Kimkim Trip Reviews for Galapagos Islands

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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)

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

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)

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

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)

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

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

Activity Review

Explore Tintoreras Islet (Private)

Puerto Villamil

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip turned out to be one of the best we’ve ever taken! The kimkim team switched team members mid planning but after a “get to know you” period all was good! Covid also played a major roll in getting this trip from planning to execution. So even though we had some hiccups, all turned out well.

Daniel Larrea, our travel planner, put together an amazing itinerary. Learning about my passion for art, he created an Art day for me. From touring museums to wandering through the street art fair, I saw amazing Ecuadorian art. Our guide, Daniel Silva, was engaging, honest and a joy to be around. He guided us for two days around Quito. From the Art day to the City walk day, our days were filled with stunning churches, an engaging cooking class and lots of knowledge about a city I knew little about. It was a wonderful experience.

Daniel Larrea also provided us with seamless transfers between airports and locations. Upon our arrival in Baltra, we expected a driver to our hotel. What we got was an incredible naturalist, Vivianna, who took us to a land tortoise preserve, giving us a first class tour and background of this incredible animal. Then we were taken to our hotel for the evening. The morning transfer from the hotel back to Baltra to meet the cruise team was seamless. My husband, who typically avoids tours and having people meet us at the airport and guide us to a our hotel, actually really saw the value and agrees this is the only way to travel from now on!

Thank you kimkim for making our trip to Ecuador and its natural wonders one for the ages!

A quick note that my family had an amazing trip to the Galapagos. A special thank you to Mathias who helped with the pre-planning, advance trip details and check-ins during the trip to make sure everything went smoothly.
We visited all three islands and had great excursions and experiences on all. Mathias planned just enough snorkeling, hiking and travel with down time to spend with the family. ALL of our guides were top notch and were prompt and very knowledgeable and engaging.
It is hard to pick favorites as we encountered something special everyday from swimming with playful sea lions to having an hour on our own private beach. Bartolome Island is a must and seeing and snorkeling with the penguins was an added bonus.
It was a once in a lifetime trip for my family and the service we received was A+ - thank you Mathias

Hotel Reviews

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Services were very good. Staff was very helpful. The hotel had a good courtyard for breakfast and leisure, and we enjoyed the rooftop for evening family social time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

right on the ocean

Staff

very helpful. We did our laundry on this portion of the trip with the hotel. Well done and very reasonable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Very comfortable rooms and beds. Breakfast was good and location close to but off the strip was ideal for my family.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Interpretation Center & Tijeretas Hill

Galapagos Islands

Enrique was a great guide. He got us all setup with our snorkel gear and wet suits. He gave us a good overview and let us view the interpretation center before going snorkeling. He was a great snorkeling guide. We went further into the cove with him and definitely saw more marine life. The sea lions were great, and this was the first place we swam with the turtles.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fantastic!

Transport

Timely and comfortable

Snorkel at Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)

Galapagos Islands

Great rip- we really enjoyed the beach stop and of course kicker rock. Snorkeling on the beach was fun and then seeing the hammerheads and marine life around kicker rock was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was excellent, boat was very good. They spotted dolphins on the way out and engaged us with them.

Transport

Timely. Boat was comfortable.

Exploring Isabela Island by bike

Galapagos Islands

This was our relaxing day. Bike ride was fun and we stopped at different spots on the ride. We really enjoyed body surfing and swimming on the beautiful beach.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

picking up the bikes was easy with the service from Emilee

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

Maximo was excellent - the kids got to see a school of 20+ young sharks. The tunnels and landscape are amazing. We were treated to some great blue footed boobie dances on this trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

This was very close to the hotel and a shorter trip. We saw sea lions, many turtles and snorkeled over the sleeping sharks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

This was a very special day and trip. Roughly two hours to get to the island via boat but well worth the time. The hike tour was very information on the volcanic formation. And the view ..... WOW. The lunch was great and the snorkeling with the penguins was something everyone wanted to see.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were very information, engaging.

Transport

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

This was a very relaxing day before we left the island. Our guide was simply fantastic! Seeing and learning about the tortoises were great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tamer created us a brilliant trip to the Galápagos Islands which turned out to be the most wonderful experience. Tamer was extremely helpful with all our requests and very quick at responding and assisted us beyond what was required! What we loved were the personal touches including greeting us as Quito airport and checking in with us whilst we were out there, not to mention my generous bday gift! All tours and pickups were smooth with no issues. We had lovely hotels with excellent views, friendly staff and were all clean. Acacia hotel was our personal favourite. All three islands were beautiful. We would highly recommend the Pinzon snorkelling tour, Kicker rock, the volcano Hike aswell as the trip to Espagnola! Memorable guides include Vivienne from Santa Cruz who took us on the highlands tours to see the amazing giant tortoises and Sol in San Cristobal. We will be forever grateful to Tamer for organising this trip for us who even went out of his way to help my husband plan something nice for my birthday. We would highly recommend!

Hotel Review

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Everything from cleanliness and service to breakfast was absolutely brilliant. We couldn't not fault this place!

Authenticity & Character

Lovely rooms with good decor

Location

Close proximity to restaurants, pier, shops.

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sparkling clean

Activity Reviews

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

Puerto Ayora

Discover Pinzon Island & La Fé

Puerto Ayora

A successful trip! we saw so much- sea turtles, rays, sharks and played with sea lions. Boat was comfortable and food great too

Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

The hike took us about 5 hours and was more challenging than expected but definitely rewarding with stunning views!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

* It was a 'last minute' solo trip of high expectations - they have been meet in 99% .
1% missing for skipping few breakfasts ahead of several-hours long activities - overlooking timings of my breakfast VS my departure - accommodation places could have prepared take away breakfast.

* Quality level of the activities will depend on a random assignment of the available guide. I have had a luck to meet wonderful knowledgable Señor Wilson Rojas at San Cristóbal Island, who provided me with the knowledge for the whole trip in one go.

* Planning the trip conversation is very American-tourist oriented; you are flooded with overly merry and abundant in adjectives vocabulary, as if you haven't chosen the place yet and you need to be convinced (feels like advertising to sell) - unnecessary; you need to fish out from all the redundant content what actually is the essence that the place has to offer - bullet points KIKKIM Guys, no need to sell me, what I have chosen to buy already, lol.

* Reliable, fluid logistics, well-in-place communication and organisation (even though remote), all details, including most of petty expenses have been secured. Overall great experience with KIMKIM; and guides preparing my plan - Lucia and Dani - gracias!

Hotel Review

Hotel Deja Vu Galapagos

Pto. Ayora

Overpriced for the value ($140 per night is outrageous); * Choice of young travellers (16+); very noisy, as adolescences are fun (not rest) oriented * Room comfort is low (old furnitures, bed sheets, no aesthetics) * Insufficient internet - almost not working when hotel has 50% of residents in place * Far from the main street

Authenticity & Character

Furniture, bed sheets, overall aesthetics and integrity of the place - all seemed of random choice

Location

Nothing... building is built already :) ...bit far from the main street, unpleasant too come back to at night

Staff

Standard, polite, informative staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Not much comfort, noisy, practically no internet

Activity Review

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

Very interesting deep water spot, lots of wildlife to observe, long satisfying activity, rest on serene scenic island in vicinity. Enjoyable boat facilities.

Quality of Experience

Uninhabited island visited after the snorkelling, where you can observe marine iguanas.

Food

Excellent diversity available for customers on any type of diet.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Standard

Transport

Great full-day-trip-equipped boat, unfortunately gasoline polluted water in a bathroom, they had it covered with extra water supply.

Linda, Sebastian, and Alejandro were all fantastic! Linda planned the perfect week for our family to enjoy activities and take in the beautiful country. We had so much fun and loved our accommodations and tours. Would absolutely recommend!

Hotel Review

Old Town Quito Suites

Centro Historico, Quito

Super comfortable, great rooms, and really nice kitchen set up.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Quito Cooking Class

Ecuador

This was so fun and engaging for our kids! It ended up being quite tasty, too. A real highlight!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had an INCREDIBLE trip to the Galapagos, with major MAJOR thanks to Daniel (and his colleague Alvaro). They took the time to understand me and what I wanted to do (they knew I liked to swim, wanted to see animals, and would be a solo traveler so would need support with logistics, etc) - and then organized an itinerary that solved for all of this. Daniel was always available to help me answer questions and ensure I was set for the next day, and really made me feel welcome. He even left a welcome package for me at the hotel the first night I arrived, with some gifts and a welcome message (and an incredible hand drawing he did himself). My final day I had a 6 hour layover in the airport, so Daniel and Alvaro actually came and picked me up and took me out to dinner as well. I even had an incident where clothes in my suitcase got wet in the rain one day in the Galapagos during transport, and a local person came and picked up my clothes, dried them, and brought them back the next morning. Overall the entire experience was so wonderful, hassle-free, and really nice - I always felt safe, taken care of, and relaxed when it came to thinking about the trip. I had a great time in both Puerto Ayora and Puerto Villamil (Isabel island was really amazing), and also on all the side trips where I benefitted from Daniel's recommendations (e.g., Bartolome Island). The best part is that Daniel made all of this happen on incredibly short notice - I asked to book the trip just one week before I traveled. I'm super SUPER grateful to Daniel, Alvaro, KimKim, and all of the local partner agencies, and I can't wait to meet Daniel and everyone again sometime in Ecuador. Thank you thank you :)

Hotel Review

La Casa de Marita

Puerto Villamil

Really loved this hotel. The staff were INCREDIBLY nice, the food at the restaurant was amazing, and the location right on the beach was perfect to take a swim any time of day. Perhaps the only downside was that the roof had a leak so on a rainy night I had to put a towel on the floor where the roof was leaking, but I think this will be fixed. Overall, really happy to have stayed here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

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

Puerto Ayora

Day trip to Bartolome island was amazing, highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the best trip to the Galapagos Islands with Jackeline's help! She helped us decide between a few types of trips and was always available to answer questions. We picked an 8-day cruise through the Galapagos and it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Jackeline called ahead to let the crew know it was a special trip for us. Our cabin on the boat was upgraded and the chef baked us a surprise cake (no easy task on a small yacht!). We realized we needed a covid test to re-enter the states and Jackeline had someone meet us at the airport to administer. It was so easy and seamless - we had results within one hour. I highly recommend Jackeline, KimKim and the Galapagos Islands for future travel!!

Planning my trip to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands was a daunting task. Luckily I found kimkim and especially Mathias to guide me on a fantastic journey. Mathias worked closely with me to customize the perfect itinerary for all the things I wanted to do and see. Not only this, but Mathias gave me great advice ranging from packing lists to to restaurants to how to split up my time across locations. He also scheduled things like airport/hotel pickups, taxi boat fees and Covid testing which made my life so much simpler. It’s also great that kimkim has a chat tool that let us communicate throughout the whole process.

What put Mathias and this service beyond 5 stars is that after booking, the support didn’t stop. We had frequent communications each day of the trip, ensuring I had a good time on the excursion and was ready for the next day. And each event was top quality, often with private guides!

I was beyond impressed with Mathias and the kimkim service. I 100% recommend the use of the service for a complicated trip like Ecuador and the Galapagos.

Hotel Review

Tambopaxi Cotopaxi Lodge

Parque Nacional Cotopaxi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

So great to get some exercise in the kayak and explore where a boat cannot go. Swam with marine iguanas and sea lions, and saw penguins too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Planning a visit to a “bucket list” location like the Galapagos can be daunting…especially if you are a working parent on a budget. Whereas many people will tell you that you need to go via a “got you covered, take you everywhere and serve your every need” cruise, that just wasn’t in our budget…and quite frankly, isn’t our style either. We’ve traveled to 5 continents and doing it on our own – getting local flavor – that’s the way we’ve planned all of our trips…But to do the Galapagos right, (in a pandemic!)..well, we were beyond thankful to have KimKim (and Daniel specifically) on our team.

Originally planned to go in December 2020, we needed to postpone during the pre-vaccination Covid days. So, we punted a year – and rejiggered our thoughts. We shared what our interests were…hiking, horseback riding, snorkeling...and a little down time. We shared our budget. We shared our needs and wants. And KimKim came up with several options for us to look through and decide between. Once we were a go, we felt great about our itinerary – and even got hotel confirmations to help us feel like we for sure had a place to go (something we worried about a little since we’d never done business with KimKim before.).

At the last minute – weeks before our trip – we asked to add a new option to our plan. Again, KimKim came through. In the end, we were able to explore four islands and had a really wonderful understanding of the geography, endemic animals, and saw every bird, reptile, amphibian, and mammal on our list more than once. We’re an active family – we were genuinely very happy with how busy our days were but that we also had evenings and sometimes afternoons to do a little swimming in the ocean and enjoy local flavors.

We had guides meet us at every point, helping us navigate tricky things like the boats between Santa Cruz and Isabela…if we needed dinner ideas or reservations, they were there. And if a guide was running behind, we had Daniel on WhatsApp always willing to check things out and ensure we had what we needed in real time. As we were there over the holidays, we also appreciated Daniel explaining local traditions to us so we weren’t operating as ugly tourists (and also knew to buy some grapes to bring in the new year!)

In short, we cannot recommend KimKim / Daniel highly enough.

This was Eileen’s dream trip. In March of 2020 we came one question away from booking our trip with another company when COVID-19 stopped the world.

At the beginning of June 2021 we started talking to KimKim and they connected us with Daniel Larrea, their Ecuadoran expert. They could not have found anyone better. Three different itineraries came to us in a couple of days. They were all good, but one was really on target for us. We asked, and Daniel answered a lot of questions over the next few months. A number of tweaks to the schedule were not a problem. We booked and waited for October.

At every step, Daniel was superb and a pleasure to speak with from the “middle of the world” as he likes to say. Responses to our questions came within hours.
They always contained an amazing level of detail, whether on hotels, guides, pickups, or transfers. Everything was well planned.

He even came to meet us at the hotel the day we landed!

We got home on November 4th and it could not have gone better. Everything Daniel arranged worked out like clockwork. The guide, David, in Quito was a true professional. He has an amazing level of knowledge on everything from history to the flora and fauna we saw along the way. After we expressed interest he rearranged the whole 5 day schedule so that we could participate in the Sunday Quito bike ride. The bonus to that was being able to hike at Cotopaxi on Monday with almost no one else there.

Once we transferred to the Galapagos, the ship the Integrity, was luxurious and beyond our expectations. The staff was outstanding. Having a stateroom with a kingsize bed, a private balcony, and only 16 other guests certainly helped add to the level of luxury and attention provided. 8 days flew by in a blur of hikes, snorkeling, kayaking led by the expert naturalists on board. All of the meals were delicious and varied and they accommodated a dietary restriction perfectly .

Another terrific choice by Daniel was our guide in Guayaquil. Francisco provided us with a wonderful city tour in the morning and early afternoon. He then came back to get us at the hotel at 11 PM to drive us to the airport and walk us through every aspect of airport check-in up until we said our goodbyes at the entrance to security.

We are happy to give top marks in every category for Daniel and all the folks he lined up to take care of us. The KimKim model of using local experts certainly worked for us and we wholeheartedly recommend the company and its chosen experts!

Peruvian Soul is amazing!! They crafted a truly unique dream vacation to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos. Nicholas and the entire team navigated the challenges of Covid in the most exceptional ways and took all the stress away to experience a dream vacation of a lifetime. Julio is a world class guide who lead our trip through Peru. We got to see the sunrise over the Temple of Sun near the solstice and we got to see the full effect and connect with the ancient Incas through this shared experience. The Galapagos was also amazing, and the team took care of the intricacies of traveling there so we could enjoy swimming with Penguins worry free! Truly remarkable, I highly recommend Peruvian Soul.

We had a wonderful trip to the Galapagos! the trip went smooth and we always had a guide to meet us at different islands upon arrival. Our guides were helpful and great at rectifying situations. For instance, my boyfriend and I were going to go on a snorkel/dive session. He was going to dive while I snorkeled, but we were going to be on the same boat. For some reason, I was instructed by one of the boat companies to go on a different boat. I assumed we were meeting together but thought it was odd. Our guide Darwin recognized this and called the guide on my boat and asked them to turn around so we could be on the same boat. Darwin was great at looking out for us! Our flight also got delayed and he was able to change his schedule so that we could walk around the island more instead of wait for several hours in the airport. Also, I had left my phone charger on a different Island and Karina, our guide from that Island, had it sent to Darwin! I figured it was gone forever! All in all, the Galapagos is a wonderful place and we would love to return!