Our trip to Australia, planned by Vicky through KimKim Travel, truly was the trip of a lifetime.
We began our journey in Sydney, where we thoroughly enjoyed our hotel and immediately fell in love with the city. Sydney was vibrant, clean, and filled with incredibly friendly people. We loved exploring its many restaurants, strolling through the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens, and taking the ferry to Manly Beach, which offered spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and the Opera House. One of the...
Read more
Our trip to Australia, planned by Vicky through KimKim Travel, truly was the trip of a lifetime.
We began our journey in Sydney, where we thoroughly enjoyed our hotel and immediately fell in love with the city. Sydney was vibrant, clean, and filled with incredibly friendly people. We loved exploring its many restaurants, strolling through the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens, and taking the ferry to Manly Beach, which offered spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and the Opera House. One of the highlights of our stay was a waterfall, wine, and wildlife tour with Rob that gave us the opportunity to pet koalas and wallabies—an unforgettable experience.
From there, we traveled to Hamilton Island, which was absolutely spectacular. We stayed at the Beach Club, a beautiful and scenic resort that exceeded our expectations. We enjoyed hiking around the island and taking a snorkeling excursion to Whitehaven Beach. Whitehaven Beach is, without question, one of the most breathtaking beaches we have ever seen. The crystal-clear water and pure white silica sand made it truly unforgettable.
Next, we continued to Palm Cove near Cairns. Although windy weather unfortunately forced the cancellation of our turtle kayaking tour, Vicky quickly adjusted our plans, and we ended up enjoying incredible wildlife experiences instead. We saw tree kangaroos, platypuses, crocodiles, cassowaries, koalas, and wild kangaroos—an absolute dream for wildlife enthusiasts.
Our final destination was Uluru, the perfect ending to an amazing adventure. We were awed by the brilliant night sky and loved riding camels around Uluru at sunset, an experience we will never forget.
Throughout the entire trip, Vicky was exceptional. She was always available, responded quickly, and seamlessly handled any itinerary changes caused by the weather. Knowing she was only a message away gave us tremendous peace of mind throughout our travels.
Australia is an enormous country, and our itinerary included multiple flights and hotels to experience everything we hoped to see. While it was a busy trip, every destination was well worth it, and the logistics were handled smoothly.
If you're a wildlife enthusiast or simply want to experience the incredible diversity Australia has to offer, I cannot recommend Vicky highly enough. She created an itinerary that perfectly matched our interests and made every part of our journey memorable. We returned home with unforgettable memories and immense gratitude for the care and attention she put into planning our vacation.
Hotel Reviews
Pullman Sydney Airport
Mascot
We stayed here the night before leaving to go home to the USA. Very clean, nice staff, conveniently located to restaurants, Woolworths, and the airport.
Sails In The Desert
Yulara
Sails in the Desert fit our needs perfectly. We spent two evenings while we saw Uluru Rock. The hotel graciously let us check in early and tours conveniently left from this location. The accommodations were basic but clean.
The Reef House Adults Retreat
Palm Cove
The Reef House is a beautiful hotel that feels like stepping back in time in the best possible way. Its charming white buildings, lush tropical gardens, and warm terracotta accents create a peaceful, elegant atmosphere from the moment you arrive. The hotel offers an impressive range of amenities, making it the perfect place to relax and unwind, and it's conveniently located within easy walking distance of several excellent restaurants.
Unfortunately, our itinerary was packed with tours and excursions, so we weren't able to take full advantage of everything the hotel had to offer. If we return, we would definitely plan to spend more time simply enjoying the property. I would highly recommend The Reef House to anyone looking for a tranquil, beautiful place to stay in Palm Cove.
Hamilton Island Beach Club
Hamilton Island
From the moment you step off the plane, Hamilton Island Beach club treat you like royalty. They collect your baggage for you and bring you to paradise. Iris was amazing! Offering up all the service of Hamilton Beach club. The fact that the shuttle brings you all over the island whenever you want is worth the price of this hotel. Other hotels that you stay at need to rent buggies at $140 a day. Keep this in mind when you choose your hotel. You absolutely need them to get around the island. The breakfast that is included is exquisite! Whether you have it from your patio or from the dining room, it is thoughtfully prepared, and à la carte whatever you wish for. Coffee barista is free all day, which is also delicious. The room has a lovely porch with wallabies outside your door each morning. The Aesop toiletries are lovely as well as the Nespresso coffee machine in the room. The beach is lovely, but if you wish to swim in the water, it is a challenge here. The tides are so aggressive that swimming here is an extensive walk over rocks and sand. At high tide, it is lovely, but that seems to be a minimal amount of time per day here. The walk to hidden Beach is lovely. I suggest you look at the title schedule and make sure that you go during high tide. They call the walk moderate but there is quite a steep hill at the so be prepared for that. Hamilton Island is a unique place in that. All the restaurants and shops are all part of the same system. Wi-Fi works throughout the island and you can charge anything to your room anywhere. If you were looking for a beach vacation, this might not be the place, but I would not hesitate to stay here again for all other amazing amenities!
This hotel is completely fun and high quality! The bed is comfy, bathroom products nice, conveniently located but quiet, and friendly staff. We would totally recommend!
Location
A little bit of a hike from the harbor
Activity Reviews
SEIT | ULURU experience
Uluru
The opportunity to see Uluru up close was truly unforgettable. Walking around the base of the rock gave us a real appreciation for its immense size and beauty, and watching it glow with changing colors at sunset was one of the highlights of our visit.
The tour itself was a bit different from what I had expected. I was hoping to learn more about the geology and science behind Uluru, but the focus was almost entirely on Aboriginal culture and storytelling. While I understand and appreciate the cultural significance of the site, I would have enjoyed a more balanced presentation that included both the cultural and natural history of the rock.
Our guide was knowledgeable, but we didn't feel particularly engaged by the presentation. It's possible we simply didn't connect with this guide, as others may have a different experience.
Overall, I'm glad we took the tour because it gave us the chance to walk around Uluru and experience the spectacular sunset. However, if your primary interest is seeing the rock itself rather than a guided cultural experience, you may find that exploring the base on your own within the national park provides a similarly rewarding experience.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The sunset camel ride around Uluru was a memorable way to experience the area from a different perspective. Riding through the desert as the sun began to set offered beautiful views, and it was interesting to see Uluru change colors throughout the evening.
The guides were friendly and knowledgeable, sharing information about the camels and the surrounding landscape along the way. The camels were gentle, well-behaved, and fun to ride, making it easy to enjoy being so close to them.
At the end of the tour, we were served wine and light nibbles while watching the sunset. It was a nice way to relax after the ride and take in the scenery before heading back.
Overall, this was an enjoyable experience and a good addition to our time at Uluru, especially for anyone looking to experience the landscape in a unique way.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Daintree Afternoon and Nocturnal Tour
Australia
Will was an excellent guide! We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the crocs on the river. The night tour was a cool experience , but we didn’t see much wildlife. The highlight of the trip was seeing a cassowary walk by us, close enough to touch. Will’s overall expertise on the walk made us see everything we possibly could. I wouldn’t hesitate to book this tour!!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Passions of Paradise Great Barrier Reef Snorkel and Dive Cruise from Cairns by Luxury Catamaran
Australia
We had a snorkeling excursion from Cairns aboard a comfortable catamaran, and although the weather didn't cooperate, it was still a worthwhile experience. Unfortunately, it was a very windy day, so for safety reasons we were only able to visit one snorkeling site, and the seas were quite rough.
What really stood out was the incredible crew. They were attentive, professional, and constantly checking on everyone to make sure we felt safe and comfortable in the challenging conditions. Their calm, friendly attitude made a big difference throughout the day.
Even with the rough seas, the Great Barrier Reef was absolutely beautiful and an unforgettable place to snorkel. We'd love to come back another time when the weather is calmer to experience even more of the reef.
Lunch on board was delicious, and the warm meal was especially appreciated after spending time in the cool, windy water. We also appreciated how organized the transportation was. At the end of the trip, the staff personally helped us locate our shuttle back to our hotel, making the return trip smooth and stress-free.
While the weather limited our experience, the outstanding service and the beauty of the reef made this an excursion we would still recommend.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Ocean Rafting - Full Day Eco Adventure from Hamilton Island
Hamilton Island
Fun boat ride out to amazing snorkeling. The variety of coral and fish were breathtaking. Whitehaven Beach has the most beautiful, soft and fine sand I have ever seen in my life. It was so soft that it squeaked when you walked on it. Water was beautiful turquoise blue. Walk up to the outlook was longer than expected. Would have preferred to stay longer on the beach. Boat staff were lovely. Don’t visit Hamilton Island without going to this beach.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Wildlife, Waterfalls and Wine (Small Group Tour)
Sydney
Rob was a perfect guide! Personable and knowledgeable about the area and a definite part of a great day. Absolutely amazing experience feeding the wallabies and kangaroos. And petting the koala as a private part of the tour before the zoo opened was ideal. The waterfall was an easy hike and the wine tasting lovely to end the tour.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Vicky Steinhardt