Kimkim Trip Reviews

All guides and drivers were great as we have become to expect from Kimkim.

Hotel Review

Electra Palace Athens

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Free Afternoon in Athens

Athens

Quality of Experience

Y

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Acropolis Museum Private Guided Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens Highlights Private Guided Driving Tour with Jewish Heritage

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Athens Food Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

National Archaeological Museum Private Guided Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Acropolis Private Guided Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guides God bless and George were fantastic. Request them!! George maneuvered well in heavy traffic in and out if Nairobi and always provided fantastic views of the wildlife. We had bird enthusiasts in our group and Godbless was very knowledgeable. He also gave us excellent views of the animals. He had an engaging personality and it was obvious he had good relationship with other guides.
Joseph did an excellent job of curating a customized experience for our group of six.
He was responsive to our questions.
It was an experience of a lifetime.

All connections were smooth. A no hassle experience where we could still do things independently.
I thought the hiking around Pyha was exceptional. It is nice there was plenty of independent time in location ( except bear watching cabin) to be able to walk about.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fabian

Helsinki

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ski-Inn Kultakero Hotel

Pyhätunturi

Loved this place off season , after the big concert crowd had left. Was so nice to have our own sauna and hot tub. Such a nice spacious room for two people with kitchen facilities. The walking and hikes nearby were great. Unfortunately, our two outings with the same guide we didn’t get a chance to see much wildlife, but the weather was an issue and we enjoyed visiting with him.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bear Watching Cabin

Kuusamo

It was a long time to be cooped up. I would have had second thoughts , if I knew it was 14 hours in a stuffy cabin with no chance to take a walk to get fresh air. It n the other hand it makes a memorable visit and a great story to see bears by the Russian border. I didn’t realize they bait the bears directly in front of the cabin. Something about this struck me as wrong , but my wife liked it more than I did.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Long drive to get to this cabin.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arctic Light Hotel

Rovaniemi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Can walk anywhere from here

Staff

Attentive and accommodating staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sauna in excellent shape

Overnight Train

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Solo Sokos Hotel Turun Seurahuone

Turku

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Haven

Helsinki

Liked the buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Midnight Sun Photography Tour

Rovaniemi

Ryan was a very patient and enthusiastic guy that made for a memorable evening.

Quality of Experience

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Turku City Walking Tour

Turku

Informative guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Canoe Trip in Lapland

Rovaniemi

Beautiful spot , very private. Good guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helsinki Sauna Tour

Helsinki

Was a fun trip. Bike riding was no problem , felt safe.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Supportive and informative. Excellent English.

Transport

Overnight Bear Watching Experience

Kuusamo

Long time at a stuffy cabin. An interesting experience to see bears that close to the Russian border. I didn’t realize they baited the bears to come to the right in front of the cabin.

Quality of Experience

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Clearer communication

Transport

Good drivers on a long drive.

Porvoo Private Day Tour

Helsinki

It was fine , seemed a bit touristy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fishing Experience

Finland

Didn’t have much time to get the line in the water, but still a nice spot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bird & Wildlife Watching Tour

Pyhä

Rainy day and didn’t see much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Reliable for a rainy day

Transport

River Cruise on an Eco Rubber Boat

Rovaniemi

Our guide was informative and personable. He gave us a choice of rubber or rustic wooden boat. I chose the wooden, but there was a problem with a bit of a leaking. The bailing made for a memorable journey.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guide should have probably checked boat leak before guests.

Short Arctic Wilderness Hike (Summer/Autumn)

Rovaniemi

Nice hike , young French guide didn’t add much info.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Never felt like Ryan was rushing through things.

Transport

Picnic Cruise Along the Aura River

Turku

Boat operator did not arrive.

Transport

Back up plan for boat operator.

Guided Hike in the Archipelago Sea

Helsinki

Our guide Alex was excellent with good sized group.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taste of Helsinki & Tour of Suomenlinna

Helsinki

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a marvelous trip to Finland. Emerson established our itinerary, and every phase of the trip played out exactly as planned. For example, every driver we expected for a transport showed up early. I never felt worried that we would be stuck somewhere and have to figure out an alternative plan; things occurred as stated in the itinerary.
I loved the app too - it kept all of the important information, directions and tickets together in one source. I will definitely use KimKim again for international travel.
Emerson was available during the trip via the app or email, just in case we had questions or concerns. It was reassuring to know that we could consult with our travel specialist at any time. He was pretty quick to get back to us when we did contact him.

My Uganda trip, booked through kimkim, was an incredible experience overall. The itinerary covered everything I had hoped for: gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, and Queen Elizabeth National Park were all absolute highlights, each with fantastic wildlife sightings and well-timed, well-organized days.

A special mention goes to my guide and driver, Steven, who was outstanding throughout the trip. He was knowledgeable, attentive, and brought a level of care and professionalism that made a real difference, from the way he timed the trekking activities to how he handled logistics day to day. He's a big part of why this trip felt so memorable.

I also want to highlight Fred, who checked in with me by phone almost every day to make sure everything was going smoothly. That level of attentiveness gave me real peace of mind traveling alone, and it didn't go unnoticed.

One area for improvement: the overall pricing felt too high, not because anything was missing from the trip, but because it's clear a significant markup was added on top of the actual bookings. This isn't a reflection of Steven's or Fred's work, both of which were excellent; it's specifically feedback on kimkim's pricing structure. If I might book with them again, I'd go in more price-conscious, even though the on-the-ground experience was fantastic.

Activity Reviews

Kazinga Channel Water Safari

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Game Drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ride 4 a Woman Biking Community Tour

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Game Drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Chimpanzee Trekking

Kibale National Park

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This trip was amazing! Chris booked eight of us according to our needs, and also provided a wonderfully eclectic experience! We chose to break up into two groups of four so we could see different places, and the timing of the split was perfect. It was wonderful to see so much of Athens, staying in three different hotels, and all were unique in their own ways. The car rentals went very smoothly too. We talked the whole trip about how wonderful Chris' arrangements were, and how much we appreciated the recommendations and free time. He was also very responsive whenever we had questions while on the trip.

My only recommendation is for the car rental: the Nissan Qashqai, while very comfortable, would not allow for turning off driver assist. This meant if I hugged the shoulder to let cars pass, the wheel would automatically and immediately move the car back into the center of the lane. It pinged whenever I drove 1kph over the speed limit. Not ideal for local driving behavior! The rental agency contact said, "this is a good car, but not a good car for Greece." The Ibiza SEAT was perfect though!

Please know the tour guides were wonderful. Irene at the Acropolis group tour and Penny at the Delphi private tour had us laughing, taught us a great deal, were very caring about the heat and shade, and thorough in where to go at the end of the tour. Experiencing two different styles of tours was also very thoughtful! Penny was delightful, and we still quote her.

Lucie was incredible! From start to finish she listened, planned, reworked and was just amazing! She included everything we wanted, selected lovely places for us to stay, made sure the trip went smoothly with a rental car, and gave helpful tips to us. When we added or subtracted things mid- planning she didn’t hesitate! She reworked our itinerary so quickly! I cannot say enough about how kind funny and professional Lucie was. We are planning our next trip in 2027 and will be asking for Lucie specifically! Thank you so much for planning our One of a Kind Grimm Faery Tale Trail Adventure! It was magical!

Adam Warszawski of Iceland Offbeat was simply amazing!!! He was kind, patient, thoughtful, funny, and told us great stories about Iceland and about his guiding experiences. He even cleared an injured duck off the roadway as we were driving. We saw so many wonderful sights, and learned so many things about the land and its history --- all because of Adam. We miss his company in the days since we've arrived home!

The entire experience was fabulous. The only reason I gave KimKim just 4 stars was because of a mix-up at the very beginning of our trip. Another guide picked us up at the airport (ahead of Adam) and was brusque about not being our guide. I had talked to Adam for months ahead of time, planning this trip, and was in communication with Adam even as we landed in Iceland. But when we descended the escalator, there was Svarnen (?) waiting with a sign in his hand that had my name on it. All was eventually sorted, but we found those first few moments odd and uncomfortable.

Fanny and Adrian did a great job. The food tour in Kinsale and the Connemara Sheepdog demonstration were fabulous and definitely the highlights.

From the initial introductory discussion with Janneke through to the end of our trip, our experience of working with Janneke was absolutely superb. She organised a 3 1/2 week family holiday in South Africa and Namibia. Her knowledge and advice from the outset was second to none and ensured that we had a very memorable holiday, staying in 10 different locations, with no 'duds'. We immediately warmed to her enthusiasm for her country, and she was always available throughout the trip to give advice. We even met up near her home on the garden route which was particularly lovely. Given our family situation we had some specific requirements, which were all clearly understood and acted on. All the local partners that she worked with were friendly and knowledgeable - they were clearly well vetted. Particular shout out to Andrew our guide in Cape Town and the wine region and to the team in Namibia.

In terms of highlights, I'd go back to every spot, but top of the list would be Franschhoek (La Cotte Farm) and Hohenstein Lodge in Damaraland, Namibia.

So thank you Janneke and to the team - we will be in touch next time we come to south africa for sure! We need to go to Babylonstoren when it's not raining!

Hotel Reviews

Agama River Camp

Stunning place

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sossus Dune Lodge

Beautiful place in the middle of nowhere with fantastic views. The stars were mindblowing. Really lovely food too. Slightly let down by one or two of the staff members giving a 'can't be bothered' impression, exacerbated by several missing things in our rooms (a missing duvet, missing towels). It was a long walk from the rooms to the reception so this stuff was annoying, but didn't overall detract from a memorable stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Incredible place in the middle of nowhere. Stunning views

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Several missing things in the rooms

Swakopmund Guest House

Swakopmund

The Windhoek Luxury Suites

Windhoek

Xanatseni Private Camp

Bushbuckridge

Wow. What a place. Beautiful rooms with high ceilings and thatched roofs. Decent (perhaps not stellar) food. Super friendly and helpful staff - they were a real joy to be around. Fantastic game drives with knowledgeable guides. It was a real privilege to stay here - I would love to come back.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Harbour House Hotel

Hermanus

Very spacious. Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Lofts Boutique Hotel

Knysna

Brilliant place. Real character (the kids loved crossing a bridge over the lobby to get to their room). Stunning location.

Authenticity & Character

An old boathouse. Real character to the place

Location

Incredible views

Staff

My daughter was expecially chuffed that they found a suiteable khosa name for her.

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Cotte Farm

Franschhoek

Staying at La Cotte was of the highlights of our trip. Such a beautiful, peaceful location with lovely food and lovely rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Romney Park Luxury Apartments

Cape Town

Lovely small boutique hotel/apartments. Worked well for us as was well equipped (washing machine / kitchen), large and comfortable rooms and nice views towards the sea.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Day in the Kruger Bush with Two Game Drives

South Africa

A superb few days. Big thanks to our guide, Ross, who was super knowledgeable of the area and the animals and looked after us well. A real highlight of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Knysna Featherbed Eco Experience

South Africa

A nice trip. Quite busy on the initial part of the walk as everyone set off at the same time, but it did thin out. A nice way to explore the area, and the food at the end was super!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Franschhoek Scootours

South Africa

This was so much fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Town to Franschhoek with Wine farm visits

South Africa

What's not to like about a wine tour in the beautiful landscape and towns of the area!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bo-Kaap Walking Tour

Cape Town

Interesting, but I wouldn't say it's a must do. Can wander around the area and get a feel in your own time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cape Peninsula & Penguins

South Africa

Wonderful trip. Big thanks to our guide Andrew for creating a wonderful tour. Kayaking with the penguins was a particular highlight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food tour in Kinsale was great
Hotels without elevators were a surprise and should be advised about before booking.

Both Adam and Sandy were outstanding. All the hotels were amazing. Pauline with help from Gabriella could not have been better. If you had a question, they got back to you with an answer almost immediately. They were great! Thank you so much, Pauline!!!

Thanks for all your help with this trip. Apart from a few hiccups all went as planned and we loved Greece.

Hotel Review

Paros Agnanti Resort & Spa

Paros

Beautiful food, service and surrounds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to town but away from the bustle

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunset & Wine Tasting Experience

Santorini

Lovely experience and evening.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Acropolis Beat-the-Crowds Discovery Walk

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This trip to South Africa was my first time using KimKim. I wasn't quite sure how to even start with a 2-week safari trip and since a family member recommended them, I decided to give it a try. From the very beginning when Anna-marie answered my request it was simple and reassuring. After we had our first call, she grasped exactly what our family group of eight was looking for. The recommendations were spot on and now that the trip is over not one thing disappointed. Anna-marie was always available and ready to help both before the trip and throughout our two weeks of travel. Top notch travel agent!!!!!
First off, every driver was on time and waiting for us with a smile and more than willing to help and educate us about the area, no matter how long or short the transport was. We never experienced any issues at all. Even the weather cooperated 100%!

Capetown - The rooms and staff at Blackheath Lodge were outstanding. Riano greeted us and made sure we were taken care of all three days and nights. The welcome cocktail and anniversary bubbles were a great surprise after the long travel. The hotel was close enough for us to walk down to the waterfront the next morning after a great breakfast. The first day was on our own to catch up from the day of travel and that worked great. That night Anna-marie made us reservations for dinner at Kloof Street House. Highly recommend this. The dinner and atmosphere were wonderful!
The next day we were greeted by Radheeka, our A+ guide with Earthstompers, for the next two days. She entertained us and safely drove us around the Cape, to the penguins, lunch at Crofter's Kitchen and to and through the wine farms in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Both days exceeded our expectations and were a great quick lesson about southern South Africa.

Franschhoek - We spent two nights at La Fontaine Boutique Hotel. Again, the hotel and staff were excellent. Our free day was a Saturday so after breakfast (where Anna-marie joined us, which was so great to meet her) we decided to venture out to the town's market. We managed to spend hours there and then relaxed before dining at Reuben's, another restaurant Anna-marie recommended. And again, very good. We loved having time in the wine country.

Walkers Plains Camp - Anna-marie really talked this place up. Honestly, we didn't really know what to expect but it was outstanding! All eight of us wished we would have spent another day. We ended up with two nights and four game drives. Our guide Roan and his tracker, Walter, were with us all four drives and we had the time of our lives. Searching out the animals was so fun and finding them was like WOW! Watching the lions, the elephants, the giraffes, the hippos, the leopards, the hyenas, and then all the birds and impalas in their habitat, while being educated at the same time in a private quiet setting was amazing! After the ~4 hours we came back to outstanding meals in a beautiful setting. Perfect!

Panorama Route Scenic Tour to Tanamera Lodge - Themba drove us through the beautiful mountains of South Africa from our safari to our hotel before flying out to Victoria Falls. Again, Anna-marie highly recommended we do the day long drive and we were amazed at the scenic viewpoints and the stops along the way. Again, she was right. Themba was a great driver and provided an entertaining educational "lecture" thru out the drive. We learned alot about the native South African history as well as the importance of the area we were touring. Themba arrived at our hotel just in time for the sunset. We knew we wanted to see the sunset at Tanamera and again WOW! The view was spectacular!! The hotel was very unique and we loved it. The dinner was delicious and the hot water bottles in the beds were perfect for the chilly night. It was fun spending the night in the trees and admiring the night sky.

Victoria Falls - This is something we said we needed to do if we were this close. The Falls were absolutely beautiful and powerful and the walking path around the falls was amazing. Hundreds of pictures! The sunset cruise on the Zambezi Vista was one of our highlights. More animals but the sunset was huge! As someone who loves sunsets this was one of a kind. The drinks and food were very good and our captain, (? we forgot his name) and bartender, Freeman, took excellent care of us. It was sponsored by the hotel, so transportation was provided. I would say if there was anything that was a little disappointing during our trip it was Insinka Lodge. The hotel wants to be a high-end hotel but they definitely cut corners. Most of the staff, especially front of house, were not as helpful or friendly as the other places (except Trudy in the restaurant). I had read reviews about checking your bar bills and that was very good advice. Nothing bad happened but I would probably look for some other place next time. The side trips were good. We were glad we did the Dusty Road Township, especially because our Victoria Falls driver Tuffy (A+) was from the township and provided us with a narrated tour which was very interesting. Tuffy also took us the Botswana for the Chobe day trip with Bushtracks which was again something we were not sure of but turned out to be one of our favorite days. It was a great final day.
As a family, we have done some great overseas vacations, and this one is rated our number 1! We were treated like royalty from the moment KimKim connected us with Anna-marie. Many thanks to her for all her hard work and to all the fabulous people she lined up and we were fortunate to meet along the way! She made our 50th wedding anniversary very memorable!!!

Hotel Reviews

Insika Lodge

Victoria Falls

The hotel was nice. The staff, especially the front of house, was not very accommodating or willing to offer assistance. Never really got that friendly feeling or that they were glad we were there. The one exception was the sunset cruise staff on the boat. They were very friendly and wanted to make sure everyone had a great night. And we did. We had read reviews that suggested you make sure to check your bar bills and that proved to be good advice. When we checked in, our four rooms were located across the resort from each other even though our reservations were mad months in advance. That was disappointing and could not be changed. One of the rooms had the wrong name on it and the wrong name was still on the emails received after checking out. They want to appear as if they are a higher end resort, but they definitely cut corners that make a difference.

Authenticity & Character

The layout and landscape.

Location

The shuttle rides seemed short and close to what we needed.

Staff

Just not very friendly or helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tanamera

Hazyview

Unique smaller hotel that is tucked away and very private. You feel like you are living in the trees and the views are spectacular. The owner and her staff were outstanding. The food was excellent! The rooms were very unique and fun to be in. Make sure you are there for the sunsets! Quiet and relaxing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Walkers Plains Camp

South Africa

Very nice, small private lodge great to experience a safari. The guides and staff were wonderful. The food was very good and the rooms were very clean and comfortable. We truly enjoyed our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Fontaine Boutique Hotel

Franschhoek

Great, friendly and comfortable hotel. Location was perfect. Rooms were lovely.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blackheath Lodge

Cape Town

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Chobe Day Trip

Victoria Falls

Adding this additional safari adventure to the trip was great. Both the land and river tours were good and the lunch at the golf resort was very good. The connection between our two guides, Tuffy and Mateo, made the transition from Zimbabwe to Botswana very simple. Mateo was an excellent safari guide. Very knowledgeable and fun to be with. We had quite a show watching the elephants swim across the river!

Quality of Experience

Food

Buffet at golf resort very nice addition

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tuffy and Mateo very good

Transport

Bushtracks was very good

Cape Peninsula & Penguins

South Africa

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guides (Tomoe in Tokyo and Mitch in Kyoto) were super knowledgeable and went out of their way to make sure our family was happy.

It was a great trip overall. Everything went smoothly. We had open days scheduled where we were able to add things on our own too. It was our first trip to Portugal. The place is amazing. The people were very kind. Even found great food as we are vegans and sometimes not so easy to find a lot of options.

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

Right at the center of the city, but not at the very busy center. Could walk from here, but we ended up taking Bolt to most places since we were tired from walking in the heat.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sapientia Boutique Hotel

Coimbra

If you're visiting Coimbra, this is a good hotel to be at.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

Loved the character of this hotel. Lots of places to walk to from here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Olissippo Oriente

Lisbon

Next to a train station and shopping mall. We needed an adaptor so we were able to walk to the mall and purchase that.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Our guide was knowledgeable and explained very well the sites and other interesting things about the city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My daughter and I took a 2 week trip to Japan. We started in Tokyo. It was helpful to have a driver take us from the airport to our hotel after the long flight and not having to try to navigate by ourselves to the hotel. In Tokyo, our first day was with Motoki Watanabe, who guided us to the Tsukiji Outer Fish Market, Meiji Jingu Shrine, and Sensoji Temple among other sights and provided some information about what we were seeing. He also was flexible to alter plans as needed. One thing I found useful was navigating Tokyo subway system with his help so we could manage it the next few days. The next couple days were spent at Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea. Both were nice parks but if I had to pick one, it would be Disney Sea as it's totally different from other Disneyland parks. The final day in Tokyo we went to to the Ghibli Museum and explored Tokyo by ourselves.

Leaving Tokyo, we took the bullet train to Kyoto. In Kyoto, we were guided by Yoshiko Yoshida to the Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour with a Boat Ride. She shared information about the area and since we had a little extra time, we went to the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The next day we were guided by Asuka Koyanagi and saw more of Kyoto going to Kinkaku-ji Temple, Nijo Castle and Fushimi-Inari Taisha. Only the last day in Kyoto navigating by ourselves, we did Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya. The Tea Ceremony was enjoyable since you learned about the ceremony while dressed in Kimonos.

From Kyoto to Osaka, we were driven by a driver and had Yukari Onishi for our guide. We stopped in Nara and visited the Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. We also fed the bowing deer. In Osaka, we went to the Aquarium, which my daughter found really cool since we saw a couple whale sharks. We also did a Sushi class, which was enjoyable even though my daughter really doesn't like fish.

Overall, the experience was a good one and would look to do again. All the guides spoke good English, willing to change things up if needed, and provided information about the areas that we visited. Most texted us the day before about the pickup for the tours. The hotels were all nice and provided breakfast in the mornings. Having the Kimkim app download on a phone is helpful so you can get any updates to the itinerary.

Adam was outstanding! He shared local and personal insights about everything wee saw. He also kept us moving along without bring obnoxious about it. Also, he asked us regularly what we wanted to see and in many cases gave us options to consider.

Anna-marie, her team, and the responsible tourism organizations and representatives she connected us with gave us the Cape Town experience we were dreaming about - we are so grateful! We hoped to explore the authentic natural beauty of the Cape Town area, its creative chefs and vintners, and we wanted to learn more about the complexities of the peoples and places across the metropolitan area. Anna-marie and team delivered genuine, heartfelt conversations and rich experiences. Without hesitation, I strongly recommend Anna-marie as an excellent, kind and ethical guide to all Cape Town and the surrounding area has to offer!

Hotel Review

Sea Star Rocks

Cape Town

The staff at Sea Star Rocks were so friendly and welcoming, and the rooms have an astounding view! A beautiful, restorative place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Within 20 minutes drive of most Cape Town spots, and ideally located for day trips to the Cape Peninsula or the Winelands....and yet also removed enough to feel like it's a special, quiet cove experience!

Staff

The Sea Star Rocks Team were so warm and helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bo-Kaap Walking Tour

Cape Town

We learned so much about the history, pride and complexities of the Bo-Kaap neighborhood from our guide and community activist, Zaki. Highly recommend, and going with a local member of the community is absolutely essential.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Wine Tour

South Africa

Our guide storm took us on a wonderful day of exploration of the food and wine in the Stellenbosch region! We enjoyed all the winetastings, and absolutely fell in love with Oldenburg Vineywards and our amazing level 2 sommolier, "P." Storm sensed our love of storytelling and connection of wine-to-place, and made an excellent "match" in choosing Oldenburg as our starting point for the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Community Development Projects (highly recommended)

Cape Town

Everyone who visits Cape Town should be taking the time to visit the townships and the various community partnerships and projects showcased by Uthando - https://www.uthandosa.org/. We learned so much, and were so inspired by how people in these communities are creating their own visions for the future and taking action to bring these dreams to life. In the socio-economic complexities of the Soth African cultural landscape, Uthando provided us with a genuine and empowering way to learning from and support these community champions. We left inspired by what community champions are working towards!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lunch at Crofter's Kitchen

South Africa

Nicky is so passionate about the land and plants of the Cape Peninsula, it infuses every bit of the delicious dishes we experienced! I will always treasure the walk around her garden with her, trying seeds, flowers and leaves and discussed their flavours and attributes. A very special meal with an incredible chef!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Peninsula & Penguins

South Africa

The Fynboss ecosystem and the Boulders Beach penguins are an absolutely unique and special part of South Africa! Our guide Storm was incredible knowledgeable and committed to the ongoing sustainability and vitality of the floral and fauna...he was really inspiring! A wonderful day trip from Cape Town...well worth the wander!

Quality of Experience

Food

We particularly loved the coffee shop that offered a "drive-thru" for horses and their riders. Riders got free coffee!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ask for Storm - he has an academic and personal interest in the region and a heart of gold!

Transport

We took a 30-day trip to Italy in May. Starting in Venice and ending in Catania. From the initial planning - more than 6 months in advance I knew we were in good hands with Marina. For one week, my husband and son traveled with us, but the remainder of the trip it was just me and our 3 girls. It was important to me that things were as seamless/safe as possible and I hoped to not stress about our exchanges/transfers/reservations. It was worth every penny having Marina and her team take care of us. I never felt alone - we had a couple hiccups and I just reached out to the team and they helped us or handled things for us.

We wanted the trip to focus on history and special outings for us and not just seeing crowded tourist sights. Marina really listened to what we wanted and suggested several things I would never have known about. The hotels were all lovely - amazing locations and exceeded our expectations. The app and daily notes and recommendations came in handy too.

There were several times the travel team arranged for little extras for our family - like a delicious birthday cake delivered to our hotel for our daughter’s 21st birthday.

Truly an experience we will remember forever.

Our favorites:
Capri and our private guide was worth the splurge!!
My favorite - the hotel in Agrigento and the location and apartment in Florence and the team being available to help when fun travel things come up - like train strikes.
Husband - wind surfing on Lake Garda and Venice
18 year old daughter - visiting churches in Venice
13 year old daughter- the food. All of the food and wind surfing
21 year old daughter - hiking around Lake Garda and the Agrigento hotel
23 years old son - Lake Garda and wandering around Venice

Thank you so much for all the attention and planning that went into our trip

Hotel Reviews

Habitat Boutique Hotel

Catania

Despite the construction on the street in front of the hotel - this hotel exceeded all of our expectations. The staff was wonderful and had the best recommendations. We loved our rooms too.

Authenticity & Character

Very unique hotel. Loved

Location

Great location for walking and felt so safe walking around late. We had a lot of fun in this area.

Staff

Everyone. Sooooo helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

So comfortable. We were at the end of a 30 day trip and felt at home

Hotel baglio della Luna

Valle dei Templi, Agrigento

The best stay of our trip. It felt like we were in our own little luxury villa. The staff went above and beyond. Dinner outdoors over looking the Valley of the Temples - we ate here every night. So special. At this point in our trip we needed to rest and recharge - it was perfect. Excellent recommendations from the staff. Only a small number of rooms so it felt like it was just the 4 sometimes

Authenticity & Character

The gardens - beautiful. So many places to sit, read, have a glass of wine

Location

This location - a little bit of heaven

Staff

Charming. Helpful. Kind. Everyone - from breakfast and check in to drinks in the bar and the staff who kept our rooms tidy

Cleanliness & Comfort

Attention to details - just lovely.

Hotel Politeama

Palermo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Thankful for Valet!

Staff

Helpful and calming. I was a bit anxious from driving - but they were very welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Small rooms, but comfortable!

Palazzo Caracciolo Napoli - MGallery

Naples

Just a lovely and beautiful hotel. Wonderful staff. Very helpful and great with recommendations - we chose to walk from the train station and that was not a wise decision. (Our travel agent suggested a private transfer - and we should have listened).

Authenticity & Character

It feels very special. Unique. The rooms were large and very nice.

Authenticity & Character

It feels very special. Unique. The rooms were large and very nice.

Location

You just have to be more aware of your surroundings and not go exploring in part of the area across from the hotel. Once the hotel gave us suggestions - we were fine!! And the taxi service they suggested was perfect

Location

You just have to be more aware of your surroundings and not go exploring in part of the area across from the hotel. Once the hotel gave us suggestions - we were fine!! And the taxi service they suggested was perfect

Staff

Very nice - great recommendations

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were very comfortable. Rooms were quiet. So nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were very comfortable. Rooms were quiet. So nice.

Hotel della Torre Argentina

Rome

The rooms and breakfast were lovely. The location was great for all we wanted to do.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The location was great - the bus stops right in front of the doors and that makes it difficult to get in and out sometimes.

Staff

The front desk staff were not as warm as all of the other places we stayed. The breakfast staff was lovely.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice rooms - we enjoyed and slept well

Del Guanto Apartment by Mamo Florence

Florence

We loved this apartment. The location was perfect for all the things we wanted to do and see. The rooftop patio was lovely.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

The couch seemed to be missing pillows.

Hotel Lago di Garda Torbole

Torbole sul Garda

Hotel location is amazing. Breakfast delicious. The rooms needed refreshing - linens thin and the sheets had holes. Walls needed painting. Mold in shower - the hotel did fix this as soon as our travel agent let them know.

Authenticity & Character

The rooms felt very basic and cheap.

Authenticity & Character

The rooms felt very basic and cheap.

Location

Gorgeous. Gorgeous location.

Location

Gorgeous. Gorgeous location.

Staff

We let the front desk know we had a package coming and it was important - they refused delivery of it. It had $37 due upon receipt - we were not aware at the time. The hotel did not contact us while we were out on a hike. We had to get a private car to go pick up the package. We missed one of our planned activities and had to pay $150 for the private car. It was more the time we lost as a family together that bothered us. And that the hotel didn’t try to fix it. It was only $37 - we had 3 rooms for 4 nights. They were nice - just wish they had contacted us or paid for the package - which they had our credit card information- they could have handled it differently

Staff

We let the front desk know we had a package coming and it was important - they refused delivery of it. It had $37 due upon receipt - we were not aware at the time. The hotel did not contact us while we were out on a hike. We had to get a private car to go pick up the package. We missed one of our planned activities and had to pay $150 for the private car. It was more the time we lost as a family together that bothered us. And that the hotel didn’t try to fix it. It was only $37 - we had 3 rooms for 4 nights. They were nice - just wish they had contacted us or paid for the package - which they had our credit card information- they could have handled it differently

Cleanliness & Comfort

There was mold in our shower - the hotel did paint over it as soon as notified. The sheets were very thin and had multiple holes in them. The walls throughout the lodging part of the hotel were scratched and needed repair. It was clean - just seemed that no upkeep was happening once you got upstairs to the rooms.

Cleanliness & Comfort

There was mold in our shower - the hotel did paint over it as soon as notified. The sheets were very thin and had multiple holes in them. The walls throughout the lodging part of the hotel were scratched and needed repair. It was clean - just seemed that no upkeep was happening once you got upstairs to the rooms.

Hotel Olimpia

Venice

The staff was so lovely. The rooms were beautiful. We loved the location - not in the busy area and gave us a chance to wander. Breakfast was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

So cute. Unique.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Mt Etna: Volcano Hike & Lava Cave

Catania

Salvatore was an amazing tour guide! We had an excellent day. Mt Etna was wonderful. The wine tasting was ok.

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Salvatore - so kind, interacted with everyone. Excellent information

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Salvatore - so kind, interacted with everyone. Excellent information

Transport

Transport

The Pearl of the Mediterranean: A Day on Capri Island & Anacapri

Italy

Our guide, Lucia, was the best. The day started out with a major glitch, but Lucia calmed us all down and set the perfect tone for the day. It was the best having our own guide - it was special. She asked us what was our goal - I said to see Capri but not with all the crowds - she delivered ! We felt like we hit everything. The cloud covered mountain top and chair lift was soooo cool. Her food recommendations were perfect We loved the knowledge and the history she shared with us. Perfect day. So nice to have the whole day handled - no checking ferry schedules/buying tickets/choosing where to eat. Wonderful

Quality of Experience

100% worth every penny. Lucia made it special. So nice to have everything taken care of

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was prompt - so nice to have it all arranged.

Transport

A Day Among Roman Castles & Medieval Hilltop Villages

Rome

Very cool to get out of the hustle and bustle of Rome. LOVED the wine tasting - we were the only ones there and the staff was incredible. We met the owners at the winery. The papal palace and grounds were very cool to see and the little town outside was lovely. We stopped for lunch on the way back to Rome. Great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We would have loved to hear a bit more about the history of things while he was driving but it was still great.

Transport

Discover the Vatican: From the Museums to the Sistine Chapel

Italy

This felt very rushed. And not a lot of information. She was very nice. It felt more like she was helping us short cut getting through. Unfortunately, we were there on a very busy day - not the guides fault.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice.