Kimkim Trip Reviews for Chile

Planning was easy, responsive team and would highly recommend

Francisco was just absolutely amazing in helping me plan this trip. he was patient with all my changing requests, worked within my budgets. most importantly, he was always honest and that gives me the confidence to refer him to all my friends. His excursion choices were well thought out, with good companies. he went over and above his brief to help me with flight bookings that were not in his purview. he was always available on whatsapp, email. and responded quickly. my only regret is we could not meet. As he said, to meet, we have to now plan another visit to South America soon!
Thank you for everything

Our family had a really amazing trip to Chile. Angel our tour guide was very knowledgeable and was very responsive. We had a packed trip and being a long country we had quite a bit of travel to do. Our trip to Rapa Nui was once in a lifetime one. Angel had chosen good hotels for us, and the tour guides he had arranged were all excellent. We have always been pleased with Kimkim(We used them in the past for Peru) and this time around too they did not disappoint us. We will definitely be using Kimkim again for our next adventures. However if you are going to Chile, Angel is your man!!!

From the beginning of planning our time in Santiago with a trip to Easter Island, Angel our travel agent was incredibly responsive. He listened to what we wanted and demonstrated a willingness to adjust mid trip. He responded almost immediately to any questions or concerns.

On first day in Santiago we had a full day private tour organized including seeing Valparaiso, Vina Del Mar and a visit to a vineyard. We were met at the port (at the end of our expedition through the glaciers and fjords of Patagonia) by our driver Eduardo and an English speaking guide, Consuelo Ibarra. Eduardo was a great driver and Consuelo an excellent guide.

We were able to see and understand Valparaiso through her eyes as she lives here and she provided a great overview of everywhere we visited. Quickly learning our interests she was able to fill us in on history, politics, art and so much more. It was an excellent day and Consuelo provided us with excellent guidance for our second day exploring Santiago including great local vegetarian food, art installations, green space, many places not to miss when visiting Santiago.

After two days based in Santiago we flew to Rapa Nui, (Easter Island).

All of our airport transfers were taken care of and the drivers arrived promptly to pick us up or meet our flights. Additionally our hotel which we really liked, LaReve was in a great neighborhood, and very accommodating. As we would return here for one more day in Santiago they were happy to store our luggage.

On Easter Island we were booked for a private full day tour and a half day tour with our guide Alex, who met us at the airport. Alex was great and despite the wild weather, fog, rain, high winds, we managed to see all the sites with remarkably few tourists. Alex knew how to sequence our visits to each site. He was very knowledgeable. He was also quite thoughtful, orienting us to the Island before dropping us at the hotel so we knew where we could head on our own.

Despite the weather we had an excellent visit to this extraordinary remote historic island.

Our last day in Santiago was Easter and one of our scheduled tour visits the Bahai Temple was closed. Angel helped us rearrange the day and we received a prompt refund for the cancelled tours.

It was a great trip and the perfect addition to our exploration of remote southern Chile.

Activity Review

Explore Viña del Mar, Valparaiso & Wine Tasting in Casablanca Starting from San Antonio In Private

Chile

Our guide Consuelo made this tour exceptional. Her deep knowledge of the areas we visited made it very special . The wines we tasted were also excellent. Would have liked more knowledge about the specific wine making processes used here.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Prompt, clean vehicles, good drivers

Chile is an outstanding country and destination. It certainly offers more than you could ever imagine with every landscape possible - one more stunning than the next. And, most importantly, the Chilean people could not have been nicer - from hotel staff to restaurant staff to ordinary people on the street.

We had the best time in Chile, and it is all thanks to Lorena!
Lorena was very responsive from the start until we were back home safely. It was a pleasure dealing with her and the rest of the team. She managed to stay within our budget and meet our needs. The hotels and activities that she picked were perfect and exactly what we would have chosen if we arranged our visit to Chile ourselves. Everything worked out perfectly according to the itinerary and the transport was well organised (from the airport pick-up to our rental car).
Here are some of the highlights of our trip:
1) Santiago:
- We stayed in the DoubleTree by Hilton Vitacura Hotel and we had an amazing stay. We loved the location as it was safe, close to a metro station and a large shopping mall.
- The Santiago day-tour was fantastic. Our guide, Hernan, was very friendly and knowledgeable.
- We had a private dinner with Gloria and Leo in their apartment. The food was delicious. This was a true Chilean experience.
- We had a wine tasting at Casas del Bosque in the Casablanca valley. Highly recommended.
2) Puerto Natales / Torres del Paine:
- We flew to Punta Arenas and took a bus to Puerto Natales. I would suggest a direct flight to Puerto Natales if possible.
- We stayed at Hotel Costaustralis. This hotel is well located and is close to all restaurants and shops and is on the waterfront.
- We had the most amazing time in Torres del Paine. The full-day tour of the park is a must. Our guide, Jhon from Patagonia Planet, was the best. He is very talkative and knowledgeable (and he takes the best photos without you even asking).
- I would also highly recommend doing a hike in the park. We were lucky to see a puma on our hike. Juan Pablo, our guide, was amazing!
3) Colchagua winelands
- We stayed at Hotel Vina la Playa. Amazing facilities, peaceful environment and friendly staff. Highly recommended.
- Lorena booked wine tours and tastings for us at Viu Manent and Montes vineyards. What an experience! I would also highly recommend eating lunch at the restaurant at Montes, Feugos de Apalta.

Gracias Lorena for organising this memorable trip for us! We had the most amazing time.

Hotel Reviews

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Santiago - Vitacura

Santiago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Santiago - Airport Terminal

Santiago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Viña La Playa

Santa Cruz

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Valparaíso & Wine Tour

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Dinner

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park & Surroundings

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colchagua Valley Vineyards Tour

Chile

Quality of Experience

Hike from Sarmiento Lake to Amarga Lagoon

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angel arranged a fantastic 2 week trip for our party of 6. We had kayaking and hiking guides/outfitters in multiple cities, room for independent hikes, multiple transfers, multiple car rentals, multiple flights, along with varying levels of good to excellent accommodations. Also, we did have one person in our group who had researched our trip extensively and communicated her preferences for us, in creating the end itinerary. Importantly, after our trip, any and all outstanding discrepancies with local agencies were resolved via Angel’s communication with them.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Diego de Almagro Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas

The staff of this hotel were very kind. The room size was very good with a sea view. And the location was walking distance to the main plaza. Unfortunately, during our brief stay - 3 nights, there was a mold issue in the bath area with a strong smell as the heater warmed up to dry our clothing. The other 2 rooms in our traveling group did not have this issue.

Location

Staff

Hotel Rio Serrano

Torres del Paine

The hotel staff, all areas, were very good. Our daily interactions were with the front desk, bar servers and dining room servers. Everyone tolerated our wretched Spanish attempts despite their excellent abilities in English. Amazing views from our room with a view - please choose this option. We stayed in both the non-view room - smaller and only 1 chair, and the view option room - 2 chairs and a table, more spacious … and the view! Utilized the gym and the area for using a mat was quite small with an impossibly large Bosu ball. Wonderful dry sauna and the views from the pool were unending (bubbler loungers were also good!). Food in both the dining room and bar area were excellent. I would come back here. I also liked their natural finishes design esthetic. There were enough public spaces and they were also large enough to feel at peace.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view of the Masiff and all the nearby rivers. We were there mid-March and the weather was already changing to fall so we had a rainy day stay at the hotel that we welcomed.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cabaña Del Lago Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

Very nice views of the lake and centrally located to downtown. Wood interior large corner suite was very comfortable and clean. A short walk from downtown shops and restaurants. The bar and the restaurant in the hotel, were good with a friendly staff. We did not get the chance to use the gym or pool located across the street.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Diego de Velazquez

Santiago

Located centrally in Providencia, only 1.5 blocks away from the metro. The front desk staff and housekeeping were very kind. Buffet breakfast was good. The room was exceptionally small and dated, though it did have a refrigerator, a safe, and an in-wall air conditioner.

Authenticity & Character

Bed linens, comforter with washable cover

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms are just small

Activity Reviews

Agua Fresca Bay Kayaking

Punta Arenas

We had a wonderful kayak outing with Claudia and her team. The water was incredibly calm and we were repeatedly told this was the exception. There were dolphins in the distance, apparently attracted by the motor of the dinghy. The tea and snack afterward, in the cozy dining room, were very nice after being on the water. Enjoyed hearing a bit about the settlers of the region. I would recommend doing this experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tierra del Fuego - King Penguin

Punta Arenas

It is a bit of a drive but the van is comfortable and the ferry crossing a nice break in the driving. The penguin reserve was very good and interesting. I recommend this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Climbing Cerro La Picada

Puerto Varas

Because of a late evening arrival, where our guide was patiently waiting at the hotel to brief us, we opted to forego a volcano summit for more sleep! Instead, we left later in the morning, 08:00, and hiked to the saddle between the two volcanos of La Picada and Ornos. I highly recommend this hike and the guide company. And, they make a delish sandwich. There was a big variety in the terrain we crossed and just beautiful views though not in the distance due to mist. I especially liked the new experience of hiking/gliding down some volcanic dirt/sand. We were also able to see Todos los Santos lake, as the weather cleared for a bit.

Quality of Experience

Exceptional views

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice and informed

Transport

Half Day Kayaking in Llanquihue Lake

Puerto Varas

We didn’t kayak in the lake, though we briefly visited it. Instead, we kayaked through a canal like estuary with lovely weeping willows and bird wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Dampened, literally, by leaking spray skirt and lack of provided non-dirt area to change into dry clothing. The estuary was great and unexpected.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short drive of approx 15” from downtown.

Visit Undurraga Vineyard - Wine Tasting group tour

Santiago

We had an excellent tour by … urghh, will comeback and include her name, included walking the regular vineyard and sampling a variety of grapes off the vine. Their separate sample grape garden, with a large variety of grapes in a relatively small area, was also a nice tasting comparison. And, after viewing the cask rooms and the mini museum, the tasting was well conducted- enjoyable. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide was excellent

Transport

Very comfortable van

Thanks to our local specialist, Angel, we had an amazing, fun-filled trip to the beautiful country of Chile. There were 6 of us on the trip and we bombarded Angel with incredible detail on what we wanted to do. He took care of us before, during and after our trip. It was amazing how it all came together. We were taken care of by local guides every step of the way and Angel was always available and checking in with us.

First, we traveled to the beautiful city of Punta Arenas where we did a kayak tour on the Strait of Magellan (loved our guide, Claudia). We also did an all day tour to Tierra del Fuego to see the king penguins. Our tour guide, Ferdinando, added in a wonderful side trip to have lunch at this delightful cafe. The stew was so good! And he also took us on a side tour so we could see the flamingos.

Next stop was Torres del Paine where we stayed at Rio Serrano. What a wonderful place! We upgraded to suites with incredible views of the massif especially at sunrise!. We paid for the all-inclusive package and the staff delivered on that with a 5 star rating! At Torres del Paine, we did a kayak tour to Grey Glacier. It was a beautiful calm day. And we really enjoyed our guides! We also hiked several trails in the parque...we hiked to the Cuernos Lookout and the Mirador Base Las Torres...the latter was one of my biggest highlights of the trip. So epic! My husband also did a private fishing guide tour and had a blast. He caught 7 brown trout...thanks to Sebastian, his guide, for finding the sweet spot to fish! Thank you to our local guide, Jose, who ensured everything went well for us during this special part of our 14 day trip.

From here we went to Puerto Varas. We did a guided hike tour of Mirador Cerro La Picada with some great views of the Osorno Volcano and Lago Todos Los Santos. It was fun coming down the mountain on volcanic sand! We could not have done this hike without our awesome guides, Jose and Eduardo. We probably would have gotten lost! Thank you, Angel, for also ensuring we got the most magnificent suites at Hotel Cabana del Lago! The views from our room of the double rainbows on the lake were spectacular! Hotel Cabana del Lago is a great service-oriented hotel. A special thank you to Rafael, our local guide. Upon our departure from the hotel, our rental car completely malfunctioned. Rafael was able to work with the rental car company and a taxi service to ensure we all got to the airport on time.

We ended our trip in Santiago...thanks to Jose (aka Pepe) for all of his help at the airport on arrival and departure, for getting us to the Undurraga Winery for a great tour and for recommending Baco restaurante for dinner!

The Chilean people are very special. They are so kind and genuine. We felt so welcome in their country. Given so many of them also speak English, it was so much fun to practice my Spanish with them.

I would highly recommend kimkim to anyone looking for a memory of a lifetime. To the people at the kimkim home office, to Angel tending to our every need, to the local guides helping us throughout the trip....my husband and I say Muchas Gracias!!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Rio Serrano

Torres del Paine

Wonderful service, wonderful staff, great food, the suites with the view of the mountains are superb! The spa was icing on the cake...especially on one of the rainy days.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cabaña Del Lago Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

The 10th floor suite with the panoramic view of the lake was awesome. The clouds were hanging over the volcano most of the time, but we got an extra treat....a view of the double rainbow over the lake. The restaurant service was very good. They made my birthday special.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amazing suite.

Hotel Diego de Almagro Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas

The front desk people were great. Rooms were clean. Great views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Diego de Velazquez

Santiago

This is clearly a hotel in the city. We were in a very small room. The air conditioner was cold but hard to manage not being blown out in the middle of the night. Front desk staff were very courteous. Location was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Safe area.

Staff

Front desk always eager to help. Breakfast help very courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms need some upgrading. Not sure about the comforter on the bed....probably needed a good cleaning. Doors to shelves did not easily slide. They would be better off taking the doors off the tracks completely.

Activity Reviews

Agua Fresca Bay Kayaking

Punta Arenas

Loved our guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tierra del Fuego - King Penguin

Punta Arenas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Grey Lake -Kayak through the Glaciers at Grey Lake - Transfer back to your hotel

Chile

Loved our guides. Great calm water day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

crowded boat

Fly Fishing in Torres del Paine

Torres del Paine

Exceptional. Sebastian was great. Good guy.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Genuine human being. Great fisherman. He knows his work.

Transport

Climbing Cerro La Picada

Puerto Varas

Loved the hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Undurraga Vineyard - Wine Tasting group tour

Santiago

It was a good tour but I was not feeling well that day. But really interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgable.

Transport

I wasn't feeling well so wasn't in the mood to be in a van.

Such an amazing trip! Lorena did an excellent job planning this trip for me. She ensured I made it to all of the cities that I had on my list and set up all the hotels and transportation to make this adventure possible. Valentina assisted me while I was in Chile. She kept everything running smoothly. If I ever had a question, she would respond promptly, and I had a lot of questions! I'm so thankful for her assistance when I got confused. Some of the stand out tours on this trip were: the Full Day Tour of Torres del Paine from Patagonia Planet, Rafting on the Petrohue River with Ko'Kayak, all of my tours on Rapa Nui with Nico from Maururu Travel, exploring the Atacama Salt Flats and Lagoons with Hugo, and finally the trip to the Tatio Geysers with the greatest tour guide of them all, Anita from Tourismo Chile Tours!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique La Yegua Loca

Punta Arenas

This hotel is very special. Each and every room is unique and beautiful. The food at the restaurant was exquisite.

Authenticity & Character

Every room is special! The restaurant was amazing and the views were spectacular.

Location

It's on a bit of a hill which could be a challenge to get to, but the views are astounding!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Taura'a

Hanga Roa

Edith is an amazing host! The location of this hotel is perfect, right off the main road and a short walk to everything. Simply a perfect place to stay on Rapa Nui.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Casa de Don Tomás

San Pedro de Atacama

The rooms were very nice here. They have a water fountain for easy water bottle refills.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

This hotel is right on the water with amazing views. The rooms are comfortable and the staff is attentive. The restaurant and bar are quite nice. It is easy to walk anywhere in town from this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bellavista

Puerto Varas

This hotel and restaurant are in a great location, just down from the main square and right on the waterfront. The rooms are slightly dated but don't let that deter you.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park & Surroundings

Patagonia

This is an amazing tour, you really get a chance to see all that Torres del Paine National Park has to offer. Hopefully the weather will be as nice for you as it was for us. The tour company did a great job of finding places for us to stop, stretch our legs, and take some wonderful photos.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Puritama Canyon Trek

San Pedro de Atacama

This trek was so much fun! It was special to go hiking in a place that is a favorite for the locals too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The van was a bit dated

Stargazing Tour

San Pedro de Atacama

This tour is so informative! You will get a chance to use one or more telescopes to see some incredible celestial bodies.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tour of Tatio Geysers

San Pedro de Atacama

This might have been my favorite tour of them all. Part of this was because we had Anita as our guide. She was amazing and wonderful. She knew everything about San Pedro, the Atacama, geysers, and the wildlife. She really made this trip extra memorable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Anita was so amazing, I can't give her enough credit for being my favorite tour guide on this trip.

Transport

Explore the Atacama Salt Flats & Lagoons

San Pedro de Atacama

We had a fun day on this tour led by Hugo. It starts early but this means you get the chance to see so much! I loved beginning the tour with breakfast in the town square of Toconao. We even got a surprise stop at the Tropic of Capricorn!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking Tour of Puerto Natales

Puerto Natales

I would recommend doing this tour early in your stay in Puerto Natales. It gives a great sense of the town and helps to understand a bit about where you are staying. The guide takes you everywhere in town so you have a sense of where you'd like to visit again during your visit.

Easter Island Highlights Tour

Easter Island

Absolutely do this tour! You get a chance to visit so many historic places and get great explanations along the way. Rapa Nui is truly a special place. To finish the tour you will stop off at a beach and have a chance to go swimming with Moai directly on the shore. How cool is that?!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Valley of the Moon Tour

San Pedro de Atacama

The Valley of the Moon is beautiful. It was nice to do a bit of hiking and it's good to plan this trip early in your stay in San Pedro. This is because the tour doesn't go to such a high elevation so you can work on acclimatizing to the altitude. Finishing the day watching the sunset over the Atacama is spectacular!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike in Torres del Paine National Park

Patagonia

This was an amazing hike. I didn't have the stamina to complete the whole thing but the views that I did see were spectacular! I will come back one day so that I can get to the lagoon at Base Torres.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting on the Petrohué River

Chile

This was so much fun! Our guides were amazing and had our group smiling the whole time. This rafting trip is not too far from Puerto Varas. I would definitely go on another tour with Ko'Kayak!

Morning Tour to Orongo

Easter Island

This was a fun tour. It is easy to do before flying out in the afternoon, one last taste of Rapa Nui before departure.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

City Tour in Puerto Montt & Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

This tour was ok. It seemed somewhat rushed though and more of just a drive to the airport with a few explanations along the way. The stop at the market in Puerto Montt was very nice though!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, great experience. In hindsight, would have planned the trip for Patagonia first and then Santiago toward the end to break up the extensive traveling from Puerto Natales --> Punta Arenas --> Santiago --> Atlanta --> Knoxville. The international flight is our fault because it was cheaper to purchase a connecting flight. Additionally, the city tour of Santiago was good, but our tour guide did not give as great of a history lesson of Santiago as she could have in comparison to our other tour guides who were excellent. Our favorite hotel was Bidasoa. Liked that all of our transfers were pre-booked for us. Saved us a lot of time and made the traveling seamless.

Activity Reviews

Hike in Torres del Paine National Park

Chile

Santiago City Tour - Private

Santiago

History lesson wasn't great. Very repetitive. Somewhat slow. Felt we didn't see as much as we could have.

Boat Tour to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers

Chile

Penguin Colony on Magdalena Island

Chile

Valparaíso & Wine Tour

Santiago

great agenda and tours and experience.

Our guide in Valparaiso Chile, Lautaro, was very informed and helpful. We asked him to take us to an empanada place and the waiters and empanadas were the best. He and our guide in Santiago, Hernan, his father, gave us such valuable educated and experienced information besides the sites we visited. They so enriched our experience and knowledge of Chilean culture and history.
Our guide for the mountain trek, Sebastian, also enriched our experience and knowledge of the nature and eco system. His training as an eco tourist guide really gave us a depth of knowledge and appreciation. He was also very helpful with managing our group trek with our physical abilities. We appreciated his love and care with the delicious sandwich bag, which he made and the lovely little picnic at the end with native fruits. and wine to celebrate.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique Acontraluz

Valparaíso

Stunningly beautiful location and rooms, delicious breakfast and very helpful and friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

beautiful old building and architecture

Location

In artistic neighborhood, close to art murals, restaurants, shops. Stunning View of Valparaiso from rooms.

Staff

very friendly, helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean and comforatable

Hotel Director Vitacura

Santiago, Vitacura, Región Metropolitana

Authenticity & Character

This was a new area as opposed to old Santiago. However, the restaurant was superb .

Location

We wished to be close to old Santiago, but realize it was probably a safer location and close to shops and parks.

Staff

Once the staff warmed up, they were very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed interacting with the waiters and a desk person.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer from San Antonio Dock to Valparaíso

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San José Volcano & Andes Mountains

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour - Private

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lautaro gave us an interesting tour of Valparaiso. He even knew the best places to get something to eat and gave us recommendations of where to go on our own. Sabastian led us a on a memorable hike in the Andes. He was most patient and considerate of me and my limited abilities. Hernan gave us an insightful tour of Santiago since he was personally involved in some of its recent dark history. Ivan did a wonderful job piloting the bus, even getting us to the airport on time,

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique Acontraluz

Valparaíso

This is a beautiful hotel with very warm, welcoming staff and spectacular views of the port of Valparaiso. I am sorry that we only stayed there one night.

Authenticity & Character

The beautiful interior

Location

The view of the harbor

Staff

They were so friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just a delightful place to stay

Hotel Director Vitacura

Santiago, Vitacura, Región Metropolitana

A modern hotel in an up-scale neighborhood within walking distance to a variety of shops. The breakfast that they provide is amazing in its diversity.

Authenticity & Character

This is a modern hotel with an excellent restaurant.

Location

Its proximity to a super market and an ice cream parlor

Staff

The staff was not overly friendly but they were quick to attend to any problems.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spacious rooms

Activity Reviews

Transfer from San Antonio Dock to Valparaíso

Chile

Lautaro gave us the highlights along with suggestions for further exploration.

Quality of Experience

Lautaro's knowledge

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lautaro's personality and Ivan expert driving

Transport

Comfortable van

San José Volcano & Andes Mountains

Santiago

Sabastian made this a wonderful experience with his knowledge and experience. He was very patient and accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Not everyone can say they went hiking in the Andes

Food

Sabastian made us a delicious lunch and had a lovely picnic for us at the end of the hike.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sabastian was amazing, knowledgeable, and understanding of our abilities,

Transport

Comfortable van

Santiago City Tour - Private

Santiago

Hernan was able to tell us from personal experience about the history of the capitol city.

Quality of Experience

A personal, intimate tour

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hernan and Ivan were great

Transport

Comfortable van

We were very pleased using Kimkim on our recent trip to Chile. Typically we do our own bookings but chose an online agency for Chile due to "all the moving parts" involved in this group trip of 3 couples. Kimkim's website was easy to use and informative, providing useful information such as seasonal weather for the regions visited.

Our travel guide, Angel Gutierrez, was exceptional throughout the entire process, not only before but during and after the trip! He responded quickly to emails during the planning process using excellent English. During the trip when we experienced a couple glitches with car rentals, his response was immediate, and I mean IMMEDIATE! In each region we visited, from Punta Arenas to Torres National Park, to Puerto Varas in the Lake District, and then to Santiago, Angel provided us with a reliable local English-speaking guide and private transportation. There was no waiting on drivers for hotel transfers or on day tours, with them typically arriving 10 minutes ahead of schedule.

The tour guides all spoke excellent English. I would like to give a shout-out to 2 of the regional guides: Jose (Pepe) in Santiago who bought a bottle of water for me on the scheduled wine tour when I forgot mine, and to Rafael in Punta Varas who quickly rescued us when a rental car did not function and got our entire group to the airport on time.

The only area of improvement I would suggest is in the timeliness of lodging bookings. This trip was almost a year in planning, with the down payment made 9 months before the date of departure. This may have been due to company policy, but to my knowledge the lodging was not booked until the final payment occurred 2 months before departure, resulting in us not getting some of the rooms of our choice. However, Angel and the hotel managers did provide us with excellent accommodations.

If you are planning a vacation to South America, and especially if to Chile and Ecuador, do yourself a favor and request Angel Gutierrez at Kimkim. He is the best!

Warm regards,
Christine Becker

I

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Rio Serrano

Torres del Paine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Diego de Velazquez

Santiago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Diego de Almagro Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cabaña Del Lago Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Agua Fresca Bay Kayaking

Punta Arenas

They provided excellent gear.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

did a briefing the evening before

Transport

they arrived early

Full Day Tierra del Fuego - King Penguin

Punta Arenas

Long day but knew this beforehand. Tierra del Fuego very interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

lunch at small village was scrumptous!

Transfer to Grey Lake -Kayak through the Glaciers at Grey Lake - Transfer back to your hotel

Chile

very knowledgeable and safe guides

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Climbing Cerro La Picada

Puerto Varas

Very knowledgeable and safe guides

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Kayaking in Llanquihue Lake

Puerto Varas

Loved the Laguna El Encondido!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Undurraga Vineyard - Wine Tasting group tour

Santiago

Highly recommend Undurraga tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our local specialist put together an amazing experience for us. The local guides and drivers were punctual, knowledgeable, and caring. I would use Kimkim for travel again. Now that I have had the experience with Kim Kim, I think I would have the confidence to tailor the trip more to my interests. Everything Jesse planned for us was well executed with very few changes. Our pickup time was changed, in one case, to avoid traffic related to school schedules, and it was a wise decision. All the surprises were delightful ones

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique Acontraluz

Valparaíso

Wow, just wow. The hosts were so gracious and caring. The views from the room verandas were stunning. The staff gave us maps to beautiful walking tours and there was nothing more we could have needed. Our only regret was booking only a single night. If you are coming to Valparaiso, book an extra day just to absorb the color and poetry of this neighborhood.

Authenticity & Character

This is an historical building whose character and charm is preserved but carefully updated to modern standards.

Location

It's just a beautiful neighborhood. A maze of amazing treasures. Anything you could need is within walking a few blocks.

Staff

SO gracious and accommodating. We could not believe our good fortune.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Several cozy common areas and comfortable seating in rooms and verandas

Hotel Director Vitacura

Santiago, Vitacura, Región Metropolitana

This is a lovely and reasonable hotel with good amenities. It is surrounded by fancy restaurants but we decided to eat in the hotel restaurant 3 of 4 evenings, for the convenience and the varied menu. This hotel is in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods and hence very safe, but also lacking in character.

Authenticity & Character

Location

This hotel was chosen by our tour planner. I would have chosen a different location closer to museums, history and local culture. Others in our group of 6 may feel differently. This was in a wealthy and cosmopolitan area, hence very safe but also uninteresting.

Staff

The staff was great, especially in the restaurant. We encountered one unfriendly desk clerk but others were welcoming and helpful. I guess it would be asking to much for the door/security person to smile.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were large and comfortable and cleaned quickly while we were out. Views on upper floors were great.

Activity Reviews

Transfer from San Antonio Dock to Valparaíso

Chile

Our young guide was very knowledgeable and outgoing. He keyed in on our interests and gave us some awesome tours. He left us with a strong understanding of local culture that really helped us appreciate what we experienced on our own.

Quality of Experience

Plan to 2wlk and explore

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Punctual, knowledgeable and caring

Transport

Punctual and safe

San José Volcano & Andes Mountains

Santiago

The drive was a bit grueling but our guide planned it to make it less so. We began our mountain trek on a small farm, surrounded by goats, chickens, sheep cows and horses. Our guide knew the locals and was very knowledgeable about everything. Sebastián is trained in eco-tourism and we traveled leaving only footprints on this beautiful mountain trail in the shadows of volcanoes and glaciers.

Santiago City Tour - Private

Santiago

Hernan is an older gentleman but very fit and capable. Chile has a very complex history and Hernan spoke genuinely from his own experience, making this a very rich and touching experience for us. He tailored the tour completely to our interests from start to finish.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had never used KimKim before and only went by the online reviews and I was not disappointed. The trip was absolutely perfect. Every detail was thought out and everything went very smoothly. There was always a driver waiting when promised, meals when promised, and tours that didn't disappoint. We had a What's App group chat and the team let me know on a daily basis what to expect. The entire experience was unforgettable.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Ilaia

Punta Arenas

This was an adorable boutique hotel with all the amenities. The rooftop room had unforgettable views. The team even packed us a to go breakfast because our tour left so early in the morning.

Authenticity & Character

Adorable decorations and homey lounge

Location

Centrally located

Staff

Assisted with our every need

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Weskar Lodge

Puerto Natales

An incredible hotel with amazing views. Only a short (20 minute walk to town) or a 2 minute Uber drive. The food at the breakfast buffet was outstanding and dinner at the hotel was delicious as well. The room was spotless.

Authenticity & Character

Charming

Location

Great views

Staff

Outstanding

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless

Hotel Kosten Aike

El Calafate

Great location. 2 blocks from the main street. Adorable authentic lodge type feel with ample sitting areas downstairs. The hot tub was amazing and the massage was incredible as well.

Authenticity & Character

Lodge type feel. Clean

Location

2 blocks from everything

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless

Activity Reviews

Penguin Colony on Magdalena Island

Chile

The boat ride over was rough, but that is nature. The people on the boat were very nice. The tour guide was informative and the penguins were worth the trip.

Quality of Experience

Professional staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very helpful and informative

Transport

Boat was well equipped and clean. Be prepared for rough waters.

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park & Surroundings

Chile

Great tour but the bus was small and crowed. Not a deal breaker, but a little uncomfortable. We were the last hotel to get picked up so we were stuck in the very back corner of the bus. I am sure the front would have been amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Our tour guide Kim Kim had lunch arranged for us and it was great. Cafeteria style, but delicious and good quality. Love the lodge where we ate.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Patagonian Ranch Experience

Puerto Natales

The full day ranch experience was a once in a life time experience. From the second we got on the boat to get to the ranch it was breathtaking. The ranch was gorgeous and the people working there were so knowledgeable and kind. The horse back ride was icing on the cake and the horses were very calm and docile. Not to mention that the food was delicious.

Quality of Experience

First class

Food

Delicious fresh unlimited lamb and potatoes along with a lovely salad and of course local wine.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and friendly

Transport

The boat ride was amazing and the tour of the ranch was as well.

Perito Moreno Glacier

Chile

Highly recommend. The Glaciers are gorgeous and the park is amazing as well.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour Through The Glaciers

El Calafate

The boat was large but the sea was rough. If you get sea sick be prepared to take something. The views were worth it though. The Glaciers were breathtaking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day in El Calafate

El Calafate

El Calafate is an adorable town. I was glad that we had a free day to explore.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver Edwardo was really good with traffic and on time always.
Our English speaking guide Ignacio was pleasant and knowledgeable.

However for experienced world travelers like us Santiago was just a big city with traffic congestion and smog.
The all day process up to the reservoir and back was a total waste of our day. Unless you have never been to high mountain lakes with snow topped mountains surrounding this is certainly not worth the time and rough road.
Thank you for services
Larry and Sue

Activity Reviews

Santiago Walking City Tour

Santiago

If you have already traveled Europe you find this just okay.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edwardo the driver was great in traffic to get us around faster than others.

Transport

Very nice private minivan.

Concha & Toro Wine tasting Tour

Chile

We live in California wine country and this is right up there with our best, and certainly much older history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour to Cajón del Maipo: excursion to Embalse El Yeso from Santiago

Chile

Too long and rough roads for any one who has seen high mountain lakes with clear waters.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting, Valparaiso and Viña del Mar- Private Tour

Chile

We took this tour to end the day at our cruise ship to leave Chile. It was perfect for that reason alone. This was the best part of the 4 day trip to Santiago region. Beautiful coastal area. Vina Del Mar reminded us of southern France and the French Riviera.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Chile vacation was amazing. The itinerary proposed by Angel covered Chile from north to south, from amazing Atacama to beautiful Patagonia.
The trips suggested by Angel were all great and perfectly organized. He was also very receptive to our requests and tailored the trips accordingly.
Angel provided help on the spot when any issues arose.
Everything was impeccably organized (internal flights, bus/car rides, local guides...).
We look forward to taking another trip organized by Angel!

Hotel Reviews

Park Plaza Santiago

Santiago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best Western Patagonia (ex Borde Glaciar)

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Diego de Almagro Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Casa de Don Tomás

San Pedro de Atacama

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Inn by Radisson Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Santiago City Tour

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Tour - Baltinache Hidden Lagoons

Chile

Afternoon Visit to "Valle de La luna "

Chile

Full Day Trip- Red Rocks, Lagunas Altiplanicas & Atacama Salt Flats.

San Pedro de Atacama

Dolphins Watching - From Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas

Adventure Day at Maipo Valley - Waterfalls, Adrenaline & More!

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Astronomical Tour - Atacama Desert

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to the Airport for your flight to Puerto Montt - Transfer to Puerto Varas

Chile

Visit the "Saltos del Petrohue", "Todos Los Santos Lake" and Osorno Volcano

Chile

Full Day tour to Chiloe - The Island of the Legends

Puerto Varas

Torres del Paine National Park - Panoramic Tour

Chile

Navigation Excursion - Serrano Glacier and Patagonic Lunch

Chile

Magdalena Island - Penguin Encounter Half Day Tour

Chile

Wine Tasting, Valparaiso and Viña del Mar- Private Tour

Chile

This was our first time using Kim Kim and the service that Ángel provided and the care and attention to detail was excellent.
He proposed an itinerary that enabled us to see the best of Chile and a range of trips and tours that were tailored to our interests and was flexible when we wanted to add some alternatives.
The tours and excursions suggested were all of greag quality and highly informative . We particularly enjoyed the experiences in the Atacama Desert and on Easter Island. The connections/logistics provided were all extremely reliable and the hotels excellent. Angel was on hand and extremely attentive for the entire trip and responded quickly to some last minute additional requests and dealt effectively with a few small trouble shooting islands.
In general we were extremely impressed with the service and information from Kim
Kim and would highly recommend them. We shall use them again for our next trip

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Gomero

Hanga Roa

This was an absolutely wonderful hotel - it is family run by lovely staff who were so helpful and really made our visit special. The garden and grounds are beautiful with sculptures. murals and gorgeous tropical plants and flowers with a pool, which gives so much character and is a lovely place to rest after touring around. I highly recommend staying here - it is a magical hotel on a magical island!

Authenticity & Character

Full of local sculptures, art and plants

Location

Very near the town centre and the airport

Staff

This is a family run hotel - they are all so friendly, helpful and seem to love their jobs

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lovely rooms with beautiful touches

Hotel La Casa de Don Tomás

San Pedro de Atacama

A very comfortable clean and modern hotel with excellent services - close to the bustle of San Pedro but nicely quiet and secluded

Authenticity & Character

A more modern and luxurious hotel from the range of options in Atacama

Location

It feels a little outside the main part of town which can be quite noisy. It has a quiet and secluded location but is a short walk from the restaurants and bars

Staff

Lovely staff especially those working at the reception over night - a lot of tours end late or begin very early in the morning and they were very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very very clean. They have a lovely pool which is just perfect to come back to after a dusty desert tour

Activity Reviews

Rano Raraku Volcano & Anakena White Sand Beach

Easter Island

This is a must- do tour taking in some of the most unforgettable sights of the island. Our guide Sebastian was very informative and entertaining - he responded to lots of questions and has a wealth of knowledge beyond the key points of the tour

Quality of Experience

The most memorable sights on Easter Island

Food

The lunch at the restaurant provided was delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sebastian was a fantastic guide and hugely informative

Transport

Cochamo town and "Termas del Sol" - Relax at the Hotsprings

Chile

If you have been doing a lot of tours or trekking in Chile - this is a lovely time to relax and unwind in the beautiful setting of the hot springs. It is quite a long and scenic drive to get there, but it is worth it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Astronomical Tour - Atacama Desert

San Pedro de Atacama

It’s a great experience to go out to desert in total darkness and see the sky lit up with bright stars and look through a telescope at some of the planets.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Francisco was very attentive to our needs and quick to respond. There were some minor miscommunications that were frustrating but ultimately resolved. The communication model through Whatsapp is a bit confusing, requiring multiple points of contact. Once we got used to their way of doing business, we were able to relax a bit.

The excursions were good quality overall. We loved the Mendoza wine tour. The lunch at the end of the end was excellent. There were only a couple of half day tours in Puerto Varas that seemed like a waste of time. We would have been better off relaxing at the beach than sitting in a car for hours.

Overall, I would say it was a positive experience; though, like anything of this complexity and duration, there were some snags along the way.

Hotel Reviews

Pullman Santiago El Bosque

Las Condes, Santiago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Inn by Radisson Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

There were some areas of the hotel that were only accessible by stairs, making a difficult for those with mobility issues.

Hotel Diego de Almagro Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We had arranged to have laundry done while we were on an overnight trip, but when we got back, it had not been done, resulting in an emergency trip to the store for clean clothes.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa de la Patagonia

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Puerto Montt & Puerto Varas City Tour

Chile

A lot of time spent on a bus and not a lot to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Frutillar and Puerto Octay Towns in Llanquihue Lake - Half Day

Chile

We spent a lot of time driving stuck in traffic and didn’t get to see much other than an old German settlement and a small lake town. Our time would’ve been better spent at the beach or on a boat ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was friendly, but it seems he was not experienced with this particular excursion.

Transport

We spent a lot of time stuck in traffic.

Torres del Paine Full Day (drop-off in Puerto natales)

Punta Arenas

Overall excellent experience. The guide was very knowledgeable. If only the weather had cooperated to allow us to see the famous Torres.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Navigation Excursion - Serrano Glacier and Patagonic Lunch

Chile

The glaciers were beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day tour to Chiloe - The Island of the Legends

Puerto Varas

The guide was very knowledgeable and an excellent planner, accounting for delays and transfers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Wine and Olive

Mendoza

The tour was well rounded, and the lunch at the end was excellent.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting, Valparaiso and Viña del Mar- Group Tour

Santiago

“Wine tasting” in the title is a little misleading, because the only wine that you taste is what you get at a rest stop on the way to the coast. Unfortunately, some of the experiences we had planned on were closed when we got there, so the driver had to make alternate plans. Valparaiso is a charming and busy town with some picturesque streets. Overall, I would say not my top experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to the Airport for your flight to Puerto Montt - Transfer to Puerto Varas

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport