Kimkim Trip Reviews for Ecuador

My family of 4 spent a memorable 2 weeks in Ecuador and Galapagos recently. I can't thank Isabel enough for our wonderful itinerary . She was so patient with us as we changed our itinerary 4-5 times during the planning. She was always willing to listen to our needs and accommodate to our requests. Her attentiveness continued even during our trip in Ecuador. I forgot my contact lenses which would have ruined the snorkeling excursions in Galapagos . Isabel went out of her way to find contact lenses and dropped them off at my hotel upon my return from Antisana National Park. This was completely above and beyond the call of duty. I so appreciated that.

I can not write this review without mentioning our AMAZING guide, Cristobal. From the moment he picked us up at the airport, we had nothing but first class treatment from Cristobal. He was personable, and knowledgeable. There wasn't anything we ask that he didn't know. His experience and recommendations gave us a close look at the Ecuadorian culture. It was something that we could have never experienced without his guidance. We would not consider going back to Ecuador without using Cristobal again as our guide.

Our 14-day vacation started on the right foot with Alejandro picking us up at the Quito Airport and giving us an intro to the country's history on the way to the hotel. He was also great helping us through the airport for getting to the Galapagos and going home. The Old Town Quito Suites apartments were a perfect oasis for our family to relax between activities in the busy city. La Teleferico afforded a neat ride up the Pichincha volcano over Quito on our last day.

Jose and Oscar were our guides for Cotopaxi National Park. Lodging at Tambopaxi was surreal with the volcano looming closeby. Our family bike tour along the flanks of the volcano was 12 miles and mostly flat with a 5 mile gwntle downhill section ending at the Inca ruins and lunch. We all made it!

Christian took us to Mindo and guided us to El Quetzal's chocolate tour, the Tarabita and waterfall hike/swim, amazing lunch lunch spots, and San Tadeo birding, where we saw hummingbirds, a crimson-rumped toucans, and many pale-mandibled aracaris. The Terrabambu Lodge bungalows (deluxe and family) were so peaceful and the kids loved the pool and pizza with the view..
On the way back to Quito, Christian guided us to Pululahua Crater and Mitad del Mundo. We shared a lot if interests with Christian, especially a love for mountainbiking.

On Santa Cruz, Astrid met us on Baltra and was our guide, introducing us to Los Gemmelos, El Chato tortoise reserve, and the Charles Darwin Research Center. La Isla Hotel was an elegant and modern resting place.

Pablo was very helpful for the interns land ferry.
On Isabela, Ricardo guided us to Las Tintororas, where we saw blue footed boobies, penguins, a green sea turtle, and many fish. He was great especially with offering breaks with hot tea and cookies and for helping our boys set up for snorkeling.. Javier guided us up Sierra Negra and Volcan Chico... a long, but moderate level hike over staggering geologic features. His knowledge of the area's history and geology was fascinating.

Every activity was different, exciting, yet hard to rank since each was so wonderful. Our family spent a good 6 to 8 months reviewing and discussing options for our trip with Linda, and what we ended up with was perfect for our family... not over ambitious and we had some downtime at the end of each day... even with a few last minute changes. KimKim was always very accommodating. Everyone we met was also a pleasant experience. We had the trip of a lifetime and will miss everyone and everyplace.

Hotel Reviews

Terrabambú Lodge

Mindo

Wake up to the sounds of birds in this perfect spot above the Mindo Valley. Open view points, unique deluxe and family bungalows, a swimming pool, ziplines, swing, and bridges await. My boys spotted a pale-mandibled aracari from the parking area and many other birds can be seen from the restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Wonderful deluxe (rustic on the outside, but modern on the inside) and family bungalows.

Location

About 5 minutes from town across the river on the way up to the Tarabita.

Staff

Friendly service at the restaurant for meals and ziplinging/swinging.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spacious and clean bungalows.

La Casita de la Playa

Puerto Villamil

Our family stayed in two rooms (connecting door optional) for three nights on the third floor. Went to sleep and woke up to the sound of the ocean. Relaxing patio area shaded by palm trees with tables. Self-service mini bar in the office perfect for grabbing a soda (Fiora was our favorite) and soaking up the scenery. Soft, sandy 3 km beach three steps away. A short walk to shopping and resaurants. Breakfast is on the open, shaded 3rd floor patio. We loved it.

Authenticity & Character

Unique design and patio.

Location

Right on the beach.

Staff

Very helpful staff to offer great dining options.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Even with all the sand we dragged into our rooms each day, the staff somehow made it all immaculate the next day.

La Isla Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Modern vibe and elegant. Close to restaurants, shopping, and the Charles Darwin Center. Easy to set out from towards Tortuga Bay by foot.

Authenticity & Character

Modern and clean.

Location

On a quiet street, but close to everything.

Staff

Breakfast on the open main floor.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean rooms and soft beds.

Old Town Quito Suites

Centro Historico, Quito

A perfect oasis in the Old Town just a few blocks from the Basilica, a ~10 minute walk to Plaza Grande, and ~10 minute taxi to the Teleferico. Cafe San Blas just a few doors up the street for a nice dinner. Very helpful and friendly staff. We stayed in the Attic and Room with a View, both perfect for a family. Both so unique and beautiful.. Nicely stocked kitchen with agua pura, coffee, and food for breakfast or light lunch. We felt very safe there.

Authenticity & Character

Old world feel.

Location

Close to the Old Town and easy in/out of the city for getting to the airport (~45 minutes) and points north or south.

Staff

Very helpful at any hour to call for a taxi or hold luggage while exploring the town after checkout.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Modern kitchens and bathrooms, and agua pura and toiletries provided. Soft beds and couches. Quiet rooms... you would hardly notice you were in the city.

Tambopaxi Cotopaxi Lodge

Parque Nacional Cotopaxi

You can't beat this amazing lodge right inside the Cotopaxi National Park. The main lodge has a dining room with wide windows for gazing out at the landscape and TV area. VIP rooms are very warm and clean, each with a stove lit each night. There's even wifi in such a remote spot. Easy to set out on guided adventures like mountainbiking, hiking, and horseback riding.

Authenticity & Character

Neat lodge design fits in well with the rustic surroundings.

Location

Remote and wonderful setting. Viewing the perfect, snow-covered stratovolcano and wildflowers is an activity by itself. Our family did a moderate guided mountainbike ride (12 miles) to the Salitre Inca ruins.

Staff

Friendly staff. They even brought out a birthday cake for my son's 13th bday during our visit.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean rooms and common areas. Rooms are larger with extra chairs and a common indoor balcony/viewing area for the volcano.

Activity Reviews

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

This is a 10 mile round trip out and back hike. The first mile ascends up to the Sierra Negra crater rim and then follows the rim on a relatively flat trail for a few miles to the pavillion. After that, the trail goes down hill and the landscape changes to bring you out to a series of lava fields and craters, including Volcan Chico. Circling around Chico, the trail comes back to the start.

Quality of Experience

A spectacular hike to two very different volcanic craters.

Food

A nice box lunch was provided by the guides including a sandwich, juice box, apple, and crackers.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was great for the kids and detailed the history and geology of the park, island, and volcanic feature as we past them. Probably the best part of the hike was our guide!

Transport

A taxi dropped us off at the trailhead with our guides and was there to pick us up to return to town.

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

The Charles Darwin Research Center has a small museum containing very interesting exhibits about the Galapagos islands and its research and conservation efforts. Several trails wind their way to the baby tortoises and the preserved tortoise, Lonesome George.

Quality of Experience

The museum exhibit texts were in Spanish and English.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very educated and provide an encyclopedia of information to us in just a short time.

Transport

We walked from town to the center and back. It was nice to stretch the legs after our flight.

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

Ecuador

The Quito Airport is about 45 minutes from the Old Town and very modern and clean, but small enough to get around and through security very easily. You can get your Transit Cards in advance and skip a line when going to the Galapahos. The Baltra airport is even more friendly and quaint... we were even greeted outside of baggage claim by a passing land iguana. Remember to have your $100/person cash national park fee ready at customs. We were met by our Charles Darwin Research Center guide and escorted on the airport bus to the Itabaca Channel ferry to Santa Cruz and then to a private van to head into the highlands. We stopped at Los Gemmelos (pit crater) and then El Chato tortoise reserve for lunch and a tour passing by several giant tortoises and down through a lava tunnel. Our last stop was to tour the Charles Darwin Research Center and see the famous Lonesome George and then the baby tortoises.

Quality of Experience

The whole day was planned seamlessly and each site was so wonderful.

Food

El Chato's menu was family friendly and delicious.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very informative and entainyained all of our questions.

Transport

Comfortable van and friendly driver.

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

Fun and relaxing (a little challenge to get around the outer islet) paddle through bright/medium blue waters and with luck see green sea turtles, penguins and blue footed boobies. Super experience for all abilities and families. After that, put a wet suit on (if not already on from the kayaking) and take a short walk to a calm lagoon to snorkel amongst colorful fish and green sea turtles.

Quality of Experience

Perfect gear and setting as an introduction to Isabela.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly guides adapt to each family member's abilities.

Transport

Taxi will drop you off at the kayaking Beach. A short walk on a boardwalk (barefoot is fine) for snorkeling. Taxis are waiting for when you finish up.

Mindo & Return to Quito

Ecuador

Our guide took us to El Quetzal chocolate factory to see the process of making chocolate and tasting several varieties. On the way back to Quito,, we stopped at Pululahua Crater, with is gently green surroundings contrasting to to the more harsh landscape of Cotopaxi.

Quality of Experience

Food

Good coffe and desserts.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide gave us a detailed history of the volcano and people living in and farming in the caldera.

Transport

Easy Detour off the road between Quito and Mindo.

Transfer to Mindo & Activities in the cloud forest

Ecuador

We saw our bucket list crimson-rumped toucans and pale-mandibled aracari at San Tadeo. Dozens of hummingbirds and some other small , colorful birds as well.

Quality of Experience

Friendly owners and staff. Beautifulcloud forest setting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide helped my son spot birds, which he loved to point out to his mom either taking pictures or sharing the camera so he could capture.

Transport

Quick transport from and to Mindo for this afternoon activity.

Biking in the Cotopaxi National Park

Cotopaxi

My favorite (I'm an avid mountainbiker).

Quality of Experience

Nice mountain bikes and gear.

Food

Wonderful and balanced picnic lunch provided.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly, helpful, and informative guides rode with us (one on a mountain bike and one in a support van)

Transport

Our guides adapted to each family member's ability level.

Great support from Linda - all the KimKim crew was very helpful and supportive

Hotel Reviews

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Very charming hotel, with loads of character.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Posada del Mar

Santa Cruz

I give 3 stars, as it was quite basic, but the reception was very friendly and helpful. Location was very convenient

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

San Jose de Puembo Quito Airport, an Ascend Hotel Collection

Puembo, Quito

A very c harmful hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Otavalo Market & Cuicocha Crater Lake

Quito

An interesting experience - a bit tiring, maybe

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Ecuador

That was the peak of the holiday. We felt privileged we visited San Bartolome’

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Very interesting visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Ecuador

Our guide was super helpful

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were so very lucky to meet Tamer , and have him help us plan our trip to Ecuador . Planning is really not the right word , for what he did , caring , constant communication , before , during and after the trip . He listened to our personal needs, responded immediately at all hours , altered the itinerary as needed, and went above and beyond to not only assure comfort , but safety . A couple examples would be :, he took me out to coffee upon arrival , met our whole group after first day , and walked us to dinner to be sure we were safe, rearranged our guide , added two days of tours while we were there, had breakfast packed for us by hotels when leaving early . He is not only in constant contact with us , but also the guides. His english is perfect , all this is very comforting in a foreign country away from home for a extended trip .

I was recovering from a broken knee , he made sure steps were minimized at all hotels. Everywhere we went they knew ahead about my limitations and our dietary restrictions . He also stayed within our budget .
We loved everything about the trip . Especially the Amazon trip to the Napo cultural center . We had a wonderful guide , Jose, and terrific accommodations . Our driver and guide Francisco , could not do enough for us . He brought us homemade treats his mother cooked, coffee his friend grew , and tried to arrange for us to see his friends rose farm , when my daughter asked if we could see one .. he took us to much needed trips to the pharmacy , where his Spanish was necessary . There are countless little things he did to enrich our experience .

I hope this is the beginning of a long travel relationship with Tamer and a Kimkim . I can’t think of a better service , and really friendship .

Thank you , thank you . It was a meaningful experience for us , a once in a lifetime trip . Can not recommend them more . Beyond grateful .

Hotel Review

Napo Cultural Center

Quito

This was a really great and special experience . The guide , the program , the food, and the accommodations were so wonderful . It is extremely well run . The most clean place we were in Ecuador . They care a lot about you being there . It is a rugged trip , but we’re were very surprised with how nice the room was .

Authenticity & Character

Not a tourist trap . Authentic

Location

Amazon , tree tops

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanest place we were

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Papallacta

Quito

This was a nice day . Easier ride than mindo . Liked the hot springs . Definitely go to the more expensive spa . Even that was quite crowded . I guess I would try to go on weekday . We were there on weekend , and it was packed with little kids , very crowded . This took away from the experience for us . But the whole setup w food , hot springs and services is nice .

Quality of Experience

Food

We are there and the food was good and well priced

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kuri Muyu (Kichwa traditions) - Canopy Tower - Traditional Dinner

Yasuni National Park

The hike and the canopy tower was one of my most favorite activities of the 3 weeks in Ecuador . It was amazing . Pictures don’t do it justice . Seeing the birds , going at sunset . Being above the trees and seeing the whole forest and eco system . Our guide was beyond knowledgeable .

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Quito

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I can only highly recommend travelling to Ecuador with kimkim. My local agent, Alvaro, was absolutely incredible. There was no wish that he left unfulfilled and no question that he left unanswered- he was constantly available and I felt very much pampered and cared for. Moreover did the itinerary that he designed cover the best that this beautiful and diverse country has to offer: nature, wildlife, culture and history.
My local guides , who gave me exclusive tours and were shining bright with an impressive wisdom of their country's history, local customs, and nature's wonders enriched my travel experience tremendously. They made sure that I got the best shots of the sights and wildlife, since I love photography, but also ensured that I learned a lot and broadened my horizon.
Thank you to the kimkim team for making this trip unforgettable, and most importantly, thank you Alvaro, for exceeding all my expectations on customer service.

Tamer organized our trip to Galapagos with utmost precision and attention to the smallest details. He was endlessly patient, always willing to tweak the plans until everything was laid out to our liking (including the budgetary aspect). During our stay in Galapagos we visited Santa Cruz, Isabella and San Cristobal islands, all activities were well planned and ran with clockwork smoothness. Throughout our trip Tamer stayed on top of things, being in constant touch, and monitoring our wellbeing, which permitted him to successfully resolve whatever minor glitches happened. Tamer only works with the most professional local guides, so whoever we met during our adventure was extremely nice, courteous and competent.
Thank you, Tamer, for these happy memories, and we hope to be back to Ecuador again, so that you can organize more adventures for us.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Blanca

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cally Galapagos

Puerto Villamil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Deja Vu Galapagos

Pto. Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Speedboat to San Cristobal Island - Interpretation Center - Tijeretas Hill

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Tour on Isabela Island

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Wonderful guide Viviana provided unforgettable tour

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

The most beautiful diving experience i ever had

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Daniel helped us plan a tremendous trip to the Napo Wildlife Center and provided a great deal of expertise and advice. He set up a couple of guided tours in Quito for us that we enjoyed as well. He was easy to contact and always responded quickly with thoughtful and helpful information. We were highly impressed with Daniel’s service and would highly recommend him to anyone who is traveling to the area.

Our family trip was awesome we loved our planner and our guide Christian. They made our trip full of life time memories. Thank you kimkim

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Beautiful hotel with great views most comfortable beds and awesome food

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Selina Montañita

Manglaralto

This is a nice hotel but not really for family's it is the middle of a party town and it is loud a night

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We didn't know to put sigh on door for cleaning so they didn't clean our room during stay

Hotel Colón Salinas

Salinas

Very private the town was like a ghost town so it was different but love our room and food was good there

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly not many spoke my language there though

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Carvallo

Cuenca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Guayaquil, Puerto Santa Ana

Guayaquil

Love this place the beds are so comfortable the staff is awesome and food is great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Spa Casa Real

Riobamba

Very beautiful place

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chilcabamba Lodge

Machachi

Wonderful and beautiful place

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda Pinsaqui

Otavalo

We had a great time there wonderful food and our room was beautiful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Wonderful hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Floresta

Baños

They were very friendly and helpful to my family the kitchen staff were awesome they worked with my son and his culinary school assignment

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views

Staff

So helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean the hot water did last long enough to fill our massive bathtub but the showers was hot enough

Termas de Papallacta

Papallacta

The food and service the is wonderful had such a great time

Authenticity & Character

It was a awesome

Location

The views are beautiful

Staff

The helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Casa de Piedra

Mindo

The hotel was beaten had a great time there

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Papallacta - Quito

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Papallacta hot springs

Papallacta

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Termas de Papallacta

Papallacta

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Antisana National Park - Hot springs of Papallacta

Papallacta

Great way to end a trip for sure

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Montañita - Guayaquil - Flight to Quito

Montañita

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guayaquil City Tour - Free afternoon

Guayaquil

Had great time here

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Cajas National Park & Do a Cacao Tour on the Way to Guayaquil

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ingapirca Ruins-Cuenca City

Ecuador

Very cool to experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cuenca City Tour - Free afternoon

Cuenca

Awesome time in this town loved it all

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Riobamba - Palmira - Cuenca

Riobamba

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Journey through Nature's Grandeur: Exploring the Avenue of Waterfalls

Baños

I love this town and the surroundings

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon - Baños

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon

Cotopaxi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cloudforest of Mindo & Return to Quito

Mindo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Otavalo Market – Cuicocha Lagoon – Mindo

Otavalo

Wonderful shopping

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Woodcarves of Ecuador - Visiting San Antonio de Ibarra

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument

Quito

There were having a dancers there that day was awesome

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We love our drivers and guide so much

Transport

Matthias was our travel specialist for our 2-week trip to mainland Ecuador and Galapagos Islands. He planned an itinerary including the capital Quito, the Amazon jungle at the Cuyabeno Reserve, the highlands with the city of Banos and Cotopaxi and Quilotoa volcanoes and finally Galapagos Islands. It was a fantastic trip and everything worked out very smoothly. As the time of our trip approached, Matthias provided us with plenty of exciting alternatives as it looked liked the protests by the indigenous communities will severely affect our initial plan (we were very lucky and it did not affect us in the end) but it was very reassuring to have him backing us up. He also showed up on the night of our bus to Cuyabeno to make sure there were no issues and was always available and making sure everything was right for us.
The guides provided for the activities also made sure we were having the best of the experiences. We'd like to give an special mention to Jimmy in Cuyabeno and Ulf Torsten in Sta Cruz (Galapagos). Overall it's been a great experience and we're happily recommending it!

Hotel Reviews

Lava House Galapagos

Puerto Ayora

Great place in Sta Cruz. It's a 10-15 minutes walk from the pier so it's quiet and the atmosphere is very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isla de Baños Hosteria y Spa

Baños

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jamu Lodge

Quito

Great place in the middle of the Amazon jungle. Staff made sure we had all the commodities. Shower water pressure and temperature had some problems but it was fixed considering the circumstances of the location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Good overall hotel, good location, good breakfast, staff was attentive. As to improve, rooms felt slightly cold sometimes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Jungle Hike, Dolphin & Caiman Spotting

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

The pink dolphins were probably our favourite experience of the whole trip, a truly magic moment. Our guide was really good at looking for the animals (big and small) and tried restlessly for us to have the best spotting experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Ecuador

Unbelievable experience. We went to North Seymour and spotted lots of animals both in land and sea (turtles, rays, sea lions, iguanas, countless bird species...) The boat was very comfortable, food was good and all the staff were very helpful and kind. Our guide was very informative too.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was a gift for my son's 13th birthday who wanted a trip of a lifetime. It was amazingly organized by the local specialist Alvaro. First, he spend the enormous amount of time with us planning the trip and provided us various options to choose from trying to accommodate our needs and beyond. And we were not easy customers because we were trying to go to so many different places in a short period of time and we had 2 kids of different ages and multiple culinary restrictions. All of that was taking into consideration and finally we agreed on a schedule. We don't know what we would do without Alvaro because during the trip we had multiple situations where his involvement was required. It's South America after all and unpredictable things happen. For example our flights were changed or cancelled many time, and Alvaro went out of his way to adjust the schedule very quickly, making additional provisions for vans, hotels, boats etc.
First we went to Peru where we went to Palcoyo Mountain (substitution of Rainbow Mountain) and Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu was amazing, and we had an awesome local guide Andre who is from the local tribe and we learned a lot about the local tribe traditions and history. Even my 6 year old loved it. I would strongly recommend to skip the Palcoyo Mountain though because it took 4 hour drive one way (half of it on a gravel road) to get there. The kids were throwing up all the way. Then you arrive to 17500 ft and have to hike up for about an hour. We are from Colorado so the mountain was not that impressive to us. My little one was so tired that the local guide carried her up the mountain.
Then we flew to Ecuador. That's a completely different country, more civilized, they used American dollars as their currency. We spend several days in Quito that is really beautiful and has a lot to do. We had a great guide Christian there too that was picking us up every day in the hotel and driving to multiple destinations. We loved the city tour and the cooking class. It was a unique experience where the whole family was cooking a lunch that was served to us later in a beautiful courtyard.
After that we went to Ecuadorian jungle at Napo Cultural Center. Despite the usual belief that jungle is scar it was a very comfortable, safe and even luxury experience. The only negative thing was that they didn't have a conditioner in the cabins but they tried to accommodate us as much as possible by giving us a second fan. There was no mosquitos at all!!! They fed us 3 times a day with exquisite dishes, met us after each jungle trip with a cold towel and exotic juice, even tried to feed us with a local delicacy (some beetle's larvae, which we didn't eat). The local guide Juan was a true jewel who knew jungle up and down, took us to a day and night walks, canoe ride, showing multiple animals on a way. We saw different monkeys, sloth, giant otters, parrots, herons, opossum etc.
The last stop in our trip was Galapagos Islands. We visited 3 islands and had a boat tour to the fourth one. Since the flights between the island were cancelled, Alvaro had to book speedboats to transfer us and applied the money left to the dinners we had on the islands. The nature is amazing there. We saw giant turtles, penguins swimming around us, sea lions, marine iguanas, flamingos and others. The best island was Isabella, and I would recommend to stay there more because they had real beaches and the little one had a chance to swim (not just snorkel) even though the water was very cold.
Overall, we were very pleased with a trip. We travel a lot and usually plan everything ourselves. With this trip we benefited so much from working with KimKim and Alvaro because they helped us with unpredictable changes in itinerary that would be very difficult and stressful to organize without them.
Thank you Alvaro and KimKim!! We recommended you to many friends and relatives and will travel with you in the future!

We had amazing time, everything was arranged to our liking and went without any issues.

Our trip using KimKim and our local specialist Daniel, was nothing short of INCREDIBLE! Daniel was truly invaluable to us during the planning as well as the actual trip as during our time there the situation in Ecuador was changing. My husband and I are experienced independent travelers so using a service like KimKim was new for us and I was apprehensive - I thought I could put it together myself but I didn't have the time to work on the logistics and since the Galapagos is so unique we wanted some help. We had several what's app calls and exchanged lots of messages as we tweaked the itinerary a few times. He was so friendly with excellent communication skills and listened to questions and understood what we wanted to experience in out time in Ecuador as we only had a week and there was so much to see between the mainland and the Galapagos islands. As things changed on the ground in Quito upon our arrival, Daniel called right after we landed as he already had a Plan B (C, D and E) as well. We felt safe and calm and I knew I Daniel was available to us anytime and so responsive on WhatsApp. Beyond the changes we made last minute, the rest of what we planned was wonderful. It was so wonderful to have the transfers, day trips and everything planned. The hotels I selected knew our itinerary and times we would be picked up. The town of Puerto Aroya on Santa Cruz was so much fun. We were picked up at the airport by Alexandra who was so warm and welcoming and explained our day as we headed off Baltra island to the ranch where we saw the tortoises on the reserve. The lunch was excellent and we had such a nice peaceful time enjoying the green lush ground watching the tortoises in their environment. I think the trip was perfectly planned to provide balance between busy days and then having some free days. We especially enjoyed the hike and kayaking around Tortuga Bay; the afternoon boat tour and snorkeling with a sea turtle is something I will never forget. Daniel made sure that we worked the trip around a beautiful day cruise to the island of Bartolome - his profile pic. We had a day on luxurious boat served a delicious breakfast and lunch while we hiked and again snorkeled with the penguins - that is what I wanted to see most. Due to our last minute changes from the mainland, we were now fortunate enough to visit another island and Daniel selected Isabela for it's raw beauty and wildlife. The speedboat ride was an adventure in itself and the boat tour there to La Tintoreras we really special - more penguins,, boobies and a lava tunnel full of animals and the opportunity for more snorkeling. Daniel and I pretty much connected daily as I just loved reaching out to him to share pics, our experiences and he was always responsive immediately and so positive. We loved the local fish market in Puerto Aroya just as he said we would - stopping by daily to see the women cutting up the fresh catch and having an audience of pelicans, sea lions, frigate birds, herons and marine iguanas. All right on the street - such an amazing experience. I think our land based tour with day trips was wonderful - we only wish we had more time! I have not stopped telling friends and family about Daniel and his amazing planning - having an on the ground local resource accessible to us all the time was truly invaluable. We are thankful for his guidance and kindness! Surely many of my friends have already asked about this trip or it's already on their bucket list. We definitely plan to use KimKim again for our next adventure - it is truly a great resource for independent travelers and took our trip to the next level!

Activity Reviews

Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

We enjoyed the whole day! Our first guide Ramiro was so welcoming and pointed out so many things along the hike to the beach - he offered to take so many pictures and made us feel at easy on the kayaks and we found so much wildlife together in the water. He made sure we got to our hotel with enough time to rest and have lunch before we were picked up and taken to the waterfront for the afternoon bay tour. This was so nice as we saw so many bird from the boat, enjoyed the walk on an island when we got off and it was our first snorkel. The captain of the boat made us feel at ease in the water and had a gopro and took amazing videos of me swimming with a sea turtle. It was a long busy day but great experiences to get a feel for the island.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Absolutely delicious lunch in such a peaceful environment. I could have spent all day walking amongst the giant tortoises. Our guide Alexandra was great and you could tell she loved being there and welcoming us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alexandra and Andres were a great team

Transport

We honestly can't say enough how much our family appreciated all the effort that went into planning and orchestrating our trip. There was some unexpected civil unrest throughout the country when we visited, we even considered cancelling the trip all together but we're so glad that we didn't. Mathias and his team were amazing and were great at keeping up to date on the situation and changed our itinerary to help us avoid protests and demonstrations. Although it was a bit dissapointing that we weren't able to do everything we had originally planned on, the activities they replaced them with seemed just as good if not better and we still had a great time.

The other standout was just how well everything was coordinated. Between our tour guides, bus drivers, and hotel staff, it seemed like everyone knew our itinerary better than we did, and were so great about keeping us updated with the time table and what to expect. This was especially nice since we were travelling with small kids and helped us focus on the experience and not the logistics.

We would highly recommend Kimkim to anyone and of course Matias, Liz, Milton, and all the other great people we interacted with during our trip.

I loved our trip to Quito! Our guide, Dario, and our driver, Ivan, were excellent and took good care of us. Jacqueline went above and beyond to help us have a safe and memorable trip.

Our trip to Ecuador was amazing! Jackie in Ecuador was just incredible to work with.

We faced serious challenges in our trip when a general strike was called throughout Ecuador by CONAIE, an association of indigenious people. This involved roadblocks and protests throughout the country.

Jackie and the guide she hired, Dario, did an absolutely incredible job of working around these conditions to ensure a wonderful experience, even though this meant rearranging our itinerary and schedule completely.

When our Ecuadorian Ballet Folklorico performance was cancelled, she arranged a private performance in a beautiful hotel.

When the city of Banos was blocked off, Jackie and Dario suggested Mindo insteady - a gorgeous nature destination with hummingbirds, ziplines and river rafting.

It was a hit and we were safe and well cared for throughout the trip.

In my last day relaxing in the thermal baths at Papallacta, I couldn't recommend KimKim enough to the travelers around me. Thank you!

Activity Reviews

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Project at School in Otavalo

Otavalo

Linda planned an amazing trip for us. We enjoyed the hotels, tour guides, and excursions.

Mathias understood right away our needs and wants and developed a great trip that left out nothing. Since we have family in Ecuador, he was able to weave in our requirement to do some things with family.
Sebastian, our guide, was equal to the task of integrating everything we were to do. Tip: go over the next day's schedule with him the night before so that he knows your expectations. He is great at anticipating needs and wants and fulfilling them before you can even ask.
All in all, a fantastic trip of a lifetime. This is the way to travel.

Hotel Reviews

Sacha Lodge Yasuní

Quito

ONly place with air conditioning. A truly amazing experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Stay here. It's the best of the best.

Hacienda Pinsaqui

Otavalo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vista del Angel Hotel Boutique

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

Spectacular location, hard to get to.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Samari Spa Hotel

Baños

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Fantastic massages!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hosteria La Andaluza

Riobamba

One of the best hotels we have ever stayed in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Santa Lucía

Cuenca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa de las Peñas Siglo XXI

Guayaquil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Horseback Riding at Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cuenca - Ingapirca - Riobamba

Ecuador

Cuenca is wonderful as is Ingapirca. I would skip Riobamba

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Expedition to the Churute Ecological Reserve

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

A wonderful lunch and even better tour guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I and my daughter had a great vacation with lots of fun adventures. Linda was wonderful and helped with the planning of the trip. Liz was our contact in the Galapagos and was a great source of information and helpful with some of the last minute changes and requests! Sebastian was our guide in Quito and Cotopaxi - - very reliable, personable, and lots of local information!

What an epic adventure. Daniel made our trip one of the best we have ever experienced! He planned everything and made any adjustments where we wanted. He created such a beautiful experience tailored specifically to us. Not having to think about scheduling anything on our own, or getting taxis when we needed, or worrying about keeping track of flight tickets or time frames made this trip feel so luxurious. We started in Quito and had the best day ever riding around with Danny! Danny took us to the equator, a private cooking class, the statue of Mary, and walked us through multiple places in the historic district. He also stopped alongside the road to buy us yucca bread just because he loved it so much and wanted to share it with us. We then flew to Coca and took a motorized canoe down the Napo to the Napo Cultural Center. Mari, the general manager was so lovely and helpful. She explained how the eco lodge works and answered any questions we had. Venancio was beyond perfect as our guide while we were there. He loves sharing the culture and knowledge he has about his people, the birds, and teaching the native language to us. He was incredibly flexible and would take us anywhere we wanted to go, see anything we wanted to see, and spend as much time as we wanted enjoying the rainforest and giving us his time. He is so selfless and has a heart of gold. We got to see spider monkeys, golden tamarinds, and the howler monkeys put on a show right in front of our eyes while on the canoe trip. The birds are so beautiful and diverse. It was so special to see them and learn about them from Venancio. He makes sure to get you the best photos through his telescope. Living amongst the Kachiwa people was an experience I will never forget. The chefs were incredible! Feeding us gourmet meals three times a day! The fresh juices and cold towels made for a super refreshing end to any adventure we had for the day. Our bartender Lenin was great as well! He was so happy to share his knowledge of local beverages and culture as well. He helped teach us some phrases in the native language also. The housekeeping staff and our boat drivers were the best! I will definitely be back to Napo and Quito in the future. Daniel made sure that this trip was perfect, and he created such a special place in our hearts for Ecuador. 10/10 would recommend!!!

Hotel Reviews

Napo Cultural Center

Quito

The Napo Cultural Center is breathtakingly beautiful. The staff are the very best. We were so comfortable in our room and everywhere we went! I loved being able to live amongst the Kachiwa people and learn about the culture! I also loved stepping outside and viewing wildlife.

Tips for future travelers

Drink water! Use bug spray! Be thankful and appreciate all of the people and wildlife. You won’t regret this trip. It’s one in a million.

Authenticity & Character

You’re staying in a village. You’re surrounded by culture, history, and wisdom.

Location

The culture, the wildlife, the beauty of it all, how remote it is

Staff

They were are so great

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was comfortable and clean

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

I love the Ikala Hotel! It is super clean, the rooms are so diverse and comfortable, the staff is super helpful and friendly, it’s quiet, and I would love to stay again!

Tips for future travelers

Definitely book your stay here. You will be happy to have the wonderful places to walk to and the staff are always willing to get you a quick taxi to anywhere you want to explore!

Authenticity & Character

The style and decor

Location

Being close to Mercando El Camino, Tres Gatos, and Abysma.

Staff

Clean rooms and shared spaces with great character and light

Cleanliness & Comfort

Firm beds, great water pressure, cleanliness, and balcony

Activity Reviews

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

Quito

Karen was amazing. We cooked with her in a treehouse amongst a beautiful garden of local ingredients. The food was incredible and we learned so much!

Quality of Experience

Local ingredients

Food

Empanadas, local fruit, and chocolate!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Karen and Danny were wonderful!

Transport

Quito - Coca - Napo Cultural Center

Ecuador

Venancio was the best guide! I loved exploring the rainforest and seeing all the wildlife!

Quality of Experience

The culture, the wildlife, and the beauty of the environment

Food

Gourmet meals and drinks!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything! They are perfect!

Transport

Timely, skilled, and friendly

I want to thank Linda and the whole local team for their help in organizing a family trip to Ecuador! We planned this trip as a wedding celebration instead of the traditional reception, to share our love of travel with those closest to us- our families! We had the most spectacular adventure-packed trip, and truly were able to see all the highlights of the Galapagos Islands in our week visiting. We particularly loved that we were able to customize our trip to be as active as we are. Every day was a new adventure, our families had such a great time, and we will never forget all the beautiful wildlife we were so fortunate to experience together.

We were taken care of every step of the way, with every transfer, guide and excursion meticulously thought out. Linda and the team even assisted with making dinner reservations for our large group for a few nights. Lisa, our local coordinator in Puerto Ayora, helped us with any last minute changes that we would otherwise have to figure out for ourselves. My husband and I are looking forward to coming back soon to continue to explore all that these islands have to offer. Thank you for the most wonderful memorable trip!