Liz Karen was VERY proactive and helped us pu...
Peru | Nov 10 - Nov 19, 2023

M
Mickie G.
Flagami, FL | Reviewed on Nov 21, 2023

Liz Karen was VERY proactive and helped us put together a trip to Peru very quickly. We were orginally supposed to be in Costa Rica on a very different business vacation, and the weather caused us to need to cancel and rethink what we were going to do. We decided on a condensed version of our dreal trip to Peru...and it FAR SURPASSED OUR EXPECTATIONS!

Yes, there were a few hiccups, but overall, we would recommend Liz Karen and KimKim Tours to others...actually we alrady have!

We appreciated the phenomenal tours and guides! WOW! FABULOUS!
We also appreciated Liz Karen's swift service when we were experiencing a delay with our airport driver---she was on it and had us a driver in no time to be sure we got to the airport without missing our flight.

Speaking of drivers, it was a relief to have good drivers transporting us to everything, as traffic can be a nightmare in Peru...so it is best to leave the driving to the professionals, so we could enjoy our trip even moreso!

We also recommed you consider their recommendations. They set us up on a Organic Farm Tour and Lunch, that ended up being once of the highlights of our trip that we cannot see, to stop talking about! Had we stuck to only the "highlights" we would have missed out on this incredible experience!!!!

We are already looking at where we want to go next and have already reached out to KimKim tour s for suggestions on various itineraries,,,,and we love the "Independent style" KimKim Tours provide---it's much like what I normally would coordinate...only with a whole lot less hassle for me!!!! We believe their professional connections helped to may our trip even better than if we had booked/coordinated each component ourselves!

5 stars for service!!!!!

Hotel Reviews
Holiday Inn Lima Airport
Lima

This was an excellent first night---great amenities!

Authenticity & Character
It was just as expected for a Holiday Inn
Location
SUPER close to airport
Staff
Friendly and professional
Cleanliness & Comfort
SUPER CLEAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Casa Biru Hotel Boutique
Cusco

We stayed here 4 night in this "old world" boutique hotel. We loved the character, the courtyard, the breakfasts and the incredible staff!!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!

Authenticity & Character
Quirky and cute boutique hotel--very old world
Location
So close to Plaza de Las Armas!
Staff
We cannot rave enough about the amazing staff...they were FABULOUS!!!!
Cleanliness & Comfort
If they had better pillows they would get 5 stars for comfort---but seriously they are awesome!!!!
El Albergue Ollantaytambo Boutique Hotel
Cusco

OUR MOST FAVORITE place that we stayed during the trip====I would go back, just to stay there! It is in the train station gates, you barely hear the trains and the grounds are GORGEOUS with ridiculously amazinv views of the ruins of Ollantaytambo. WE LOVE, LOVE, LOVED this place so much and we have been telling everyone all about it!!!!! The restaurant is fatastic too and the food is courced by the nextdoor organic farm, which we did a food tour and authentic Inka Pachumanha Lunch at----you do NOT want to miss out on this experience---absolutely fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Authenticity & Character
GORGEOUS! Inside and out!!!! Our favorite place we stayed at!!!
Location
Step right out of the hotel and jump on the train to Machu Pichu
Staff
Fabulous, friendly and so hospitable!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Squeeky clean!!!! LOVE IT!!!!! Very comfortable...didn't want to leave!!!
Susanna Inn
Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu

Awful, horrible. terrible. Insects in our beds, no hot water to take a shower or wash properly. LOUD LOUD LOUD! Staff was discourteous...we felt like we couldn't complain because we needed them to store our luggage while we explored Machu Pichu. We couldn't wait to get out of that place. We've stayed in backpacker's hostels WAY better than this place. Good part: Great view of river from window and good banana pancakes. NOTE: We reported to KimKim Tour and they have assured us they will be taking care of the poor service, on our behalf. Highly recommend you do NOT stay there!

Authenticity & Character
Simply awful experience
Location
Staff
Not hospitable
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean with no insects, be sure the hot water is running, try insolating the rooms and asking alte guests to use quiet voices. Ask the kitchen staff to allow the guests to have coffee in the morning, instead telling them no, that they need to wait (20 min) for a cup. Especially since we are up super early and in a hurry to catch the bus to Machu Pichu. Service was slllllllooooooooooooowwwwwww! Food was lackluster...except banana pancakes! Those were heavenly!
Ibis Budget Lima Miraflores
Lima

Basic, but we loved the location and the staff was very helpful!

Authenticity & Character
Basic, but super clean and very QUIET!!!!
Location
Right in the middle of Miraflores close to everything! We would stay here again.
Staff
Hospitable and kind! Breakfast was surprisingly good here
Cleanliness & Comfort
Next time we need a King-size bed, but, that said, it was comfortable and quiet and super clean!!!! We would come back!!!
Activity Reviews
2023/Explore Ollantaytambo, Pachamanca Farm Tour & Vistadome train to Machu Picchu town
2023/Explore Ollantaytambo, Pachamanca Farm Tour & Vistadome train to Machu Picchu town
Peru

The Panchamanca Farm Tour and Lunch is a MUST DO experience. We also love the Vistadome train, it was beautiful both to and from Machu Pichu!

Quality of Experience
Excellent
Food
You will never forget this experience!!!!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Super incredible
Transport
Meeting with a local representative
Meeting with a local representative
Peru

When we met with Lisbeth, it was great. We had some issues before because, even after preseting my passport for travel docs. my name was incorrect on the air boarding passes, etc, and so the airpline gave me a lot of grief because my name didn't match. We also were never sent the boarding passes...instead Lisbeth had sent to our son who was our emergency contact. It was an honest mistake ad she worked very hard to get it fixed quickly and what we appreciated was that she owne the mistake of sending to our son. We are all human, and just owning that was huge on her part, ad we appreciated her efforts. For the rest of our time, if we needed to reach out she was resonsive...until the last day when in Cuzco when our airport driver didn't show up. She did communicate, but not much...we eneded up getting the main cordinator involved and a new driver was sent to us immediately....it was kind of a bummer, because overall it had been great, and then she dropped the ball with communication at the very end, when we were most stressed. Such a shame, because she was very helpful all the other times.

Quality of Experience
Loved Cuzco
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guides were PHENOMENAL, especially Rony, Jacquline, and Luz Mabel!!!! Some of the drivers were fantastic. Liz Karen did a fantastic job with coordinating!
Transport
Loved having drivers for everything...would NEVER want to drive in Peru ourselves, and we drive everywhere all over the place.
Shared tour to Moray Terraces & Maras Salt Mines Tour
Shared tour to Moray Terraces & Maras Salt Mines Tour
Cusco

Far surpassed our expectations!!! Highly recommend

Quality of Experience
Phenomenal sites
Food
We can't remember....so it wasn't bad nor anything to write home about! LOL!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Driver drove a little too fast for our taste
Briefing about your future tour/trek
Briefing about your future tour/trek
Peru

Request Luz Mabel for your Palcoyo Trek---she is fabulous!!!! Thorough and quite the photographer! We love her, she is so knowledgable and funny!

Quality of Experience
Luz is an amazing guide! And we are so glad we went to Palcoyo, as there are c=hardly any tourists (thank goodess) and we got to see WAY more than you will if you go to the popular Rainbow Mountain....this rainbow mountain range is WAY better!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Luz Mabel and Omar, our drive, were fantastic!
Transport
The drive there is an adventure in itself....but Omar got us back safe and sound!
Shared tour to Pisac & Ollantaytambo tour
Shared tour to Pisac & Ollantaytambo tour
Peru

Fabulous tour, we learned so much and we are glad we did this before Machu Pichu.

Quality of Experience
Excellent tour of the ruins
Food
Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Great drive and Rony is a fantastic guide
Transport
Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco  (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV
Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV
Peru

Mystical, magical and far surpassed our dreams!!!!!

Quality of Experience
Dream come true experience!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide was BEYOND phenomenal!!!
Transport
Shared Trek to Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain Cross
Shared Trek to Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain Cross
Cusco

Grateful we did this hike with out outstanding guide Luz Mabel!!!!

Quality of Experience
FANTASTIC!!!!
Food
Food stop wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Luz is an amazing guide....absolutely outstanding!!!!
Transport
Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Nov 22, 2023

Hi Mickie,
Thanks for taking the time to leave such a great review! 😊
It was a pleasure to help you with the planning of your trip. Thank you for the head ups, too. These help us to improve our services and to pay more attention to our suppliers.
I'm sharing the review with the guides and all the office team.
Please take care and let me know if I can help you in a future trip! 😉
All the best!
Liz.