Kimkim Trip Reviews for Galapagos Islands

4.8
Based on 132 ratings
Read 132 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip to Galapagos Islands on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

A Fantastic and Unforgettable Trip to Ecuador
Galapagos Islands | Nov 12 - Nov 27, 2022

Michal
Michal G.
Bethesda, MD | Reviewed on Dec 05, 2022
Alvaro, Daniela, and Daniel did an outstanding job with the planning and execution of our trip to Ecuador (Quito and the Galápagos Islands). They were available (even checking up on us during the trip!) and willing to go above and beyond to make our experience the best it could be.
They connected us with very knowledgeable and passionate guides like Daniel in Quito, Wilson in San Cristobal, and Enrique in Santa Cruz.
I especially enjoyed the hike down to the Quilotoa Lake, the unforgettable...
Read more

Alvaro, Daniela, and Daniel did an outstanding job with the planning and execution of our trip to Ecuador (Quito and the Galápagos Islands). They were available (even checking up on us during the trip!) and willing to go above and beyond to make our experience the best it could be.
They connected us with very knowledgeable and passionate guides like Daniel in Quito, Wilson in San Cristobal, and Enrique in Santa Cruz.
I especially enjoyed the hike down to the Quilotoa Lake, the unforgettable and breathtaking views from Bartolomé Island, and the hike to the expansive crater of Volcano Sierra Negra.
We also loved all the animals we found along the way on land and in the water. The trips to los tuneles and las tintoreras allowed us to get extremely close to blue-footed boobies and whitetip reef sharks. We snorkeled as much as we could and were even joined for a swim by a couple of playful sea lions! It was an amazing experience. The free snorkel experience at Concha de Perla on Isabela Island was also well worth it - we saw sea turtles and sting rays!
Our hotel hosts were also very kind and the food provided at breakfast was delicious. Shout outs go to Casa de Nelly in San Cristobal, Hotel La Isla in Santa Cruz, and Casa de Marita on Isabela.
Overall it was a 5/5 star experience in every way. With quick communication, connections and transfers from airports to hotels to boats made easy the trip went as smoothly as possible. Thank you for your hard work and for making this such an amazing experience!

Hotel Reviews
Ikala Quito Hotel
Quito

Great location and delicious food!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa de Nelly
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Very kind host who made us delicious meals and provided towels for snorkeling!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
La Isla Hotel
Puerto Ayora

Amazing hotel and kind staff and beautiful rooms.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
La Casa de Marita
Puerto Villamil

Loved the access to the beach and views from the second floor breakfast area!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Wyndham Quito Airport
Quito

Very nice hotel with a great option of buffet style dinner that is available until late - great for travelers coming in late. Don’t be fooled, the food is amazing!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Exploring and Kayaking at Quilotoa Lagoon
Exploring and Kayaking at Quilotoa Lagoon
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
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
The Treasure of Galapagos: Scuba Diving at Kicker Rock
The Treasure of Galapagos: Scuba Diving at Kicker Rock
Isla San Cristóbal

Loved the trip to Kicker Rock. Our dive guide Michael was awesome and he showed us how to navigate around the rock and currently safely.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station
Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station
Puerto Ayora
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz
Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz
Galapagos Islands

Awesome views of Sierra Negra volcano are well worth the strenuous hike. The weather cleared up quite a bit on our hike which made it all that much better.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Excursion to Los Túneles
Excursion to Los Túneles
Galapagos Islands

Awesome way to get up and close and swim with sea turtles and whitetip reef sharks! Let’s not forget the seahorse and penguins!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island
Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island
Puerto Ayora

Really awesome and breathtaking views from Bartolome Island. Highly recommend the snorkeling with hundreds of fish surrounding the area.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Spend the Day like a Local! Leisure Day in Isabela Island
Spend the Day like a Local! Leisure Day in Isabela Island
Puerto Villamil

Snorkeling at Concha de Perla was a great way to spend some free time on Isabela Island.

Quality of Experience
Wildlife Tour on Isabela Island
Wildlife Tour on Isabela Island
Galapagos Islands

Loved getting up and close with the animals in las Tintoreras.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Alvaro Pereira
Alvaro
Alvaro Pereira
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Dec 05, 2022

Hello Michal!

So happy to read your review and thank you so much for trusting us to craft and put together an amazing journey. I will make sure to share with all my local providers your kind words, and I hope that you can come back to the Middle of the World!

Warm hugs from your local friend in Ecuador,
Alvaro

The Galápagos Islands Trip of a Lifetime
Galapagos Islands | Nov 1 - Nov 15, 2022

stephanie
stephanie c.
Canada | Reviewed on Dec 04, 2022
The Galapagos islands were my number one travel destination, but the idea of planning and organizing a trip was a bit complicated so I reached out to KimKim and got paired with Tamer. I’m not sure how I got so lucky to have him as my agent.
Right from day one of us talking, he really put me at ease and gave me lots of ideas for the trip and options, and we worked together on things that I had heard of and wanted to do, and paired them with some things that I would never have known about...
Read more

The Galapagos islands were my number one travel destination, but the idea of planning and organizing a trip was a bit complicated so I reached out to KimKim and got paired with Tamer. I’m not sure how I got so lucky to have him as my agent.
Right from day one of us talking, he really put me at ease and gave me lots of ideas for the trip and options, and we worked together on things that I had heard of and wanted to do, and paired them with some things that I would never have known about without him. He took my budget and got us the most out of what we wanted to spend, and really personalize the experience for us.
When we got closer to the trip, he also sent lots of information for us on what we should be packing and what to expect when we got to Ecuador and the islands so that we were fully prepared.
Arriving in Ecuador, we were amazed at how organized the trip was, and Tamer had even gone ahead of us to the hotel to make sure it was up to our standards and leave us a little gift. Everything was so easy we knew exactly when we were getting picked up and where we were going and what to expect on each day trip we were taking. He definitely took all the guess work out for us and while we were in Ecuador, we even got to meet Tamer for lunch. I was beyond excited to meet him because I had been speaking with him daily for months, organizing the perfect trip, and I really felt like we had become friends over this time.
Every day on the trip, he would check on us and how we were doing and how we enjoyed each excursion or day that he had planned for us. I couldn’t have planned a more amazing trip without him.
I highly recommend if people are thinking about going to the islands to reach out and get someone to help plan that knows all of the amazing day trips, and different places you can go.
This was definitely the trip of a lifetime and one I will never forget.

Hotel Reviews
Swissotel Quito
Quito

This was a beautiful hotel, and the staff were so helpful and kind. Very clean, and a great location. Also, the restaurants in this hotel were amazing.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
La Isla Hotel
Puerto Ayora

Beautiful, small hotel. The location was wonderful. The only downside is I prefer a separate room for a washroom for a little more privacy and these ones just had a half length door off of the main room but other than that the staff was great and the hotel was clean and well cared for

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Albemarle
Puerto Villamil

Nice staff and clean hotel. Good breakfast

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Love the location of this hotel. You walk down the stairs and you are right at sea lion beach, which I love just to watch every morning when I would wake up.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Wyndham Quito Airport
Quito

We were only here for a very short time, but the room was beautiful

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Full-Day to The Middle of the World Monument - Catequilla Hill & Pucará de Rumicucho
Full-Day to The Middle of the World Monument - Catequilla Hill & Pucará de Rumicucho
Quito

The guide that we had for this trip was amazing. So knowledgable and made it such a fun day.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island
Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island
Puerto Ayora

So much wildlife to see on land and in the water. The guides were very personable and enjoyable to be around.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)
Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)
Galapagos Islands

This was one of my favourite days on our trip. We saw so much from sharks and rays to blue footed boobies and sea lions. We were even lucky enough to see some penguins on this trip

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
360° Tour of San Cristóbal Island: Highlights, Beaches & Marine Life
360° Tour of San Cristóbal Island: Highlights, Beaches & Marine Life
Isla San Cristóbal

I loved the 360 tour because we got to see a lot of different parts of the island. However, if I could’ve done just a Kicker Rock I would have. If I went back, I would want to spend more time there. I can’t even explain the beauty of the coral underneath the water. I was shocked when we went snorkelling there. We saw hammerhead sharks here as well as turtles and sea lions. It was the most amazing snorkelling I did in the Galapagos.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island
Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island
Isla San Cristóbal

This island was another one of my favourites as far as day trips went while we were on our vacation. So many baby sea lions were here and we saw lots of birds, and even baby albatrosses. The guide we had this day was one of my favorites, and made the trip so enjoyable. Food on the boat was great and this island was one of my favourites for sure.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Tamer Obeid
Tamer
Tamer Obeid
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Dec 04, 2022
Stephanie, I can't thank you enough for this detailed review, it means a lot to us here at KimKim. It was a great pleasure of mine working with you on this special journey, meeting you and Adam in person here in Quito, and being in touch with you throughout this trip that I still remember each n every detail of it :) I am so glad to read that you and Adam had a spectacular time with us and that all our services, tours, and hotels were up to your expectations (I took note of your remark... Read more

Stephanie, I can't thank you enough for this detailed review, it means a lot to us here at KimKim. It was a great pleasure of mine working with you on this special journey, meeting you and Adam in person here in Quito, and being in touch with you throughout this trip that I still remember each n every detail of it :) I am so glad to read that you and Adam had a spectacular time with us and that all our services, tours, and hotels were up to your expectations (I took note of your remark regarding La Isla). I really hope to see you here again, a promise is a promise :) Best regards from your forever friend in Ecuador. Tamer :)

Amazing experience
Galapagos Islands | Nov 3 - Nov 13, 2022

Silvia
Silvia S.
Rochester, NY | Reviewed on Nov 16, 2022
Alvaro booked a series of wonderful tours for me. With one exception, the Galapagos partners and guides were reliable, knowledgable and personable, with a true interest in sharing their knowledge of the island and its wildlife and ecology, willing to share of themselves and make a personal connection, as well as get me to and from destinations safely and on time. Particular standout guides were Danny (for the introduction to the Island), Solange (everyday assistance and San Cristobal... Read more

Alvaro booked a series of wonderful tours for me. With one exception, the Galapagos partners and guides were reliable, knowledgable and personable, with a true interest in sharing their knowledge of the island and its wildlife and ecology, willing to share of themselves and make a personal connection, as well as get me to and from destinations safely and on time. Particular standout guides were Danny (for the introduction to the Island), Solange (everyday assistance and San Cristobal Highlands visit), Christian (for Espanola), Patricio (for Santa Cruz), Freddy and the crew of the Nautilus (for Bartholome), Rita (Santa Cruz), for getting me to and from places on time and helping me search for my phone, and the crew of Wreck Bay Adventures.
Best trips, in my opinion, were Espanola and Bartholome, with the service and comfort on the Nautilus exceeding all expectations. Occasional miscommunications did occur, but the overall experience was wonderful.

Hotel Review
Isla Azul Eco Hostal
Puerto Ayora

This hotel was a good fit for me. I like a comfortable bed, a hot shower, and a nice common areas, but don't need much in terms high luxury. The rooms were clean and nice and the owners and staff were very interesting to chat with and very accommodating to my dietary needs. overall I had a wonderful stay at Isla Azul.

Authenticity & Character
I liked the use of wood in the rooms and the building, it made it very cozy and pleasant to sit in. There is a semi-outdoor common area/lobby that was very comfortable and stocked with books. The owners had interesting stories to tell
Location
It's an average location, felt safe, some stores and bars nearby, about 10 min walk to the "strip"
Staff
Very helpful and accommodating
Cleanliness & Comfort
rooms were cleaned daily, water refilled every other day.
Activity Review
Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island
Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island
Isla San Cristóbal

This was a fantastic trip -- the amount of wildlife we saw was mind-blowing and Christian was a wonderful guide. The crew on the boat was very personable and even found my lost waterbottle! Should have brought a better wetsuit for the snorkeling. The water was really chilly!

Quality of Experience
All of it
Food
The food was good. I liked the fresh fruit. Overall the boat lunches are so -so, but they always have rice, so great for gluten-free dietary needs.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
So helpful, communicative, and personable. The guide knew a lot!
Transport
We were lucky with the ocean not being too choppy that day. The boat can be a little crowded for longer trips
Local specialist: Alvaro Pereira
Alvaro
Alvaro Pereira
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Nov 16, 2022

Hello Silvia!

I am so happy that the Galapagos Islands exceeded your expectations!! 🥳

The wildlife and landscape of the Archipelago are truly phenomenal and you got a beautiful experience.

Next time: The Ecuadorian Amazon! haha 😁

Warm hugs from your friend in the middle of the world!
Alvaro

Vacation Planner Extraordinaire!
Galapagos Islands | Oct 13 - Oct 22, 2022

Dan
Dan H.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Nov 08, 2022
From the first interaction with Tamer through KimKim, we were blown away by his excellent customer service, kindness, and professionalism. We really hadn't done much research on the Galapagos and so he had his work cut out for him. He came up with an outstanding itinerary for our 10 day adventure across Quito and the Islands of Santa Cruz (with a day tour to Bartolome), two day stay on Isabela, and another two days in San Cristobal. Prior to our departure, we had several phone calls with... Read more

From the first interaction with Tamer through KimKim, we were blown away by his excellent customer service, kindness, and professionalism. We really hadn't done much research on the Galapagos and so he had his work cut out for him. He came up with an outstanding itinerary for our 10 day adventure across Quito and the Islands of Santa Cruz (with a day tour to Bartolome), two day stay on Isabela, and another two days in San Cristobal. Prior to our departure, we had several phone calls with him verifying the hotels, tours, etc, and he truly managed to make us even more excited than we already were about our trip. He also touched based with us each day of our journey to check in and re-verify pick up times, itinerary, and what we needed for the next day ahead. The entire experience was seamless, and we were throughly impressed with the way we were handed off and taken care of during the periods of transition to ports and activities. The tour guides he set us up with ( Viviana, Philipe, Eduardo, Wilson, and Sebastian just to name a few) on the different islands and mainland were incredibly knowledgable, hospitable, and so very friendly! We elected for the luxury accommodations and it was definitely worth the extra expense as it made us feel safe and well taken care of. On our adventures, we were able to see many blue footed boobies, frigate birds, sea lions with brand new pups, giant land tortoises, and snorkeled with sea turtles, and white tip sharks! The Galápagos penguins had migrated to a part of Isabela island that we weren't able to visit, but this was truly the only animal we wanted to see that we weren't able to for the time of year we traveled. This honestly was a trip of a lifetime, but in no way would we have been able to plan it on our own. Tamer even took the time out of his day to meet us for coffee in Quito which was just another testament to what it was like to work with him in planning this incredible journey. Thank you for everything, Tamer! We highly recommend working with him and his company to plan your adventures!

Hotel Reviews
Albemarle
Puerto Villamil

This hotel was an amazing experience with great views of the sunset, friendly and hospitable staff and very clean accommodations. Be sure to grab a local beer from the lobby and enjoy the rooftop terrace at sunset! You might even catch a local soccer game if you are lucky!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Golden Bay Galapagos – Specialty Boutique Hotel
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal

By far the most beautiful room of our stay. Watching the sea lion pups on our balcony and off the hotel property was incredible. Eating at the hotel restaurant MUYU is a must!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Wyndham Quito Airport
Quito

Great choices at the hotel buffet, comfortable beds and great view of the Andes. Prime location for early or late flights is a perk.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Solymar
Galápagos

Great location on the Harbor. Right on the main strip with access to great restaurants and shops. Great food and drinks at the hotel restaurant too!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure
Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure
Isla San Cristóbal

Great snorkeling adventure! The tour guide and boat crew were wonderful and we even had a champagne toast at the end of the day to celebrate new friends and a wonderful day on the water.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Tamer Obeid
Tamer
Tamer Obeid
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Nov 08, 2022
Dear Dan & Cristina :) I don't even know where to begin! It has honestly been a privilege of mine to get to meet you in person, and to have had this valuable opportunity to help plan your trip and to work with you closely during that phase, which was uniquely smooth and brought such happiness to me each time we communicated. I won't act surprised now, knowing that you enjoyed your tour, but to read your words and the details about each day trip, the hotels, and the guides (which I promise you... Read more

Dear Dan & Cristina :) I don't even know where to begin! It has honestly been a privilege of mine to get to meet you in person, and to have had this valuable opportunity to help plan your trip and to work with you closely during that phase, which was uniquely smooth and brought such happiness to me each time we communicated. I won't act surprised now, knowing that you enjoyed your tour, but to read your words and the details about each day trip, the hotels, and the guides (which I promise you that I'll pass your kind words to every one of them) and your tips to other fellow travelers just fills my heart with incredible joy as this is exactly what we aspire to offer :) and I so appreciate your review. You and Cristina are so special and you simply deserved a special tour. I hope our paths cross again; organizing another trip for you, Cristina, and the girls next time where you'll be able to spot penguins seem intriguing :) Nevertheless, we will remain in touch as 'friends', I hope :) Thanks a million, Tamer.

Galápagos Trip 2022
Galapagos Islands | Oct 12 - Oct 22, 2022

Susan
Susan H.
Canada | Reviewed on Oct 24, 2022
The trip was organized extremely well and each day transitioned seamlessly. Every guide was so pleasant an knowledgeable. Each activity was memorable from snorkelling, kayaking to hiking the volcanos. The animals, so unique to the Galapagos, are such a fabulous experience to see. The giant tortoises, sea turtles, ubiquitous sea lions, marine iguanas, and of course the blue footed boobies! Daniel is such a great guy and was always readily available which was so reassuring. The guides,... Read more

The trip was organized extremely well and each day transitioned seamlessly. Every guide was so pleasant an knowledgeable. Each activity was memorable from snorkelling, kayaking to hiking the volcanos. The animals, so unique to the Galapagos, are such a fabulous experience to see. The giant tortoises, sea turtles, ubiquitous sea lions, marine iguanas, and of course the blue footed boobies!

Daniel is such a great guy and was always readily available which was so reassuring. The guides, drivers, and contact escorts were all lovely, prompt and knowledgeable. We highly recommend using Kimkim. We did all the activities we had wanted to do.

Hotel Reviews
Vieja Cuba
Quito

Such a quaint hotel with friendly, helpful staff. Great location in walking distance to parks and restaurants. We walked to the Old Town which took about an hour.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Galapagos Sunset Hotel
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
Authenticity & Character
The roof top breakfast nook was great.
Location
Right on the water front, with a beautiful view of the harbour.
Staff
Friendly and courteous.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very comfortable, it would have been nice to have a couple of comfortable chairs instead of 2 beds. The cupboard and drawers were a bit musty. Otherwise the room was very clean.
Hotel Deja Vu Galapagos
Pto. Ayora
Authenticity & Character
We stayed in two different rooms, each one very unique. The breakfast room was nicely laid out.
Location
Staff
Very helpful and accommodating.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Albemarle
Puerto Villamil
Authenticity & Character
A lovely court yard with swimming pool and eating area.
Location
Our room faced the beach which with a view of the palm trees, sand and turquoise water. Beautiful!
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The room and bed were very comfortable. The only suggestion would be to have more comfortable chairs or cushions for the poolside area.
Activity Reviews
Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería
Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería
Galapagos Islands

Our tour guide, Solange was lovely and very knowledgeable. It was obvious she loves her work. The Interpretation Center provides a detailed history of the islands. It was the perfect place to start our arrival to the Galápagos. Tijeretas Hill gives you a great view and no shortages of sea lions!

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure
Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure
Isla San Cristóbal

Great views of fish and tortoises. Spectacular view of Kicker Rock o the boat ride out. Impressive stop for lunch in a quiet bay and opportunity to walk a near by beach.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station
Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station
Puerto Ayora

The opportunity to learn so much about the tortoises and be able to get a couple of meters close to them. Who knew tortoises and cattle live side by side! The volcano lava tunnel was impressive and so educational. The conservation efforts for the tortoises is impressive and the guide was very knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island
History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island
Puerto Ayora

We did not visits Floreana, but rather Bartolome.

Speedboat to Isabela Island - Las Tintoreras (Kayak)
Speedboat to Isabela Island - Las Tintoreras (Kayak)
Galapagos Islands

We really enjoyed the kayaking and seeing the sea turtles, sting rays, pelicans and blue footed boobies. The hotel accommodations we beautifully situated across from the beach with the view of the turquoise water. The walk up to the volcanos was one of my favourite activities.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Daniel Larrea
Daniel
Daniel Larrea
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Oct 25, 2022

Hola Susan!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I am so glad that after such a long wait you were finally able to enjoy Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands! Each and every one of us worked carefully and put our hearts into this trip to give you and William a truly fantastic and unforgettable experience!
I am so glad you got to adventure, relax, and learn from all activities, and of course, do everything you wanted to do!
I wish you two the best vibes ever, and once again a very special Happy Birthday!

Your local friend from the middle of the world,
Daniel :)

This was an amazing trip! Everything was so o...
Galapagos Islands | Oct 8 - Oct 14, 2022

D
Dyllon M.
Longmont, CO | Reviewed on Oct 19, 2022
This was an amazing trip. Everything was so organized and Isabel, the travel specialist we worked with, was so helpful in promptly answering all questions. Once we got to the Galapagos everything went so smoothly. The hotels and tours were great. Overall, I cannot recommend this trip, and using kimkim and Isabel to arrange/organize everything enough. Read more

This was an amazing trip. Everything was so organized and Isabel, the travel specialist we worked with, was so helpful in promptly answering all questions. Once we got to the Galapagos everything went so smoothly. The hotels and tours were great. Overall, I cannot recommend this trip, and using kimkim and Isabel to arrange/organize everything enough.

Hotel Reviews
Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Puerto Ayora

The hotel is in a great location. The rooms and grounds are great.

Authenticity & Character
Location
We were just a couple blocks from the water, and within walking distance of everything you would want in Puerto Ayora.
Staff
So helpful and kind
Cleanliness & Comfort
Albemarle
Puerto Villamil

Very quaint hotel right on the water. Our room had a balcony overlooking the beach.

Authenticity & Character
The balcony overlooking the ocean was so nice and the sun deck on the roof was great for an evening glass of wine!
Location
Staff
They were so helpful and nice!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Transfer Baltra Airport - Puerto Ayora with visit to the highlands of Santa Cruz
Transfer Baltra Airport - Puerto Ayora with visit to the highlands of Santa Cruz
Galapagos Islands

Our guide was great! He was so knowledgeable and passionate about the Galapagos.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station
Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station
Puerto Ayora

Seeing the conservation efforts up close and the tortoise breeding center was great.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Excursion to an uninhabited island
Excursion to an uninhabited island
Galapagos Islands

The guide was so knowledgeable and this is such a cool excursion!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras
Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras
Galapagos Islands

There was no option to kayak, but the snorkeling was cool with a focus on white tipped reef sharks. The guide seemed a little less into the trip than other guides, but still had a ton of information to give.

Quality of Experience
Snorkeling over the reef sharks was so cool.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Snorkel at Los Túneles
Snorkel at Los Túneles
Galapagos Islands

This was amazing! Such a beautiful and unique area. There was amazing diversity while snorkeling and we saw so many sea turtles. Bonus we also saw penguins, orcas and albatross! This is a must-do experience if you are on Isabela.

Quality of Experience
Overall just a great day and we saw so much!
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Everyone was so nice and the guide was so knowledgeable.
Transport
Fun and fast boat ride!
Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano
Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano
Galapagos Islands

Our guide Nadia was clearly passionate about the area and the ecology. She was so knowledgeable. The hike is beautiful.

Quality of Experience
Food
Sandwiches which were filling, but basic.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Nadia was amazing.
Transport
Local specialist: Isabel Pérez
Isabel
Isabel Pérez
Local specialist in Quito | Replied on Oct 19, 2022

Thank you for your kind words, Dyllon! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed your trip and found everything went smoothly. Thank you for recommending us and we hope to welcome you on another journey soon!

Amazing Peru Ecuador and Galapagos islands Lucia did a great job of meticulous planning ...
Galapagos Islands | Sep 4 - Sep 24, 2022

Sundar
Sundar S.
India | Reviewed on Sep 25, 2022
Lucia did a great job of meticulous planning and it was a great trip though for senior citizens like us it was tiring
Lucia was very patient and kind and despite our cranky requests she went out of the way to help
Suggestions for Indian tourists
Ecuador Visa is not easy to get for Indians
Process is long with police clearance and personal interview in Delhi
Vegetarian food most places are ok but in one Hotel Deja Vu they gave ham sandwich as vegetarian to us in the Box breakfast and it...
Read more

Lucia did a great job of meticulous planning and it was a great trip though for senior citizens like us it was tiring
Lucia was very patient and kind and despite our cranky requests she went out of the way to help
Suggestions for Indian tourists
Ecuador Visa is not easy to get for Indians
Process is long with police clearance and personal interview in Delhi
Vegetarian food most places are ok but in one Hotel Deja Vu they gave ham sandwich as vegetarian to us in the Box breakfast and it will not be acceptable by many Indians
Indians need English guides and mixing with Spanish group despite so called dual language guide not very encouraging
Indians need to go with English group predominantly as guides are more comfortable in Spanish and talk more in Spanish
Senior citizens should get a more relaxed tour especially if they ask for it
These are only suggestions to help not complaints
Outstanding tours Machu Pichu
Guide Javier excellent
Very sad We couldn't do rainbow mountain and lost the money
Napo Cultural centre awesome
Chef Eric excellent for vegetarian food
Guide Valencia very good
In Quito Alejandro and his son Sebastian were outstanding and good and kind
Galapagos Volcano Hotel Paola is a sweetheart and very very nice she even gifted us few souvenirs from her own money
Volcano tour by walking was very very exhausting so this needs to be highlighted for senior citizens
The north Seymour tour Last day was climax of good ending
Thanks Lucia and Kim Kim travels for making us fulfill our bucket list 🙏🙏

Hotel Reviews
Holiday Inn Lima Airport
Lima

Excellent breakfast and good staff

Authenticity & Character
Nice
Location
Nice
Staff
Excellent
Cleanliness & Comfort
Good
Costa del Sol Cusco by Wyndham
Cusco

Small boutique hotel very friendly especially food services staff

Authenticity & Character
Nice
Location
Excellent
Staff
Excellent
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms small
Kitu Hotel
Quito

Nice location Good staff Senior citizens like us should be given rooms in first floor

Authenticity & Character
Nice
Location
Good
Staff
Excellent
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms small
Napo Cultural Center
Quito

One of the best places to visit and stay Strongly recommend the place Wish we had electric buggies to transport senior citizens like us from the boat Pier

Authenticity & Character
Simply best
Location
Eric the chief all the staff working as family very happy and helpful
Staff
Very humble kind and felt like home
Cleanliness & Comfort
Decent
Hotel Volcano
Puerto Villamil

Excellent hotel Paola is a blessing goes beyond call of duty to help

Authenticity & Character
Location
Excellent near the beach and tortoise breeding area
Staff
Excellent especially Paola she is a blessing goes beyond call of duty to help
Cleanliness & Comfort
Paola
Local specialist: Lucia Cazar
Lucia
Lucia Cazar
Local specialist in Ecuador | Replied on Sep 28, 2022

Hello Sundar & Shoba,

Thank you for taking the time and share your experience with us! It was such an amazing experience to share this trip together, I am glad to hear your trip was good, also thank you so much for the feedback it is very important for us your suggestions and comments, that is very helpful for us to grow up as a travel specialist!
I hope you come back to Ecuador again, this time you could enjoy different places, Ecuador has many destinations to offer!
I wish you all the best,
Best regards,
Lucía.

Galapagos Islands Review
Galapagos Islands | Jul 18 - Jul 25, 2022

J
Jessica J.
Sweden | Reviewed on Sep 17, 2022
The Galapagos Islands were an unforgettable experience. We did an 8-day trip during the month of July to the islands where we visited two of the islands--Santa Cruz and Isabela. The wildlife and the natural habitats were spectacular. We saw sea turtles, giant tortoises, lizards, sea lions, reef sharks, penguins, rays, and various birds and fish. On the island of Santa Cruz, there are multiple biomes so you are able to see pristine beaches, a foggy and moist highland, and an arid lowland. The... Read more

The Galapagos Islands were an unforgettable experience. We did an 8-day trip during the month of July to the islands where we visited two of the islands--Santa Cruz and Isabela. The wildlife and the natural habitats were spectacular. We saw sea turtles, giant tortoises, lizards, sea lions, reef sharks, penguins, rays, and various birds and fish. On the island of Santa Cruz, there are multiple biomes so you are able to see pristine beaches, a foggy and moist highland, and an arid lowland. The volcanic element to the islands also created an impressive backdrop that made you feel as if you were on a different planet. It is a place we highly recommend visiting.

The people we met were very friendly and all of the guides were very knowledgeable as only resident Galapagueños can be guides on the islands. The one thing that we feel would have made this experience better would have been to have one point of contact person for the whole trip. We had different tour guides every day as they all specialize in different areas, which was fine, but we had a different point-of-contact person each day which resulted in there being inconsistencies between the information in our itinerary and what they communicated. Additionally, they did not always tell us what we would need to be prepared for the following day's activities (e.g. recommending that we hire a wet suit or have appropriate footwear for some of the walking activities). Other than that, it was a really great trip.

Local specialist: Lucia Cazar
Lucia
Lucia Cazar
Local specialist in Ecuador | Replied on Sep 26, 2022

Hello Jessica,

Thank you for your words and for taking the time to leave us this kind review, we will be working to improve those details! We look forward to welcoming you to Ecuador again!

Kind regards,

Lucía.

Unforgettable Birthday Adventure in Ecuador
Galapagos Islands | Aug 12 - Aug 23, 2022

Thomas
Thomas R.
Huntington, NY | Reviewed on Sep 07, 2022
Alvaro named this trip "Unforgettable Birthday Adventure in Ecuador" and he was totally accurate. Our trip was 12 days in total and it was full of memorable and magical experiences, breathtaking nature and fun and excitement. The hotels were all fantastic and each and every guide along the way was terrific. There was not one glitch in any of our transfers, travel arrangements or tours. We were treated like special guests in this magnificent country. Alvaro was a pleasure to work with and he... Read more

Alvaro named this trip "Unforgettable Birthday Adventure in Ecuador" and he was totally accurate. Our trip was 12 days in total and it was full of memorable and magical experiences, breathtaking nature and fun and excitement. The hotels were all fantastic and each and every guide along the way was terrific. There was not one glitch in any of our transfers, travel arrangements or tours. We were treated like special guests in this magnificent country. Alvaro was a pleasure to work with and he worked closely with us to make sure he put together the exact kind of trip that we were hoping for. He used his expertise to guide us to the right choices for us and, after getting to know us through our conversations, even made sure to include several wonderful surprises along the way. We feel very lucky that we were matched up with Alvaro and we don't have a single bad or negative thing to say about our trip. Don't hesitate to book with Alvaro...you will be so happy you did.

Hotel Reviews
Patio Andaluz
Quito

The hotel is beautiful and has old-warm charm. The staff is extremely friendly and professional. Our two-story room was wonderful. The breakfast was quite nice.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Napo Cultural Center
Quito

This was an amazing experience. It's situated in the jungle but every care has been taken to ensure a comfortable and memorable time. An on-duty chef prepared fantastic meals...even including a beautiful birthday cake for my birthday. Our guide, Tyson, was the greatest guy. He was tireless in making sure we saw as much wildlife as possible. Every time we came back to the lodge we were greeted with a different ice-cold juice and a cold, damp hand towel. The rooms themselves were very nice and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character
A truly educational experience.
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Rincon de Puembo, BW Signature Collection
Puembo

We were only here for a night, because of its proximity to the airport. It's a very nice hotel and the staff was very professional.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Galapagos Sunset Hotel
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

This hotel is exceptional. Our beautiful room had a breathtaking view of the harbor and sunset. Susanah found out it was my birthday and she brought me a complimentary bottle of wine. I can't recommend this hotel highly enough.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Isamar Hotel
Puerto Villamil, Isla Isabela

Right on the water, our ocean front room was lovely and had a spectacular view of the beach. The restaurant (across the street) prepared a wonderful dinner for us and had a beautiful breakfast. Ava did everything to make sure that we had a wonderful stay in this beautiful hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Solymar
Galápagos

This hotel is in the perfect spot in Puerto Ayora. The room was lovely and the view of the pool and harbor was beautiful. The restaurant served a fantastic breakfast.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument
Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument
Quito

Marco was our guide for all of our time in Quito and he was simply wonderful. Such a kind gentleman and very informative. We feel like we actually made a friend in him. The walking tour of Colonial Quito was terrific and we loved the Mitad del Mundo.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Marco was exceptionally great.
Transport
Welcoming Cocktail Class at Night!
Welcoming Cocktail Class at Night!
Quito

We LOVED this experience. So much fun and we made delicious drinks and were served fantastic food. Edwin was truly a wonderful host and his assistants, Josue and Karen, were so sweet.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Edwin is fantastic. We highly recommend this.
Transport
Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest
Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest
Quito

Another wonderful day with Marco. The hike in Mindo was beautiful. We loved stopping at the Alambi Reserve and seeing the scores of hummingbirds feeding.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Marco is the best!
Transport
Quito - Yaku Kausay Indigenous Experience in the Amazon
Quito - Yaku Kausay Indigenous Experience in the Amazon
Galapagos Islands

This was a very interesting and unique and educational experience.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
 Indigenous Encounter and Hike to Mama Cuna Path
Indigenous Encounter and Hike to Mama Cuna Path
Yasuni National Park

Everything we did with Tyson in the rain forest was amazing. The hike to the lookout tower, a paddled canoe down the Black Creek, watching the macaws drink at the sulphur pond. Everything was incredible.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tyson was an amazing, caring guide throughout our time in the jungle.
Transport
Sacred Wayusa Ritual, Goodbye and return to the City (Yaku Kausay Experience)
Sacred Wayusa Ritual, Goodbye and return to the City (Yaku Kausay Experience)
Yasuni National Park

We opted not to do this ritual.

Cooking Class Experience in Quito
Cooking Class Experience in Quito
Quito

Back with the fabulous Edwin, this time with Josue, Karen and Mishelle assisting him, we LOVED this experience. So much fun and very informative. We were given drinks and watched so much wonderful food being prepared and then we got to eat it all. Delicious! A very memorable afternoon.

Quality of Experience
Food
The food was truly exceptional.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Edwin is the best!
Transport
Afternoon Adventure to Teleferico Cablecar
Afternoon Adventure to Teleferico Cablecar
Quito

Another terrific afternoon with Marco. We loved the spectacular Telefrico ride and the view from above. We got fantastic pictures on the swings that overlook the valley.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Marco is so great!
Transport
Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería
Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería
Galapagos Islands

This was a great overview of San Cristobal. Lenin was a very informative guide.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Dinner by the Sea
Dinner by the Sea
Galapagos Islands

This is a very nice restaurant and they prepared a lovely meal for us.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity
Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity
Puerto Villamil

Our guide was terrific. The area where we kayaked wasn't the most exciting but it was a lot of fun. The snorkel area was nice but a little cold and murky.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Terrific guide
Transport
Welcome to Santa Cruz Island:  Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station
Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station
Puerto Ayora

We loved this experience. We learned so much and had a wonderful afternoon with our terrific guide, Daniel, and the tortoises.

Quality of Experience
Food
The restaurant at Rancho Primicias is really fantastic. We had a delicious lunch there.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Daniel was great
Transport
Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island
Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island
Puerto Ayora

The kayaking trip in Tortuga Bay was really wonderful. We saw SO many sea turtles around us, reef sharks, a nest with baby great blue herons. This is a spectacular place to spend the afternoon.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Jose was a terrific guide
Transport
Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island
Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island
Puerto Ayora

This trip was truly spectacular. The Altarmar is a gorgeous boat, the crew was friendly and Felipe was an excellent guide. We saw many blue-footed boobies, frigates and such when we pulled alongside Daphne Major Island. We loved exploring the uninhabited Bartolome' and learned so much from Felipe there. Then the snorkeling off the beach at Santiago was fantastic...we saw sea turtles, a reef shark and many beautiful fish. Lunch back on the boat was excellent. As was the trip back. An awesome day.

Quality of Experience
Well worth the money
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Felipe and the boat staff were excellent
Transport
Transfer to Airport on Baltra Island
Transfer to Airport on Baltra Island
Puerto Ayora

This was very smooth. Just like everything else that Alvaro set up.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Every single driver we had on this trip was great
Transport
Local specialist: Alvaro Pereira
Alvaro
Alvaro Pereira
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Sep 14, 2022

Hello Thomas!

Thank you so much for your kind words, they mean the world to me and thank you again for a such detailed review of your experience in our megadiverse country: Ecuador

Helping you and Matthew was truly unique, and being able to help you be part of such an important birthday was magical. You now have the 4 wonders of Ecuador in your heart!

My best and warmest hugs from the middle of the world and looking forward to seeing you again!
Alvaro

Hi, my daughter and I took a fairly short tri...
Galapagos Islands | Aug 24 - Aug 30, 2022

Wynette
Wynette Y.
Takoma Park, MD | Reviewed on Sep 01, 2022
Hi, my daughter and I took a fairly short trip to the Galapagos in August 2022 and Alvaro at kimkim set up every detail. Through Alvaro, kimkim continues to provide a wonderful, small group, personalized trip. We had the luxury of being met at airports and ports, and taken to comfortable, well-located hotels. Whenever I had a question or there was a problem (in our case, in the form of a cancelled flight that threw the schedule off), Alvaro was there and worked intensely to help. ... Read more

Hi, my daughter and I took a fairly short trip to the Galapagos in August 2022 and Alvaro at kimkim set up every detail. Through Alvaro, kimkim continues to provide a wonderful, small group, personalized trip. We had the luxury of being met at airports and ports, and taken to comfortable, well-located hotels. Whenever I had a question or there was a problem (in our case, in the form of a cancelled flight that threw the schedule off), Alvaro was there and worked intensely to help.

Before the trip, Alvaro worked through several different itineraries with me, as I tried to figure out what would work. He was, throughout, friendly, cordial, responsive, and full of suggestions that might fit. He listens well, and never seems to get impatient. I'll always associate our memorable trip with his benevolent presence, and would highly recommend both him and kimkim!

Hotel Review
Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel
Puerto Ayora

Hi, this hotel is clean and stylish, and the staff go out of their way to be helpful, in a quiet, intelligent way. The breakfast was also fresh-cooked and very good!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Alvaro Pereira
Alvaro
Alvaro Pereira
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Sep 01, 2022

Dear Wynette!

You are so amazing and I loved planning a journey for you and Arielle to the Galapagos Islands. I appreciate very much your kind review, I still have lots of plans for you to get to know the other hidden wonders that Ecuador has to offer you.

Warm hugs from your friend in the middle of the world!
Alvaro

Meet the Galapagos sharks
Galapagos Islands | Jul 23 - Aug 2, 2022

J
Jonathan N.
Summit, NJ | Reviewed on Aug 09, 2022

This trip was fantastic. Exceeded expectations. We swam with so many sharks (totally safe). My wife and I went for our honeymoon. Alvaro tailored the trip to our budget and special requests even last minute requests were accommodated.

The discovery dive is great for beginner divers and was definitely worth it. All the fish and shellfish based specialties were the best foods and we had fun hiking and sampling the local beer.

Who knew sharks at Galapagos would be friendly!

Local specialist: Alvaro Pereira
Alvaro
Alvaro Pereira
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Aug 09, 2022

Dear Jonathan!

I am so happy you enjoyed a beautiful time in the Galapagos Islands with your wife! The Galapagos wildlife is so unique too!

I am looking forward to receiving you back in Ecuador for another adventure!

Warm hugs from the middle of the world!
Alvaro

My trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands ! Thank you Daniel !
Galapagos Islands | Jan 11 - Jan 22, 2022

Jake
Jake T.
Modesto, CA | Reviewed on Aug 05, 2022
My trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands was very pleasant and enjoyable. Thanks to Daniel, my travel details were ironed out before , during and after the trip. I had issues with my covid test result being delayed and had a mild panic, anxious situation, but with Daniel help I was able to enjoy the rest of my trip, During the trip, Daniel was very easy and fast to reach when I had questions . He helped me speak to one of the receptionist over the phone because I couldn't communicate in... Read more

My trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands was very pleasant and enjoyable. Thanks to Daniel, my travel details were ironed out before , during and after the trip. I had issues with my covid test result being delayed and had a mild panic, anxious situation, but with Daniel help I was able to enjoy the rest of my trip, During the trip, Daniel was very easy and fast to reach when I had questions . He helped me speak to one of the receptionist over the phone because I couldn't communicate in Spanish . Daniel is very thorough when booking tours , he would follow through with the tour guides and made sure they were there on time and explained what I would expect on the tours. I also felt safe knowing that Daniel was only a call away via whatsapp. I'm using kimkim again for my next trip because my experience with Daniel's help made a huge difference.

Local specialist: Daniel Larrea
Daniel
Daniel Larrea
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Aug 08, 2022

Hola Hung!
I am so thrilled and happy to read this review! Thank you so much my friend for such amazing words!
It was truly amazing to work with you on such an amazing trip! Even with the PCR Test issue with the flights we still moved everything perfectly! The trip went like a breeze and I am so glad you had such a good time. I wish you the best vibes from the middle of the world, and safe travels in the future!
If you ever wish to come back, you know who to call ;)
Your local friend,
Daniel :D

Amazing trip to Galápagos
Galapagos Islands | Jul 22 - Aug 3, 2022

Victoria
Victoria C.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Aug 04, 2022
Galápagos Islands trip review This is the second time we worked with Mathias for our trip. The first trip was Ecuador adventure tour including Quito, Banos, and Amazon. It was a great trip. This time we worked with Mathias for our Galapagos island trip and it was amazing. Mathias is super thoughtful, he made sure that every single detail of the trip was taken care of. He is very patient and is so accommodating with our requests and needs. When we first arrived at the Quito hotel,... Read more

Galápagos Islands trip review

This is the second time we worked with Mathias for our trip. The first trip was Ecuador adventure tour including Quito, Banos, and Amazon. It was a great trip.

This time we worked with Mathias for our Galapagos island trip and it was amazing. Mathias is super thoughtful, he made sure that every single detail of the trip was taken care of. He is very patient and is so accommodating with our requests and needs. When we first arrived at the Quito hotel, Mathias met us in person with a gift of wine, chocolate, coffee, and soap. This is such a wonderful personal touch that made us feel so welcome.

During the trip, Mathias was available any time we needed any assistance and fixed any issues. On one our trips that they put us on a tour without kayaking, Mathias made sure to put us on another kayaking tour—complimentary from him. In the morning we left for Galápagos Islands the hotel forgot to pack us breakfast, Mathias offered us free breakfast after we checked in at the airport. In addition, we got an upgrade for our flight back to Quito from Santa Cruz. All these gestures made us feel super welcome and taken care of.

All the day tours we were on were amazing: with awesome tour guides and on time pick up and drop off—not a worry at all from our part. We were confident that we were well taken care of.

I would work with Mathias in the future again. He is truly an incredible person to work with and I give him the highest recommendations!

Hotel Reviews
Vieja Cuba
Quito

The hotel is cute and the staff is very friendly. The breakfast was amazing! :) they have coffee, hot water, and tea available all day, which is a huge plus. The rooms are clean and comfortable. When we left for our Galapagos trip, it was super early in the morning. Somehow they forgot to pack us a breakfast for the airport. It wasn’t a big deal really. But when we came back from Galápagos go stay with them one more night, they gave us the best suite of the hotel and a bottle of win with a note to apologize for the breakfast. It was beyond our expectations. :) Great little hotel—definitely would recommend.

Authenticity & Character
Decor
Location
Staff
Super friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Cally Galapagos
Puerto Villamil

Great hotel with helpful and friendly staff. The hotel is clean and comfortable, the check in and check out were super easy. On the day we checked out, we didn’t have to leave until 2:30pm. The host let us put our luggages in the hotel while we were out. They were so friendly. The owner (not the front desk people—they speak perfect English) doesn’t speak English, but with my broken Spanish we were able to work everything out. :) He is very helpful.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hostal Cattleya
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Trudy and Ivan are friendly and helpful. This hotel has an awesome rooftop with a panoramic view of the island. You can watch sunset on the rooftop. Room is big and we have no complaints. They also offer breakfast at the time you request, which is very nice. One more big plus: you can wash and hang your clothes on the rooftop. Very convenient to dry the swimming suits and such. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Posada del Mar
Santa Cruz

We had a room with a balcony and the balcony had beautiful flowers surrounding it. Our host Carlos is simply the best host we have ever worked with. He is friendly without overbearing, you can tell he really truly enjoy his job and sincerely want to help with the guests. Carlos made the hotel superb!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Carlos is simply the BEST
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Mathias Onisseit
Mathias
Mathias Onisseit
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Sep 09, 2022
Victoria, thank you very much for your kind words and for your repeatedly putting the organization of your trips in the hands of Authentic Ecuador, Kimkim and that of all of our partners involved, especially your local guides!
It is rare to see our guests returning to Ecuador in such a short term, which tells me that you really enjoyed your first trip a lot (but I could also tell from your happy faces!).
I’m also glad to see that the hotels we selected together were just the right ones for...
Read more

Victoria,

thank you very much for your kind words and for your repeatedly putting the organization of your trips in the hands of Authentic Ecuador, Kimkim and that of all of our partners involved, especially your local guides!
It is rare to see our guests returning to Ecuador in such a short term, which tells me that you really enjoyed your first trip a lot (but I could also tell from your happy faces!).
I’m also glad to see that the hotels we selected together were just the right ones for you!

I would be happy to receive you a third time in Ecuador some day, there are still many beautiful places left for you to explore!

All the best,
Mathias

Adventures in Galapagos by Alvaro
Galapagos Islands | Jul 23 - Aug 2, 2022

Stephanie
Stephanie A.
Ocala, FL | Reviewed on Aug 03, 2022
What a wonderful experience we had in Galapagos! Alvaro was super attentive and responsive to all of our questions and had great insight on local activities. We felt very safe in our travels. Safe even to walk at night dressed like a tourist honestly. In all the places we visited in the Galápagos Islands. We speak Spanish but in all honesty the trip was so completely planned from start to finish with transportation and quick support that it really didn’t matter. I would definitely... Read more

What a wonderful experience we had in Galapagos!

Alvaro was super attentive and responsive to all of our questions and had great insight on local activities. We felt very safe in our travels. Safe even to walk at night dressed like a tourist honestly. In all the places we visited in the Galápagos Islands. We speak Spanish but in all honesty the trip was so completely planned from start to finish with transportation and quick support that it really didn’t matter. I would definitely recommend the planning service to my friends who speak no Spanish. We wish we had done our scuba certificate because this is an incredible place to dive, but we did get to do a beginner/non-certificate “discovery” dive which was an amazing experience.

Some favorite places we visited below:

Isabella: smallest town we visited but the tours were WOW

Hotel- Casa de Marita - beachfront boutique hotel with an incredible view walking distance from the doc/ snorkeling/ beachfront dining. Walk the boardwalk and explore the seaside. =]

Volcano (Sierra negra) 10 mile hike in Isabella - Visit to the second largest crater in the world. This was an intense, gratifying hike. Definitely bring hiking boots (not sneakers) and a camera. Incredible view, and and quite satisfying.

Tintoreras: This tour was rather short compared to some others but we saw the most penguins, blue footed boobies, and sharks (in just a snorkel) than any other tour! Also lots of sea lions and marine iguanas.

San Cristobal:
Here the sea lions are everywhere along the boardwalk area (the most we saw anywhere). Go for a walk and greet MANY sea lions on the way on the park benches and sidewalks.

Casa Blanca- ADORABLE boutique hotel with incredible view (on the bay) and just in front of the main doc which was very convenient for our tours that left from there. Restaurant there is superb. Hostess was incredible.

Tijeretas- easy paved hike with a favorite snorkel spot. Up close and personal experience with playful sea lions and tortoises! Interpretation center is a great family activity.

Santa Cruz:
This is a fun island with lots of food, shopping, tours, and activities! The below 2 favorites are great family activities!

Acacia hotel - beauuuuutiful eco hotel that definitely felt like a treat with a private pool and modern/tasteful amenities.

Exploring and uninhabited island- Bartolomé. I wasn’t sure what to expect here but this was a great package because it was a larger boat with a great crew/ tour guide. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and champagne included with a rather easy hike and beautiful snorkel. We saw new and different creatures such as a manta ray and puffer fish in the reef, as well as tortoises, playful sea lions and parrotfish up close.

Highlands tortoises farm- a beautiful home for the tortoises and we were able to see them up close, watch them eat their fruits freely and had a wonderful tour guide who was passionate about her work. Wonderful restaurant was there too.

Hotel Reviews
Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel
Puerto Ayora

This was so wonderful and charming. Beauuuuutiful eco hotel that definitely felt like a treat with a private pool and modern/tasteful design and amenities. The had robes hung up for us and several beautiful lounge areas. Also the hostess was wonderful, helpful, and inviting. Breakfast was fantastic!

Authenticity & Character
Modern eco style was very tasteful
Location
Central location
Staff
Warm, inviting and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean and comfortable. Lived the robes and also the bathroom was no the stylish and clean.
La Casa de Marita
Puerto Villamil

This place was very impressive. One of our favorite hotels! The waterfront view was incredible. The garden was also so charming! Water front tapas for happy hour was a classy treat and dinner was also very good. Staff made us feel very taken care of as well.

Authenticity & Character
This place was very charming and definitely had a proud Latin American personality.
Location
This is located on the end of the beach where it’s quieter, but also just a few steps down the beach are many waterfront restaurants and also pharmacy/essentials in walking distance.
Staff
Welcoming, warm, and took great care of us!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Areas were clean, comfortable, and beautiful.
Casa Blanca
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

We stayed at the top floor suite and it had a great view, and a huge private patio. We could see the sunset from their incredible restaurant downstairs. Hospitality was wonderful and we felt well taken care of as well as safe in the area. Overall very impressed. This place is right near the bay doc which is both convenient and provides a great view!

Authenticity & Character
Lots of personality- was quaint and charming.
Location
Very convenient and beautiful sunset waterfront view .
Staff
Very attentive and took care of us.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean and comfortable. Loved the privacy of the top floor suite.
Activity Reviews
Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano
Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano
Galapagos Islands

This was an intense, gratifying 10 mile hike. Definitely bring hiking boots (not sneakers or hiking sandals) and a camera. Incredible view, and and quite satisfying. Tour guide was very energetic and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience
Was the kind of challenging hike I was hoping for!
Food
Bagged lunch provided was good!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very knowledgeable
Transport
Dinner by the Sea
Dinner by the Sea
Galapagos Islands

Isla Grill was incredible. There were small sharks by the foot of the restaurant in plain view which was an added bonus for us! It really felt like a special occasion place. We had a bottle of the Isla Grill wine which was so good!

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

I wasn’t sure what to expect here but this was a great package because it was a larger boat with a great crew/ tour guide. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and champagne included with a rather easy hike and beautiful snorkel. We saw new and different creatures such as a manta ray and puffer fish in the reef, as well as tortoises, playful sea lions and parrotfish up close.

Quality of Experience
Staff was so attentive and friendly! Also so many amenities. Very relaxing yet eventful day.
Food
Salad and dressing, fish, fried/battered bananas, huge breakfast, champagne, flan, everything was great and they thought of everything!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very friendly and attentive.
Exploring the Underwater World: Discovery Basic Diving Day in Santa Cruz
Exploring the Underwater World: Discovery Basic Diving Day in Santa Cruz
Galapagos Islands

We did the discovery tour and felt very well taken care of. We had an instructor walk us through instructions (just 2 students:1 instructor) and our instructor was very attentive. He made me feel safe and comfortable and took great go pro pictures and videos which were provided to us for free!

Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity
Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity
Puerto Villamil

This was a favorite tour for sure. This tour was rather short compared to some others but we saw the most penguins, blue footed boobies, and sharks (in just a snorkel) than any other tour! Also lots of sea lions and marine iguanas.

Quality of Experience
Food
Gave us tangos (local chocolate covered biscuits kind of) after our snorkel =]
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Super knowledgeable and friendly, enthusiastic, and funny =]
Transport
Kayaking on Tortuga Bay
Kayaking on Tortuga Bay
Puerto Ayora

This tour was rather self paced which was good for fitting different schedules. A long simple walk through town and on a beach, then kayaking was so much fun!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Self paced and more hands off large group tour
Transport
This was a lovely walk to the beach through town
Exploring the Santa Cruz Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station
Exploring the Santa Cruz Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station
Galapagos Islands

Beautiful family friendly experience with wonderful guide and ability to get up close and personal with land tortoises free range style. They seem very happy here. It was a beautiful tour.

Quality of Experience
Food
Cafe we visited on site was a delicious 3 course meal. So good!!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Amazing tour guide. Passionate about her field, educated, and an obvious live for the wild life.
Transport
Cabs
Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería
Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería
Galapagos Islands

This was our first real tour. We actually were offered to do both areas to snorkel but elected to do just the first (tijeretas). This was a wonderful snorkel with an easy paced hike beforehand. Sea lions were very playful and friendly. Tortoises also were happy to swim with us! Snorkeling go pro pictures were included for free =]

Quality of Experience
Local specialist: Alvaro Pereira
Alvaro
Alvaro Pereira
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Aug 09, 2022

Dear Stephanie!

Working together on creating a fantastic adventure in the Galapagos, especially for such a special occasion was gratifying for me, and so awesome that you were able to discover the beautiful country of Ecuador.

It really warms my heart to know that you forged one-of-a-kind memories and that your expectations were fulfilled.

Remember, you have gained a new friend in the middle of the world!

I wish you all the best!
Alvaro

Quito and the Galapagos - with Daniel This w...
Galapagos Islands | Jul 13 - Jul 27, 2022

L
Leslie D.
Woodburn, OR | Reviewed on Jul 28, 2022
Quito and the Galapagos - with Daniel
This was our first time using Kimkim and we were so impressed. Our local specialist was so helpful from the beginning to the very end of our vacation. His recommendations provided us with all of the highlights and were perfect for our adventurous and nature-loving family of 5 (kids 9, 12, 15). We enjoyed snorkeling daily with playful sea lions and sea turtles. One of our best days was visiting the beautiful uninhabited island of Española were we saw...
Read more

Quito and the Galapagos - with Daniel
This was our first time using Kimkim and we were so impressed. Our local specialist was so helpful from the beginning to the very end of our vacation. His recommendations provided us with all of the highlights and were perfect for our adventurous and nature-loving family of 5 (kids 9, 12, 15). We enjoyed snorkeling daily with playful sea lions and sea turtles. One of our best days was visiting the beautiful uninhabited island of Española were we saw newborn sea lion pups and blue footed booby chicks and families of Albatross.
During our stay in Quito, we did day trips to Mindo which was one of our favorite places with the butterfly garden, bird watching and ziplining.
Daniel was quickly responsive with any questions we had and regularly checked in to make sure everything was going smoothly. The airport and boat transfers were seamless. We always had a guide waiting for us when disembarking, insuring we had no moments of feeling lost in a foreign country.
I would absolutely use Kimkim again to plan our next adventure.

Hotel Review
Kitu Hotel
Quito

The staff at Kitu were so welcoming and kind. Our room was comfortable and clean. Breakfast was conveniently located in the attached restaurant , and on days we had early pick ups, they were kind enough to provide a bagged meal for us. We would definitely stay there again when visiting Quito

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to town, markets and restaurants
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument
Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument
Quito

Our guide Cristian was absolutely amazing. He was so knowledgeable and accommodating.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest
Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest
Quito

We fell in love with Mindo! The variety of birds and butterflies were phenomenal. We also loved being able to see every stage of butterfly development from egg to hatching from their cocoons.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Excursion to Los Túneles
Excursion to Los Túneles
Galapagos Islands

Our guide Darwin was phenomenal. He was so knowledgeable and great with our kids (ages 9, 12 and 15). We loved seeing all of the animals while snorkeling and on land

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island
Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island
Isla San Cristóbal

This was the highlight of our trip to the Galapagos! We felt like we were right in an episode of National Geographic. We arrived to the beach to see newborn sea lion pups. We saw nesting blue footed boobies and albatrosses. We snorkeled with playful sea lions. Absolutely incredible experience

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Daniel Larrea
Daniel
Daniel Larrea
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Jul 29, 2022

Hola Leslie!!!
Aaah thank you all for such amazing comments and great vibes!
I am so glad that everything went well for you and that you were able to encounter so many amazing things. Sea Lion Pups are just too much!
Thank you for trusting me for the planning of such an important trip! I really with you and your family the best vibes ever. And if you ever wish to come back to Ecuador, hit me up!
As always, I will be more than happy to help you out!
Best regards from your local friend at the middle of the world,
Daniel :)

Thanks for the once-in-a-lifetime experience!!!
Galapagos Islands | Jul 14 - Jul 20, 2022

Jennifer
Jennifer A.
Canada | Reviewed on Jul 23, 2022
This was my first experience ever using a travel agent or having any kind of help planning a trip. I didn't even know where to begin when planning a short trip to the Galapagos, and Mathias took my wishes into account and created the perfect trip. He was also very helpful when we had to postpone the trip due to a family emergency. The trip itinerary was just about perfect, full of wildlife growing as we wished. Our favorite day by far was visiting Espanola, which surprised me because I... Read more

This was my first experience ever using a travel agent or having any kind of help planning a trip. I didn't even know where to begin when planning a short trip to the Galapagos, and Mathias took my wishes into account and created the perfect trip. He was also very helpful when we had to postpone the trip due to a family emergency. The trip itinerary was just about perfect, full of wildlife growing as we wished. Our favorite day by far was visiting Espanola, which surprised me because I assumed visiting the giant tortoises would be my favorite (and that was still amazing, obviously, and I loved it, but Espanola just blew us away). But I think that's the beauty of using local experts --they know what to suggest and what you might enjoy even more than you. All of our guides were amazing (Sol, Martin, Ulf, and Camilo). We had Martin two days in a row, which we loved, as he was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The Galapagos Sharksky boat and crew were also fantastic, and we were lucky to also have them two days in a row. The liaisons we had were so friendly and informative as well (Liz and Jorge). The hotels were perfect for us and it was so nice having the little things like transportation and snorkeling gear taken care of for us. Overall, it was such an amazing vacation and I'm so grateful for the experience!

Hotel Reviews
Casa Blanca
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
Authenticity & Character
Location
I'm
Cleanliness & Comfort
Posada del Mar
Santa Cruz

The bed was huge and comfortable, the staff was friendly, and it was a wonderful location off the main road but so close to everything. The WiFi was terrible, which was only an issue because we had a family situation come up that we needed to deal with, but everything else about the hotel was amazing. Thank you for a great stay!

Location
Good restaurants next door! Easy to walk around, closer to the center of town, safe.
Staff
The staff were so friendly and accommodating!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Day-Trip to Española Island
Day-Trip to Española Island
Galapagos Islands

This was our favorite activity. I had no idea I would enjoy seeing the albatrosses as much as I did--the mating ritual was fascinating. The blue-footed boobies were amazing as well, and so close I couldn't believe it. We also saw a Galapagos hawk and its nest. We saw a baby sea lion so young the placenta was still next to the mom. Marine iguanas everywhere, swimming and basking on lava rocks. Sweeping views of the ocean and the unusual landscape. The whole day was just magical.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Martin, our guide, and the boat crew on the Sharksky were beyond amazing.
Highlands of Santa Cruz Island
Highlands of Santa Cruz Island
Galapagos Islands

I couldn't believe how close the tortoises are (stay back 6 feet, but sometimes that's tricky!), nor could I believe how many there were. The cloud forest atmosphere was a nice change from the beaches and sunny skies on the other parts of the island. Having a super knowledgeable guide also made the experience perfect--we even had a stranger asking him questions, she she said we were lucky to have him as our guide! We knew Ulf was the best already, but that helped confirm it. We had great discussions and he answered all of our crazy questions. Also, the bike riding ended up being way more fun than I expected, even though it was raining and I got super muddy. It was so nice that the bus followed us, so my boyfriend was able to stop when he didn't feel like continuing but I was able to keep going.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station
Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station
Puerto Ayora
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Excursion to an uninhabited island
Excursion to an uninhabited island
Galapagos Islands

We went hiking on Bartolome and snorkeling at Pinnacle Rock, and both experiences were amazing. It was such a contrast to the other islands we had visited. The diversity of the Galapagos is just stunning. The hike up the 365 steps is actually really well designed, so it's doable for people of many fitness levels. Our guide stopped a lot to talk about the geography, geology, etc, which gave us a chance to catch our breath. The stairs are wide and safe. The timing on everything was really great.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Snorkel at Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)
Snorkel at Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Mathias Onisseit
Mathias
Mathias Onisseit
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Sep 09, 2022

Hi Jennifer,

I still wanted to thank you for your wonderful review! I am happy to hear that you and Cory enjoyed your trip to the Galapagos Islands, and that it had some positive surprises in store for you (for example the day trip to Española Island).
I will pass on your praises to Ulf, Liz, and everyone else involved in making this a special experience for you.

And a big thanks for sharing the photos, one can tell that you had a blast!

Take care and always safe travels,

Mathias

We are so lucky we found Kimkim!We had booke...
Galapagos Islands | Jul 10 - Jul 15, 2022

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Jamie S.
San Diego, CA | Reviewed on Jul 19, 2022
We are so lucky we found Kimkim!
We had booked our flight and airfare already and were looking at pre-booking excursions for our Galapagos trip on our own, piecemeal trying to choose companies based on websites and pricing. Then Kimkim came to the rescue! Our specialist from Ecuador responded right away and asked what our trip goals were. She fashioned an individual itinerary that was perfect with local guides - Julio and David - that were terrific. The packaged price was very reasonable...
Read more

We are so lucky we found Kimkim!
We had booked our flight and airfare already and were looking at pre-booking excursions for our Galapagos trip on our own, piecemeal trying to choose companies based on websites and pricing. Then Kimkim came to the rescue! Our specialist from Ecuador responded right away and asked what our trip goals were. She fashioned an individual itinerary that was perfect with local guides - Julio and David - that were terrific. The packaged price was very reasonable and we just got back from our trip of a lifetime very satisfied! Only reason I didn't give 5 stars was there was a gap of a day to two hearing back from Erika when I was trying to firm up some details, but it was quickly rectified with a call to Kimkim customer service.

Activity Reviews
Breeding Center & Wetlands of Isabela Island
Breeding Center & Wetlands of Isabela Island
Galapagos Islands

A nice walk through the Wetlands and informative Breeding Center tour - lots of marine iguanas and tortoises.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore Tintoreras Islet (Private)
Explore Tintoreras Islet (Private)
Puerto Villamil

Saw penguins, blue-footed boobies, sharks, sea lions - combo land walking and snorkeling tour

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kayaking Adventure in Isabela Island
Kayaking Adventure in Isabela Island
Galapagos Islands

Similar sights you see as the TIntoreras tour but you stay on the kayak - no walking - so good exercise and can get a bit closer to some of the wildlife - sea turtles, penguins. At the end we walked to Playa Concha to snorkel and that was great

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Excursion to Los Tuneles (Private)
Excursion to Los Tuneles (Private)
Galapagos Islands

About a 45 min bumpy boat ride that was a little bit freaky in rough waters, but the end result was worth it - walking and pictures with the Blue Footed boobies and then to a 2nd site where w snorkeled with sea turtles!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist:
Erika
Erika B.
Ecuador | Replied on Aug 11, 2022

Hi Jamie!
Thank you so much for your feedback! I am happy that everything was incredible for you and your family. Also, I will be working to improve this detail that you have mentioned!
Everything you have told us is important to us. I am delighted that everything went well and the guides provided you with an unforgettable experience.
I hope your visit Ecuador again and explore more of this beautiful country. Do not hesitate to contact me by Kimkim. I would be happy to help you again.
I hope to hear from you soon!
Best Regards from the Middle of the World
Erika

Everything was delightful with the guides ext...
Galapagos Islands | Jul 10 - Jul 15, 2022

L
Laurence S.
San Diego, CA | Reviewed on Jul 16, 2022
Everything was delightful with the guides extremely wonderful, esp Julio and David Read more

Everything was delightful with the guides extremely wonderful, esp Julio and David

Activity Review
Explore Tintoreras Islet (Private)
Explore Tintoreras Islet (Private)
Puerto Villamil
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist:
Erika
Erika B.
Ecuador | Replied on Aug 11, 2022

Dear Laurence,
Much appreciation for your comments! I'm happy to know that everything went perfectly for you and your family.
I hope you return to Ecuador and take in more of this stunning nation. Please feel free to contact me via Kimkim. I'd be happy to assist you once more.
Best wishes from Ecuador
Erika

Rediscovering Ecuador—An Extraordinary Adventure
Galapagos Islands | Jun 14 - Jun 28, 2022

Mike
Mike B.
Boston, MA | Reviewed on Jul 01, 2022
We had the great good fortune to work with Daniel Larrea over the course of two years as we navigated COVID to plan our Rediscovery of Ecuador. Daniel arranged the first leg of our visit to the Galápagos Islands on the beautiful Galapagos Legend. The ship was most comfortable; the crew paid great attention to the many needs of their guests; and the guides/naturalists were knowledgeable and great fun. The second leg of our journey was intended to revisit Quito and surrounding areas and to... Read more

We had the great good fortune to work with Daniel Larrea over the course of two years as we navigated COVID to plan our Rediscovery of Ecuador. Daniel arranged the first leg of our visit to the Galápagos Islands on the beautiful Galapagos Legend. The ship was most comfortable; the crew paid great attention to the many needs of their guests; and the guides/naturalists were knowledgeable and great fun. The second leg of our journey was intended to revisit Quito and surrounding areas and to reconnect with family. While we were not able to follow much of our originally planned itinerary due to social unrest and changing circumstances, we knew we were in great hands with Daniel who was concerned for our safety and in regular touch, keeping us apprised of a very fluid situation. Our driver/guide, Christian Chalcualan, provided safe passage to a number of alternative destinations and exhibited great knowledge of the culture and country. We particularly enjoyed the Guayasamin Museum, the cable car ride to Teleferico, and a visit to beautiful Papallacta with its hot springs and hiking. We also very much enjoyed our stay at La Palma Polo Club in the bucolic setting of Puembo. We would highly recommend Daniel for his personal touch, attention to detail, knowledge and love of Ecuador. Words cannot possibly express how grateful we are to Daniel with whom we look forward to planning our return trip!!

Hotel Reviews
Boutique Expedition Legend
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Patio Andaluz
Quito
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Daniel Larrea
Daniel
Daniel Larrea
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Jul 01, 2022
Hola Joannie and Mikes!
Thank you so much for these kinds words :)
I must say that being in contact with you for these two years has been truly amazing and you have no idea how thankful and honored I was to be part of this big story and unique experience!
It was a bummer that many plans had to change due to the situation (which is finally under control!) but the changes we managed to do were just as amazing! I truly hope you had a wonderful experience and forged everlasting memories in our...
Read more

Hola Joannie and Mikes!
Thank you so much for these kinds words :)
I must say that being in contact with you for these two years has been truly amazing and you have no idea how thankful and honored I was to be part of this big story and unique experience!
It was a bummer that many plans had to change due to the situation (which is finally under control!) but the changes we managed to do were just as amazing! I truly hope you had a wonderful experience and forged everlasting memories in our lovely country. You all are fantastic people!
Looking forward so we can meet again someday.
Best regards from the middle of the world,
Daniel :)

7 day trip to the Galapagos
Galapagos Islands | Jun 9 - Jun 15, 2022

Ciaran
Ciaran C.
Colombia | Reviewed on Jun 16, 2022
Lucia helped us out so much after we had some inconvenience getting into Ecuador, and had to change our flights and plans at such short notice.
The itinerary was amazing, with lots of snorkeling, and day trips, with some free time to explore and do more ourselves.
The only minor inconvenience was that when it said that breakfast was included we were not sure if it was in the hotel or on the tour. It was in the hotel so we missed breakfast our first day
All the guides in the Galapagos were...
Read more

Lucia helped us out so much after we had some inconvenience getting into Ecuador, and had to change our flights and plans at such short notice.
The itinerary was amazing, with lots of snorkeling, and day trips, with some free time to explore and do more ourselves.
The only minor inconvenience was that when it said that breakfast was included we were not sure if it was in the hotel or on the tour. It was in the hotel so we missed breakfast our first day
All the guides in the Galapagos were very knowledgeable and helpful.

Activity Reviews
Welcome to Santa Cruz Island:  Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station
Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station
Puerto Ayora

Great way to get to know the Galapagos and the local wildlife

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Morning Bay Tour & Afternoon at leisure in Santa Cruz
Morning Bay Tour & Afternoon at leisure in Santa Cruz
Puerto Ayora

Great snorkeling, some great videos and pictures from this experience, and our guide knew the best places to see turtles and other fish. The hike and swim were also incredible

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Speedboat to Santa Cruz Island & Kayaking on Tortuga Bay
Speedboat to Santa Cruz Island & Kayaking on Tortuga Bay
Galapagos Islands

Our guide Viviana was great but we couldn't see much on the kayaks as the water was quite cloudy and dirty. Tortuga bay is a must visit on Santa Cruz island though!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Excursion to Los Túneles
Excursion to Los Túneles
Galapagos Islands

Incredible snorkeling experiences, guide knew the best spots and was very accomodating to help get pictures and videos using the GoPro. Very knowledgeable on the local wildlife and surrounding area

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Discover Pinzon Island & La Fé
Discover Pinzon Island & La Fé
Puerto Ayora

First snorkel spot was very wavy and tough to see much. Second snorkel spot was so clear as we swam with sea lions, turtles, sharks and more! Definitely worth it for the second snorkel alone. Did some fishing (didn't catch anything unfortunately), got a lovely lunch on the boat, and enjoyed both la fe and pinzon

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Wildlife Tour on Isabela Island
Wildlife Tour on Isabela Island
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Lucia Cazar
Lucia
Lucia Cazar
Local specialist in Ecuador | Replied on Jun 20, 2022

Hola Chas,

Thank you for your nice words, we will be working to improve those details! We look forward to welcoming you to Ecuador again!

Kind regards,

Lucía.