Kimkim Trip Reviews

This is hard to write succinctly but I will try, Kimkim is great. I highly recommend working with them. Our local specialist Anita and team did a stellar job connecting us with local guides and smaller tours. Our stand out tour guide was Nuno from Get Lost Go Local. We could have talked to him all day. Nuno has a way of making you feel like a friend and really listens to understand and shares from the heart. We didn't have a single bad guide and so appreciate that they all shared their lived experiences.

Now for Anita, what a star, I feel like we asked so many questions had changes here and there and she was so helpful every step of the way. My sister recommended connecting with Kimkim and I am so glad she did.

Thanks so much!

Absolutely phenomenal trip from start to
Finish. Everything was thought of and well planned out. The choices were on point. I appreciate the local considerations in planning the trip and Cannon was fantastic throughout the planning and trip itself.

Hotel Reviews

Tokyo Dome Hotel

Tokyo

Great location and amenities. Really good area of Tokyo and hotel was spacious. Great morning breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Accommodating to all visitors

Location

Lots around it so made a lot within walking distance

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well maintained hotel

SAKURA TERRACE THE GALLERY

Kyoto

Loved this hotel - great location to many things and the amenities are great. The breakfast was awesome and loved the vibe of the lobby area around the fire pits.

Authenticity & Character

Felt a part of the area; loved the onsen

Location

Close to train station and two malls

Staff

Super friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amenities like onsen, bar area, and gym are great

Hotel Hankyu RESPIRE OSAKA

Osaka

Hotel was well situated and very modern. Close to the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Didn’t feel like a big hotel but had relaxing vibe

Location

By trains

Staff

Very helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent common areas and room

Activity Reviews

Osaka: Guided Walking Tour with a Native Expert – Top Sights

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Liked it was a group tour

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was super knowledgeable

Transport

Meiji Jingu Cultural Walk with Tsukiji Market

Tokyo

Excellent day seeing sights and hearing all the history. It was very comprehensive in nature. The guide really infused history and culture in the whole walk and we carried that thru our whole trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was excellent and gave us many other recommendations for the city

Transport

Helpful to learn the transportation with guide there

Mount Fuji Day Trip: Adventure around Lake Kawaguchiko

Tokyo

Really nice to spend the day out and about the area. Guide was very informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent

Transport

Kyoto’s Cultural Treasures: Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Kiyomizu-dera & Gion District

Japan

An entire day learning the history and seeing many sights. Really enjoyed the time with the guide as we went thru the city. It was good to learn to navigate the buses. Guide is flexible to time and interests too. We packed in a lot in a day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

This was super fun to dress up and learn the history of the team ceremony. We really enjoyed this cultural immersion.

Quality of Experience

Fantastic

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka

Japan

We really enjoyed the day in Nara both for the sites, the deer and the restaurant we stopped at. It was a great place to spend time.

Quality of Experience

lol

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great driver and comfortable ride

Transport

Excellent

We had an amazing trip to Japan! We visited Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Our guides Eric, Eiichi and Hiroshi were all knowledgeable, passionate, and highly accommodating to all of our needs. The sites we saw, activities we did, and food we ate, were all fantastic....it's hard to pick out the highlights.

The best part of working with kimkim was our specialist, Ben. If we could give him 6 stars, we would. Ben started with a great itinerary, gracefully answered our many, many questions and changes, and was incredibly responsive. We'd never been to Japan before, so we had tons of questions and details we wanted to understand. Ben answered them quickly, and thoroughly. We felt very assured prior to, and during our trip, that everything was covered, and we were hitting all the highlights we were most interested in. We can’t say enough good things about Ben. He was fantastic to work with.

We will definitely use kimkim again, and when we do, we’ll ask for Ben.

Our trip to Bhutan was one of our best ever. From exploring Bhutan’s Buddhist culture to challenging hikes and exploring stunning scenery, the trip was amazing from start to finish. Vishal organized every aspect of the trip, including exceptional hotels with kind staff throughout. We also really enjoyed our guides, Jimmy and Jumple, who went to great lengths to meet our every need. Seeing Everest on a clear day on our flight home was very special. We would work with Vishal and his team again in a heartbeat. Thank for a great adventure!

Ben was exceptional every step of the way. Communication before, during, and after the trip has amazing. He was available for the family every day and made adjustments as needed. Not to mention planning a dream itinerary for a family of 5. I highly recommend him and will definately book with him again. Thank you Ben!!

An Unforgettable Trip to Thailand & Vietnam! 🇹🇭🇻🇳✈️
Destinations: Phuket & Bangkok, Thailand | Da Nang & Hoi An, Vietnam
First, we want to give a HUGE thank you to Minah and Kimkim for helping us create such an incredible vacation experience!
I am normally the person who plans all of our vacations, but this trip was different. There were so many things I wanted us to experience, multiple destinations, and several flights to coordinate. Quite frankly, I just didn't have the time to map everything out myself.
During my research, I came across Kimkim. Of course, I did my homework and dug a little deeper to make sure the company was legitimate. Even though everything checked out, I was still a little skeptical. But I decided to take a leap of faith, and I am SO glad I did!
Minah Was Absolutely Wonderful! ❤️
Now, let me tell you… I asked a MILLION questions! 😂 And because I was still a little skeptical in the beginning, those questions often led to even MORE questions.
Through it all, Minah was patient, responsive, professional, and always willing to provide answers.
I gave her our budget along with a list of experiences that were important to us. She returned with several options, thoughtful recommendations, and suggestions that made our trip even better.
One recommendation in particular really stood out. I had selected a place I wanted to visit, but Minah suggested another location that offered a similar experience in what she felt was a much better setting. Thankfully, I trusted her judgment because the original location I selected actually closed before our trip! And let me tell you, the place she recommended was absolutely GORGEOUS!
She also suggested additional experiences that weren't originally on our list, including a fishing village excursion in Vietnam.
OH MY GOODNESS! That experience was AMAZING! 😍
From the cultural experience to the incredible food, it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. And I'm going to say something that might surprise a few people…
The food we enjoyed during that excursion was even better than some of the Michelin-starred restaurants we visited! 🤯🍽️
And trust me, those Michelin-starred restaurants were TOP TIER! That should tell you just how incredible the food was!
Our Tour Guides & Transportation 🌏
Throughout our trip, we experienced a combination of private tours and small-group excursions.
Our private guides and drivers were consistently punctual, friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. The transportation was beautiful, comfortable, and well maintained, which made traveling between destinations even more enjoyable.
We also want to recognize our wonderful tour guides:
🇹🇭 Phuket, Thailand: Pupae
🇹🇭 Bangkok, Thailand: Gifty
🇻🇳 Da Nang, Vietnam: Nu
Each of them helped make our experiences memorable, and we truly appreciated their hospitality and knowledge.
Another thing I loved was knowing that help was always available. If I had questions or needed assistance during our travels, I could reach out to Minah or the local contacts provided, and someone would respond quickly.
That level of communication and support gave us peace of mind while traveling internationally.
A Few Things Worth Mentioning for Future Travelers
Although we had an AMAZING experience overall, I do want to share a few things that could have been handled differently. My intention isn't to take away from how wonderful our trip was, but rather to provide constructive feedback that may help improve the experience for future travelers.
1. Phi Phi Islands Small-Group Excursion
We booked what was described as a small-group excursion to the Phi Phi Islands. However, when we arrived, there appeared to be approximately 40–50 people on the catamaran.
Personally, I would not consider that a small group.
When I reached out afterward, I believe I was told the group should have been closer to 30–35 people. Even that number seems fairly large for something advertised as a small-group experience.
It honestly felt as though the excursion provider was trying to fit as many people as possible onto the catamaran.
That said, we still had a GREAT time! The experience itself was wonderful. I would simply recommend that travelers clarify the maximum group size beforehand so expectations are aligned.
2. Vietnam eVisa Issues — An Expensive Lesson Learned
This was probably our biggest hiccup during the entire trip.
When we arrived at the airport in Bangkok to catch our flight to Vietnam, we were informed that there were errors on our eVisas and that we would not be allowed to board our flight.
Imagine being at the airport, ready for the next leg of your vacation, only to be told you can't go! 😩
We immediately reached out to Minah, who connected us with David. He was able to arrange emergency visas for us at a cost of $150 per person, allowing us to fly to Vietnam the following morning.

Thankfully, because our scheduled excursion was a private tour, they were able to adjust the timing to accommodate our delayed arrival. However, we still lost valuable time that we could have spent enjoying Vietnam.
We also had additional unexpected expenses, including another night at a hotel and transportation back to the airport the following morning.

Here is why I'm sharing this particular experience.
While we were at the airport, we were asked whether our travel agency had completed our eVisa applications for us. When we explained that we had completed them ourselves, we were told that travel agencies often assist with this process to help prevent errors.
We were never informed that this might be an option.

Now, I fully understand that we completed the applications ourselves, and I take responsibility for that. However, had we known assistance might be available, we certainly would have asked about it.

My recommendation to future travelers: If your trip requires a visa, ask your travel planner whether they can assist with the application or review it before submission. It could potentially save you time, money, and unnecessary stress.
I also believe this is an area where Kimkim could improve its process by proactively offering guidance or assistance with visa requirements.

3. Our Café Excursion
One of our scheduled excursions was a café day, where we planned to visit multiple beautiful locations.
Unfortunately, when the day arrived, we discovered that one of the cafés on our itinerary was closed on Mondays.

This is something that should have been verified during the planning process, especially since the excursion was scheduled in advance.
Now, here's the funny part…
The second location was SO BEAUTIFUL that we were actually happy to spend more time there! 😂❤️

We ended up not regretting missing the first café at all.
However, I do recognize that another traveler might have been extremely disappointed, especially if that particular location was something they had their heart set on visiting.
It's simply a reminder of how important it is to verify operating days and hours when building an itinerary.

I almost forgot to mention the hotel accommodations! 🏨
Since I had plenty of hotel points to use, I booked our accommodations in Bangkok myself. However, for Phuket and Vietnam, I wanted to experience local hotels, and Minah helped arrange those stays.
🌴 Phuket, Thailand – Orchidacea Resort
Beautiful, clean accommodations with friendly, helpful staff and a decent breakfast! Now, let me warn you about one thing… THE STAIRS! 😂 Be prepared to get your steps in! After the first day, we quickly learned that we could have the staff drive us up to our room, and that's exactly what we did! We still chose to walk down using the road instead of the stairs. But hey, if you love climbing stairs and getting in a good workout, this resort has you covered! 🤣 Overall, we really enjoyed our stay.
🇻🇳 Hoi An, Vietnam – Hoi An Rose Garden
We absolutely loved the location of this hotel! The staff was friendly and helpful, the breakfast was surprisingly good, and the massages were wonderful! The hotel appeared to be a bit older, and while the rooms were fairly basic, everything was clean and well-maintained.
The beds weren't quite as comfortable as we would have liked, but honestly, after our long days of exploring, we were so exhausted that it didn't affect our sleep one bit! 😂
Both hotels gave us the local experience we were hoping for, and we appreciated having accommodations that fit our preferences and travel plans.

Would We Book with Kimkim Again? ABSOLUTELY! ❤️✈️

Even with those few hiccups, we had an absolutely WONDERFUL vacation!

Traveling internationally, especially across multiple countries, comes with the possibility of unexpected challenges. What matters is how those challenges are handled and whether the overall experience delivers what you hoped for.
For us, it absolutely did!

Minah listened to what we wanted, respected our budget, offered recommendations that enhanced our experience, and remained accessible when we needed assistance.
Because of her planning and attention to detail, we were able to enjoy experiences we might not have discovered on our own.

And remember how skeptical I was in the beginning? 😂 Well, I can confidently say that I would absolutely use Kimkim again, and I would specifically request Minah!

Now that I've experienced the process firsthand, I feel much more comfortable trusting them with future travel plans.

To Minah, our amazing tour guides, drivers, and everyone who helped make this journey possible — THANK YOU! ❤️

You helped us create memories that we will cherish for years to come.

Thailand and Vietnam were everything we hoped for and so much more!

Would we do it all over again? In a heartbeat! 🇹🇭🇻🇳❤️

Thank you, Minah and Kimkim, for an unforgettable adventure!

Hotel Reviews

Orchidacea Resort

Phuket

Beautiful, clean accommodations with very friendly, helpful staff and a decent breakfast! Great location! Now, let me warn you about one thing… THE STAIRS! 😂 Be prepared to get your steps in! After the first day, we quickly learned that we could have the staff drive us up to our room, and that's exactly what we did! We still chose to walk down using the road instead of the stairs. But hey, if you love climbing stairs and getting in a good workout, this resort has you covered! 🤣 Overall, we really enjoyed our stay.

Authenticity & Character

It gave me the local vibe I was looking for.

Location

Staff

Very friendly and always helpful and available.

Cleanliness & Comfort

They were cleaning the facility constantly and our rooms daily or as needed.

Hoi An Rose Garden Hotel

Hoi An

We absolutely loved the location of this hotel! The staff was friendly and helpful, the breakfast was surprisingly good, and the massages were wonderful! The hotel appeared to be a bit older, and while the rooms were fairly basic, everything was clean and well-maintained. The beds weren't quite as comfortable as we would have liked, but honestly, after our long days of exploring, we were so exhausted that it didn't affect our sleep one bit! 😂

Authenticity & Character

It provided the character of Hoi An.

Location

We love the location! We could walk to restaurants, cafes, and stores. It provided the local experience we were looking for!!

Staff

Very helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Its an older hotel, but it was clean.

Activity Reviews

Phuket Giant Water Lilies & Temple Tour

Phuket

Amazing atmosphere, food, and staff. Our pictures came out great! We have received so many compliments.

Quality of Experience

Food

The mango-coco smoothies were unforgettable and the food we ordered was delicious.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pupae was an excellent tour guide. She was very knowledgeable. Our guide and driver were both friendly and accommodating. I would want Pupae again if/when I come back.

Transport

Beautiful and clean.

Explore Phi Phi, Khai Island by Speed Catamaran

Phuket

I only gave it a 4 because I wish it was less people. There were 40-50 people on our catamaran.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The transport to the facility was great. The catamaran was too full and the seats were too close.

Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

Phuket

We visited an elephant sanctuary, and what an incredible experience! You could really see the pride they take in caring for these beautiful animals and focusing on their health and healing. We started with a little education about how the elephants came to the sanctuary, their backgrounds, and how they're cared for. Then it was time to get involved in their daily routines! Each elephant has its own handler, and the bond between them is something special. Since they're together pretty much all day, every day, the elephants recognize, trust, and respond to their handlers. ❤️ Now, what did WE get to do? 🐘 Fed them watermelon, sugar cane, and a special elephant food mixture (don't ask me what it's called because I have NO idea! 😂). 🐘 Gave them a MUD BATH! Yes, we got down and dirty! 🤣 🐘 Finished things off by washing them up! Being up close and personal with these gentle giants was definitely an experience to remember! ❤️ Next up… COOKING CLASS! 👩🏽‍🍳🍜 After getting cleaned up, it was time to put our cooking skills to the test! We learned how to make our own Pad Thai! Now, let me just say… I'm glad they ALSO provided a delicious lunch with Pad Thai and plenty of other amazing dishes because MY Pad Thai didn't quite turn out the way it was supposed to! 🤣🤣 Hey, you win some, you lose some! At least I tried! 😂

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Floating Market and Temple Tour

Bangkok

Great experience. It was interesting to see how many vendors have stores at the floating market. Although I gave it a 5 my only concern was when we said we didn't want anything from a particular vendor our boat driver would sometimes still stop, not at our request, so they could try and talk us into buying. We did buy a few things but not from those where they purposely stopped. One vendor said she was the sister of they guy driving our boat. Now, if he told us ahead of time his sister was a vendor we probably would have waited and bought some things from her, why not support his family. However we already bought some items and were done by the time we reached her area. The Train Market and temple tour were also great. We visited during a festival and was able to experience the food vendors and dancing. The restaurant was a great choice. We would go back and eat there again.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Romantic Dinner on the Manohra River Cruise!

Bangkok

Beautiful cruise, awesome food, friendly staff, nice views! It wasn't crowded which made it more romantic. It was worth the money.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Countryside & Café Experience (B)

Bangkok

Beautiful location, great food, relaxing environment. Even with all the visitors that came in for photos I still felt calmness and was able to admire the beauty. I didn't feel rushed and the staff was very attentive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Fishing Villages & Hoi An Tour

Hoi An

OH MY GOODNESS! That experience was AMAZING! 😍 From the cultural experience to the incredible food, it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. And I'm going to say something that might surprise a few people… The food we enjoyed during that excursion was even better than some of the Michelin-starred restaurants we visited! 🤯🍽️ And trust me, those Michelin-starred restaurants were TOP TIER! That should tell you just how incredible the food was! More than expected!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ba Na Hills Tour from Hoi An

Hoi An

It was everything we expected and more. It rained during our visit, but for us it added to our experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring the Ancient Ayutthaya

Thailand

Great experience. My husband loves history and ancient architecture so this was the perfect for him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim and our local specialist, Bella, made our trip to Japan an unforgettable experience. Every arrangement went smoothly, and Bella was able to create an itinerary that fully met our needs. Our local guides got us off to a good start in Tokyo and Kyoto, enabling us to navigate public transportation for our own adventures. Bella was available to us for any questions throughout the trip. This is our second Kimkim trip and we are sold on their service!

Hotel Reviews

Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel Tokyo / Ginza

Luxury experience with excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located in Tokyo

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kayotei Ryokan

This is Japanese hospitality at its finest. Tomo was our gracious hostess. Beautiful setting and gorgeous appointments within the ryokan.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Yamanaka is a walkable small town with artists and a local lacquerware factory that is very interesting. The nearby gorge is stunning.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui garden Hotel Kyoto Station

Kyoyo

Lovely hotel with gracious staff and a delicious breakfast. The room was small, but completely adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day tour by public transport in Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nishiki Market , Artisan Experience and Gion

Kyoto

We thoroughly enjoyed our guide, who was personable and very responsive to our needs for the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Gardens, Philosopher’s Path & Tea Ceremony Experience (Private Guide & Public Transportation)

Kyoto

One of our favorite days, visiting the Botanical Gardens and the gorgeous scenery around the Philosopher's path, and the nearby Silver Temple.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Cultural Icons & Evening Food Experience (Private Guide & Public Transportation)

Tokyo

We enjoyed the history that our guide, Hal, shared with us. We covered both old and new parts of Tokyo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great time in London. The people at the Georgian House Hotel were very informative. When we arrived in London, we were quite confused how to travel around the city. The representatives at the hotel were understanding and told us about the app for the city which included the underground transportation. We had no problems after that finding our way around. The breakfast was outstanding and the room was just what we expected, a lot of steps to get to your room and breakfast. The breakfast was always cooked to order.
We missed the changing of the guards because of weather, rainy and wet.
The Thames River Dinner Cruise was good but would have liked a lunch cruise because it was our first day in London and would have liked to see the city and not just the lights. The meal was excellent though.

Tea at the Savoy was wonderful. We enjoyed the atmosphere, the staff and the food.
The food tour was informative, with tasty food.
We visited the Tower of London, to see the crown jewels. Beautiful with so much history.
The Hop-on Hop-off Bus was fun. The headphones on the bus were unexpected and a joy while riding around the city.

On to Edinburgh: Let me address the hotel first of all. It was smallest room I have ever been in, No where to put your suitcase except on the floor. Then you had to pick it up and put it on the bed every time you need something. The hotel staff was very helpful and they had a lift, no stairs. No water in your room. Nice hotel but no accommodations.

Jacobite train was a long day. We spend about 4 hours on the train verses 3 hours on the bus to get to the train and 6 hours to get back to Edinburgh after the train ride. Even though the country is beautiful it was not my ideal day.
Sarah our food and drink tour guide was wonderful. Filled us with just the right meal and the drink to go with it.

We went to see the Jacksonville Jaguar play and it turned in to so much more. Loved out trip, The private transportation to and from the hotels was a wonderful thing for a new person in a strange city.

Mathias and Tom were very helpful and responsive throughout the planning process and the trip. Tom helped us getting an item lost on the train back which was above and beyond. We had a wonderful experience in a beautiful country thanks. To KimKim

★★★★★ An Absolute Masterclass in Travel Planning — 10/10 Across the Board

This was our second time booking an international trip through kimkim, and once again, they delivered an experience that was nothing short of extraordinary.

After our first phenomenal journey with them, our expectations were sky-high, but the kimkim team completely exceeded them at every single stage of our trip to Croatia.

From the initial planning stages to the day we returned home, the attention to detail, responsiveness, and sheer expertise of the team made the entire process completely seamless:

* Accommodations & Logistics: Every hotel reservation, private transfer, and travel connection was orchestrated with military precision. The properties selected for us were charming, spotless, centrally located, and felt handpicked specifically for our taste.
* Tours & Local Guides: Every single guided tour was top-tier. Our local guides in Croatia were not just knowledgeable and professional—they were warm, engaging, and brought the history and culture of the region to life in ways a standard tour group never could.
* Flawless Communication: Having the dedicated kimkim team and local specialists backing us provided complete peace of mind. Any time we had a question or needed a minor adjustment, they responded instantly with proactive, thoughtful solutions.

The kimkim team went well beyond simply booking reservations—they curated a flawless, stress-free adventure where we never had to worry about a single detail. They have earned our trust completely. We will undoubtedly be using kimkim for our next trip and for every major journey thereafter.

If you are on the fence about using kimkim, do not hesitate for a second. They set the gold standard for personalized travel planning!

Respectfully,
Louise-Colin-Patty & Max

Hotel Reviews

Amadria Park Hotel Capital

Zagreb

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tivoli Boutique Inn

Ljubljana

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spirito Santo Palazzo Storico

Rovinj

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lyra Hotel Plitvice

Licko Petrovo Selo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heritage Hotel Santa Lucia

Split

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel

Hvar

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Zagreb - walking food tour!

Zagreb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ljubljana - Privately guided walking tour

Ljubljana

Truffle Hunting + Exploring Motovun

Croatia

Privately guided tour of Pula

Croatia

Guided Walking Tour of Split

Split

Private Day Trip to Cavtat & Family Farm Day for Traditional Lunch or Dinner

Croatia

Day Trip to Montenegro

Dubrovnik

Tour Dubrovnik's Old Town

Croatia

A superb holiday and much thanks must go to the guides. Yolanda gave us a lovely welcome with her infectious smile and enthusiasm. Always willing to go the extra mile for us, I wish I'd booked another day in her company. Mary, our guide in Jiuzhaigou was the ultimate professional. You could totally depend on her and always made sure that things ran smoothly. David in Chongqing was great to chat to and was great at making everything sound interesting with his fun with of imparting info. Finally, Anna in Zhangjiajie was delightful. Deeply intelligent and thoughtful, she had a deep knowledge of Chinese history and the places we visited. She too went to great lengths to ensure we had a stress free stay.

All the places we visited were great though it was rather too misty in Zhangjiajie, but that was the only blip. The hotels were fine but the breakfasts were not to our taste. Louise is a vegetarian and that limited choice to very few items. Overall though, it was a wonderful holiday.

Activity Reviews

Day tour in Chengdu: Panda Breeding and Research Center, Shufengyayun Opera House（First Class, Local Tea House in People's Park

Chengdu

As we went early the crowds were low and we were able to see at least 50 pandas including baby pandas and red pandas.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both driver and Guide were lovely warm people

Transport

Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve (Sight-seeing shuttle bus included) (8 hours)

Jiuzhaigou

The most amazing scenery we have ever seen.

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the buffet

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The buses in the park were in abundance meaning waiting times were kept low despite the crowds

We would rate the itinerary arranged by KimKim for our trip to France five stars!!! Having everything loaded on their app allowed us to easily and quickly locate times, addresses and vouchers. The three primary hotels selected were all very nice and centrally situated. The staff were accommodating and welcoming, especially in Bayeux and Ambroise. Having breakfast included made keeping our early morning schedules easier. The variety of fresh foods and coffee provided every morning was wonderful and highly enjoyed. Kimkim seamlessly arranged for drivers and tour guides. All of our tours guide were outstanding and contributed positively to the experience- especially Wally, Alex and Helene( ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️). The drivers were always on time and very accommodating.

Could’ve used a bit of help to locate our train car and seat. Maybe a video link or something!

The only negative in our interactions with KimKim would be the lack of timely communication. After Gersende left we felt more like a number and not a person. Slow response even after multiple repeated requests. Our contact with the agency was slow to handle a request for a dinner reservation. Joel said that we wouldn’t have issue without reservations but the restaurant only had 5 tables and were turning lots of dinners away while we were eating. We were not notified of a cancellation in one of our tours due to a protest. Fortunately, our guide was notified of the closure and informed us. She had been informed by the agency she works for. Had we not known we could’ve been sent into a difficult situation. Our contact apologized for not responding to us as he was off that day, but we felt like given the high unrest in the country at that point there should’ve always been someone on call. Also our request to reschedule the Louvre tour was handled lethargically.
With all the unrest in France you all should have been in closer contact with us!!!

Hotel Review

Churchill Hotel Bayeux Centre

Bayeux

Great location. Caring attentive staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Right in the middle of town. Grest

Staff

Attentive and nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

D-Day U.S beaches tour

France

Taps at the US cemetery was chilling. Had a fabulous guide, Wally who really pulled the day together for an experience we won’t forget!

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

I added this in to trip and we really enjoyed it. Great service, food and views!!

Montmartre Walking Tour with Chocolate Tasting

Paris

Don’t eat beforehand. Great adventure in chocolate etc

Mont-Saint-Michel day Tour

France

Lots of tourist and stairs but worth it.

We had a wonderful time in Thailand. Our advisor Bella, brilliantly organised some quite tricky travel arrangements for our family so that the whole trip involving flights, train journeys and car transfers went without any problems at all. All of our guides were charming , informative and passionate about the places we went to, especially Marty and Pednoi. We especially enjoyed our hotel in Chiang Mai- peaceful with lovely staff.

This was one of the most stress free holidays we have ever had. Thank you Bella for your care and attention.

Hotel Reviews

Nysa Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 11

Bangkok

Just one night here but it was fine.

Bangkok To Chiang Mai Overnight Sleeper Train

Great fun!

Buri Sriping Riverside Resort & Spa

Chiang Mai

Lovely setting and lovely people.

Aonang Villa Resort l Lifestyle Beachfront Resort

Krabi

Good position.

Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach Resort

Phuket

Our Ocean suite was amazing.

Activity Reviews

Bangkok Highlights Exploration

Thailand

Great guide.

Elephant Nature Park Morning Half day Visit

Chiang Mai

Beautiful setting and experience.

A visit to Bua Tong waterfall or Sticky waterfall

Thailand

Loved it!

4 Islands Sunset Cocktail Cruise + Bioluminescent Night Snorkel

Krabi

Cancelled because of weather

John Gray's - Hong by Starlight

Phuket

Great day out.

Private Hong Island Tour by Traditional Longtail Boat

Thailand

Good swimming and sailing.

Baan Hongnual Cooking Class in Chiang Mai - Small Group - Morning session

Chiang Mai

Great fun and very well presented and planned.

Half-Day Doi Suthep Temple Visit - Private Morning Tour

Chiang Mai

Great views

Welcome to Chiang Mai and Early Check in at the hotel

Chiang Mai

Went seamlessly from pick up at the station to getting in at the hotel.

Tea Plantation Visit in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Very pleasant.

True Taste of Chiang Mai with Evening Foodie Tour

Chiang Mai

Fabulous experience of local places and food.

Temple Treasures of Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yaowarat Street (Chinatown) Food Tour

Thailand

A bit rushed on a very busy evening.

Benjamin from KimKim was amazing to work with. He paid attention to what I asked for and put it together for me. We worked together on the planning until I was happy with the plan. He picked great accommodations for me both on Phi Phi and Chiang Mai. He was able to score a great elephant sanctuary experience for us. He also was extremely responsive when I requested assistance during our trip. I highly recommend Benjamin and the entire KimKim team.

Overall, our 24 day trip with our two adult children (4 people all together) to Japan was outstanding. Ada with Kimkim was exceptionally responsive in our trip preparation and spared us numerous booking details, transportation logistics, ticket purchasing and itinerary planning, while still allowing lots of flexibility for us to modify most of our days. The private tours we signed up for were all worthwhile— only 6 in 24 days, and most guides managed with fair English but were very thoughtful, attentive and responsive. JJ, Jo, Kei, Kay, Ayumi and especially David in Kanazawa were excellent. There were only a couple minor glitches; once with using the odd double ticket needed for the Shinkansen, and once when a museum on our itinerary was closed the day we were supposed to go. But we shuffled the itinerary to make it work. Kimkim took note and even reimbursed one transfer for our unused tickets.
Kimkim is a great service. Professional, exacting, customizable, responsible. Paying a bit more if any in booking fees is totally worth having an organized trip, especially in a country like Japan, spread out over a large area, with mobs of people, many travel connections, almost no English speakers, and trekking off the beaten path. We highly recommend Kimkim for any travel, long or short, comfort driven or off the beaten path.

M

Hotel Reviews

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Kiyomizu Gojo

kyoto

Great breakfast, service, location and accommodations

Authenticity & Character

Location

Convenient to train and walking to sites

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were excellent and attention to detail was superb all around

Taoya Kisoji

Tsumago

Luxurious! Very generous free snacks room and especially good complementary massage chairs. Memorable stay

Authenticity & Character

Location

Off the beaten path in small town but outstanding service and everything you could want coming off the Nakasendo trail.

Staff

Activity Reviews

Full Day Gokayama and Shirakawago Tour from Kanazawa

Japan

Great slice of a very different side of Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

“K” Katsuhiko was so friendly, kind and helpful

Tokyo Highlights: A Day of Tradional & Modern Culture with Local Life

Tokyo

Ayumi was wonderful. The pace, sites, explanations of culture, shrines and temples were very good and thorough. She also had inside knowledge of a food place to buy Japanese knives away from some overpriced options.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Got to where we wanted to go efficiently

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Japan

Gorgeous setting but quite a long drive to see Mt Fugi from a distance. Fugiyoshida is a lovely setting with a beautiful park. But it was the most touristy of our excursions. Especially the boat ride.

Quality of Experience

JJ was great. Would probably select a different king of excursion

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour (Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle and Fushimi-Inari Taisha)

Kyoto

The heart and soul of Japanese castles and shrines to immerse you in the Shinto / Buddhist cultural icons

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helped explain so many symbols and rituals

Full Day Miyajima Island and Memorial Park Tour

Hiroshima

Must see if you have any interest in Hiroshima history and environs, past and present.

1-Day Tour: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake in Nagano (Join-in)

Japan

On the surface it can feel touristy, but this is not a zoo. More like a National Geographic excursion to the truly phenomenal evolution of a troop of unique Macaque monkeys.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Tour of Kanawaza With Dinner

Kanazawa

One of the most detailed and entertaining tours we did. David was outstanding. Focused on stories more than just interesting history. Interacted with the group exceptionally and added his own fun trivia game at the end to help reinforce what we learned.

Quality of Experience

Food

Out of the way restaurant that felt like the home of a local

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See above.

Transport

The Bari / Puglia area were highly recommended to us (and we had to remove one whole area to abide by our desire to keep the pace slower)—so based on the recommendation we chose Bari /Puglia over another region, and it turned out great.

Hotel Review

Masseria Longa Boutique Hotel

Otranto

Great team and food. Nice pool.

Authenticity & Character

Simple clean converted buildings just a bit out of town but walkable.

Location

Well positioned to explore or relax.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very attentive

Activity Review

Mount Etna Hike & Winery Experience

Italy

Great guide and amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Local knowledge of geology and history

Transport

Ryan air challenges were fixed by gaining access to their automated baggage check system.

Our driver was fantastic. He made sure that we were connected to all of our local tour guides. We did a 12 day trip through Morocco. The planning was good, as we wanted to change some hotels and they accommodated.

The suggestions were all spot on. The local guides were all good. Out Fez guide was excellent.

Highly recommend two nights in the desert, as this allows time to relax and enjoy the scenery.

Our trip with Kimkim to Peru was a dream come true. From Jorge who planned the trip specifically addressing our individual likes and personalities to Luis our incredible guide and our wonderful and careful drivers Jorge and Donato. We learned so much from Luis and had a fabulous time with many laughs with our new friend!! The logistics were smooth.

Our most fun and fondest memories were glamping above the Sacred Valley in Misminay - fun and beautiful and personal. If you consider this, do keep in mind its altitude, it’s very high.

Activity Reviews

Llama Walk in The Sacred Valley

Sacred Valley

Quality of Experience

Great local guide, beautiful, and off the beaten track.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

very informative, kind, and personable

Moray circular terraces and soft hike to Maras salt mines

Peru

Fascinating and beautiful at a good pace.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glamping at Misminay Community

Sacred Valley

Fabulous at a high altitude. A highlight of our trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Home cooking!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What a wonderful experience in Japan. Thank you, Kimkim for making all the arrangements and being there so quickly to respond when we had a question. We visited Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto, and Tokyo. All of our guides were very informative, and helpful with all the transportation. I absolutely love the culture in Japan. I do recommend visiting there. I love how respectful, clean, and spiritual the Japanese are. Thank you for a wonderful vacation!😎🥰😊

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Miyajima Island: Floating Torii Gate & Kayaking &Hiking

Hiroshima

Osaka Exploration: Castle, Cuisine, and Sky-high Views (full day tour by public transport)

Osaka

Yummy

Guided tour with public transfer from Osaka: World Heritage Himeji Castle Visiting & Kobe Beef Sampling

Osaka

Beautiful

Hozugawa River Boat Ride and Arashiyama Exploration and Japanese tea ceremony (Private Guide &Public Transportation)

Kyoto

Loved this

Mt. Fuji Scenic Tour with Whisky Tasting by private transfer

Tokyo

Breathtaking 😍

Guided Tokyo City Highlights & Transfer to Disney Area (Private Guide & Private Vehicle)

Tokyo

Wow!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tokyo Highlights: Imperial Palace, Tsukiji & Trendy Neighborhoods（Private Guide & Public Transportation）

Tokyo

Day tour by public transport in Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nikishi Market , Samurai and Ninja Museum and Traditional Art Performance

Kyoto

Enjoy walking around the local market

Hiroshima's Legacy: Peace Memorial & Okonomiyaki（public transport）

Hiroshima

Definitely educational and surreal

Alexia did an incredible job planning our 4 week and Spain vacation! Our accommodations, tours, transfers, recommendations completely met our needs. Alexia was very responsive addressing our questions or any issues we may have had to ensure a smooth and seamless trip. Thank you KimKim and Alexia!