Kimkim Trip Reviews for Australia

We had such a fabulous time and Liz made it so easy by planning things perfectly down to all the important details. Our 2 week trip went extremely smoothly and we really loved our itinerary. Liz was super knowledgeable about Australia and very supportive of our family's long wish list She struck a good balance between giving us advice and listening to our priorities. Scheduled flights, transportation, and accommodations all went smoothly without a hitch. We (including kids) all loved the variety of places we visited (Melbourne, Darwin, Port Douglas, Sydney).
We loved the tours she scheduled for us and she went out of her way to make last-minute tour adjustments when needed. All our tour guides were wonderful and gave us unique experiences.

Hotel Reviews

Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne

Melbourne

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Argus Hotel Darwin

Darwin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Silkari Lagoons Port Douglas

Port Douglas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The York, by Swiss-Belhotel

Sydney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Phillip Island Wildlife Day Trip & Penguin Parade

Melbourne

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Indigenous Litchfield Spectacular

Darwin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Flood Country - Northern Kakadu Experience

Darwin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Low Isles Day Trip

Port Douglas

Quality of Experience

no one's fault but it was very windy so rough boat ride and water was cloudy.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Kuranda Rail & Skyrail

Port Douglas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Climb the Harbor Bridge

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Mountains Day Trip with Hike

Sydney

The farm stop was redundant for us as we had already been to many sanctuaries, so had great experiences already with the animals. If we didn't visit other wildlife habitats already then the farm would have been a more fun stop. Breakfast was less than expected. We loved the scenic drive and lookouts. The guide was awesome and very friendly and educational. My whole family unexpectedly all loved the hike. the views were beautiful, and the trail was challenging enough to have been fun for our 3 teens. I thought the Botanical garden was nice was didn't add to the experience of being in the Blue mountains, as the garden in Sydney was even bigger and nicer.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing trip to Australia! This is a great way to go if you are unfamiliar with the area you are visiting. Ruth was so knowledgeable and was able to book us on some great tours that were tailored to our interests. She also set us up in apartment-type accommodations in central locations, which was so convenient for our family. Our itinerary was printed out and waiting for us at our first apartment, and it was so much less stressful having all our rides and tour details arranged and written out for us. We also appreciated the emergency numbers and local agents who could answer questions if needed. Thankfully everything went very smoothly. Would highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

The York, by Swiss-Belhotel

Sydney

Great location. Tastefully decorated. Loved the large bathroom with laundry.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walk to everything.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Gardens Hotel

Yulara

Updated rooms. Nice patio.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Southern Cross Atrium Apartments

Cairns

Great location. Pools were a bonus. Spacious rooms with nice balconies.

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to central station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Suites Gateway

Melbourne

Authenticity & Character

Location

View of water. Close to everything.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spacious rooms and comfortable beds

Activity Reviews

Private Taste of Sydney Experience

Sydney

Great history lessons and tour of significant areas of the city. Thought it could have included more ethnic foods and more of how the history related to the foods we were tasting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Phillip Island Wildlife Day Trip & Penguin Parade

Melbourne

Very cool to see the island and its inhabitants.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sarah was awesome! Knowledgeable and fun.

Transport

Long day with lots of driving but broken up with stops.

Half Day Sydney Classic Tour (Bike)

Sydney

Great way to cover a lot of ground and learn about the city. A bit difficult in crowded areas with a large group, especially when some members were less skilled in biking than others.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Awesome to see the inner workings of the Opera House.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Blue Mountains Day Trip with Hike

Sydney

Something for everyone on this tour. Animals at the farm, hiking in the mountains, and exploring the botanical garden - we enjoyed it all.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Night at Field of Light

Uluru

Amazing Amazing Amazing! Cannot say enough about this experience. From the sunset appetizers to the elaborate dinner to the stars and moonlit walk through the lights. It was truly one of the best highlights of our 2 week Australian vacation.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Kata Tjuta Walk & Breakfast

Uluru

Beautiful views of the sunrise. Sylvia was fantastic! Enjoyed the hike into the Gorge and breakfast.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sylvia was so knowledgeable and really made the experience exceptional.

Transport

Afternoon Uluru Sunset

Uluru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling Day Trip

Australia

Rough waters getting to and from the reef but the snorkeling was amazing. Beautiful fish and knowledgeable staff all contributed to making this a highlight of our vacation.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Cairns

Cairns

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Classic Kuranda

Australia

Loved the cable car ride and seeing the markets and learning more about the native people. Did not like having to ride a bus for an hour and half before we got to start our day (we were the first ones picked up and it took a long time to pick up people at 10+ stops). I would have like a smaller group pick-up (or have everyone meet in a central location?)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not a fan of the bus ride to start the day. Cable car and train were great though.

Afternoon/Evening Adventure & Nocturnal Wildlife Tour

Australia

Loved seeing rare animals - platypus and various kangaroos and opossums. Dinner was great too. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate but even in the rain, it was a fun adventure.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Bike Trip

Melbourne

Paul was a great guide and he tailored the tour to what we wanted to see. Loved that we stopped for coffee and a snack!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tailored to us!

Transport

Afternoon Food & Culture Walk

Melbourne

Great variety of food and loved that Monique related the history and architecture around us to the food we were tasting. Very fun and filling!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Monique did an exceptional job!

Transport

Depart Australia

Australia

Left our hotel earlier than necessary. I understand you wanting to make sure we get to our flights on time but more than 2 hours on domestic and more than 3 hours international still left us with lots of downtime at the airports.

We really enjoyed our trip to Australia. I can not imagine the visit without the help of KimKim. First and foremost arranging drivers to meet at airports (we are Americans and really didn’t feel comfortable driving on the left).

Organizing our itinerary so that we we had time to do an appropriate amount of exploring at each of our stops.

Linking us up with appropriate guided tours and activities that picked us up right at our hotel or a short walk away.

Inevitably, when someone we met at a stop told us we MUST do X or see Y, it was something we had done the day before or were scheduled to do the next.

Definitely many of these activities were NOT something that would have occurred to us on our own.

Well Done, KimKim!!

Hotel Reviews

Sails In The Desert

Yulara

Three different restaurants in the hotel to choose from. Great Breakfast buffet!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mantra 2 Bond Street

Sydney

We loved staying at this hotel. 1. Perfect location near transportation, grocery, bottle shop. 2. Ability to fix our own meals. 3. Essential; washer and dryer in room. 4. Courteous knowledgeable staff that really worked hard to help.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Woolworth’s right across the (closed to traffic) street.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mantra Crown Towers Surfers Paradise

Surfers Paradise

In room laundry and kitchen. Close to ocean. Amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort

Cairns

FANTASTIC breakfast buffet. Reasonably priced dinners. HUGE pool. Didn’t go in myself, but loved to see the families enjoying it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Uluru Camel Tours - Sunset Camel Experience

Uluru

The camel ride was a unique and enjoyable experience. We rode atop the camel for an hour, with frequent pauses. The ride included some food and drinks, which was nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Captain Cook Cruises - Hop On Hop Off Harbour Explorer 2-Day Pass

Sydney

A nice introduction to Sydney Harbor. Shark Island was on the list of stops , but the ship never stopped there. The ferry service would have suited us equally, as it turned out

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrive Sydney

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hunter Valley Food and Wine Lovers Tour

Sydney

The food and wine tour was pleasant. It was mostly about wine tasting, with some food involved. I enjoyed this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Dinner Cruise

Sydney

The dinner cruise was ok. The view from inside was not particularly good and most of the staff seemed disinterested. However, the food was good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Down Under Cruise with Gold Class Lounge

Cairns

The Down Under Cruise was a good experience. My wife enjoyed snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, but I got seasick. However, I still got to see the reef, which was cool!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Daintree, Cape Trib & Bloomfield Day Tour

Cairns

The Daintree day tour was fascinating. We got to see crocodiles during a pontoon boat ride on the Daintree River. The tour was way more extensive than just the boat ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first trip to Australia. Normally, we plan our own trips, but the distance was so great (from the US) and the country so large, that we were overwhelmed. We wanted more independence than a tour would offer, however. Kimkim was the perfect solution!
After asking what categories of things we wanted to explore, and how long our trip would be, Vickie began making suggestions of itineraries and activities. We considered those, made some changes, reconsidered, for several months. Vickie made more suggestions, adjusted things, etc., until we had a plan. And it was an excellent plan.
We loved all the time we had to explore Sydney, and were happy with our combination of planned excursions and free time. The driver/guides for all of our excursions were very knowledgeable and friendly. They not only gave us lots of information about the areas we visited, but had stories about the areas we drove past. That was true of excursions from Sydney, in Gold Coast, in Cairns and at Uluru. Clearly, Kimkim made arrangements with reputable companies.
We did not want to drive in Australia, since we're not used to driving on the left, so we really appreciated the drivers that picked us up at airports and hotels.
We were really happy with our accommodations. Amazing breakfasts were included, and the hotels in Sydney and Gold Coast had laundry facilities in the room, which was so handy.
We downloaded the kimkim app so we could access details of each step of our trip. I did have some questions about excursions along the way, so it was handy to have phone numbers for the tour operators. I had no trouble finding answers. The kimkim team was also available through a chat feature on the app, and that came in handy.
We're not sure where we'll go next, but we're sure we'll ask Kimkim to help us plan the trip.

Hotel Review

Mantra 2 Bond Street

Sydney

Great location for exploring Sydney. Helpful staff. Comfy, spacious suites and amazing breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to places of interest AND close to light rail and trains.

Staff

Very accomodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Uluru Camel Tours - Sunset Camel Experience

Uluru

This was so much fun - definitely a highlight of our trip! The staff is so helpful and they make the ride so enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway + Kuranda Scenic Railway

Cairns

The vintage train ride is amazing. The train itself is fun and the scenery is spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Unchartered Blue Mountains Tour

Sydney

Beautiful scenery and good information about the First Nations people.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Southern Cross Tours - Natural Bridge & Springbrook Waterfalls Tour

Australia

Our guide actually lives in the area that we toured, so she had lots of inside information and good stories.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Down Under Cruise with Gold Class Lounge

Cairns

Unfortunately, my husband got seasick, but I had a great time and am proud to say I snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hunter Valley Food and Wine Lovers Tour

Sydney

Enjoyed not only the wines, but the countryside as we travelled to the wineries. Driver/Guide provided lots of information about the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rocks Walking Tour Private

Sydney

Very interesting historical area of Sydney. Lots of good stories.

Quality of Experience

Free Day in Sydney

Sydney

We toured the Opera House - definitely worth doing. We did the Hop On-Hop Off Big Bus tour, which is informative and interesting - more so than the Hop On Hop Off Ferry. There's narration with the bus - not so for the ferry. And ferry rides are cheap and available individually.

Kings Canyon & Outback Panoramas

Uluru

This is a LONG day, but interesting to see a bit more of the Outback. We took a helicopter tour over the canyon, which was really good.

Sounds of Silence Dinner

Uluru

We actually did the Wintjiri Wiru gourmet dinner and light show instead of this. Vickie found out about this experience kind of late in our planning, and suggested that we substitute it for the Sounds of Silence - and it was PHENOMENAL!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic trip around Australia. Liz listened to our needs, scheduled fun and memorable activities for us, worked around other events we had scheduled, and did it quickly and efficiently. Liz, as well as the rest of the KimKim team, is an excellent, relaxed communicator who kept us updated with any changes. It was a pleasure working with KimKim yet again. We have used KimKim twice now and both of the trips rank at the top of all the trips we have ever taken (and we travel A LOT). Great Job!

Such trip is very complicated to organize, but all worked very good.
All the hotels were good and all the tours were on time and well organized.
No "bad surprices" during the trip.
All re reservations where going perfect.

Hotel Reviews

PARKROYAL Darling Harbour

Sydney

Freindly staff, good location, just a litle dark. Good value for the money.

Authenticity & Character

Location

near Darling habour

Staff

very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside, an IHG Hotel

Cairns North

nice area, quite and beatifull garden. Small pool

Authenticity & Character

standart hotel

Location

a little outside of the city, but still good location

Staff

VERY friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

very good air condition!

Desert Gardens Hotel

Yulara

it takes some time to get into the constrains of been in Uluru Restaurant too expenscie for a very poor service.

Authenticity & Character

standard hotel

Location

we got interior rooms with no view to the rock

Staff

very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

baths were not very clean.

The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins

Melbourne

very central located. Old fashion hotel, nice ambiente.

Authenticity & Character

niche Art Deco ambiente

Location

very close to train station and Skybus terminal

Staff

very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

rooms were not made one night

Activity Reviews

Blue Mountains Day Trip with Hike

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Food

AMANZING. Over the expectations!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

very friendly, educated and nice guide.

Transport

Welcome to Cairns

Cairns

UNFORGETABLE

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

great crew!

Transport

Full-Day Outer Great Barrier Reef (from Hotel)

Cairns

From begging to the end a perfect adventure

Quality of Experience

swiming with Jarks

Food

very good ... and abundant

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Extremlly friendy staff!

Transport

Daintree Rainforest Full Day Adventure by 4WD

Australia

big buss, very bussi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Uluru Sunrise & Kata Tjuta Visit

Uluru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

guides was not so friendly

Transport

We had 13 days in Australia, Connnie did a wonderful job helping us plan. Did a Foodie tour in Melbourne with Janet. She told us about immigration in Melbourne. The highlight was the Mabu Mabu Cafe. The Penguin Parade on Phillips Island was fun. In Cairns we took the railway to the Kuranda Rainforest, which was a lot of fun. We also went snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. My daughter and I touch a sea cucumber. It was beautiful. In Brisbane, we toured the Gold Coast and the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Not only did my daughter hold a koala, but we saw a spinning platypus. Eco Safaris was awesome. The Sydney Opera House was truly amazing. Let's Go Surfing provided a great tour of Bondi Beach and surf lessons. It was an excellent adventure.

Hotel Reviews

Clarion Suites Gateway

Melbourne

Convenient Location, but typical hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In main downtown area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside, an IHG Hotel

Cairns North

Great staff, nice rooms, but a little far from the center of town.

Authenticity & Character

The staff was great!

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Voco Brisbane City Centre, an IHG Hotel

Brisbane

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Morning Discover Bondi Tour

Sydney

Lars from Let's Go Surfing was so much fun. Bondi was beautiful and my daughter loved the surfing!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was phenomenal. After about a week in BRISBANE at a conference (June 02-07), we headed south on a 10-day driving tour toward Melbourne. The first night we stayed in BYRON BAY; in driving the next day ( June 08) we visited Brunswick Bay, Minyon Falls, Byron Bay lighthouse, Bangalow, all beautiful landscapes and small pleasant towns. The next night (June 9), we stayed in PORT MACQUARIE, followed by visits on the 10th to Shelly Beach, Sea Acres Rainforest Trail, Burrawan State Forest, and the Old Bottlebutt Red Bloodwood tree (state park). Other towns and cities we visited were SYDNEY, BATEMANS BAY, NAROOMA, GIPSY POINT, METUNG, RHYLL (on PHILLIP ISLAND), and finally into MELBOURNE. There are too many highlights to list, but rest assured there were plenty of stunning natural landscapes and pleasant city and town environs. We managed to see beautiful coastal areas, mountain rainforests, and kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats, kookaburra, magpies, black swans, and a lot more. A couple of additional highlights to mention are the Penguin Parade (really) on Phillip Island and the Australian Rules Football game in Melbourne...by the way, it was the Richmond Tigers vs. St. Kilda Saints (and, Richmond won). It was a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, and would recommend Australia to anybody.

Everything was amazing! Liz planned a perfect trip for us and answered all of my little and big questions along the way. She worked within our budget and we felt like we were treated so well throughout. The drivers were where they were supposed to be at the times they said they would, the tours were all so well done!
We started in Sydney. We had a change to our harbour tour but ended up getting to see the lights of Vivid with the evening tour. We hit all of the iconic expereinces- the Sydney Opera House tour and the Bridge Climb. Liz was able to change our reservation to twighlight and we were on the bridge as the lights came up. It was terrifying and spectacular, and I would definitely recommend. The tour guides there- Nick gave us the tour and Molly set us up- were so fun. It is such a well organized plan that, even if you are afraid of heights, or anxious about being 134 meters over the water, you couldn't help but feel at ease.
We did the bike tour with Bonzo bikes in the Rocks. Stu was a great guide and, after being totally ovewhelmed by Sydney on my first exhausted day, felt so comfortable and able to really enjoy the sights of the city. It is beautiful-even in winter, the trees are evergreen, so it felt like spring in the northeast/US.
We stopped at Calmsley Farm on the way to the blue mountains. This was a lovely site with helpful guides who know the animals. We learned about the koalas, kangaroos, wallabys and more.
Our trip to the Blue Mountains included a hike and a lovely picnic lunch. We got to see some beautiful views and a waterfall on our hike.
We traveled to Melbourne via Quantas. We stayed at the Batmans Hill on Collins. This was our best accommodation! It was a really interesting building. We had plenty of space for our crew of 3-me, my husband and my 20 yo daughter. They had laundry for a small fee. The staff were so friendly and helpful throughout our stay. It was convenient to the train as well as the light rail which is free within the city. We stopped at the moonlit sancturary where we got to feed the wallabys and kangaroos! We saw the Penguins at Phillip Island, the Yarrow Valley for a vinyard tour= Cam from Vinetrekkers was great. We had a fun, chatty group and really enjoyed the otherwise rainy day! We walked to the aquarium and checked out the Royal and Block arcades on our free days. It felt like being in Hogsmeade-if you are a Harry Potter fan! Definitely felt like a throwback for us!
Off to another flight to Cairnes for our stay in Port Douglas. I can't say enough about the crew at Sailaway who took us to the outer great barrier reef! So knowledgeable and fun. Safety was always at the forefront. We even witnessed their first whale sighting of the migration north just off the point of Snapper Island. We learned a ton about the reef and sustainability.
We headed to Kuranda via the skyrail and scenic rail tour. The little town had a lot to offer. The views were spectacular and we were able to have lunch with a view.
Our Billy Safari tour of the Daintree rainforest was our last official tour. We were exhuasted but still enjoyed Daniel's storie and the views. The river tour was great- we saw several crocodiles and some resident birds.
Our day was back in Sydney to get our flight home. We used the train system to get to the Wildlife museum where we finally found a playpus! The dollar was in our favor so we really were able to eat, visit and enjoy without much fuss.
Our daughter prompted this trip by doing a semester at The University of New Castle in New South Wales. She had an amazing experiece. We were all so impressed by the kindness of the people, the ease of navigating the cities and the amazing opportunities Australia had to offer! We are so thankful we stumbled upon Liz and Kimkim when trying to figure out how to plan a financially manageable trip! Thanks for everything! We all had different highlights but all agreed it was too hard to pick a favorite!

Hotel Reviews

Furama Darling Harbour

Haymarket

Clean and close to the light rail. Breakfast was included and good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Located in China town. It was a cool location, just a tougher walk than we realized. Once we figured out the light rail it was easier!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Batman's Hill On Collins

Melbourne, VIC

The building was really unique. We had a lot of space, laundry was easily accessible, food was good and staff were all friendly! We had seen some reviews which did not reflect the same experience, so we were really pleasantly surprised and it was the best accommodation of our 14 day tour of Australia. The location was great. We walked to the aquarium and the local arcades. We took the free light rail to the night market pretty easily.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa San Michele

Port Douglas

The location was great- right in the middle of town, but in a quiet community! We really should have chosen a larger room for the 3 of us- it was a bit tight for 3 adults in the 1 br apt.

Activity Reviews

Phillip Island Wildlife Day Trip & Penguin Parade

Melbourne

Kevin was a great tour guide! He got us where we needed to be and knew the best way to navigate the crowds. We had a cold, rainy night but still had an amazing time and saw around 800 penguins come ashore! It was amazing!

Half Day Sydney Classic Tour (Bike)

Sydney

Stu was a great guide! It was a very relaxed outing and I felt like we saw Sydney in a way that I never would have on foot! We enjoyed the info and the chatter! We took our helmets off for the photo!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Climb the Harbor Bridge

Sydney

Nick and Molly helped us through the process. So well organized and safety conscious. We had amazing time, seeing the lights come up for Vivid! Amazing experiece despite some mild terror! They are so good about putting you at ease and making you feel safe! Picture is our celebratory drink after the climb!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Yarra Valley Wine and Food Tour

Melbourne

We had a great day with Cam and Vinetrekker despite the dreary day! Lots of great people and chatter! The wine was good, too :)

Quality of Experience

Food

We had a lovely meal with some local fare!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Day Trip

Port Douglas

We loved our experience with Sailaway! The crew was fantastic-fun, knowledgeable and comfortable to be around! They were on top of everything from safety to motion sickness to reef knowlege and conservation. Can't say enough!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The whole process of planning the trip was great. Our planner Brooke took the time to understand our interests and needs and was always open to make changes and adjustments based on our requests. She was very knowledgeable on the areas we travelled to that gave us confidence that what we were choosing was right for us. We travelled to Melbourne, Hobart-Tasmania, Ayers Rock-Uluri, Cairns-Port Douglas, and Sydney. Every single city was unique and amazing. It was definitely an unforgettable experience.

Hotel Reviews

Salamanca Inn

Hobart TAS

Similar to the Clarion Suites, this hotel was clean, comfortable, and in a safe location. It was very convenient for our short stay in Hobart.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Suites Gateway

Melbourne

The hotel was comfortable and clean. We didn't spend much time in the hotel as we were out exploring most of the time. This hotel was perfect for our needs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Woolstore 1888 by Ovolo

Pyrmont

We enjoyed our stay at this hotel. It was clean, comfortable and in a good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Outback Hotel & Lodge

Yulara

This was a decent hotel for the one night we stayed. We didn't have any major complaints.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bay Villas Resort

Port Douglas

The resort was great. The accommodations were comfortable and the location was convenient. We appreciated the proximity to the grocery store and the ability to cook our own breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Phillip Island Wildlife Day Trip & Penguin Parade

Melbourne

This was another highlight. We got to see the penguins and explore the sanctuary.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Night Visit

Hobart

This was one of the most beautiful experiences. Amazing overall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day

Sydney

Although the blue mountains are beautiful the trip was designed for older people. It was a little boring for our 15 year old. He liked it all but it needs a little something to make it more fun for teens.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Great Ocean Road Trip

Melbourne

Our tour guide Sarah was fantastic. She was so passionate about what she does that made this day for us unforgettable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Night at Field of Light

Uluru

This activity was great. We were supposed to get a souvenir at the end but that did not happen. The lights are getting old so they do not shine as bright. The food and service were good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Uluru Sunrise with Breakfast

Uluru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Port Douglas

Port Douglas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Classic Kuranda - Gold Class

Australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Dinner Cruise - Window Seat - Vivid Sydney

Sydney

Vivid Sydney was amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Depart Australia

Australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver taking us to the airport was so kind. He allowed us to stop at a golf course so our son can get a hat. So kind

Morning City Tour

Melbourne

This was a great way to start our trip. We got to see a lot of the city and learn about its history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Outer Barrier Reef Cruise + Intro Dive (from Hotel)

Port Douglas

We were a little disappointed with this tour. The dive was overrated and the crew was not very welcoming. We also did not have the opportunity to take photos underwater.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gary was fantastic . He put together the perfect trip according to my suggestions. The hotels were great. The excursions were wonderful.
I loved everything. I am a travel agent in Arizona, USA. I will definitely recommend Kim Kim Travel.

Gary was incredibly helpful and planned an absolutely wonderful trip for me and my family. Everything from the transportation, hotel reservations, and excursion was exceptional. We had some last minute travel issues that he helped us with immediately. I gave 5 stars but Gary deserves 10. Thank you, Gary!!

Hotel Reviews

Shangri-La Sydney

The Rocks

This was the best hotel we stayed at. Incredible view and impressive service.

Authenticity & Character

It was beautiful and unique

Location

Walkable to everything and great views from our window.

Staff

Very helpful staff. They took care of my kids who arrived before I did.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Cairns

Cairns

This hotel worked great for us and our short stay but didn't compare to the other hotel stays. It was a bit of a Bahamian vibe.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff was lovely.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel

Mascot, Sydney, NSW

Perfect stay for an early departure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Day trip to the Great Barrier Reef

Australia

Unfortunately I was sea sick most of the time. Regardless, this excursion was one for the books. The captain took good care of me and the kids and I had a blast.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was absolutely amazing! Liz did a fantastic job of coordinating our travel plans, even when there were some last minute changes. I am thankful for her willingness to go above and beyond to help us with those changes. All of our flights, hotels, pick ups/drop offs, and tours went smoothly and as planned. Visiting Sydney during Vivid and doing the Vivid BridgeClimb was absolutely breathtaking! We also thoroughly enjoyed the nocturnal tour with Wait a While Tours in Cairns with Paul. During the tour we were able to to see two platypus in the wild...a dream come true! And, of course, you can't beat snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. Last of all, my favorite place was Kangaroo Island. Seeing koalas, kangaroos, and sea lions in the wild was incredible. And, Admiral's Arch is a must see for anyone visiting KI. Thank you, Liz, for all that you have done for us! It was a trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

PARKROYAL Darling Harbour

Sydney

The hotel was nice and well-located.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Grand Chancellor Adelaide

Adelaide

The hotel was downtown, but Adelaide was a bit congested and not as pretty as other locations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge

American River

The hotel was secluded and peaceful. Loved walking along the lagoon in the morning. However, there are limited dining options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Climb the Harbor Bridge

Sydney

The bridge climb during Vivid Night was amazing, even for someone who is scared of heights. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Marine World Outer Great Barrier Reef

Australia

The pontoon on the Great Barrier Reef had an all-you-can-eat buffet, submersible, and underwater window view. The snorkeling experience was enjoyable, even for someone who doesn't swim or snorkel much.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ultimate Kangaroo Island Tour (Day 1)

Australia

Kangaroo Island was beautiful, especially Admiral's Arch. Highly recommend doing the two-day tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ultimate Kangaroo Island Tour (Day 2)

Australia

Remarkable Rocks was another highlight on Kangaroo Island. The island was remote and full of wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainforest & Nocturnal Wildlife Adventure

Australia

The Wait Awhile tour in Cairns with Paul was great. He was very knowledgeable, and we saw two platypuses in the wild as well as other wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gary was absolutely AMAZING. There wasn't a glitch. Gary covered every angle from airline and car transportation, hotels to excursions.

We had drivers waiting for us everywhere they were courteous and punctual. The excursion to The Great Barrier Reef was a highlight that we would have most likely missed if Gary had not recommended we see this when we traveled to Australia. Kim Kim Tours and Gary are OUTSTANDING and I would highly recommend them if you are considering a trip.

Thank you

Liz was great in setting up the itinerary with suggestions, modifications, and final bookings. Final day on Green Island could have been better. Mostly the contractor providing the trip was into upselling higher priced scuba and outer reef experiences. Normally the trip could have been shortened to fewer hours than the full day, but THEY decided against running additional mid-day boats.

We really enjoyed our trip greatly. The planning and execution were very good overall. We enjoyed many of the places we stayed at, especially Amora Jamison in Sydney and Mandalay apartments in Port Douglas.

Hotel Reviews

Adabco Boutique Hotel

Adelaide

This was a good hotel in a central location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Suites Gateway

Melbourne

The location and overall experience were great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Southern Ocean Villas

Port Campbell

The location of the hotel was great and it was very spacious for our family of 5.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We did not interact with any staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quality Hotel Melbourne Airport

Tullamarine

Overall the hotel was OK but did have a restaurant next door.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mandalay Luxury Beachfront Apartments

Port Douglas

Excellent all around!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge

American River

Nice hotel in a good location on Kangaroo Island.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney

Sydney

Very nice and posh hotel in a great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Phillip Island Private Tour

Melbourne

We very much loved this experience and our guide took excellent care of us. He was a wealth of information.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise

Australia

This was a great experience that was enjoyed by our whole family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Classic Kuranda Tour

Australia

We truly enjoyed this experience. The skyrail and train were great! The experience at Kurranda was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We purchased a costumed designed independent trip to Australia with Springboard Vacations, and we ended up having great vacations on April 2023. We have to thank their trip specialist, Connie, with whom we started communicating in late Dec. 2022. Connie worked with us for over three months prior and during our trip, clearly understood our priorities and wants, and ensured that our two weeks filled with activity and tours-cations in Melbourne, Uluru, Cairns and Sydney would be unforgettable. Overall, I will work with Connie again if we plan other trips to destinations covered in her portfolio. Springboard Vacations, can certainly create good travel packages to please any traveler, and at good price.

Overall experience with tours included in our itnerary per our requests and interests: Very satisfied 5/5
Also, all of our tour guides were knowledgeable and courteous. We were glad that with a customed designed trip option, we went to the specific locations and attractions that we were interested in, joining different small groups and being more independent.

Melbourne:
• Great Ocean Road Day Trip- great full day tour with multiple stops including various National Parks)
• Adventure Philip Island & Penguin Parade Excursion - First stop was at the Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park where we enjoyed seeing koalas, and feeding/petting wallabies and kangaroos, and the last stop was the super amazing treat by over 1400 small penguins that got out of the sea and paraded in front of us on their way to their burrows; I really recommend this tour and an upgrade to the Penguins Plus option seating.
• Morning Lanes and Arcades Tour - 3 hour tour was very educational and enjoyable.
• Note: We had 1.5 free days in Melbourne to visit museums, gardens and other points of interest. We highly recommend some free time for these activities.

Uluru:
• Kata Tjuta & Sunset Over Uluru tour- a few hours tour to enjoy very pretty views of the big rock
• Sunrise Over Uluru Culture and Sightseeing tour - very enjoyable sunrise with colorful views, and a good hike that brought us close to the huge rock formations.
• Sunrise Field of Light Tour is a good exhibit with good natural backgrounds (sunset option is available)

Cairns:
• Full-Day Marine World Outer Great Barrier Reef – this was priceless to us, as we spent approx. 2 hours each in the morning and afternoon snorkeling in two different coral reef areas with very abundant sea life. On board, we purchased the bio-snorkeling 30 min tour that led us to about ½ dozen spots where we saw (otherwise have probably missed), and learned about clams and some fish and coral species.
• Note: On our free day we enjoyed a morning on the boardwalk area, and the afternoon was awesome too, as one of us went to the Botanical Gardens and Tanks Art Exhibit, and the other one went white water rafting.
• We wished that we would have spent a third day in Cairns to spent another outer Great Barrier Reef snorkeling.

Sydney
• Sydney Opera House 1 hour tour was very informative, and at the end we bought tickets for a night performance which was worthy.
• Morning Panoramic Sydney Sights tour (informative 3 hours drive around the city and to Bondi Beach)
• Afternoon ferry ride that took us to the Taronga Zoo – excellent with a wide variety of local birds, koalas kangaroos, dingo dogs and many more interesting/exotic animals.
• Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day – we first stopped at a farm for about 1.5 hrs to pet a koala, watch many kangaroos, wallabies and emus, and then we arrived at the National Park where we enjoyed the views at different stop points, a 2 mile hike, and its garden.
• Note: We had free time in Sydney to walk on the bridge across the Harbour, go for the Saturday Night fireworks on Darling Harbour, do a little shopping, and eating at various restaurants of choice. We wished that we had a free full day to visit museums and gardens around Sydney.

Transportation from/to all airports: Very satisfied
Transportation was consistently excellent: On time, top notch and vehicles, and the drivers were friendly and respectful.

Hotels: Very satisfied.
Mantra on Russell, Melbourne: Good option because location of hotel was convenient, e.g., close to free light rail, to lots of stores and good restaurants in the predominately chinese area. The room appeared to have been recently remodeled, it was well appointed, super clean and with all desired ammenities (including a kitchenette). I enjoyed the swimming pool too. Good service. 

Desert Garden Hotel, Uluru: Great option
It was super close to the "town square" of the hotel, there is a small but well appointed grocery store, free laundry facilities (dryer/washer), many stores and restaurants (very good food), and opportunity for various presentations and for walking around hotel between tours to the National Parks. All tour companies covering the area have representatives in an office in the "town square", so if necessary, we could ask detailed questions about tours in our itinerary. Good service. 

Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside: Very satisfied with this hotel
Very good location with access to boardwalk and restaurants. Pretty lobby, gardens and restaurants and the large room was clean. Breakfast was good too. Good service.

Mantra, Sydney: Excellent a 6 out of 5 if possible to rate it that way.
Location is to die for, with the light rail station being in front of the hotel. Hotel is surrounded by malls, stores, grocery stores, many restaurants and within walking distance of key tourist locations as you described in our itinerary. The hotel was very clean, the suites are very well appointed, and it was great to have a washer/dryer in our suite. Very good service with friendly and helpful personnel. On two out of the three mornings during our stay in the hotel, we had to leave prior to their small restaurant being opened for breakfast at 7:00 AM; the chef prepared us to go breakfast boxes with delicious/good content on the first day with less than 30 minutes of my request when he had just arrived, and appeared to have a semi-ready to go box on the second day, as he handed them to us at his official start time of 6:30 AM.

One of the best things we ever could have done was worked with Liz to organize our trip to Australia and New Zealand. The process of organizing our trip (hotels, transfers, events) was so much easier working through Liz as it narrowed down the millions of options and she kept us within a reasonable amount of our budget. What really stood out was when our flight to Australia was completely canceled. Between Liz and Leslie in Australia, they helped reorganize our trip, working with the tour companies to ensure our trip was still amazing. They were both so helpful and we would have been so much more stressed without them during that time. Also, Liz was able to coordinate our tours so that all but maybe two tours picked us up at our hotel, eliminating the need for a rental car everywhere we went.

A couple highlights for others planning to go to Australia and New Zealand who love the outdoors:
Sydney
- Explore the Gardens
- Do a harbor cruise at night, the views are worth it!
- Full Day Blue Mountains Tour -> One of the top things we did, the most amazing day and most amazing guide
Cairns
- Great Barrier Reef is a must, Passions of Paradise was the company we took and the experience and what we learned was amazing!
- Wait-a-while Evening Rainforest Tour was amazing! The guide was so knowledgable and friendly!
Brisbane
- We rented a car and did the Australia Zoo ourselves which was perfect because we got there right when it opened and left just as is was closing. You need a whole day!
Auckland
- Afternoon Wilderness Experience
- We did a shared tour to Hobbiton that dropped us off in Rotorua, cutting down on travel time which was great!
Rotorua
- Mitai Maori Village Cultural Experience was a must to learn about the culture and the history of New Zealand
- Loved the Regent of Rotorua Boutique Hotel, it was central and near tons of places to grab a bite to eat!
Queenstown
- The Rydges Lakeland Resort was stunning and made it easy to walk to places in Queenstown
- Full Day Routeburn Hike --> Absolutely stunning!
- Milford Sound
- Full Day Funyak Safari Trip --> So much fun! JJ led our group as we kayacked down the Dart River and was just so much fun to chat with and explore!

We loved our trip to Australia and Connie was very patient and helped to plan the perfect trip for us. She responded immediately to any questions I had . We had wanted a trip to see more " nature " and she suggested Tasmania. She advised that we rent a car ( which we were hesitant to do ) . But, it was perfect and fun going out of our comfort range. The driving turned out to be so laid back and easy , and such beautiful scenery ! We visited Cradle mountain first and then on to Hobart. Thanks Connie !

Hotel Reviews

The Grace Hotel

Sydney, NSW

Location

Walking distance to Barangaroo/ The rocks - Perfect !

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cradle Mountain Hotel

Cradle Mountain

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ibis Styles Hobart

Hobart

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location. Within walking distance to many attractions

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Taste of Sydney Experience

Sydney

Loved this tour ! It was perfect for us especially since we had only 1 day in Sydney. We started at a nearby hotel within walking distance. Our guide was very informative and fun and we were able to experience foods that we probably would not have if we were on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exceptional guide. Very fun and knowledgeable. He seemed to genuinely love what he was doing.

Devils @ Cradle After Dark Feeding Tour

Cradle Mountain National Park

Great experience if you love animals . Not only do you get to see Tasmanian devils, but Quolls which are endangered species as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bruny Island Day Trip

Hobart

So much fun and the food tastings were fantastic ! Cheeses, honey, beer and lunch !

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My 17 year old son and I went to Australia for a belated Birthday trip. We only planned the trip 8 weeks prior to going and Gary was very thorough and helped guide our short trip. We did a half day Sydney tour, a full day tour out to the Blue Mountains (with a hike and botanical gardens stop) flew to Carins and did a full day Great Barrier Reef snorkeling trip and a few days there and ended with a day at Cogee and a day at Bondi Beach. All of the tours and our transportation to and from the hotels and airports went perfectly, our rental car on Carins also was also easy to rent and return. The hotels Gary booked were fine, especially Mantra Amphora in Palm Cove. (highly recommend) Our final hotel in Cogee, Adina Apartments, was very small and had canceled our reservation at check in. We had to call Gary and he answered immediately and took care of the problem which was not his fault, and he made sure Adina checked us in and gave us our room as originally planned. We were very pleased with Gary and his prompt response to all of our questions. If I could give any future travelers advice I would say be very specific about what you want to do, the type of accommodations you expect and the bed sizes and if you prefer large or small group tours. The more specific you are the more tailored your adventure will be. The cost was reasonable for all that we did. We will us Kikiman again!

Hotel Reviews

Mantra Amphora

Palm Cove

Great hotel complete with separate bedroom, spacious bathroom, balcony and living/kitchen area. Very clean and lovely grounds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near the beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina Apartment Hotel Coogee

Coogee

Authenticity & Character

No character

Location

Staff

Weren't very friendly at check in

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but cramped

Furama Darling Harbour

Haymarket

The hotel is clean and the room is a normal size for a city. We had a terrible view of an alley and brick wall and couldn't take advantage of the free breakfast because we were scheduled for tours before the restaurant opened.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunlover Reef Cruises Pontoon - Moore Reef

Australia

The staff were great but it was very crowded and the lunch not very good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Panoramic Sydney Sights

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pick up your rental car at Cairns for your trip to Undara

Canberra

Quality of Experience

L

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Mountains Hike the World Heritage

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport