Kimkim Trip Reviews for Galapagos Islands

Kim Kim organized our visit to Quito, the Galápagos Islands, and several places in Peru, including Machu Picchu. The tour was exceptionally well-organized. Majo (María José) and Tamer were always available to assist.
The tour guides were friendly, informative, and engaging, providing fascinating details at each stop. Pick-up times were well-coordinated, and all transfers went smoothly, including assistance at the airport to ensure we were ready for our flight. Despite occasional difficulties with accents or fast speaking, they were always willing to clarify when needed. Their knowledge and enthusiasm made the experience truly memorable.

We had a fantastic trip to Ecuador - Quito and the Galapagos- and will treasure the memories forever.

Angie at KimKim worked closely with my husband and myself both in terms of organising our trip but also keeping in touch during our trip to make sure everything was perfect.

Our hotels were perfect for our family and the trips - boat trips and land based adventures - were fabulous. We were looked after and provided with lots of information which really added to our wonderful trip.

Hotel Reviews

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

We loved everything about the hotel - it was fab!

Authenticity & Character

Modern but had character and was very tasteful. Definitely 5 star!

Location

Perfect as not on sea front but not too far away from anything - we loved it!

Staff

All amazing - helpful on every level!

Cleanliness & Comfort

We all loved it - comfy beds, lovely sheets, clean and lovely

Galapagos Sunset Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Great location and facilities were all perfect for our family. Front desk staff were very helpful too - restaurant recommendations and activity suggestions 😊

Authenticity & Character

Modern and not much character - but clean, perfect location, comfortable and safe

Location

Perfect - close to pier and all restaurants

Staff

Always helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casona de La Ronda

Quito

This was a lovely hotel. Great location, wonderful building and fab staff.

Authenticity & Character

Had a wonderful feel to the hotel and we loved it

Location

Very central to old town and a cheap taxi/Uber to other locations. Very easy to walk to keep sires

Staff

Always helpful - nothing was a problem

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable beds, clean shower and towels- all lovely!

Activity Reviews

Visit to another uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

A long trip but the same boat and crew as our previous day trip to North Seymour. The snorkeling whilst colder was amazing. We saw penguin’s, black tipped reef shark, anchovies, rays and loads of colorful fish. 🐠

Quality of Experience

Crew, guide and boat all fantastic

Food

Great food again - snacks, cakes and champagne

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

We loved it all - whilst we didn’t see too much when snorkeling the walk around the island looking at the nesting birds - blue footed Boobies and Frigate birds were amazing. Also the marine iguana 😊

Quality of Experience

Journey, boat, crew, guide and wildlife all amazing. As was the company of other guests.

Food

Fabulous!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

This didn’t take too long but was an interesting and informative visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked with our guide from the hotel - nice to stretch our legs.

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

We loved it all - a great start to our Santa Cruz expedition. Giant turtles were amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch at the venue was great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

360° Tour

Isla San Cristóbal

The snorkeling was great at all locations and our guide was brilliant- taking photos and videos of everything which he shred. Boat crew were great too despite the return journey being very bumpy! Wet suit definitively needed, which we had been advised about.

Quality of Experience

Food

Food on board was very good and snacks were also provided

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide and boat staff were fab - very helpful throughout our trip.

Transport

Interpretation Center & Tijeretas Hill

Galapagos Islands

We did this trip on our own as the guide instead took us to the beach to see the Sea Lions and to the only lake in San Cristobal- El Junco

Quality of Experience

Lots of information and detail provided by the guide

Food

We had lunch at a local restaurant before setting off on the trip - hard to avoid meat but not bad!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was very helpful, chatty and good company

Transport

It was on time, fit us all in and waited at each location

Excellent teams who took care of us during these 2 weeks!

Our recent trip to Ecuador was an unforgettable adventure, and we are thrilled to share our experience.
We spent three incredible nights at the Napo Wildlife Center in Yasuni National Park. The lodge, nestled deep in the rainforest, was nothing short of spectacular. The surrounding nature was breathtaking, and we enjoyed numerous canoe rides, which provided an up-close look at the diverse wildlife. Each excursion was an exciting journey, offering sights of exotic birds, playful monkeys, and other fascinating creatures. The pristine beauty of the rainforest left us in awe.
Following our rainforest adventure, we embarked on a seven-night cruise aboard the Montserrat in the Galapagos Islands. This part of our trip was extraordinary. Seeing so many animals up close was a dream come true. We snorkeled with marine iguanas, sharks, and even penguins! Our guide, Javier, was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, making every excursion informative and enjoyable. The Galapagos Islands truly felt like a paradise, teeming with unique wildlife and stunning landscapes.
We also had the pleasure of exploring Quito. Our walking tour was informative and engaging, allowing us to soak in the city's rich history and culture. A highlight was the cooking class with our guide, Sebastian. It was a delightful experience learning to prepare traditional Ecuadorian dishes and enjoying a delicious meal we had made ourselves.
A special thanks to Tamer Obeid, who expertly organized this fabulous trip for our family. His prompt communication and attention to detail ensured everything went smoothly from start to finish. Tamer’s dedication made our vacation truly memorable, and we highly recommend his services to anyone planning a trip to Ecuador.

We had a memorable trip on the Montserrat boat for 8 days. Very clean and on time withe the schedule every day. A lot to do. Enjoyed a lot the snorkeling experience. The crew was adorable and professional. Our guide was EXCEPTIONAL! Javier PICASA, has a lot of knowledge about the islands, flora and fauna. Made our experience great! He is an exceptional snorkeler and we saw a lot of animals, turtles, sharks, iguanas, sea lions and pinguins. We can only recommend him warmly!

Activity Review

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

Quito

We had an amazing city tour with Sebastian. The cooking class was a good way to enjoy equatorian cuisine

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to the Quito and The Galapagos Islands was fabulous! The services provided by KimKim, especially Anthony who coordinated everything for us, was flawless. Every guide and driver we had were knowledgeable, timely, friendly, and welcomed us to Ecuador with open arms. We loved our trip to the cloud forest with David and our 7 day cruise around the Galapagos islands aboard the Archibel I where we saw tons of birds, sea lions, penguins, rays, and other sea animals. When we needed help making a few important changes on the fly, Anthony made it all happen. We felt very supported by him and the KimKim/Responsible Travel Team before and during our travels.

Hotel Reviews

La Palma Polo Club

La Palma Polo Club is a unique experience and location! Our room was HUGE. Loved all the windows and rustic decor. Only thing missing was a desk. Food was good at the restaurant too. Enjoyed walking the grounds. There are not many rooms so you feel like you are at a special place . We only stayed one night before catching our flight so we didn't use the pools or the spa.

Authenticity & Character

Hotel was beautiful.

Location

While the hotel is closer to the airport than Quito, it is still a half an hour a way. It is also not convenient to Quito if you want to use it as a base for touring. That said, the location is beautiful and it is a great place to stay, particularly if you want to hang out for a few days.

Staff

Very helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and comfortable! The bed was great. The decor was beautiful.

Archipel I

Guayaquil - Ecuador

We really enjoyed our time on the Archipel I. The food was delicious and plentiful. The chef put a lot of thought into offering a diverse menu for every meal. The fruit drinks provided whenever we returned from an excursion on shore or aboard the dingy were a great treat. The rooms are comfortable, with ample amount of space for storing luggage and clothing. On the first part of the trip we were in a room at the front of the boat which was particularly bumpy, especially because of the route we were on. For the second half of the trip, we moved to a room at the back of the boat which we found a lot less bumpy. The sea may have been less wavy either way but we liked being in the back better and really appreciated the opportunity to move. Overall, the staff on this boat are super.

Authenticity & Character

Great ship to see the Galapagos Islands on.

Location

We went on the 7 day cruise - around the western islands and then up to Genevese.

Staff

Great staff -- so customer focused and efficient. They knew how to get things done and keep the group moving forward and able to address issues as they came up.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The vessel and cabins were very clean. The bathrooms, while very clean and usable, are beginning to show their age a bit.

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Great hotel, beautifully appointed room with comfortable bed. Lots of options for the breakfast buffet and for dinner as well. Appreciated the two for one mojitos as well! Hotel has armed security 24/7 and feels safe.

Authenticity & Character

The decor in the room and in all the common speaces.

Location

Easy to walk to a few restaurants. Nice to be in a neighborhood.

Staff

While their English wasn't great, it was good enough to provide super service and help us when the safe in our room wouldn't open!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfectly clean. Good temperatures. Loved the linens on the bed.

Activity Reviews

Puerto Egas (Santiago Island) - Rabida Island

Galapagos Islands

Bartolome Island - Sullivan Bay (Santiago Island)

Galapagos Islands

This island was another highlight of our trip but not because of the wildlife. The landscape and view from the top is magnificent! Snorkeling after the hike around the cove was lots of fun too.

Exploring Genovesa Island: Prince Philip Steps and Darwin Bay

Cruise Ship

This island was the highlight of our trip! So many birds (red-footed boobys, blue-footed boobys, frigate birds and their chicks), everywhere you looked! Plus several short-eared owls and many other interesting things to see. It is a magical place.

Twin Craters - El Chato Reserve (Santa Cruz Island) - Transfer Out to Baltra Airport

Cruise Ship

We stopped by the twin craters on our way to the airport. It was cool to see the crater (we actually only had time to see one) but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it. The time we spent seeing the wild giant tortoises on property nearby was more worthwhile. There were so many of them - both male and female.

Baltra Airport - Fausto Llerena Breeding Centre (Santa Cruz)

Cruise Ship

We are glad we saw the breeding center but it is nothing like seeing the giant tortoises in the wild! The breeding center focuses a lot on educating visitors about the tortoises and the Galapagos ecosystem. The baby tortoises from various islands was interesting to see.

Birding Day in the Cloud Forest

Quito

Our guide knew of a few "private" birding locations where locales set up bananas and other fruit to attract birds to their property, including hummingbirds. These locations did not disappoint! We saw dozens of colorful and unique birds and were able to feed a vast array of beautiful hummingbirds. We also went to the butterfly refuge which was okay. The highlight there was seeing two kinds of toucans and a sunbittern on or near the property.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

David knows his birds and was passionate about seeing and finding them!

Arrival to Quito

Galapagos Islands

Friendly driver met us at the airport and we had a smooth transfer to our hotel for the evening.

Transfer to the airport for your flight back home (Departure)

Galapagos Islands

Smooth transfer with lots of time to check in at the airport.

Colonial Quito City Tour & the Middle of the World

Quito

Really enjoyed the Middle of the World experience. Very fun and worthwhile. We also enjoyed the tour of old Quito and the view of the city from the Virgin of Quito statue overlooking the city was outstanding!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

David was a great guide, adjusting the tour based on our interests, and sharing with us lots of interesting information about Quito's history and current situation.

Black Turtle Cove - Flamingos and Relax in Bachas Beach

Cruise Ship

Espinoza Point (Fernandina Island) - Vicente Roca Point (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

Moreno Point - Urbina Bay (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

Not sure how to rate this but we lost a whole day practically because one Of our guides in Ecudor Was very insufficient. She didn't have the right change for the pain.When she picked us up and then when she took us to Cuenca she kept getting lost. Before we left, we had to stop so she could have breakfast cause she didn't have anything to eat.At her mother's house before she left that morning. Also she did not know anything about the national park that we stopped at. She could not answer our questions. When we finally got to our destination, she had promised us.We could go to a spot there to get rid of this sress from the day and that did not work out either. I would not consider her a safe driver either. That was one of the reasons for the stress and then being jerked around all over the place From her driving. We were supposed to have a different guide to begin with. And actually he turned out fine. Except he dished us at the airport when he drove his back to Guayaquil Ecuador. Our plane didn't leave till 1130 that night and he dropped us off at the airport.About 330 in the afternoor it might have been earlier. Kim did get back with this about an hour or so later and line up another guide Who was a very good person but we ended up giving two people tips that day or the day instead of just one so that was an extra Twenty dollars from each of us for the guides. We found out later that the guide that was good and dropped us off at the airport.Check another client.So I had to get back to quinca instead of staying with us like he was supposed to. The whole thing made it's very uneasy. The rest of the trip especially the calypso boat was wonderful.

Alvaro, our kimkim specialist planned a trip of a lifetime for us in the Galapagos. Each and every experience he planned was special and executed well. I can’t say enough about each of our four different guides in the Galapagos. All weee knowledgeable, approachable and full of great charm. Thanks Alvaro and kimkim for the trip of a lifetime.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Andina Premium Miraflores

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Guayaquil, Puerto Santa Ana

Guayaquil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iguana Crossing Boutique Hotel

Galápagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Highlights of Lima- City Tour

Lima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adventure: Cycling at Cerro Mesa Reserva & Snorkeling at Garrapatero Beach

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

Our guide Stefano was outstanding

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

Best of a great trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From conception to execution, Tam created the trip of a lifetime for us. His professionalism and care was incomparable. Our trip was perfectly curated to accommodate all of our interests and he was able to make our 6 day trip to Galapagos one that we’ll never forget! Thanks to our guides, Viviane, Rita, Julio and Neptali and our boat captains, we snorkeled in the amazing Las Tintoreras in Isabella, visited Bartholome, saw a killer whale, swam with sea lions, turtles, visited Los Tuneles, ate amazing food, hopped around on speedboats. Tam always made us smile with his daily check ins, reminding us that he was there if we needed anything. Thank you, Tam! Galapagos felt like a another universe and you were a star!

My son and I just returned from a trip to the Galapagos islands planned and arranged by kimkim.com. It was an amazing and wonderful experience made easy and worry-free by Isabel Pérez's diligent planning and responsiveness to our requests and force major causes requiring changes in the itinerary.
Our guides were prompt, knowledgable and friendly: Andrei and Christian in Guayaquil, Solange in San Cristóbal, Danielle in Santa Cruz as well as the crews of the boats to Kicker Rock and North Seymour island. The hotels Ibis in Guayaquil, Miconia on San Cristóbal and Galapagos Suites on Santa Cruz were clean and accommodating with a friendly and courteous staff.
We will definitely recommend the kimkim company to family and friends who are thinking of the Galapagos islands as a trip destination.
Sincerely,
Ora Yadin & Gil Benezer
Manhattan Beach, CA
USA

Linda was beyond fabulous- knowledgeable, friendly, accommodating. Keep this woman happy, she is a wonderful asset to KimKim!

5 Stars: Ikala Hotel, Hotel Galapagos Suites, Highlands of Santa Cruz and our guide Daniela, Excursion to Seymour Norte and our guide, our guide Fabricio in Quito and his surprise add-ons to our Quito tour.

Special 10 stars to driver Alejandro and Casa Playa Mann for the biggest hearts and sincerest souls, as well as doing their job excellently. They are wonderful ambassadors for their country.

4 Stars: Kicker Rock. Best suited for true snorkel enthusiasts, which is not us- we are vacation snorkelers. Choppy and cloudy water, some strong currents that really took work to navigate, and while it was cool to see a few hammerheads, not much else to see. Honestly, perhaps the best part of the trip was the spectacular closeup views of the Galapagos birds. Great guide.

Our only neutral-to-negative outing was the Interpretation Center and Tijeretas Hill. These two sites definitely do not need a guide and would have been far more enjoyable exploring on our own. Karen, our guide, was not a good storyteller, and told us little that I hadn't already read in the guidebooks; perhaps if she had turned the walk up Tijeretas Hill into a nature walk, but she made few comments as we walked up this paved and well-signed path. But the truly negative experience was the snorkeling. There was a yellow flag out, and the entrance to the water is on sharp rocks, difficult for nonlocals to negotiate- during our time there, two tourists had to be saved from the big waves/currents and helped back onto the rocks. Karen gave no instruction, but after verifying that we could all swim, jumped in the water and began snorkeling. Only one of the four of us decided to try snorkeling, as the other three felt it too dangerous. My husband lost a flipper, and waited back on the rocks as Karen managed to retrieve the flipper (good for her), but then continued to snorkel as we all waited for her. While pleasant during her guiding, Karen seemed bored with this excursion and I think would be better suited to aquatic excursions only, as this seems to be her true love.

Hotel Review

Casa Playa Mann

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Lovely place run by a lovely and sincere family.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

Tortoises everywhere, need I say more???

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel at Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)

Galapagos Islands

Everything about the day was great- transport, guide, the excursion to a remote beach- except the cloudy snorkeling itself is only worth it for the interesting experience of seeing hammerhead sharks.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito City Tour

Ecuador

Much better experience with a guide than exploring on one's own. Ask for Fabricio!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our transport dropped us off at one end of Old Town and picked us up at the other end, so no backtracking!

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Tortoises everywhere, need I say more? Ask for guide Daniela!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Interpretation Center & Tijeretas Hill

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip was perfect, everything was designed so we just has to worry about enjoying our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Great hotel and has a pool which made it so much better

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Galapagos Suites

Puerto Ayora

Beautiful cozy hotel. Very friendly staff. Breakfast is continental but good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blackout curtains since there is a lot of light coming in from the street

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Very nice hotel. Both times we stayed there was no electricity and that meant no internet, no hot water and no food. Besides from that, very friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pillows

Activity Reviews

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Ecuador

Nice activity. The guide was not very helpful though, wouldnt explain much and seemed king of mad. Beatifil views though and the penguins were amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Ecuador

Best tour we had on our trip. The views are amazing, nice guide he even took photos and gave them to us. Captain even let me drive the boat for a while.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Ecuador

We went to Barrolomé. We had a stop first with a little walk, it was at noon and there is no shade. The guide was making stops along the way to explain things but climbing steps at noon with no shade was terrible. Would be better if they explained on the boat so we could do the walk without stopping. The snorkeling part was amazing, wish we could have had more time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Bigger portions

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Learned lots of stuff, very interesting and Astrid our guide was very nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Ecuador

Our host Astrid was very nice and helpful. She was patient with us and answered all our questions. Lunch in the highlands was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nick made the entire trip, so incredible and completely stress-free. Wherever we went, there was someone to meet us and show us where to go or take us there personally. I absolutely love this company because they allow you to cater your trip to whatever you want it to be, you can choose what type of hotel, what type of trip you want to make it. Also, we have a daughter that has celiac disease, and no matter where we went, they knew that she had to be gluten-free. Nick was always available throughout our trip for us to ask any questions and he quickly responded and I have had the same experience using this company in other countries, and it makes such a difference in making travel stress-free. I highly highly highly recommend.

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

It is literally across the street from the airport. The staff is beyond five star. The restaurant had great food options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Very friendly staff, great location and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

we loved this hotel, because each room had such a special theme. Our kids room was almost like being in a museum.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay

Puerto Ayora

The beach will take your breath away. The walk to get there is worth it but just know that it feels like a very long way in the heat and humidity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Galapagos Islands

this was an unbelievable experience, even though it rained at the beginning. It was our first snorkeling experience in the Galapagos, and it did not disappoint. We saw blue, footed, boobies, penguins, octopus, sea lions, swam beneath us, we saw sea cucumbers the list goes on and on.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hotsprings in Termas de Papallacta

Galapagos Islands

Do not miss! It is so beautiful and serene. A completely different world of relaxation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Adventure to Teleferico Cablecar

Quito

it was very cloudy, and our guide decided to offer us a trip to a very beautiful church, and then we did use the Teleferico even though it was still very cloudy. I recommend going no matter what the weather is because it is such an incredible experience, even if you cannot see the other mountains/volcanoes.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim did an incredible job as usual! Alvaro was terrific to work with and and answered all of my questions in a timely manner and worked with us to put together a memorable vacation.

Once we were there Rita was also excellent to work with. She coordinated everything and she was always met us in-person with a bright smile to get our daily plans started.

Overall it was a trip of a lifetime!

Alvaro helped us plan the perfect trip for us. We loved the whole experience.

Alvaro and "Responsible Travel" Review - Unfortunately, I was disappointed with his services. In the lead-up to our trip, we needed to reschedule (military leave being cancelled), but unfortunately, Alvaro did not seem willing to assist with us rescheduling or getting a refund. There was also a lack of communication after the terrorists' attacks in Ecuador led to the cancellation of other major cruises, and I believe he should have been more proactive in updating us on the status of our trip as news unfolded.

The overall planning of the trip left much to be desired. For example, on our first night, I had to stay up until 11 pm to find out the details of our next-day pick-up, which should have been provided several days before our departure. Plus, despite being promised a private transfer from the airport when we initially arrived, we did not receive one and had to wait approximately 30 minutes while the hotel shuttle accommodated other passenger's arrivals.

Furthermore, the sequencing of activities was poorly planned, with a visit to Cotopaxi scheduled right after the Galapagos. This timing proved challenging as we were still recovering from seasickness (a common issue for Galapagos small-boat cruises). The abrupt transition to an altitude of 14,000 feet was not conducive to our well-being/enjoyment and should have been scheduled for the following day. Additionally, the activities were cookie cutter tours that I could have arranged on my own.

In conclusion, based on my experience, I would not recommend Alvaro or "Responsible Travel" for future travel arrangements.

"Adia Maria" Review - While the Galapagos offers incredible beauty and abundant wildlife, I strongly advise against choosing Adia Maria (Galapagos cruise boat) for your cruise. Despite the stunning surroundings, our experience with the boat was highly disappointing. The vessel was excessively rocky and uncomfortable, lacking proper lounging areas. Due to their lack of planning, we spent approximately 20 hours on the boat per day, and without lounge chairs or a place to exercise or walk, we were forced to be sedentary in our room or the two uncomfortable (and wet) benches provided. The bench cushions were consistently wet, either from rain or the crew washing them every morning. Spending a considerable amount of time cruising without lounge chairs The lack of mobility or proper resting areas made the journey terrible.

Our guide, William (Billy), proved to be subpar, with difficult-to-understand English and a tendency to focus on his own theories rather than scientific or historic facts. He dictated the activities and their duration, only making adjustments when prompted and with attitude. The lack of seating, freezing inside cabin, and constant staff presence created an uncomfortable atmosphere, exacerbated by unprofessional behaviors like staff's underwear hanging and staff's clipping their toenail in public guest lounge spaces.

Adia Maria also displayed a lack of concern for safety, with a reluctance to provide life vests while swimming. Our snorkeling experiences felt unsafe as William swam rapidly, often leaving part of the group behind. On the first day, he assured an easy swim around a bend with shallow water, but it turned out to be a challenging and perilous swim with low visibility and strong currents. One day, he left four passengers swimming without life jackets or a boat nearby in deep water with sharks and sea lions for over 20 minutes.

Overall, the crew's apparent disdain for their jobs and passengers, combined with safety concerns and uncomfortable conditions, made Adia Maria an unsuitable choice for a Galapagos cruise. I strongly advise against selecting this boat for your trip. On a positive note, the food was great!

KimKim Review - I've used KimKim twice and previously recommended it, but I won't be using or endorsing the service anymore. I love the visually appealing nature and use of their website which provides well-crafted itineraries. However, the perception of a USA-based company is misleading as once handed over to a foreign travel "specialist", there's no genuine US-based support from KimKim. For instance, they claim on their site that most trips can be rescheduled with no loss, but this isn't upheld by travel agents, based on our experience this claim is false.

We faced the need to reschedule due to the cancellation of my partner's leave as she is Active Duty Military. Alvaro told us that despite that and the country being deemed unsafe to travel, attempting to reschedule would result in a 70% loss of our money (luckily a family member was able to sub at the last minute). A similar issue occurred in April 2020 during our honeymoon booking when a foreign travel "specialist" refused to refund any of our money despite the world-wide shut down due to COVID-19. Surprisingly to us, KimKim supported the foreign agent and not us.

Another significant drawback is the lack of a cost breakdown, causing major disappointment, as it's hard to assess the value of the experience relative to the amount paid. It raises doubts about missed opportunities for better choices in different areas and constant feeling of overpaying. Consequently, I won't be using the service again. We paid KimKim/Alvaro nearly 11K, and the overall experience does not justify the cost. I estimate I could have organized this independently for around 7K, making the 4K in fees for their "services" seem unwarranted.

Travel in Ecuador/Quito/Galapagos - Ecuador is a great country; this is my second time going. Beautiful landscapes, great food, and friendly people make it a fantastic destination. I believe it is entirely possible to plan a trip independently. While you may need a guide for specific experiences, securing one through your hotel or online bookings is feasible. Looking back, I wish I had organized my own trip rather than using KimKim. Additionally, I recommend choosing group tours over individual ones. The private tours did not provide adequate value, and in some ways, made the trip worse. We had three tour guides, and only one spoke English well enough to adequately answer questions or provide relevant information. Plus, the tour guides were reluctant to customize the agenda and spending 5-8 hours with a stranger non-stop was exhausting plus they were not even customized. Finally, Uber provided an easy, affordable, and convenient transportation option.

Hotel Reviews

EB Hotel by Eurobuilding Quito

Quito

This is a great hotel. Highly recommend staying if you need to be close to the airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M/Y Aida Maria

Galapagos Islands

"Adia Maria" Review - While the Galapagos offers incredible beauty and abundant wildlife, I strongly advise against choosing Adia Maria (Galapagos cruise boat) for your cruise. Despite the stunning surroundings, our experience with the boat was highly disappointing. The vessel was excessively rocky and uncomfortable, lacking proper lounging areas. Due to their lack of planning, we spent approximately 20 hours on the boat per day, and without lounge chairs or a place to exercise or walk, we were forced to be sedentary in our room or the two uncomfortable (and wet) benches provided. The bench cushions were consistently wet, either from rain or the crew washing them every morning. Spending a considerable amount of time cruising without lounge chairs The lack of mobility or proper resting areas made the journey terrible. Our guide, William (Billy), proved to be subpar, with difficult-to-understand English and a tendency to focus on his own theories rather than scientific or historic facts. He dictated the activities and their duration, only making adjustments when prompted and with attitude. Although the boat is tiny, we were told it typically carried 16 guests. Fortunately, our cruise had only six people, and they were all pleasant. With no room to avoid difficult personalities, I shudder to think of the chaos with more passengers. The lack of seating, freezing inside cabin, and constant staff presence created an uncomfortable atmosphere, exacerbated by unprofessional behaviors like staff's underwear hanging and staff's clipping their toenail in public guest lounge spaces. Adia Maria also displayed a lack of concern for safety, with a reluctance to provide life vests while swimming. Our snorkeling experiences felt unsafe as William swam rapidly, often leaving part of the group behind. On the first day, he assured an easy swim around a bend with shallow water, but it turned out to be a challenging and perilous swim with low visibility and strong currents. One day, he left four passengers swimming without life jackets or a boat nearby in deep water with sharks and sea lions for over 20 minutes. Overall, the crew's apparent disdain for their jobs and passengers, combined with safety concerns and uncomfortable conditions, made Adia Maria an unsuitable choice for a Galapagos cruise. I strongly advise against selecting this boat for your trip. On a positive note, the food was great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Galapagos offers incredible beauty and abundant wildlife

Staff

Find people who want to be there and don't overtly hate the guest

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seating areas

Activity Review

Mindo Experience: Hummingbirds

Mindo

This was the best part of our trip!!!! Spend the majority of time here. This was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Good planning by Mathias. Everything went smoothly. Our guide in Quito was knowledgeable, and accommodating to our requests
The five day cruise booked in Galapagos was excellent

We had a very memorable trip to Galapagos! I had originally planned this trip with KimKim back in 2021 but we had to cancel it because my older daughter got Covid a few days before we were to leave! We were devastated to cancel at the time and because one daughter had graduated college and the other was half way through, I didn't know if we'd be able to plan it again. (KimKim was helpful when we had to unravel that trip).

Turns out I was correct, when I attempted to almost 2 years later it didn't happen. FINALLY, with Tamer's help, we made this happen! Ironically, the first time we only planned a 4 day cruise and staying on some islands with day trips. I had since read more and spoken to others and realized we probably wanted a longer cruise to see more things. Tamer helped us find an 8 day cruise on the Coral II. We had the best naturalist. We saw every kind of land and sea creature we hoped to see. The snorkeling was magical, hiking on lava filled islands, seeing volcanic craters, and great rides to see the birds were amazing. I also wanted time in Quito and also time on an island - so that we didn't JUST see Galapagos on a cruise. I threw all these requirements at Tamer and he figured it out and when i came back with lots of questions and ideas on slightly altering plans, he was patient and made changes and sometimes explained why some ideas might not be ideal.

I travel often and always plan myself. This was too much to figure out. Tamer walked us through it and he was very patient and encouraging when my schedule got busy to keep us on track and joked that we would FINALLY make this happen. And he was right and got us to the finish line! When I wanted to make our own plans in Quito and San Cristobal he did not give me a hard time.

I loved that Tamer would check on us throughout the trip - even when we were first flying out of the US and even when we were doing our own thing in Quito. Tamer arranged great drivers and transfers for us. My husband really liked feeling like there was someone guiding us at each local point. Even when we were leaving our cruise ship and finding the ferry to San Cristobal. All the little details made things easier during the trip. And even when we had some minor issues on the boat, Tamer insisted on getting in touch on our behalf. When we needed to change a pick up spot or wanted to change one of the plans on San Cristobal, Tamer was accommodating and able to change things while we were there. The communications was invaluable. I felt like I had a friend in country i could message at any time.

We already recommended a friend since we have gotten home!

Great job. The one thing I would prefer about KimKim's service is to have a breakdown of what the costs of the whole trip were. We had many parts of this trip and just having one number without a breakdown is not what I am used to. We went with it on this trip but not sure I would feel the same way on a trip that was not so complicated and I could do myself. I liked the local guide and communication in country but would have to think about it.

If you are planning a Galapagos trip, Tamer is your person! I will miss our texting!
Thank you!

Hotel Review

M/Y Coral I & II

We really liked that these two boats travel together. We liked being on a smaller boat for this trip. We didn't have long waits to get in the dingys to get out to our activities! The other guests were nice and it was a friendly feel. The upper deck had great shade and was comfortable to hang out on. We had the cabins on the top deck and we had adjoining rooms with our adult daughters. The naturalist was great! Pedro made this trip! And the crew that ran the boats to the activities were also awesome! Since we would get pretty hot with activities and the weather, the shared room on the boat had great AC which was needed! The cruise director was not great, her attention to detail and service was lacking. I think her English shoujld have been better for her position on the boat and with the passengers. Some other staff members were great and had better understanding of these skills. Our daughter had a food allergy and the chef and cruise director seemed pretty clueless which was surprising. I don't know how these experiences compare to other boats.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Some were outstanding and others not so much - see general review

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had some issues with our bathroom and it took 3x to get it fixed.

Activity Reviews

Free morning on San Cristobal until Departure

Isla San Cristóbal

We loved this town so much! We had two nights in a hotel right at the waterfront. We all loved seeing all the sea lions at the port and on the sidewalks. We went to visit them in the morning and evening. It smelled a little but that was ok. We LOVED several of the restaurants in town. This was our favorite of the towns we saw. The vibe was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Speedboat to San Cristobal Island

Galapagos Islands

We had a wonderful super local guide meet us and we could store our luggage until it was Ferry time. You take a water taxi to the ferry. Tamer arranged for us to have the $1 each for the fare. It was a fun and funny experience - seeing the sea lions on the little docks and seeing these boat drivers pile up the luggage. My family couldn't watch as we floated out to the ferry. It was a fun experience. The ferry itself was smaller than i expected - it was a little hot - no open windows. There were outlets and usb ports over the seats but they did not work. I was fine with it - my kids were not as much. It had the local charm and adventure and i would not trade it. But it was a little hot, and the bathroom was not easy to maneuver with the fast speed but i am glad there was a bathroom! I am glad we got to do it - but it is warm and a little loud but again, local and i liked that part. I would not have wanted a more sanitized private transfer. It was just a little over 2 hours and we got to see jumping dolphins in the open water!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz Island) - Baltra Airport

Cruise Ship

We saw gorgeous flamingos here. We saw one in the water, and could observe her from our walk. But THEN we saw two in flight overhead - it was gorgeous! I had just been wondering how these big birds get into the air!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Urbina Bay - Tagus Cove (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

This was the best snorkeling of the whole cruise! We had seen some of these animals in other spots but we saw rays mating. We saw a fleet of sting rays swim below us - it was maybe 25-30 in formation like an air force in flight. I lost count of the amount of sea turtles. We saw the best colored fish and coral and the sea lions swam with us. It was the best. There is a beautiful sea cave here too. And the birds are great to spot too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santa Cruz: Black Turtle Cove – Highlands Tortoise Reserve

Cruise Ship

This was a highlight seeing these tortoises and also the cows with their cattle birds too. We saw so many tortoises! And we had a wonderful walk in the lava tube!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rabida Island - Bartolomé Island

Cruise Ship

Amazing snorkeling. Gorgeous island and rock formation. We had a wonderful hike to the top for great views. We got to snorkel to see the penguins. We had a great boat ride too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This company was great in planning around our preferences and making sure that everything ran smoothly. I appreciate Lucia's help in coordinating the trip and making our dreams come true! Fantastic experience!

Tamer was an excellent local specialist. The itinerary he put together was action packed. It's included hiking, volcanoes, waterfalls, culture, local cooking class, and ultimately a 10 days Galápagos Islands cruise. We enjoyed everything.
The cruise experience was unforgettable. So much wildlife and beautiful landscapes.
Tamer followed up with us on a daily basis to ensure that we were having a great time, and if we needed anything, he assisted on a timely manner.
Sebastian Alejandro, our local guide was kind, knowledgeable, attentive to our needs. Without him, I would not make it to the Cotopaxi National Park Refugio. It was a tough and challenging hike, but Sebastian guided me every step of the way.
He was patient and funny at the same time.
I highly recommend the local specialist Tamer and the local guide Sebastian, for Ecuador's travel experience.

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

We were happy that hotel staff allowed us to come back to our room after checkout because our flight got delayed. We were able to take a nap, breakfast and later shuttle to the airport. We truly appreciated it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M/Y Monserrat

Quito

We recommend replacement of blue and yellow life jackets. Some of them look pretty worn out and some yellow ones, not working properly at all. Also for the amount of people, having extra kayaks available would be a good asset as well, less waiting time for usage. We recommend hand sanitizers station near all stairways, to avoid transmitting germs between passengers.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Fernando the bartender and waiter, portrays excellent customer service. Always smiling and attentive. Javier, the guide was very knowledgeable about wildlife in general and landscaping. Very encouraging when I was scared to do snorkeling, since I don't know how to swim.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We enjoyed the cabin maid towel special decorations.

Hotel Spa Miramelindo

Baños

Location needs ceiling fans or AC, the room was pretty warm. Surroundings gardens and general atmosphere nice and beautiful. Good food at the restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ceiling fans or AC installation for better room temperature

Cuello de Luna Mountain Lodge

El Chasqui - Pastocalle

Rustic and remote location, quiet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Too much dog's poops on the area, easy to step on by accident

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda Pinsaqui

Otavalo

Old historical hacienda, beautiful gardens and surroundings

Authenticity & Character

Old history behind.

Location

Remote and quiet

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Clean, friendly staff, especially the hotel manager Eulalia, who gave us tips on local sightseeing in Quito. Safe and good location, walking distance from El Mariscal Artesanias Mercado (marketplace).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The overall hotel lobby, surroundings and rooms

Activity Reviews

Transfer to the airport for your flight back home (Departure)

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz Island) – Baltra Island Airport

Cruise Ship

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cormorant Point - Post Office Bay (Floreana Island)

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lobos Island - Tijeretas Hill & Interpretation Center (San Cristobal Island)

Galapagos Islands

Watching wildlife was amazing. Hiking would been a better choice, but we understand the changes in the itinerary due to the Avian flu situation.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz Island) - Chinese Hat

Cruise Ship

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Charles Darwin Station - Eden Islet/Ballena Bay

Cruise Ship

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Española: Gardner Bay - Suarez Point

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Punta Pitt - Witch Hill (San Cristobal Island)

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

South Plaza - Santa Fe Island

Cruise Ship

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rabida Island - Bartolomé Island

Cruise Ship

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival to Baltra Airport - Transfer to Cruise Ship & Santa Cruz Highlands

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The airport transfer to the cruise ship was disorganized.

Transport

Reconnecting with Nature: Embrace Serenity and Adventure in Baños de Agua Santa

Baños

Another moderately strenuous hike, but totally worthy to experience the beautiful waterfall.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon - Baños

Galapagos Islands

Tough hike to the bottom to the Lagoon, but totally worthy. The experience of riding a horse up to the beginning of the trail was unforgettable. Beautiful Lagoon.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park

Galapagos Islands

Tough hike to the Refugio with heavy winds, rain and hail. Sebastian encouraged me to complete it all to the way to the top. Without his assistance, I don't think I would been able to do it. The Cotopaxi Volcano view was spectacular. Here we saw the Andean wolf, deer and more birds.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trek to Laguna de la Mica: Exploring Antisana Ecological Reserve

Galapagos Islands

I was affected by the altitude so I was not able to complete the whole hike, but I was able to enjoy the beautiful landscape. We saw numerous birds, white-tip deer and condors.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cuicocha Lagoon - Cotacachi - Otavalo Hacienda

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Quito

We really enjoyed the cooking class, although it took longer than we expected, so we got a bit late for the Mitad del Mundo monument tour. We saw the new one, but the original monument site was closed, so we saw it from the distance.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport