Kimkim Trip Reviews for Iceland

Terry spent almost 9 months helping us plan a 7-day and a 6-day trip, before and after 18 days in Norway and Svalbard. We were involved as much as we wanted, providing feedback on the numerous options available. We made our way through the various COVID restrictions put in place by Iceland last year and earlier this year and all of them were thankfully lifted a month or two before departure.

We’ve travelled a lot, having spent almost 30 years living overseas, but this trip has us totally convinced that Iceland is the most beautiful country in the world. Around every bend in the road and from the top of hills and peaks, there were spectacular views. Terry planned a diverse set of stops and activities for us, from incredible waterfalls, to a glacier hike, snorkeling the Silfra Fissure, hiking in Porsmork, a boat trip and tour to a bird sanctuary on Vigur Island, and a five-hour spa retreat at Blue Lagoon.

The rental car process was easy and with the daily link to Google map directions Terry sent that easily connected to the car’s nav system, we never missed a turn and the the timing between places was amazingly accurate. The hotels were comfortable and varied, but always to a good standard.

I have always planned our elaborate trips myself, but took a chance on KimKim, because I didn’t know Iceland at all. I hate to admit it but Terry surpassed my extremely high bar and we had a an incredible trip. All that’s left is going through the thousand photographs!

Sigurður put together a great itinerary for our 2 week road trip through Iceland. I am a professional photographer, so he recommended many great locations for epic photos and some that were off the beaten path like the Westfjords. He also recommended several great tours like snorkeling the Silfra Fissure and the Katla cave hike. Sigurður was also great about communication before, during and after our trip. We were very pleased with the entire experience!

Francesca put together the exact Itinerary that we had envisioned. We saw and experienced Icelands wonderful sights and experiences so easily with the guidance given by Francesca’s daily itinerary. The Lodging selected was in the perfect locations to complete the exciting days travels.

Duncan was a fantastic guide. He listened to our preferences and clearly tailored a trip to our desires. He spaced the hotels well to keep the driving very manageable each day, but at the same time we covered a lot of ground and felt like each day we still saw a lot! His food and hike recommendations were great. He was responsive and helped give us options to adjust our trip if we needed based off how the day was going.

Our favorite moments of the trip were:

Glymur waterfall hike
Blue Lagoon
Driving around the perimeter of the Snaefllsnes Peninsula checking out the recommended stops and coast hike along the way
Reynisfjara black sand beach
Fjadrargljufur canyon
Hjorliefshofdi Cape and Cave hike
Staftafefell Glacier Hike
Diamond Beach
Reykjavik walking culinary tour

It was a truly amazing and memorable trip that my wife and I will cherish!

Hotel Reviews

Apótek Hótel by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Klaustur

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adventure Hotel Geirland

Kirkjubaejarklaustur

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel was kind of dingy compared to other hotels we stayed in

Fosshotel Stykkishólmur

Stykkishólmur

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Geysir

Bláskógabyggd

Location is excellent. Hotel is new and modern. The dinner at the restaurant was an excellent meal as well!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Reykjavik Food Walk

Iceland

Our guide was knowledgeable about the Icelandic culinary scene and culture. Learned a lot, got to see more of Reykjavik and the food was excellent!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Skaftafell Glacier Hike

Iceland

Truly special experience, was fascinating to learn about the glacier structures and changes over time. I would opt for the 5 hour tour to get to explore further on the glacier

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Secret Lagoon

Iceland

I would skip if you have the chance to do Blue Lagoon. It was crowded when we went and was just less relaxing than the Blue Lagoon

Quality of Experience

Vatnshellir Lava Cave Experience

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Was interesting and an hour is definitely enough. Not a must do stop, but was nice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Everyone involved was very helpful and patient. Any problems I had during the trek were easily corrected, communication was very good Eve while on the hike.

Thanks for an amazing journey to Iceland 🇮🇸

Jason Karahalis

We had an amazing trip in Iceland! Thanks to the kimkim team (Preeti and Halldor) for planning an amazing trip. Our tour guide, Bjarni Gaukur was a real highlight of our trip. He is kind, knowledgeable and made our trip unforgettable. I would highly recommend him !

Thanks Rinolda, for a trip of a lifetime! We appreciated all your expertise and recommendations..Helping us change our itinerary to make whale watching possible on a day with good weather and meeting you during our trip were such thoughtful additions! Every activity was well suited to our interests and the variety was perfect!
The only improvements might have been larger showers in the rooms and a bit larger car for the second half of the trip...the car you reserved for us was very tight for 4 adults plus luggage...also, in several of the hotels, it was not cool enough in our rooms at night with one tiny window being the only ventilation in the rooms...(maybe a fan could be suggested).
Overall, we all came home very thrilled with our trip with a lifetime of amazing memories from Iceland!

Thank you again SO much Rinolda!

Warmly, Elizabeth Koster

Othman was EXCELLENT! Very responsive and helpful. He was super knowledgeable about Iceland and had great recommendations specific to our family's interests. The accommodations were unique and really great. Othman found unique outings for us and handled all bookings, confirmations and any small issue that arose. We will definitely book with KimKim again!

Hotel Reviews

Vatnsholt Hotel & Guesthouse

Selfoss

We had a family room in a larger guest house. It was very clean and well-appointed. It was quiet and the beds were very comfortable. The restaurant had a good breakfast and dinner. Very nice and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Holiday House

Kirkjubaejarklaustur

WOW this cottage and view were SO GREAT! It was perfect for our 4-person family. The kitchen was well apportioned. The view and the front porch are uncompromised. Loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshótel Rauðará

Reykjavík

The hotel was definitely very dated - not sure the interiors have been updated in 15+ years. But, it was clean. A bit far from interesting spots in and the center of the city. The breakfast was really excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dís Cottages

Grundarfjordur

WOW! This cottage and the VIEW blew us away!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Secret Ice Cave

Iceland

WHOA was this SUPER COOL!

Quality of Experience

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon amphibian boat tour

Iceland

Kerið Crater

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Þingvellir National Park

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Horses and Hot Springs

Iceland

SO AMAZING!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Solheimasandur Beach & Plane Wreck

Iceland

We didn't go to this sight.

Folklore Walking Tour

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Whale Watching Ólafsvík

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Gerðuberg Basalt Cliffs

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Saxholar Crater

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Quality of Experience

Thank you for an incredible trip! Our tour guide was phenomenal and so knowledgable and thoughtful. The itinerary was perfect and the hotels were great. We really enjoyed this family vacation.

We had such an incredible trip to Iceland. Even though it was short we managed to squeeze in so many fun activities. We ended up going to the sky Lagoon instead of the blue lagoon because There was no availability as our trip was planned so last minute. It was so beautiful and peaceful it was a great way to start our trip after a exhausting overnight flight. The hotel we stayed in were all clean and well located. We loved the glacier hike and the ATV towards the best and we also appreciated the thorough itineraries that Emanuela created for us so that after each Excursion she gave us a path back to our hotel that involved beautiful stops and hikes on the way. It was a perfect five days.

Activity Reviews

Food Walking Tour

Reykjavík

This was a very interesting tour. The food was unique and interesting to learn about. Our tour guide was very nice no didn’t have a huge personality. Everybody did enjoy the tour and we like to try and all the different kinds of foods

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

ATV tour

Iceland

This was definitely one of the coolest things we did on the trip. The ATVs felt very safe and we were able to go fast through the black lava sand and through rivers and we also got to go to one of the plane crash sites in Iceland. It was very beautiful and surreal. We really enjoyed it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snowmobile tour on Langjokull Glacier

Iceland

It was a great trip and everyone had a lot of fun but it definitely felt a teeny bit dangerous. One of our snowmobiles did fall over at some point when we hit a sharp slope and I did hurt my shoulder a little bit but everyone had a ton of fun. A few other people also fell over but nobody got hurt.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

South Coast and Icelandic Lava Show

Vík

This was only an hour shower but it was super informative and really interesting. They talk about the history of one of the major recent volcanic eruption‘s and then they actually do a demonstration on how the magma comes out of the earth and flows. Even my kids loved it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We are an adventurous family. My wife and I have been hiking over 50 years and we still work together so time away still requires packed vacations within a 2 week time frame. We had been to Iceland 10 years ago and were desirous to return. We hit the “Golden Circle and nearby iconic activities and in 5 days we packed in spelunking, white-water rafting, the Blue Lagoon, kayaking and hiking up Glymur falls, snowmobiles on glaciers and the essential Thingvellir, Gullfoss, Geysir and Reykavik. This time around, we wanted to be off-the-beaten path”. Google photos hit the right buttons; challenging day-hiking, glamping and experiencing Kjolur, Landmannalauger, Thorsmork, the Skogafoss canyon, glacier hiking, crossing glacial rivers, zodiacs among the icebergs, venturing on our own and a private understanding of the “out-back’s”: volcanos, vents, glaciers, canyons, culture (the poets of Hali) and the hard scrabble life of the Icelander (sheep, wool, geothermal, green houses, simple / efficient structures, helping each other). We had used other travel services which provide the “90%” tourist agenda but Kimkim, recognized our needs and hand-selected us with a most incredible self-adventurer herself, Rinolda Juodvirsyte. We wished to explore deeper into the volcanic-glacier physically changing land of a remarkable people who’s days change with weather, lava flows (Vestmannaeyjar islands , glacier melts, light/dark and personal isolation when their towns and dwellings are separated in floods and landslides). Rinolda puzzeled together a wonderful and exciting day-by-day roadtrip; even spending time with us exploring different Icelandic iconic locations at site and over dinner. Each day a challenging hike many times with a personal guide (chains and ladders), interpreting the culture, geology, directions and further recommending out-of the way treks, food surprises and explorations. We experienced how this constantly challenging island-nation is surviving climate change (carry your essentials and layered clothing with you, you never know what comes next), surprising volcano eruptions and lava flows, humongous glacier melts destroying roads and bridges (berms of volcanic rubble and single lane bridges, quickly and simply rebuilt), isolation between far-away towns, light-dark mood changes and always extending a happy, smiling, “can-do” attitude of “thetta reddast” (it will be okay, what will be, will be). I cannot recommend KimKim enough to pair you with the right expert to create the individualized experience for you.

Our trip to Iceland was well planned and we had a great time! Jenny was responsive and made sure her recommendations were consistent with our needs. We completed the entire Ring Road in a week and really enjoyed the Blue Lagoon, whale watching, and the Reykjavik Food Tour. The South of the island has more sights to explore than the North and you could easily spend a week only in the South. I recommend kimkim’s service. It made planning easy!

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Amazing experience. The best hot spring I’ve been to. Worth the time and money

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reykjavik Food Walk

Iceland

Great, knowledgeable guide. Interesting Iceland history and a sampling of foods you wouldn’t have tried otherwise. Highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Myvatn Nature Baths

Lake Mývatn

Ok experience. The hot springs were Luke warm. The Blue Lagoon is better.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale Watching from Akureyri

Akureyri

Great tour with knowledgeable guides. We were lucky enough to see whales breach, dive, breathe, and slap their tales!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Emanuela did an incredible job organizing our trip to Iceland, from start to finish! Her itinerary was perfect for our family, easy to follow and we appreciated her checking in with us periodically as well. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

Emanuela was great in planning our trip. The provided itinerary was highly detailed, easy to follow and very helpful. We appreciated all her dining recommendations and places to stop off the beaten path. Emanuela was very responsive and communicated with us during the planning process and checked in with us throughout the trip! Thanks for a great adventure

Activity Review

A Day at the Westmann islands

Iceland

Enjoyed seeing the puffins! Less busy than other places. It was nice to get away from the crowds. The island was beautiful!

This is an overdue review for a trip completed pre-pandemic. Pauline did an amazing job planning the trip. We loved driving around and exploring the waterfalls, black sand beaches and cliffs. The natural springs were great too. Looking forward to planning more trips through kimkim now that traveling is more accessible!

Michele, our local specialist was fabulous! He went out of the way for us when we were called home early due to some issues at home. He made all the last minute changes we needed and they were perfect. The hotel accommodations we had during the entire week were very nice, but we especially enjoyed the Hotel Laki and Hotel Selja, both of which were newer facilities with more spacious bathrooms. The others were nice, too, but these were nicer. All the tips for things to see along the route were excellent and much appreciated.

Overall, we absolutely enjoyed our Iceland vacation. Iceland is so unique and special; it was definitely worth our effort. We enjoyed hiking to various waterfalls, such as Grundarfoss, Kirkjufellfoss, Gullfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, and those higher up on the hike to Skogafoss – Hestavaðsfoss and Fostorfufoss. We attempted to hike to the Glymur falls, but were turned away when we thought the log bridge crossing over the river Botnsá was beyond our capability – the river was flowing rapidly! We enjoyed driving around the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and hiking off of Road F575 and hiking to Klukkufoss and Snekkjufoss. Taking in the sights of Djúpalónssandur beach on the west coast of the Peninsula was a unique experience. Our adventure to the Secret Lagoon for a dip in the oldest swimming pool in Iceland – located in a geothermal area near Flúðir was warm and relaxing. We also thought the sights of Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon were exceptional as was hiking in the area of the Svinafellsjokull Glacier near Vtnajökull National Park. But our absolute favorite activity was the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon excursion! It was a magnificently beautiful and warm day and the sights were once-in-a-lifetime views. How special - we will remember it for the rest of our lives.

We had the best time in Iceland! Every single attraction Terry set on our daily itinerary and paid adventures were so beautiful and fun.

We decided to book our trip through a travel agency, which we've never done before, because our Iceland adventure was part of a larger travel plan that we were already overwhelmed with booking. All through our time in Iceland, and since we got back, we've been congratulating each other on what a good idea that was!

We heard from Terry, our travel agent, within a few hours of filling out our interest form. And she was amazing. She was responsive to our questions and our priorities, she worked with us as we chose and changed activities (often) and she was communicative about roadblocks.

And, to top it all off, she put in a ton of extra work--all in secret--to help me plan a surprise proposal in front of an Icelandic waterfall for my now fiancee! She was so helpful and excited about being my "secret agent," and she planned everything so perfectly. It all went without a hitch, and my fiancee hadn't expected any of it!

Thank you, Terry, for a trip of a lifetime!

Activity Reviews

Whales and Puffins

Iceland

A trip highlight! What an amazing experience. The boat was comfortable. We were given coveralls to keep us warm, and the tour guide was passionate and articulate. We really learned something on this trip, and our tour guide made us as tourists feel very connected to the larger cause of animal conversation in this beautiful country. Also puffins rock.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A+

Transport

Boats are fun.

Zipline Adventure Tour

Iceland

Wonderful guides and such a fun adventure! It was the perfect length, as well. Zoom zoom! Such a thrill!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fantastic! Loved the history we got sprinkled in, and the wonderful good humor. Total sweethearts!

Transport

Horse Riding on Black Sand Beach

Iceland

Very fun! We learned about the horses and got to do the Icelandic gait. It would have been fun to go on a bit of a longer/more varied route.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was horses. What's not to like?

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

A super relaxing first outing. What a great way to refresh and relax after a long trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We can't speak more highly about Emanuela and the services she provided for us. We had originally planned our trip with her for May 2020, and when covid hit we needed to cancel . Emanuela checked in with us over the summer and the following year and was always respectful of our concerns about Covid and never pressured us to rebook sooner than we were comfortable. Our trip this past May/June 2022 was spectacular. Emanuela kept in touch with us by text to be sure our trip was going well. We loved our accommodations in small guest houses and she even booked us at a horse farm. She made many personal recommendations for restaurants that we loved. We enjoyed the tours that we pre-booked, the Lava Show in Vik was excellent, the Lava Tunnel tour was fun and educational, and the Ice Cave tour was challenging and exciting. We lucked out during our whale watching trip and we saw 3 whales coming to the surface, flipping their tails multiple times. We even saw a puffin skimming over the ocean while feeding.
Emanuela's knowledge and experience of Iceland was evident in the recommendations she gave us that highlighted the beauty of the country, the magnificent waterfalls and the volcanic lava flows. Unfortunately we caught Covid and two of the three of us had to stay an extra 3 days. Emanuela helped us extend our hotel stay and access medical care. We highly recommend using Emanuela to plan your trip to Iceland.

Terry was great to work with and very patient as we tweaked our plans. Her advice was helpful and she made great suggestions we might not have discovered on our own. We had a relatively short time before jumping on a cruise in Reykjavík and Terry helped us make the most of it. We even squeaked two days on the Westman Islands, which was fantastic. We appreciated having all the arrangements made for us and there were no glitches or lost reservations.

It was awesome to have Othman help me piece together this trip for our family! He patiently guided me through every question I had and we pieced together a trip that was manageable and well priced for our budget. Each day was an astounding adventure. The guided day with Midgard Base Camp was flawless, Magnus and Steph gave us a perfect day. We returned to the base for dinner which was our favorite meal in 6 days! One of the best parts of working with Othman and kimkim was the clear itinerary we ended up with. kimkim made all of our reservations and purchased tickets for our 3 biggest day trips. We rented a car and drove 600+ miles with the added bonus of easy short side trips listed for us to consider, we hit most of them and every one was breathtaking. They also kept in touch to make sure that our trip was going well and to contact them if need be. I HIGHLY recommend kimkim for any trip anywhere in the world. It would've been a daunting and stressful task for me to put together this trip of a lifetime!