Expertly Professionally Planned Private Tour in Japan & the Glory of Cherry Blossoms!
We recently took a 12 day trip to Japan which was totally planned for us by Agate Travel and Wendy Lee at this travel agency. There were 5 of us in my family. We corresponded exclusively by email. I was introduced to her and Agate by a friend who also went to Japan in September of 2023 and has since taken another trip planned by Agate and Wendy Lee. Our Japan trip was absolutely excellent!!! Every single detail that was given to us took place without a single problem. The guides that were selected for us were superb! and such nice, caring, and thoughtful people. They were always there to greet us at the train stations and ready for us in the hotel lobbies each morning for the day's excursion. We saw many amazing and absolutely beautiful sights with good explanations of what we were seeing. In addition, we experienced a nice variety of events- a wonderful dinner with a Maiko in Kyoto, a river boat trip, a visit to the Nara deer park with wild/tame deer, and amazing botanical sights (which was very important to us) including Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa and also visited the incredible Bamboo Forest in Kyoto. Visiting Hiroshima was very important and our guide was outstanding in bringing understanding of what happened there in 1945 so that we could more fully appreciate the impact and the importance of never forgetting and therefore never repeating this tragic event in human history. In addition, we were able to do some very nice shopping in a variety of shopping streets and also in Takayama, which we especially enjoyed and wished we could have had another day there. Every detail of our transportation on the bullet trains, local trains, buses was planned to perfection. Hotels were all ready and waiting for us. We had a special train/bus pass provided by Agate and it was invaluable in making transportation very easy! I don't know how we could have had a better first trip to Japan. I am very impressed with Agate Travel and Wendy Lee. She answered all of my questions promptly! (usually within 24 hours) and gave me clear directions, both during our planning, right before departure, and in a packet when we arrived at our first hotel. She even seemed intuitive as to the reasoning behind my questions and took her answers a step further to give me additional information that was very helpful and appreciated. We loved our trip to Japan, had such a happy time experiencing it together as a family, and were very grateful to be in such competent and organized hands. I would highly recommend this travel agency and Wendy Lee. I will definitely use them again for future trips.
Apr 27, 2024
Linda H
Vietnam with Agate Travel is a wonderful experience
The trip with Agate Travel was wonderful. The ability to choose activities and plans at your own discretion was of great value. Our Agate Travel advisor completed our suggestions perfectly. The hotels were very good and the guides knowledgeable. Our guides responded to our comments. This was our second time with Agate Travel. We are planning our next trip.
Leszek Poland
Apr 21, 2024
Leszek D
7 day Egypt tour, Nile river, Valley of the Kings, pyramids
Amazing! Went with my mother and best friend and I can truly say this was a trip of a lifetime. We learned and saw so much. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide on the Nile. Tarek was so knowledgeable and passionate about Egyptian culture he really opened our eyes and made the sites come to life. On top of that he made sure we didn’t miss other beautiful things in the area, we enjoyed all of it very much and we are so happy to have made a new friend in Egypt. Our next guide Ahmed in Cairo was also extremely knowledgeable with over 30+ years of experience as a guide. He’s also an excellent photographer :D He was generous with his time and really made sure we got to soak up as much as we could in our short time in Cairo. All in all every one we met really went above and beyond, the planning was seamless. We had a flight delay and it made for a really chaotic arrival and they made sure that we were taken care of, even refunded a night and moved the trip around to accommodate. I would definitely recommend Agate travel to my friends. Thank you for a wonderful time in Egypt!
Apr 19, 2024
Jaime P
Amazing planning!!
Everything went really smoothly and without any problem.
Emily from Agate Travel answered all our questions we had before our trip within 24 hours.
It was clearly an amazing experience and would 100% recommend!
Apr 18, 2024
Maxime RASSEL
Iguzzu falls and Patagonia
Agate Travel agency arranged a private tour for seven of us from Rio de janeiro, to Foz Iguazu, Puerto Iguazu, Ushuaia, El Calafate and ending in Buenos Aires. One word to describe the hoilday....Seamless!! We were picked up on time from every airport and toured all the sights as promised. Guides were experienced and informative.
Lovely holiday and many thanks to Ms Emily Xin for coordinating it all!
Apr 17, 2024
SK
Osaka. Kyoto, Kobe, Hiroshima - a quad cities of epic experience.
We had a wonderful experience in Osaka which was our hub for 5 days, Kyoto tour was a beautiful tour esp at the bamboo forest, Kobe was as nice visiting shrines and temple. Hiroshima was enjoyable esp the visit to the peace memorial park and A bomb dome.
Emily and her counterpart in Japan curated for us an enjoyable tour.
Apr 11, 2024
Rosario Marinas
Great 10-day private tour around Jordan
Agate Travel organised for us a 10 day trip around Jordan and everything was perfectly planned. We visited Amman, Petra, Jerash, the Dead Sea, Aqaba, Wadi rum and all the activities they planned for us were very well organised. From the time we were picked up from the airport until our departure everything was well planned. Our travel agent, Emily, did a great job preparing a really good itinerary and she was always willing to answer all our questions. I would highly recommend Agate travel if you want a great holiday in Jordan.
Apr 7, 2024
Lia Konstantopoulou
Agate created a wonderful trip for us through Korea, Japan and China.
I needed help creating a trip through South Korea, Japan and China. Agate came highly recommended and deservedly so. My travel consultant, Wendy Lee, did an amazing job putting together a trip based upon our requirements and her knowledge of what we needed to see. Agate was there for us every step of the way and had everything planned out to the minute details. We never felt lost or abandoned.
The properties we stayed at were very nice, as advertised, and the guides provided for tours ranged from mostly amazing to occasionally sufficient (some were not quite as "English Speaking" as promised but were nonetheless very pleasant and helpful).
We thoroughly enjoyed our 31 day trip and would never hesitate using Agate again for any travel.
Mar 31, 2024
Jonathan A
Private Cuba island tour
Our Travel consultant Ms Amy Jian , did a good job in planning our seamless trip to Cuba, We have an amazing experience in Cuba History and culture. I highly recommend Agate Travel!
Mar 29, 2024
Jocelyn C
First rate for the second time with this company. Will be booking again soon!
Second trip with this company. Excellent again! First to China and this time Jordan. I have every confidence and will be booking another trip with them soon. The motorists/guides are first rate, full of patience and very willing to help with everything. The choice of hotels is excellent and I felt very confident of safety and advice during the whole of my two trips.
Mar 27, 2024
Roland S
Japan/Beijing Trip
We had a great experience with Travel China Guide/ Agate Travel. We traveled from the USA to Japan and Beijing. They booked our hotels and tours. Emily Xin was super responsive throughout the whole process and made the best itinerary for us possible. Emily kept adjusting the trip, so it would be aligned with our budget and days. The trip was well organized and everything went smoothly. Thank you for making this dream trip possible.
Mar 21, 2024
Kevin
Well organised Cuba tour
Generally in terms of what Cuba has to offer the tour was well structered and well organised. Our Driver/guide Juan Carlos was obliging and helpful and prepared to do pretty much all we asked. It was tiring from his percepective as driving and communicating in a foreign language is not easy. the only bad part of the trip is the long drives on not very good roads. I think Vinales is propbably only worthwhile for those interested in cigars due to the distance and the roads. Cuba is a test of patience as things that most tourists take for granted, like tissues, toilet seats, internet connection, power and water supply as well as access to fuel for the car can all provide challenges.
Mar 17, 2024
Kathy
Visit Cuba with Abel La Rosa Camero of Agate Travel
We spent a marvelous week in Cuba with Abel La Rosa Camero of Agate Travel. Abel had a wonderful presence, and guided us in Havana, Vinales and Santa Maria del Mar. He was both patient and knowledgeable about Cuban history and culture, fielding all of our curious questions. Abel advised us on the things not to miss, and also a few to avoid. The trip went off without a hitch, from airport pick-up to airport drop-off, including daily excursions. We highly recommend Abel and would certainly work with him again on a return trip.
Mar 9, 2024
Richard P
Agate travel, bravo
Agate travel provided us with a good arrangement for six days and five nights in Jordan. We traveled to the capital Amman, the Roman ruins of Jerash, Ajloun Castle, St. George's Church, mosaic art, Mount Nebo, the Dead Sea, Petra and Wadi Rum. We had in-depth tours of every place during the trip. And the entire itinerary was very smooth. This was the result of full contact and preparation with Emily Xin from Agate Travel. Emily was very patient, she explained everything clearly, and the entire itinerary was very smooth. A few days before the trip, we were able to have good contact with the local driver and manager in Jordan through WhatsApp, which made us feel at ease. I highly recommend them.
Mar 6, 2024
令嫻 傅
Algerian Experience - felt special and received wonderful support
Agate Travel’s Emily Xin arranged an outstanding 10 day tour for us in January.
- Well organised.
- The guides were exceptional and knowledgeable.
- The transportation was adequate.
- The accommodation was the best available in each place we visted. REally like the hotel in Algiers
A flawless tour with good hotels in Algiers, Ghardaia, Timimoun, Taghit and Bechar.
Through their local agent they enabled us to get a visa on arrival.
For some reason the Algerian Police provided support once we were outside of Algiers. They accompanied us when travelling outside of urban areas. Made us feel important. We had no idea why we received this care - no other tourists received the same care. Perhaps it was because we received a Visa on Arrival!
These inland towns are really worth visiting:- Ghardaia, Timimoun and Taghit. As is Tipasa on Mediterranean coast with its Roman ruins and colourful fishing port. We had our best fish meal in Tipasa.
We can definitely endorse the agency and the wonderful responsive help with the arrangements.
We would recommend them when travelling to visit Algeria and in fact with any travel arrangements
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Their representative Emily Xin was outstanding- quick responses during the planning stage. It felt like Emily was our personal Executive Assistant.
Mar 4, 2024
Richard Kensington
Great experience in Bangladesh
We have just returned from a 15 day tour of Bangladesh which we booked through Agate Travel. Our guide throughout was Mohan of Pathfriend tours who could not have done more to make our holiday a great experience.
For us the highlights were exploring Dhaka, seeing the critically endangered Hoolock gibbon at Lawachara National Park and the private three day boat tour of The Sunderbans ...where we saw a tiger, otters, freshwater dolphins, adjutant stork, numerous kingfishers and eagle species and herds of Chital deer.
We also flew to Chittagong to witness boat dismantling from the sea.
If we did this tour again we would elect not to take the ship between Dhaka and Barisal as the onboard accommodation was poor; travelling by car instead.
Thank you Wendy Lee at Agate for organising this trip at very short notice and once again a big thank you to Mohan. We would not hesitate to use Agate travel in the future.
Feb 26, 2024
Trish and Robin
Wonderful travel experience
My husband and I were so very happy with our experience through Agate Travel. All of our guides were wonderful! Prior to travel, I had injured my leg in a fall. Our guides were all very solicitous of my comfort and safety, even offering an arm or a helping hand.
The guides were friendly, polite, helpful and informative. We learned so much and enjoyed every experience.
During our stay, one of our domestic flights was cancelled while in country. Both my husband and I felt that we were taken care of beyond measure as our travel plans were rearranged.
I would like to make particular mention of the gentleman that we had as our driver throughout most of our trip. Pyarelal Bhatt was quite simply wonderful! He was kind, helpful, informative and went above and beyond to assist us during our trip. Pyare arrived promptly each day with a smile of welcome. He communicated with us each day’s pick up time and was always prompt. He made dinner reservations for us, escorted us to and from several restaurants while taking the time to explain menu items to us. He recommended several local restaurants of very high quality that we enjoyed immensely. When our domestic flight was cancelled, even though he was in another city, Pyare, in addition to Rajesh Ranjan Sahay from the home office in Delhi, contacted us via text message to keep us informed of our travel arrangements. While en route to our destination, he unfailingly inquired about our comfort and needs. In short, my husband and I were in very good hands with Pyarelal Bhatt as our driver!
I would also like to mention Mr. Anil in Varanasi. My husband left his backpack in the car. Mr. Anil very kindly returned it to our hotel as soon as he soon discovered it.
Thank you so much for a an unforgettable experience in India. I would recommend your agency to anyone who is considering this trip!
Feb 22, 2024
dsz51
Amazing Colombia
Colombia is an amazing country and we booked this tour over the holidays last minute and Agate Travel did a great job getting us booked and guided! All our guides and drivers were great and only had one issue with a hotel because everything in the town was overbooked for New Years. Agate Travel stepped up and made it right for us. Great job team Agate Travel !
Feb 20, 2024
Russell
The best trip ever!!!
First and foremost, I had a great time with the company and the tour.
Even though with a storm delaying my arrival time for several hours, my guide and driver; Moha and Yassine, were very patient and diligent with me. Also, with the change to my arrival time, everyone adjusted the tour schedule to where ai was still able to visit different cities, that I would've missed out on due to my late arrival to the country.
The time I had there was wonderful and it provided the adventure I love.
Agate Travel has taken care of me for years and I would definitely recommend them to anyone seeking a tour company that takes care of their clients.
Feb 7, 2024
Navigator44890204257
Brilliant personal travel advisor
A pleasure to deal with Emily Xin from Agate Travel
Loved the clear and numbered communications which always occurred the same day
Which meant the tour from arrival to departure worked like clockwork
Good value accommodation
Excellent transport
Excellent driver / guide
Loved the nature
But the roads are narrow, sealed but while a 2 lane road invariably only sealed for one vehicle
Feb 2, 2024
Richard Kensington
Wonderful Vietnam Trip
Everything went very well: the guides, transportation and accommodations. We were very pleased by the organization and service provided by your company. We will be looking at other travel opportunities your company provides and will recommend you to our friends. Thank you for a successful and enjoyable trip to Vietnam.
Jan 23, 2024
Peter J
Excellent trip to Turkey
Our trip to Turkey was extremely well planned and was seamless. Agate travel did a great job putting together a last-minute trip when our tour of Egypt was canceled. They were very prompt in responding to all emails and accommodating to make any tweaks that we had of the itinerary. We had excellent local guides and accommodations. We were dropped off at picked up on time at every transfer. Even when one of our flights was diverted because of weather, the company was involved every step of the way. I had such a good experience that am planning my next vacation to China with the company. Would recommend Agate without reservation.
Jan 18, 2024
JODY K
Enjoyable Sri Lanka Trip
We had a very enjoyable private trip to Sri Lanka over Christmas/New Year. Our driver/guide was well versed in the traffic, which was very unfamiliar to us, and was always safe, The program seemed very unsuitable for travelers aged 99. On the other hand, we could simply skip parts of the program that seemed too ambitious for our physical condition. We were still well occupied. For fitter travelers, the density of the program may be a little too tightly conceived. All in all, the private tour largely met our expectations.
Jan 17, 2024
Joachim
Amazing Nepal
Trip Of A Lifetime! Agate Travel planned and executed an amazing 7 day trip of Nepal for our family. We had best-in-class guides that were very in tuned to our needs and who went out of their way to make sure we had one incredible experience after another. The highlights are too many to mention and include visiting ancient temples and historical sites, exploring picturesque villages, seeing spectacular views of the Himalaya mountains, dining with a Nepali family, hearing monks chant, learning to make mo-mos, taking a stunning hike, walking the streets from Kathmandu and so much more. Everywhere we met the kindest people, enjoyed excellent food, and stayed in boutique hotels. Our travel agent Anki regularly checked in with us and helped with any pivots we want to make. The trip was outstanding and Nepal a magical country to visit. If it is on your radar to go, don’t hesitate and take the trip!
Jan 09, 2024
Christine Peggau
Delightful tour of Tamil Nadu
This was our second trip with Agate Travel and I want to to convey our personal appreciation for the services provided during the tour of Tamil Nadu. Everything went well from the selection of hotels, the guides and our personal driver. We had a wonderful experience and enjoyed every minute of our trip. Finally, I would also to thank and highlight Miss Emily Xin’s support from the moment we booked our trip until it ended.
Jan 8, 2024
Celia Crispim
Fantastic Norway Trip
Jann was a fantastic guide / driver who was kind and considerate and wanted the best experience possible for his guests!! Jann was friendly and educated/answered all questions even with personal stories! We were very lucky and had a great viewing night and Jann had prepared us for the post that we would not see anything, would highly suggest the Jann experience to everyone!
Jan 07, 2024
David
Great Planning in Switzerland
The planning was great and easy to follow. We had great time. I do hope I could get the itinerary earlier so we can make additinal plan at each stop early on. And it would be great to have more transparency on the pricing also.
Jan 05, 2024
Chung Chang
family trip with kids to Buenos Aires, Iguazu and Rio.
The trip was fantastic, from communication and planning, to airport pickups, to wonderful English speaking guides, to hotel choices. We felt very safe the entire time. Service by the tour company and our guides and drivers was perfect. We saw everything, and had free time for us. Wonderful vacation
Jan 2, 2024
Yuri F
Experience beautiful Sri Lanka with Agate travel!
I highly recommend Agate travel for Sri Lanka, they are a very professional, patient, knowledgeable and friendly and better quality than most of the popular American and European travel agencies in my opinion that offer the same quality at a higher price or the same price at a lower quality. The hotels were all 5 star and the food was delicious. I never felt unsafe nor did I have any food problems. The food was delicious and the fruits were divine especially the pineapple. There is plenty of vegetarian or vegan food for you if you have dietary restrictions. The guide and driver were polite, professional and knowledgeable. Sri Lankans in general are very friendly and always have a smile on their faces. If you love elephants, Sri Lanka is the perfect country to visit!
Sri Lanka is a beautiful country and with Agate travels, you can experience and see this beauty. Sri Lanka is a top 10 country for me thanks to this agency. The only bad thing about my trip was it was too short, I wish I stayed longer in this tropical paradise but I had few vacation days.
Dec 30, 2023
traveler912
Bucket list trip!!
We accomplished a wonderful country tour from north to south in 11 days with the highlight being the ELEPHANTS….Wendy chose an ethical sanctuary and we had an amazing day…. Can’t forget the coconut ice cream at the floating market… such a well planned trip with the best hotel choices as well as an excellent tour guide who traveled from Bangkok to Chiang Mai with us educating us on Thai history as we explored the countryside! Thanks again for an amazing trip.