Kimkim Trip Reviews for Galapagos Islands

Out trip to Peru was fantastic. Mathias was extremely helpful with all aspects of planning. When we were in country we got a respiratory virus and Mathias went out of his way to help us and get us home safely. We did get to enjoy a week of travel in Peru. The country is amazing. Our guide, Aldo Sanchez was marvelous. He was extremely knowledgable about the Incas and all aspects of life in Peru. He took excellent care of us and also was a tremendous support when we became ill. I would %100 recommend KimKim and Aldo for any adventure in Peru.

Hotel Reviews

Casa República

Barranco, Lima

Excellent service and a wonderful breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely inner courtyard

Location

Beautiful sunset views at the end of the street.

Staff

Wait staff at the restaurant were very accomodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Andean Wings

Cusco

Lovely old hotel with beautiful courtyard and great bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the historic center of Cusco

Staff

We became ill and they went out of their way to help us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice and clean

Hotel Florencio Casa Hacienda

Pisac

Lovely room. The owner made us a fire in our room in the evening and walked us to dinner. No breakfast in the morning though, since it was a holiday.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful courtyard and authentic furniture

Location

Just off the square

Staff

Very accommodating. We used google translate to communicate.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Las Qolqas EcoResort Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo

Very lovely peaceful setting. The food was great. We had a wonderful welcome drink!!

Authenticity & Character

Eco lodge with luxury

Location

Just outside of town on a river. The sounds soothed us to sleep.

Staff

We met the part owner. He was very interesting and passionate about the hotel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Taypikala Boutique Machupicchu

Machu Picchu

It was fine for the night before we went to Machu Picchu. Great location, beautiful view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Albergue Ollantaytambo Boutique Hotel

Cusco

Amazing hotel right at the train station. Large bathtub! Good food. Beautiful gardens.

Authenticity & Character

Lots of little special things like fresh flowers in the room

Location

Right at the train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

City Tour Lima

Lima

Arthuro was excellent. We ate our way through a local market. We learned so much!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

City Tour Cusco

Cusco

Aldo was very knowledgable and friendly. We saw so many cool things.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exploring Pisac

Pisac

Aldo was amazing. He is very knowledgeable, funny and kind. He totally made our trip!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guinea Pig!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot springs and biking

Peru

Hot springs were very authentic. Only saw one other group of tourists while we were there. Bring a towel though! The biking was super fun. Downhill almost the whole way. The road was next to a beautiful river with waterfalls. Really got to see the countryside.

Quality of Experience

Food

Great boxed lunch. Something for everyone.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pietra was a fantastic guide.

Transport

Coffee and chocolate in Chichubamba - Train ride to Aguas Calientes

Peru

We learned all about the process of making chocolate and coffee. It was not at a farm though.

Machu Picchu Excursion: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu

Peru

Aldo was fantastic. Best guide ever. Machu Picchu was out of this world.

Quality of Experience

An amazing place with an amazing guide!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Aldo took us to the museum which most people do not see. It was so interesting!

Transport

Ruins, Weavers & Inca Salt Factory

Ollantaytambo

Not to be missed. Who knew that is how salt was made?

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Aldo was wonderful!

Transport

Mathias was a joy to work with. Was flexible and helpful when we needed to make trip adjustments and was always there for us. Tour guides were great along the way. Always on time and knowledge. Made every minute of the trip memorable. Aldo Sanchez was an amazing guide from Cusco, Peru. Stayed with us for four days through the entire Sacred Valley leg of our trip. He made sure we had plenty of activities planned and had clean, safe water and food. Our Mtn Bike tour guide was also great. Knowledgeable and kept us from flying off the Andes on our endless descent down from 14k feet. All in all, they put together an amazing team to make sure every need was met without complaint.

Amazing family vacation to the Galapagos islands. From the moment I contacted KimKim and began conversing with Tammer I felt confident in my decision not to do my own bookings. During our adventure I felt we had a safety net and we’re in good hands. Tammer constantly provided us with accurate and timely details what to expect and when. The itineraries he created for us, was absolutely perfect in every way.
Without hesitation I would use this service again, and know that others would be equally impressed with the excellent service, quality of accommodations, itinerary planning expertise and attention to every detail. Tammer nailed it for me and my family! Bravo and thank you for the wonderful memories which include our interaction along the way with Tammer!

Our planner, Tamer, was incredible. He made sure we had everything we needed every single day of our trip. He assembled an amazing itinerary for us in The Galápagos Islands and it was exactly the right length and level for us. When unexpected things came up, Tamer was on top of it right away and helped us get from A to B with no trouble at all. I highly recommend this travel agency, ask for Tamer by name if you're going to Ecuador.

Now I understand why they say Galapagos is the trip of a lifetime. It would be hard to go there under any circumstances and NOT have an amazing time, but arranging it through KimKim and specifically with our local expert Tamer made it a breeze. Tamer is a great listener and incredibly responsive and caring. He worked with me to ensure this trip for myself, my teenage daughter, and my elderly aunt with some health issues would be incredible for each of us, all the way down to the itinerary that would include seeing specific animals, making sure the ship's crew was aware of my aunt's food allergy, and having wetsuits reserved in case the water temp for snorkeling wasn't comfortable. Here's why I'll happily book through KimKim again in the future: 1. They arrange exactly the trip I want without my having to spend any time researching, 2. I don't have to think about a thing from start to finish, because transfers, accomodations, and tours are all arranged, 3. As a woman traveling with her daughter, I feel safe knowing drivers, guides, etc. are vetted, and 4. I get all that for a few hundred dollars more than if I planned the trip myself. What's not to love?

This was my dream trip and it waited too long in my bucket list. I enjoyed Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz. The hotel Sol y Mar was lovely; enjoyed visiting Darwin Station and Chato Ranch. The Millenium catamaran was a nice boat to see the islands and the cabin was very comfortable and clean. The crew was friendly and our guide Javier Picaza G. was very knowledgeable. The food was not so good; everything served except the shrimps, was overcooked.Loved the scenery and landscape of all the islands we visited:Santa Cruz, Isabela(the biggest), Fernandina and Santiago.My favorite was Punta Espinoza in Fernandina.It was heaven on earth. Truly magnificent.We did wet and dry landings and saw those blue footed boobies, iguanas, turtles, sealions,whales,sharks, pelicans, cormorants, penguins, finches, flamingoes, and amazing volcanoes. If at day time we saw all these plus beautiful sunrises and sunsets, at night time we were able to see the whole Milky Way plus other galaxies;literally you could see stars all the way to the horizon where the sky touches the water.Indeed it was epic and loved the fact that there was no phone connection as it made it a true vacation!

Hotel Reviews

M/C Millennium

Ecuadors, Galágados, Peru

The catamaran was very nice and clean; the cabins were comfortable and had a balcony where you could enjoy the sunrises. Wonderful terrace in the top deck and another terrace in middle deck. The crew was friendly and helpful, unfortunately the chef was not the best. The food was overcooked (chicken, beef , pork and fish) making it impossible to enjoy. The shrimp (one time only) was fine though.Had they had a better chef, I would have given this catamaran 5 stars. But food is an important part of any vacation and when in five nights only one meal was good and the rest mediocre, it takes away a lot. Specially because this was a pricey vacation for any pocket.

Authenticity & Character

It was a nice looking catamaran.

Location

I had cabin # 1 with a nice balcony; very comfortable and plenty of room.

Staff

They were friendly and helpful in every way.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Solymar

Galápagos

Loved this hotel, the food, the rooms, the location.And the gardens plus amazing views from my balcony.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was near everything!

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfy.

Patio Andaluz

Quito

My flight was super delayed so in essence couldn't enjoy as much, but this hotel was lovely and the food was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

It was very colonial looking.

Location

Nice neighborhood.

Staff

Very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lovely rooms and comfy beds.

Activity Reviews

M/C Millennium (6D): Punta Espinoza (Fernandina) - Tagus Cove (Isabela)

Cruise Ship

This was my favorite! Truly loved Punta Espinoza! Divine!

Quality of Experience

Food

Get another chef at the Millenium.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival to Santa Cruz Island - Charles Darwin Station

Puerto Ayora

It was interesting visiting the Darwin station and strolling along in beautiful Puerto Ayora.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boarding M/C Millennium (6D) - Highlands of Santa Cruz

Cruise Ship

Quality of Experience

Food

Need to change chef in the Millenium.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Puerto Villamil : Tintoreras / Wetlands / Breeding Center / Wall of Tears or Sierra Negra

Cruise Ship

This was a long hike, but worth every effort. the views were fabulous and though it was pretty warm, the rain afterwards made things cooler.

Quality of Experience

Food

Sandwich was awful, but we had time to eat in Puerto Villamil and I had an exquisite lobster served with asparagus soup, rice and lentils, patacones , mixed veggies and salad plus a glass of mora juice. All that for $12.00! Amazing!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

M/C Millennium (6D): Punta Moreno (Isabela) - Punta Mangle (Fernandina)

Cruise Ship

The bluefooted boobies were everywhere! It was divine!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

M/C Millennium (6D): Puerto Egas (Santiago) - Chinese Hat

Cruise Ship

Incredible landscape. The views were wonderful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Change the chef.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

M/C Millennium (6D): Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz) - Baltra Airport

Cruise Ship

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We cannot thank you enough for the time and effort that you put into making this trip so successful and wonderful! All of our experiences, hotels, excursions and guides were truly exceptional. I loved that we were able to be in communication with one another the entire trip and knowing that we could reach out to you at any time was comforting and so important to us.

Tamer's personal connection and attention to detail went beyond our expectations. Our 14 day trip was seamless from the beginning of the planning to arriving home. Thank you for everything! We are looking forward to planning another extraordinary experiential trip soon!

We were completely satisfied with our experience! Alvaro made everything perfect, was always accessible, helped with last minute questions and changes and even set up our last day with a very unique Ecuadorian agave tasting! As the cherry on top, Alvaro wrote us a hand written note, drew us an amazing picture of Galapagos blue footed boobies and gave us a champagne and chocolate strawberry send off completed with rose petals and towel swans on the bed. We couldn’t have asked for more from our birthday and engagement celebration. Thank you kimkim and especially to Alvaro!!

Our family of four went to Ecuador and visited the Amazon basin and the Galapagos Islands from Feb 5-20, 2023. Our local trip specialist was Tamer Obeid. Tamer was there for us the whole time. He was a text away and always responsive if we had a problem or a question. Special thanks to Tamer for providing us with dinner and a cake on my son’s 26th birthday. Tamer is an asset to KimKim, and we greatly appreciate his help and support.

In the Amazon basin, we visited the Napo Wildlife Center. Our guide was Remy, and he was incredible. He grew up in the local community and was aware of all the animals and made many of their sounds. Perhaps the highlight of our visit was seeing the Giant River Otters up close and spending time with the Kichwa Añangu Community. We also climbed to the treetop canopy, visited the parrot clay licks, hiked trails, and did lots of wildlife watching from the canoe.

In the Galapagos Islands, we stayed on Santa Cruz, Isabela, and San Cristobal and had different guides each day for our excursions. Perhaps our favorites were Joel and Lambo. They went out of their way to help us get good photographs and provided their GoPro photographs from our excursion.

Joel pulled two non-swimmers wearing life preservers while he was leading our group. He would occasionally dive down to take photographs of sharks and rays at Pinzon, our best snorkeling trip. Lambo would also dive deep and show us where an object was, like a seahorse, to photograph. He led us around the Tunnels to see enormous sea turtles.
The best place we stayed in the Galapagos was at the Iguana Crossing Hotel on Isabela. The view from the hotel was gorgeous and the service was excellent.

Note that everything on our trip did not run smoothly. We had some transportation problems, and three of us had stomach issues during our travels that lasted many days. Having said that, it was still the trip of a lifetime and one that we would gladly do again.

Great trip: your reps in Guayaquil & San Cristobal were on-time, knowledgeable & flexible, which turned out to be a big plus when our return flights on Cabo Air became a major snafu. Of course the boat was top-notch, and we'd recommend others take the 8-day cruise but not necessarily the 4-day one (100 points vs 75, let's say). All guides were knowledgeable about the history, the science & other facts like populations of both humans & other animal species. Their daily plans worked.

One suggestion: when booking clients on any boat do warn them to prepare ahead of time for being seasick unless they KNOW FOR SURE they will not suffer from that. On both of our trips we had fellow "sailors" unable to eat, or participate in the things they came to do: out of only 14-16 pax there was always someone out of commission! They had not been warned by anyone it seemed!

The day trip around San Cristobal was excellent to include. The harbor-front hotel there was perfect, although for most 80-yr-olds its not having an elevator would have been a bad surprise; we are, thankfully, not most 80-yr-olds. The Guayaquil hotel was adequate & for $100/night incl breakfast & some drinks a "good buy". We even had dinner there every evening. Overall, in spite of knowing a lot about what makes those islands so special before we arrived, we came home knowing so, so much more

We had such a fantastic trip in the Galapagos (and a few days in Quito too!) planned by Alvaro. Seeing the islands was a life dream for both of us, and we really feel like we got a fully immersed experience. We let Alvaro know a few different things that we knew we wanted to do, and solicited his help and feedback to fill in around those. We went back and forth many times on the itinerary until it felt perfect, and then we were off! There are lots of transfers and moving parts when visiting the islands, and everything was handled seamlessly. Our local guides were fantastic, and the experiences were unparalleled. We saw so much wildlife, got to experience the islands from land and sea, and feel like we left having gotten the absolute most out of our trip. We also really enjoyed the accommodations Alvaro helped us pick.

10/10 we would recommend Alvaro and kimkim when planning a trip to the Galapagos, and we really look forward to working with kimkim again for our next vacation!

Astrid was a terrific local guide and so knowledgeable.
The various islands were great choices.

Fabulous trip and experience in the Galapagos.
mathias planned a great trip and we loved every excursion. Our hotels were really nice, guides knowledgeable, and boats to islands were terrific. Truly a beautiful experience!

Alvaro was a super specialist! We've never worked with a planner before and always did our own travel planning. Ecuador and the Galapagos seemed a little daunting to us, so we enlisted some help. Alvaro's help expanded from just Galapagos to our entire trip. He was always available to answer questions, make suggestions, follow up, check in with us, and send messages along the way as we geared up for our trip. We loved having a virtual call so we could go over what activities we enjoy doing the most and then Alvaro making suggestions and worked on a few revisions to make sure it was perfect.
I was not prepared for the level of support! We had tour guides at every junction guiding us to our next hotel, our flight, greeting us, and helping us check in. Our guides and drivers were all knowledgeable, friendly, and must be the best in the business! I would highly recommend any traveler, even a very experienced traveler, to use Alvaro and the Kimkim team to plan a memorable trip to any locale.
Our favorite places and memorable guides:
Napo Cultural Center, Yasuni National Park--Canopy tour, guide Sergio
Quito City tour--guide Christian, Cooking class at Alta Mira hostel with Chef Karen
El Provenir Hacienda--Cotopaxi hiking with guide Christian
Galapagos--Los Tuneles tour and snorkeling

Hotel Reviews

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

Authenticity & Character

love the cozy fireplaces and the natural setting near the mountain

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

hot water bottles at night, exceptionally clean

Napo Cultural Center

Quito

Wonderful activities to do and explore with your guide just outside your door...viewing wildlife, canopy tour, night hike. The food was wonderful and the staff working here show tremendous pride in what they do and care immensely in a guest's experience, while also fostering a caring atmosphere and family for staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

incredibly attentive to all details and showing so much pride in their work and staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Had all the comforts of home, just in the Amazon river basin!!

Activity Review

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Galapagos Islands

Our guide was fantastic--Peter. He was very invested in making sure we saw wildlife and we were safe in the water. Super engaging and made the trip enjoyable and time go so fast!

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

We could not have been happier with the service we received from the kimkim team! Lucia and Angel responded immediately to our questions before and during our travel. Every possible effort was made on their part to ensure we had a safe and exciting vacation with exceptional guides at every turn.

Our time in Peru was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! We had an amazing tour of Lima (thank you Juana!), an educational Sacred Valley tour (thank you Henry!). Lucia and Angel reserved Andre as our Machu Picchu guide and he was perfect for us. Andre taught us about Incan culture and history as well as the integration of Incan beliefs into everyday Peruvian life. This was a highlight of our stay in Peru.

Juan Carlos led an exceptional excursion in Cusco and we can personally recommend his services. There were extenuating circumstances during our Cusco stay but Juan Carlos and the kimkim team made sure that we remained comfortable and cared for without interruption.

Off to Ecuador where we were treated like royalty by Angel and Sebastian in Quito. The next morning, we flew to the Galapagos and the attention from the kimkim staff did not disappoint. Rita was attentive to our every need (drivers, boat transfers, flights, ferries) --- she could not have done more for us! Julio (our guide for nature hikes) was knowledgeable, humorous and energetic.

Definitely take the snorkeling trip to the uninhabited island and try to secure Ricardo as your guide. He and the boat captain went above and beyond to create a memorable experience for everyone. The food and staff on board the Nautilus were friendly and accommodating in every detail.

Our final stop was at the Middle of the World where Marco provided an interesting and amusing tour. We truly enjoyed our time with him. Before we boarded our flight home, Angel took the time to meet us personally at the airport and share much-deserved hugs and farewells.

Because of an unexpected event in Peru, we were unable to meet our daughter on the Galapagos Islands as stated on our original itinerary. Lucia and Angel not only ensured that she was able to participate in the activities as planned, they also rescheduled events for us back in Peru until we could join her. We were never concerned for her safety and she even got one-on-one tours from the guides on the Galapagos Islands.

A final observation: You will not be disappointed with the service provided by this kimkim team. Lucia and Angel managed everything: meals, tickets, transfers, taxis, luggage transport, tours, entrance fees... the list is lengthy! You will be well taken care of and can be secure knowing that your agents are on top of every activity, hotel, and transportation need.

No one could have asked more from Lucia and Angel. We recommend them --- and the tour they created for us --- without reservation!

Happy travels to Peru and Ecuador, everyone!
Barb and Dan

Hotel Reviews

Union Hotel Cusco

Cusco

Great food, excellent and attentive staff. Fun location near the mercado and a short walk from the plaza.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arawi Miraflores Prime

Lima

Location in a funky part of Lima: short walk to Larcomar and Miraflores park.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent breakfast buffet!

Tierra Viva Valle Sagrado

Urubamba

Gorgeous setting, fabulous food, great staff. The room itself was basic, but we were outside most of the time. Beautiful setting near mountains and the river. The town of Ullantaytambo is not remarkable, but it's lively and interesting!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Maritza was a lot of fun. We enjoyed everyone, but she was very kind and friendly!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kitu Hotel

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Definitely a boutique hotel. We were on the 4th floor (walk up) and our drive and guide carried our heavy bags all the way up for us!!

Location

Beautiful night time view from the balcony

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Laguna

Puerto Ayora

Great pool!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the piers and the nightlife and the music and the plaza and the restaurants!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isamar Hotel

Puerto Villamil, Isla Isabela

Sea breezes lulled us to sleep!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the beach. Nice.

Staff

Stored our luggage, put out a great breakfast buffet, provided extra towels: they couldn't have been nicer or more attentive!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Highlights of Lima- City Tour

Lima

We had a unique experience due to political upheaval --- our guide kept us safe and informed!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Juana was excellent

Cusco - The Sacred Valley

Galapagos Islands

We enjoyed an amusing and educational tour of the area and the peoples of Cusco!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maras & Moray Tour

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Machu Picchu - Huayna Picchu - Cusco

Galapagos Islands

We were blown away by Andre and our experience at the citadel. Mystical, practical, humorous, intelligent... an indescribable experience.

Quality of Experience

Everything was ready for us: train tickets, bus tickets, knowledgeable tour guide. It was perfect.

Food

We ate at Toto's. Good lunch buffet. Avoid the drink "Machu Picchu" unless you like toothpaste or mouthwash!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andre was amazing!

Transport

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

Quito

Marco was hilarious and was a good sport while we practiced our Spanish and asked him to take photos.

Quality of Experience

Great tour on site; the woman was humorous and intelligent

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thank you Marco!

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

We were unprepared for the amazing the boat ride! Schooner to the island, hike to a spectacular view, snorkeling with penguins and sharks and sea lions. And they never stopped feeding us on the boat!! Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, snack. Lovely voyage!

Quality of Experience

I love boat rides. That was enough for me. The hike and snorkeling were extras. :)

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ricardo crushed it! Concerned about the environment, intelligent, worked well with the entire group.

Transport

Woohoo! Sailboat!

Dinner by the Sea

Galapagos Islands

Delightful night time boat shuttle to an adorable restaurant.

Quality of Experience

The food was exceptional, great cocktails, loved being near the water

Food

We upgraded to lobster. Worth it!

Transport

Short ferry ride and you're there

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

Galapagos Islands

One of the highlights of the islands! If you want to see tortoises, take this tour!

Quality of Experience

This was a must-see for us. LOTS of tortoises to see.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Julio showed us flamingos, Darwin finches, different flora and fauna of the Galapagos. We arrived when the tortoises were being fed and that was a bonus for sure!

Transport

Well, we walked.

Alavaro did a great job with organizing our much awaited trip to the Galapagos. He took the time to understand our wish list before recommending options and patiently worked through multiple iterations that better fit our family’s interests.
We stayed on Santa Cruz, Isabela, San Cristobal and visited Espanola; we were amazed by the biodiversity on all these islands and the difference between each of them.

Viviana on Santa Cruz Island was very knowledgeable. She picked us up from Baltra airport and took us to a lava tunnel, private reserve, and Charles Darwin Foundation.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

La Casita de la Playa

Puerto Villamil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Staff were helpful. Breakfast was great. Hotel room was not maintained (bugs, ants, mosquitoes, lizard in the room, bathroom ceiling is open to the room, bathroom door was stuck and housekeeping/maintenance didn’t address the issue, air conditioner stinks when turned on, extremely expensive laundry (charged $4/kg while the laundromat actually charged $1.5/kg).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Breeding Center & Wetlands of Isabela Island

Galapagos Islands

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

Galapagos Islands

There was confusion with the guide about the itinerary and we ended up visiting the Interpretation Center on the final day of our stay on San Cristobal.

Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island

Isla San Cristóbal

360° Tour of San Cristóbal Island: Highlights, Beaches & Marine Life

Isla San Cristóbal

Free morning on San Cristobal until Departure

Isla San Cristóbal

We ended up visiting the Interpretation Center on the final morning since there was confusion with our itinerary on the arrival day.

All of our local guides and experts were extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and quick to respond with help and recommendations. In our relatively short trip, we felt like all of our major interests were planned out and we didn't feel like we missed out on anything at all.

Plenty of snorkeling, hiking, and sight-seeing, with just enough downtime to check out the towns and local digs. We don't normally travel with so much hand holding, but for the Galapagos where so much is protected and must be visited with a National Guide anyway, this process and itinerary were perfect!

The lodgings selected for us were also right up our alley--quaint and boutique with a local touch, while still providing respite and privacy.

We had one morning with miscommunicated tour times, but it was not a big deal and it just meant we had more time for breakfast!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Galapagos Suites

Puerto Ayora

Photos don't do this place justice, honestly! The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with lovely balconies equipped with hammocks. Run by a mother/daughter dream team, we felt so welcomed and comfortable every night we stayed!

Authenticity & Character

Location

A close walk to local restaurants and shops while still off the main road enough to be quiet.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casita de la Playa

Puerto Villamil

Incredible location and very helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

We were nervous in the morning that the overcast and misty weather would keep us from seeing the caldera, but it was actually a blessing in disguise to keep us covered and cool from the sun on the first half of the trip. By the time we were out and back from Chico, we had a wonderfully clear view and made it home without too much sunburn. Easy hike, but long with the amount of stopping and sight seeing along the way.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer Baltra Airport - Puerto Ayora with visit to the highlands of Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Our guide, Astrid, was incredible. So knowledgeable and insightful--she made all the difference to our experience of what was already fantastic sight seeing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

Best snorkeling of the trip in my opinion. Wide, open cove with very clear waters that don't get too sandy or crowded. You're able to see a lot of sea life without too much hard work or feeling rushed by the group.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our tour didn't actually include kayaking, which is fine in retrospect as it was the last day of our trip and I probably would have been more tired!

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

I would have liked a bit more time here, but our guide, Astrid, was extremely knowledgeable and it was so great to see the babies.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

A full day on the boat! A fairly large group, but accommodations were adequate (and lunch was so good!) and we got a bit of everything--light hiking on North Seymour with plenty of wildlife sightings, snorkeling in clear coastal waters, and beach time to relax and swim.

Quality of Experience

Would have been nice to see the boat's sails in its full glory, but not a big deal! A pretty big group, which means more chances that people are late/slow/affecting the overall experience. Really not a deal breaker at all, but we ended up preferring some of the smaller group activities. I just wish we saw more flamingos!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

Great guide who shared photos and videos after (love that!), but really a crowded location that made it hard to see all of the wildlife. Felt a little rushed. Everyone in the group seemed to have very different levels of swim skill, so it was really hard to stay focused on a given area for sea life spotting.

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First and foremost a big thank you to our travel agent Linda. She was very responsive, knowledgeable and great to work with. All the tour guides were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Katarma

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Only drawback at this hotel was there were no elevators - we had to drag our bags 4 stories up.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Interpretation Center & Tijeretas Hill

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel at Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)

Galapagos Islands

The water was very cold even with wet suits.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Guide was excellent. Research center was worth the visit.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Excursion to an uninhabited island

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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El Junco Lagoon & Puerto Chino Beach

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Most Memorable places: Las Quilotoa in Ecuador, Scuba Diving at Kicker Rock, Charles Darwin Research Center, El Rancho in Santa Cruz, Bartolome Island (this boat crew and company offered fantastic service and the lunch on the boat was amazing!), Hike at Sierra Negra Volcano in Isabela Island, Snorkeling in Isabela Island, Kayaking in Tortuga Bay with Turtles and Sharks
Tour guides that were awesome and I would recommend for future trips: Daniel, Wilson, Enrique
Thank you to Alvaro and Daniela for all of your help during the trip and being quick and responsive to our inquiries.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Great Breakfast, friendly service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa de Nelly

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Very nice outdoor area where we could spend time together, there was a picnic table and hammocks. This hotel was in walking distance to the restaurants and shops which was very convenient!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Isla Hotel

Puerto Ayora

View from this hotel is awesome. Only negative was that we frequently did not have hot water to shower in

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casa de Marita

Puerto Villamil

Spacious rooms, good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Great shuttle service, delicious buffet for dinner

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Quito

Daniel was an awesome tour guide. Great to see all of this in one day

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Exploring and Kayaking at Quilotoa Lagoon

Ecuador

View was awesome! Great trip. It is better for this hike to be at least two days after landing in Quito because of the elevation difference

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Galapagos Islands

Seeing the seals so up close was beautiful, the snorkeling was amazing and enjoyable, I loved learning about the history at the Interpretation center. Wilson was a fantastic tour guide!

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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The Treasure of Galapagos: Scuba Diving at Kicker Rock

Isla San Cristóbal

Beautiful, great location and trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Scuba Diving guide was very knowledgeable, patient, and informative. He explained everything thoroughly and I recommend him for future trips

Transport

Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Loved learning about the turtles and history

Quality of Experience

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Wildlife Tour on Isabela Island

Galapagos Islands

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Excursion to Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

This snorkeling was amazing and is a must see! Seeing the sharks so close was incredible

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Spend the Day like a Local! Leisure Day in Isabela Island

Puerto Villamil

Much needed day off!

Quality of Experience

Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

This was an amazing but challenging hike.

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch could have more protein for such a strenuous hike.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Puerto Ayora

Kayaking in Tortuga bay was an awesome experience. The hike is a nice walk through the forest and on the water, we were able to see turtles and sharks swimming so closely. Enrique was a very knowledgeable and fantastic tour guide! I recommend him for future trips! I do not know if I would recommend the bay tour of Santa Cruz, the tour showed us animals we have seen on other excursions and information we have learned from other guides or trips. Snorkeling was the best part and very enjoyable. The salt mine was also interesting to see. Maybe this tour would be better through a different company, the staff was a little unprofessional on the boat.

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

Puerto Ayora

We went to Bartolome Island and this trip was incredible. The views were beautiful, snorkeling was amazing and the lunch on the boat was absolutely delicious. Definitely a must see on this trip and one of my favorites. I recommend that everyone goes here!

Quality of Experience

Food

Chef on board was amazing, delicious lunch that I could eat every day!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Professional, kind, great speedboat company and staff, I recommend them for future tours

Transport

Boat was comfortable, had option to sit outside or inside

Farewell Dinner by the Sea

Puerto Ayora

Many items from the menu were not available for us to choose, the weather was very cold to be sitting outside. It might be better to give groups the option to eat on their own this evening or choose a less expensive restaurant that has all options available on the menu such as (1836 or The Rock and Roll restaurant).

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Service was extremely slow here and our waitress forgot many of the items we ordered, we had to ask for our drinks multiple times

Transport

Thank you for having someone walk us to the restaurant so that we know where to go!

Day at leisure until departure (Quito)

Quito

It was very nice to be able to relax and rest but if there are connecting flights available, it might be more convenient to fly home the same day. The hotel was not located near any attractions so there is not much else to visit this evening. Buffet dinner at this hotel was delicious and filling

Quality of Experience

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
We are so glad we found kimkim to help book our trip to the Galapagos Islands. I have only great things to say about Daniel, Alvaro, and Daniela who made our trip such a success. Initially, we provided them information regarding our budget, timeline (two weeks), and level of activity and preferences, and they worked diligently in creating a detailed and personalized itinerary that worked best for our group of four. Our trip began in Quito and then had stops in the islands of San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, and Isabela. Alvaro and Daniela ensured that everything about our travel arrangements was absolutely seamless! It was so nice not to worry about transportation. All of our taxis, boat transfers, entrance tickets, travel guides, and hotel stays were taken care of. Every single excursion and activity the kimkim team planned for us was an amazing experience, we loved all of our snorkeling trips! All of our tour guides were very knowledgeable and friendly, and provided us with detailed information about the islands and the animals. Daniela and Alvaro also kept in touch with us during our entire trip and were available in case we had questions or concerns, we were very grateful for their quick responses and consistent communication! Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands is an amazing place to visit. I loved being so close to all of the animals, seeing such different plants and landscapes, eating all of the food (trying the seafood is a must!) and meeting all of the welcoming and friendly people. We had the trip of a lifetime and I would definitely book my next trip with kimkim because of our positive experience. Thank you!! :)

Hotel Review

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Great location and awesome breakfast. The front desk staff was very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Exploring and Kayaking at Quilotoa Lagoon

Ecuador

Such a beautiful place, the view is incredible. The walk down to the lagoon is fairly easy, however the walk uphill is a bit strenuous, you may want to consider renting a mule for $10 a person :)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Daniel was a great guide!

Transport

Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

The views are worth the long walk, it was so neat seeing the crater of a volcano and the various lava formations. It looked like you were walking on the surface of the moon!

Quality of Experience

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Puerto Ayora

The best snorkeling experience of my life! We got to swim with a Galapagos penguin!! The trip was on a beautiful and comfortable boat with a chef who prepared a delicious lunch for our group. The location for snorkeling was absolutely ideal. It was the best day on our trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for breakfast, and fish, rice, pasta, and beet salad for lunch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport