Kimkim Trip Reviews for Ecuador

Jacquie organised a wonderful trip and made sure everything went perfectly smoothly. She kept us updated, ensured we were taken care and came to see us at our hotel in Quito. I normally plan all my trips independently so it was a new experience having someone else do all the organising. But I am so glad I gave it a try - there was a lot of organising to be done and it meant I had no mental load having to double check times or communicating with tour guides when activities needed to be swapped around because of sea conditions etc. I was able to properly enjoy the trip. I highly recommend it!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nicky Amazon Lodge

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel Cultura Manor

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is in a quiet part of town so not much going on in the evening.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Overnight Shuttle from Quito to Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Quito

This was a bit tough - some of the seatbelts didn’t work in the minibus and it is quite a dangerous drive. I think there could be an option available for a private car instead of the bus. Someone at the lodge had done this (of course it is more expensive) but it might be a possible add on, just because the driver is quite tough in the bus.

Welcome to San Cristobal Island! La Lobería

Ecuador

Nice private guide who picked us up from the boat and took us there. Again it meant we could fit more in and was great having someone meet us.

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands (Plant a Tree) & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colonial Quito City Tour

Quito

Mateo was a great guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our kids gave the trip a 9.5/10 which is a huge win. This was our first time using a travel service and Kimkim and our overall experience was fantastic. Alvaro helped us plan the initial logistics and create an itinerary that covered a lot of ground in Ecuador. Sebastian was super helpful at coordinating all the logistics on the ground and even came to meet us in Quito. We were so lucky to have Christian as an incredible tour guide for the first week. He felt like part of the family and even watched World Cup games with us. He has an incredibly kind heart and is a pleasure to be around and really cared for every detail of the trip. He is also a foodie and took us to some delicious meals and always had great recommendations. He did great with our teens as well. Lastly, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of birds, flora and fauna and I wish we had done the cloud forest or the jungle with him but he still managed to share a ton of info. Our itinerary was aggressive from a driving/distance traveling standpoint and we could not have done it without the input of our guides/team. We started in Quito, went to Mitad del Mundo then Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, before heading to Baños for a few days (so fun!) then drove down to Cuenca where we sadly said goodbye to Christian. Genaro took over guiding duties and he was delightful as well- very knowledgeable, interesting, kind and did a great job. We especially loved our Cajas hike with him and were very grateful he was the driver in the descent to Guayaquil! Finally, Carolina helped Sebastian with the arrangements in the Galapagos and all of our guides helped make transit easy. We stayed on Santa Cruz for a few nights but Isabela stole our hearts! Hotel Abermarle was perfect.
Overall, we had a great experience and I would recommend using Kimkim for an Ecuadorian adventure. Thank you Alvaro, Sebastian and all involved!

Every part of the trip was amazing and well organized, from our trip planner Paola, to our local guide Danny. The entire experience was A+!

This is a third trip with Kimkim (first to South America) and Kimkim delivered a great itinerary as usual. All I have to do is tell Kimkim what we'd like to do and they setup everything, suggesting adventures that often prove the highlight of our trip. Hotels were always nice and within walking distance of town centers, both on the Islands and in Quito. We also requested a 4-day island-hopping cruise where we were meters from free roving animals such as giant tortoises, sea lions, iguanas, blue-footed boobies doing a mating dance right on our trail, and other wildlife. In the water we, swam with countless colorful fish, sea lions, sea turtles, marine iguanas, sea snakes, sharks and penguins. We were offered and tried traditional cuisine: fish-head soup and guinea pig. Some of our favorite memories came from swimming in a hidden beach with large waves. At night, sharks would circle our boat, sometimes having a feeding frenzy for all the flying fish attracted to lights. Sea Lions sometimes hopped on the back of our boat. Un unforgettable adventure.

We had an amazing trip to Ecuador. Paul provided all the guidance we needed, listened to our requests, and tailored the itinerary to our preferences. Even better, he provided emergency assistance at the very beginning of our trip when our flight was grounded due to mechanical issues, requiring quick adjustments to our plans. He always answered promptly when we needed him. Janeanin and Mishell provided excellent help during our time in Cotopaxi, Baños, and Quito. We made amazing memories with a horseback ride (Cabalgata) in Cotopaxi, white-water rafting in Baños, a visit to the Mitad del Mundo museum, and trips to the Quito Teleférico and historic center.
We are so grateful to the entire team for making our vacation truly unforgettable.

Activity Reviews

Ride the Cable Car to Pichincha Volcano

Quito

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito City Tour

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the "Middle of the World"

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Activities in Baños & Return to Quito

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My most memorable experiences were the wildlife at Tucan Lodge, the river excursion up the Serpentes river birdwatching and Las Tuneles on Isabela Island. All the guides were excellent, but a special Thankyou goes to Stalin at Tucan Lodge who saved us from enduring some very unsavoury tourists.

Firstly, a heartful thanks to Paul - the trip wouldn’t have been as amazing without Paul’s help especially with us being 15+6 hours of flights away. You made the trip so much easier and end-to-end smoothly, so everyone could relax and enjoy the vacation, knowing everything was taken care of.

Also, a special thank you to Jeannin, our guide in Quito and the Amazon Rainforest. She shared rich local insights and historical background with real passion and experience, helping us understand Ecuador and its culture in the best possible way, rather than just simply a tour in lecture style. We had a good time spending time together like sisters and this would be one of our unforgettable moments of the trip <3

For anyone planning a trip to Ecuador, highly recommend Authentic Ecuador. Just share the attractions you would like to see (if you already have a few in mind), they will take care of the rest and everything’s set up for you!!

Muchisimas gracias to Paola & Ariel for orchestrating such an awesome trip to mainland Ecuador & Islas Galápagos!!
Every day was like living our own wildlife documentary!!
The Ecuadorian Amazon, Santa Cruz & Isabela all amazing
The transport & assistance was first class, as were the local guides. Absolutely recommended!!

Our trip to Ecuador was truly the experience of a lifetime, and so much of that is thanks to the incredible care, planning, and support from Maria and Kim.

From the very beginning, Maria went above and beyond to help create an itinerary that somehow captured everything Ecuador has to offer. The trip was seamless, thoughtful, adventurous, and incredibly well organized across multiple regions, flights, boats, lodges, and experiences. Every detail felt intentional.

And Kim was simply exceptional. Knowledgeable, patient, kind, adaptable, and deeply passionate about Ecuador, its culture, wildlife, and people. She made every experience richer and more meaningful, whether we were exploring Quito, hiking near Cotopaxi, traveling the Napo River in the Amazon, or snorkeling in the Galápagos Islands. We always felt cared for, informed, safe, and genuinely welcomed.

This was not just a vacation. It was a beautifully curated experience full of adventure, perspective, learning, and unforgettable moments.

We are leaving Ecuador with full hearts and immense gratitude. Thank you, Maria and Kim, for helping create memories we will carry for the rest of our lives.

Swimming with sea turtles! Watching hundreds of parrots coming to eat in the early morning hours. Biking in Quito. Sharing a boardwalk with a sea lion. Tasting different chocolates. Balancing an egg on the top of a nail at the equator. These were just some of our adventures.

Initially we planned to do a trip to the Galápagos Islands, then we decided to add a trip to the Amazon as well. Ariel did a great job of finding local accomodations and arranging transportation. We even got to meet him while we were in Quito.

Thank you Ariel. Thanks to all the staff at KimKim, the Napo Wildlife Center, Joseline at Galapagos Suites, the team at Casa Playa Mann, the guides and all the others that helped to make this an awesome adventure.

Our father daughter trip was fantastic. Alvaro was great to work with. He was so responsive and helpful to our individual wants and needs during the trip planning process. Yael greeted us with a welcome gift upon arrival in Quito and made sure everything was going well before our departure across the country.

Our itinerary was perfect and we feel very lucky to have had the guides we did. We had David for our tour around Quito. He was knowledgeable, helpful & paced the day perfectly. For the remainder of the trip we had Chris and he was so amazing. We would not have wanted to do the trip without a driver and Chris was exceptional in this realm. He was a very defensive and great driver on the chaotic roads. He was always one step ahead of the weather & road closures which made our trip so much more seamless than we could have hoped for considering we traveled during the peak rainy season. We had such a good time and kimkim made it an easy & relaxing process. Our itinerary was jam packed and we saw so much but we didn’t feel rushed at all. We feel like the trip was a bargain for all it included. Would definitely use kimkim again & we are hoping to do a Galapagos trip in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn Guayaquil Airport

Guayaquil

Authenticity & Character

We don’t book airport hotels for authenticity or culture! Just practicality

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Victoria

Cuenca

The river view and getting to sleep with the sound of the water right outside our hotel room was a wonderful surprise.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inti Sisa

Guamote

This was our favorite stay of the trip. The cultural experience and community outreach this hotel does are wonderful. My Dad and I bought so many gifts here from the shop & wish we could have gone to the local market! We just stayed on the wrong day.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sangay

Baños de Agua Santa

I would note, especially for American travelers, that this hotel has no air conditioning and no screens in the windows so getting airflow without getting bugs in the room was difficult.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Swissotel Quito

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Connect with your flight to Galapagos

Ecuador

The airport hotel was extremely convenient. The shuttle was efficient and got us to the airport quickly. Guayaquil airport was small and easy to navigate & security lines were quick.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cuenca - Cajas National Park - Cacao & Mango Hacienda - Guayaquil

Cuenca

Unfortunately, due to weather & road closures, we didn’t get to do Cajas but that was in no way our guide or KimKim’s fault. We loved the mango & chocolate hacienda. I would note that it isn’t mango season so we just did the chocolate experience which was wonderful. The family that ran it was so great. Jamil & Estefano were very knowledgeable and we loved making our own cacao drink & chocolate bars.

Quality of Experience

Food

The lunch we had at the hacienda made by the family was one of our favorite meals of the trip. It was delicious.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering Cuenca's Charms: A Journey Through History and Culture

Cuenca

We loved Cuenca. It is such a beautiful town and we see why a bunch of expats have moved here! The tour was great and we got to see a lot in our day here. This is also where we did our cooking class instead of having it in Quito like the itinerary stated. It was a private cooking class at a very fancy hotel with a beautiful view of the blue domes! We could tell Chris had a good relationship with many of the vendors at the market & wish we had more time to sample things here but we didn’t want to eat anything right before our cooking class!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guamote - Palmira - Ingapirca - Cuenca

Guamote

We loved Ingapirca and are very glad we got to go. It is a beautiful ruin!

Quality of Experience

Food

We loved our lunch near Ingapirca at Posada Ingapirca.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Immersive Cultural Exploration: From Riobamba to Guamote

Ecuador

The night before we got to wander around Baños and had a delicious dinner at the Italian restaurant in town. We started the day with a tour of waterfalls around the Baños area and then continued onto Guamote. Our only wish is that we could have gone to the market in Guamote but we were ther a day early!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Full-Day Amazon Experience from Baños!

Ecuador

We broke up our waterfall tour & our Amazon tour to the local community. This day we visited the local indigenous community & got to go on a waterfall hike. Michaela was our face painter as well as our waterfall hiking guide and she was great. The lunch they made for us was delicious and we even had their pet monkey make an appearance! We then got to go to Yanacocha which is an animal sanctuary for animals rescued from the black market or who were orphaned and aren’t able to be released back into the wild. It was great to see them all treated so well!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quilotoa Lagoon - Baños

Ecuador

This was a beautiful stop & we are very happy we got to see it!

Quality of Experience

Food

Chris chose a great restaurant by the lagoon for us to have lunch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colonial City Tour, Cooking Class & the Middle of the World Monument

Quito

We got to see a ton for only being in the city one day.

Quality of Experience

We did a ton in one day but it didn’t feel rushed. We truly feel like we got to see the highlights of Quito!

Food

The breakfast that was included at the hotel was fantastic & David chose a wonderful lunch spot with a view with great local fare for us to try.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

David was great! Extremely knowledgeable, friendly & kind. He was also friends with so many people at the different stops that it made our day even easier than expected!

Transport

David’s car was very clean & he was a very good driver who tailored our day around the traffic.

Welcome to Ecuador: Let Your Adventure Begin! (Transportation Service)

Galapagos Islands

Our flights got in too late to do anything in the city this day. Our driver picked me up because my flight got in 5 hrs before my Dad’s and then he went back for my Dad which was greatly appreciated and gave me time to settle into the hotel & grab dinner instead of sitting at the airport for 5 hrs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alvaro was very helpful in planning our trip and connecting us with in-country people who managed our itinerary and made sure we got to each stop. Transportation was seamless and someone was always waiting for us with our name on a sign so we could quickly negotiate airports and hotel stops. We also had knowledgeable and English-speaking guides at key points of interest. Our favorites were the tours of El Cajas National Park near Quito, Ecuador and Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain in Peru. Highly recommend

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Rainbow Mountain - Vinicunca

Peru

Exhilarating trip to Rainbow Mountain. Highly recommend taking the optional motorcycle trip up the mountain

Quality of Experience

Food

The stop for breakfast and lunch was great. Well equipped for travelers and great food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking El Cajas National Park (self drive)

Ecuador

Amazing trip and our guide was fantastic

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip into the Amazonia was really an eye-opener and very enjoyable a great place at the Napo nature Center.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Laguna

Puerto Villamil

Puerto vida meal is comparatively small and not a lot going on so this is probably one of the premier hotels there it was clean comfortable the staff was accommodating

Authenticity & Character

It's near the ocean near the port and not too far from the few restaurants that exist there

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Las Plazas

Quito

Hotels right in the center of keto and the Old Town so it's very convenient that way it's an old building much like Old Town you would expect the only downside that I had was there's a lot to gate to get out in caseville fire could have been problematic

Authenticity & Character

Very real old building

Location

Right in the center of Old Town quito

Staff

Staff was always super accommodating ready to help always open the door when you ring the bell breakfast was good and well served generally very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean very comfortable no questions in that area

Hotel Galapagos Suites

Puerto Ayora

The owner of the hotel was super accommodating worried about us making all of the connections and whatnot call people just super helpful

Authenticity & Character

A nice courtyard very well camped Hotel

Location

Just off the main street close to the restaurants but not loud

Staff

Can't say enough about how helpful the order was the woman was super duper

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean very comfortable

Casa Playa Mann

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

The service is great the hotel is a lovely location and the owners are super friendly they go out of their way to make you feel comfortable

Authenticity & Character

It's authentic clearly built with some thought

Location

Close enough to the downtown area but without the crowds really close to a beach that's beautiful and a very comfortable location very comfortable Hotel

Staff

The owners were tremendous in service

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just excellent

Napo Cultural Center

Quito

I guess it's a hotel The cottages are really very nice when we were there was not a high concentration of people so it was very quiet also something I really appreciate they're very authentic they're in the rainforest but easy enough to walk to the pads are well done the food is great the service was very good and it was just a fun place to be

Authenticity & Character

The cabins are clean easy to get to up off the ground and it is the rainforest

Location

In the rainforest what more is to be said

Staff

Super service at the meals everything was very well done

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean comfortable cabins

Courtyard by Marriott Quito Airport

Quito

Authenticity & Character

He'll tell us at the airport so arrivals and departures are made super simple highly recommended if you got wait times involved

Location

Staff

Staff are very helpful courteous and very businesslike

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean Hotel easy to use

Activity Reviews

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Ecuador

I'd pretty much give it up snorkeling by the time we got here my partner was much into it but I did talk to a nice young German guy who had eardrum problems and couldn't snorkel so that part was really worthwhile. You get a whole different perspective no

Quality of Experience

Walking on the lava was impossible for me I have no balance so that was torture

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I thought the guys did a great job and the boat driver was very good an old fisherman knew how to get amongst the rocks

Transport

He retired fisherman who knew the rocks in the passages and went places that I thought were pretty darn narrow

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Ecuador

I would have to characterize this is a low quality adventure essentially a paddle around the narrow Bay or a small Bay there are things to be seen lots of turtles some penguins but all in all you're out in the hot sun and open Kayak it wasn't my favorite

Quality of Experience

Less than an hour paddle and an open Kayak not my favorite

Guided Hike to Tortuga Bay

Ecuador

A great Beach although some of the locals did refer to it as torture Beach the water was very nice at the equator hot hot hot sun very little shade on the trail but still very nice trail as a person who passed us commented Camino del Diablo

Quality of Experience

Enjoyed standing in the water after the hike

Food

Stopped at a local restaurant $7 lunches very good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was good got taxis and introduced us to a local restaurant when we got back that was $7 lunch very good something I would not have tried on my own

Transport

A typical taxi ride in a pickup truck

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Ecuador

Probably could have avoided this activity a Long Walk 3% up to the top end when you get there there's civista but not much in the Vista but it is hot

Quality of Experience

Long walk up a a ton of stairs with not a huge amount of scenery at the top

Transport

A long slow boat ride however the yucca puffs were good

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Ecuador

Lots of huge tortoises the one right at the entrance at likes the bananas that are hanging up will follow you around if you're wearing bright yellow shoes he's pretty sure that those are bananas so that was a good time lots of tortoises they're just doing tortoise like things

Quality of Experience

Food

Ate at the restaurant as part of this event and it was very good food your typical chicken or fish well done tasty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

A strangely compelling place it's very out of the ordinary not what I expected at all and I really enjoyed it

Quality of Experience

It was hot as it is at the equator but there's quite a bit of shade which I found to be useful and the museum Center part is air conditioned so it gave you a little bit of relief

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Good guide

Bike Ride & Visit La Lobería

Ecuador

A lot of sea lions everywhere but they had decent restaurants and certainly an experience of different types of people's and whatever bingo game on a Friday night sea lion in the middle of the plaza experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff was truly amazing our guide and driver was it really interesting guy

Snorkel at Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)

Ecuador

Water clarity was not particularly good the day we were there so it was kind of disappointing I'm not a huge fan of snorkeling but you didn't really get to see very much because of the water clarity issues

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff and the drivers did what they could but you only can work with what you got

Transport

Visit the "Middle of the World"

Ecuador

So much more at the equator than you could ever even consider second time I've been there and they have added the actual equator center not just the monument that was apparently a bit off .

Quality of Experience

When you're right down the equator things really happen differently balances completely different water does not have a Coriolis effect who knew

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thought they were all very good

Last rainforest activities, Transfer to Coca & Flight to Quito

Ecuador

Another two and a half hour boat ride back up the river it had rain so there was quite a bit of log and debris floating in the river luckily the captain of the boat was able to avoid at all

Quality of Experience

Another long boat ride

Urban Bike Tour

Quito

Given the altitude changes in keto and the steepness of the hills we were somewhat concerned about the bike trip it turned out to be kind of a highlight actually we went to the serpent house in the park and an open air fruit market that was truly great the guides were both very good and it turns out they had the pretty flat route

Quality of Experience

Really enjoyed the Open Air market and the fruit

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very good guiding experience they didn't push us too hard to and traffic was not that bad

Arrival to Coca, transfer to rainforest lodge, rainforest hike

Ecuador

Two and a half hours up the river a clay Bank to unload on and a muddy trail to get to the lodge it was an adventure the little electric carts that they use have no suspension but it was all just really worthwhile

Quality of Experience

Second time in the Amazonian rainforest and it just an amazing place to be

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were all really good at what they did

Transport

Long boat rides long paddles the paddles up the Blackwater River a lot of animals out there monkeys jumping across the waterway Caymans birds huge blue butterflies that are so iconic

Community projects - Paddling excursion - Traditional dinner - Night walk (NCC)

Yasuni National Park

I enjoyed the women's Center and the experience that we had there the way that the fires were built the cooking the food bits it was all very interesting the night walk was dark and wet the day we were there but that's kind of what the rainforest is about

Quality of Experience

Definitely something you need to experience

Food

Excellent food including the jungle bacon

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It's a long ways up there for a couple of hours so comfortable seats help

Parrot clay lick - Intercultural interpretation center - Observation tower - Ancestral catamaran ride (NCC)

Yasuni National Park

The clay elixir something everybody should probably experience at least once the parrots are truly showing their their own behaviors

Quality of Experience

It's a very popular place so they're typically will be several boats in the river at the same time

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was excellent pointed out things that we might not have seen on our own

Transport

A boat ride like all the others on the river

Paola helped us plan one of our most incredible family trips! She was very attentive and responsive to our questions and preferences, and helped curate a trip that every single person in the family loved from the parents and high school students down to the elementary school-aged child.

Our primary in-country guide Jose was amazing! Beyond just helping us appreciate the areas and sites we saw, he went out of his way to give us extensive local insight and was always happy to answer our many questions.

Based on this experience, we will definitely be planning another trip with KimKim

Activity Reviews

Papallacta Hot Springs & Spa

Ecuador

Discover Isla Pinzón & Playa La Fé

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Lo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Quito Airport, Arrival to Galapagos & Highlands of Santa Cruz

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Pailón del Diablo Waterfall, Explore Baños

Baños

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park - Baños

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito City Tour - Middle of the World

Quito

The trip that Paola put together for me and my two kids (ages 16, 13) was great! The trip was exactly as promised, and yet also exceeded my expectations. Paola was easy to communicate with, efficient and responsive. She listened and we had productive exchanges during planning and in the lead up to the holiday. She even visited our hotel in Quito to introduce herself.

We spent a week in Quito, Banos and Cotopaxi. Paola arranged for Jose from Authentic Ecuador to be our guide for the week and he was fantastic! He is knowledgeable about all things Ecuador, from where to eat to how many meters tall rise each volcano (I tested him for fun at one point and he was accurate within 10m for every volcano!) and he could identify flora and fauna. He was on time, friendly and we felt completely cared for. When we had a hiccup (e.g. morning canyoning postponed from rain), Jose seamlessly helped to pivot our day. Thank you!

Our days were long, but had only a week - old town tour/chocolate tasting/cooking class in Quito, hiking/biking/canyoning in Banos, and hiking/riding horses in Cotopaxi. I will absolutely use this service again, and I will be recommending Paola and Jose to all my friends.

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn Quito Airport, an IHG Hotel

Tababela

This hotel is fine. It's clean and newish, and is what I would expect from a hotel by the airport. It served its purpose well (a place to stay before catching a flight). They also had an airport shuttle, which was appreciated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A 5-minute shuttle ride to the airport. (It's about 40 minutes from downtown Quito)

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

We stayed here one night and it was not enough. Everything about this place was wonderful! Our room was cozy and well-appointed. There were fires being tended in every room, the staff was incredibly friendly and the food was delicious. I went on one of the self-guided walks and it took my breath away (I don't mean the altitude). The paths are easy to follow and the views are stunning. I absolutely loved everything about Hacienda El Porvenir.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just outside Cotopaxi National Park, which was also my favorite destination of our trip.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Samari Spa Hotel

Baños

The grounds are beautiful, and the pool was great. Our room was comfortable - it was not modern, but we weren't expecting that. But, the hotel was a 5-minute drive from downtown Banos on a busy road - next time, I would prefer lodging downtown because it's a walkable place. The restaurant was not great. The food was okay, at best. Also, the entire restaurant staff was wearing clear plastic masks - I appreciate the effort to by hygienic, but those clear masks get wet from breath/spit and it's unattractive to look at. Also, since they only cover the mouth they aren't actually preventing the spread of germs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Go Quito Hotel

Quito

Stunning hotel, very modern and clean. The restaurant has views of the city, and the breakfast spread was fantastic!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Quito Cooking Class

Ecuador

This was very fun, but it may have been a bit much for us after a very long day of sightseeing (I was with my 2 kids, ages 16, 13). But the food and conversation was nice. I could have used a glass of wine with dinner but was told I couldn't have one - otherwise, all good!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding at Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

This was amazing! They let us gallop, and lent us ponchos and chaps, which greatly improved the experience. Our photos from this activity are amazing - kids and I on horses w/ a view of Cotopaxi in the background.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

The hike on the volcano was amazing. We did not make it all the way to the Refuge b/c it was a very cold and windy day and we were suffering the altitude, but it was SO BEAUTIFUL! I want to go back already. Not to miss.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoning in Baños

Baños

This was very fun, for me and my two teens (16, 13). There wasn't a lot of detail provided going into it, but we felt safe and ready for what was to come. The final descent was INCREDIBLE. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Pailón del Diablo Waterfall, Explore Baños

Baños

Fantastic! This place was great. As advertised. My two teens also loved it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito City Tour - Middle of the World

Quito

Jose took us around the city and it was nonstop fun the whole day. I appreciated Jose's vast knowledge - from the town's history to which vendors we should buy from. He brought his brother to drive the car so that we didn't waste any time looking for parking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking to Pailón del Diablo

Baños

The biking was great insofar as I was sick of being in a car, but we were on the rode with the cars on a busy highway so it was a bit uncomfortable at times. My kids (16, 13) didn't love this.

Alirio was incredible. Being with him was like traveling with a family member who is an expert guide. Jacquie did a great job at planning out our trip. Valentina greeted us and presented us with wonderful gifts. First part of our tour was mainland where we experienced diverse experiences such as rainforest , mountains, lagoon, animals, volcanoes, equator line, caves, and new foods. Second part was tropical paradise in Galapagos with incredible experiences with nature and animals, beaches etc! Our guides were kind, helpful and experienced.

The entire process of planning, booking and experiencing our amazing trip to Ecuador including the Amazon and the Galapagos was handled with ease and efficiency by Maria and KimKim travel. We enjoyed not having to worry about any of the logistics at any of our stops. Maria and Maurizio (our Driver) were always on time and available for any additional issues. I definitely recommend KimKim travel and will personally use them again.

Hotel Reviews

M/Y Coral I & II

Great way to experience the Galapagos in more personalized way. There was a total of 14 passengers on our boat. The rooms were small but you don't spend much time there anyway. The common area where you dine and gather was comfortable. David, the bar tender and waiter was amazing. He did everything he could to make sure you had everything you wanted. The excursions and snorkeling allowed everyone to see all the amazing wildlife.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Multiple island stops

Staff

Staff and guides were always available and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Small rooms and mildew smell

Sacha Lodge

Coca

A beautiful destination in the Amazon Rain Forest. Food was excellent. Gregorio our tour guide went out of his way to be sure we saw as much of the wildlife and beauty he could find. Accommodations were exceptional

Authenticity & Character

Location

Part of the adventure was getting there

Staff

Gregorio was a very good tour guide

Cleanliness & Comfort

Go Quito Hotel

Quito

Located in the center of Quito, this hotel provides everything a traveler could need. Staff is friendly, excellent drinks at the bar and spacious, clean rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

About a 40 minute ride from the airport

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover the Magic of Otavalo: Immerse Yourself in Indigenous Culture and Vibrant Markets and visit Cuicocha Lake.

Ecuador

Long day driving around. Cuicocha Lake was underwhelming but it was a nice place to get out and stretch. Enjoyed stops along the way for native treats. Could have spent more time at the market. Lunch at old estate was a nice surprise

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maurizio and Maria

Transport

Comfortable ride

Discover Quito's Best-Kept Secrets: A Full-Day Tour of the Historic and the Middle of the World

Quito

Chocolate tasting, tour of old town

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacha Lodge - Return to Quito

Yasuni National Park

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacha Lodge Day 3

Yasuni National Park

Crane views, Piranha fishing, indigenous village

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacha Lodge Day 2

Yasuni National Park

Hiking and tower views

Quality of Experience

Hikes were a bit drawn out. would appreciate a little more free time

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacha Lodge Day 1

Yasuni National Park

Beautiful accommodations in the heart of the Rain Forest. We watched squirrel monkeys jump from tree to tree right from the back deck of our room

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quite an adventure from Coca to the lodge, but well worth it

Transfer out Quito and flight to El Coca

Ecuador

No issues

Quality of Experience

Food

Buffet breakfast at the hotel is very nice

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from the Airport to the Hotel.

Quito

Could have stayed closer to the airport for this brief overnight stay

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We enjoyed our trip a lot. Our guide Alejandro was great. The only negative parts of the trip were the flights from Quito to the Galapagos were not a direct flight. It would have been better to use a different airline if needed to not have the 5 hour layover on the way. The other thing would have been to not have the long ride to go and see crater lake on the last day. That would have been an interesting day trip all by itself, but should never be added onto a another stop.
Otherwise thank you for a great trip.

Hotel Reviews

La Isla Hotel

Puerto Ayora

This was our favorite hotel on our trip. We could see the sunsets from the hotel. Everything was clean and well run. It was very close to the the waterfront and we could walk to the piers for trips and easily walk to the shops and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Margarit Boutique Hotel

Mindo

This was a great comfortable hotel in Mindo. The food was wonderful. The view from the dining area allowed for watching birds and even bats at night. There was easy access into town to shop and eat. It was a delight to stay there.

Activity Review

Adventure at Tambo Cóndor: Birdwatching, Hiking & Nature Exploration

Ecuador

This was the best day for birdwatching to see the Condors. the Carunculated Caracaras, Andean gulls, and a variety of the other birds. The variety of higher altitude hummingbirds was impressive. Also enjoyed seeing the fox and deer.

I found the guides to be extremely educated in-the history and culture of their country and specific area they are guiding they are excellent drivers and their social skills are at a higher level Actually I found the people of Ecuador to be friendly and inviting I found myself in awe of this countries beauty and magistryI feel like I left a friend and I want to return Ecuador is a country I could easily call home I've gained abetter sense of who I am for spending just 2weeks there my spirit has been rebooted

Hotel Review

Hostería Paraíso Vilcabamba

Vilcabamba

Very relaxing don't forget your swimsuit

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Kindness that comes from the heart

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit to the Saraguro Community & Transfer to Cuenca

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cuenca to Vilcabamba

Ecuador

The drive through the country was breathtaking

Quality of Experience

Feeling embraced by a culture Paola is an exceptional coordinator and host can't thank her enough

Food

Everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valentina and David were exceptional. Very caring and concerned about our health and well being. Our only slight issue was more not enough communication prior to the trip about our departure time. We were checked into the Ilatoa Lodge on the evening of February 11, to then check out at noon on the 12th, although our flight was not until 1145pm. The lodge accommodated us at a cost of another night and offered to take us to a rose greenhouse, which was very thoughtful, but the cost was $35 a person, not paid to the greenhouse but directly to Marcelo. Thought that was pretty pricey. Marcelo did take us to the airport while also encouraging us to call him if we were ever interested in another trip to Ecuador. I would not…..I am very pleased with kimkim and would feel comfortable trusting further travel organized through you.

Hotel Reviews

Ilatoa Lodge

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

Authenticity & Character

Location

N

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Swissotel Quito

Quito

Very nice hotel. Fabulous breakfast !

Authenticity & Character

Location

N

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hiking Fuya Fuya Volcano - Quito

Ecuador

Very muddy trails plus I was not feeling well

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alpaca Encounter & Kayaking at Quilotoa Lagoon

Ecuador

Kayaking was not fantastic, kind of lame equipment but understandable. Not worth the effort. Should encourage the rim hike.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

David went out of his way to make sure we saw Cotopaxi volcanoes it all her glory

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Antisana & La Mica Lagoon: A Day of Andean Wildlife & Scenic Beauty

Ecuador

Lunch stop was the best

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport