Kimkim Trip Reviews for Galapagos Islands

Going to the Galápagos Islands was the trip of a lifetime! We would have been lost without our travel agent, Paul Cisneros from Kim Kim. Paul arranged excellent accommodations for us. He arranged for drivers to pick us up and take us to where we needed to go every step of the way. Paul arranged all of our tours and tour guides. We felt safe and reassured by his planning and expertise. Paul even helped to troubleshoot when we experienced translation problems and website glitches with the TCT cards. Everything ran so smoothly because of the planning and arrangements that Paul made.

As for the trip itself, we were in awe of the wildlife experiences that we had. Both land and sea adventures were unique, informative and amazing. Land animals that we saw in the Galápagos Islands included sea lions (not seals as we learned!), Galapagos and Saddleback tortoises (many sightings!), blue footed boobies, frigate birds, many other birds, Sally Lightfoot crabs, lava lizards, land iguanas (lots of them!). Marine animals included sea turtles (my personal favourite!), a sea horse, different kinds of rays (eagle rays, sting rays, maybe a marble ray), sharks, puffer fish, and so, so many colourful fish (like in Finding Nemo). On the mainland, our cultural tour of Quito felt like we were stepping back in time to an older world from days gone by. The Middle of the Earth tour was fun and interesting. We love our pictures from standing on the line of the equator.

We loved each and every hotel that we stayed at. The Ikala Quito Hotel had well appointed rooms and the staff were lovely. Hotel Fiesta in Puerto Ayora was spectacular! The pool area with bar was so nice to relax at and the gardens were gorgeous! We were travelling as an adult family and our room had a main room with a king size bed and a side room with two single beds. It was quite spacious. The Albemarle in Puerto Villamil was right on the beach and had a roof top terrace looking east, south and west. You could catch both the sunrise and the sunset. It even had a communal clothesline on the roof where you could dry your swimsuits (a small thing but something I really appreciated!). Lastly, we stayed at the Wyndham Airport Hotel in Quito on our last night. It is in the shape of a condor, which makes it an interesting piece of architecture. It is quite a posh hotel and the restaurant there is excellent. The shuttle service is under 5 minutes to the airport.

In summary, this was the trip of a lifetime for us and was everything we had hoped for. We are so grateful for the experience!

P.S. The following people were excellent as tour guides/coordinators (in no particular order): Robert, Ricardo, Michael, Alexis, Diego, Salome, Julio. There were others along the way who played a more minor role in our trip but each one was competent, friendly and helpful. In fact, my husband and I commented that Ecuadorians cultivate a culture of excellence not always seen in other parts of the world.

Thank you Paul, Milton and your entire staff for treating us to a very special and memorable time that will last the rest of our lives. Your effort had been truly the best ❣️

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

We must go back to stay here, it has everything we enjoy especially the stream room with eucalyptus

Authenticity & Character

Top rated accommodations

Location

Very convenient access to the city and airport

Staff

So kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Specious and comfortable

Hotel Cally Galapagos

Puerto Villamil

Great place to stay and close to things to enjoy

Authenticity & Character

Spacious and open

Location

Perfect view and access to the ocean beach

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pristine

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

So nice, beautiful and comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Felt like a resort in paradise

Location

another awesome place to stay

Staff

So very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super comfortable

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

Perfect experience of true Ecuador

Authenticity & Character

They gave us their best support

Location

The best experience, top quality

Staff

Kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

We would love to go back for another stay

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Loves our time here

Authenticity & Character

Super location

Location

Great accommodations

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Activity Review

Quito City Tour - Middle of the World

Quito

Must do

Quality of Experience

Fun and interesting

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Best guide ever

Transport

Easy access

We had an amazing trip!! Milton made Quito even more special. Mindo was one of my favorite stops for the chocolate experience and seeing the toucans and feeding the humming birds. And going to Santa Cruz and Isabela was spectacular seeing all the wild life especially the blue footed boobies. The guides arrived on time and told us a lot of info. David got us to and from Baltra and was super. Julio took the time to show us around Isabela. Eva did a nice job showing us the tortoises in their natural habitat. As mentioned it was an amazing trip. And Paul was always there for us!!

Best guides were Viviana and Marcos. Both interacted with us as well and had energy and loved what they were doing. For most part all activities went without issue and were better than expected. Only issue was that Alvaro assured us we would fish and obviously he didn’t understand the rules of fishing in the Galopagos. Jacquie was great. Responded well and would get details when asked. Brought energy and good communicator

Hotel Reviews

Finch Bay Galápagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Indigo Galápagos

San Cristóbal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Oh

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

EB Hotel by Eurobuilding Quito

Quito

Only stayed there 2 hrs due to delayed flight

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

O

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Santa Fe Fishing Experience

Galapagos Islands

Didn’t fish! Don’t call it a fishing experience. It’s a snorkeling trip. Great snorkeling. Good guide

Quality of Experience

Food

Great sit down meal on boat

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay

Puerto Ayora

Guide was not into it walk distance was not communicated very well. Kayaked for 40 mins and didn’t hang around when something interested encountered. Guide always in a hurry to be someplace else

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Speedboat to Santa Cruz Island; Charles Darwin Station, Highlands & Planting a Tree

Galapagos Islands

Great guide. Darwin center not that interesting. More interesting seeing turtles in wild

Quality of Experience

Food

Fun restraunt at ranch

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island

Isla San Cristóbal

Johan was a good guide

Quality of Experience

Uninhabited and unowned of wildlife on island

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

La Liberia is best part. Lots of aquatic life.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We just returned from an unforgettable 10-day Galápagos trip that Jacquie planned for us, and we were blown away by the experience! The whole family loved it. Huge thanks to Jacquie and her local team for being so responsive and helpful throughout - we felt taken care of every step of the way.

Special shoutout to Jacquie for the amazing New Year's dinner and the lovely souvenirs she gave us at the end. The guides were knowledgeable and fantastic, transports were seamless, and everything was just perfect. Would highly recommend Jacquie for planning your Galápagos adventure!

From a quote to a return home, we received an incredible support and attention from Josselyn.
at every step, quoting, activity selection, daily checks, and dealing with unexpected diversions, she stood by to help, 24/7.
The entire tour program was well designed, coordinated, and monitored during our amazing 12 days in Galapagos.
There is no denial, that having Kimkim on our side and Josselyn direct involvement, enabled us to reach every corner, secure every excursion, and enjoy comfortable accommodations. on many occasions (and we traveled during X-Mass and NY), we witnessed sold-out tours and limited accommodations. Not for us. Everything was reserved well in advance, local guides waited by the gate/hotel/marina, and entire trip was executed well beyond my expectations. Thank you Josselyn and entire crew to make this a dream vacation

Activity Reviews

Snorkeling at Concha Perla (Private)

Galapagos Islands

San Cristóbal Arrival, Kayaking & Local Cooking Class

Isla San Cristóbal

Quality of Experience

Food

an exposure to local culture in intimate settings was priceless.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We would like to take the time in a week to write a fabulous review for the team we encountered, but in the meantime, 10 stars for Paul Cisneros, our Travel Advisor! He didn't leave any stone unturned. The beauty and fun of our experience was setup and managed every step of the way by Paul. Give us a week and we'll send you more information. Thank you!!

What an absolute pleasure and peace of mind to work with Paul and the many members of our Galapagos crew to create one of the most memorable and visually stunning vacations our family has ever been on. From the beginning, Paul was so easy to work with, polite, immediately responsive, and was able to cater to some last-minute changes during the trip, which was so deeply appreciated. Our naturalist guides were friendly, fun and knowledgeable. We loved the excursions as well as the cute hotels that we stayed in. I could not recommend this group more highly!

Hola
Este viaje fue increible , muchas experiencia juntas y toda la familia las disfruto mucho, especialmente nuestra nieta Olivia, para ella fue especial , no esperabamos estan ta cerca de la fauna de galapagos, y Quito muy bonito y muy limpio , Los guias fueron muy atentos a nosotros y nos llevaron a nuestro paso. Gracias por compartir su bello pais con nosotros , se los agradezco , esperamos volver.

Gracias

Hotel Reviews

Ilatoa Lodge

Quito

Unas cabañas bien Lindas, y comodas , una vista preciosa

Authenticity & Character

Lo sencilla y bonita que esta presentada

Location

La belleza y originalidad

Staff

Son super amables con nosotros

Cleanliness & Comfort

No, todo con un detalle especial , y muy tranquilo

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Un lugar muy bonito y cerca de todo

Authenticity & Character

un lugar muy especial y original

Location

cerca de todo, caminando llegas a todos lados

Staff

muy amables

Cleanliness & Comfort

lo recomendaria a otras personas , exelente hotel

El Barranco

Santa Cruz

Cercano, comodo, justo al lado de la Iglesia, muelle, y de todo nos encanto

Authenticity & Character

muy comodo, y centrio

Location

en el centro de todo

Staff

muy amables

Cleanliness & Comfort

todo muy limpio y ordenado

Mercure Alameda Quito

Quito

exelente Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

super centrico

Staff

super

Cleanliness & Comfort

perfect

Activity Reviews

Explore Tortuga Bay & Charles Darwin Station

Puerto Ayora

Fue un lugar hermoso y lleno de vida, mucha vida marina , increible

Quality of Experience

Lo Hermoso que es esa Isla

Food

todo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Muy atentos a nosotros

Transport

El personal muy amables y atentos

Embracing Nature's Giants: Exploring Santa Cruz Island's Highlands

Galapagos Islands

Fue algo muy especial para nosotros

Quality of Experience

nunca habiamos visto algo asi

Guides, Drivers and Staff

el trato, muy especial

Transport

muy atentos

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Private Transfer to Puerto Ayora

Puerto Ayora

Todo exelente

Quality of Experience

lo diferente que es el lugr

Guides, Drivers and Staff

exelente y pacientes

Transport

muy amables

Family Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo - Middle of the World

Quito

fue increible y facinante

Quality of Experience

Es un lugar bien organizado y hermoso

Food

De las mejores comidas de sur America

Guides, Drivers and Staff

exelentes

Transport

fue exelente

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

Galapagos Islands

Grandiosa , No me imaginaba que seria así.

Quality of Experience

Quito y Galapos son hermosos y la gente muy amable

Guides, Drivers and Staff

nuestro guia , Fue muy amable y gentil

Transport

muy comodo y complaciente

The only "custom" things we asked for - diving and a pick up - that we were told were possible once we were on the island we were informed we not. So that went any see service/benefit.

For the boat review:
Legend Feedback

Day 1- Guide kept talking into the wind instead of to the group. No one knew what he was saying, even after informing him they could not hear. Guide miscounted people.

Day 2- Lack of towels in the swimming area, expected to return after snorkeling wet. Again, no towel provided. Guide still had not informed guests of the safest way to get on and off the Pangas- this is standard on other boats. Was told on day 2 not to drink the tap water in the room , luckily we knew that from previous boats. A little late for some.

Day 3- waiter still can’t remember food allergies. Again, standard on day 1 to go over guest allergies and confirm. None of this happened, I have to at each meal.

Day 4- partner developed a food borne travelers stomach. Atleast the doctor had meds, even if she kept trying to prescribe advil.

Day 5- clearly can’t manage time. Guide was 20 mins late for morning excursion. Afternoon they scheduled 1 hr - which ended up being much less due to island closure time - for a beach walk and snorkel. Most guests couldn’t complete the beach walk in that time. Multiple guest commented with the boat at half capacity they can’t imagine anything happening at full capacity. Crew forgot gas in the dingy, had to refill in the open water. Crew wasn’t ready to help off board, had to wait and call them. Guide again miscounted guests and almost left someone at the turtle ranch. On the beach a new guest thought I was crew because I was the only one stopping to help her. This happened a few times when I notice wildlife our guide wasn’t pointing out to the other people in our group.

Day 6 - guide miscounted again leaving the boat and left passengers because they claimed the notification was clear. We agree it’s been inconsistent the “get ready”, “and “up next” ad “leaving”. Sometimes they’ll say “up next” and never the other ones. Multiple people have missed their disembarkments.

Day 7 - people in our group requested to change guides and were approved to do so. People cleaning the room continue to not empty full garbage. after a week waiter remembered our drink order of water, guide still doesn't know the 8 people in his group.

Day 8 - hot tub temperature control breaks. Again I stopped to assist a guest struggling on the walk. No guide or crew stayed - they just left.

Overall. The boat was out dated, and the rooms couldn’t regulate temperate. There are ant traps in the room you have to avoid. They couldn’t go 1 hour without trying to sell something, to the point I got tired of being asked and started staying in my room. The wet room for snorkeling needs a fan like any other sane boat to try equipment if it's below deck. A small port window is not "airflow" - everything was musty and we took our stuff to the front to lay it out. No one on the boat had a tour so no one knew there was a front deck to sit on.

My “non luxury” Galapagos cruises had refreshments, and either warm towels after water or cold towels to clean your hands after an excursion, in addition to a substantial snack. They all also included at some level juice, wine and beer. This one had a single flavored water station and a small bite that was usually not there only on returning to the boat. It was pathetic- you had to wait in line for a single grape and glass of water freezing after snorkeling, and hope there was some left. The food was okay, if there was any left.

In general the communication leading up to the trip was lacking, and confusing. We were told one thing and then another thing on the boat.

I would never pay or recommend this boat ever again. I’m glad it was the itinerary I wanted.

Hotel Review

Boutique Expedition Legend

Legend Feedback Day 1- Guide kept talking into the wind instead of to the group. No one knew what he was saying, even after informing him they could not hear. Guide miscounted people. Day 2- Lack of towels in the swimming area, expected to return after snorkeling wet. Again, no towel provided. Guide still had not informed guests of the safest way to get on and off the Pangas- this is standard on other boats. Was told on day 2 not to drink the tap water in the room , luckily we knew that from previous boats. A little late for some. Day 3- waiter still can’t remember food allergies. Again, standard on day 1 to go over guest allergies and confirm. None of this happened, I have to at each meal. Day 4- partner developed a food borne travelers stomach. Atleast the doctor had meds, even if she kept trying to prescribe advil. Day 5- clearly can’t manage time. Guide was 20 mins late for morning excursion. Afternoon they scheduled 1 hr - which ended up being much less due to island closure time - for a beach walk and snorkel. Most guests couldn’t complete the beach walk in that time. Multiple guest commented with the boat at half capacity they can’t imagine anything happening at full capacity. Crew forgot gas in the dingy, had to refill in the open water. Crew wasn’t ready to help off board, had to wait and call them. Guide again miscounted guests and almost left someone at the turtle ranch. On the beach a new guest thought I was crew because I was the only one stopping to help her. This happened a few times when I notice wildlife our guide wasn’t pointing out to the other people in our group. Day 6 - guide miscounted again leaving the boat and left passengers because they claimed the notification was clear. We agree it’s been inconsistent the “get ready”, “and “up next” ad “leaving”. Sometimes they’ll say “up next” and never the other ones. Multiple people have missed their disembarkments. Day 7 - people in our group requested to change guides and were approved to do so. People cleaning the room continue to not empty full garbage. after a week waiter remembered our drink order of water, guide still doesn't know the 8 people in his group. Day 8 - hot tub temperature control breaks. Again I stopped to assist a guest struggling on the walk. No guide or crew stayed - they just left. Overall. The boat was out dated, and the rooms couldn’t regulate temperate. There are ant traps in the room you have to avoid. They couldn’t go 1 hour without trying to sell something, to the point I got tired of being asked and started staying in my room. The wet room for snorkeling needs a fan like any other sane boat to try equipment if it's below deck. A small port window is not "airflow" - everything was musty and we took our stuff to the front to lay it out. No one on the boat had a tour so no one knew there was a front deck to sit on. My “non luxury” Galapagos cruises had refreshments, and either warm towels after water or cold towels to clean your hands after an excursion, in addition to a substantial snack. They all also included at some level juice, wine and beer. This one had a single flavored water station and a small bite that was usually not there only on returning to the boat. It was pathetic- you had to wait in line for a single grape and glass of water freezing after snorkeling, and hope there was some left. The food was okay, if there was any left. In general the communication leading up to the trip was lacking, and confusing. We were told one thing and then another thing on the boat. I would never pay or recommend this boat ever again. I’m glad it was the itinerary I wanted.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Boat, guides, service

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

AM: Espinoza Point (Fernandina Island)

Cruise Ship

PM – Tagus Cove (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

PM – Punta Vicente Roca (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

AM: Twin craters and the Highlands of Santa Cruz- Departure to Baltra´s Airport

Cruise Ship

AM – Highlands Tortoise Reserve (Santa Cruz Island) and departure

Cruise Ship

We arrived at the airport hours before it opened and sat instead of enjoy ing an excursion Seems about right for this company

AM – Urbina Bay (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

PM – Rabida Island

Cruise Ship

AM: Egas Port (Santiago Island)

Galapagos Islands

PM: Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach

Cruise Ship

AM – Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz Island)

Cruise Ship

Our guide was incapable of knowing how to read a clock and we all waited for him

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

PM – Santa Fe Island

Cruise Ship

AM South Plaza Island

Cruise Ship

PM – Darwin Bay (Genovesa Island)

Cruise Ship

AM – El Barranco, Prince Philip’s Steps (Genovesa Island)

Cruise Ship

PM – Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz Island)

Cruise Ship

Morning Arrival & Transition to Galápagos Legend

Cruise Ship

Miscommunication and we had to double back to the airport to sit there for 3 hrs instead of the promised pick up.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Legend Cruise Itineraries

Cruise Ship

Quality of Experience

Stop selling everythingn

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mathias and the whole boat crew were exceptional! Snorkeling was amazing and the hikes were unique, very educational.

Great job arranging the trips to see Ecuador’s amazing natural beauty. The guides were all very knowledgeable, patient and enthusiastic about the wildlife and landscape. Special shoutout to my coordinator Valentina who was in touch with me everyday to make sure everything was going well.

This was our second trip to the Galápagos, and Ariel made it absolutely amazing. The MC Treasure was perfect, and the crew was exceptional—warm, professional, and always a step ahead. They made us feel so well cared for, and every detail on board was flawless. Hector, our guide, was fantastic and brought every island to life with his knowledge and enthusiasm.

Ariel’s planning, communication, and thoughtful touches made the whole experience smooth and unforgettable. We can’t wait to plan our next adventure with Kim Kim!

The Galapagos was truly an amazing adventure! Paul planned and implemented a wonderful trip! All the travel and tours were handled very professionally and the accommodations were excellent. Alex and Robert made sure we were all on the bus, boat, or airplane, as planned. Our excellent guides Javier and Karem led us on adventures every day. Snorkeling with sea lions, manta rays, turtles, sharks and schools of fish was incredible! We've never been surrounded by such an abundance of sea life. We also saw wildlife and different landscapes while exploring various islands. Daniela's tour with the giant land tortoises was another fascinating day! The Galapagos is truly a unique place that locals are working hard to preserve for all. We're thrilled we got a chance to visit!

Hotel Reviews

M/Y Monserrat

Quito

Our time on the M/Y Monserrat was enjoyable. The guides and staff were wonderful, and the dinner on the last night was delightful. However, the overnight journey was rough due to choppy seas, which made it uncomfortable and resulted in a sleepless night. It seems to be a known issue that it gets rough on the last night, and a little heads-up would have been appreciated.

Patio Andaluz

Quito

Patio Andaluz in Quito was a wonderful place to start our trip. It's located in the old historic part of the city, which was quite charming and added to the experience.

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

We had a clean, modern room at the Acacia with a lovely central patio area for gathering. The staff was very friendly, honest and professional. They made sure we had a delicious breakfast with our coffee every day and provided tips on where to eat dinner. Highly recommend this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to the Darwin Center and downtown.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

The excursion to the uninhabited island was quite an experience, although it involved much more travel than anticipated. After spending several days on the M/Y Monserrat, this day was mostly in transit with a long bus and boat journey. It was a bit tiring, with limited time on the actual island, and we would've preferred to explore more locally around Puerto Ayora.

Jacquie was awesome, very attentive, even outside work hours. Our trip was amazing and all of our group vacation couples will be using Kim Kim again.

Hotel Review

M/Y Tribute Superyacht

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The yacht is brand new after a major refab!

Activity Review

Chinese Hat (Santiago Island) & Rabida Island

Cruise Ship

These islands had the best snorkeling of the trip! Sharks, sea lions, morays, octopuses, marine iguanas - it felt like we saw it all.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip was excellent - Paul did a great job planning the entire amazing adventure. All details were taken care of - the guides were all excellent, the crew of the Monserrat was very attentive and each step from meeting our group at the airport when we arrived to when we departed was all taken care of. This was our 4th adventure planned by KimKim and it won't be our last.

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn Quito Airport, an IHG Hotel

Tababela

Great location close to the Airport for early morning departures

M/Y Monserrat

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Sailing around was wonderful on a small ship.

Staff

Crew was friendly - the guides were able to provide so much information on what we would see, where we would travel to. They provided a wonderful video of our adventure on the Monserrat.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were rather small (but it is a small ship) recommend that suitcases be duffle bags or carry on size. Rooms were very clean

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Great location, super friendly staff and lovely rooms

Authenticity & Character

Lovely hotel with large rooms

Location

Staff

The staff was very attentive and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio Andaluz

Quito

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

North Seymour Island

Cruise Ship

Santiago Island: Buccaneer's Cove

Cruise Ship

Santiago Island: Egas Port

Cruise Ship

Isabela Island: Vicente Roca Point

Cruise Ship

Fernandina Island: Espinoza Point

Cruise Ship

Isabela Island: Urbina Bay

Cruise Ship

Isabela Island: Tagus Cove

Cruise Ship

Santa Cruz Island: Bachas Beach

Cruise Ship

Quito Cooking Class

Galapagos Islands

Great experience - the chef and sous chef were wonderful and we really enjoyed "preparing our lunch"

Quality of Experience

Quito City Tour

Galapagos Islands

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The trip and all the arrangements were amazing. All the guides and drivers were where they were supposed to be and everything went off without a hitch!
The Monserrat yacht was a bit of a disappointment. The cabins were much smaller than the pictures implied, and the storage space was inadequate. The guides, Javier and Karem, were excellent; however, there should be more information provided BEFORE the trip detailing the level of activity involved. We found that some of the hikes were too strenuous for my wife. While she was okay with skipping some of them, she was disappointed that she missed out on some of the wildlife and scenery she was hoping to see.
The Quito excursions were well done and our guides, Alex and Roberto, were very capable, friendly and well informed.
The hotel accommodations, the Patio Andaluz in Quito, the Acacia Hotel in Puerto Ayora, and the Holiday Inn in Quito, were excellent! The hotel staffs were uniformly friendly and quite welcoming. We would recommend all of them!

Hotel Reviews

M/Y Monserrat

Quito

The cabins were much smaller than implied by the pictures on their website. The storage space was inadequate (we ended up storing one suitcase in the shower); and the bathroom was small and somewhat awkward to use. While the yacht was in generally good condition, there were some areas that needed attention (sticking windows, minor rust, etc.). The onboard excursion staff was very good. They were very informative and very competent. And very friendly! The crew was friendly too but suffered from some communication miscues as English was not always understood. It did create some confusion at meal times. The ship did not offer any diet soft drinks.

Authenticity & Character

See comments

Location

Staff

Excursion staff was excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

Unfortunately, it’s probably not possible to increase the cabin sizes but better disclosure would have helped.

Holiday Inn Quito Airport, an IHG Hotel

Tababela

While this was a more conventional hotel, and did not have the charms of the other hotels, it was a very nice property. The staff was friendly and helpful. The restaurant was quite good, with a nice selection of food choices and reasonable prices. The rooms were quite comfortable with all the necessary amenities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

This is a wonderful place to stay in Puerto Ayora! The rooms are large, very well appointed, and the beds are very, very comfortable! Carolina and her staff were wonderful- very friendly and helpful, with excellent recommendations for dining. The included breakfast was amazing- fruit, yogurt, granola, fresh juices, eggs cooked to order, various breakfast meats, toast, potatoes- if you left hungry it was your own fault! Highly recommended!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Best staff of all!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio Andaluz

Quito

Fabulous location; excellent staff - warm and welcoming! The hotel building is a historic location and has been completely renovated. Lovely large rooms with comfortable beds. The only negative is the spiral staircase to the upper level bedroom- rather steep and narrow and a bit difficult to maneuver in the dark. Otherwise, a nice hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Quito City Tour

Galapagos Islands

Nice walking tour of Quito.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito Cooking Class

Galapagos Islands

Loved this activity! Hands on class where we got to eat the fruits of our labor! Really enjoyed this.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jacquie, trip was amazing.
Jacquie stayed on top of our itinerary the entire time from booking til we got back on the plane out of Ecuador! It was such a seamless process, there was a joke that our luck would have to run out, it didn’t. We had one mishap the week before the trip, a flight issue, Jacquie took care of it without us getting involved. She guided us to the tribute yacht and they sure didn’t disappoint! Will definitely us Kim Kim again
And we love the cute Ecuadorean gift we received at our final hotel.
Thank you so much for giving us the amazing bucket list Galápagos trip we will remember for a lifetime

On the Kim Kim side Jacquie was so helpful and kind from start to finish. We really appreciated her accessibility and thoughtfulness. She even went through the trouble of dropping us a thank you gift at our hotel.

The Oniric team on Freddys legacy was fantastic. Roberto, Fernando, Jose Luis and Hansel were the most front facing guides/crew and did an amazing job making everything seamless. There were so many little details that did not go overlooked. The rest of the crew was also amazing. They were always smiling and easy to interact with. They kept the boat spotlessly clean and always had nice touches ready for us like warm towels when we arrived back from a snorkel. They were so knowledgeable and passionate about the Galapagos and really went the extra mile to share their experience and the place with us in a way that was unique. This is hands down the best service, environment and trip I have been on. I cannot recommend it enough. Really every detail was considered and thought of.

I had the most incredible journey to the Amazon rainforest and the Galapagos Islands, all thanks to Tamar! As a single mom traveling with my six children, I needed someone who was reliable and could handle all the logistics, and Tamar exceeded my expectations along with his assistant Ariel.

From the very beginning, Tamar made himself available 24/7 ensuring that every detail of our trip was meticulously planned. With six kids, each having their own opinions, I didn’t have the time to manage transfers to and from airports, activities, hotels, and the like. Tamar took care of everything, allowing us to focus on making memories together.

I also wanted an action-packed itinerary, and he delivered! We were out of our rooms nearly every morning by 5 AM and going strong until 6 PM, exploring the breathtaking beauty of the jungle and islands. Each day was filled with adventure, which kept my kids entertained and happy.

Whenever I had questions about dress attire or other travel concerns, Tamar was just a phone call or text away, always ready to assist. His responsiveness and attention to detail made all the difference.

Overall, this trip was a fantastic experience thanks to Tamar’s dedication and expertise. I highly recommend him to anyone looking to explore South America!