Kimkim Trip Reviews for Colombia

Michael and the Kim Kim group were amazing to work with. They shaped a wonderful itinerary for our group. We loved Bogotá and the great neighborhood they had us stay with a great tour guide who let us try all the local fruit. Medellín exceeded our expectations. We loved this city and our only regret was that we didn't adjust our itinerary and spend more time here. We had Andres for 3 days and he made us fall in love with the city. All the activities (white water rafting, touring Comuna 13 & the local coffee farm) were amazing. We also loved Tayrona and again we didn't have enough days in our trip to extend this portion, but it was beautiful. The hotel the group booked for us was wonderful. We ended the trip in Cartagena. Anther amazing city. I personally am not a fan of the heat, so fewer days here would have worked better in my itinerary, but that is just because of my personal preference. Again, we are so happy to have used Michael and the Kim Kim group and we would not have had such a great trip without them.

Activity Review

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

Not a good place to bike and received not a lot of city information. The Guides did their best to keep us safe, but I wouldn't have recommended this tour.

Quality of Experience

Have a walking tour instead with more details of the city.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

More city information and interesting information

Transport

Not a good way to see the city

Our 2 week trip to Colombia was excellent and provided a nice variety of experiences. Our highlight was our guide Andres in and around Medellin. He was incredibly informative, kind and generally a pleasant person to be around. He made this part of our trip really amazing, from the city tour to our experience at a coffee farm.

Hotel Reviews

Senda Watapuy

Santa Marta

Very nice hotel in a beautiful location. The staff was attentive and helpful throughout our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Campana Hotel Boutique

Medellín

We enjoyed the location, comfort and staff at this hotel. The rooms were very comfortable and the staff were some of the friendliest and helpful people on our trip. The short walk to restaurants in Poblado was a nice perk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa Deco

Bogotá

The hotel was in an excellent location near area attractions. However, the rooms were a bit dated and the noise from the street was loud. Having ear plugs at this hotel is a must.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kartaxa Cartagena

Cartagena

The hotel room was small and not comfortable. Our room received strong kitchen smells every morning from the restaurant below. Noise from guests in the central atrium was constant and disruptive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cartagena Dance Class

Cartagena

Very good instructor.

Cartagena Street Food Tour

Cartagena

Interesting experience that we would not have done otherwise. Some of the tastiest food of our time in Cartagena.

Coffee-Culture Tour

Medellín

Wonderful guide and interesting experience to explore this natural farm.

Rosario Islands Day Trip

Cartagena

This day trip was a disappointment. The accommodations were very basic - we didn't even have access to towels to rent. There was no water to wash hands at the bathroom. The water and beach were also very dirty with plastics and prophylactics.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

The trip felt dangerous due to cycling through traffic. It was hard to enjoy and learn about the city due to this.

Rafting on Río Calderas

Medellín

Highlight of the trip. Excellent guides and fun experience.

Peñol Boulder & Guatapé Boat Trip

Medellín

Despite not feeling well, I enjoyed the trip to these areas. Guatape was beautiful and I wish we had more time to explore this town.

Medellín Day Tour

Medellín

Excellent trip with our guide Andres. We explored areas of the city that we would not have visited otherwise. The lunch was also excellent.

Bogota Highlights Tour

Bogotá

We had an excellent guide, were able to visit Monserrate without waiting in a long line, and tasted a variety of native fruits. It was a great way to begin our trip.

We had a wonderful family trip to Colombia thanks to the assistance of Michael!
We traveled as a family of 5, 2 adults and 3 children (ages 12, 10 and 3). Michael arranged all of our tours and transfers for us. Every guide we had was absolutely lovely and we enjoyed learning about their country and culture through the eyes of locals.
Our car transfers were all seamless. They arrived on time and in clean and spacious vehicles, even equipped with a car seat for our 3yo. The drivers were accommodating and stopped when we needed for groceries, ATM or bathroom breaks. We especially appreciated Christian who was our driver on 3 separate occasions and went out of his way to meet all of our needs.

My wife and I just returned from a 9-10 day tour of Columbia. The tour was quite ambitious as we visited Bogota (one full day), Amazonia (2 full days), the Coffee region (3 full days), and even a quick one night stopover in Cartagena (one day). This involved a lot of flights as all flights connect through Bogota. So it was quite tiring and rather head spinning. The good thing though was that we got to see an amazing diversity of peoples and places in one tour.
What we saw of Bogota, on an e-bike tour!, we found to be both beautiful and interesting, and Monserrate and the views of Bogota from it, were amazing (but buy a pass that gets you to the head of the line if you can).
Amazonia was, for us the greatest highlight of the tour. We found it, as lovers of wild life, birds, and peoples/cultures with dignity, a simply charming, magical place. We were based out of Punto Nariño, and travelled everywhere by small boat, except on our return trip to Leticia on a river "bus". Every boat trip was a guided natural history adventure, stopping to see the dolphins at Leticia, and on both banks of the river to photograph birds, monkeys, or to have some other curiosity pointed out. We navigated lakes with water lily pads and flooded forests. We visited two different indigenous communities and a monkey rehabilitation sanctuary, and photographed humming birds, Macaws and Toucans, birds hiding in the trees or in flocks, and butterflies. I did a night walk in the rain forest and photographed frogs and sleeping morpho butterflies. We visited a indigenous cultures museum and shopped for unique crafts in Leticia.
We also loved the Coffee Region. This is a mountainous or hilly, moderate temperature, rain forest region with coffee, fruit orchards, avocados, etc., as well as national forest. It is beautiful and the climate is very pleasant when we visited (February). We visited a beautiful hillside farm, where we were shown a fabulous orchid collection and treated to a delicious lunch, and the farmhouse, where we watched many colorful birds and humming bird feed. We visited two very beautiful rural towns, Filandia and Salento, where we visited a basketry workshop/studio and were taught by a craftsman to weave small baskets. We stayed in a charming hotel at a farm in a national park in the Corcora valley and did an early morning birding exploration in the hills. And we visited a botanical garden, where we learned about the local ecology, with a large enclosed butterfly habitat where we could view native butterflies up close. Our last night was spent in Cartagena, in a fabulous hotel just adjacent to the old city. This is also very beautiful, historical, with a lot of shopping and fine dining, quite different from our previous experiences. (We didn't have time to investigate the beaches, but not our thing anyway.)
In almost all of our adventures we were accompanied by a driver and a guide. We have very little Spanish, but the guides spoke English, and all were super knowledgeable about birds and could identify them by their calls and spot them in the trees, as well as being knowledgeable about the local cultures and history. Though it is hard to single any out, Sergio Leones in Amazonia and Juan Camilo in the Coffee Region were truly outstanding, and we learned so much from them. But even the drivers seemed to have a great knowledge of their natural history and be able to spot the birds. Our small boat trip from Leticia to Punto Nariño to Leticia on our day of arrival was a fascinating adventure as our Spanish-only speaking boat driver made many stops to point out birds and other things along the way and we had a great time trying to communicate in hand waving, my tiny amount of Spanish, and an iPhone app.
Our accommodations were outstanding, although in Amazonia they were, as you would expect, a little less refined. All were beautiful and full of character. Particularly of note were Sazagua (in Pereira) and Sazagua Boutique (in Corcora), being beautiful and having great food, and our hotel in Cartagena.
Indeed, everywhere we went, the food was outstanding, and, as you would expect given our itinerary, of a great variety.
Did we feel safe in Colombia? Yes, certainly anywhere we went we had no concerns at all (although we were with guides most of the time). Indeed I found the Columbians we met to most generous, and, especially, to be extremely pleased to be able to share their beautiful country with us, along with its natural wonders.
Would we go back again? - YES. But, probably with a more relaxed schedule, doubling down on the things we liked the most, and with some new twist.
Last, but not least, many thanks to Margarita, our Kim-Kim local specialist, who suggested the itinerary, modified to our satisfaction, worked out all the details, hired the guides, made all the bookings, watched out for us throughput the trip, and was a model of efficiency and courtesy.

We had an amazing trip to Colombia! Setting up our trip was easy. KimKim asked about our likes/dislikes, how active we wanted to be, what places we didn't want to miss seeing etc all to set up the best vacation possible for us. We went to Bogota, Pereira and Cartagena and thoroughly enjoyed all 3 locations. In Bogota we did a city tour which included the Gold Museum (a must see) as well as the local market and Monserrate Hill. We also left the city and did some hiking so it felt like a good mix of time in the city as well as enjoying the natural beauty around the city. Our guide in Bogota, Oscar, was very helpful and informative. Periera was totally different. We were out in the beauty of the coffee region visiting small towns such as Finlandia and Salento. Going to the Corcora Valley and seeing the beautiful Wax Palms, Horseback riding and a Coffee Farm Visit. The only disappointment was due to fires we were not able to do the Los Frailes Hike but it certainly wasn't the fault of KimKim. The boutique hotel in Pereira , Hotel Sazagua, was just lovely. It was by far our favorite hotel. Our room was spacious with our own private patio/jacuzzi, the food at the hotel was great and the service top notch. Our guide in Pereira, Claudia, was also great. She was so knowledgable about the area she even gave us the coffee tour herself.
Cartagena was our third stop and it didn't disappoint. It was very hot but we managed to get some pool time in at our hotel as well as a full day at Tierra Bomba Island at the Makani Beach Club to cool off. The Makani Beach Club was fabulous. It had a beautiful pool, a restaurant, bar area as well as massage. We enjoyed all three. Due to the wind the boat ride back was very bumpy so if that is bothersome it might not be a good choice. I would also highly recommend the Mangrove Tour. It s a very beautiful area and we were able even able to catch a few blue crab on our tour! Again, our guides were very informative and knowledgable about the city and it's history.
We've had a lot of people ask us if we felt safe while in Colombia. Our answer is "Yes"! As long as you're smart about where you go on your own and are aware of your surroundings it is perfectly safe. Our guides were very helpful in giving us tips and guidance in this area for sure. The one thing that was surprising to us was how few people spoke any English. Our Spanish is extremely limited so without a guide I think it would have been difficult for us to navigate around the country. But thanks to KimKim and our guides this wasn't an issue at all. We would definitely recommend travel to Colombia!

Margarita and her team went above and beyond to ensure that we had a wonderful trip to Colombia. Thank you for taking such good care of us! Everyone we worked with was friendly, helpful and polite. I couldn't ask for more. Muchas gracias

Hotel Reviews

100 LUXURY SUITES

bogota

During my three-night stay at 100 LUXURY SUITES in Bogotá, I found the hotel to be excellent. The neighborhood was lovely, but it was a bit far from the downtown tourist areas, which was a minor inconvenience. The hotel itself was nice, although the distance from the main attractions was a small drawback. Overall, the experience was fabulous, and I would highly recommend this hotel.

Location

Staff

The Refuge at Río Claro Reserva Natural

Medellin

My one-night stay at The Refuge at Río Claro Reserva Natural had a few issues. It is an eco hotel with a low cost, but the staff seemed inexperienced and didn't provide the level of service we expected. The location was not ideal, and the accommodation could have been better. Despite these challenges, the staff was friendly, which was a plus.

Patio del Mundo

Medellín

I stayed at Patio del Mundo in Medellín for three nights and found the hotel to be fabulous. The location was perfect, the staff was very friendly and helpful, and the overall experience was excellent. I highly recommend this boutique hotel for anyone visiting Medellín.

Location

Staff

Rosario Del Mar by Tequendama

My one-night stay at Rosario Del Mar by Tequendama in the Rosario Islands was good overall. The accommodation was basic with no balcony or view, but the staff was extremely nice. The experience was decent, but not excellent due to the simplicity of the room.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Barú & the Rosario Islands

Colombia

The islands and the beach were great and the snorkeling was fun, but there wasn't so much to see underwater.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Valentina was delightful, good English, informative. The driver and his son were great.

Transport

Our 14 day trip to Colombia was fantastic!
Michael helped us plan an awesome itinerary that was filled with adventure. Our local guides were so much fun to meet. Maylin in Bogotá was so kind and knowledgeable. We really did a lot in one day. Bogotá far exceeded my expectations! While in the Amazon, Yair showed us true adventures including monkeys, sloths, dolphins and even an anaconda!! Salento and the Cocora Valley was truly beautiful. Carlos knew a lot about the flora and fauna and was considerate in bringing me walking sticks! Tayrona National Park is really cool ( actually hot and humid!!), with monkeys, blue tailed lizards and toads. You can hear the howler monkeys as you trek through the jungle ...all pointed out by our kind and helpful guide, José. A refreshing swim in the Caribbean and then a beachside lunch is a wonderful way to cool off before the hike back. Jaime was our delightful guide around the Victoria Coffee farm and waterfalls. We also had a really good lunch with her.
Our driver for several occasions was Juan Carlos. He took us from the airport in Santa Marta to Tayrona to Minca and all around that area and then on a 4+ hour drive to Cartagena! He stopped for photos and brought us bottles of cold water! He drove very safe and we felt very secure on the very curvy mountain roads of Minca.
While seeing Cartagena, Evelyn, with her fun and spirited personality, took us around showing us history and where to find the best shopping and restaurants.
Our hotels were really nice. The drivers were on time and EVERYTHING went according to schedule. We could not have planned such a fantastic vacation on our own. We felt like VIPS and realized our private tours seemed to far surpass any of the others we saw or heard about. No regrets. A trip of a lifetime for sure! Thank you once again, Michael Gold!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Muisca

Bogotá

Really unique. So old and interesting. Breakfast was good. Slightly noisy for sleep due to the way the hotel was set up. Still, we enjoyed it

Authenticity & Character

Super quaint, interesting architecture. Old-time European feeling.

Location

Great for sightseeing

Staff

Main reception was fine

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, small rooms. Fine.

Waira Suites

Leticia

Clean, modern feel. Pools looked tempting, but we didn't have a chance to use them. Restaurant staff was fun and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing to be improved upon, just not super interesting

Location

Seemed very central for our needs. Easy access.

Staff

Friendly restaurant staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and fresh

La Ceiba Amazonas

Really rustic, but what would you expect in the Amazon?!

Authenticity & Character

Simple, rustic. Has what you need. Great private decks! Liked the communal meals to meet new people

Location

In MI aqua, an indigenous pueblo

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds, bath were fine.

Salento Plaza

Clean, delightful breakfasts

Authenticity & Character

Cute outdoor area with lots of plants, beautiful sunsets

Location

Near everything in town

Staff

Restaurant staff especially kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were nice, not so private as everyone can walk by and see right into your ( bed) room

Senda Koguiwa

Santa Marta

Absolutely beautiful! Awesome balcony! Awesome lobby and grounds, and pool. This was the highlight hotel of our trip. The little monkeys at breakfast were a fun surprise as well as walking along the river. Also swam in the pool, had cocktails and massages. Great!!

Authenticity & Character

Great

Location

Beautiful

Staff

Nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mundo Nuevo Eco Lodge

Santa Marta

The grounds her were beautiful. Our actual rooms were OK.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were small, up a steep hill. Lots of rules. We wanted to dry our towels before travel the next day, but not allowed to.

Hotel Casa Tere

Cartagena

Mixed feelings here. Hotel has great potential with current downfalls such as poor breakfast choices and service. Room was small with 2 double beds. Did not look like the photo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good location

Staff

Restaurant staff person was very unhelpful and unattentive . Just poorly managed breakfast. Cheap pillows, blankets. We were fine, just seemed lacking compared to our other stays.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could be improved if they tried.

Activity Reviews

Bogota's Essentials (City Tour & Monserrate)

Bogotá

Awesome, learned SO much from Maylin. She did a super job.

Quality of Experience

So many places covered in one day!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Well educated and spoke great English .

Transport

No issues

Flora & Fauna in the Amazon (4d/3n)

Leticia and Puerto Nariño

Our guide added specialists to each area, for example to the monkey/ primate trek; to the Sloth trek in Peru.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Got to see an anaconda!!

Transport

Cocora Valley & Salento

Colombia

I was glad I requested the hiking poles for this trek. It was so beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very careful drivers

Transport

Open Jeep Ride was really fun, especially to the coffee farm!

Coffee Farm Tour in Finca Buenos Aires

Salento

Very interesting, beautiful countryside. My favorite views of Colombia!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver from Peoria to Salento was not as friendly as most. From Salento to Peoria, REALLY FRIENDLY!

Transport

Hike Tayrona National Park

Tayrona National Park

Seeing the animals was awesome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jose and Jose were great!

Transport

Nature, Waterfalls & Coffee Farm in Minca

Colombia

Loved spending time with Jaime. She is a real gem!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jaime and Juan Carlos are so nice!

Transport

Juan is an excellent and very consciousness driver.

Cartagena City Tour

Cartagena

Fun time checking out the historical and current stats of the city.

Quality of Experience

Evelyn was fun and spirited! Great tips on shopping!

Quality of Experience

Evelyn was fun and spirited! Great tips on shopping!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Long drive from Minka to Cartagena. Interesting to see the non tourist cities.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Long drive from Minka to Cartagena. Interesting to see the non tourist cities.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Long drive from Minka to Cartagena. Interesting to see the non tourist cities.

Transport

Juan Carlos is a great driver.

Transport

Juan Carlos is a great driver.

Transport

Juan Carlos is a great driver.

Our time to Columbia was amazing. It was a last minute trip but Andrea was so great at putting it all together for us. She was able to switch hotels easily when the one we wanted was not available. Communication with her was fantastic and she is such a lovely person. She was a joy to work with!
Columbia is such a beautiful country with such interesting history and culture. Each destination had its own special appeal. The food was incredible, activities were fun, the people are so friendly and we never felt unsafe. Columbia is a must visit in South America.

Hotel Reviews

El Cielo Hotel

Medellin

Beautiful small hotel with incredible restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Felt very inviting

Location

Walkable to nightlife area but could have been a little closer.

Staff

Staff was extremely nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bio Habitat Hotel

Quindío, Armenia

Unique and beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Cool layout, fun vibe

Location

Great views with lush surroundings

Staff

Everyone was very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Pestagua Relais Châteaux

Cartagena de Indias

Such a beautiful hotel!

Authenticity & Character

So charming and beautifully decorated

Location

In the middle of town

Staff

Friendliest staff yet!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was amazingly comfortable

Hotel Punta Faro

Isla Mucura

Beautiful beach hotel in the middle of the Caribbean, like staying on a deserted island

Authenticity & Character

Felt very relaxing and low key

Location

Surrounded by beautiful Caribbean water

Staff

Staff was very nice but as a non-spanish speaking person it was a little difficult to communicate as none of the waitstaff spoke any English so at times they were a little hesitant to approach to us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room is a little no frills. Service at beach was limited

Activity Reviews

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

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking in the Cócora Valley up to "The Hummingbird House" & Explore Salento & Filandia

Colombia

Not for the faint of heart. It was a very long hike but really beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee Farm Experience

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It took me a little while to get to writing this review, but this family trip remains vivid in all of our minds! I planned this quite last minute (my fault) but Margarita was able to put together a trip that we all loved. It felt very bespoke. Our local guides were lovely and knowledgeable. We also appreciated that some of the activities we did - jungle walks, horse-back riding, a farm and cooking class visit, a basket-weaving class, visiting Palenque, and a drum lesson - all felt like off-the-beaten path experiences. We prefer private experiences and that is what was delivered. The hotels were perfect for us, small and boutique (especially for such a last minute trip). Finally, one member of our party has celiac and needs a strictly gluten-free diet. margarita contacted every restaurant and notified them, making our dining experience truly a joy. I would definitely recommend Margarita to others (and, in fact, I have). Thank you for a lovely trip!

We were first greeted by our cheerful guide, Andrea, at the airport. We spent a day with her traveling around Bogotá. She was enthusiastic and had lots of knowledge re Colombian history, art, food, and culture. We had a great first breakfast at Hotel Coco in their top floor sunroom with views of the mountains surrounding Bogotá and a colorful spread of delicious Colombian fruits and other tasty foods.

Next, we went to Medellin and were met by Claudia and Martin. Claudia was a most excellent guide! Her knowledge, friendliness, and passion for her country was well complemented by English speaking driver, Martin, who added his own perspectives on various parts of Medellin culture and sights. We were so fortunate to have the two of them together. Our time with them was the highlight of the trip.

We then went to Cartagena and enjoyed our time there. We had a different guide for each event (Cartagena walking tour, kayaking, drum demonstration, horseback riding on the beach).
We then ended our trip with some time at the Caribbean resort island of Baru. We enjoyed kayaking to nearby islands and walking around an aviary where all the birds of Colombia are highlighted. Then one last night in Bogota before returning home.

Important points:
- so helpful to have someone greeting us at each airport and facilitating each departure (we took 3 domestic flights since driving within Colombia is too time consuming)
-very impressed with Avianca and LATAM Airlines
-easy and timely communication with trip organizers and guides using WhatsApp
-hotels were all modern and comfortable
-the best part of the trip was learning about the country by spending time with guides that were eager to show their love of Colombia, especially those that we spent multiple days with

Trip highlights not to be missed
-cable ride to Monserrate, a mountain that overlooks Bogota
-Museo Botero and Museo Del Oro- in Bogota, museum of the artist and sculptor Botero and nearby museum of gold
-Mercado de Paloquemao - tasted exotic fruits, a fun place if you like local markets
-Museo Casa de la Memoria, Medellin - museum dedicated to honor the memory of victims of urban conflict, paramilitaries, and drug trafficking in Medellin
-coffee plantation (Café de la Cima) - we visited a great family run place 1.5 hours from Medellin in Fredonia
-Guatapé - big rock to climb with stunning views and a boat ride on a nearby reservoir; tuk tuk ride in colorful town of Guatapé
-Comuna 13 and Santo Domingo neighborhoods in Medellin - use metro and metro cable car with guide
-Plaza Botero and Museo de Antioquia
-Getsemani neighborhood of Cartagena
-rum and chocolate tasting in Cartagena
- kayaking at Isla Baru
-aviary at Isla Baru
-street food: grilled corn, empanadas, arepas, fresh mango slices

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Coco

Bogotá

Such friendly staff! And a spectacular breakfast spread in a room that views the Bogota skyline and mountains.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Safe neighborhood with close by pharmacy and grocery store and tons of restaurants.

Staff

So friendly! Freddy was super helpful and welcoming!

Cleanliness & Comfort

We would recommend this hotel to all travelers.

Quinta Ladera

Medellin

Interior design was very artistic. Quiet, safe neighborhood, close to El Poblado restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly!

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Poblado neighborhood can get noisy at night though this hotel is far from the noise. Laureles neighborhood is a good alternative though not as lush with greenery.

Casa La Factoria by Faranda Boutique

Cartagena

Beautiful decor in an historic building. Great location in the old city within a few blocks of Plaza de Simon Bolívar and Plaza de Santo Domingo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Appreciated the air-conditioning.

Aura Hotel Barú By Sport Barú

Cartagena, Bolivar

Nice to have some time to relax. This was a low key retreat which was perfect for us. Kayaks, ping pong, paddle boards and other activities and games available.

Location

Very beautiful and picturesque Caribbean retreat but isolated.

Staff

Helped get us a ride to the nearby aviary.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paloquemao Farmers Market | Colonial Downtown & Monserrate

Colombia

One highlight at this visit, and for the whole trip was that our guide presented us with a sample of 6 exotic juices and their corresponding fruit.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andrea was great! She bought us some samples of fruit to take back to the hotel.

Transport

The City of The Eternal Spring & Street Food In La Comuna 13

Medellín

We didn’t now much about all the factions that was part of the violence in the earlier decades in Colombia. That changed after we visited the Casa de la Memoria museum. It was an emotionally moving set of exhibits that is a must visit for anyone interested in understanding the violence that Medellin and the rest of Colombia suffered under. Saw both comuna 13 and Santo Domingo. Two different and fascinating neighborhoods. Comuna 13 gets all the attention and as a result is very touristy but Santo Domingo is quieter and maybe more authentic. The cable ride to Santo Domingo was a breath taking view of the city.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved the dynamic duo Claudia and Martin.

Transport

Travelled on the clean and modern metro and the cable car transportation.

Full day Coffee Workshop - "From the plant to the cup"

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Walked the steep hills with the coffee farmer as he explained the the coffee process. We also harvested the coffee berries our selves.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Claudia translated for us as the farmer talked about coffee growing and roasting. Also, we tasted coffee and learn to discern different coffee types.

Transport

Discover Cartagena by Kayak

Colombia

Pleasant time kayaking but the trip did not match the description. Guide did not speak English so we did not learn much. Though Cartagena is a beautiful city from the inside, it wasn’t as interesting from the water.

Quality of Experience

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

Colombia

We enjoyed a boat trip on Peñol reservoir viewing vacation homes and beautiful scenery. Some of the properties were owned by Pablo Escobar. We then climbed up the famous rock El Peñol, which was not as difficult as we thought it would be. The views were spectacular. We then went to the town of Guatape, which is a fun colorful place to visit and walk around. After that we had a really tasty lunch at a Spa/Glamping restaurant called Bosko.

Quality of Experience

Great scenery, town, guide, driver, and food.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon-Night Walking Tour

Cartagena

We learned about Cartagena‘s history walking through the old city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Horseback ride at the Beach

Cartagena

First visited the horse farm of Paso Fino horses and learned about their unique gate. We then went to the beach and met the horses there and rode them on the beach. After that we had a nice lunch at a nearby resort.

Quality of Experience

We were met at our hotel by Maria, who it turned out, was from the family that owned the horse farm. During the drive to the farm, we learned about her life experience riding horses.

Food

Great ceviche!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drum Safari - Sounds of Cartagena

Cartagena

We had a fascinating experience learning about the Afro – Colombian rhythms presented by an ensemble of drummers and dancers in a small beach town north of Cartagena. The event didn’t include a tour of the neighborhood as the description suggested. we appreciated the importance of maintaining this heritage.

Quality of Experience

Better with a bigger audience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide and interpreter Jhoker, who is also a musician, was really wonderful in helping present the info the drummers were relating.

Transport

Great driver! I left my phone in the car and he came back to give it to me.

Free day in Baru

Isla Barú

This was a relaxing place to close out a wonderful two week trip to Columbia. The views were beautiful from the various dining rooms. There were lots of comfortable places to sit and areas where you could play games like ping-pong or volleyball. They had kayaks and paddle boards that could be used at any time. The friendly bartender was available to make great drinks like limonada de coco and exotic cocktails. Paddling around the resort was easy in the morning when the water was still. We did manage to find a ride to a nearby aviary, which is well worth the trip.

Quality of Experience

Hotel Aura Baru was well situated, relaxing, and low-key, but isolated. There is no town nearby to visit. It would been great to have an opportunity to go by shuttle to the aviary. Perhaps the hotel could provide a daily trip to the aviary for visitors who are interested.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly staff.

Transport

The ride to the aviary, which took 10 minutes, was quite expensive for Colombian standards. The hotel should provide a shuttle to the aviary once a day for anyone interested.

This is Joan and John Merriam’s review of their trip to Colombia from January 16-30 2024 which was planned and arranged by the KimKim team. We cannot say enough positive things about Margoth and Felipe and the rest of their team. During the planning stage and throughout our days in Colombia they were always quick to respond to any questions or concerns we had.

Our trip consisted of four days in each of Medellin, the Coffee District and Cartagena concluding with a two night stay in Bogota. Our accommodations were in beautiful boutique hotels in the first three locations and a very comfortable first class hotel in central Bogota. And each location included restaurant recommendation that were always superb. Our guides - Diego in Medellin, Felipe and Mauricio in the Coffee District, Gabo in Cartagena, and Maria in Bogota were all very knowledgeable and could not do enough to make our tours both educational and enjoyable.

Overall, our trip in Colombia was a great experience and one we look forward to recommending to our many friends. We think the country has much to offer to travellers and that the people of Colombia are among the warmest and friendliest people we have met on our travels in many countries all over the world.

Enjoyed our trip to Colombia.

Highly recommend Wendy. Excellent contact and follow up before and throughout the trip. The itinerary was great to see the sites and absorb the culture of Colombia.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Salento Real Eje Cafetero

Salento

Rooms were hot but thankful they gave us a portable fan. Breakfast was basic though personable staff cooked to order. TV didn’t work but the staff tried.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walking to the Main Street. Quiet location.

Staff

Staff did not speak English but our guide helped.

Cleanliness & Comfort

York Luxury Suites Medellín

El Poblado, Medellin

Excellent staff and many spoke English which was helpful. All were friendly and personable. Great sunset from balcony off the fitness room. Modern hotel with kitchen facilities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A ways from everything

Staff

Friendly and very helpful that many spoke English. Reception staff was excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best Western Plus Santa Marta Hotel

Santa Marta, Magdalena

Older hotel. Rooms were comfortable. Breakfast was satisfactory. Rooms were clean but towels a bit worn.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I think everywhere in Santa Marta seemed a bit sketchy.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ermita, Cartagena, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

El Cabrero, Cartagena

Comfortable hotel but on a busy road and hectic sidewalk to walk into the historic town. Floor in our room was filthy. We took our shoes off at the door and I could feel dirt under my feet. I took toilet paper and water and mopped the floor to try to get the floors clean enough. There was water under the sink and the hairdryer pouch was wet. I put tissue under the pipe to try to determine if major leak and it seemed condensation. It wasn't major so didn't call the staff. The next day the cleaning staff removed the tissue and put a towel there. Beds were comfortable. The rest of the hotel was kept very clean. Breakfast was good. Loved the fresh fruit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Please mop the floors in the rooms between guests.

GHL COLLECTION HOTEL 93

BOGOTÁ

Excellent breakfast. Food and serving staff were outstanding. Nice to have pancakes and eggs made to order. Presentation was amazing. Nice to have flavoured water in the lobby in the afternoons. The beds were comfortable. The only complaint I have is the bathroom sink is of very poor design. The angled sink was not practical. The tap was not a simple turn on and off and it sprayed everywhere including on us every time it was turned on.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good location to walk to restaurants and shopping mall if so desired.

Staff

Staff at Breakfast were 10 stars!!!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paloquemao Farmers Market | Colonial Downtown & Monserrate

Colombia

Amazing to tour the flower displays. Great to sample the fruits and drinks to get a flavour for Colombia. Interesting to see the Gold Museum. Enjoyed the drive past the murals but would have been nice to walking tour of them instead. Good to go up Monserrate mountain.

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch was amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andrea was an excellent guide. She had great knowledge, enthusiasm and tailored the tour to do this the day after it was scheduled due to the impact of the fires where we wouldn't have been able to do a lot of it. The driver was great too. Nice to have water provided.

Transport

Good vehicle. Nice to sit in front seat so I could take pictures out the window.

The Salt Cathedral & Zipaquirá

Colombia

The Salt Cathedral is a must do when you go to Bogata. Spectacular to see and experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andrea explained things very well and knew where to get the best pictures of us. She is very personable and respectful of other tourists.

Transport

Coffee Farm Experience

Colombia

We enjoyed our visit to the coffee farm and hearing the family's story of struggles and survival and seeing how they have developed and do their business. They were very engaging. Also enjoyed meeting their family.

Quality of Experience

Food

We didn't have lunch at the farm due to appointment by the farm owner but had a good meal in a restaurant with a beautiful property.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Personable guide who was a good interpreter with the farm owners and took some good pictures of us picking the coffee beans.

Transport

Part of the overall experience was travelling in the back of the jeep to get to and from the farm.

Salento, Filandia, & the Valley of Wax Palms

Colombia

Enjoyed the Valley of Wax Palms and doing the hike to the lookouts. A bit commercialized but you can avoid the tacky touristy things they have added and focus on the trails and the views. Nice viewpoint above Salento to see the valley. We did not go to Filandia due to our guide not having it in their itinerary.

Quality of Experience

Food

Excellent restaurant and food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both the guide and driver were personable. Nice to have water provided.

Transport

Comfortable vehicle.

The City of Eternal Spring and Its Story of Transformation

Medellín

Interesting tour of the city and history of the transformation. Juan Carlos Vanegas was an excellent guide and very knowledgeable. The only disappointment was that the guides and drivers provided water in the other places we had visited on the tour and we expected the same. But it wasn’t provided . We had landed by plane and started the tour immediately so had no water with us. We noticed the guide stopping a few times a picking up water for himself and he should have advised us to do the same.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Colombia

Enjoyed it all despite it being a rainy day. Guide adjusted the order of the sightseeing due to the weather. Glad we were able to climb the rock - it stopped raining for us and the fog lifted briefly at the top so we could get a bit of the view.

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch was incredible.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bunkuany: The Heart of the Wold

Colombia

The description of the tour did not say it would be 12 km hike over uneven and challenging terrain. Even the guide was shocked when he read the description. The guide was excellent and very helpful. We were proud of ourselves for doing the trek. We are in good shape but others would find it difficult. Even the drive to get to the start of the hike was quite the twisty and bumpy experience. We only did this as it we needed an option to replace Tayrona Park since it was closed.

Quality of Experience

Food

Beautiful setting for the meal. Nice to have snacks during the hike.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent guide and highly skilled driver.

Transport

Discover the Magical City of Cartagena & Getsemaní

Cartagena

Loved the city. Beautiful colours and interesting streets. No food provided on the tour so didn’t rate it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Good guide and driver.

Transport

Our Medellin experience began with superb planning by Alvaro at Kimkim Travel. We decided a short tour would be best for us and it was set up exactly as needed and tweaked when we changed something which is the beauty of Kimkim! Maria, our tour guide, met us at the airport and was lovely, informative, helpful, friendly and spoke excellent English. We then had our quiet and courteous driver, Raul, take us to our clean and comfortable hotel in a location that has everything. The hotel band was fun and entertaining. Breakfast each morning that made us feel like a King and Queen! The first tour day was 4 hours learning about the city and its history. We did the metro and cable car to Comuna 13 and the people’s story from Maria who lived through and in it. She became our friend that day. Leaving the city the 2nd tour day to Guatapé was a long and exciting day to The Rock where Maria and I climbed to the top - 702 steps. People cheered on our arrival at ground level and the memories are forever depicted in our views and photos at the top. The next day was SW of the city to the finest coffee plantation where the son in the family business showed us and explained the entire process of making a cup of coffee. Cima in Fredonia, was 2 hours away from our start but the drive with Raul again, made it relaxing. Maria interpreted since the family spoke no English. They made a delicious meal and finally coffee tasting. We dined at suggested restaurants at night that Maria advised were best. The 3rd day was a drive to La Miel - a nature conservation area of river and waterfall where we had a 90 minute hike on a natural trail of water running through rocks while we were educated on the area and flora and fauna by Lena - interpreted through Maria. Lena was wonderful too and at the end we cleaned up and changed for an excellent cooking class and meal at Martha’s - a woman who grows everything she prepares. The flowers, birds, hilled surroundings, made such a memorable day. We rate 12 out of 10 for each special day of the tour and return home with new friends and recommend Kimkim as the travel agents who plan specifically for their client’s needs!! Mary and Rudy Ralian of Wisconsin. Gracias Amigos!!!!

The online staff was quick to respond and super helpful. Our guide Daniela was knowledgeable and fun.

From the planning to the execution, working with Michael and team was been a pleasure. Before we left, Michael responded to every question promptly and patiently. While we were in Columbia, every driver was courteous and on time, and every guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Our lodgings were all comfortable and in excellent locations. Columbia is a beautiful country, and its people are kind and lovely. Thank you for helping us enjoy this wonderful place!

Hotel Reviews

Casa Legado

Bogota

Beautiful hotel, great location, outstanding service. Clearly lots of thought put into the design of the hotel to make it not only lovely, but comfortable for guests.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quinta Ladera

Medellin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location. Easy walking distance to all the shops and restaurants in Provenza, but nestled on a quiet block--the best of both worlds!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Baru Calablanca

Cartagena

We had an exceptional stay at the Sofitel Calablanca. The property is beautiful. All rooms are lovely, have spectacular Caribbean views, and are beautifully decorated. The food at all the restaurants was excellent. But, what makes this place truly exceptional is the service. Every member of the staff is well-trained, kind, friendly, and focused on the customer experience. We took the high speed boat from Cartegena to the hotel. Fun experience and so much faster than taking a car service back! One note...while the beach at this hotel is lovely and quiet, it is not the "white sand" of Playa Blanca on Isla Baru, which was a slight disappointment. The beach is pretty gravelly--I'm guessing the jungle originally came right down to the beach (as it does on either side of the property), and when Sofitel developed the property, they dredged the coastline and brought in sand. We wanted to avoid crowds, so this did not diminish our enjoyment of the property, but if you are looking for soft white sand gently sloping into the ocean, that is not what this beach offers.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Absolute highlight. The guide was excellent, and really helped us understand Medellin's unique history, and all that has been accomplished in the last 15 years. Loved taking the authentic experience of taking the metro system and the gondolas around town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bogota's Essentials (City Tour & Monserrate)

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Medellín

Great day. We really enjoyed and learned a lot at the flower farm (the gentleman who hosted us there was delightful!). We were a bit surprised (honestly disappointed) at how commercial Guatape was, but very much enjoyed the drive and the view from the top. The walk through the town afterwards was fun as well.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Streetfood & Market Experience

Medellín

We enjoyed going to the market, and trying the fresh Arepas con Chocolo (literally right off the grill). Otherwise, we're not big juice drinkers, and perhaps we are just not big fans of street food in Columbia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner-Experience: Social Colombian Food

Bogotá

We didn't really understand what this was until we arrived that evening. While the food was okay (honestly, it might just be that we don't love traditional Columbian food, which doesn't use very many spices), we really enjoyed the young woman who hosts this experience. She was a fascinating person with great ideas and observations about food, culture, and Columbia.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I returned to Cartagena, Medellin, and Bogota with the incredible package by KimKim, a travel agency that truly understands the art of crafting unforgettable experiences. What made this trip truly exceptional was the outstanding service provided by their dedicated travel agent, Margarita Moreno.

From the moment we began planning our adventure, Margarita's expertise and commitment to ensuring our satisfaction shone through. Our group consisted of high-profile, spontaneous world travellers with changing unique plans and demands, and Margarita not only met but exceeded every expectation.

One of the standout features of KimKim's service was the seamless customization of our itinerary. Margarita listened attentively to our preferences and meticulously curated an itinerary that perfectly balanced cultural exploration, relaxation, and adventure. The result was a journey that felt tailor-made for us, providing an authentic and immersive experience in each city.

What truly set Margarita apart, however, was her unwavering dedication to going above and beyond her duties. I was very impressed, when in Medellin we commissioned a large format artwork, and Margarita took it upon herself to shipped to us in USA. The fact that she went the extra mile to coordinate the shipping speaks volumes about her commitment to ensuring our satisfaction and creating lasting memories.

Throughout the trip, Margarita's attention to detail, extensive local knowledge, and proactive communication made everything effortless. From organizing private tours to recommending hidden gems, she demonstrated a level of professionalism and personalization that truly set KimKim apart.

The accommodations selected for us were not only luxurious but also strategically located, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the local culture and vibrant atmospheres of Cartagena, Medellin, and Bogota. Every day felt like a new adventure, and we owe much of that to Margarita's thoughtful planning.

The most impressive thing about Michael is that his response time was extremely timely and good.

He was able to secure a great bird guide for my in Tyrona National park. The guide will make or break a birding trip.

I would highly recommend Michael to help organize a trip to Columbia.

We're still absolutely blown away by our incredible trip to Colombia. It's an amazing, friendly, beautiful, adventurous, exciting, safe and super-friendly country and we loved every minute of our time there.
And the main reason for that is the wonderful service we received from Michael at Chaska Tours, who from our very first enquiry in March 2023, to our eventual arrival in Colombia in Dec 2023 was on hand with suggestions, advice and a friendly approach - nothing was too much trouble!
And then from the minutewe set foot in Colombia, and throughout our entire five weeks exploring, Michael and the Chaska team took care of everything - all our transfers, guides, accommodation and excursions - in the most professional and efficient way imaginable.
We couldn't have seen, done, experienced and met everyone and everything we did without their help, and it was fantastic.
Thanks so much for everything... we will remember this trip for a very long time!

My husband and I booked our family trip (with our 5 year old son) to Colombia about 6 weeks from our travel date and needed to work rather quickly to determine our itinerary, especially as we were traveling during the busy winter holidays. We did a quick search of itineraries for Medellin and Cartagena and came across KimKim. While we usually prefer to do our own research and planning, we decided we would try out an agency given the timing and convenience and since we didn’t know much about Colombia. Michael was extremely responsive, flexible and helpful during our planning. We started with an all-inclusive trip to understand the cost and options, and then scaled back once we had a better understanding of what KimKim could provide. We went back to Michael with more questions and changes, and each time he returned our message within hours or at the ½ day at the most. While we knew we were going to pay a premium (likely twice what you would pay to do on your own), we were really happy with the service and recommendations we received. For the days we weren’t using KimKim, we were offered recommendations for restaurants and other activities that we could explore on our own which we found helpful. Additionally, we felt as if we had someone on the ground who could help answer questions along the way should they come up. We were very scheduled (our choice) and at one point we decided to cancel an activity the night before due to our child feeling sick. Michael immediately offered other options and ideas, for which we were grateful - ultimately decided that it was a sunk cost and were happy with our itinerary and to take it easy. We were also glad that we booked private excursions and it was a relief not to have to think about all of the daily logistics. If we had one suggestion it might be to update travel times for some of the excursions e.g. in Santa Marta there was a lot of traffic and the travel times were about double than expected. We would definitely recommend KimKim if you want the luxury of not having to think about anything yourself and have a little peace of mind. We were very satisfied with our experience working with Michael!

Margoth was an incredible planner. The trip, transfers, hotels, restaurants were all spectacular. The guides, Andreas, Daniellia, and Alejandro were knowledgeable, game and so much more. The food in Bogota was amazing, the market had so much to see and taste. Cartagena's charm did not disappoint. The Bastion Hotel in the heart of the old city was an oasis. Do not miss the drum workshop. In Cali, the salsa was amazing. Our class set us up to go clubbing, so much fun!
Thank you for a wonderful experience!

Activity Reviews

Tejo Activity (Colombian Local Game)

Bogotá

We both agreed this was a fun way to start our trip. We went right after the airport and it got us into the local culture straight off.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Bogotá

The market was incredible. So much to taste and see! Flowers galore as well as fruits and vegetables we had never seen before. Tasting along the way made it all so much fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset with Drums and Music Workshop

Cartagena

This was a lot of fun. Drumming along with the band and dancing with the young dancers was a really wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

Transport