Kimkim Trip Reviews

Guilia was very helpful in planning the trip to meet our needs. She was always responsive despite the time difference, She worked with our budget and gave us great restaurant tips, and made it easy for us to enjoy our vacation. She also advised us well on the balance between seeing sites and having time to explore the cities. She picked great hotels in excellent locations for us and picked amazing tour guides. We highly recommend Giulia if anyone is planning a trip to Italy.

This was our first trip to Costa Rica and KimKim created an amazing package that gave us a true, great taste of the country. My family and I (group of 6) visited Arenal, Monteverde and Manual Antonio. Each of these places gave a unique vibe and we enjoyed all of them. We experienced the torrential rains in Monteverde, which gave us a true experience of life in the cloud forest. We even experienced a 4.8 magnitude earthquake in Manuel Antonio, which reminded us that Costa Rica is part of the ring of fire.

The food was great all and all! The excursions were memorable, in particular the zip line over the cloud forest. We ended up seeing about 20 sloths and the elusive Quetzal (a male and a female), all thanks to the trained eyes of our guides.

This is our second time engaging KimKim and we are truly satisfied with the package and services. Special acknowledgments and thanks to Kat, Kate and Adam. They made our first visit to Costa Rica a great experience. Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Amazing views. Best pool. Great restaurant. La Mariposa is a great hotel to end our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

The location of the Cloud Forest Lodge atop the cloud forest is simply spectacular. The view is breathtaking and staff were extremely personable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Dennis, Jose, Fernando, and Benjamin were so personable and each made our stay very memorable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Lomas provided the closest to a tree bungalow feel. Location at the base of Arenal Volcano is excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Nocturnal Rainforest Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

The nocturnal walk is a must to see some of the Costa Rica animals in their natural habitat. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and had a great eye in spotting the animals. We thoroughly enjoyed the walk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip in late March to Marrakesh, the High Atlas and the desert. We loved it. Sharon and her team were terrific. It was a pleasure building the itinerary with her -- and I especially appreciated the Zoom call -- it made the whole planning process so much easier and enjoyable. We will definitely, absolutely use kimkim again when we plan our next visit to northern Morocco!!

Hotel Reviews

Dar Hnini

Oulad Yahia Lagraire

This hotel is a little gem nestled in a beautiful oasis valley. The service and food were excellent. Highly recommended!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eden Boutique Hotel

Boumalne Dades

Excellent hotel. Absolutely top rate service, decor and experience. I cannot rate it highly enough!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Day with the Locals in the Valley of Roses

Morocco

This day with locals was wonderful -- a highly of our trip. Sitting down and getting to know a local family in their home was amazing. I highly recommend this activity.

This was my first time using KimKim and first trip to Japan.

Shona is truly amazing! I’m truly grateful for all her help! She was very thoughtful in everything she arranged. She helped ensure I got to do everything I wanted to, in the multiple cities I visited, while staying within budget. The activities, tours and guides were fantastic!

Shona was always there during my trip as well, to ensure an authentic and memorable experience! I met so many great people, made so many memories, and took so many great photos.

Thank you, again!

When I think about this trip, the first thing that comes to mind is the incredible level of planning required for a 12-day trip in China for my wife and I. Planning our trip through KimKim was an incredibly smooth and stress-free experience. The initial setup was simple, and we were quickly connected with our local China specialist, Heidi, who was an absolute pleasure to work with. She was responsive, accommodating, and consistently offered thoughtful solutions that made our itinerary even better. Heidi made me feel like I was her only client, while also going above and beyond to create an unforgettable experience for my wife and I. I was unfamiliar with how accessibility works in China, but Heidi handled every single detail flawlessly. From coordinating transportation between hotels in different cities, to selecting ideal locations to visit, arranging private tours, and ensuring smooth drop-off/pickup at airports and train stations -- nothing was overlooked. We literally felt like royalty the second we got off that plane as Heidi thought of everything. One of the standout aspects of the trip was the thoughtfully designed itinerary. Each day included planned activities, but there was also flexibility built in for leisure time.

What made this trip so special wasn’t just the destination, but was how personal and thoughtfully curated every moment felt. Traveling in a new country can sometimes feel overwhelming, but with KimKim everything was handled so professionally that we could simply relax and enjoy the experience. That level of organization made traveling around the country very easy.

At every step we felt safe, comfortable, and well looked after by the excellent bi-lingual tour guides. The tour guides made this journey extraordinary, especially Emma (Beijing), Kathy (Xi’an), Ethan (Zhangjiajie), and Autumn (Shanghai). Thanks to them, we enjoyed our China adventure and now have very fond memories that will last a lifetime. The tour guides would come and get us from our hotels and bring us back to our hotels. They would check in with us daily to make sure we knew where we were going and had any questions. They were all knowledgeable, warm, and clearly excited to share her culture and stories with us as well as learning about our culture (especially learning about our county’s slang). Their enthusiasm made the experience feel much more personal and engaging. Their warmth and good humor even outshined their obvious depth of knowledge and skill of communication. Every guide made us feel like we traveling with a family member. They selected fantastic restaurants throughout each city where we could enjoy authentic local food without worrying about our dietary needs. Every recommendation was spot-on. They were so much fun to spend time with!

And I would be remiss not to mention the hotels KimKim selected, which elevated the trip even further. Everywhere we stayed, we felt less like guests at a hotel and more like we were being welcomed into someone’s home. Also, all of our drivers were excellent as well—professional, safe, and reliable.

As this was our 2nd trip with KimKim, all the arrangements made by them have always been 100 reliable, including accommodation, transportation and activities. Overall, this trip exceeded every expectation. The itinerary was the perfect blend of city action, historical insight, and natural wonder. Overall, KimKim, especially Heidi, made our China trip feel personalized, well-supported, and wonderfully memorable. Highly recommended them for anyone seeking a well-organized, locally informed travel experience.

Activity Reviews

Half Day City Tour with the Yu Garden

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zhangjiajie Park Tour - Grand Canyon with glass bridge

Zhangjiajie

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day Tour with Golden Whip Creek&Ten Mile Gallery & Baofeng Lake

Zhangjiajie

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Suzhou and Tongli Water Town City Tour

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Zhujiajiao Water Town with Boat Ride

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marvel at the Picturesque Landscape in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Xi'an City: Ancient City Wall and Drum Tower

Xi'an

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chinese dumpling dinner

Xi'an

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Tang Dynasty Show (1hour)

Xi'an

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

See the Terracotta Army

Xi'an

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Temple of Heaven

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day with Great Wall and Changling Tomb in Beijing

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Picturesque Summer Palace

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Peking Duck Experience

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Glimpse into China's Imperial Past: the Fobidden City

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My daughter and I had a wonderful trip to The Netherlands to see the famous tulips, something I've always wanted to do. Bas was wonderful to work with to coordinate all the logistics for this trip and ensured we got to do everything we wanted to do and see. All the reservations, tickets & activities were easy to navigate and the detailed instructions in the app for each day extremely helpful. Our private driver, Robert, was so kind and helpful. The entire trip was a dream and I'm thrilled with our first time using Kimkim for our travel needs.

Thank you, Rita, for the trip you set up for my Granddaughter Maddie, Grandson Nate, and me. Everything worked as it should. All the accommodations were great, especially Matera. You had very nice drivers for us and wonderful guides here and there. Roberta at Pompeii was so informative and that was a great experience for Nate and me. Maddie and I enjoyed the experience cooking with Madia done through Loliv.com and Claudio, and the golf cart experience at Alberobella. i have already recommended both to friends who are traveling to Puglia in May and in October. The October couple has used KimKim in the past -- in fact, they were the couple who recommended the agency to me years ago. It was great fun to explore --an amazing experience to be with Nate driving the Amafi coast (!) -- so wonderful to be in Puglia with Italians, rather than tourists from all over the world. And I learned that I can, indeed, get myself through airports, trains and cities by myself when I have to . Altogether a satisfying trip for me, one I hope the grandkids will remember fondly, and one that has taught me that I will be able to travel without my late husband. Thank you for all your input, planning and execution!

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Rome Airport Hotel

Fiumicino

It was a Hilton Garden Inn. Good for the night before travel. shuttle every 15 minutes to the airport. Not much airport traffic noise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dimora Storica Muratore

Lecce

Fascinating to be here. Location was right next to the old city and had a peaceful garden surrounding the villa. Hostess was wonderful, especially when she saved a little breakfast for my sleepy granddaughter!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boston Hotel

Bari

Well located business-type hotel right next to the old part of Bari. Comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel and Spa

Matera

Wow! great place with fabulous ambiance! Loved seeing the construction of a modern hotel in old caves right in the middle of old Matera.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Miramare Sorrento

Sorrento

Very pleasant place away from the crowds but within walking distance of all the shops, restaurants and activity

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Unico Relais

Napoli

Very nice once inside. the street entrance was not well labeled and took some scrutiny

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Experience in Alberobello: Trulli, Countryside & Picnic

Italy

Great fun to move around with the golf cart. The guide was on a Segway, and had grown up in the town. He had wonderful stories and experiences to share. Have the transportation made is possible to see just about the whole area in the 3 hours, as well as stops for a little shopping and lunch. Lunch was at a local's home, with a cooking demonstration and stories about the couple who lived there shared by the guide. We were also able to see the inside of a house that had been brought up to date and was currently a residence on the Unesco side of the town, as well as a house recreating what the former residents had for living space.

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

Discover Authentic Apulian Cooking with a Local

Italy

Restaurant had exceptional character, and a wonderful, charismatic owner who taught us to make some Puglian dishes. Very patient with me -- I had a hard time mirroring her quick hands making orecchiette. The story of her place and strategy in having a vegan restaurant was so interesting. Having someone there to translate made a huge difference to what turned out to be a very genuine experience. Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great conversation on the way

Explore Pompeii with an Archaeologist

Italy

Excellent Guide named Roberta. Very informative, very impressive to see the engineering of the place, so much more that I expected.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Naples: Guided Walk & the Veiled Christ

Naples

Excellent guide, great fun to walk around Naples

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Beatriz at Espiritu Travel put together a wonderful trip and itinerary for our trip to Tangier and Andalucia in Spain. The selection of hotels was amazing and exactly what we were expecting. The hotels were always in the city center close to touristic attractions and dining. Our guide and drivers were friendly and helpful, our guide Delfina at the Alhambra was very sweet, knowledgeable and accommodating as we couldn't find a taxi in the pouring rain and arrived late. The Caminito del Rey hike through the gorge was the highlight of our trip.
Our only complaints were the noise outside our hotel in Tangier, our room was on the first floor overlooking the Petite Socco and the noise level kept us up during the night. This is a busy section of the Medina in Tangier and would have preferred a room away from the street. However, the room was authentic and very pretty. These was also a little confusion regarding our rental car access to the historic district of Grenada, we would have appreciated more details regarding getting through the check points. Overall the itinerary and activities were well planned and thought-out, thank you to Beatriz and her team for putting together a great trip, we would consider using KimKim and their specialists for our future travels. Thank you.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Palacete de Alamos

Málaga

Beautiful and spacious room very close to the touristic center of Malaga. The breakfasts were amazing and the staff was friendly and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the touristic center of Malaga.

Staff

very friendly and accommodating staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Parador de Cádiz

Cádiz

Beautiful and spacious hotel, our room was facing the water with a beautiful view. Unfortunately we were only there for one night.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel appeared to be recently renovated.

Location

Waterfront view

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Above the Gorge: Walk the Caminito del Rey

Spain

Tapeo Like a Local: A Tapas Walk Through Málaga

Málaga

Our guide Milady was friendly and knowledgeable, she ran a great tapas tour through Madrid

Quality of Experience

We enjoyed the selection of tapas and wines at each of our stops.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Portugal trip was everything that we'd hoped for. Each excursion/tour was special: the Porto wine/food walking tour was great fun, and our guide was very knowledgeable. Fatima was spiritual and beautiful. The castles, the parks, the serene mountain cities, the winery tours, the caves viewed from the catamaran, the all-day Monchique mountainside tour, the train to Lisbon. I was especially impressed with our guide, JP, on the all-day Monchique tour. He was fun, highly familiar with the flora and fauna of each area, and offered us stunning views and grand experiences.
All of our drivers were on time and helpful. Anita and KimKim were available as needed and very helpful. We complained a bit that the kayak-to-the-caves excursion became unavailable, but that was actually a gift in disguise. We actually preferred our beautiful catamaran/cave experience with 13 passengers and 6 crew members and observed the kayakers paddling hard and furious against the winds and waves. We uttered grateful words at how things turned out and loved the catamaran vs kayak experience.
The photos and comments that I posted daily on Facebook resulted in several of my traveling friends contacting me to know which travel company we worked with. I was happy to name KimKim and expound on the excellence of their work.
Thank you for everything; our trip was memorable.

Activity Reviews

Golden Coast Catamaran Boat with SUP

Portugal

This was so much fun. We enjoyed a catamaran with just 13 guests and 6 crew members. The vista was beautiful, the food and drinks were excellent (I even tried the sardines). And the staff was extremely accommodating and fun.

Quality of Experience

Food

Sardines? Not so much.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Douro Valley Highlights: Wine, Olive Oil & River Cruise

Porto

Relaxing river cruise with winetasting Breath-taking heights and winding roads Beautiful wineries and food Highly recommended

Quality of Experience

Food

The fish lunch was very special.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were friendly, entertaining, thorough in their presentations

Transport

Great driver on those winding mountain roads.

Private Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Highly Recommended Great Guide Fascinating information Well organized SMALL GROUP - this was a huge benefit. We saw large groups parading down the streets behind a guide with an high-flying flag. No thank you. In small group tours, one gets to meet and enjoy others in the group. In small groups you can hear the guide and ask questions as they arise. It was all very enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Experiencing the unique eateries and wineries that we never would have found on our own.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

From the beginning, when I was planning this trip to Portugal, Anita and her team at kimkim travel were there to make sure I had a fabulous vacation and most importantly that I would be safe as a solo traveler. I had told Anita that I had taught
ancient civilizations, so I was very interested in the history, but also the culture of the people. She put together an itinerary that was perfect for me. From the moment I arrived, I was treated with kindness and helpfulness from every tour guide and driver that got me safely from the airport to my hotel in Lisbon, from there to Evora, then to Albufeira, Porto and back to Lisbon. I had so many tour guides that it’s difficult to remember all of their names, but my trip to Fatima with Pedro was extra special. I was the only person on the tour that day, so I learned all about Pedro and his family on the drive. He stayed right by my side the entire day to offer his arm while we maneuvered over cobblestones, steep hills and uneven staircases without railings to Fatima, the monastery at Batalla, Nazare, and Obidos. He even cried alongside me when we discovered my deceased husband‘s name written on a piece of the Berlin wall in the square at Fatima. It was truly a moment I will never forget. Pedro continued to message me every day while I was in Portugal, to make sure I was safe and enjoying my tours. I can’t thank all of the wonderful people who took care of me during this remarkable trip. It was my first time in Portugal, but it won’t be my last, because I loved the people here.

Hotel Review

Évora Olive Hotel

Évora

The staff was kind and helpful in helping me plan routes to walking excursions that I did on my own. The hotel was beautiful, comfortable, and served amazing food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

After being in busy, Lisbon, it was so nice to be in a quiet location that was close enough to walk the historical district.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hotel Olivera had comfortable rooms, a bar and restaurant and beautiful photographs on the walls process of gathering olives.

Activity Reviews

Discover Portugal’s Birthplace: Guimarães & Braga

Porto

It was wonderful to go back in history to the places where Portugal started. We explored, beautiful cathedrals, castles, and other import important historical sites.

Quality of Experience

Food

The foods of Portugal and the pastries are of a wide variety!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about this area and happy to answer. Any questions we had.

Transport

Explore Porto’s Hidden Gems with a Local Guide

Porto

Raquel, was a perfect tour guide for me and I had her all to myself. She took me to so many hidden secrets that I never would’ve found on my own. She knew that I loved history and culture, so she took me to places he knew that would be of interest to me.

Quality of Experience

My tour guide was the best! She gave me her arm to assist me on steps and steep hills! I was amazed how she knew her way through all of the tiny back streets in Portos old town.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Raquel was a gem! I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon spent with her

Day Excursion to Wild West Coast of the Algarve

Portugal

This was a fabulous tour with a great guide who loved this area, because he enjoyed surfing here. He knew a lot of people and even introduced me to a man in his 80s who used to run the lighthouse at the most southwestern point in Europe.

Quality of Experience

I loved this trip because we had a variety of being inside, seeing historical churches, and a lot of time outdoors, appreciating the coastline.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He was very knowledgeable about this area!

Transport

Full Day Historical Algarve

Portugal

It was wonderful to visit all of these small towns that were so important to the fishing industry and tourism industry in the Algarve.

Quality of Experience

We had a great group of people who enjoyed our time together!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It always amazes me, how all of these tour guide remember all of the facts and dates for these locations. I learned so much.

Transport

Albufeira BBQ Boat Trip

Portugal

The title of this adventure is a little misleading, because there was no barbecue, but it was still a phenomenal journey. I met some wonderful people on the catamaran ride to the Bengali caves.

Quality of Experience

The catamaran was beautiful and we were served for platters and other hors d’oeuvres during the tour.

Food

Even though I didn’t get to taste any of the wine and some of the food because I was sick on the second half, the foods that I had on the journey, there were delightful!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The ride on the catamaran was phenomenal, but the four person dinghy was terrifying to get into and out of.

Algarve Rural Safari: Off-Road Jeep Adventure

Portugal

Being a jeep owner myself, I loved this small group trip into the heart of the Algarve. Upward driver stopped at at least a dozen times to pick leads from plants along the way and help us learn how to identify them.

Quality of Experience

Our work tour guide was fun, but an expert in the agriculture of the area.

Food

The stop at the Randy distillery was very interesting and we ate any phenomenal restaurant overlooking the valley!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

If you have problems with your back, ask to sit in the front of the jeep!

Exploring the Cork Tradition of the Alentejo

Portugal

Once again, I had a wonderful female tour guide to myself. We took a deep ride through the acres of olive trees, vineyards and finally ended in the beautiful court forest where we even saw some albino deer.

Quality of Experience

Being able to have the tour guide to myself, I was able to ask lots of questions in but answers from a very knowledgeable tour guide who was an expert in wine making!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I loved our drive in the open Air Jeep to see all of the trees and products produced on this 800 Hector Farm

Transport

I loved the open Air Jeep

Évora Through the Ages: Guided Walk

Portugal

I had my personal guide to myself all day. She knew that I had taught ancient civilizations, so she was ready to answer my questions and even learned a few things from me, I think! She had lived in Evora, her whole life, so she knew the people and the places we visited extremely well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My tour guide was a gem! I loved it, listening to her stories, especially about the chapel of the bones,

Transport

It was a walking tour, but my guide took plenty of breaks to accommodate for my bad knees!

Explore the Knights Templar: Almourol Castle & Tomar

Lisbon

Having taught about knights and castles, this tour was like a living textbook. I couldn’t believe I was seeing things that I had taught about for so many years.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Sintra: Quinta da Regaleira & Coastal Views

Lisbon

Going to Sintra was like walking into a fairy tale, and our guide was so knowledgeable about the area, because he was born and raised here. I met three wonderful young ladies from Belgium and one from Australia that assisted me on the steep hills and stairways. We had a lot of fun together!

Quality of Experience

It is one of the most beautiful castles I’ve ever seen!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide and driver was from Centra and DAVID specs not only about the castle but other locations in the area.

Transport

Lisbon Roots: A Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

This was my first tour and an awesome way to be able to meet a few people and get appetizer-sized tastes of great Portugal foods and wines. It helped me make decisions about what to order for the rest of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Delicious foods, a guide who was knowledgeable about Lisbon, and wonderful tourist from other countries to share the experience with.

Food

All of the foods were hot and tasty, and it was wonderful to be able to try five different wines from the area.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I walked to this destination with great directions from the hotel staff.

We had a wonderful time on this trip. It was well planned and we felt supported by our travel agent Claire when we had questions. Our best memories are those of the Irish people. They were friendly and caring. The sheep farm, falconry, bike tour, cliffs, jaunting car, abbey, castle rock were all spot-on for our preferences.

Both guides we had were excellent: Mr. Peter and Ms. Young. Very energetic and knowledgeable. We did pretty much everything a tourist would want to do, seeing Mt Fuji was probably the coolest experience.

We had such a fantastic time. Jimena carefully curated the itineraries, hotels and restaurants that all surpassed our expectations. Our guide Guido was excellent - he was always attentive and had an incredible breadth of knowledge about the Incas, the sites we visited and all local customs and foods. We had a lot of fun with him! I can’t stress enough how perfect the hotels were - beautiful spots we would not have found on our own.

Hotel Review

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Nestled in the Cuzco downtown - this hotel was had a beautiful lush courtyard, lovely breakfast, and we loved the hot water bottles tucked I your beds and the nighttime tea! The staff was excellent and very accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Modern but rustic

Location

Right in the downtown

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Really nice showers!

Activity Reviews

Moray circular terraces and soft hike to Maras salt mines

Peru

This is a fascinating site. We strongly recommend seeing it and buying the pink salt!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Visit to Machu Picchu: The Royal Design

Peru

Words cannot do justice to seeing the sunrise over Machu Picchu!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guido knew exactly where to go to get the best photos and how to avoid the crowds.

Transport

Lunch at Hacienda Huayoccari

Sacred Valley

What a stunning property and the food was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were totally satisfied with our trip arranged by kimkim and Egypt Promotion Travel. This was the first time we used kimkim. We did a 14-day tour with a Nile cruise and a extension trip to Jordan for Petra and the Dead Sea with Egypt Promotion Travel. Amr tailored our trip to our desires. We saw all the sights we went to see. We appreciated the friendly and helpful agents that assisted us with each transfer. We had no issues with any transfer and were pleased with the provided 4/5-star lodging. We also enjoyed the guides and drivers, The guides were professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. The drivers knew how to get around the various tourist areas and city streets. We enjoyed the individual attention and tailored information of the private tours with a guide for just my wife and I. Tourism was down drastically during our trip due to the ongoing Iran-Israel-US conflict, but we saw no turmoil and felt safe the entire trip.

Activity Review

Visit Karnak Temple and Luxor temple

Egypt

The temples were fantastic. We recommend the balloon excursion but pass on the the Karnak night light show. The light show was disappointing and not worth the cost.

I think my review would be more succinct using bullets:
*Overall: Fabio Ilardi did many things that preceded the final plan and were crucial to its success. He was knowledgeable, patient, he LISTENED to all my suggestions and concerns, he conveyed an enthusiasm for the task following through at every juncture resulting in a near flawless itinerary that was easy to navigate and access.

*Transportation: From planes to trains to vans, all went so smooth. Even though he had nothing to do with the airline reservations, he knew the details and incorporated into the itinerary. Vans were there without fail and drivers clearly communicated pick-up locations when access to certain areas was restricted or inconvenient. Trains were great. Having been to Italy 9 times (most of those trips doing my own driving), I was really pleased with the convenience of train travel.

*Accommodations:
Venice, Ca Negra Lagoon Resort. convenient location although the difficulties in trying to convert a 400 year old villa to a modern hotel were evident. No air conditioning as we were told the city did not allow it until May. That made for a stuffy room so we opened windows where possible. Shower plumbing was difficult to figure out (I wish hotels everywhere would opt for the simplest plumbing fixtures instead of fancy and complex.)
Florence: Frame Hotel. Great place. Great location. Loved the provenance associated with the Mona Lisa, discovered there after its theft in 1911.
Naples. Eurostars Hotel Excelsior. What a jewel! Way past expectations. Beautiful rooms. Elegant throughout. While all the included breakfasts were very good to great, here it was over the top...... buffet was 75 long! Waterfront construction made it a little tricky to negotiate but when completed, this will be quite a gem on the waterfront in the shadow of Vesuvius .
Rome. Terrace Pantheon Relais. Again, great location. Convenient to many of the common sites. Rooftop lounge.

*Activities:
Mask painting in Venice. We all had a ball and the kids loved it. Nice people.
Gondola Ride: Wonderful guide (Giada, as I recall) who commented that the traffic on the Grand Canal was unusually light making for a very relaxing excursion. Lots of fun facts.
Murano: all enjoyed the tour and demonstration. Very pleased that a family run business continues to thrive.
Burano: an unexpected treat. Had never been there. Lonardo(?) was fun to be with and seemed to know everyone. The only disappointment was that we had no real time to spend in the beautiful and unusual shops. We did visit a lace making shop and were amazed at the short demonstration and the intracacies of the goods on display.
Truffle hunt in Florence: Probably the highlight of the trip especially for the kids. Out for close to two hours and back with 3-4 lbs of truffles. Guide was a lot of fun and informative. Roberto and his dog, Dora, stole the show and everyone got a shot with the shovel. The luncheon at La Cantina dei Tartufi was, hands down, the best meal we had on the trip. Beautifully presented with wine pairings and exquisite food. Paola and his wife were the kind of people you'd want to be friends with. It was clearly evident they love what they do. I would go back there in a heartbeat.
Leonardo Da Vinci Interactive Museum. This was described as an "interactive" exhibit and it was. Not as impressive as the one we visited in the town of Vinci but fascinating none the less.
Herculaneum: Having been to Pompei on two other occasions, this was the more perfect initial introduction to the tragedy of Vesuvius. It was much more manageable and not at all crowded. Our guide, Veronica, was terrific, a wellspring of information and great at fielding questions from the kids.
Galleria Spada in Rome: My wife and I had been here twice before. Even though this is not a typical stop on most itineraries, everyone found it fascinating.
Pizza and Tiramisu making in the "In Rome Cooking School" . Gianlucca was a talented, captivating host. Everyone's creation passed the test for deliciousness especially the Tiramisu. Would not have missed this for sure. Tricky to find. No signage, only a discreet number and an unmarked door. Walked right passed it twice.
Rome Tour: Definitely a marathon but worth the craziness. Did not expect the crowds. Giorgio, our guide, had his challenges. The Vatican was a zoo and they wouldn't accept the bar code for the group tour. We had to email all our individual tickets to each other's phones before they would allow entry. Different lines for different groups and we weren't the only ones caught in the confusion. Giorgio, an excellent guide, did his best despite the lack of accommodation on the part of the Vatican personnel. Can't imagine that place in the summer during high season. The first time I was in the Sistine, 56 years ago, I was able to lay down on the floor and photograph the ceiling. This time, I would have been crushed under foot. They wouldn't have found me until closing! Our other stops (Coliseum, etc.) were much less difficult.

All in all, a great trip enjoyed in different ways by a diverse family group. I don't believe any one of us will be forgetting this one any time soon. Thank you to Fabio for his patience, resourcefulness and for delivering the goods. I am blessed that I had the luxury of not having to be overly conscious of the total cost (including airfare, three times that of my first home). And you know the old saying, "You can't take it with you!"

Hotel Reviews

Terrace Pantheon Relais

Rome

This was a good fit. Close to a lot realizing Rome is a difficult city to navigate. The transportation people made that easy despite oppressive traffic everywhere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eurostars Hotel Excelsior

Napoli NA

I asked for clean, comfortable, well located hotels in safe locations. This place was over the top. Luxury and provenance evident everywhere despite its age (108 years). Exquisite rooms and location, right on the water. Rooftop restaurant and bar with breathtaking views. Breakfast buffet was 75 feet long and delicious served in an elegant ballroom.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Frame Hotel Florence

Florence

The building was formerly an apartment hotel where Vincenzo Perugia (the Louvre employee who stole the Mona Lisa in 1911) hid the painting under his bed until 1917. The Mona Lisa was a repeated presence throughout the hotel. Great job converting this structure to a comfy modern hotel. Great location in the antique section of Florence, a stone's throw from the Duomo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the old section of Florence, a short walk to most of the high points.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ca' Nigra Lagoon Resort

Venice

Authenticity & Character

As I recall, this place was over 400 years old.

Location

Convenient to the arrival area. 20 minute walk, or less, to just about everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Luxury Tour: Explore Rome’s Wonders in a Day

Rome

full day, whirlwind tour but a must if you only have the one day like we had. Crowds were unexpected for this time of year (April). Lines everywhere but this is Rome so you have to deal with it or stay home.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Roman-Style Pizza Making Masterclas with Tiramisù

Rome

Making your own pizza and tiramisu with the guidance of a trained chef. Then, to dine on the results of your labors. What's not to love. Appetizers, wine, pizza and tiramisu.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Galleria Spada Timed Entry (self-guided), Including Borromini’s Perspective

Rome

This is an "off the beaten path" site which is not on any standard list but is fascinating none the less. The Boromini perspective is amazing and a shock to the viewer. You have to see it to appreciate it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No real staff or guide. Pretty much self guided.

Transport

They were always on time!

Afternoon Visit to Herculaneum Archaeological Site

Naples

A much smaller version of Pompei but much more easy to negotiate and not as overwhelming. Veronica was a great guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Truffle Hunting Experience With Lunch and Wine Tasting

Italy

Start to finish, this was great. It was good to be out in the country wandering between vineyards and olive groves. Our guide was informative and amusing with a great sense of humor. Roberto and his dog, Dora were the stars. 3-4 lbs of black truffles in and hour and a half. Kids loved it. The Luncheon at La Cantina dei Tartufi was the best food we had on the trip and that's saying a lot as we had some fabulous meals. The owner/host, Paolo and his wife, were perfect hosts.

Quality of Experience

The outdoors, exquisite countryside, a fun activity and a fabulous luncheon

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fun and educational at the same time

Transport

Evening Gondola Ride with Guided Tour

Venice

Our guide, Giada, was great, although while tooling down the Grand Canal with motor craft around, hearing her was a challenge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Murano and Burano Tour: Discover the Magic of Venice's Islands

Venice

Great to see a very old family business thriving. Beautiful factory and showrooms. Excellent explanations. Fascinating demonstration. Burano was an unexpected gem. Wish we had more time to explore the beautiful shops.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vaporetto ride was reasonably comfortable. Someone prone to seasickness might want to prepare.

Learn How To Decorate Venetian Masks - Families And Small Groups

Venice

Lots of fun. Helpful instruction. Many choices and the freedom to be creative. The introduction into the history of the Venetian mask was new to all of us and very interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a lovely trip to Chile through KimKim. It was nice to be able to have input on what we wanted to see and yet have the experience of having assistance with booking the services. We had tours that were in groups, and private. Drivers helping us get to and from all of it. Daily check in with all the information needed for the next day. Guide were amazing and so helpful and knowledgable.

Hotel Reviews

Best Western Patagonia / Hotel Borde Glaciar

Puerto Natales

This hotel is outside of town, which means you need to walk a ways or get an uber, but easy access. Because it is outside of town, amazing views and it is pretty quiet. Staff is kind, food it good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inaki Uhi Hotel

Pascua Island

Easy access to things around town. Nice owners and very helpful. Clean rooms, and good food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman San Martin

Viña del Mar

Great location, not far from the boardwalk. Easy walking to get to other parts of town, or to get an uber. Clean, good food, provided any help needed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel NH Antofagasta

Antofagasta

Had a lovely view of the ocean. Our AC didn't work, they did provide fans, but not fix the ac. It is close to a few sights to see. Easy access for uber to get just about anywhere. Staff was nice, room was clean. It is an older hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

AC didn't work for our entire stay. Didn't move us, provided fans.

Diego de Almagro Iquique Hotel

Iquique

close to the beach for walking, clean and kind staff.

Hotel Pueblo de Tierra

San Pedro de Atacama

Kind, clean. Didn't have AC when we were there, supposedly because of the electric use through the town. Overall, clean, and very nice. It is a short walk to downtown, which also meant it was quiet at night, but also that you have to walk into town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

45 by Director

Santiago

Clean, friendly staff, good food. Very helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Fairly close to lots of things

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Grey Glacier Round Trip Navigation

Chile

This pretty cool. On a boat to get up close to the glacier on the lake. It was cold. So glad we had the appropriate gear to keeps hands and feel warm. Boat was full, so you have to be patient to get the pictures from the good spots.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Torres del Paine National Park - Panoramic Tour

Chile

This was a private tour for us. Our Guide was so knowledgeable. I wish that I had done more research on this park as there is so much more to see. We were able to have some small hikes with our guide, which was lovely as they were off the beaten path and not as many tourist around. The views were amazing. We were there in the fall season, so it was getting cold, but so lovely. We so lots of wildlife, and had the freedom to stop and look as desired.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Tour Orongo Volcano

Easter Island

Going to the top of the volcano and learning about this history of the island. It has incredible views of the island.,

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rano Raraku Volcano & Anakena White Sand Beach

Easter Island

The tour was interesting and learned a lot about the original islanders and how the island and the statues came to be. I felt the quarry was the most interesting about how the statues were created and moved. It is interesting to see this part of history.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Tour Viña del Mar and Valparaiso Starting from Viña del Mar In Private

Chile

Vina de Mar is lovely. Valparaiso is so interesting. Can spend more time in the town, if you wanted to. Our guides were amazing. And even helped with purchasing souvenirs , so helpful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Platinum Tour: Visit Caleta el Cobre Viewpoint & Mano del Desierto

Antofagasta

This was amazing. The Cobre was amazing. The Mano del Desierto was cool. We also had an astrologic viewing at this location - and that was AMAZING. Pictures can even capture the sight of the milky way over the desert in the dark. Our guides were amazing, so generous and kind. One of our favorite parts of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Visit to "Valle de La luna "

Chile

This was pretty cool. The landscape is so diverse. The weather was cold, hot, and windy. so come prepared with layers, hat, sunscreen.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Trip- Red Rocks, Lagunas Altiplánicas & Atacama Salt Flats

San Pedro de Atacama

The Lagunas were interesting but we couldn't get really close to the flamingos. Seeing the flats was interesting. The most amazing part for me was the capricorn longitudinal line and the inca trail, and beautiful landscape of the mountains.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Astronomical Tour - Atacama Desert

San Pedro de Atacama

We had a great experience learning about the southern hemisphere sky and seeing the constellations and even planets.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour

Santiago

Our guide was kind and knowledgable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bea, our travel consultant, took the bundle of inclinations and desires we first approached her with and crafted a thoroughly enjoyable, stress free trip through Portugal. To start, the accommodations were luxurious, comfortable, nicely located and, most importantly, well staffed. Without exception, the workers in Portugal's hospitality industry are hardworking, skilled professionals, but it doesn't stop at that. They were sincere in their concern for our comfort, in their pride in their work and in being Portuguese.
Private guides helped to break down the barriers of language, custom, history and culture. Dani, who led a food tour, could convey the most nuanced conundrum of daily life with a gesture and a grimace. Alex and Petito, each of whom had previously lived abroad pursuing careers in tech, offered fluid perspectives on being Portuguese and in being American as seen through the eyes of the Portuguese. Marta, of We hate Tourism tours, calmly went above and beyond the call of duty to see us through a minor mishap, forging a resolution and continuing the tour to its completion. Unruffled. That's the order of the day, unruffled.
This was a terrific vacation. There was relaxation and overeating and whatever else one might enjoy.

Every aspect of this trip was fantastic! Our food tour in Zagreb was delicious (participants should be warned to come hungry. There was so much food!!) Plitvice Lakes was incredibly beautiful. Our cooking lesson in Split was both informative and delicious. Hvar was very relaxing and the walk and local peta dinner was great. Dubrovnik and our private walking tour was terrific. The boat trip to the Elaphiti Islands was very interesting.
I can’t say enough about how wonderful it was to have drivers meet us everywhere and deliver us to our destinations. Special shoutout to Zoran who picked us up in Zagreb and later that week drove us to Plitvice Lake, explained the complicated history of Croatia and the 1991 Heartland War and then delivered us to our hotel in Split. Ivy in Zagreb, Tomi in Dubrovnik, Simon and his boat, Joseph on our Hvar walk and our cooking instructor were also great. I hope I haven’t left anyone out.
Thank you Ivan and Sarah for also your work arranging a memorable trip.

Activity Reviews

Private Boating Excursion to the Elaphiti Islands

Dubrovnik

Interesting tour of three islands

Tour Dubrovnik's Old Town

Croatia

Very interesting and informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hike to Lost Villages of Hvar, Croatian Peka Lunch

Croatia

Beautiful countryside and fun to find edible plants along the way. The Peka dinner was uniquely prepared and delicious

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Croatian Cooking Class

Split

Our instructor was great. I learned so much preparing fish. The pairing of local wines added to the experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zagreb - walking food tour!

Zagreb

Delicious and sooo much food. Come hungry!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Croatia and Slovenia was well planned and the accommodations were exceptional!

The entire trip was great, especially as our first time in Asia. We were met with warm welcomes from the moment we arrived to when it was time to leave. Phuong and her team were great. Our greeter, tour guide for the night food tasting was also great and allowed us to make the stops we needed. The entire team was able to also accommodate changes to our trip due to my husbands unexpected ankle injury prior to us traveling. Overall a great experience and we will use KimKim again for our next SouthEast Asia adventure!