatemala and Honduras trip exceeded our expectation. Our tour manager Marco Antonio Garrido worked very hard to make sure that everything was perfect. We truly enjoyed every minute of it.
Sabahat A. Burke, VAIt was our first Gate 1 trip and it was amazing. Well planned, so well organized, tour guide - Alvaro and driver -Manuel, were fabulous. We have already made a reservation for our next trip.
Venencia M. Gainesville, VAI had a wonderful time both in Panama and Cartagena. Your agents in both countries are friendly but professional. I had reservations at first because I was travelling solo but knowing I booked with gate 1 made me trust that the tour guides are professionals and safe.
Elsie C. Citrus Hts, CAWhat a fantastic trip! Scott Robertson was by far the best guide ever! He and his wonderful driver, Betty worked so hard to take care of us - all kinds of little treats, etc. They even went so far as to find a restaurant for Canadian Thanksgiving after our boat cruise was cancelled. The sights and sounds were terrific. The meals we had were really delicious. As usual Gate 1 was outstanding.
Phyllis M. Littleton, COOur trip to Guatemala was excellent! Our tour guide Marco Antonio (Tony) was terrific. He was personable, accommodating, and very knowledgeable. This was our fourth trip with Gate 1 and it didn't disappoint! We will be booking another trip for 2018, hopefully to South America.
Betty G. Mountain View, CAWe loved the trip to Cuba. The itinerary and the staffing were terrific. Barb, the tour manager was enthusiastic and organized. Raphael, the tour guide, was exceptional. Food was wonderful and even I was provided with the gluten and dairy-free meals I needed. Will definitely book another Gate 1 trip.
Jennefer C. San Diego, CATrip was very successful and enjoyable on all counts. We have nothing but positive feedback and look forward to using Gate 1 again in our future travel plans.
Mark C. Piscataway, NJWe had the most AMAZING experience on this Gate 1 Havana Trip! Barb was wonderful, Rafael our Cuban tour guide was fabulous, and our driver Juanito did a wonderful job getting us around Havana efficiently and safely. I cannot begin to express our satisfaction with the entire Havana Tour experience. The selected restaurants provided wonderful meals and enhanced our cultural experience. It is a family trip we will cherish forever. From the initial informational meeting prior to our trip through the completion of our tour in Miami, the entire experience was seamless and efficient and TONS of FUN! Thank you for a wonderful cultural experience!
Rose G. Winkelman, AZ