Kimkim Trip Reviews for Guatemala

We found Guatemala to be more friendly, cheaper, more interesting and way, way safer than the other Central American countries that we've toured, especially Mexico. We felt safe walking anywhere, excluding Guatemala City, including night. People are smiling and unusually kind, both to us and to each other. We did the standard Antigua, Tikal, Atitlan route. The latter was the most interesting, especially when we took an extra day to go to the villages the tourists don't normally visit. And... read more

We found Guatemala to be more friendly, cheaper, more interesting and way, way safer than the other Central American countries that we've toured, especially Mexico. We felt safe walking anywhere, excluding Guatemala City, including night. People are smiling and unusually kind, both to us and to each other. We did the standard Antigua, Tikal, Atitlan route. The latter was the most interesting, especially when we took an extra day to go to the villages the tourists don't normally visit. And though all guides and drivers were fine, Pedro in Atitlan was the best.

Special thanks to Eduardo at kimkim. He had to plan our trip 3 times (twice delayed due to Covid restrictions.) I ask lots of questions and requested many particular changes to the itinerary. He always responded quickly. During the trip he was very attentive, coming to our hotel to review things and always available on the phone. The only two issues we encountered occurred on Sunday nights and he was available and on top of it even then.

In Flores near Tikal, recommend staying at a hotel on the island, not the other side of the bridge and definitely not the El Patio hotel (we were moved upon request.) The 5 star hotels in Antigua, Camino Real and the Casa Santa Domingo (the latter built around museums and not to be missed) were fantastic. Every hotel, including the $50/nite Regis in Panajachel, included great breakfasts.

Tourism is still down 50% or more in Guatemala so take this opportunity to
Visit.

What an amazing trip. We cant say enough good things about the experience. Guatemala was definitely a very special place and by the 5 th day we were already planning our next trip back!
Eduardo had the trip so nicely set up. We flew into Guatemala and spent the night ( Eduardo was right that we should have just gone on to Antigua but we wanted to see the city) We walked a few streets in Guatemala city and then headed to Antigua that was amazing. La Porta hotel was beautiful. The to the... read more

What an amazing trip. We cant say enough good things about the experience. Guatemala was definitely a very special place and by the 5 th day we were already planning our next trip back!
Eduardo had the trip so nicely set up. We flew into Guatemala and spent the night ( Eduardo was right that we should have just gone on to Antigua but we wanted to see the city) We walked a few streets in Guatemala city and then headed to Antigua that was amazing. La Porta hotel was beautiful. The to the Lake Atitlan that might be the most beautiful place we have ever stayed. Laguna Lodge was lovely and a really great experience. Casa del Mundo was beyond beautiful. Our boats and transportation worked great and for 6 people people that is saying a lot! Especially as two were seniors and all learning the language. We always felt within phone call of Eduardo and he checked on us if we didnt check in. He is amazing and cant say how much we appreciate him.

We had a fantastic and convenient experience booking with kimkim. The staff was helpful and promptly answered all of our questions. I would definitely book with kimkim again in the future!

We found out about Kimkim originally trying to plan a Morocco trip back in 2020 but that fell through so thought we'd give them a try in Guatemala. Of course it is different guides in each country for Kimkim, but sooo glad we did as Eduardo made our trip in Guatemala! He was so easy to work with, helped that he spoke English (my Spanish is rustier than I thought ha) , very accommodating for our changing plans, and super knowledgeable about the area.

He adjusted our itinerary to what we... read more

We found out about Kimkim originally trying to plan a Morocco trip back in 2020 but that fell through so thought we'd give them a try in Guatemala. Of course it is different guides in each country for Kimkim, but sooo glad we did as Eduardo made our trip in Guatemala! He was so easy to work with, helped that he spoke English (my Spanish is rustier than I thought ha) , very accommodating for our changing plans, and super knowledgeable about the area.

He adjusted our itinerary to what we were interested in and also was able to recommend activities that we should consider on our short 5 day stay in Guatemala. Didnt make it easy for him with the back and forth and he was very understanding, patient and kind!

We went to Lake Atitlan for few days , one more day there made it for us since we cancelled the overnight Acatenango volcano hike (due to a massive earthquake a few days prior that made us unsure to go), did a boat tour to see villages in the area with a coffee co-op tour and a women's textile tour, Chichicastenango and for the 3 of us ,Iximche Mayan Ruins tour, and a last minute zip lining trip! The clutch part of changing our itinerary was that it allowed some extra costs to go to COVID tests - Eduardo scheduled a COVID test tech to come to our accommodations , and send our results that same day so we didnt have to worry about where to go and take it before our flight.. sooo helpful and saved us headaches! And also scheduling shuttles to get us to the airport on time the next day.

All in all, our favorite was Pablo the guide with Old Town Outfitters as our guide for Lake Atitlan as he was humble, knowledgeable, funny and warm, and never pressured us to do anything . He was truly genuine in trying to educate us about the Guatemalan / Mayan culture and took joy when we found joy in learning. He was amazing! It made the part of the trip with him, and all the tours that much more enjoyable. Stay at the Hotel San Buenaventura de Atitlán in Panajachel - the property there is just perfect - with beach waterfront and a pool, breakfast included and tap water that was drinkable! (GAMECHANGER). Lake Atitlan is wonderful! Make sure you take a dip in it - and float to soak in the magic of being surrounded by all the volcanos, a blue sky, and birds chirping all around you! Alex our guide for Iximche Mayan Ruins was also our favorite - he shared the same enthusiasm as Pablo for educating us on his Mayan culture to us and we wish he had more time with him. Ask to taste the corn "moonshine"!

Also cant forget our driver Antonio - who was personable, excited to educate us more about Guatemala and converse with us and our choppy Spanish. He was great as well.

Can't highly recommend Eduardo and Kimkim enough. It would be the easiest and best way to get around the country, seeing everything you want to see and more :)

Hotel Reviews

San Buenaventura Hotel

Panajachel

Overall Rating

Hotel Review

If and when we return to Lake Atitlán, I would 100% book a stay at the Hotel Sanbuenaventura. We got to stay in a standard double bed room one night and upgraded to a two-story suite the following night. Both rooms were very clean with comfortable beds, FILTERED TAP WATER(!), delicious breakfasts (we did not eat lunch and they do not provide dinner). The property feels very tropical with lush landscaping, a beautiful heated pool and many lookout points and green space where you can admire the beautiful lake and volcanos on the horizon. We were always looked after by the hotel staff, they called tuk tuks every time we needed to go into the city center (takes about 15 minutes for them to arrive so plan accordingly).

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Staff

Authenticity & Character

San Buenaventura Hotel

Panajachel

Overall Rating

Hotel Review

this was my favorite hotel stay! There are two types of rooms - when you go into this entrance -the left hand side is the 1 room - 2 twin size bed standard stay with access to this back patio with a table/chairs and access to the lush property. the right hand side door is the suite - that has the 1 room 2 twin size and an upstairs which has two sofa that turn into beds if need, a kitchenette and microwave and mini fridge. There is also an outdoor patio there. I stayed in both and they were both lovely. The best part is that the faucet water is drinkable and pretty good tasting ( I drink filtered water at home in San Francisco and it is pretty close!) Crowd: not crowded, and it seemed like it was more of a local staycation spot which I loved! quiet, not rowdy or anything although we were in between two hotels that seemed crazy on the weekends - bass and loud late music Decor: simple yet guatemalan colors and textiles were represented. Beds: were a bit more firm for my taste but I dont sleep in tempurpedics, I am convinced the Guatemalan people need these firm beds! Cleanliness: pretty clean, in the room and property all throughout Friendly Staff: super friendly, front staff speaks english and also staff for breakfast Onsite Ambiance: beautiful and amazing! It is like a mini lush forest/garden! and a onsite beach front, with a pool (more like a wading pool) but so beautiful and relaxing! This was one of the highlights for me - swimming in the lake and being surrounded by all the volcanos and blue sky. Notes: it is pretty close to town and you can have the front desk call you tuk tuks to get you there. mostly for food but we didnt do much else as we did a village boat tour.

Tips for future travelers

all the beds are a bit firm - although the sofa beds upstairs in the suite is more soft if that is a concern for you!

Location

secluded but close to town

Cleanliness & Comfort

Staff

all friendly and helpful

Authenticity & Character

simple decor but still vibrant with the Guatemalan colors

Activity Reviews

Lake Atitlan - Village Tour

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

Over 2 days, Pablo Chumil and his expert boat captains took us to 3 villages - San Juan, San Pedro and Santiago Atitlan. We spent the majority of time in charming San Juan, visiting it over 2 days. At first I didn't know why we would go to the village twice but I am so glad we did - we spent 1 day touring an organic coffee cooperative, LA VOZ QUE CLAMA EN EL DECIERTO, SAN JUAN LA LAGUNA and the next day at a women's owned textiles coop, Artesania La Voz De Los Tzutujiles (coincidence in naming). We only made a brief stop in San Pedro so I can't comment on my experience there. Santiago Atitlan was so rich in Mayan history - we visited Maximon, ate the best traditional Mayan/Guatemalan lunch, and enjoyed soaking up the sights and sounds of their culture. I would highly recommend spending an afternoon here. To quote Jurassic Park, "hold on to your butts" during afternoon boat trips across the lake - the water is surprisingly choppy and some rides can be ~30-40 minutes if you're going across the lake. Calm in the mornings, but it was a fun experience! A few of us get sea sickness so we were prepared (turns out natural non-drowsy Dramamine = ginger pills) but we didn't get it too badly.

Transport

Guides, drivers and staff

Our drivers were so exceptionally skillful at navigating a particularly windy afternoon - our boat was top notch as well!

Quality of Experience

Lake Atitlan - Village Tour

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

we loved having Pablo as our guide! the boat crew were amazing as well. The boat ride to each village was somewhere between pleasant to splish splash, and slight nausea as it was windy when we went at end of February (which apparently is the windiest time of the year). Nonetheless, the crew was great and especially Pablo who is super knowledgeable, spoke English, and has this calm and friendly demeanor!

Transport

Antonio was super friendly and funny! and drove carefully especially on the windy roads, which we appreciated

Guides, drivers and staff

Quality of Experience

Coffee tour San Juan la Laguna "La Voz que clama en el desierto"

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

Pablo was our guide who took us to see Lucas who was one of the owners of La Voz. This was one of our favorite tours on the village tour trip! Lucas is amazing- and we were able to tour the entire property from taste testing (soo good!) to procuring the beans, to roasting to packaging . We loved how we were able to see the entire process and see how dedicated and enthusiastic they were in showing us around. You can really tell they care and love what they do. We each bought at least a bag of medium roast beans home - some for souvenirs. Make sure to ask for their freshest bag! The only thing I wished was getting that banana cake - it looked good to pair with the coffee haha

Transport

Guides, drivers and staff

their enthusiasm, and care

Quality of Experience

seeing the entire process, walk and see and smell everything!

Textile-Weaving Tour & water activity at Cristalinas

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

Another one of our favorite tours! Although we didnt sense the same enthusiasm in these women - we probably caught them doing the 238947 tour of the day but we loved it nonetheless, so understandable. I was pulled in on understanding more of the Guatemalan and Mayan culture in women supporting their lives by contributing in making textiles! the colors, the process , and the traditional of passing it down from mother/grandmother/female mentor down to the next generation - was all fascinating. Especially the part where they use all natural ingredients to dye the cotton, and some with changing hues of color depending on when you pick the plant whether close to full moon or not. Amazing! We were able to test out how to spin the cotton into yarn, and crushing some herbs for dye, and also see them dye the yarn. At the end of the tour, we were able to see everything that they made and even purchase some. I personally purchased this bright multicolored shirt, that had hand woven mayan calendar in the front and i love it! Even after we went into other shops that sold similar items after this tour, this shop still had the highest quality. Pablo shared this with us after we asked about Chichicastenango textiles there - and I have to agree! And this properly supports the co-op they started here and they invest it back into the people and the community, so keep this in mind! :) Support the women here and their lovely hand made items. Oh and they take CC - make sure to use one that doesnt have foreign transaction fees :)

Food

Transport

Guides, drivers and staff

Quality of Experience

We leveraged kimkim for a Guatemala trip and they made our stay so smooth and convenient. Eduardo organized transportation (to/from the airport and local tour destinations), COVID-19 testing, lodging, and hooked us up with some of the best local tour guides I've experienced. What was great about the itinerary was that it provided a nice structure while being very flexible. We made a few changes in plans and Eduardo navigated those changes with finesse. With kimkim, we had the luxury of... read more

We leveraged kimkim for a Guatemala trip and they made our stay so smooth and convenient. Eduardo organized transportation (to/from the airport and local tour destinations), COVID-19 testing, lodging, and hooked us up with some of the best local tour guides I've experienced. What was great about the itinerary was that it provided a nice structure while being very flexible. We made a few changes in plans and Eduardo navigated those changes with finesse. With kimkim, we had the luxury of worrying less about travel logistics and could really focus on enjoying the finer parts of the stay.

Overall, working with kimkim was an exceptional experience during our visit.

Hotel Reviews

San Buenaventura Hotel

Panajachel

Overall Rating

Hotel Review

If and when we return to Lake Atitlán, I would 100% book a stay at the Hotel Sanbuenaventura. We got to stay in a standard double bed room one night and upgraded to a two-story suite the following night. Both rooms were very clean with comfortable beds, FILTERED TAP WATER(!), delicious breakfasts (we did not eat lunch and they do not provide dinner). The property feels very tropical with lush landscaping, a beautiful heated pool and many lookout points and green space where you can admire the beautiful lake and volcanos on the horizon. We were always looked after by the hotel staff, they called tuk tuks every time we needed to go into the city center (takes about 15 minutes for them to arrive so plan accordingly).

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Staff

Authenticity & Character

San Buenaventura Hotel

Panajachel

Overall Rating

Hotel Review

this was my favorite hotel stay! There are two types of rooms - when you go into this entrance -the left hand side is the 1 room - 2 twin size bed standard stay with access to this back patio with a table/chairs and access to the lush property. the right hand side door is the suite - that has the 1 room 2 twin size and an upstairs which has two sofa that turn into beds if need, a kitchenette and microwave and mini fridge. There is also an outdoor patio there. I stayed in both and they were both lovely. The best part is that the faucet water is drinkable and pretty good tasting ( I drink filtered water at home in San Francisco and it is pretty close!) Crowd: not crowded, and it seemed like it was more of a local staycation spot which I loved! quiet, not rowdy or anything although we were in between two hotels that seemed crazy on the weekends - bass and loud late music Decor: simple yet guatemalan colors and textiles were represented. Beds: were a bit more firm for my taste but I dont sleep in tempurpedics, I am convinced the Guatemalan people need these firm beds! Cleanliness: pretty clean, in the room and property all throughout Friendly Staff: super friendly, front staff speaks english and also staff for breakfast Onsite Ambiance: beautiful and amazing! It is like a mini lush forest/garden! and a onsite beach front, with a pool (more like a wading pool) but so beautiful and relaxing! This was one of the highlights for me - swimming in the lake and being surrounded by all the volcanos and blue sky. Notes: it is pretty close to town and you can have the front desk call you tuk tuks to get you there. mostly for food but we didnt do much else as we did a village boat tour.

Tips for future travelers

all the beds are a bit firm - although the sofa beds upstairs in the suite is more soft if that is a concern for you!

Location

secluded but close to town

Cleanliness & Comfort

Staff

all friendly and helpful

Authenticity & Character

simple decor but still vibrant with the Guatemalan colors

Activity Reviews

Lake Atitlan - Village Tour

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

Over 2 days, Pablo Chumil and his expert boat captains took us to 3 villages - San Juan, San Pedro and Santiago Atitlan. We spent the majority of time in charming San Juan, visiting it over 2 days. At first I didn't know why we would go to the village twice but I am so glad we did - we spent 1 day touring an organic coffee cooperative, LA VOZ QUE CLAMA EN EL DECIERTO, SAN JUAN LA LAGUNA and the next day at a women's owned textiles coop, Artesania La Voz De Los Tzutujiles (coincidence in naming). We only made a brief stop in San Pedro so I can't comment on my experience there. Santiago Atitlan was so rich in Mayan history - we visited Maximon, ate the best traditional Mayan/Guatemalan lunch, and enjoyed soaking up the sights and sounds of their culture. I would highly recommend spending an afternoon here. To quote Jurassic Park, "hold on to your butts" during afternoon boat trips across the lake - the water is surprisingly choppy and some rides can be ~30-40 minutes if you're going across the lake. Calm in the mornings, but it was a fun experience! A few of us get sea sickness so we were prepared (turns out natural non-drowsy Dramamine = ginger pills) but we didn't get it too badly.

Transport

Guides, drivers and staff

Our drivers were so exceptionally skillful at navigating a particularly windy afternoon - our boat was top notch as well!

Quality of Experience

Lake Atitlan - Village Tour

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

we loved having Pablo as our guide! the boat crew were amazing as well. The boat ride to each village was somewhere between pleasant to splish splash, and slight nausea as it was windy when we went at end of February (which apparently is the windiest time of the year). Nonetheless, the crew was great and especially Pablo who is super knowledgeable, spoke English, and has this calm and friendly demeanor!

Transport

Antonio was super friendly and funny! and drove carefully especially on the windy roads, which we appreciated

Guides, drivers and staff

Quality of Experience

Coffee tour San Juan la Laguna "La Voz que clama en el desierto"

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

Pablo was our guide who took us to see Lucas who was one of the owners of La Voz. This was one of our favorite tours on the village tour trip! Lucas is amazing- and we were able to tour the entire property from taste testing (soo good!) to procuring the beans, to roasting to packaging . We loved how we were able to see the entire process and see how dedicated and enthusiastic they were in showing us around. You can really tell they care and love what they do. We each bought at least a bag of medium roast beans home - some for souvenirs. Make sure to ask for their freshest bag! The only thing I wished was getting that banana cake - it looked good to pair with the coffee haha

Transport

Guides, drivers and staff

their enthusiasm, and care

Quality of Experience

seeing the entire process, walk and see and smell everything!

Textile-Weaving Tour & water activity at Cristalinas

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

Another one of our favorite tours! Although we didnt sense the same enthusiasm in these women - we probably caught them doing the 238947 tour of the day but we loved it nonetheless, so understandable. I was pulled in on understanding more of the Guatemalan and Mayan culture in women supporting their lives by contributing in making textiles! the colors, the process , and the traditional of passing it down from mother/grandmother/female mentor down to the next generation - was all fascinating. Especially the part where they use all natural ingredients to dye the cotton, and some with changing hues of color depending on when you pick the plant whether close to full moon or not. Amazing! We were able to test out how to spin the cotton into yarn, and crushing some herbs for dye, and also see them dye the yarn. At the end of the tour, we were able to see everything that they made and even purchase some. I personally purchased this bright multicolored shirt, that had hand woven mayan calendar in the front and i love it! Even after we went into other shops that sold similar items after this tour, this shop still had the highest quality. Pablo shared this with us after we asked about Chichicastenango textiles there - and I have to agree! And this properly supports the co-op they started here and they invest it back into the people and the community, so keep this in mind! :) Support the women here and their lovely hand made items. Oh and they take CC - make sure to use one that doesnt have foreign transaction fees :)

Food

Transport

Guides, drivers and staff

Quality of Experience

Exceptional Service during Exceptional Times

Traveling during COVID means uncertainty and ever-changing plans. We made changes to our itinerary until the night before we landed in Guatemala City! It could have been a disaster but it wasn't - we were able to do everything we wanted to do. We were even able to arrange for COVID tests to be administered at our place in Antigua the day before we flew back to USA.

Eduardo was incredibly kind, patient, compassionate and flexible with our group of... read more

Exceptional Service during Exceptional Times

Traveling during COVID means uncertainty and ever-changing plans. We made changes to our itinerary until the night before we landed in Guatemala City! It could have been a disaster but it wasn't - we were able to do everything we wanted to do. We were even able to arrange for COVID tests to be administered at our place in Antigua the day before we flew back to USA.

Eduardo was incredibly kind, patient, compassionate and flexible with our group of six. Shortly into our trip, I knew we were in the absolute best hands. He was also so knowledgeable about the best places to visit and activities to do for our 1 week stay without feeling over-exerted or uncomfortable. One of my favorite highlights was the 2 night stay in Lake Atitlan where Eduardo booked us the most beautiful stay at Hotel Sanbuenaventura in Panajachel and connected us to the best tour guide of our entire trip, Pablo Chumil. Please request Pablo if you want an expert in Guatemala nature (especially birds), local history and safety - great guide, great human all around.

Antonio was our trusted and only driver for all the many hours we spent exploring Guatemala. As a driver, he was prompt and drove safely at all times. We cherished our time together laughing, using broken Spanish and sharing snacks and a meal - we miss you Antonio, thank you for keeping us safe always!

Before I went, I did not know much about Guatemala or its culture and people. However, thanks to the kind and warm-hearted people, both from Kimkim and the locals we met, I am left with the best impression of Guatemala and would no doubt visit again.

Hotel Reviews

San Buenaventura Hotel

Panajachel

Overall Rating

Hotel Review

If and when we return to Lake Atitlán, I would 100% book a stay at the Hotel Sanbuenaventura. We got to stay in a standard double bed room one night and upgraded to a two-story suite the following night. Both rooms were very clean with comfortable beds, FILTERED TAP WATER(!), delicious breakfasts (we did not eat lunch and they do not provide dinner). The property feels very tropical with lush landscaping, a beautiful heated pool and many lookout points and green space where you can admire the beautiful lake and volcanos on the horizon. We were always looked after by the hotel staff, they called tuk tuks every time we needed to go into the city center (takes about 15 minutes for them to arrive so plan accordingly).

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Staff

Authenticity & Character

San Buenaventura Hotel

Panajachel

Overall Rating

Hotel Review

this was my favorite hotel stay! There are two types of rooms - when you go into this entrance -the left hand side is the 1 room - 2 twin size bed standard stay with access to this back patio with a table/chairs and access to the lush property. the right hand side door is the suite - that has the 1 room 2 twin size and an upstairs which has two sofa that turn into beds if need, a kitchenette and microwave and mini fridge. There is also an outdoor patio there. I stayed in both and they were both lovely. The best part is that the faucet water is drinkable and pretty good tasting ( I drink filtered water at home in San Francisco and it is pretty close!) Crowd: not crowded, and it seemed like it was more of a local staycation spot which I loved! quiet, not rowdy or anything although we were in between two hotels that seemed crazy on the weekends - bass and loud late music Decor: simple yet guatemalan colors and textiles were represented. Beds: were a bit more firm for my taste but I dont sleep in tempurpedics, I am convinced the Guatemalan people need these firm beds! Cleanliness: pretty clean, in the room and property all throughout Friendly Staff: super friendly, front staff speaks english and also staff for breakfast Onsite Ambiance: beautiful and amazing! It is like a mini lush forest/garden! and a onsite beach front, with a pool (more like a wading pool) but so beautiful and relaxing! This was one of the highlights for me - swimming in the lake and being surrounded by all the volcanos and blue sky. Notes: it is pretty close to town and you can have the front desk call you tuk tuks to get you there. mostly for food but we didnt do much else as we did a village boat tour.

Tips for future travelers

all the beds are a bit firm - although the sofa beds upstairs in the suite is more soft if that is a concern for you!

Location

secluded but close to town

Cleanliness & Comfort

Staff

all friendly and helpful

Authenticity & Character

simple decor but still vibrant with the Guatemalan colors

Activity Reviews

Lake Atitlan - Village Tour

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

Over 2 days, Pablo Chumil and his expert boat captains took us to 3 villages - San Juan, San Pedro and Santiago Atitlan. We spent the majority of time in charming San Juan, visiting it over 2 days. At first I didn't know why we would go to the village twice but I am so glad we did - we spent 1 day touring an organic coffee cooperative, LA VOZ QUE CLAMA EN EL DECIERTO, SAN JUAN LA LAGUNA and the next day at a women's owned textiles coop, Artesania La Voz De Los Tzutujiles (coincidence in naming). We only made a brief stop in San Pedro so I can't comment on my experience there. Santiago Atitlan was so rich in Mayan history - we visited Maximon, ate the best traditional Mayan/Guatemalan lunch, and enjoyed soaking up the sights and sounds of their culture. I would highly recommend spending an afternoon here. To quote Jurassic Park, "hold on to your butts" during afternoon boat trips across the lake - the water is surprisingly choppy and some rides can be ~30-40 minutes if you're going across the lake. Calm in the mornings, but it was a fun experience! A few of us get sea sickness so we were prepared (turns out natural non-drowsy Dramamine = ginger pills) but we didn't get it too badly.

Transport

Guides, drivers and staff

Our drivers were so exceptionally skillful at navigating a particularly windy afternoon - our boat was top notch as well!

Quality of Experience

Lake Atitlan - Village Tour

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

we loved having Pablo as our guide! the boat crew were amazing as well. The boat ride to each village was somewhere between pleasant to splish splash, and slight nausea as it was windy when we went at end of February (which apparently is the windiest time of the year). Nonetheless, the crew was great and especially Pablo who is super knowledgeable, spoke English, and has this calm and friendly demeanor!

Transport

Antonio was super friendly and funny! and drove carefully especially on the windy roads, which we appreciated

Guides, drivers and staff

Quality of Experience

Coffee tour San Juan la Laguna "La Voz que clama en el desierto"

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

Pablo was our guide who took us to see Lucas who was one of the owners of La Voz. This was one of our favorite tours on the village tour trip! Lucas is amazing- and we were able to tour the entire property from taste testing (soo good!) to procuring the beans, to roasting to packaging . We loved how we were able to see the entire process and see how dedicated and enthusiastic they were in showing us around. You can really tell they care and love what they do. We each bought at least a bag of medium roast beans home - some for souvenirs. Make sure to ask for their freshest bag! The only thing I wished was getting that banana cake - it looked good to pair with the coffee haha

Transport

Guides, drivers and staff

their enthusiasm, and care

Quality of Experience

seeing the entire process, walk and see and smell everything!

Textile-Weaving Tour & water activity at Cristalinas

Guatemala

Overall Rating

Activity Review

Another one of our favorite tours! Although we didnt sense the same enthusiasm in these women - we probably caught them doing the 238947 tour of the day but we loved it nonetheless, so understandable. I was pulled in on understanding more of the Guatemalan and Mayan culture in women supporting their lives by contributing in making textiles! the colors, the process , and the traditional of passing it down from mother/grandmother/female mentor down to the next generation - was all fascinating. Especially the part where they use all natural ingredients to dye the cotton, and some with changing hues of color depending on when you pick the plant whether close to full moon or not. Amazing! We were able to test out how to spin the cotton into yarn, and crushing some herbs for dye, and also see them dye the yarn. At the end of the tour, we were able to see everything that they made and even purchase some. I personally purchased this bright multicolored shirt, that had hand woven mayan calendar in the front and i love it! Even after we went into other shops that sold similar items after this tour, this shop still had the highest quality. Pablo shared this with us after we asked about Chichicastenango textiles there - and I have to agree! And this properly supports the co-op they started here and they invest it back into the people and the community, so keep this in mind! :) Support the women here and their lovely hand made items. Oh and they take CC - make sure to use one that doesnt have foreign transaction fees :)

Food

Transport

Guides, drivers and staff

Quality of Experience

Great trip to Belize and Guatemala. Really enjoyed most of the places we stayed at and visited. The Tikal jungle lodge was not my favorite but it was decent for a one night stay. Really enjoyed Casa Santo Domingo hotel, Ramon’s village, and sweet songs Hotel. Casa del mundo was also gray for the views and up keep of the facility. The room wasn’t the best because we did find a lot of bugs crawling around in the room that is hard to avoid with the cracks in the walls, windows, and doors and the... read more

Great trip to Belize and Guatemala. Really enjoyed most of the places we stayed at and visited. The Tikal jungle lodge was not my favorite but it was decent for a one night stay. Really enjoyed Casa Santo Domingo hotel, Ramon’s village, and sweet songs Hotel. Casa del mundo was also gray for the views and up keep of the facility. The room wasn’t the best because we did find a lot of bugs crawling around in the room that is hard to avoid with the cracks in the walls, windows, and doors and the location was next to a public bathroom, shower, and walk way so it was not very peaceful. There was also construction outside of our window where they were building a platform as an extension on the window and we’re working on it during our stay. The food was great and the shuttles to the other villages were amazing. The drivers were great and on time. I loved the cooking option with cuscun but I think the extra translator was not needed. It was hard for us to budget with so many guides to be able to give tips as well that we will prob consider setting the sites without guides to save money. Also to have more time at the sites to explore rather than the guided tour. Nothing wrong with the guides because they were all amazing but it is harder to take in the sites with guides trying to get you through the tour and on to the next site so you only hear so much when they are talking especially when you want to explore more on your own. Overall the trip was amazing.

Eduardo and team provided an exceptional experience during our visit. Everything from transportation to/from the airport to required COVID testing was taken care of. Would certainly reach back out to Eduardo before planning my next trip!

Eduardo did a great job planning our trip. He was very responsive and very helpful, and made the whole experience very easy. I highly recommend using Eduardo's services for a trip to Guatemala.

This trip was great!
I found KimKim through an Internet search and was so excited. I told them a basic outline of what I wanted and they found me someone who could organize it for me. I basically had a bespoke vacation planned for me. The KimKim web interface is easy to use and what’s really nice is that keeps all of your correspondence with your travel specialist in one place.

I was assigned to Old Town Outfitters in Antigua Guatemala. Eduardo organized my trip EXACTLY how I asked for it. I... read more

This trip was great!
I found KimKim through an Internet search and was so excited. I told them a basic outline of what I wanted and they found me someone who could organize it for me. I basically had a bespoke vacation planned for me. The KimKim web interface is easy to use and what’s really nice is that keeps all of your correspondence with your travel specialist in one place.

I was assigned to Old Town Outfitters in Antigua Guatemala. Eduardo organized my trip EXACTLY how I asked for it. I got to do everything I wanted to do. I had an extra day and Eduardo suggested a volcano climb and it was the perfect addition to my trip. The hotels were clean and had charm.

My itinerary included a volcano climb, a visit to Tikal, a 5 day jungle hike/camp to El Mirador, and a free day to wander Antigua. My guides were all very knowledgable. The guide I had for Tikal, Mario, was one of the most knowledgable guides I have had anywhere. He was able to put the ruins in a historical context encompassing other ruins I had visited before. The guide i and for El Mirador was an amazing mix of guide and outdoorsman. He really took care of our group and I felt completely safe in the jungle with him.

I highly recommend KimKim and will use their services again for other trips. And I also highly recommend Old Town Outfitters and Eduardo if you are going to Central America.

I approached kimkim because I thought they were displaying good values.
Eduardo who helped me plan the itinerary was really approachable and responsive.
Highlights were the visit of Antigua and its surrounding, Yacha, Tikal, the hike on the volcano Acatenango, not forgetting Rio Dulce and lake Atitlán. Stunning places to experience!
Muchas gracias a todos quienes ayudaron a hacer el viaje recuerdos tan maravillosos! Pedro (guide) , Herber (driver), Fernando (driver), Jaime (guide), Daniel (boat).

Eduardo was amazing! He is very responsive and he planned the best trip we have ever had, and he did it in record time. He truly is the best of the best, and he made sure not only that we had a dream vacation but that daughter and I were safe and taken care of.

I would recommend that anyone going to Guatemala work with Eduardo. You will not be disappointed.

Eduardo was an absolute sweetheart, an incredible problem solver, and was truly a pleasure to work with. Throughout our experience, we felt so lucky to have Eduardo on our team!

I don't know how to fully capture how thankful we are to him, and how wholeheartedly I recommend working with him in booking a trip you will never forget!!

I had the pleasure of having Chris as local specialist and Willy as my guide fr=m the company Old Town Outfitters throughout the week from 10/01/2021-17/01/2021. I did the 8 days multi-sport trip for Guatemala and it was everything I could ask for in a trip! Most of the trip consisted of hiking and biking around Antigua as well as volcanoes around the area as well and we visited a chocolate/wine factory as well as a macadamia farm which were nice additions to the tours. I also spent... read more

I had the pleasure of having Chris as local specialist and Willy as my guide fr=m the company Old Town Outfitters throughout the week from 10/01/2021-17/01/2021. I did the 8 days multi-sport trip for Guatemala and it was everything I could ask for in a trip! Most of the trip consisted of hiking and biking around Antigua as well as volcanoes around the area as well and we visited a chocolate/wine factory as well as a macadamia farm which were nice additions to the tours. I also spent overnight in Lake Atitlan as well as camp at Volcano Acatanegro which was a heck of a way to end the tour. Along with Willy being an amazing guide for the entire week, Chris did an amazing job not only accommodating great hotels in Antigua as well as Lake Atitlan, my country required negative Covid 19 tests the week I was in Guatemala and Chris was able to get a doctor to come to my hotel and get the test done so I can return to my country. I highly recommend that if you visit Guatemala to have Old Town Outfitters plan your trip for you, you won't regret it! My recommendation for anyone doing this trip is to learn a little spanish as it would make the trip easier and to have a big backpack if you choose to do the camping trip!

My team of 5 avid hikers hiked 7 volcanoes in 11 days with guides Carlos and Lucas, who went out of their way to make our trip fun, safe, exciting and full of wonderful surprises. Their passion for adventure, love for the outdoors of their country, dedication and commitment to meeting our needs and cheerful disposition made it an epic experience for us.

I am also extremely grateful to Chris Gwinner, of Old Town Outfitters (OTO), who tailored this adventure for my group. His professionalism,... read more

My team of 5 avid hikers hiked 7 volcanoes in 11 days with guides Carlos and Lucas, who went out of their way to make our trip fun, safe, exciting and full of wonderful surprises. Their passion for adventure, love for the outdoors of their country, dedication and commitment to meeting our needs and cheerful disposition made it an epic experience for us.

I am also extremely grateful to Chris Gwinner, of Old Town Outfitters (OTO), who tailored this adventure for my group. His professionalism, prompt and accurate communication and patience in answering questions left little to unknown which helped everything run smoothly.

Getting up close to volcanoes is unique and humbling. The breath-taking scenery from the summits were awe-inspiring. The hikes were challenging but the experience was worth the sweat and dust on our boots, hair and skin, and OTO played a vital and commendable role in making it all possible.

We just got back from our week-long family trip to Guatemala. We had an incredible time, due in large part to the efforts of Eduardo of kimkim who set us up with fun things to do, fabulous guides and a great driver, all for a reasonable price. We travel a fair amount but generally wing it when it comes to activities and getting around but using kimkim is likely to become my new modus operandi when planning family trips for our family of 4 (2 parents + 2 daughters ages 11 and 15). It was so... read more

We just got back from our week-long family trip to Guatemala. We had an incredible time, due in large part to the efforts of Eduardo of kimkim who set us up with fun things to do, fabulous guides and a great driver, all for a reasonable price. We travel a fair amount but generally wing it when it comes to activities and getting around but using kimkim is likely to become my new modus operandi when planning family trips for our family of 4 (2 parents + 2 daughters ages 11 and 15). It was so nice to arrive, have a driver (Antonio) waiting to take us to our destination and a guide to help us understand what we were looking at. We had a limited amount of time for this trip and I really felt like this approach let us get the most out of it. We had three different guides (Miguel, Pablo & Flavio) show us different parts of Guatemala and each brought their own background and perspective, which was great. How awesome to have a former entomology professor talk nature and bugs with your kid who is into nature & the wilderness!

The only criticism I would have would be that a couple of the activities were a bit overly ambitious for us with an 11 year old in tow and I wished that kimkim/Eduardo could have anticipated that and made alternate recommendations. On the other hand, he was able to set up workarounds, like a van home at a halfway point for the bike ride through the villages outside Antigua. We did skip one activity altogether because we were tired and needed some downtime.

Overall, 5 stars for kimkim! I will definitely be checking in with you when we are getting ready to go on our next international trip to a new destination. You made my life as the family's trip planner so much easier!

My experience at KimKim began with Chris Gewinner's support and advice, he was always super attentive and helped us create the best plan according to our wishes and expectations. The trip was amazing. Everyone at Oldtown Oldfitters was super available to help and give us details on the itinerary. The highlight for us was Diego, who was our guide in Pacaya and Altitlan, he was an amazing guide, super into what he was doing, willing to help and explain every detail, always with a smile on his... read more

My experience at KimKim began with Chris Gewinner's support and advice, he was always super attentive and helped us create the best plan according to our wishes and expectations. The trip was amazing. Everyone at Oldtown Oldfitters was super available to help and give us details on the itinerary. The highlight for us was Diego, who was our guide in Pacaya and Altitlan, he was an amazing guide, super into what he was doing, willing to help and explain every detail, always with a smile on his face. He really made the difference on our trip, we are happy to say we made a friend! The tours were also great, every place we went was breathtaking. Guatemala is indeed an unforgettable country with beautiful landscapes and a rich and beautiful culture.

The only downside for us was the lack of details we were given regarding our two day trip to Semuc Champey, we knew it was going to be a long drive but no one told us we would need to stay 22hours in a bus. Plus, the agency that drove us back from Semuc to Antigua was super disorganized. The bus driver stop in the middle of the road to change buses and that took us 40 minutes, everyone (aprox 30 people) had to hop down the bus, in a heat of 30C degrees, wait for the bus drivers to change the luggage from a bus to the other. That took us 40 minutes and no one explained the reason why that was happening. Plus, when we got to Antigua, the bus driver dropped us off in a random place at 9PM, we had no battery on our phones after the 13h drive, we had to carry our luggage and walk in circles until after 30 minutes when we finally found our hotel.

I told Oldtown about my disappointment with the trip and also told them this was the only bad thing that happened. Despite that, I super reccommend KimKim and Oldtown but I think more details should be given in the plan.

This would be a 5 star review except the questions are about booking experience and I had one glitch when asking to change the excursion one day and continued to get a stock itinerary returned to me. Eventually the itinerary was changed but it made me wonder if Esteban was listening to our request.
The actual trip was excellent and I would give 5 star review to Columbus Luxury Travel for our guides, itinerary, and attention to details of our privately guided tour.
Our flight to Flores ,... read more

This would be a 5 star review except the questions are about booking experience and I had one glitch when asking to change the excursion one day and continued to get a stock itinerary returned to me. Eventually the itinerary was changed but it made me wonder if Esteban was listening to our request.
The actual trip was excellent and I would give 5 star review to Columbus Luxury Travel for our guides, itinerary, and attention to details of our privately guided tour.
Our flight to Flores , our car and local guide there were perfect. He listened to our preferences and chose restaurant and travel times according to our requests. He was knowledgeable about Tikal and the nature life, answering all our questions and had patience with Larry’s attempts to learn the Spanish language.
For the remainder of our trip we can’t say enough about our 5 star guide Juan Jesus or JJ. He made our trip a spectacular memory and we feel we could have a friend for life in Guatemala. We were given a very nice car for our travel on difficult roads and he was an excellent driver. We often felt our lives were in his hands and we were comfortable with his driving. Amazing!
Our accommodations were interesting, varied, and just what we asked for. All the hotel staff were friendly, attentive and made us feel like we should stay longer. Only the Jungle Lodge in Tikal was less attentive with a slow check in and busy staff. The beds were comfortable as we had requested.
Each community we saw was fascinating. JJ was able to give us information about all the different regions, Mayan people, and local traditions and cultures. He was protective, walking with us in Coban at night to find a local restaurant.
We were very sad at the end of our tour when we had to say good bye to JJ.
Columbus Luxury Travel was very responsive when we asked to change our itinerary in the middle of the week after some long days of driving, and were told there would be 5 hrs driving each day for the next 2 days of the proposed itinerary. We changed to an extra night at Lake Atitlan and more boat tours of local villages and a hike in a nature reserve.
CLT also arranged birthday songs and cakes at two different restaurants on Larry’s birthday. They gave us fun memories and we were surprised!
Some of the most memorable experiences were
Driving the rocky mountain roads across Guatemala 🇬🇹,
Seeing the indigenous Mayan people in daily life as we drive through the countryside and villages,
Small restaurant and village interaction with local people like in city of Coban and in villages I do not have names for.
Getting stuck in a rut at the top of a mountain with village locals gathering around to watch us figure out how to get the car out without offering help. 😆
Macadamia tree farm and active volcanos at Antigua.
Touring women’s cooperatives in the villages around Lake Atitlan.
The best experience was visiting a local family home and sharing a meal with Felicia and her family, frying tortillas with them in their open fire grill.

Having a private guide and driver made the tour exactly what we wanted, giving us enough time on our own and lots of individual attention so we could learn about the country.
Our only request would be more detailed information about the tour before we go and so we know better what to expect. This could have been done in a more personalized itinerary and tour map. We continued to receive only a canned general itinerary with minimal details even after we arrived.
We met the staff at Columbus on our last day in Antigua and they were lovely people. I know if we had made arrangements with them in person we wouldn’t have had any problems.
We would recommend CLT and especially JJ to any traveler and hope to see him again.

Diego was really fantastic! There is no way I could have made it up & down Acatenango without him.
He is truly an expert , and gave me encouragement and great instructions. He was fun to be with for all those hours

This was a great one week family trip packing A LOT in, from snorkeling and fishing off the coast of Belize, to Mayan ruins and culture, to the beautiful old town of Antigua, to the stunning nature of Pacaya Volcano and Lake Atitlan. We were ambitious in trying to cover a lot of ground, and Eduardo did a great job helping us set the itinerary and coordinate the logistics. There were a few bumps with the driver/guide in Belize, as well as some inevitable flight delays and traffic, but I was... read more

This was a great one week family trip packing A LOT in, from snorkeling and fishing off the coast of Belize, to Mayan ruins and culture, to the beautiful old town of Antigua, to the stunning nature of Pacaya Volcano and Lake Atitlan. We were ambitious in trying to cover a lot of ground, and Eduardo did a great job helping us set the itinerary and coordinate the logistics. There were a few bumps with the driver/guide in Belize, as well as some inevitable flight delays and traffic, but I was able to Whatsapp with Eduardo and get to good resolutions. The people of Belize and Guatemala were friendly and welcoming, and I would highly recommend visits to both countries.

We scheduled a 9 day action packed trip with our two boys (9 and 12) and we could not have asked for a better experience! Chris was amazing in communicating and scheduling our itinerary. I gave him a list of things we wanted to do and he put together a trip plan that hit all of it and more. All of our hotel accommodations were great and food was wonderful.

Our guide Lucas and driver Benecio were so genuine, friendly and took such good care of us. Some of the highlights of our trip were our... read more

We scheduled a 9 day action packed trip with our two boys (9 and 12) and we could not have asked for a better experience! Chris was amazing in communicating and scheduling our itinerary. I gave him a list of things we wanted to do and he put together a trip plan that hit all of it and more. All of our hotel accommodations were great and food was wonderful.

Our guide Lucas and driver Benecio were so genuine, friendly and took such good care of us. Some of the highlights of our trip were our trip to Antigua, overnight camp on Pacaya (we roasted marshmallows over lava flows), visit to Lake Atitlan, and climbing the temples and pyramids of Tikal. We realized that having a local tour operator and guide pays off because we seemed to get some great perks (best hotel rooms, quick service, etc.) They also took care of all of the logistics of moving our luggage, transportation, etc. They were always on time and reliable. It was nice to have someone take care of this and we could just show up and enjoy our selves.

Thank you for showing us your beautiful country, taking such good care of us, and making this such an amazing experience that we will remember for a lifetime! We could never have planned a trip like this on our own and we hope to be back again!

The perfect trip!

Setting everything up was amazingly easy and exactly what we wanted. We lucked out by getting David as our guide- he took care of everything which let us focus on enjoying the experiences. Guatemala was beautiful, but there is no way we would have had the same great experience without Chris and David's help. We are already planning to go back because there was more to see and we ran out of time!

Everything was so great! Upon arrival Catherina called us to check in which was extremely thoughtful. Esteban, our overall guide was absolutely fabulous! He was so knowledgeable and kind. He was a great driver and tour guide. We loved our time in Antigua, Lake Atitlan and Tikal. I would highly recommend Esteban for any other tour. Pablo, our driver in Tikal was really kind too. We found out he was a Audubon member for birding! We loved the Cacao boutique hotel, the service was fabulous and... read more

Everything was so great! Upon arrival Catherina called us to check in which was extremely thoughtful. Esteban, our overall guide was absolutely fabulous! He was so knowledgeable and kind. He was a great driver and tour guide. We loved our time in Antigua, Lake Atitlan and Tikal. I would highly recommend Esteban for any other tour. Pablo, our driver in Tikal was really kind too. We found out he was a Audubon member for birding! We loved the Cacao boutique hotel, the service was fabulous and the breakfast was amazing. We also really liked the facilities at the Tikal Inn. Honestly everything was wonderful and we would definitely come back to Guatemala or recommend all of this to any friends or family!

Great trip! Antigua was wonderful! The hikes up Picaya and Earth Lodge in El Hato provided amazing views. Both of our guides were knowledgeable and friendly. Carlos was a walking history book and Louis was very patient with our lack of hiking experience. My only suggestion would be maybe get a better feel for the fitness of the travelers. One of the hikes was too much for one family member. Casa Antigua was a lovely hotel. The cooking class was really fun. Thanks for working with us. We felt safe throughout the trip. I highly recommend KimKim as a travel resource for Guatemala.

All of it was great. Each aspect was wonderful. The hike up Pacaya, the tour of Antigua, Atitlan and the lake was beautiful. The cooking class was exceptional. Thanks for a memorable trip.

Ken Farnham

My wife and I found Chris from Old Towne through KimKim. he responded before any other companies I contacted. We put a wish list of places to go/things to do, and Chris put it together. And when we had to make some choices, we followed his advice. We ended up stretching the 8 day package into 11 days. It was well worth it!

We visited Antigua, and stayed at Hotel Meson de Maria. The hotel was really beautiful, and the service was outstanding. Very clean. It had a great rooftop sitting area,... read more

My wife and I found Chris from Old Towne through KimKim. he responded before any other companies I contacted. We put a wish list of places to go/things to do, and Chris put it together. And when we had to make some choices, we followed his advice. We ended up stretching the 8 day package into 11 days. It was well worth it!

We visited Antigua, and stayed at Hotel Meson de Maria. The hotel was really beautiful, and the service was outstanding. Very clean. It had a great rooftop sitting area, and it was only a block or so from the main plaza. Lots of great food, wonderful old architecture, and many churches (including ruins) to see. I actually got a great photo of Fuego erupting, from the roof!

Our guide during this part of the trip was Pepian, and he was amazing. We hiked the volcano Pacaya, which was a blast. The coffee plantation bike ride and tour was more than we expected. Tomateo and his wife were was a gracious hosts. We took a boat ride across Lake Attitlan, with Isaisus (sp?) as our local, and proud, guide. We saw local art and textiles being produced. What wonderful hosts the locals were. Casa del Mundo was gorgeous, though it was a good hike to our room...but it gave us such great views! Pepian guided us on our kayak trip, and the hike back around the lake. Thanks Pepian, you were wonderful to us, and such a great diplomat for Guatemala. Danelo and Alejandro were our drivers...and we had fun being around both of them!

Next was a 3am wake up call to make a 6:30 flight to Tikal. Alejandro had our plane and park tickets ready to go, and by 9am, we were with Andres touring the amazing ruins. There is so much to see, it is almost overwhelming. We saw toucans, parrots, howler monkeys, and spider monkeys.
The facilities at Tikal are nice, but the restricted electricity (2 hours in the morning, 2 hours at night) made fans and hot water scarce. But it was fine. The howler monkey yelling at his friends right outside our window all night let us know we were in a jungle!

Fernando took us next to Las Conchas. This was a recommendation from Chris, and it was a great stop on the way to Rio Dulce. This was a bit out of our comfort zone, but Felipe, Miho, and their darling daughter, Hannah, made us right at home! Felipe's enthusiasm for the area, and his place, is catchy, and we swam in the falls. Miho cooked some of the best meals we had during visit, with a rather romantic setting. And Hannah is a special young lady, who never meets a stranger.

Fernando then took us to Rio Dulce. We stayed at Tortugal Hotel & Marina, which requires a short boat ride there. Our room was beautiful. We visited Finca el Paraiso, which was nice, but the fun we had with some extremely friendly locals was a blast. Daniel was our guide here, and Anna was our translator. The second day there we took a boat trip on Rio Dulce from Lake Izabel to Livinston. The river was calm, and the scenery was fantastic, with gorges, mangroves, and wildlife (manatees!). This was one of our favorite days of the trip.

After a long , yet scenic, drive back to Guatemala City, Carla took us on a perfect tour of Guatemala City. We visited a stunning small church named Iglesai Yurrito, which happened to be open for another event...Carla said it is only the 3rd or 4th time she has ever been in it. We loved it!
So, it is easy to see we had a great time. What a special, wonderful and beautiful country that Guatemala is. At no time did we feel unsafe, and the coordination of the trip, the quality of the guides, and the accommodations, were perfect for us. Thanks, Chris, Pepian, and the entire Old Towne team!

Great experience! Chris was helpful in every aspect of making the arrangements. The hotel I was staying at was tucked away and very hard to find but to my surprise, my driver showed up early and was waiting for me within a few feet of my doorstep. The price was a little more than I wanted to pay but for the service I received it was well worth it. Thanks again and would recommend using this company.

I was very impressed with how easy it was to book my itinerary and learn about my options. Liaising with Chris was simple, quick and the information I received was concise and very accurate - I've not been so impressed with how easy and exciting it was to book a trip!
The staff at Old Town Outfitters were so easy and comfortable to be with and they ran the day and overnight tours very capably. Saes, Lucas and Marco, in particular made my experience memorable and I had much fun mountain... read more

I was very impressed with how easy it was to book my itinerary and learn about my options. Liaising with Chris was simple, quick and the information I received was concise and very accurate - I've not been so impressed with how easy and exciting it was to book a trip!
The staff at Old Town Outfitters were so easy and comfortable to be with and they ran the day and overnight tours very capably. Saes, Lucas and Marco, in particular made my experience memorable and I had much fun mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, camping and driving with them.
The equipment I used was of top quality - mountain bikes, tent, sleeping bag and mattress, and the food for picnic lunches and dinner and breakfast was fresh, local and delicious. The tours I joined included the mountain bike around Antigua, day hike up Pacaya Volcano, overnight hike of Acatenango Volcano and multisport overnight trip to Lake Atitlan. These tours covered amazing scenery, gave an opportunity to see local life, traditions, culture and nature (especially the eruptions at night on Fuego Volcano) as well as have so much fun doing physical activities. It was an ideal way to see these areas of Guatemala. Antigua is a gem for Guatemala and Central America.
I could not endorse Old Town Outfitters and their staff more highly and I would most definitely book with them again.

My family really enjoyed the hike up volcano Pacaya. Our guide was thoughtful and friendly and well prepared.

Chris did a good job with planning everything. Casa del Mundo in Atitlan was a very nice hotel with amazing views, and I enjoyed visiting the different villages along the lake. Antigua was also a nice place with colorful colonial architecture, along with lots of shops and restaurants. I would definitely visit these places again.

My recommendation for anyone looking to visit the Atitlan region: pack lightly. You have to take a lancha (water taxi) to visit the villages, and your luggage gets... read more

Chris did a good job with planning everything. Casa del Mundo in Atitlan was a very nice hotel with amazing views, and I enjoyed visiting the different villages along the lake. Antigua was also a nice place with colorful colonial architecture, along with lots of shops and restaurants. I would definitely visit these places again.

My recommendation for anyone looking to visit the Atitlan region: pack lightly. You have to take a lancha (water taxi) to visit the villages, and your luggage gets placed on top of the boat. These are not big boats, and they can be packed with people depending on where you're leaving or heading to. Panajachel and San Pedro, for example, are very busy areas. The boat rides can also be a little scary and bumpy depending on how windy it is. I was definitely scared riding a lancha for the first time.

I had a wonderful trip in Guatemala. Everything was very well planned and executed. The communication with all involved was very impressive. David our local guide was very knowledgeable. The accomodation and transport was first class. I would highly recommend this adventure.

We just got back from an amazing trip in Guatemala. Chris from Old Towne was so amazing in arranging an unforgettable experience for me and my mom despite the time constraints (we only had an extended weekend to spend in Guatemala). Chris has a thorough and very professional team to support a large variety of trips tailored to your needs. He is connected with local guides on the ground that can make your dream come true depending on what you want to concentrate on. I would definitely come... read more

We just got back from an amazing trip in Guatemala. Chris from Old Towne was so amazing in arranging an unforgettable experience for me and my mom despite the time constraints (we only had an extended weekend to spend in Guatemala). Chris has a thorough and very professional team to support a large variety of trips tailored to your needs. He is connected with local guides on the ground that can make your dream come true depending on what you want to concentrate on. I would definitely come back to Guatemala and hands down would go there again by utilizing Chris's services and team. Special thanks to Marco, who was so wonderful in guiding us through Guatemala ensuring we are having a good time and taking wonderful pictures of us all. Wili was just wonderful in following up with my mom while climbing the Volcano and preparing us a one of a kind picnic meal.

Chris from kimkim( Old town)organized our whole trip to Guatemala. He was very helpful in planning our trip to Guatemala. In fact when one of our friends did not make it to Guatemala in time, Chris was accommodating in making changes to our schedule at last minute. We had some great drivers and guides for our whole trip, especially Oseas who took us hiking to Pacaya Volcano, Hiking and kayaking around lake Atitlan. Our guides in Antigua and Flores were helpful in telling us the history of... read more

Chris from kimkim( Old town)organized our whole trip to Guatemala. He was very helpful in planning our trip to Guatemala. In fact when one of our friends did not make it to Guatemala in time, Chris was accommodating in making changes to our schedule at last minute. We had some great drivers and guides for our whole trip, especially Oseas who took us hiking to Pacaya Volcano, Hiking and kayaking around lake Atitlan. Our guides in Antigua and Flores were helpful in telling us the history of Mayan civilization and the history of the beautiful country.I need to even mention our drivers who were helpful and saw to that we were comfortable in our long journeys. If your looking to tour Guatemala, I will recommend kimkim:)

Muchos gracias!!

Overall; it was an epic trip! Definitely exceeded my expectations. I loved Semuc Champey, but the caves were my favorite part by far (it was raining so they were extra exciting). And the hike along Atitlan was absolutely breathtaking. Can’t wait to come back for Tikal! And for some bird watching. Oseas is passionate about his country & it’s beauty, so I’m glad I was able to tour it with his perspective/insight. I'm especially thankful for Chris being able to calm my Mother down when the... read more

Overall; it was an epic trip! Definitely exceeded my expectations. I loved Semuc Champey, but the caves were my favorite part by far (it was raining so they were extra exciting). And the hike along Atitlan was absolutely breathtaking. Can’t wait to come back for Tikal! And for some bird watching. Oseas is passionate about his country & it’s beauty, so I’m glad I was able to tour it with his perspective/insight. I'm especially thankful for Chris being able to calm my Mother down when the volcano erupted, as she was on edge when I wasn't able to respond to messages during the trip to Pacaya. My local guides were always on time if not early. They were friendly and never made me feel uncomfortable. I wouldn't hesitate to travel through Old Town Outfitters again in the future.

Five stars is not enough! We gave Chris our wish list and he delivered with an amazing trip! Two weeks to see the best of Guatemala and Copan - accompanied full time by Pepian ( quite possibly the best guide EVER! ) We climbed Pacaya with local guide/amateur botanist Monkey and toasted marshmallows over the HOT lava rocks, saw the sun rise over temple IV at Tikal, shopped till we dropped at several markets, learned how to make tortillas and Pepian Chicken in Xela with local guide David,... read more

Five stars is not enough! We gave Chris our wish list and he delivered with an amazing trip! Two weeks to see the best of Guatemala and Copan - accompanied full time by Pepian ( quite possibly the best guide EVER! ) We climbed Pacaya with local guide/amateur botanist Monkey and toasted marshmallows over the HOT lava rocks, saw the sun rise over temple IV at Tikal, shopped till we dropped at several markets, learned how to make tortillas and Pepian Chicken in Xela with local guide David, kayaked hiked and rode in boats around Lake Atitlan, and toured Antigua. Then my husband became ill and Chris and Pepian moved heaven and earth to get him to medical care and home. Now that he’s recovering we are hoping to finish our trip next year....... I highly recommend Chris and his team!

Chris was very flexible in the modifications we made to our schedule and had some on the spot great suggestions along the way.

Guide - Mario - excellent - great guy, very knowledgeable about the area and culture, excellent language skills, friendly, considerate - perfect !
Operator - Chris - very professional in organizing the trip. But, I expected him to come by at the hotel after arrival to review the trip and get to know each other. Again very well organized but a bit missing that personal touch.
Trip was great:
Day 1 Antigua - excellent
Day 2 Pacaya volcano - excellent
Day 3 Lake Atitlan - lake and boat ride as... read more

Guide - Mario - excellent - great guy, very knowledgeable about the area and culture, excellent language skills, friendly, considerate - perfect !
Operator - Chris - very professional in organizing the trip. But, I expected him to come by at the hotel after arrival to review the trip and get to know each other. Again very well organized but a bit missing that personal touch.
Trip was great:
Day 1 Antigua - excellent
Day 2 Pacaya volcano - excellent
Day 3 Lake Atitlan - lake and boat ride as well as the visit to the first Mayan city were super nice (visited local crafts such as herb thee growing and textile weaving). Second city on the lake was boring and from my point of view even annoying to be dragged around town to see the local beliefs and religion.
Day 4 Kayaking and Hiking on//along lake Atitlan was great.
Day 5 Mayan ruins at Ixemtche - super nice but we spend a lot of time that day in the car.
All in all it was a great trip especially taking into account the very short notice we had to get it organized. Many Thanks. We're definitely planning on going back to Guatemala when we have a bit more time to stay longer.

Chris and team provided my family with the best vacation we have ever shared together.
This was the first trip to Guatemala for my 2 biological children, as well as the first trip to Guatemala for my youngest daughter that we adopted from Guatemala 13 years ago. It was also our first opportunity visit with Telma, a 9 yr old girl that we sponsor from Guatemala through the organization, Unbound.

When I first reached-out to Chris, I didn't know what to expect. I had very little knowledge... read more

Chris and team provided my family with the best vacation we have ever shared together.
This was the first trip to Guatemala for my 2 biological children, as well as the first trip to Guatemala for my youngest daughter that we adopted from Guatemala 13 years ago. It was also our first opportunity visit with Telma, a 9 yr old girl that we sponsor from Guatemala through the organization, Unbound.

When I first reached-out to Chris, I didn't know what to expect. I had very little knowledge about Guatemala, but wanted to provide my family a very special experience. With just a few suggestions for sights we wanted to see and activities that we wanted to experience, Chris created a complete 7 day itinerary, that included, hotel accommodations, guides, ride transfers, necessary equipment, etc.. no details left out. It was a completely seamless experience which made our trip so enjoyable and stress free. Chris immediately responded to all my requests and questions.

I also can not say enough about his staff. We had the pleasure to spend 4 days with Alex, our guide, who lead us through mountain biking, volcano hiking, village tours, kayaking, and who shared with us his culture and country's history. Along the way he introduced us to many locals that added to our experience. We had "Monkey" guide us up Pacaya, and make us Smores from active volcanic ash and rock. We met Mary a local villager from Santiago, who taught us how create a traditional Mayan headdress, We met Delphina and her sister, who belong to a local textile cooperative in San Juan who shared with us their family craft of making textile goods by hand. While stopping for lunch at a restaurant we were invited to make our own tortillas. Lastly, we had the opportunity to hike the ancient city of Tikal and experience the ruins with our guide Andres. He was very knowledgeable about Mayan history and was able to share the history of Tikal with our family.

Never would we have experienced so much in such a short time without the help of Chris and KimKim. Thank you guys for the trip of a life time!!!

Overall, the experience is good. The guides are knowledgeable, courteous, friendly; both the guides and drivers are very professional. However, even though this was a private tour, it still felt like we were on a tour group, albeit a very small group of two, with a preset agenda and timetable. The tour was lacking flexibility as we were dashing from one destination to another, spending too much time in a destination that we had no interest in (e.g. the jade shop demonstration or the visit... read more

Overall, the experience is good. The guides are knowledgeable, courteous, friendly; both the guides and drivers are very professional. However, even though this was a private tour, it still felt like we were on a tour group, albeit a very small group of two, with a preset agenda and timetable. The tour was lacking flexibility as we were dashing from one destination to another, spending too much time in a destination that we had no interest in (e.g. the jade shop demonstration or the visit to Maximon) and too little time or not at all in something that we found interesting along the way. I felt we were constantly being told: "Now, sit here and learn about this pyramid. Now, visit this chocolate shop. Now, go in that boat to visit Maximon. etc. etc."

Perhaps it was partly my mistake for not explaining very clearly what I was looking for in a "private tour". Instead of a "private tour", perhaps what I had really wanted was simply a driver who can take me to the places that I want to visit and who can help me with the logistics of getting tickets, figuring out boat schedule, etc. And speaking of driver, our driver, Danillo, was very nice. But his driving is frightening; we always seemed to be in a rush to be somewhere at a certain time, just like in a group tour.

We felt so relieved when the tour was over and we had just a little bit of time to ourselves in Antigua.

Chris and his colleagues did a great job planning our vacation in Guatemala and we had an excellent time. The visit to Pacaya Vulcano followed by the spa experience was a treat for the entire family. The white water rafting day was fun and we were happy to hear about the noble mission of Rios Guatemala (the rafting company) which is a non-profit aiming to use the money raised from organizing adventure trips to cleanup the rivers in Guatemala and educate the local communities how important... read more

Chris and his colleagues did a great job planning our vacation in Guatemala and we had an excellent time. The visit to Pacaya Vulcano followed by the spa experience was a treat for the entire family. The white water rafting day was fun and we were happy to hear about the noble mission of Rios Guatemala (the rafting company) which is a non-profit aiming to use the money raised from organizing adventure trips to cleanup the rivers in Guatemala and educate the local communities how important is to keep the nature clean of garbage. And lastly, our tour guide Alex was really nice and we enjoyed his company for the first 2 days---very knowledgeable and passionate about Antigua history and our kids loved hanging out with him.

Sebastian our guide on the hike up the volcano was great. Roasting marshmallows on the fresh lava rocks was fun!

Hello there,
My son and I were planning a trip back to his birthplace in Guatemala as well as visiting some orphanages along the way to bring them some donations he had collected. Chris was amazing in helping me out figuring out what was doable and what was not. I truly appreciate all his help which is why I am not giving this a worse review. I also loved our tour guide Ricardo to Rio Dulce Las Canchas and the place he sent us too. However, it really was not a replacement for what I... read more

Hello there,
My son and I were planning a trip back to his birthplace in Guatemala as well as visiting some orphanages along the way to bring them some donations he had collected. Chris was amazing in helping me out figuring out what was doable and what was not. I truly appreciate all his help which is why I am not giving this a worse review. I also loved our tour guide Ricardo to Rio Dulce Las Canchas and the place he sent us too. However, it really was not a replacement for what I told him my original plan was for that day which was a relaxing day at Semuc Champey. The first tour to Tikal was very good in that Edwardo was able to show me the rules of the road since he drove my car to Tikal. He was also able to speak to the Hertz rental car person when they lost my reservation. That was great!!
As for the other tours not so great. After great discussion with Chris that I thought the tours he was offering were far more expensive than others I found on different tour sites he assured me that they were better in quality. We initiated the early departure to Pacaya Volcano so that we could get back on the road to our next destination. We were not to be picked up at the hotel rather meet at his place in Antigua. We also encouraged him to find more people to go on the trip as it would be cheaper and more entertaining for us. They did find one more for the pacaya trip and apparently they left without us. We were told that his place was next to Central Parque and a map we had said it was on the corner of it. So we went to all 4 corners before we decided to head down a remote street and found it at 7:15. I tried to call Chris and no one attempted to call me as Edwardo did when our plane was delayed for Flores. So I feel that us being the original people for this tour and the fact that we had already paid deserved a call to see if we were having difficulty. If that had happened they would have found us one block away. I am not sure if Chris did not give him the number or he chose not to try it but either way it was unprofessional. At this time I chose to cancel our last trip in Pana as I did not see anyone else joined and I did not want to pay the huge price for a potentially unsatisfactory trip as well. Chris has graciously attempted to return some of the money however, I am not sure if I agree with taking the 25% off of the last trip as we cancelled in plenty of time.
I am not saying I would not recommend this site again but I certainly would have some reservations. I appreciate the return of monies but it would be better if it was a full return especially since the 2nd one was not exactly what we expected either but we were not asking for a return. Sorry this was long, but I guess I wanted to make sure you got all the information.

The whole trip was so great and beyond my expectation. Our leader Alex, was the most professional outdoor adventure leader I've met. He speaks English so well and took good care of everyone. He encouraged me a lot before our hiking to Volcano Acatenango. He made great meals for us during hiking. And he is a really nice guy with kindness and humanism. I appreciate a lot that Old Town Outfitters provided me a so comfortable and enjoyable trip. Other guides and drivers I met during the trip were also great. Luv them all.

Chris picked perfect activities for our trip. He understood our needs and customized our tour to our liking on the first try! Our guides were young and fun and made sure we got to our destinations. They were early/ontime and provided insightful stories into the Mayan culture in Guatemala. We loved each tour and the local connections each guide had which made our trip more special.

Chris, our local specialist did a phenomenal job at creating a customized itinerary on a very short turnaround when our travel plans changed right before our trip started. Chris was also really helpful in changing around our plans when there was an unexpected sickness on the trip. All of our guides were amazing. Manuel took us on a walking tour of Antigua which was a great way to start off our trip. In Monterrico, we had a really fun and relaxing afternoon kayaking with Alex. Alex was also... read more

Chris, our local specialist did a phenomenal job at creating a customized itinerary on a very short turnaround when our travel plans changed right before our trip started. Chris was also really helpful in changing around our plans when there was an unexpected sickness on the trip. All of our guides were amazing. Manuel took us on a walking tour of Antigua which was a great way to start off our trip. In Monterrico, we had a really fun and relaxing afternoon kayaking with Alex. Alex was also able to help us when our transportation fell through last minute which was invaluable. My favorite day was our tour around Lake Atitlan. Edgar is really knowledgeable and was able to answer all of our questions. He showed us the beautiful town of San Juan where we explored the women's textile co-op and did some shopping. Our last day, we took a cooking class at Guatemala Food where we made a yummy and traditional dish of Pepian with Fernando, Joaquin, Carolina, and her family. The class was a really great way to end our trip and the group was really funny.

I'm so happy we chose to use KimKim and were partnered with Old Town Outfitters to assist with our trip! Our trip to Guatemala wouldn't have been the same without them.