Kimkim Trip Reviews for Brazil

Trip planning was excellent and my Agent, Sara was incredibly responsive before and during the trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Deville Prime Cuiabá

Cuiabá - MT

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada Rio Claro

Poconé

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada Berço Pantaneiro

Poconé

First of all the boat safaris and Jaguar spotting were fantastic, exactly what I hoped for. So I am happy overall. But the lodge was very unsatisfactory. The conditions were terrible and the guy running the place very disorganized and didn’t provide any information about meal times, boats, services … I had to ask and push for everything. Other guests complained about this too. At one point I waited for hours at my room thinking someone would pick me up to go to the boat and had to have the Portuguese speaking maid call the manager to find out what was going on. The food was gross and the eating conditions unsanitary. Food prep areas were right next to the very dirty dishwashing area. I didn’t feel comfortable eating. The room was hardly a room but about the size of a tent. The bed and pillows stiff as a board with one blanket and one bath towel provided. No room service was provided or offered in the 3 nights I was there. Dogs from the surrounding slum barked through the night and again starting about 4 am every morning. The room itself was about a block and a half from the main area of the lodge and dining area through what I would call a rural slum with poorly kept huts, broken down cars and with trash everywhere. The attached photo is right outside my room. At night the walk is very dark and if I were a woman I would feel very unsafe walking by the squalor. The WiFi is terrible and cuts in and out constantly, presumably because of the power provided by a weak, intermittent generator.

Authenticity & Character

It feels like a commune. No character at all.

Location

The area is trashy - a rural slum.

Staff

Didn’t communicate about anything. You feel very much on your own to figure things out.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Disgusting and unsanitary

Aymara Lodge

Pocone

The staff was incredibly friendly and responsive throughout the stay! The room was very nice and comfortable and the food was great. My only criticism is this is not really a good place for wildlife photography. The safari rides are in a crowded, big, vibrating truck with very few opportunities. I didn’t see anything on the hikes. The only good shots I was able to get of birds, capybara, couture and monkeys were on my own walking around the grounds. Even then I probably only got 15-20 quality pics in 3 days. So I’d say this is a great place if you want a comfortable venue to enjoy nature and relax but don’t count on getting many wildlife pics.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discovering the Chapada dos Guimarães full day

Brazil

Quality of Experience

Food

The restaurant chosen for lunch was very touristy and the food wasn’t good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide Alfredo was fantastic!!

Transport

Tour Included in the 1-Night Package at Rio Claro Lodge

North Pantanal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour – Jaguar Spotting Experience from Porto Jofre

Brazil

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour – Jaguar Spotting Experience from Porto Jofre

Brazil

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour – Jaguar Spotting Experience from Porto Jofre (half day)

Brazil

Boat safaris were amazing. Accommodations were terrible.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day 4 – Farewell and Departure _ Aymara Experience

North Pantanal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day 3 – Nature and Movement _ Aymara Experience

North Pantanal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day 2 – Exploration and Adventure _ Aymara Experience

North Pantanal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aymara Experience Program - Day 1 – Welcome to Aymara Lodge

North Pantanal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We're seniors who do a lot of international travel. Just finished a Brazil trip --Amazon, Pantanal, Iguazu Falls--that KimKim and our greatly appreciated organizer, Bruno, put together.

It was terrific!! Superbly organized, and the guides in each area were excellent. Lodging (except for one) was excellent, guides were great, drivers were spot on in each area.

Couldn't recommend them more highly.

Dennis Hanson

We had an amazing trip to Brazil thanks to the KIMKIM. I worked with Federico to arrange all airport pickups and drop offs as well as guided tours for Rio, Iguazu Falls and Manaus. Our airport pickups and drop offs were timely, pleasant and all drivers helped with the luggage. All guides were excellent, spoke perfect English and were very knowledgeable on the surroundings, flora and fauna. Jacqueline was our guide in Rio. We had 1/2 day booked for our first day, then a full day tour for our second day. Jacqueline arrived on the first day and informed us that the weather was going to be bad the following so we should see Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf on our first day so that we could get good photos. She spent extra time with us Day 1 so that we could see the iconic city sights in the best light/weather. We really appreciated this. Also, she took us through the priority lines (age related) at Sugarloaf so we did not have to spend extra time in line.
On to Iguazu Falls and the amazing Jessica was our guide there. She was at the airport to greet us when we arrived, and she provided the most amazing service. Jessica was so informative on all the flora and fauna of Iguazu and also on the history of Brazil. It was such a pleasure to spend time with her. She escorted us to the Brazilian side of the falls on day 1 and to the Argentinian side on day 2. Everything went smoothly without a hitch. Jessica was such an excellent guide, she far exceeded our expectations.
On to Manaus and we had Edvaldo for our boat trip on the Amazon. Edvaldo was a great guide, he spoke perfect Engligh and was informative and entertaining. We could not have asked for a better experience.
Thank you KIMKIM for such an amazing experience. Your people are the best!!

Amazing trip to discover Brazil. Bruno was extremely helpful during the trip to accommodate last minute requests. We especially loved our guide Ed in Iguazú Falls.

The 6 day trek through the Pati Valley was stunning and exceeded our expectations. Landscape was beautiful and varied. The bathing in the waterfall pools was divine. We felt privileged to see and enjoy the Park. Our guide Jeorge was first rate, attentive and helpful. We were impressed with his knowledge of the area and his English was excellent. Even down to making us wonderful coffee each day during the hike.

Hotel Review

Bahiacafe Hotel

Salvador

Great location, excellent breakfast. Room comfortable and quiet. Staff very helpful. Very secure luggage storage (we had been told by KimKim that the hotel did not have any).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

HD Panoramic tour of Salvador*

Salvador

We didn't seem to do this tour (we did parts at the lower town between the elevator and inclined plane) ? We were quite tired after our trekking and enjoyed having a quiet wander around Pelourinho so didn't mind too much and didn't bother chasing it up. Not sure what happened.

Historical tour of Salvador*

Salvador

We had only one tour in Salvador which seemed to cover both Pelourinho and the area at the bottom of the elevator. We were very happy with this tour, felt we had seen quite a bit of the historical part of Salvador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yan was our guide

FROM THE PATI VALLEY TO ANDARAÍ - LENÇÓIS - day 6

Brazil

A very early start to climb out of the valley and cross a more barren, rocky area to Andarai. Very interesting geologically and also evidence of historic mining activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

CROSSING THE VALLEY – PATI DE BAIXO - day 5

Brazil

An easier day with swimming in a couple of wonderful pools Homestay at Donna Lindo-probably the most basic but charming and feels like it hasn't changed much in the last hundred years!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

FUNIS WATERFALL AND CASTLE CAVE - day 3

Brazil

Steep ascent to viewpoints on the castle-one of our favourite days. Amazing views on this walk from two viewpoints on the castle. The cave entrance was also impressive even if you can no longer go through it. Swim in the river in a deep pool-lovely. Home stay at Raquels-probably the best homestay, room and food

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

WATERFALL FROM ABOVE - day 4

Brazil

Steady ascent to the plateau then across this to spectacular views. Return the same way. Night in home stay-not very good bed in this one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

FROM CAPÃO TO PATI VALLEY - day 2

Brazil

A short, hot ascent, across a plateau to spectacular views. Night in homestay. Nice swim in pools on the way

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

CACHOEIRA DA FUMAÇA day 1 - ROTEIRO TREKKING VALE DO PATI

Brazil

Very good walk to viewpoints and return the same way. As expected -very little water in the waterfalls-nevertheless spectacular

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

GENERAL INFO - Trekking Vale do Pati 1 week

Brazil

An excellent trek crossing the Pati Valley Pick up and hotel arrangement were all good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jorge was a brilliant guide

Transport

My family had an amazing time in Brazil.
Camille was amazing at understanding our needs and coming up with an exciting itinerary. She also made herself available in a short notice many time during planning to answer all our questions. We had a great time in Amasonia and South Paternal (we even saw a Jaguar kill). Thanks so much Camille and team!!

Hotel Reviews

Intercity Cuiabá

Cuiabá

Pousada Piuval

Pocone

Very good hotel. Especially common grounds were well maintained.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Santa Rosa Pantanal Hotel

Poconé

Room we got was dark and was not very clean. Wifi is very poor. But food is delicious, very friendly staff and very beautifully maintained common grounds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Food is great. Hotel room should be modernized.

Amazon Premium Lodge

Manaus

Really good stay. We enjoyed a lot.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day of adventures in Pantanal

Brazil

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Jaguar Safari & Transfer to Northern Pantanal Lodge

Brazil

Transfer & immersion at the rainforest

Brazil

Food

Adventures in the Jungle Lodge (AP- Days 2 & 3)

The Amazon

Piranha fishing and Amasonia jungle walk were amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Jaguar Safari Tour in Porto Jofre

Brazil

Boat driver and guide were amazing. We saw a Jaguar kill and lots of birds. We saw Giant River Otter

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer & immersion in the rainforest (AP - Day 1)

Brazil

We got an opportunity to try the temperature difference between two kinds of water the point if merginf.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bruno was extremely attentive and efficient, providing support both before and throughout the entire trip. The organization was excellent, and everything ran seamlessly. All the places we visited were stunning, and the transfers, along with the other guides, were also fantastic. Well done!!

My guide for Iguacu, Flavio, was absolutely AMAZING. I can't stress how kind, generous, and authentic he was. I was running behind schedule because of travel delays and he made it all happen. My main tour guide for North Pantanal, Pedro Paulo, was also just as amazing! Talking to both of them was so easy and I felt right at home.

I had many flight delays that were beyond Sara's control, but they were quick to pivot and ensure that I still had a wonderful experience. I was nervous traveling by myself, but I will 100% go back again having had this trip.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend Sara and everything/everyone that was suggested or scheduled for me. I can't wait to go back to Brazil!

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Argentinian Side of the Falls

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Tour – Brazilian Side of the Iguaçu Falls + Bird Park (Parque das Aves)

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transparency , quick response , and very reliable. Bruno was amazing. I have to also thank all the private guides who helped us with this amazing Brazil experience

Our trip to Brazil was amazing! Camille planned the perfect itinerary and working with her was very easy. We loved the lodge she chose (Amazon Turtle Lodge) for our Amazon adventures as well as our guide Marcelle. Our guides in Foz de Iguacu and Rio de Janeiro were also amazing (Deanna and Fernanda). The waterfalls in Foz were just awesome and then seeing Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf, the Lapa samba party, and more in Rio topped off the trip. We definitely just scratched the surface of all that Brazil has to offer and will absolutely be back to explore more. Thank you Kim Kim for another great trip, and I look forward to planning future adventures with your team!

Hotel Review

Amazon Turtle Lodge

Perfect lodge for our adventures. The staff were fun and knowledgeable and there were just enough activities mixed with down time to occupy our 2 1/2 days. The pool was wonderful and the food was good. The guides and boat captains really had a wealth of knowledge and we learned a lot about the Amazon. Would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to explore the area!

Authenticity & Character

Just rustic enough to make you really feel like your immersed but with enough amenities that you don't miss the comforts of a hot shower and great meal!

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms, common areas, pool were all very clean. It's basic but you'll be comfortable.

Activity Review

Gran Aventura Boat Tour

Foz do Iguaçu

Wow, just wow! Best part of our trip to Foz! Adrenaline pumping and opportunity to get up close to the awesome power these falls have!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wonderful trip! Sara was an excellent communicator and planner and we found the itinerary to be interesting and fun, and I thought the price was fair, especially considering the fact that it included transportation, lodging and meals (*there was a daily budget per meal we did not know about, so ask your guide) across a vast area. We did see many jaguars- which is a thrill with Noor and Pedro Paulo from the UESO chalana. We saw the beautiful rocks and waterfalls of Chapada dos Guimaraes and learned about the flora and fauna from our guide, Yann. Yann also introduced us to "pizza pantaneira" which was probably some of my favorite food on the trip. *Pro tip: ask your guide to tell you when you will need your bathing suit- you can swim in some of the waterfalls, but some are only to look at.* It was of course, hot, but that is what was expected. We enjoyed swimming in the beautiful clear streams of Nobres. We did get to see anteaters, lobete (little foxlike animals), bats, rhea, lots of caiman and capybara. We had a good trip. You may want to clarify what to bring and when you are meeting, just to ensure no miscommunications for your trips. The service was good overall and people were kind.

Hotel Reviews

UeSo Pantanal Lodge

Very nice little lodge with resident blue macaw and capybara family as well as many green parrots. It seems to mainly cater to German speaking tourists, but they did have 2 guides that spoke English. Roxy at reception is very nice. The breakfast is plentiful and the serving staff from the kitchen also seem very pleasant. The wifi works and the price is reasonable. You will have to buy your water/drinks. They offer coffee and juice at breakfast, but not other times. They have tea at times. I bought postcards from them, and it seemed pretty reasonable, but they do not have stamps. The laundry service is good but be careful about humidity and rain. One thing I did not know prior to going is that although the Pantanal is swamp, all the non-water areas seem very dry and dusty. It looked smoggy coming into the Pantanal area because of the dust of the road and other motorists. We enjoyed the activities that were based from there: walking around the area, the lookouts they have built to look into the canopy, the jaguar tour, and paddling. Not high-octane, but doable for multiple ages and ability levels. The horseback riding was a little different from other rides I have done. I was really hoping to see more animals on it because of the decreased threat of being on a horse, but we did not see many.

Reino Encantado Pousada

Nobres - MT

This place is beautiful. I loved the wooden ceilings and architecture of the main area. We had our first cachaca here. They have burrowing owls everywhere and resident monkeys (variable visibility).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cantos da Mata

Chapada dos Guimarães

We had a lovely time. Sandra is a very gracious hostess. We enjoyed breakfast and her beautiful garden as well as the coffee tree by our door.

Authenticity & Character

The plants she has chosen to plant on her property are so beautiful.

Location

I liked feeling like we were in the forest. I heard the Howler monkeys in the morning, which I thought was great.

Staff

They were very nice at breakfast. Sandra is very kind. She made us feel welcome and gave us ice when one of our group pulled a muscle on the hike.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Probably would have been a 5/5 if there had only been 2 people, but we squeezed 3 in and it was a little tight (less comfortable.)

Activity Reviews

Last day at Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

Very comfortable last day- nature hike, then returned to Cuiaba in air conditioned, spacious van. Unfortunately, the only wildlife seen on the road was an armadillo. Made it back in plenty of time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro Paulo, who drove us back is great!

Transport

Van was very comfortable- we all had plenty of room and air conditioning.

day 3 at Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaguar Full-Day Safari – From UeSo Pantanal

North Pantanal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day 2 at Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First day at the Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Nobres - tours

Mato Grosso Norte

This was an absolutely charming place to stay and base from. The water is so clear and beautiful. The ranch was pretty.

Quality of Experience

Food

Passionfruit mousse/ice cream was delicious! We enjoyed the different flavors.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering the Chapada dos Guimarães full day

Chapada dos Guimarães

Very nice hike, and our guide was flexible with our party having variable hiking tolerances.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to the Chapada dos Guimarães! First tour

Chapada dos Guimarães

Had a good first day with timely pick up. Ride was comfortable, and our guide, Yann was friendly.

Quality of Experience

Food

Plenty of meat and veggies. All you can eat.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Being that this was my first trip to Brazil, I wasn't sure what to expect. But while all the sights were most gorgeous and fascinating, the most overwhelmingly and welcome aspect was the organization and work Sara did in the organization of all the parts, of which there were many. She planned this trip and all its myriad details so that I didn't have to think of anything - except, of course, the time changes. The guides always arrived to pick me up for a tour way before the scheduled time. They were always where they needed to be. They were kind, polite, and respectful but most of all knew English! Probably the best moment ever was being just about 10 feet away from a jaguar in the Pantanal. He/she acted as if we weren't even there in the boat following him/her. To this lover of all things feline, it was a most spectacular moment. We saw four different jaguars that day along with capybaras, monkeys, caimans and many, many birds there and on the Rio Negro in the Amazon. While I would definitely advocate for someone who loves to watch wildlife take this tour, I would also advocate their visitation to places like Rio, Salvador and Iguassu Falls. Thank you, Sara and the entire KimKim team for these good memories of the beautiful Brazil country.

Hotel Reviews

Bahiacafe Hotel

Salvador

This was the very best of the hotels for the trip. The staff was super friendly and helpful. The rooms were spotless and well-lit. Their bar offered the tastiest pina coladas! Located in the center of the action and at night (except for the holiday being celebrated at the time) it was very quiet and good for sleeping.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amazon Turtle Lodge

Middle of the road lodge. Food was good and adequate and staff very friendly and accommodating. However, there wasn't any hot water and no place to wash clothes. This became very problematic when I began to get numerous bug bites and I think the bugs infiltrated my luggage because I was getting bitten even on the plane returning home. I couldn't wash the clothes because there was no hot water and the humidity kept them wet. We were touring when a huge rainstorm completely soaked us and the clothes never dried. This one wasn't the greatest experience and next time I would upgrade to better accommodations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

UeSo Pantanal Lodge

Needs renovation; rather run down. The air conditioner was located right above the bed and the cold air blew on me all night long and made it hard to sleep. Food was pretty good and always enough to eat. The horses looked a little thin, but it might be because the "grass" doesn't seem to be anything but weeds and they need some more nutritious supplementation.

Authenticity & Character

What is authentic for that part of the world?

Location

I don't know whether it was a worse or better location than anywhere else. I've never been there. It took a while to get there.

Staff

They were very pleasant and caring.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Windsor Palace

Rio de Janeiro

Hotel was clean and comfortable with varying degrees of accommodation by hotel staff (mostly good).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A regular hotel, but I thought there should have been bottled water available that didn't cost so much.

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Tour – Brazilian Side of the Iguaçu Falls + Bird Park (Parque das Aves)

Foz do Iguaçu

Full-Day Argentinian Side of the Falls

Foz do Iguaçu

Tour guide was great!

Behind the scenes of the carnival

Rio de Janeiro

Lots of fun! We were able to try on some of the headpieces worn in the Carnaval and tried our legs at dancing the samba.

Day 3 at the Turtle Lodge in the Amazon rainforest

The Amazon

Somehow, I was being bitten up by bugs; 20-30 bites. They itched like crazy and there was nowhere to buy anything (finally got to a drugstore in Iguassu) I ran out of shampoo and was using soap in the cold shower. We didn't have any hot water which made it a problem because the bugs had somehow made a nest in my suitcase, infecting all the clothes. With no hot water and no way to wash the clothes free of whatever bugs they were and no way to dry the clothes even if I had had the means to wash them, I had to wait until I got home for some relief. While I wore long pants and long-sleeved shirt, they still got onto my skin.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Last day at Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

Day 1 at the Turtle Lodge in the Amazon rainforest

The Amazon

First day at the Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

Rio Green Tour: in the tropical urban forest and among imperial palms

Rio de Janeiro

Would have liked to spend a little more time there.

Santa Teresa & Rio Antigo

Rio de Janeiro

All the must-sees of Rio in one day: Christ, Sugarloaf, Staircase and city tour

Rio de Janeiro

Jaguar full day safari - from Ueso Pantanal

North Pantanal

Overall we had a great time. The locations were varied and interesting. The guides and staff were friendly and accommodating, the food was delicious, and we enjoyed the activities and for the see lots of wildlife. It's a trip we'll remember for a long time.

2 areas could use improvement: 1. Managing guests' expectations. Sometimes we weren't informed about things that would have made the experience better, like that we were to spend one night on a houseboat in Porto Jofre. B/c no one told us this, including Sara, we didn't pack clothing for the next day, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and medication. Luckily we did ok and the staff helped once they realized the situation. But all we needed was 1 guide to tell us we were going to be spending a night away from the lodge and we would've packed properly. That said, staying overnight in Porto Jofre is a must as you need to be up early to see the animals and it's too far from the lodge.

2. One guide, Yann, needs more guidance in dealing with people. He's knowledgeable in plants and animals and he did a great job helping my partner w/ a bad hip get up and down from a difficult view location and on other trails. But he could've provided more info on what we should expect, how long things take, and difficulty. By not telling us that we could swim at some waterfalls, we neglected to change into bathing suits. On a hike around the lodge, he didn't take opportunities to check in with us to see how we were doing. There was a place about halfway where my partner and another guest with a bad hip could've turned back to the lodge. Instead they ended up continuing too far and struggled to make it back. He also needs to learn to take responsibility for mistakes and apologizing. One night he told 3 of us we'd need to be up the next morning at 4:30 to take a sunrise hike when he meant 5:30. Maybe he got the numbers mixed up in English but 3 of us heard him say 4:30. He refused to acknowledge his error and apologize which made things awkward going forward.
Otherwise great trip.

Hotel Reviews

Cantos da Mata

Chapada dos Guimarães

This is essentially a collection of guest rooms run by a woman named Sandra. It's a fairly convenient location near the town and also the scenic locations in the area. Breakfast is included and was well prepared. The rooms were fine for sleeping. The shower was adjacent to the toilet and required squeegeeing to push the water down the drain and away from the toilet. This place is about 1 km down a washboard road from the main highway so be prepared for a bumpy ride to and from

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near the town and also scenic stops

Staff

The woman who prepared breakfast was very nice and did a good job

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reino Encantado Pousada

Nobres - MT

If you're going to Nobres, this is a cool place mostly b/c of easy access to the Saloda River for snorkeling. Also near the lake where macaws go at sunset. Comfortable rooms, friendly staff, and delicious food, plus lots of animals, like burrowing owls, curaçao, and macaws on the grounds.

Authenticity & Character

You'll def know you're in Brazil

Location

Has easy snorkeling and not far from lake w/ macaws

Staff

Friendly and served good food and drinks

Cleanliness & Comfort

UeSo Pantanal Lodge

UeSo is a nice place to stay in the Pantanal w/ comfortable rooms, friendly staff, and delicious food, plus lots of animals, like macaws, capybara, and caiman, on the grounds. There's also a tower you can hike to to get a bird's eye view of the landscape. But be warned, it's quite far from Porto Jofre on a washboard road where you'll spend at least 1 night on a houseboat to see jaguars, otters, and other animals. The houseboat is also comfortable, though beds are small, and also delicious food. Just be prepared for the long journey there and back.

Authenticity & Character

Well decorated, many animals around the grounds

Location

Far from Porto Jofre but that can't be improved

Staff

Most were great, one guide needs improvement

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Last day at Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

Yann led us on a tour around the lodge before we had to depart for the airport. He did say the hike was 2 km but at the halfway point didn't check in to see how we were doing. This would've been a point where those who were tired could turn back toward the lodge. Instead we kept going and it was too much for some. My partner and I went a bit further but ended up leaving the tour and heading back to the lodge on our own. The ride to the airport in Cuiaba was faster than I thought. Thought it would be 3 hrs, Pedro Paolo made it in 2.

Quality of Experience

Checking in w/ guests halfway through the hike

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide could check in w/ guests halfway through the hike

Transport

Got to airport faster than I thought

day 3 at Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

I did a hike w/ Nour to the tower while my partner rode a horse. We saw a lot of caiman. In the afternoon we kayaked on the river.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaguar Full-Day Safari – From UeSo Pantanal

North Pantanal

This was the best day of the tour. More jaguars including one swimming. A family of giant river otters. A capybara w/ birds in its ears. We felt lucky that we got to see all these animals. Followed by a long drive back to Ueso but Nour did his best to make it go fast

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They're good at spotting animals

Transport

Day 2 at Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

We left Ueso for what we thought was a full day excursion but would return that night. Surprise! We ended up spending the night on the houseboat in Porto Jofre. Seeing jaguars was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Jaguars, wildlife along the road

Food

Food on the houseboat was good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wish they'd told us in advance we were overnighting on the houseboat but they were very nice once they figured out we didn't know about it

Transport

Wildlife along the way. It's a long drive.

First day at the Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

It's a bit of a drive from Nobres. We stopped at a pasteleria for lunch. which was good. One of the pastels had caiman, tastes a little like chicken. We arrived at UeSo right before dinner. Nour greeted us w/ Caipirinhas which is a good way to start the experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Pastels are interesting. Food at Ueso is delicious and there's a lot of variety

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Nobres - tours

Mato Grosso Norte

Snorkeling in a river is different and cool. The current just takes you along. The lake where people go to watch the sunset is really to see dozens of macaws gather

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wish Yann had told us in advance about macaws, but he was good at positioning binoculars over phone camera lens to take closeup pix

Transport

Discovering the Chapada dos Guimarães full day

Chapada dos Guimarães

A long hike to a beautiful waterfall we could swim in. The plateau at sunset.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to the Chapada dos Guimarães! First tour

Chapada dos Guimarães

Chapada dos Guimarães is a small cute town w/ a covered main street w/ restaurants and boutique shops. Outside the town is a scenic plateau where people gather at sunset to gaze down at the valley. There are also trails that lead to waterfalls where you can swim. It's a good intro to this part of Mato Grosso. We enjoyed the variety. It was also our first opportunity for sucos and sorvete.

Quality of Experience

Waterfalls to swim in, nice hikes

Food

Got our first taste of suco, pastel, and sorvete

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yann was informative but wish he'd share more info ahead of time

Transport

KimKim was not the first source we tried to make the arrangements. Thank God, we did turn to KimKim ultimately. We loved each of our four local guides. In Buenos Airs, Enrique was hardworking, knowledgeable, and always well-prepared. For the Sao Paulo part, it wouldn't have been a pleasant trip without Alex who was proud of his city and because of his enthusiam, consideration and willingness to go the extra mile, we came to love this city as well. In Iguara Falls, Mario was professional, could sing and whistle very well in addition to being a good photographer. When it came to Rio, Marcello provided a balanced view of the great city, its beaches, beauty beyond words, and its struggling residents.
We finished our journal without any disappointment and would be happy to utilize Bruno's services again and recommend it to friends.

First time booking with Kim Kim and it went really well. Family of 5, traveling with 3 teens (18, 16, 14.). Bruno was very responsive from the beginning and throughout the trip. Transfers, activities, everything was seamless. We really enjoyed our guides- Hannah in Rio de Janeiro, Edison in Foz do Iguaçu and Antonio at Tupana Lodge. Bruno answered all my questions promptly before and during the trip. The guides were helpful in their respective cities. I think I would have liked maybe a step up in accommodations but I’m also not sure the price difference, etc. All our accommodations were nice but not fancy. And I definitely wasn’t fully prepared for what we were getting into in the Amazon. It was a memorable experience but would not be for everyone! Overall a wonderful family trip through Brazil!

Our recent trip to Brazil was truly unforgettable, thanks to the incredible itinerary crafted for us. From the moment we landed in Rio de Janeiro to our breathtaking days at Iguazu Falls, everything was flawlessly organized.

The hotels were amazing – comfortable, well-located, and with fantastic service. Our drivers were always punctual, friendly, and professional, making every transfer smooth and stress-free. The activities were phenomenal: from iconic sights like Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain to the awe-inspiring power of the Iguazu Falls, every experience exceeded our expectations.

As a family, we felt safe, well cared for, and completely immersed in the beauty and culture of Brazil. We can’t thank you enough for making this dream trip so special. Highly recommended!

Bruno to helped us plan a wonderful trip to Rio de Janiero for 2 couples. His excellent suggestions regarding hotel choice, travel itinerary, and most excellent guide, Marcelo, all added up to make an unforgettable trip. Communication was easy, Bruno responded quickly to any inquiries. Bruno easily made tweaks to the itinerary in the planning phase as I reconsidered the itinerary. I highly recommend Bruno and Kimkim, we were so pleased with our trip.

We had an incredible time in Brazil thanks to Bruno's excellent planning. This was a last minute trip but Bruno absolutely pulled it out of the bag to ensure we had an amazing time in Rio with our guide Marcelo and in Iguazu Falls with our guide Edson. Both guides went above and beyond to make sure we had the best time and Bruno kept us updated with details along the way. Rio and Iguazu were beyond expectation and we're so grateful for the experience. Thank you to the whole team for the trip of a lifetime!

A few days ago we (me and my husband) returned from a travel throughout the Brasil. Bruno gave me perfect itinerary and did all booking of the hotels, transfers and flights during our 10 days trip. We have bad luck with canceling of one of the flights, but thanks to Brino’s quick response we were able to get to the next one on the same day. All transfers ran smoothly. As for local guides, Luis in Rio was excellent, very knowledgeable about the history of Rio and Brasil. Addition to all ‘must see’ in Rio, he showed us a lot of hidden gems od Rio. It was like a walking with some celebrity, because he is/was a professor to almost all other guides we met, so he was warmly greeted everywhere. Edson in Foz do Iguacu was also very knowledgeable about the nature and wildlife in the area of these beautiful waterfalls. And at the end Amazonia, which was amazing. Tupana lodge, regarding which I was a little bit sceptic, turned out to be everything that Bruno promised, and Carlos, our guide there, true nature lover, explained us a lot about birds, other animals, forests and native people.
All in all, beautiful experience. Warm ‘thank you’ to Bruno and to all people we met throughout our trip, Natasa

Everything was perfectly organized—from Bruno, who was always accessible, to our fantastic guide in Rio, Luis (a perfect 10/10), and Edson in Iguazu. We truly had excellent guides throughout