Gate 1 Travel vs Indus Travels - Tour Companies Compared

Founded in 1981 with three employees and based in suburban Philadelphia, Gate 1 now employs more than 200 people worldwide with offices in 20 countries, ranging from Hungary to Cambodia, Argentina to Israel.

What Makes Gate 1 Stand Out?

• Escorted tours & river cruises
• Good value 
• High quality guides

Gate 1 offers a variety of tour packages and river cruises around the world, promising to provide exceptional value for the price. They focus on North American travelers who seek “high quality, yet affordable” guided trips, with accommodations ranging from superior tourist to moderate deluxe class.

They have a lot of different choices when it comes to destinations, durations, and inclusions. Most tours have additional offerings for meals, activities, and excursions available for additional fees.

Traveler reviews for Gate 1 oscillate between 5 star and 1 star experiences. Those that have had an excellent time cite the tour pacing, guides, and extensive sightseeing opportunities as positives.

Those for whom these same factors contributed to a negative experience may have had higher expectations than is available or offered for the competitive budget prices that Gate 1 is known for.

Who Will Enjoy Traveling With Gate 1?

•  All ages 
• Low to mid budget travelers
• Those open to simple accommodation and meal plans

Gate 1 is the perfect travel choice for families, couples, and friend groups seeking a cost efficient journey. As Gate 1 is a strictly budget minded brand, it’s important to be fully aware of the trade-off when you choose to travel with them.

You will see a lot, and be out and about visiting several sites - however keeping costs low is one of their main priorities. This means hotels will be basic, meals won’t be 5 star, and your coach will have fewer amenities. In addition tours with Gate 1 feature several optional add ons and sightseeing tours, not included in the base price. Average tour price is around $2,000, often less.

If you’re flexible, open minded, and are interested in maximizing your sightseeing above all else, Gate 1 could be for you. Knowing what to expect is key for enjoying the trip to the fullest.

Top Destinations

Gate 1 trips cover much of the world, including destinations in North, Central, and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Itineraries focus on the top sights, historical attractions, and national parks.

Gate 1 Travel Style

In a nutshell, the Gate 1 travel style is “see a lot for a little”. Hotels and accommodations are usually 3 star hotels. Expect basic comforts, with fewer amenities available. However if you’re the kind of traveler for whom a bed and some coffee in the morning is a fine trade-off for busy days outside and tons of sightseeing, the trade-off will be worth it.  

You will be met on the ground with a dedicated tour leader, available to assist throughout your travel experience.

Escorted group bus tours are a big part of their business - between 24-42 people. These coaches are again, more utility focused than amenity focused, but you will be comfortable. And in general bus tours take frequent stops to allow for stretching legs and using of facilities.  

Gate 1 also offers small group tours (with a maximum of 22 people), river cruises on two continents, independent city stays and fly and drive packages, rail packages, customized vacations, and combination bus/cruise tours -- something for almost everyone interested in a budget vacation.

Why Choose a Tour With Gate 1?

For the budget traveler, Gate 1 is a fantastic choice. They offer several types of trip package to choose from, including rail, river cruise, and small group tours, at competitive rates. Their escorted tours are extremely popular, and customers repeat trips with them regularly.

While Gate 1 is the primary brand, and they are all about giving a positive and packed international travel experience on a budget, other brands associated with Gate 1 are more premium focused. These include the Signature collection, offering luxury tour options and smaller groups.

Canadian based Indus Travel offers budget friendly tours around the world for everyone from adventurous travelers to families. Their mission is to offer quality tours at affordable prices while providing outstanding service to their clients and to earn their loyalty & operate their travel business in an environmentally responsible, ethical and sustainable way.

What Makes Indus Travel Stand Out?

• customizable itineraries
• use of travel planners and local experts to help design your trip
• balance between sightseeing and local immersion

Their most popular tour offering is what they term “Unbundled Tours” where you book a group trip - meaning better price, but have the power to then customize your experience along the way. Not everyone may want to see xyz, so their itinerary structure allows everyone to tailor their travel experience. And it helps you choose those experiences, accommodations, meals etc that are within your price range.

This does mean you’re dependent on the Indus guides on the ground handling a lot of complicated individual schedules effectively. Indus reviews indicate that this isn’t always a smooth ride, and often confusions arise both on the part of the traveler and the Indus organizers.

Indus travel planners are available to help you design an ultra customized journey, using local experts. If you’re looking for something classic and cultural on a budget, they are a great choice. They strive to create balanced itineraries that include classic sightseeing as well as unique and authentic stops.

Who Will Enjoy Traveling With Indus?

• Budget travelers
• Travelers looking for options and flexibility
• Ages 18-30

Budget travelers looking for an exciting group trip, but with the flexibility to “choose your own adventure”. Group sizes are kept small and they are popular with couples and small family groups.

This style of group travel doesn’t always go smoothly however, so you’ll enjoy the experience more if you have an opened minded attitude and are ok with occasional changes on the ground.

Indus crafts travel experiences with cost efficiency in mind, so if you’re expecting something more premium, Indus might not be for you.

Top Destinations

They organize trips around the world; top custom tour destinations include India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Dubai, Peru. Excursions in destination depend largely on what you and your travel companions decide you want to see and do.

Indus Travel Style

The Indus travel style is about combining the best of independent travel with packaged travel. They will help arrange flights and accommodations, and your input creates a curated experience for your meals and activities.

Hotels are usually in the 3 star range. They use a combination of public transportation such as ferries, trains, and buses, as well as their own coaches. These are comfortable, but usually with few upscale amenities.

The max number of people on their tours is 22 according to the website, however be forewarned that several reviews state they had over 30 people on their tour. If group size is a very important factor for you when selecting a tour, you might want to consider looking around before deciding on Indus.

Why Choose a Tour With Indus?

If you are a budget traveler interested in a cost cutting travel solution, Indus is a great choice. Because they are specifically designed to be budget friendly, this does mean you might have to put up with some quirks along the way, so an easy-going attitude is good to have if choosing Indus.

While their sales and customer service teams have some negative reviews, their guides on the ground are generally found to be knowledgeable and helpful.