Kimkim Trip Reviews for Colombia

Our trip experience in Colombia was amazing. Michael created literally the perfect itinerary. Alex our tour guide in bogota was so knowledgeable, caring, and very helpful. Our tour in Cartagena Aumerio was so passion on teaching ys all about the history in cartagena, we were able to learn so much from the city thanks to him. Rosario island was beautiful, the staff were so attending to our needs, food was delicious, we met so many great people. Our drivers were also on time. My family had an incredible time in Colombia. I definitely recommend chaska team.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Grand Park

Bogotá

Authenticity & Character

Location

I

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Islabela

We love hotel isabela. We stood in the cabin called pachera and it was absolutely perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff is amazing and caring

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Mara

Cartagena

We love the location, we were close to everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa de La Vega

La Candelaria, Bogotá

I love the uniqueness of this place and the great service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rosario Islands Snorkeling & Bioluminescence

Rosario Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

The bike tour in Cartagena was perfect to learn about the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Guatavita Lagoon

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bogota's Essentials (City Tour & Monserrate)

Bogotá

We love this tour, we learned do much about bogota. Our highlight in this tour was going to monserrat and seeing beautiful bogota from very high

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I definitely recommend Alex as a tour guide

Transport

Boquilla Mangrove Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Things turned out better than expected. Our guides were all fabulous, very knowledgeable and friendly. Laura is very sweet, we met in Bogota and took us to the Salt Mines which is impressing, among other things. Roberto in Cartagena was great, beautiful city. We had another guide that talked about Gabriel Garcia Marques who was great and very knowledgeable. We enjoyed very much our visit to Medellin with our guide Froi who was fabulous. We went to Peñol and Guatape which I personally loved the most. We also had a great experience in Comuna 13 seeing all the art, grafitis and music. The hotels selected were spectacular. The Drivers were all very nice and patient.
I used this company for the first time and will definetely use it again. They took excellent care of all the details.
My next trip will be Italy and hope it is as amasing as this one.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa San Agustín

Cartagena de Indias

Our room was HUGE, beautiful and super comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the center

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Baru Calablanca

Cartagena

Very nice place to get away

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa Medina Four Seasons

Bogotá, Cundinamarca

Beautiful old charm.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio del Mundo

Medellín

Charming Boutique Hotel in a great location. Loved Luna, a golden retreiver.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Depart Colombia

Colombia

It is sad when it comes to an end. We made new friends and had a wonderful time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at El Cielo - Please confirm on your side

Colombia

This was really a great expirience I highly recommend!!!! Good from start to finish. We had a wine pairing and we enjoyed it very much. Place is very preaty also.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour of Medellín (with Local Market and Comuna 13)

Medellín

We had a great day and managed to see evan more things. It was very interesting and we enjoyed the art, the grafiti, the music and our guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at OCIO / OCI.Mde

Medellín

Very nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Suggested Salsa Dancing at Cafe Havana

Cartagena

too tired to go dancing

Mangrove Tour with Local Fisherman

Cartagena

Great, we went in a wooden conoe through the mangroves and saw how they fish.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day City Tour of Cartagena

Cartagena

Roberto was great. He talks alot and time flies

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at Candé (live music)

Cartagena

Place was crowded. It had live music and dancers. Ambiance was nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

walked

Transport

walked

Suggested Sunset Drinks at Café del Mar

Cartagena

We went too early and the sun was killing us, so we left. But it is a nice place

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were not needed

Transport

no transport needed

Departure from Baru (Hotel Sofitel Calablanca)

Isla Barú

We had a big private boat just for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival to Baru (Hotel Sofitel Calablanca)

Isla Barú

Everything went smoothly. Very pleasant stay

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day at Baru (Hotel Sofitel Calablanca)

Isla Barú

We rented a power boat that took us to most of the Rosario Islands. We had a great time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at LEO - Please confirm on your side

Bogotá

Here was the only dinner I did not enjoy. Super, and I mean SUPER expensive. It is an experience but I did not like hardly any of the entries. They even gave us ants as part of a dish. I asked for the pairing which I thought was wine pairing but they gave us all sorts of hard licor. I finished drunk and forgot to check if they had subtracted the amout we had to pay when we made the reservation. I would not recommend this restaurant.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Airport Transfer: {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} & Guatape and El Peñol Tour

Colombia

I thought I would not climb the rock but I got to the top!!!! Beautiful, Beautiful view. I loved the town of Guatape.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at Mistura

Cartagena

too tired and could not make it

Gabriel García Márquez Walking Tour

Cartagena

I forgot the name of this guide but he was so good that we felt we could almost see Gabo as he would describe his life. Wonderful and recommended.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

we walked

Dinner Reservation at Humo Restaurant (Sofitel Barú Calablanca)

Isla Barú

It was good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked because it is in the same hotel

Highlights of Bogotá City Tour (with Gold Museum, Local Market and Monserrate Hill)

Bogotá

A lot of walking but worth it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral Tour

Bogotá

It is very impresive!!!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Colombia!

Colombia

We had private tours every time which is great. We felt comfortable and secure always. We felt we were among friends all the time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of them were wonderful!!!!!!

Transport

There was always someone waiting for us. We did not waiste any time.

Dinner Reservation at Alma

Cartagena

We did not go due to problems in the kitchen.

Dinner Reservation at Harry Sasson

Bogotá

Food was superb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Margoth was incredible during the planning process, selecting destinations, hotels and even restaurants according to our preferences. On site, her team was amazing in making the logistics completely seamless and were always available within a few minutes for any question we had, regardless of place and time. The guides were fantastic, the transfers on-time, comfortable and safe Unforgettable holidays were we had to think of nothing else than enjoying ourselves, from beginning to end.
Muchas gracias por todo !

Our Colombia trip was amazing! Wendy and her team went above and beyond to provide unique experiences for us from mountain biking to a natural mud volcano in Cartagena to running with locals in Bogota on Sundays when they close major streets. We visited locals houses within each city to really experience Colombian culture and food. The local guides allowed us to really get to know each city we visited. With limited public transportation in Colombia, the ease of the private car was super nice and convenient.

Hotel Review

Hotel Boutique Sazagua

Pereira

This was a super relaxing place to stay. The staff was super nice and patient when we were trying to speak broken spanish to them. The spa was a great deal too!

Authenticity & Character

Location

You can't walk from this hotel to get food/drink

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Mountain Bike Experience in Turbaco

Cartagena

This was such a unique experience. Mountain biking to a natural mud volcano where we got into the mud and exfoliated our skin.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim took the worry out of planning our trip to Colombia. Our local specialist, Wendy, was always accessible and did a wonderful job coordinating all of our city-to-city flights, ground transportation, and excursions (including local English speaking guides at each destination). My family visited Bogota for two days (visiting Museo del Oro, Museo Botero, Cerro de Monserrate, Catedral de Sal, and Andres Carne de Res Chia), Eje Cafetero for 3 days (visiting Cafe La Morelia coffee farm, Valle de Cocora horseback riding and hiking, Finlandia, Salento, and Panaca) and finally, Cartagena for 2 days (visiting Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, Convent of Santa Cruz de la Popa, Getsemani, the walled city, Baru & Isla Rosario). It was a FABULOUS trip celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary -- and we will never forget it!

Our only two complaints were (1.) visiting the "Encanto House" in Finlandia --which was not a house at all & was very under-whelming!) and (2.) Our trip to Baru and The Rosario Islands which took far too long to get to (over 5 hours). We let our specialist, Wendy, know about these two complaints and she was very apologetic & did her best to rectify the problems.

We will definitely use KimKim again inthe future and recommend to family & friends!

Great Experience,
Best guides in Bogotà at the market (Alejandro?) and in tayrona, Aruen
Need experience Ely in bogota
All places remarkable except for Santa Marta, nothing really to see and remember
Also the trip to playa tranquilla was far from expectation, too far, too crowdy

Michael was very helpful with any small or big issue. He was available on whatsup within minutes and found a solution to every problem very effectively. We liked all guides but the most helpful and knowledgeable was Alex. We loved our trip and the only thing we wish was is to stay few more days in Colombia. We would also probably choose a different hotel in Cartagena.

My husband and I spent 8 days traveling in Colombia in August. This was our first time using a travel agency or service such as kimkim, and we are so grateful that we did! From the very beginning, our specialist Andrea developed an exciting itinerary that fulfilled our travel wishes; when I asked if she could lower the overall cost, she was able to make adjustments without sacrificing too much of the fun and comfort.

All of our local guides in each city (Andrea in Bogotá, Juan and Ivan in Pereira, and Aura in Cartagena) were all spectacular! It was so special to have guides who were both passionate about their regions and excited to share it with others through tourism. We learned so much from our conversations with each guide (all of whom spoke exceptional English)!

Some other general comments include that most of the trip was already paid for once we arrived in Colombia, that we really didn't have to worry about having cash on us - from activities to transportation! Additionally, our specialist Andrea was extremely responsive through WhatsApp and answered any questions we had very promptly and thoroughly.

Colombia is a beautiful country, the people that we encountered were so warm and friendly, and the food is just delicious! 12/10.

Hotel Review

Casa San Carlos Lodge

Pereira

Casa San Carlos is absolutely stunning and we are so happy we were able to stay here during our visit; we even had a free day that we were able to spend by the pool. I did, however, want to share some feedback surrounding the food and hospitality: things were a bit disorganized. Staff seemed eager to please but, as culminating example, when we were checking out and settling the bills for meals (which we had charged to the room each evening) all but one or two items were incorrect. The front desk worked with us to go through and correctly itemize, but it felt very messy and I ultimately feel like we payed less than we ought to (could have easily been the opposite problem, as well).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Knowing Cartagena to the Rhythm of Salsa

Cartagena

Wish we had enjoyed this more, but it was very basic and took place in a pretty bare bones dance studio in what felt like an apartment building. If you have any salsa experience already, this is probably not for you - but it might be if you are total beginner.

Quality of Experience

Legendary Rum & Chocolate Tasting

Cartagena

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would! Jesus is so charming and conversational, and the rums were very delicious. Really fun way to have a taste of Cartagena.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver in Cartagena, Emerson, was one of our favorites! He was so kind and accommodating!

Transport

Cocora’s Towering Giants, Acaime’s Flying Jewels & Salento’s Coffee-Scented Streets

Colombia

This hike is not for the faint of heart! I was sore for the following two days but WOW what a gorgeous vista and awesome experience. Our guide Ivan saw that we only had sneakers and helped us rent rain boots to hike in, which I am grateful for since the trail can be very muddy!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Farmers Market

Bogotá

Maria, who leads the food tour, is just wonderful! We learned so much from her about the diversity of fruit in Colombia and sustainability efforts. We really enjoyed this; however, the quantity (not quality!) of fruit did manage to give me indigestion so be sure to prepare your gut accordingly!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cesar who went on several trips with me was amazing and passionate about his country and the culture, and mostly the history as to what makes Colombia what it is today. Harem was equally amazing whilst visiting Tayrona Park and the Sierra Nevada, This is such a beautiful place and I enjoyed hiking in the mountains to get to the beach. The views and water are spectacular! I had a guide to match in Jaruem😁. Emerson was the best driver and I was lucky to have him navigate between several destinations. The perfect, most patient and caring driver I have come across. Cartagena was a blast! Loved the mud bath at Volcan Totumo!!!!I went to Rosario Island on my own and it was amazing!
I loved Colombia so much that I extended my flight and went to MEDELLÍN and that was the best decision ever!

Hotel Review

Villa Playa Tayrona

Magdalena

Room was spacious and clean, keyless entry. The bathroom was gorgeous! The balcony was used for me to take salsa lessons. Cannot comment on food since I did not eat there. My shower door did not close. I also had an issue with the safe several times, but staff was extremely courteous and helpful. Did not have an opportunity to indulge in spa services. Room service is limited and the chicken closed by 6pm

Authenticity & Character

Wonderful guides

Location

I’m the middle of squares, shops and nightlife

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cartagena Street Food Tour

Cartagena

Hike Tayrona National Park

Colombia

Best two days withJaruem. We had a blast and he took the best photos of me in the nicest parts of the park. I am beyond pleased with my entire experience. Passionate about animals and pointed out cotton top monkeys to me. Bought coonut water from Indigenous people and even took a photo. I couldn’t have dreamt of a nicer person. He went above and beyond for me and I am forever grateful.

Quality of Experience

My guide. I lucked out during my entire trip with guides.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My driver back to Cartagena was really sweet, but she had some issues finding my hotel in Cartagena( understandably because streets in Getsemani are narrow) and the ride was just mediocre. There was an issue with her trunk not opening both in Yayrona and upon arrival in Cartagena, but it all worked out. Nothing bad and nothing special.

Cartagena Dance Class

Cartagena

I had a personal salsa lesson with Anyerson and boy was it fun, a bit challenging toward the end, but with a patient instructor well versed in dancing and having an easygoing personality all went well and I am a better salsa dancer than I ever thought possible.

Quality of Experience

Dancing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Personality

Visit to San Basilio de Palenque

Cartagena

Definitely another one of my favorites. To learn about the people from Palenque was a special treat. I feel blessed to have seen where Graciela was from and to see where Afreneto’s beats began and the famous boxer Pambele and how he gave back to his home town . This is the place for roper who truly appreciates history and culture. By far one of my favorite experiences!!!!

Quality of Experience

Taught words and phrases in Palenque language, made famous candy, and danced at the museum.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Best guide in Cesar, and Emerson is the best and most courteous driver I have come across in all my travels around the world. These gentlemen made my trip. Love them!

Transport

Driver is second to none. Helpful, courteous, patient and he even drove me from Cartagena to Tayrona which is quite a distance, but he made stops as necessary and explained more about the areas who drove through on the way there( such as Barranquilla and the Venezuelan communities

Tour to Totumo Volcano

Cartagena

Cartagena City Tour

Cartagena

Excursion to Tayrona National Park - Relax on Gairaca Beach

Colombia

The beauty of the beaches of Tayrona are compared to Seychelles. There is a lot of walking, but that’s perfect for me.I had the best guide in Jaruem!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip selections were excellent. Felt like I saw and experienced the best of Colombia. People were nice and friendly. Guides and drivers were knowledgeable and made us comfortable and safe. Special mention to David in Perreria and Sol in Medellin. Now I understand why we had to take 3 plane rides inside the country. So we can see the best places at such a limited time. Most notable experience and sights for mr include Gold museum, Monserrat Hill, Horse back ride, Cofee plantation, Climbing the rock in Guatape, Communal 13 walking tour, Islabela beach tour, the Cartagena walled town and its plazas and dancers, the gourmet meals we tasted suggested by our guides, seeing Botero paintings and Sculptures, Food tour, and many more . And Thank you Michael for being accommodating and flexible to our schedule as well as David who subbed for you while you were away. KimKim is one of the best tour org. I have seen. Very organized and detail oriented. Thank you Chaska team for a wonderful experience.

We had a fantastic time in Colombia, and Wendy and our wonderful guides were such a huge part of that! Wendy did a great job of designing our itinerary and responding to our requests and interests, and each of our guides-- Andrea in Bogota, Andres in Medellin, and Oscar in Cartagena-- were warm, knowledgeable, and totally organized. As a single mom of 2, I'm usually the one handling all the logistics, tickets, emergencies, et cetera. With Kim Kim, I was able to relax and just enjoy an engaging, energizing vacation. Thank you!

Wendy did an amazing job coordinating everything on our trip to Colombia. There were lots of moving pieces and we visited multiple cities. Great trip thanks to Wendy and her team! We will definitely use Kim Kim again. Thanks for everything!

Hotel Reviews

Nacar Hotel Cartagena, Curio Collection by Hilton

Cartagena

Excellent hotel. We stayed in the 2nd building (which I would recommend - quieter and nicer rooms). Food was very good and the hotel is close to everything. Service was impeccable.

Authenticity & Character

Excellent.

Location

Great location - central to everything.

Staff

Staff is very attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very good.

Casa Origen

Santa Marta

Loved this hotel. Was a bit of a transition given what we are used too. But really enjoyed the stay. The ladies in the kitchen were wonderful. Very nice quiet place that has great access to the park and just a quick walk to the beach.

Authenticity & Character

Very nice setting.

Location

Isolated - but that is what made it charming.

Staff

Excellent service.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Remember fit is an Eco Lodge (not a 4 seasons). So, when visiting, keep that in mind. We had a blast.

El Cielo Hotel

Medellin

Wonderful hotel. Very personal service and great location. Restaurant and service were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Very nice boutique hotel.

Location

Very centrally located.

Staff

Service was impeccable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wander Cartagena’s Storied Streets & Discover the Art of Getsemaní

Cartagena

Driver was excellent - guide was a bit average. This was the only part of a trip that was “average.”.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was excellent - guide was average.

Transport

Driver did an excellent job.

Colorful Colombia: Hike to Guatapé Rock, Guatapé & Peñol-Guatape Reservoir

Colombia

Nice trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the iconic Comuna 13 & Medellín

Medellín

Mario and Jimmy (driver) did an excellent job. Lunch could have been a bit better - but overall wonderful time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mario and Jimmy did a stellar job!

Transport

Jimmy was excellent!

Free availability of transportation service

Colombia

Jimmy and our guide did a great job.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taironaka & River Tubing at Don Diego River: A Sanctuary of History and Nature

Colombia

Nice relaxing float trip. Gave us a break after a lot of walking tours. Guides were great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Santa Marta

Colombia

Jovan did a wonderful job.

Quality of Experience

Excellent.

Food

Very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jovan and our driver were excellent.

Transport

Very good.

Trip of a lifetime! My husband and I decided to go to Colombia for our 15 yr anniversary. We didn’t know much about the country and decided to try KimKim. This was a huge game changer!! Margoth was absolutely amazing in the planning. She knew we wanted to see the coffee region and suggested we try Hacienda Bambusa. With only 8 rooms it can fill quickly. From there the rest of the trip was planned.
We started in Bogotá and had the most knowledgeable tour guide Byron. Being a history major he knew the city well. Even showed me the best spots for picture taking. If you are into hiking I highly recommend taking one of the hikes in Chingaza. The local guide was able to give us such a deep understanding of the indigenous Colombian people.
In Armenia we had the best hospitality. Cocoa tour, horseback riding. So many surprises along the way. Our guide and driver here were top notch talking us to some amazing coffee shops and restaurants off the main tourist streets.
One of the best parts about Kim Kim was having amazing guides and drivers in each city. We were able to cover so much ground and have a deeper cultural experience. It completely changed my outlook of foreign travel. Thank you Margoth!!!

Hotel Reviews

El Cielo Hotel

Medellin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the turn down service with the yummy treats.

Hacienda Bambusa

El Caimo

This place makes you feel like royalty. They greet you by name from the moment you arrive. Even staff members I had not met were able to greet me by my first name, so impressive. The rooms were beautiful with hammocks and hummingbirds. The flora and bird watching made me want to stay forever.

Authenticity & Character

Loved everything!

Location

Close to airport but they need to work on the roads.

Staff

Greeting us by name. Waiting with fresh cool towels when we arrived back from excursions. Surprise picnic table and drinks in the bamboo forest.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa Medina Four Seasons

Bogotá, Cundinamarca

So comfortable and charming. This hotel was absolutely stunning. We loved the breakfast each morning in the lovely atrium style restaurant. At night we chatted it up with the bartender who taught us more about the local area and drinks. His English was great and we were able to practice our Spanish. Spa services were great too!! Liked that it was in a safe neighborhood.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Short Cacao Tour (Hacienda Bambusa)

Armenia

Loved this tour and learned a lot about cacao farming. My only wish is that the tour was a bit longer so it could include the end stages of cacao production and to actually taste some of it. Cacao tour without actually tasting any chocolate was a little disappointing. Best part was hands down the guide. Sebastian was informative and easy to talk too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cocora Valley,  Salento, & Coffee Farm Visit

Colombia

This was a bit of a drive from our hotel but well worth it. We were lucky to see the Colombian condor close up. The walk was easy and breathtaking. Fun picture spots. Salento was colorful and had great shopping.

Chingaza Natural National Park Tour

Bogotá

Hands down the most informative hike I have ever done. Our local guide Gabrielle was from Muisca descent. His love for the culture and environment was inspiring. We hiked to the infamous lagoons, touched the sacred rocks. Loved it despite the rain and mud. We stopped for lunch in Guasca. Felt good to discover the smaller cities with so much culture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Coffee Shops Usaquen recommendations (no transportation and activity not included)

Bogotá

This was one of my husbands favorite meals in Colombia and he is a foodie. Cute patio. Seafood soup and Sangria are recommended.

Our trip to Colombia was amazing. I whole heartedly recommend this trip to anyone seeking an interesting, inspiring and fun vacation. Wendy was a fabulous specialist - very responsive, helpful and kind. We enjoyed so many activities! In Bogota we loved visiting the Traditional Farmers Market with Maria Jose. She was so passionate about Colombia and her work. We learned so much and enjoyed the fruit and market. We had a blast dancing during a LBGT night in Bogotá! Our guide throughout, Andrea, was absolutely lovely. We learned so much about the city, Colombia and a bit about what it is like to live there. We loved our experience in Medellín. What a beautiful city. Our guide Andres was awesome. We were in awe of how this city and the community has transformed after so much suffering. The vibrancy and passion we felt in the Comuna 13 was amazing. I think I will most remember the moving stories, hopefulness and how much incredible work performed by the community has transformed this city. We also had a fun evening out to a gay bar with Andres. Great conversations! The visit to the “silletera” farm was lovely as well. Our last days were spent in Cartagena. Really had some great meals! Also had a blast with the rum and chocolate tasting! As I write this review, I feel a longing to go back! It truly was amazing. My impression is mostly of the people we met, our guides and others we spoke with. I feel so grateful for how much I learned and got to experience in this beautiful country with such amazing people.

Activity Reviews

Legendary Rum & Chocolate Tasting

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy Medellín Nightlife

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colorful Colombia: Hike to Guatapé Rock, Guatapé & Peñol-Guatape Reservoir

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

LBGT Night in Bogotá

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The City of The Eternal Spring & Comuna 13

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Farmers Market

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What an incredible experience!

Michael was attentive and listened to my needs on the trip. Each guide, Jose and Roberto, were kind, accommodating, and knowledgeable. Each excursion and outing brought my spouse and I a little closer to the amazing spirit of the people of Colombia. Each accommodation was comfortable and sustainably minded. I cannot say enough great things about this trip and I cannot recommend this once-in-a-lifetime experience enough. Go to Colombia and experience its wonders!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia

Cartagena de Indias

What a cool building and the staff was so kind. The room had lots of old world charm, including a tiny bathroom and gaps in window frames just small enough for mosquitoes. Would have loved a mosquito net in my room for the stay, but other than that, it was a wonderful place AND really close to everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

You could not beat this location.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mosquito nets, please!

La Campana Hotel Boutique

Medellín

Delicious breakfast options and a really unique experience. I felt like I was part of a family! Rooms and beds were so comfortable. Bathrooms were a bit small, but that's the American in me.

Authenticity & Character

Location

About a ten minute walk from tons

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

I would have loved this more had I not been so tired and had it not been so hot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

An incredible experience! I wish it wasn't fresh off a flight and I had more energy. It went so quickly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was INCREDIBLE. I learned so much

Transport

Tour to Totumo Volcano

Cartagena

What a fun experience, but too many tourist traps. I ended up tipping so many people and while we were somewhat warned about it, it was still a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Daytrip: Silletera Culture in Santa Elena & La Piedra de Guatapé

Medellín

Wow! I loved every minute of this day! The drive was beautiful, the monolith was such an adventure, Guatape was SO BEAUTIFUL, lunch was DELICIOUS, and the floral farm was such a fun cultural experience. This was my favorite day of the trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Oh wow! I will think about that lunch a lot!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee-Culture Tour

Medellín

Wow! What a fun experience. This was my husband's favorite stop. We learned a lot, interacted with the landscape, and had great coffee/juice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We LOVED our time in Cartagena and really appreciated the care Michael took to make sure each detail was thought out. The Armeria Real hotel suited our family well and the sleeping loft gave our daughter somewhere to hide away when she wanted a moment alone.

We particularly enjoyed the chocolate workshop at ChocoMuseo with Cindy. Our active 9-year-old was involved in every step. The owner, Abe, stopped by and gave us a bit of a taste of the rum experience from his other property Rumbox across the street. We went there later for dinner. That was a highlight but the workshop with Cindy was a wonderful, intimate, personalized way to kick off our adventure in Cartagena. She was knowledgeable and patient. We bought rum and chocolate to bring home to share with others.

We also loved the bike tour with Oscar. What a GREAT tour guide! So warm and a great story teller. We were not the steadiest on our bikes but he matched our pace and was reassuring. He sought out a great little coffee shop, which was a highlight for my husband. He helped our daughter make connections between Colombian history and what she'd already learned of US history. And he knew everyone all over town. I felt like we were rolling along with a local celebrity.

The dance lesson was a bit less successful - we learned how to dance but using the dining room at our hotel wasn't really the ambiance we were looking for. The instructor was great but it would have been nice to go out somewhere more lively. I suppose that's too much to ask at that time of day. Dance culture doesn't likely pick up until later at night. I did see Oscar took a video of us dancing - perhaps you could ask him for a copy and send it on to us?

The trip to the islands was lovely and I really liked IslaBela. It was not overrun like many of the reviews I'd read of other Rosario Island destinations.

Overall, a wonderful trip and using KimKim and Chaska helped us find the right balance between independent travel and expert on-the-ground guidance and support. Very satisfied!

Hotel Review

GHL Hotel Armería Real

Cartagena

The location in Getsemani was perfect and the rooftop pool is a great place to relax after a day of sightseeing. Take in the view of the city walls and the skyscrapers on the peninsula beyond as you lounge with a mojito from the bar. The room smelled a bit musty but the air conditioning was effective and the sheets were clean. They really need to boost the lighting in the interiors. The decor is charming and authentic to the neighborhood. For our family it was really perfect to have the two beds split into separate spaces, with a living room bedroom, and bathroom on the first floor, and another bedroom and bathroom in a sleeping loft above. This provided a little getaway for our daughter to decompress within shouting distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the heart of Getsemani. Walkable to so many destinations.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cartagena Dance Class

Cartagena

The instructor was great. We learned how to dance. I somehow thought we'd do so at a more lively venue where we'd then be able to continue dancing. Doing the dancing in the empty dining room of our hotel was not an ideal location - especially since we were such a small group.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cartagena City-Tour by Bike

Cartagena

Oscar was a wonderful guide. Knowledgeable and friendly. He was greeting folks all over the city. He customized the tour to our interests. He worked with the bike rental place to make sure we got a tandem bike that suited our family. He scouted out a great coffee shop where my husband got to sample tasty coffee.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rosario Islands Day Trip

Cartagena

Lovely trip to the islands. It's so nice you get your own little cabana/bed upon arrival. The food was tasty. The vibe was relaxed. The snorkeling was a little bit of a disappointment in that the water was a bit rough. Not much they can do about that as tour operators, though. And there were lots of pretty fish.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate Workshop

Cartagena

This was amazing. Cindy was a wonderful tour guide through the process of making chocolate. She let us be hands-on for several steps of the process, handling the cocoa beans, shelling them, mashing them and finally pouring them into molds. She even customized our mixture so that it would not contain milk since I had an allergy. We learned so much and were inspired to eat dinner that night at their restaurant across the street - Rumbox - where they have a lovely rum-tasting experience that is also infused with chocoloate. This experience was everything we could hope for - personalized, sensory, informative and fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked - so not much to say about that.

A quick review for your quick reminder. Despite our COVID set-back, we have positive feelings about our trip. In fact, it was having KimKim’s arranging of our need for an altered itinerary that was especially helpful. Both of our guides, Yube and Roberto, were good, but Yube was especially good. We liked the way she talked about a wide range of subjects, something that gave us a sense of Colombia today. And our best day was the one where we went up to the mountains with her (although we never understood why we used a boat instead of tubes).

We love Colombia! It was a romantic, elegant cultural experience that gave us 10 days of non stop fun. Margoth was incredible. She planned a trip that was customized to us. I was not an easy client. Due to illness I had to cancel a big hike and Margoth saved our trip. She gave us smaller hikes including one up a rain forest river, a beautiful raft down a remote river and 2 nights in an elegant resort on exotic Baru. She chose incredible restaurants, found us the best guides and made every airport pick up a pleasure. I felt we got incredible value. The hotels were just lovely. Margoth went above and beyond on so many occasions I can’t imagine ever going to Colombia without her. I can’t imagine ever travelling again without her - I am spoiled. She was always available to answer questions and ensure we were on time.

This trip opened our minds and our hearts to this stunning country. It was a trip of a lifetime. Thank you so so much Margoth. When you come back to Canada and I would love to meet you.

Hotel Reviews

Nacar Hotel Cartagena, Curio Collection by Hilton

Cartagena

Sofitel Baru Calablanca

Cartagena

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kawa Mountain Retreat

Salento

Authenticity & Character

Location

O

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

It’s incredible. Bugs are there. We got used to it.

Hotel Terasu Salento

Salento, Quindío

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio del Mundo

Medellín

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Raft Down the River ‘La Vieja’ (and local Picnic Lunch)

Colombia

Rosco was fun. Laura our guide was fantastic

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at OCIO / OCI.Mde

Medellín

Best food in a restaurant in Colombia hands down.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Colombia!

Colombia

We had a great trip to Colombia. Both Felipe and Margoth helped us during the entire vacation and took care of everything from start to finish. All was outstanding but we especially liked our travel guide Pablo in Medellin, our tour to Cafe de la Cima, chocolate tasting at El Arsenal The Rum Box, Cartagena and the cooking class at Oh La La also in Cartagena. We would not hesitate to recommend Felipe to anyone that wants to visit Colombia.

Activity Reviews

Depart Colombia

Colombia

Went great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bird Sanctuary

Colombia

Very nice!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alto de San Miguel Forest Reserve Birdwatching Tour

Medellín

Great tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at Andrés Carne de Res

Medellín

Loved this!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Colombia!

Colombia

Just great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guatape and El Peñol

Colombia

Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wonderful staff!

Transport

The Best of Medellín City Tour (with Comuna 13)

Medellín

Great tour! A must!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wonderful!

Transport

Private Cooking Class and Lunch

Cartagena

Very fun cooking class and great food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rafting Tour at Rio Claro

Medellín

So much fun! Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee Farm Day Tour

Medellín

Wonderful! We loved it! Great visit with the family at this coffee farm.

Quality of Experience

Great coffee. Wonderful family.

Food

Excellent.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing!

Transport

Great transportation.

The trip planning and customization was easy and well managed. The overall trip plan was organized well. The itinerary was well thought out, covering some of the most essential areas of the country given our interests. The plan and communication around hotels, drivers, daily activities and travel were all communicated well. Most of the local guides were excellent. One, in Medellin, seemed a bit less well-versed and enthusiastic than the others, but was sufficient for the tours.

The country and its people are amazing. The natural beauty, culture and the Colombian spirit are inspiring.

Our one criticism was about the communication of what Tayrona Park promised to be versus what we experienced. For us, as experienced outdoors people who relish the solitude and wild aspects of natural places, the park was not what we had anticipated. It is a walk to several beaches, not a wilderness experience. To be fair, we arrived on a 3 day national holiday, so the park was full. But, we were quite unhappy with the day. Our local guide, with support and approval from our Kim Kim liaison made things right by swapping out an alternative for us. We had one other wrinkle, when bad weather prevented us from visiting one of the islands off Cartagena. Our liaison changed the itinerary easily for us to make sure we were happy.

This is our second trip with Kim Kim. In the end, they work hard to give you the experience you want and to take over the heavy lifting. They are solid communicators who work at those goals.