Kimkim Trip Reviews for Galapagos Islands

Alejandro stands out for his ability to manage so many different groups at one time. Without him we had been hard pressed to make it to the Galapagos. His crew (especially his son Sabastion was so entertaining the trip to the airport (45 minutes) passed in no time. Everyone was so prompt.
Paola went above and beyond, joining us for a dinner after hours and sharing wonderful information.

Tours on the island took us to places I wanted to see: blue footed boobies, and wonderful snorkeling opportunities.

Dani was amazing! Checking in with us throughout the trip, making sure we arrived and got to where we needed to go and had information and were prepared for the next day and any changes that came up. We had so much fun with so many of our guides. Christian who we first met when we were picked up at the Quito to go to our hotel gave us some good recommendations for food and it didn't seem to matter how early he then had to come back and pick us up for airport always had a smile and was phenomenal at getting us through lines with paperwork with ease. We saw others struggling and he got us right through with everything in hand on our way to Baltra where we met Ruben who was just so much fun. He had a ton of energy and knowledge and love for his island. His entire team (and there was an entire team of folks) who were part of the bike riding activity were just amazing. My son is an avid rider, my daughter not so much. But we all had a great time and the views were amazing and so were the encounters with all the tortoise and wildlife. Ruben was using an app on his phone to call birds as we walked thru portions and were able to see so many. The double decker lava tunnel was really something else. The ice cream shop he recommended at the end became a daily stop while we stayed on Santa Cruz. Conrad and crew on the Sebastian for our day to Santa Fe were also amazing! My kids and I have been fortunate to snorkel in several destinations but we've never seen so many fish until that day. And then there were the sea lion surprises and one decided to come play and show us how well it can swim. We had great dinners from restaurant recommendations from Ruben (FRA FRE, went there twice) and reservation help from Dani to go to The Point by Midori. Tortuga Bay was beautiful and the kayaking was so much fun. Alexander tried really hard to find baby sharks for my son in the mangroves and he took us to his favorite spots which were so pretty to see.... that's just the first island we went to Isabela and San Cristobal... I originally booked this trip to see penguins (which I did get to see multiple days in Isabela) and to have an activity filled trip with my kids who had a blast. First trip I haven't had to "plan" which made things much easier for me. I do have to mention Gabriela on Isabela as well. She was fantastic! She was our guide on a couple excursions including the tunnels and wall of tears. We got to meet so many incredible people along the way.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Valentina and the trip she was able to curate for my parents and I. She was very helpful with making sure that activities were not beyond their physical limitations in their older age, took great care to arrange fantastic accommodations for us, guides were some of the friendliest people we’ve ever met anywhere on earth, and were always ready for us whenever we were to be on our way. If we had any questions, she was quick to answer ie helping when we lost a passport and when our guide had a flat tire. The hike to the sulfur mine was a great trek, we absolutely loved the kayaking experience, and I cannot say enough how much I personally loved all of the snorkeling. I intend to book with her again when we come back for a much longer adventure next time!

We had an amazing time in Quito and the Galapagos this summer. All the arrangements for pick up, drop off tours were planned and executed by the guides and drivers to perfection. We feasted on local seafood fusion delights, went swimming with sea lions and sea turtles and met kind Ecuadorian people at every turn.

Our guides, especially Viviana in Santa Cruz and Ian in San Cristobal were wonderful and gracious. They had all the local knowledge and presented it with enthusiasm!!

Special thanks to Nichole for welcoming, planning and rearranging accommodations when needed.

Hotel Reviews

Casa de Nelly

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We were initially placed in a very small room which was not to our satisfaction, but the hostess very graciously moved us to a room with an ocean view which made all the difference.

Lava House Galapagos

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Alameda Quito

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Galapagos Cooking Class by the Sea

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All our guides were very good and we had a great experience. My daughter joined the trip later after we had already made most of the reservations but Alvaro made all the last minute adjustments to the bookings and trips. We visited three islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Floreana) and had a great time in all of them. Since our Spanish was not good, we really appreciated that there were always a KimKim representative who made sure that we were on the correct trip/bus etc. We had a good time.

Hotel Reviews

SeaSide Hotel

Galapagos

The Rooms were large and spacious. There were TV in the room . The breakfast was good but basic.

Authenticity & Character

This was a modern style hotel - good for the stay.

Location

There was a good view from the rooms but it was not on the waterfront.

Staff

Very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Angermeyer Waterfront Inn

Santa Cruz

This hotel was on the waterfront and by location it had amazing views. The rooms were small but comfortable. Our rooms had a balcony which was also a pleasant place to sit and take in the wonderful scenery. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They were very helpful in giving us a good idea on what to expect from the trips that we had booked. Their restaurant and breakfast was also excellent.

Authenticity & Character

This was an older historical hotel and they have maintained the history very well. However, the rooms were still modern. Our rooms however did not have any TV.

Location

On the waterfront with great views

Staff

Always friendly and ready to help in any they could. Helped us with our heavy suitcases. We left our larger suitcases in storages when we went to San Cristobal. In addition to storing our suitcases, they also had our rooms ready with the suitcases in the rooms when we checked in. That was very thoughtful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

All the rooms were clean.

Activity Reviews

Speedboat to Santa Cruz Island & Free time

Puerto Ayora

AM interpretation center, beach and lunch at local restaurant. This was the rescheduled trip to accomodate the change in boat ride the day before. PM - speed boat back to Santa Cruz Christian picked us up and took us to the interpretation center where the history of the island as well as the contribution of Darwin was shown. He explained everything to us as we walked from one exhibit to another. This is what I would have expected from Enrique on Day 1. He also explained the natural history of the island very well. The walk to the beach was very interesting and we spent some time there but did not swim or snorkel. After lunch at the local restaurant (which was excellent) we were dropped off at the pier and took the boat back to Santa Cruz

Quality of Experience

Christian gave us a very good overview of the history and geology of the place. His knowledge of Darwin's journey in the area was also very good.

Food

The lunch at the local restuarant was very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local taxi's were used

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

Galapagos Islands

There was a mechanical problem with the morning boat so we went on the afternoon boat. Jose was very helpful and informed us about this problem the night before. He booked us seats on the afternoon ferry and also rearranged some of the trips that were scheduled on that day. We reached San Cristobal around 5. Angie met us on the dock and accompanied us to the store where Saveri got fitted on a wet suit and snorkeling gear. She then dropped us off at the hotel. She was very efficient. She explained what we were going to be doing on San Cristóbal for the next three days. This included when we would be picked up, who would pick us up and what we would be doing on the trip. That was very helpful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jose informed us about the change in scheduling the night before and rearranged our trips so in the end we experienced everything we were supposed to.

Transport

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

We were added with a group of divers in this tour. My husband and I don’t do water sports which we had already mentioned. My daughter however snorkels so we said we don’t mind doing this tour where my daughter will get to snorkel. I don’t understand why we were put in a group of 9 divers. The boat was small and the guides on the boat were diving guides. One guide was available for my daughter to snorkel and he was very good and helpful with her. He also took us on a small circle around the Kicker rock to show us some of the best features from the boat but that was all he could do. Lunch on the boat was provided after the diving activities were over. Lunch was ok.

Quality of Experience

Its a good thing that we like to watch birds - because this trip was very boring for us. This was for the divers. However my daughter enjoyed since she could snorkel.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The snorkeling guide was very helpful and showed us some of the sights. It was evident that he as well as the other staff on board knew we were in the wrong place and felt bad for us. However, they were kind and helpful.

Transport

The boat was uncomfortable

History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island

Puerto Ayora

Trip to Floreana This was a very good trip. Diego picked us up and took us on the water taxi to the mainland where he showed where to get on the trip. In Floreana we first went on a hike to the highlands where our guide gave us an excellent explanation of the history and geography of the island. We followed the footsteps of the pioneers of the island and then the first Germans who made their way to what they claimed at that time and is still true day “the last peaceful earth” After a yummy lunch in a local restaurant my daughter went off on a snorkeling trip. Since my husband and I don’t snorkel our guide offered us to drop us off at the beach where we could relax and watch the sea lions and marine iguanas. That was very thoughtful of him.

Private Boat Trip to Discover an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

The lunch at a small local restuarant was tasteful. The guide did a very good job in narrating the history and geology of the island.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

When we told our guide that we dont snorkel, He dropped us off at a beach closeby so we could relax and enjoy the sights. He even asked a local shopkeeper to keep an eye on us and give us water or snacks if needed.

Transport

Puerto Ayora Departure Transfer: Farewell to the Galapagos

Puerto Ayora

Diego picked us up from the hotel and helped us with our luggage. We took a water taxi to the mainland, then a taxi the pier to the other side of the island. He helped us transfer our luggage on the boat which took us to Baltra island. There we got on a bus which took us to the airport. At the airport he helped us check in our luggage and made sure that we had everything we need for our journey. He was very helpful.

Quality of Experience

Diego knew the process so we didnt have to get in line or ask questions. This was helpful since we don't speak Spanish.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Yet Another Day on an Uninhabited Island!

Galapagos Islands

Diego came and picked us up from the hotel at 6:30 for the water taxi ride to the mainland. Then we went on a bus to the other side of the island to catch Galápagos Shark - our boat for the tour. It was a 2 hour sometimes rough ride to the island. On board our guide for the day explained the day’s itinerary very clearly I appreciated. They started the trip with some snacks of bananas and crackers. On Bartolome island our guide took us on the hike to the topmost point of the volcanic island. On the way he provided us with a very good overview of the history and geology of the island. About 1 hour. We came back to the boat and then the boat took us to a sheltered cove where my daughter and others snorkeled. Since my husband and I didn’t snorkel- we stayed on the boat and had a pleasant time observing the views and chatting with a couple of others who didn’t snorkel either. This was a much better experience for us. We had lunch after the snorkeling was over and it was good with fish/ veggies/ salad and a dessert. After lunch we started our way back. Just before we reached home dock - the boat provided us with Champagne and another dessert to commemorate a successful day at sea.

Quality of Experience

The trip was a combination of hiking and snorkeling and we enjoyed the hiking while my daughter enjoyed both.

Food

There was snacks when we embarked. Lunch was simple but delicious. They even served us Champagne and/or juice before we disembarked to celebrate a successful trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Diego was very helpful and made sure we were on the correct trip. The guide and staff on the boat were also very helpful.

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

Speedboat to Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

Fast and noisy

Quality of Experience

Fast and noisy

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very helpful to get us off and on the boat

Transport

El Junco Lagoon - Galapaguera Colorado Hill - Puerto Chino Beach

Galapagos Islands

Angie was our guide took us to the highlands to see the crater of the extinct volcano. She did a very good job in explaining the history and geology of the area. This was a nice short uphill walk which was very pleasant for all of us. Then we went to lunch to a local farm house and it was delicious.

Quality of Experience

The hike was comfortable and we had a chance to understand the geology of the area.

Food

Authentic farm house food c- - home cooked meal

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Angie did a great job

Transport

The taxi ride was comfortable

Speedboat to San Cristobal Island

Galapagos Islands

The boat was fast and the outboard motor was very noisy. But that's to be expected. Otherwise the trip was ok.

Quality of Experience

Fast and noisy

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helped get us on and off the boat which can be tough with the waves.

Transport

Morning Hike to Tortuga Bay & Free Afternoon

Puerto Ayora

We set off early. The day was hot and not knowing the details of what to expect. There was a pretty breach at the end of the hike. Thinking this was a hike, we had hiking clothes and shoes. The beach at the end would have necessitated us to bring a whole change of clothes which seemed too much to carry. On hindsight - this was not a true hike but a short walk. People were dressed for swimming - slippers/sandals was all we needed.

Quality of Experience

It was hot and we did not get to swim since we didn't know exactly what to expect from the hike.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The dude explained the history of the place in English.

Transport

No transportation involved

We had a wonderful experience working with Responsible Travel Agency in Ecuador, and we're very happy we chose them to organize our trip.

The mainland Ecuador itinerary was orchestrated beautifully. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring Quito, the Andes, and our unforgettable Amazon experience. Every destination was thoughtfully planned, and everything flowed smoothly. A very special thank you goes to our guide and coordinator, Andres. He was knowledgeable, professional, friendly, and genuinely passionate about Ecuador. His enthusiasm, organization, and attention to detail made our mainland experience exceptional, and we truly enjoyed traveling with him.

We would also like to thank Belen Ana for putting together and coordinating our entire itinerary. Planning a complex trip like this is no small task, and we truly appreciate all the work that went into making it happen.

The Galápagos portion of our journey was also very enjoyable, although we believe there is still room for improvement. We especially want to thank Alvaro, who accompanied our group throughout the Galápagos. While he was not our guide, he was always available to resolve any issues that arose, answer questions, and ensure we could continue enjoying our trip. His support was greatly appreciated. Of course, it would have been even better if some of those issues had not arisen in the first place, but we were grateful to have someone so responsive and dedicated to helping us throughout the journey.

One thing that truly impressed us was the overall logistics. Coordinating flights, buses, boats, hotels, guides, and tours across mainland Ecuador and the Galápagos is an enormous undertaking, yet everything ran remarkably on time. It was amazing to see how well the agency managed such a complicated itinerary.

That said, we do have a few constructive comments. Some of the hotels in the Galápagos were only average and did not quite match the quality of the rest of the trip. We also would not recommend traveling between the islands by speedboat. We understand that this is the standard mode of transportation and not something the agency controls, but we found the rides to be physically exhausting and quite uncomfortable.

We would also encourage future travelers to be aware that visiting the Galápagos requires a reasonable level of physical fitness and mobility. Boarding and disembarking often involve stepping or jumping between moving boats and docks, which can be challenging. Travelers with limited mobility or certain health conditions should carefully consider whether this portion of the trip is right for them.

Overall, our experience was overwhelmingly positive. Responsible Travel Agency demonstrated excellent organizational skills, reliable communication, and a genuine commitment to making our trip successful. We would gladly work with them again and are already looking forward to planning future Latin American adventures for our nonprofit organization, Jookender. We highly recommend Responsible Travel Agency to anyone looking for a professionally organized and memorable trip to Ecuador.

Hotel Reviews

La Casa de Marita

Puerto Villamil

A great hotel with its own private beach. An excellent location to relax and do nothing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Las Ninfas

Puerto Ayora

A great Hotel, right in the middle of tourist attractions! Great rooms, tasty breakfasts, friendly personnel. Highly Recommended!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Arena Blanca

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

An awful choice. Far from most hotel and tourist areas. Water is always cold, and sometimes, no water at all. Toilets don't work properly. The personnel are extremely unfriendly. The featured buffet actually counts the pieces and does not allow refills.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Suchipakari Jungle Lodge

Puerto Misahuallí, Tena Napo

An excellent choice! great accomodations, clean, and friendly. Excellent Tour guides and boats. Highly recommended

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isla de Baños Hosteria y Spa

Baños

Great hotel, especially if you're traveling with a group. A great way to save, booking fewer rooms, because each room has 5-8 beds

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Alameda Quito

Quito

An excellent hotel and a very tasty breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Exploring The Charles Darwin Research Station

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Speed back to Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Galapagos Cooking Class by the Sea

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Return to Quito before Galapagos adventure!

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Chocolate Experience & Farewell from the Amazon - Suchipakari Lodge

Puerto Misahualli

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nature's Spectacle: Cotopaxi Volcano and Lake Limpiopungo Adventure

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Puerto Ayora Departure Transfer: Farewell to the Galapagos

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Isabela Island's Treasures: Exploring the Breeding Center & Wetlands

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Expedition to El Junco Lagoon - Galapaguera Colorado Hill - Puerto Chino Beach

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encountering at Lobos Island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Parrot Clay Lick and more Amazon exploration - Suchipakari Lodge

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to the Amazon - Amazon Encounters: Kichwa Community and nigh walking - Suchipakari Lodge

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Baños & Pailón del Diablo Waterfall

Baños

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cultural Treasures of the Andes: Cayambe, Otavalo & Cuicocha

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour Quito - Mitad del Mundo - Teleferico

Quito

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

About a year ago, I began planning a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for my family (my wife and myself, my son and daughter-in-law, and our two grandchildren, ages 10 and 13). After looking at options with a number of different tour companies, I discovered KimKim. I had never heard of them before, but all of the reviews I found online were excellent. I soon got in touch with Maria Jose, and after explaining what we were interested in doing, she put together an amazing 10-day itinerary at a remarkably affordable price. The six of us just got back from the trip none of us will ever forget. We spent two days sightseeing in and around Quito and stayed at the beautiful JW Marriott hotel. We then flew off to the islands where we spent four nights aboard the Legend cruise ship. We visited four islands and enjoyed spectacular hikes and snorkeling every day. The accommodations were lovely and the food was great. The ship can have up to 100 passengers but for our trip there were only 58. We then spent two nights at the lovely Hotel Ikala in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. From there we enjoyed a wonderful day trip to Bartolome Island where we took the accompanying photo and snorkeled with the sharks and sea lions. The Galapagos Islands are a truly magical place and Ecuador has done a remarkable job protecting them for now and the future. The iguanas, sea lions, tortoises, and birds have all been protected for over a hundred years and as a result are totally unafraid of humans. All of the KimKim team members and all of the local guides we met were fantastic. If you are interested in an extraordinary custom made trip anywhere in the world I would strongly recommend checking out KimKim

Very pleased with how this trip turned out! It was worry free from one stop to the next with someone awaiting our arrival at every transition- this alone made it so easy to relax and enjoy each new adventure. The drivers and guides were top notch and a wealth of information. Paola arranged ideal accommodations and activities aT every destination. Our favorite was snorkling in the lava tunnels!

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Super accommodating and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

The front desk staff was soooo accommodating and friendly and helpful. The breakfast staff was so engaging and the food was wonderful. Location was also ideal and within walking distance to most everything in town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff here go out of there way to help and be sure your happy!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

This is a must do. So many amazing creatures to see here and the landscape itself is so unique! Our guide and boat captain and crew were all amazing and helped make this a once in a lifetime experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When I started planning my husband and I ‘s trip to South America, I was looking at various destinations and was getting very overwhelmed. As a result,I decided to use a travel company and randomly found KimKim. I was connected to Paul. From the first conversation with Paul, he made me feel like he was there to plan a dream trip with my ideas, his input and he really worked to get to know what my husband and I wanted to do in Ecuador. Paul and I exchanged emails and even spoke on the phone planning the trip to Quito and the Galápagos Islands for about 4 weeks. From the day before we left for our trip, Paul was in daily contact with us and even when we flew home. Paul came personally to our hotel when American Airlines left our luggage in the USA and we worked with his contacts and American Airlines to get the luggage to our hotel quickly. Paul’s actions demonstrate first class service. The printout of our itinerary was very detailed with locations of places we would visit, hotels and the phone number of his team that would be part our trip. Using Paul as our travel planner was THE best money ever spent, because his involvement in our vacation journey made it the best trip for us and we have been to Asia, Africa and Europe. We are from the USA. Along with Paul, our guide in Quito was Cristobal. Cristobal is a very educated, kind person who took the extra time to teach us about the beauty of Ecuador and share his love for his country with us. We even feel like he is more than our guide but now we can call him our friend.. Some of experiences with Cristóbal involved learning about wildlife, flowers, plants and visiting the countryside and old town of Quito. Cristóbal went the extra mile by taking us to unique places like a small ice cream business where ice cream is made fresh with fruit as we were watching and taking us to the MegaMax to buy a suitcase. Cristóbal deserves the credit in making our trip in Quito so special and unique. The Galapagos Islands were beautiful and we loved the sea lions, other wildlife and our boutique hotels, but the trip would have been better if we had Cristóbal with us. Paul, and Cristóbal are definitely amazing gentlemen who care 💯 about giving first class service and we highly recommend them to other.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

I loved how we could open the windows and balcony door to let fresh air in. The room was very clean and modern. The staff was very welcoming and friendly. We stayed multiple days and enjoyed all of the them. Restaurants are in easy walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Playa Mann

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

The owner and family members made us feel very welcomed as if we were coming to visit their home. The breakfast was made to order and great. The layout of the hotel area was very relaxing . The public beach was very easy to walk to and also restaurants and shopping

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Las Ninfas

Puerto Ayora

We loved the tropical layout of the hotel grounds. We felt safe and welcomed by staff. The pool, hottub, bar and areas to sit outside were great. The bedding and towels were better than typical American hotel chains. The made to order eggs for breakfast were great. Our hotel room was very clean and had lots of storage space

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to walk to restaurants and shopping

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

One of the best parts of our trip was visiting the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island. We had an impromptu excursion to a horse sanctuary run by our tour guide, which was amazing. We got to walk in the field with wild horses, even though it was a bit rainy. It was a unique and memorable experience that we really enjoyed, and a great alternative to more beach time.

Guided Hike to Tortuga Bay & Free Afternoon

Galapagos Islands

We did the guided hike to Tortuga Bay, but it was more challenging than expected. The walk to the ocean was over a mile and not flat, with ups and downs, which my husband found too strenuous to do again. After the walk, we had to go another 30 minutes down the beach to find a swimming area. The ocean was rough, and the swimming spot was just a lagoon with not many fish, so it was less impressive. We preferred an alternative excursion instead.

360° Tour

Isla San Cristóbal

We did the 360° Tour, but I chose to stay on the boat because the swimming part was quite far and physically demanding. My husband loved it and saw many interesting things underwater, and our guide filmed some great footage with a GoPro. I enjoyed the peace on the boat while he explored. It was a good experience, though I preferred to relax rather than swim far.

Snorkel at La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

My husband really enjoyed the snorkeling at La Lobería. He got to see a shark and some turtles, which was exciting. The snorkeling was more physically demanding than other places we've been, as you have to swim quite far, even with a life jacket. The water was warm and comfortable, contrary to what I expected about the Galapagos water being chilly. Overall, it was a memorable experience, especially with the underwater footage our guide captured.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Exceptional Service from Paul at KimKim Travel — A Truly First-Class Experience

As seasoned and discerning travelers, our expectations are high, and Paul at KimKim Travel exceeded them in every way. From the beginning, his communication was outstanding—prompt, consistent, and incredibly thorough. He anticipated needs before we even had to ask, including arranging a flight upgrade and providing detailed information to help us pack and prepare for three very different microclimates: Quito, Mashpi Lodge, and the Galápagos Islands.

Upon arrival to the Quito Airport, everything was seamless. Tony Sotomayor met us at the airport and orchestrated a flawless transition with luggage, customs, security, and access to the VIP Sala Lounge before our adventure began. Traveling with children can be challenging, but Paul thoughtfully arranged a private naturalist guide who met us at the Baltra airport and made the experience both effortless and enriching for our family.

The Galápagos portion aboard the Elite was nothing short of extraordinary. The crew was exceptionally accommodating to families with children and operated on our pace. Special recognition goes to Captain Marcelo for getting us safely to every destination, Roberto for delivering a true luxury experience as cruise director, Chef Angel and Bartender Romulo for keeping us wonderfully fed and refreshed, David for capturing incredible GoPro memories, Andreas for kayaking with our daughter Brynn, and of course our naturalist guide, Matthias the Magnificent, whose passion and expertise ensured we experienced every wildlife encounter the islands had to offer.

This journey was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience—not only because of the incredible destinations and wildlife, but because of the remarkable people who made us feel at home every step of the way. We are forever grateful to Paul and the entire KimKim team for crafting such a seamless and unforgettable adventure.

Warmest regards,
Dr. Timothy, Joy & Brynn Davis

While the Galapagos is a beautiful destination, our experience booked through KimKim Agency was deeply disappointing due to poor coordination, significant communication breakdowns regarding dietary restrictions, and a total lack of preparation for the logistics involved. We provided detailed health and allergy requirements well in advance, yet they were repeatedly ignored.

Here is a breakdown of the issues we encountered:

Severe Dietary & Allergy Negligence
Hotel Ikala: The hotel staff did not know their own ingredients. Despite our severe dairy, egg, and nut allergies, we were given completely wrong information (such as claiming items were safe when they actually contained avellana [hazelnut] and milk). For a hotel of this tier, a severe lack of basic food hygiene is shocking and unsafe. Management needs to address this immediately. Given my family's severe dietary needs and allergy requirements, which were communicated well in advance, finding pests in our meals is a severe food safety and hygiene violation that is entirely unsafe.

Tour Boat Food: The food provided during the first two boat tours was mediocre at best—usually just a few random vegetables thrown into a tomato salsa. We would not recommend the Altamar for accommodating vegan/food allergies nor providing sufficient food. It is not too hard to make beans and rice and plantain patacones. The food on the second day was particularly bad. For a pre-planned itinerary, they should have provided substantial alternatives like beans or lentils. To make matters worse, snacks ran out entirely, leaving us with very few options during the long boat ride back, despite giving ample notice.

Casa o Puntia- Their staff was incredibly attentive and accommodating with our severe dietary requirements. On our first day, they made us delicious, safe avena and lentejas, and on the day we were leaving, they prepared patacones (plantains) and gave us fresh avocado, tomatoes, and basil.

Hygiene & Room Quality Issues
Hotel Ikala: We experienced a severe ant infestation. Ants were not only crawling in our room, but they were literally in our food—specifically in the patacones de papa and a large ant was found right in the salad.

Casa Opuntia (San Cristóbal): Upon check-in, our first room also had several ants. We requested a room change and were moved to a significantly smaller room that lacked a fan and a TV, having only an AC. This second room also had ants and was full of fruit fly-like bugs.

Logistics & Guiding Failures
The Inter-Island Speedboat: We were given absolutely no warning about the notoriously rough and dangerous speedboat ride from Santa Cruz to San Cristóbal. We received zero heads-up about the severe motion sickness it causes. On top of that, our driver was late getting us to the pier, adding unnecessary stress to the ordeal, we were not seated together. The severe crashing and cresting of the waves, felt like we were on a roller coaster and then thrashed to the ground- and we were flung on our seats and then back down. The vomit plastic bags handed out on the boats were not enough- and extremely short notice to prepare for such a tough journey that lasted over 2 hours.

Guide Language: The agency failed to instruct the guides to speak and conduct the tours/explanations in Spanish as preferred.

Guide Engagement:

Our guide Martin on our trip to Bartolomew was just okay and left some of the people in the group behind. The boat company Altamar - could have also made the experience better.

Once we arrived in San Cristóbal, our guide spent most of her time on her phone and lacked any genuine enthusiasm or interest in showing us around. We could have spent time exploring the Loberia but instead she was on the phone. The timings should have been better assessed by the guide, when we got to the Loberia- it was high tide and we could not snorkel/swim in the water. So we requested to go back to the Playa where we climbed to see the vista- but the guide left us and luckily for us the taxi driver came and picked us up after we were done.

I want to give a special shoutout to two of our guides who made the experience unforgettable. Our first guide, Reuben, on the Tortuga tour was truly one of the best—incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. He spoke to us in Spanish, was very patient, funny and was incredibly happy to answer our curious questions. And on our last guided tour, later in the trip, our guide at Española (with Sharksky) was also nice and went above and beyond by snorkeling right alongside everyone, excitedly showing us the school of dolphins as we approached the island, and later on making the entire group feel safe, comfortable, and confident in the water. Amazing guides make all the difference!

Conclusion: When you book through a specialized agency like KimKim, you pay for seamless logistics, vetted properties, and safety coordination—especially regarding life-threatening food allergies. Unfortunately, KimKim failed to pass vital information to their local partners, leaving us to navigate safety risks, bug infestations, and poor service on our own. I expected much better oversight for the price paid.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Upon check-in, our first room also had several ants. We requested a room change and were moved to a significantly smaller room that lacked a fan and a TV, having only an AC. This second room also had ants and was full of fruit fly-like bugs. While the room was very disappointing (and we mentioned this to the front desk), their incredible kitchen staff and outstanding hospitality deserves thanks. Traveling with severe dietary requirements can be incredibly stressful, but the team here went above and beyond to make us feel safe, welcome, and incredibly well-fed. On our very first day, they thoughtfully prepared a delicious meal of avena (oatmeal) and lentejas (lentils). And on the day we were leaving, they made us a fresh patacones (crispy plantains) topped with avocado, tomatoes, and basil.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The ants and fruit fly like bugs in the rooms were not nice to deal with during our entire stay

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

The hotel staff did not know their own ingredients. Despite our severe dairy, egg, and nut allergies, we were given completely wrong information (such as claiming items were safe when they actually contained avellana [hazelnut] and milk). On the one day we asked them for breakfast, we got ants in our patacones de patas and a big ant in our salad leaves that went with the patacones. That level of hygiene is unacceptable. For a hotel of this tier, a total lack of basic pest control and food hygiene is shocking. What makes this worse is that we had communicated severe dietary restrictions and allergy requirements well in advance. Serving food with insects in it is not just unhygienic; it is a serious health and safety hazard. The room was also infested with ants and had moths. They did not change our room the first night and the second night we had to tell them as there were thousands of ants in the room. We could not wait to be out of there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

A Truly Wonderful Experience Absolutely outstanding experience. The chef went above and beyond to accommodate our vegan dietary needs and carefully prepared special dishes to address my son’s multiple food allergies. A big shout out to Karla- Karla and her team were really the best and went out of their way to help us. The entire staff was wondeful, the hotel was clean and the beds comfortable. We cannot recommend this place highly enough. The entire staff was very friendly and helpful. Muchas Gracias!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Santa Cruz Highlands, Lava Tunels and Charles Darwin Research Station (if times allows)

Isla Santa Cruz

Our guide Reuben was very knowledgeable, super nice and took us around to explain everything. He spoke to us in our preferred language (Spanish) and he answered all our curious questions. He also made sure that our food catered to our allergies.

Quality of Experience

Food

The salad, juice, rice with vegetables were good and met our dietary requirements

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Shuttle Transfer from Quito Airport to Nearby Hotel

Galapagos Islands

The person picking us up was not in the aiport so we had to look around for him and search by car as there were no instructions as to where to go. We did eventually find him and got on the shuttle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival in San Cristóbal – Interpretation Center & La Lobería (from Pier)

Isla San Cristóbal

The guide was not engaging, and always on her phone. Did not check her timings for the tides and we could not snorkel in the la Loberia when we got there. She was talking on the phone, texting or walking ahead or going away to the side to talk on the phone. It was not pleasant being with her.

Quality of Experience

The sights playa and the view point/nature was nice

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide Engagement and attentiveness

Transport

Española Island Day Tour (from San Cristóbal)

Isla San Cristóbal

Quality of Experience

The guide was patient and spent time explaining things and showing us the sights.

Food

The chef had prepared food but we did not eat it as we did not want to get sick on the boat

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edwin and the boat staff were very helpful and fun to go with

Transport

Embarking on the North Seymour Yacht Adventure

Isla Santa Cruz

The guide was going ahead with a small group of people. Some of us were left behind and missed out on the things the guide explained and he did not repeat the same things when we were there.

Quality of Experience

For the price we paid the tour could have been better

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They ran out of flippers of the correct size

Transport

Discovering Bartolome a full day yacht experience

Isla Santa Cruz

Our guide Martin was okay. He should have included the entire group when he was explaining things as some of the people were left behind. The crew of the Altamar also especially the Chef could have ensured we had beans and rice and adequate food as well (there were no snacks left). The flippers and snorkeling gear should have been tried either the day before or as soon as we got on the boat, instead of a few minutes before we were going to go snorkeling.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to the Airport for your domestic flight to the Galapagos Islands.

Quito

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were to have a private driver and private transfer upon our arrival at Lima to our "airport" hotel. We waited over 1/2 hour for a bus to show up. If we weren't pushed to the front of the bus boarding area by our 'driver', we may not have had seats. Almost a half hour of driving later we arrived at the hotel which was in an apparently abandoned area of the old airport; the hotel itself was behind very tall, locked gates. They could not find our reservation but luckily had available rooms.,,,,not a good start to our vacation.

Our return trip from Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu to Cusco was to be via train. Instead, halfway back to Cusco, we had to transfer to a van for which we waited about 1/2 hour and rode another few hours without any restroom stop.

Our Cusco to Quito flight was to include only a stopover in Lima. Rather than the flights being booked as one reservation, we were booked on two separate reservations which meant we had to collect our bags from the carousel, recheck our bags and go through all security again.

All of the above could be chalked up to simple mistakes along the way.....we've traveled to 40 plus countries and are well aware not everything goes according to plan.

However, the trip to Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain was awful and dangerous. First, the driver showed up 1/2 hour late.
Approaching the van in the early morning darkness it was clear it was a beat up, poorly maintained van.
After searching for my seatbelt for many minutes, I asked the driver "Sexy Puma" where it was....he said 'oh it is missing, find another seat' which I did. From where I sat I could see the van's poor condition. There were knobs missing from the interior of sliding door. The sliding door could not be opened from the outside without opening the right side rider's door and reaching behind the rider's seat. All windows were filthy, including the windshield which was difficult to see through.... for the driver as well!
Rather than filling up with gas before picking up passengers, we stopped to get gas. Rather than getting out of the van to clean the windshield Sexy Puma sat in the driver's seat while an attendant filled the tank.
All along the radio is blasting from 4:30AM on, yet the heater was not....if it was even turned on....it was about 40-45 degrees fahrenheit. There was little if any suspension left to absorb the very rough ride. Kathie would have been in abject pain if she had come along on this trip.....I'm so glad she didn't.
I took a walk around the van at one of the stops and took pictures of missing body parts but most alarmingly bald and gouged tires! I also have pictures of the windows, windshield, missing parts etc.
Worse, the driver was passing every vehicle we came upon including passing a semi-truck on a blind, double lined S curve. If the semi driver hadn't slammed his brakes and partially pulled of the road, we would have been head on with oncoming traffic!!!
The van and the driver should be taken off the road!!!

I was not involved in the planning of the trip but felt that things could not have gone better. I am just beginning the travel portion of my life so I don’t have much to compare this trip to but I thoroughly enjoyed each and every hotel, meal and excursion we did. David set the standard for guides and it will be hard for any other guide to equal his efforts with our group. His communication and coordination of things with such a large group was fabulous. His love and knowledge of Ecuador shone through in everything we did.

David was amazing and explained everything and was very knowledgeable and informative. I would highly recommend him to everyone. Saul was an amazing guide in the rain forest. Everything in the Galapagos was also great.

Paul provided the best travel customer experience we’ve ever had!

From the start of travel planning he engaged. He provided a travel recommendations and responded to inquiries and suggestions immediately. Throughout the process he responded within minutes of questions being sent. This included multiple times of what we considered off hours on weekends and later than most of us work. He also called a couple of times to ensure we were on the same page. During the trip he asked how things were going and volunteered to travel (inconveniently across Quito to meet us). Kim Kim and Paul allowed us to create a photo album. Here we are nearly three months after the trip and he’s still been responsive to our questions and thank yous. We cannot recommend him enough!

The trip was amazing. My wife and I put it at the top of our list and we’ve traveled significantly. When we first looked at the itinerary we thought there might be too much snorkeling. I’m a scuba instructor and admittedly think snorkeling leaves something to be desired. To my amazement the snorkeling was better than many dives that I’ve done. Thank you for the humbling experience. We saw sharks, sea lions, sea horses, turtles, iguanas. Wonderful stuff. The birds, tortoises and SEALIONS were something else.

I loved that we asked for changes and Paul found options. Within the process we added a friend traveler and he was able to align our plans completely.

TOP NOTCH.

Paul - you truly are the best. Thank you!

Trip of a lifetime!
This was truly one of the best trips we’ve ever taken. Every part of the experience was thoughtfully planned and incredibly memorable. The itinerary was perfectly balanced and gave us the opportunity to experience all the key highlights of the islands while still feeling relaxed and enjoyable.

Paul made the entire trip completely stress-free. Every transfer, activity, and pickup was seamlessly coordinated, so we could simply enjoy the experience without worrying about logistics. His organization and attention to detail made a huge difference.

The wildlife experiences were absolutely unforgettable. Seeing so many animals in their natural habitat was incredible — especially the sea lions, which were amazing to watch up close. Each snorkeling excursion offered something unique, and we saw an incredible variety of marine life, including turtles, reef sharks, seahorses, penguins, and sea lions.

I honestly can’t say enough good things about this trip. It exceeded our expectations in every way, and Paul made the entire experience easy, smooth, and unforgettable. I would highly recommend working with Paul to plan your trip — you will be in excellent hands.

My guide was really Anthony. He planned a wonderful trip for me. I asked him a million questions, and he not only answered them, he even asked if I had any more questions. He was amazing. I never communicated with Maria Belen. Stalin was my guide in Ecuador, and he was great. There was one snag that you should address. No guide showed up to meet me at 6:15 in San Cristobal to take me to the pier. I needed help with my suitcases because of the steps in the hotel and down to the pier. I had no idea which pier to go to, but someone helped me. I also did not know which ferry was mine. I saw a woman sitting at the front of the correct pier. She looked official with a list of names. I checked with her and my name was there. She directed me where to go next. I don't know if who was supposed to be there, Lenin or a young man. I suggest that in the future you provide more details about the ferry rides and the company that is doing them.

I started planning my trip to Ecuador and Galapagos about 18 months before our travel date. I organized the trip for myself and 15 other people ended up coming too. I started with 4-5 different companies and ended up picking Alvaro at KimKim because he worked quickly, efficiently, and listened to what I wanted. I was extremely happy with the final itinerary and price.

There were a few tweaks that needed to be made, and once initial down payments were made, he didn’t respond as quickly as before. I was very worried, and others who had signed up were getting worried as well, but the trip was amazing.

Our guide throughout Ecuador was David. He was the best guide we could have asked for. He explained so much about his country, history, and culture. He was enthusiastic, passionate, and helpful. He made sure all activities were organized and enjoyable for all.

When we went to Mindo, two parts of the itinerary were left out, a coffee experience and ziplining. Alvaro made sure to add those items later in the itinerary.

Saul was an amazing guide in the Amazon rainforest. He was so knowledgeable about natural remedies and the forest. We all enjoyed the hiking, cave exploration, and indigenous experience.

We were sad to leave David, as he was not going with us to Galapagos, and we got a new guide. As wonderful as David was, our new guide was the opposite. Although she was very nice, this was her first tour ever, and it showed. She didn’t give us any information about the places we visited. Anytime I asked a question, she either didn’t know the answer or gave an incorrect answer. The group felt that she was just on vacation herself as she let the local guides do all of the work and just participated in the activities. We didn’t really need her on the trip at all since we had local guides. In addition, she was sick, and a few people on the trip also started to show symptoms of the cold that she had.

We went to Santa Cruz, Isabela, and San Cristobal and loved the islands. Our guide in San Cristobal even gave the group an autographed copy of his book! Thanks, Ian! I can’t wait to read it!

Overall, the trip was wonderful and everything went very smoothly. We did so many different activities and I appreciate the work Alvaro and David and the rest of the guides put in to make this a fabulous experience.

Overall our trip to the Galapagos was wonderful and we enjoyed ourselves very much.

Nature and highlights:
Amazing wildlife and we really appreciated the local knowledge and enthusiasm of the guides we had across the 4 islands we visited. This knowledge helped us see so much more than if we were on our own.

Hotels:
We enjoyed all of the hotels we stayed in and the responsiveness of the hosts. The Albemarle (Isabella island) was lovely but the very loud music next door until very late on a Friday night was unhelpful. I noticed this has been remarked upon in other reviews. Overall we enjoyed the hotels very much.

Guides:
We had superb guides in Alex, Ronnie, Daniella, and others whose names I have forgotten. All of the guides were absolutely excellent and were a major positive impact on our trip, except one - Gabriel on Isabella. Gabriel was a very nice guy and was trying to be helpful, however we had a communication problem in that neither of us could understand him very well. I appreciate that he has learned English but it wasn't good enough to be very useful. This was made worse by the fact that he was speaking very quickly and I suspect was a little stressed at the situation which became confusing.

As a result of our mis-communication we missed out part of our schedule and he changed it to a snorkel event at our extra cost without us knowing what was happening. We realised afterwards that we had missed the opportunity to see giant tortoises in the wild, which was very important to us (one of our highlights), so we separately hired bikes and completed the part that had been missed. The snorkel event that he took us on turned out to be very good, but we felt very confused as to what was happening. I reiterate that he was a very nice guy and was trying hard, but it was a language problem.

The snorkelling guide we had on our trip to Kicker Rock was really excellent.

Itinerary:
Overall, it was a really good and interesting itinerary. The one suggestion I would make would be to offer an alternative to the Sierra Negra volcano hike. For many tourists the heat, humidity and distance would be too much. We realised that we were not acclimatised enough for it and had to cancel it. We also heard of other tourists who turned back as it was too much.

There was some good variety in the itinerary and we felt like we had achieved a lot in our time there.

KimKim:
Maria Jose and the team at KimKim were very responsive and we were impressed with their support. It made a big difference to the trip to have everything so well organised. We were able to focus on the adventure rather than the administration, which was very much appreciated. We would happily recommend KimKim to other travellers.

I am incredibly impressed with the customer service provided by the team at KimKim! It was wonderful to not worry about ANYTHING - even all the taxis and boat trips were scheduled and paid for. We felt so taken care of and respected by everyone.

Veronica was our favorite guide. She was so knowledgeable and eager to answer our questions. One of my favorite moments was day one at Rancho Primicias - having lunch and watching the tortoises roam. I also loved our snorkeling and kayak experience at Concha Perla - we saw so much wildlife and had such a serene experience. The only struggle was that this guide did not speak any English on this tour - we of course understand that it is not something to expect, but all of our other guides did speak some English. The up side was I know a little Spanish so I was able to translate a bit for my mom and practice my own Spanish!!! :)

Fabricio was wonderful too - we loved our trip to North Seymour to see the frigates!!!

Overall, 100/10 experience and it was worth every penny. So happy and pleased with it all!!! Thank you!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Laguna

Puerto Villamil

Our room overlooking the bay was incredible! We loved hearing the flamingoes from the balcony. The downside to this hotel was hearing street noise - there was a dog barking through the night on both nights we stayed there. I know this is not something that can be helped, though!

Authenticity & Character

Water on each floor, the open air concept, the breakfast on the third floor

Location

Right next to the bay with the flamingos and around the corner from wonderful shopping and food.

Staff

I cannot remember names, but all the staff at the front desk were wonderful! Two younger men.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was great and we loved the room!

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

Incredible location and beautiful pool! We loved Gabriel - he was so kind and helpful!

Authenticity & Character

The pool was very lagoon-like. So beautiful and relaxing!

Location

Staff

Gabriel - so kind and went out of his way to help us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

This was the last stop of the day for us on day 1 and we had already had a full day (plus waking up at 5am for a flight), so we were a little too tired to enjoy it fully. We wished it would have been scheduled for a different day so we could have gone to the hotel to rest. But otherwise, we loved seeing the baby tortoises and Lonesome George!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport