Rethink Using Gate 1 for Travel

I was in a vehicle accident while on safari with Gate 1 in India last month (Feb 2024). I was in the passenger seat of a large safari truck when a faulty door unexpectedly opened on the moving vehicle causing me to fall out backwards and hit my back and my head on surrounding rocks where I was knocked unconscious.

I was taken to the emergency room by our tour guide because of the injuries to my head and my back. I was given pain medication (no diagnostics were done) and luckily my friend had brought her cane with her which I was forced to use for the remainder of the trip. My headaches and severe back pain continued until I was forced to go to the emergency room again. This time they gave me a shot in the back for my pain and pain meds, but again, no diagnostics.

Severe back pain and headaches continued throughout the remainder of the trip making it difficult to keep up. When I returned home, I went to the emergency room where I had a CAT Scan and was given additional medication and lidocaine patches for the pain. Upon seeing my back surgeon following the ER visit it was decided that I needed major back surgery. The fall had exasperated my existing condition. The surgery was scheduled for 7 May.

Upon scheduling the surgery, I contacted Gate 1 immediately to follow up on my accident and let them know of the planned surgery. (I assumed the accident had already been reported by the trip leader.) The surgery conflicted with another Gate 1 trip I had planned for Jordan on 7 May (the date of my surgery). Per my surgeon, and my inability to walk, I requested the trip be postponed to the fall. They outright refused. I then asked to speak to a supervisor who also refused my request. Mind you, I wasn’t asking to cancel the trip, just postpone the trip!

I finally received an e-mail from an individual at Reservations: Support who also refused to postpone my trip. They said I needed to pay the 50% penalty fee since I “decided” to cancel. Once again, the ONLY reason I canceled was due to an accident that happened due to a faulty door on their trip!!!

I found the entire interaction with Gate 1 beyond frustrating. India was my 10th trip with Gate 1. To add insult to injury, I was also in a vehicle accident on a Gate 1 tour when I was on a Kenya and Tanzania safari in the fall of 2022. Gate 1 was “so generous” for that inconvenience and my pain and suffering that they gave me $100. No apology.

The lack of concern, assistance, and understanding from Gate 1 is appalling, especially considering this was my second major accident caused by Gate 1’s negligence in a two-year period. I will certainly be rethinking my use of Gate 1 as a tour company in the future. Maybe you should too.

Did the 8 day Essential Ireland tour. It couldn’t have been better organized. Everything was perfect. The tour manager, Alaco was fabulous. She was a wealth of information, friendly, approachable and a delight. The hotels went comfortable and well situated. I highly recommend this tour.

I booked the 12 day Norwegian Fjord cruise. Paid extra for an outside room. When I looked over the plan of the ship it is ‘partial or no view’ No where was this indicated on my initial reservation. I certainly would have paid for an upgrade IF I HAD KNOWN,