Kimkim Trip Reviews for Guatemala

The trip was exceptionally well-organized, with Chris and the team always available to answer any questions or to make suggestions. The roundtrip itinerary was thoughtfully planned, making perfect sense for exploring the best of Guatemala. Our guide for the first part, Diana, was incredibly motivated to accommodate her guests. She has extensive knowledge of the culture and a deep love for her country. We enjoyed a very active and sporty vacation, just as we had wished for.

Our guide Esteban was absolutely amazing. He was with us in Antigua and Lake Atitlan, and was great with the kids and with the grandparents. The whole KimKim team was very accommodating. They were attentive to our initial requests and put together the perfect itinerary that wasn't too overwhelming and allowed for some flexibility. We were a relatively difficult group, as initially we had a party of 5, then a couple of weeks before the trip we added 2 more people. The team repsonded quickly, found bigger accommodations for us where necessary, and upgraded the vehicles used to transport us everywhere. Even during the trip, we encountered an issue with one of our accommodations in Lake Atitlan, and the team mobilized quickly to rectify all issues we had identified. I got sick on one of our days in Antigua, and Esteban and the KimKim team accommodated a last minute change to our itinerary for the day, providing us with alternate options for experiences, and also being kind enough to fetch me some electrolyte drinks to keep me hydrated thru my sickness. They even offered to connect us with a local doctor.
Esteban gave plenty of recommendations for places to eat and visit during our spare time, continuing to send us recommendations via WhatsApp even after we had parted ways. KimKim was the ideal tour company for us in Guatemala, and we would absolutely recommend them again.

This was a seamless and wonderful trip! It was easy to plan and communicate through KimKim. Catherina and all of Columbus Guatemala Travel was prompt at getting back to me and answered all my questions and were flexible with our interests. Our tour guide throughout the week as JJ. He was amazing! My Spanish is intermediate so I appreciated being able to practice speaking Spanish, but it was very comforting to have a bilingual local as our guide. My daughter and I were hesitant to travel alone, but having an excellent guide eased any anxiety we might have had. Even when we explored on our own, JJ gave us advice on where to go and checked in on us from time to time. We learned so much about the culture and history from talking with JJ, that we never would have learned on our own. He even helped teach me Spanish slang/phrases that were specific to Guatemala. Columbus Guatemala Travel even welcomed us with a small party so we could meet in person the people who had helped plan our trip!

All our locations we visited were wonderful as well as the hotels. Some highlights: Antigua is a beautiful and amazing city and we loved exploring it and the surrounding towns. We went out at night on our own and I went on a solo run through the city early one morning and never felt unsafe. I normally hate to shop, but I bought souvenirs from all the shops/artisans we visited because there were amazing items I wouldn't be able to find in the States, I wanted to support the local people, and everything was very affordable.

Lake Atitlan and the surrounding towns were amazing as well! Casa del Mundo was the absolute best and most unique hotel I'll probably ever see. It was an entire experience and I could see myself bringing the rest of my family just to see the lake and stay at Casa del Mundo again. Our hike to see the sunrise was the most beautiful view I've ever seen and was totally worth the struggle with the high altitude!

The locals were very friendly and would start conversations often! Knowing some Spanish was definitely helpful, but if you have a bilingual guide and use a translating app while alone, only speaking English would not be a huge problem. Seeing how people live off the land in a developing country is very worthwhile. I could go on and on about this trip, but I will end saying I'm grateful for JJ and the entire travel company. I'm a public school teacher and I have to save up for awhile before leaving the country, and I can definitely say this trip was worth every penny!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel San Jorge

Antigua

This was a small, beautiful hotel that has a peaceful courtyard, excellent breakfast, nice views of the mountains from the balcony, and a perfect location for exploring Antigua. The staff was helpful and friendly and we felt safe enough to sleep with our window open. I appreciated all the filtered water throughout the hotel so I didn't have to buy plastic water bottles, and the availability of coffee throughout the day. Beautiful experience!

Authenticity & Character

The courtyard and decorations.

Location

Very easy to walk to everywhere in Antigua.

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dos Mundos Monterrico

Monterrico

The grounds and buildings were beautiful. The pools were relaxing and clean. The food and service was excellent. The individual cabins were charming and relaxing. For spoiled Americans like myself, it's good to know that there is AC but not hot water. HOWEVER, I'm not complaining, because after learning about the area I understood that running water is hard to come by anyway, and it was very refreshing to take a cold shower because Monterrico is the warmest of all the places we visited. The beach has beautiful black sand, but was a little dirty. I'm not blaming this on the hotel but on people who litter. And it might have been dirtier because storms came through a few days before we did. It was very relaxing to lay by the pool or eat a wonderful meal and listen to the waves. We also booked relaxing massages and an early morning Mangrove tour, both of which were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was a perfect location for relaxing, but not if you wanted to explore the area on foot.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa del Mundo

Lake Atitlán

This is a place like no other. Absolute paradise. If I could have brought my entire family, I would want to live there! The grounds and views were amazing, the staff was friendly and helpful. This was very valuable when trying to carry large bags up all those stairs when you aren't used to the altitude! The restaurant was wonderful. I loved explored all the gardens and seeing how environmentally conscious the owners are. The traditional Mayan decorations in the rooms and throughout the property were absolutely amazing. Anyone who is interested in this hotel should look at pictures and remember that it's even better in person. My only complaint is that I was only able to stay 2 nights. I almost cried when we left. My daughter and I are athletic and in good shape, but keep in mind if you are not, or have balance issues, getting around the hotel grounds might be a little difficult!

Authenticity & Character

The decorations were amazing!

Location

You have to take a boat to get to this hotel and the surrounding towns but it adds to the experience.

Staff

Very helpful and polite. I was amazed at how strong the young men were at carrying our bags up all those stairs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect

Activity Reviews

Thank you

Guatemala

JJ made sure we go to the airport on time and we were sad to leave!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit San Juan La Laguna

Guatemala

This is an absolutely beautiful city. We had a lovely and relaxing breakfast. We visited several shops in the area and saw demonstrations by Mayan women or locals. I was able to buy many things for my family and learn about the culture at the same time!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Guatemala

Guatemala

JJ was our guide and picked us up on time and we immediately felt comfortable with him!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

JJ was an amazing guide!

Transport

Villages Around Antigua By Chicken Bus

Antigua

This was fun and informative! JJ taught us a lot about the history and culture of the area. The land and weather was beautiful. And the people were friendly. I loved visiting the local shops/artisans and learning about how the different items were made!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Antigua Street Food Tour

Antigua

This was a walking tour, which is the best way to learn about Antigua! We learned about the food and culture and history of the area. We were so full of wonderful food that we didn't have to eat for quite awhile! JJ, as always was a great guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Rostro Maya or Indian Nose

Guatemala

Indian Nose: This was a very early morning hike and absolutely worth the lost sleep! I'm very athletic but the hike was challenging, especially for those of us who live at sea level and aren't used to the altitude. But I love challenges and the view at the top was the best I've ever seen! Watching the sun rise over Lake Atitlan was an amazing experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wonderful! Thanks to Chris and our guide Joel for putting together a great itinerary and shepherding us through a phenomenal trip. I traveled to Guatemala with 4 teenagers...who thought this might have been our best adventure yet. Chris and the team suggested a great itinerary, matched the level of adventure + downtime our group was into, were collaborative with adjustments, helped manage within our budget, and communicated well throughout. If we return to Guatemala, we'll work with Chris again....and I'll recommend him to friends.

From the first interaction, the experience was outstanding. I entered the basic ideas around the type of trip, I wanted to plan for me and my nine year old son. Alex took those basic ideas and shaped an unforgettable trip filled with adventure. I didn’t want to stay in “budget” hotels but certainly didn’t have the need to be at glamorous hotels either. Alex found the perfect balance! The hotels were beautiful, amazing staff, great restaurants onsite and amenities.

There were a couple of times that I even went back to Alex and mentioned some other ideas or tweaks we were interested in making to the itinerary. He helped us figure out those adaptations within budget. Alex was a fabulous partner at each stage before, during and after our trip.

Alex was unavailable to be our guide during the dates of our trip but he substituted his brother Viny, who was also fantastic. Although Alex was away from the office, he gave me a proactive heads up about Pacaya being unavailable. This was one of our primary goals for our trip so we were very concerned and were debating to postpone - just as we were getting ready to catch our flight out. Alex, his cousin and brother who all work for OTO, worked to get confirmation about whether we could go to Pacaya or not and how to make it happen safely. It gave us the confidence to continue with our trip and really appreciated their attention to it in short order.

Viny was such a friendly, warm and knowledgeable guide. Since this was supposed to be just a mom and son trip, my son was very concerned that a third person would be with us. The end of the trip my son said he missed a Viny and having a guide was a great idea! Viny made it very easy, taking charge to manage our timeline, transportation coordination with local guides, different sites and coordinating with hotel, concierge and restaurants. He really removed all of the administrative efforts for me so that I could focus on being with my son and enjoying our time together and experiencing Guatemala.

We went the zip lining, hiking Papaya and roasting marshmallows where Viny prepared a nice picnic, and kayaking at Atitlan, and went to Mayan Ruins. We were originally supposed to do more hiking, but my son was all hiked out, so Viny adapted our itinerary last minute so that we could go to textile and a cacao shop.

Then on our last night, Alex got a hold of me to alert me to a local event transpiring that roads were potentially going to be blockaded and we could get stuck potentially missing our flights the next day. I told Alex that I would prefer to leave Lake Atitlan that night and head to Guatemala City. He swiftly arranged transportation, and a safe and comfortable hotel stay in Guatemala City at no extra charge. We caught our flight the next day with no issues.

I’m so grateful for Alex’s attention to detail and genuine concern for us and our trip or we wouldn’t have known in real-time what was happening. I highly recommend Alex, Viny and OTO. This was my second time to Guatemala and we’re already planning the third trip. Definitely will be looking to use them again!

Hotel Reviews

Porta Hotel Antigua

Antigua Guatemala

Beautiful experience, great rooms, water filters amongst other amenities, staff offers high service level and the onsite restaurant is fantastic. I needed laundry done before leaving and the staff took it late in the day after the cut off and returned it to me that night. Highly recommended!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Atitlán

Panajachel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Zipline Adventure at Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We worked with Juan in the Guatemala office. He and his team are very thorough and helpful at every step of creating a custom trip. We were offered several options and travel plans during our time in Guatemala. All the guides were well versed in the area/activity they provided. I felt everyone involved had our best interest in mind. All pick ups and transports were on time and in clean vehicles. We felt safe and happy with the options that we chose.
I would absolutely recommend them to friends wishing to travel in Guatemala. In our case, mostly in the Antigua area.

Activity Review

Walk Antigua Like a Local

Antigua

Our brief tour in Guatemala, arranged by Alex of Old Town Outfitters in conjunction with KimKim, was outstanding . In four days we visited Tikal and Lake Atitlán and surrounding Villages of San Jose and Santiago. We learned about the history of the areas and people who lived or live there as well as the flora and fauna.

At Tikal, we saw ancient Mayan Temples and dwellings.and our guide shared history. We saw several spider monkeys and birds. Our guide was knowledgeable about plants and how Mayans used them. He named birds for us.

At Lake Atitlán. we had a wonderful guide and helper for our two-day stay. Vinicio. our guide. was totally bilingual in spanish and english so everything at restaurants and accommodations were seamless.
My husband and I are birders; so we had a birding tour with Pablo Chumil, a premier birder in Guatemala. We were delighted to learn new birds .
In the village of San Jose, we we had educational demonstrations on bee-keeping and honey production, weaving and natural dye-making, and chocolate-making. In Santiago, Pablo Chumil, who is Mayan, told us about the blending of the Mayan and Christan religions and took us to a shrine that honors both.

We had excellent drivers who were always on time and made safe transfers.

Our accommodations and meals were good. The Casa del Mundo, perched in a cilff above Lake Atitlán was lovely . Unbeatable view of the lake and three volcanoes !

All in all, a great trip.

This was such a memorable trip! Kim Kim was a great interface through which to connect with Alex at Old Town Outfitters, who crafted an incredible itinerary according to the activities and learning that I was hoping for in visiting Guatemala. My guide for the historical tour (Dary) was so knowledgeable and friendly, and my guide for touring Lake Atitlan and Pacaya Volcano (Christa) was personable, attentive, professional, but also just so gracious and fun to hang out with! The drivers, too, were exceptional, and the accommodations were overall really tasteful. I can’t thank the team at Old Town enough for all their work and expertise, and for the kindness and genuineness they treated me with.

"Exemplary service! From start to finish, our experience with Cathy was nothing short of exceptional. Our tour guide Juan and Estevan were not only knowledgeable but also personable, making our journey unforgettable. Five stars all around!"

Very kind and knowledgeable about every cite we traveled to. My family and I had a great time!

We just returned from an awesome trip to Guatemala that Chris and his team arranged for us. Chris took the time to meet us for coffee the morning after we arrived so we could ask any questions and discuss our plans for the week- super friendly and made us feel immediately comfortable! We spent two days exploring with Jerry, who was wonderful as well! We did a walking tour of Antiqua and learned so much with him! The next day, a hike up the Payca volcano, which was definitely a highlight for us. We moved on to Panajachel for a few days and explored the surrounding towns with Pablo- loved it! Ivan, our driver was always on time for our adventures and incredibly kind and accommodating. I think private transportation and guides was key for us being able to relax and absorb our surroundings. This is a trip we will never forget and I would highly recommend Old Town Outfitters to anyone planning to visit beautiful Guatemala!

Great time in Guatemala!

Matt was our specialist at the beginning of the process, but Alex Coronado took over our planning process when Matt had to do some guiding. Alex was terrific! Very responsive, friendly, and he provided excellent advice. He touched base with us frequently throughout the three weeks we were in Guatemala to ensure that we were enjoying the trip. We had to make some last minutes changes which he accommodated quickly and efficiently. Alex went over and above making sure we were well taken care of.

All of the guides were professional and knowledgeable about the areas we were visiting. The drivers were prompt and the cars were in good shape. There was one situation where a car broke down (could happen to anyone) and Alex and our guide arranged for another car very quickly.

All of the accommodation was very good and the food was excellent. As was the Guatemalan coffee.

Thanks to Alex and the KimKim team for making our visit to Guatemala very special!

Honestly dealing with Alex (the travel agent) is what made us decide to go to Guatemala. He made us feel safe and worked very well with us. We even got to meet him and his beautiful family while we were there. What I also really appreciated is him always being available on WhatsApp for questions and addressed any concerns that I had. He had us working with our favorite tour guide Christa who me and my wife got close to and learned to love Guatemala and the people of Guatemala because of her.

Seriously the whole team that we had was amazing from our agent Alex, our guide Christa, and our driver David.

Activity Reviews

Antigua Walking Tour

Guatemala

It was good but we would’ve liked to do it with our guide who was also with us on it.

Kayaking & Hiking Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Our favorite place!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Christa was awesome

Transport

Explore Tikal National Park

Guatemala

Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano

Guatemala

Best trip ever thanks to Catherina, Esteban, Mario and David. Our Guatemala trip was flawless, beautiful, and had so many once in a lifetime memories. Thanks to kimkim and Columbus Travel for your kindness, the care we felt every step of the trip, and for sharing your beautiful country with us. Mario, thanks for showing us the amazing Mayan culture right in Guatemala City. David, you are a philosopher and we appreciated all we learned from you about the Mayan and Guatemala. Esteban, thanks for taking us to Lake Atitlan and spending part of Semana Santa with us away from your family. We will never forget the Mayan Good Friday processions we saw on the way to Antigua.. and of course sharing your hometown with us! Much appreciation. We wish we could stay another week. Guatemala is one of the most beautiful places we have traveled, the history, nature and people are special.

Hotel Review

El Convento Boutique Hotel

Antigua Guatemala

Beautiful hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Gorgeous room, location and character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Yaxhá Sunset

Guatemala

David is so knowledgeable and was an amazing guide to the Mayan sites. We appreciated his humor, his deep thoughts, and his willingness to share his knowledge with us. Great guide to to an out of this world place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kaminal Juyu Pre-Columbian Archaeological Site

Guatemala City

Mario and Esteban took us from the airport to see the Serpent Mound and then the Kaminaljuya a pre classic Mayan site right in Guatemala City. Mario was so knowledgeable about the site and city.. we got to see a Mayan ritual while there. We then went to the site museum. So many amazing artifacts! Was a great first introduction to Guatemala. Mario and Esteban were so kind and welcoming!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Top notch kind and friendly.. both Mario and Esteban.

Transport

Villages Around Lake Atitlán by Boat

Guatemala

Lake Atitlan is stunning ringed with mountains, birds and gorgeous green forests and flowers. Esteban took us across the Lake in a wave cutter boat.. and to San Pedro. We got to go see a colonial church and the floats ready for Good Friday. Also the market while the city was built into the cliff surrounding the Lake. Stunning! We then too a tuk tuk to San Juan.. and to a few women’s cooperatives.. one for hand dyed clothes. They use natural dyes and the women on the coop are supported through their craft. Beautiful textiles! Then to a medical coop.. where we learned about Mayan medicinal practices. And finally to a chocolate factory.. and an amazing art gallery. Was such a beautiful place with amazing people. What an amazing memory. Appreciate Esteban.. who knows everyone in these cities 😊 taking us to meet these incredible people.

Quality of Experience

Esteban!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Esteban made each moment special!

Transport

Boat ride was an adventure

Catherina and the Columbus Guatemala Travel team were not only extremely helpful and informative, but kind and welcoming. They checked up on myself and my fellow traveler on a daily basis to ensure we got where we needed to be, and be there on time. The activities that were booked for us were also outstanding, with the Acatenango hike being the highlight. Each driver and guide for all activities were terrific. Furthermore, Guatemala is a beautiful country with friendly people and amazing culture. Antigua quickly became one of my favorite cities I’ve ever visited. Overall, the Kim Kim and Columbus Travel team, along with the local guides all did their part in making an amazing trip. So far, I’m 2 for 2 with great booking experiences on Kim Kim.

Activity Reviews

Villages Around Lake Atitlán by Boat

Guatemala

Great guides and the like is beautiful. Lots of amazing history and culture to see. San Juan is an awesome little village.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bike Through Villages Of Itzapa And Calderas.

Antigua

Although I genuinely enjoyed this activity, I would be lying if I didn’t admit how difficult this activity is. Being in the military and an active gym goer, I figured this activity would be a breeze but I was very wrong. This was still very fun and the guide, Willy, was amazing and helpful. However, I wouldn’t suggest this activity to anybody that isn’t used to mountain biking, EXTREME cardiovascular activity, or at least high altitudes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Acatenango overnight

Guatemala

My favorite part of the trip. Albeit quite challenging, it was well worth it. Between the volcanic eruptions and the sunset and sunrise views are some of the most spectacular things I’ve ever witnessed.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Some of the hotels were substandard ... In particular Coban, Lake Atitlan and Antigua.. Rooms were dirty and internet was poor. We indicated that 3-4 star was acceptable but these hotels were more like 2 star by international standards.

Our first time in Guatemala was amazing and disappointing at the same time. The beauty of Guatemala surprised us with its mesmerizing volcanoes and lake Atitlan. The logistics left us puzzled at best. This is the first time a guide does not receive us at the airport. The only time with the trip planner Eduardo was the night before we departed after we had voiced repeatedly our concerns. We did not feel well informed of the plan. In fact the printout given to us by the driver upon arrival was not accurate or thorough. The culmination of the concerns was reached when a vehicle we were riding broke down and we could not complete our day of excursion. We wasted an entire day. For that we were reimbursed $287. We gave Eduardo a list of 12 points that we think will help improve his business. We are experienced travelers and we feel that amount we paid for this trip was not worth it at all.

Alex did an exceptional job creating our Guatemala and Belize itinerary. He was very responsive, had great suggestions, was patient and polite throughout the process. Our trip started with pick up from the airport. The driver patiently waited a couple of hours for two different flights to arrive so our whole party could depart together. We spent the first 3 nights in San Ignacio. It was a great introduction to Belize and Guatemala - with a clean, safe hotel, amazing food, and really fun (and informative) trips to two different Mayan ruins.

I really enjoyed the water tubing excursion we took while transitioning from interior Belize to the coast in the middle of our trip. We had the same drive as before - and he was friendly, punctual, and ensured a safe delivery.

On the coast, we stayed in San Pedro. The scenery is like a postcard. Alex selected an ideal snorkeling excursion that totally made our trip.

Overall, I cannot wait to return to Belize and Guatemala and will definitely enlist Alex's help to plan our next adventure.

Activity Reviews

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

William (I think), the guide was friendly and knowledgeable. He paced the tour so a range of fitness levels could learn, explore, and adventure. I really enjoyed walking to each structure, checking out nature, and glimpsing a few fun animals. It was an active but not exhausting day - the perfect amount of time. Also, the restaurant we went to for lunch at the end was fantastic!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On time, safe, polite.

Horse Riding Tour of the Xunantunich Maya Ruins

San Ignacio

I really appreciated the knowledge of the tour operators at St. Leonards tours. And, the gentleman who rode horses with us was outstanding - he stopped to check in on everyone, kept conversation going, and ensured a safe ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from San Ignacio to Belize City with Cave Tubing Tour en Route

Guatemala

Derrick, our driver, was so nice and helpful. He waited with our belongings the whole time we were tubing. Tubing was wonderful - perfect temperature (air and water), right amount of time, our guide was great and I especially liked just floating outside of the tube to look at the trees, etc. The lunch, on premise, was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Snorkel tour at the Marine Reserve from Caribe Resort

Guatemala

This was a perfect adventure. The boat transport was fun, our captain/dive leader was funny, the water was ideal. We say plenty of fish and sea life.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved the authenticity of Coban.
Semuc Champey was great but we would have liked more warning/info about what the "water cave" experience was going to involve. This was complicated by the fact that the guide's English was inadequate.
Flores was lovely.
LOVED Yaxha - Guide Oliveiro was superb. Tikal also great.
Really enjoyed Rio Dulce, the hotel we stayed at (Tixal?) and the whole river experience. Livingston was very interesting. Great guide too - Fernando.
Best was the hot springs!! Great experience!
Chichicastanango was absolutely fantastic - the market! and the cemetary.
Lake Atitlan was beautiful. We loved the kayaking & hiking experience. The towns we visited were tourist-y (San Juan, San Pedro, Santiago) but the things we visited (chocolate factory, weaving cooperative, shaman house) were really! interesting.
We really, really enjoyed this trip - it exceeded our expectations.

Our trip was terrific and exceeded our expectations. With the itinerary that was created for us, we saw many different areas of the country. What we hope to have, on a trip like this, is a wide variety of activities and experiences. This trip delivered. We were in cities and villages; we saw nightlife and wildlife; we were on lakes, in mountains and in jungles; we hiked, walked, swam, motor-boated and kayaked ; we visited wide open plazas and packed markets; we explored centuries-old pyramids and temples and modern churches; we learned ancient customs and current practices. Our local guides, lined up by Eduardo, were knowledgeable, personable and flexible. And the people of Guatemala were friendly and welcoming. Definitely a great trip overall.