Kimkim Trip Reviews for Iceland

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!

Our trip to Iceland was nothing short of amazing! Our Kimkim specialist, Duncan, suggested that we follow the Ring Road, and we are so glad that we did.

Every hotel that we stayed at was lovely, with a delicious breakfast included each morning. We loved the flexibility of our itinerary; we felt like there was a perfect mix of guided tours and self-guided exploring. Everyone in Iceland was incredibly hospitable and we were so impressed at how little language barrier we experienced.

The Dettifoss waterfall was definitely our favorite sight of the trip. The view is absolutely breathtaking--but definitely bring a rain poncho as you will get soaked :). Our horseback riding tour at Skorrahestar Icelandic Horse Rental was perfect: the guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and gave us a great restaurant recommendation for Hofn called Hafnarbudin. The Solheimajokull Glacier Hike was a great way to push us out of our comfort zone and is perfect for anyone looking for an adventure.

Overall, the Ring Road should not be missed because of the views and relaxing lagoons, made even better by amazing tours and guides. Thanks again to Duncan for an incredible itinerary!

Hotel Review

Blue Hotel Fagrilundur

Bláskógabyggd

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Blue Hotel! The staff were incredibly welcoming and were great sources for information about the area. There is a lovely hot tub for guests to enjoy. Overall, the rooms were very comfortable and we would absolutely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

The property felt very homey with amazing Icelandic hospitality.

Location

Easy access to restaurant, gas stations, groceries, and lagoons.

Staff

The staff were great for recommendations and answered all of our questions!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was very clean and comfortable (and even had Netflix, which is always a plus)!

Activity Review

Horse Riding Tour

Iceland

Our horseback riding tour was amazing! The guides were very knowledgeable not only about the horses but also about the area. The views were absolutely incredible and it was easy to see that the guides truly considered the horses their family. We cannot recommend this tour enough!

Quality of Experience

Once in a lifetime views and experience!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Super friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable.

Great itinerary! Suggest the counter-clockwise direction for circumnavigating the island.

Francesca was great - good communication etc.
Our car booked was too small- my son’s head was hitting the top of the car. Thankfully the car company was able to get us a little bit larger car- with the immense amount of driving that would have been a problem.
The teip was great- for the amount of time we were there I think the driving was way too much. That was everyone’s take away. The suggested stops foe sight seeing and hiking were fabulous- that really made our trip!
I think some things could be better communicated - such as “it is advisable to pack a lunch” when gone for 12 hours.

Hotel Reviews

Northern Light Inn

Grindavik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room With A View Apartment Hotel

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adventure Hotel Hof

Hof

Authenticity & Character

Location

I

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Borealis Hotel

Selfoss

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Iceland Thermal Bath Experience

Iceland

Fantastic experience! We loved ending our trip here- this was another highlight for our famiky!

Quality of Experience

ATV to the Black Beach and Plane Wreck

Iceland

Best thing we did on iur trip! Kids loved it and so did we! Great and diverse terrain! We lived this tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon amphibian boat tour

Iceland

Ended up not going - it wad pouring rain and our tour was so late as well as our hotel another 1.5 hours away after the tour- we decided to cancel this and that nights hotel to get to a town and hotel closer to our next days destination- this 2 day portion of our trip was not great and we would have skipped this all together with the short time in Iceland- we were told the week prior to leaving that the tour was so late- I think this could have been avoided had this tour been booked by Kimkim earlier in our process of booking.

Guided small group superjeep tour to Landmannalaugar

Iceland

The hiking was great- again- had NO idea it was almost a 3 hour ride to one destination and then back. There was a mention to pack some snacks- it would have been very helpful (especially traveling with kids) had we been told to pack a lunch- or lunch should have been provided luke we saw other groups doung.

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

This was great- I think more info in the upgraded package would have been nice- it was soooo crowded we would have gone foe the nicer package had we had known.

The trip was the perfect mix of planned / ticketed excursions and self guided sightseeing. We ended up adding a few extras at our own leisure such as the lava show in ViK and a Puffin Tour in Reykjavik. One of my most favorite experiences was the Glacial hike near ViK. Our guide’s name was Gia and she was so fun and kept everyone safe and also motivated! My 11 year old son loved her too.
Of the two lagoons we visited the Sky Lagoon was by far our favorite. That was something we added last min as well. We wish we had had time for the Blue Lagoon but we decided we would just need to come back and visit again to see and experience that! We also loved our horse riding experience at Laxnes Horse Farm. The owner was very welcoming! The guides however did not talk much. I am assuming it would have been difficult to do that and they did do a good job of keeping us all safe.
Iceland is a magestic country with such an amazing landscape and adventure around every corner. I am so thankful to Francesca for putting together our very well planned vacation last minute. She did a fantastic job! Also thank you to Michael who was on call for us while we were there. It was so nice to have someone who was immediately on call when we had questions / needed help.
My only complaint was that our car rental experience was not good. I did not realize that our coverage did not included full protection of the vehicle and when a scratch was discovered that we have no idea how it got there we had to pay $2k USD. I have yet to hear back from them as they are suppose to refund the difference of the amount it took to repair from what I paid. If there is anyway for Kim Kim to help me get my refund it would be much appreciated.
Thank you!
Lily

We just returned from our second amazing trip to Iceland using KimKim as our trip planner. Janel, our local specialist was very attentive to our wishes to make this a fantastic trip for our family with two teen boys and she delivered. We spent most of our trip in North and West Iceland and enjoyed so many splendors of the country including a spectacular whale watching trip and coastal horse tour out of Husavik, to visiting several of Iceland’s finest hot springs, waterfalls and epic scenic drives. We ate great food along the way and many of the recommended restaurants and while we mostly stayed in hotels, we enjoyed our one night stay in a adorable seaside house rental in Borgir. We couldn’t have asked for a better return trip and can’t wait to return again to explore the Westfjords someday!

Hi, we had a great trip. Cant say enough about the landscapes astonishing beauty .
The super jeep and iceberg tour was perfect, we also had great weather for both. Our 2 guides were so friendly and knowledgeable. Not very good at remembering names lol. Jeep tour we had a woman guide, blonde , used initials I think for a nick name, Ice berg tour was a dark haired younger tatooed guy, both excellent.
We did all what you had on our to do list , also the options and as well as a few other things, we hiked one day over 16 K. Oh we did skip the sculpture walk in Reykjavic.
All the places we visited were memorable. One place not on our list was the Lava museum, we stopped there as it was raining that day. We really enjoyed it and have recommended it to others.
Sorry for being so long to reply, we have been so busy. Thank you Jenny for everything, and also to your team for caring for us as well when we had a few issues . We have recommended KIMKIM to others as well!!

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

we were there in the evening, I think best for us to relax before turning in. However we would have enjoyed staying in the water longer , but the lagoon was closing, however this was our choice to go later to relax. Highly recommend the experience , just seemed as we and others had the same question. where are the towels. lol

Quality of Experience

all of it

Guides, Drivers and Staff

courteous, helpful

Transport

We stayed at the Northern Light inn. Transport to the lagoon was included, but not to return at the closing time of the lagoon. we walked, but it was quite cool and it was light rain

Explore Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Boat

Iceland

Great to sail close to the icebergs. The zodiac was able to get closer to the glacier face and we were able to see a section of ice break off. It was awesome to hear the sounds of breaking ice , like thunder. The guide was very informative and was able to get us all to ask questions

Quality of Experience

Catching an iceberg calf off the glacier

Guides, Drivers and Staff

friendly, informative, went closer to the glacier as he expected to see ice break away form the face, and we did see and capture this on video

Transport

safety first, but also a little on the adventurous side

Trip was absolutely amazing!!! Emanuela helped me every step of the way. It was perfectly planned and exactly what we asked for. Everything went so smoothly. Best trip we've ever had. I will use the services for all my future trips!

Fantastic trip to the south coast of Iceland. Andres made great suggestions for self guided portions-we explored the Rekjanes lighthouse are and hiked to see the Geldindalur volcano.
Our waterfall tour in thorsmork with Peter as our private guide in a superjeep was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. We also hiked in landmannalaugar with Einar traveling via superjeep. Both guides made the tour fun and we experienced lovely views/sites, both were knowledgeable about the area. Both tours were private and both guides were excellent.
Peter was particularly good about setting us up for fun family photos.
We traveled to westman Islands and went on a great rib boat tour-which I highly recommend. Again, Andrés gave great suggestions on what to see and where to eat.
Andres was flexible and responded immediately to my concerns when we were in iceland.
Kimkim was a great way to have the advantage of a local’s advice, fully customizable and small group tours. My family (including two teenagers) had a fantastic trip.
We will be using kimkim for our next great adventure!

Activity Review

Volcanoes & Waterfalls- Private guided day tour in the highlands.

Iceland

Who knew there were so many stunning waterfalls to see? If you aren’t afraid to do light to moderate hiking this fantastic tour is a must do. We hiked to the top of a mountain for stunning views, went into caves to see waterfalls, climbed rocks, crossed streams in a super jeep. I can’t praise the experience enough. Peter was adaptable, waited when needed hiking, paid attention to our safety, was knowledgeable about the area and took many family photos-and made the trip fun.

Quality of Experience

I experienced the landscape rather than just looked at it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Peter made it fun and adjusted to our skill/adventureness level.

Transport

The superjeep was fun, and the river crossings an adventure.

Halldor and Preeti really got to know my husband and I, to understand our goals and preferences. It was an amazing experience in Iceland and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Our family had an amazing trip! Andres planned the perfect mix of sightseeing for the age of our kids. And we LOVED the accommodations. Thank you, thank you!

Hotel Review

Hotel Odinsve

Reykjavik

Great set-up for families!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the middle of everything! Perfect location!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cliffside walk at Arnarstapi

Iceland

Djupalonsandur Black Sand Beach

Iceland

This was a can’t-miss stop!

Silfra Snorkeling Adventure with Transport

Reykjavík

This was a once in a lifetime experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Iceland was beautiful. Duncan put together an amazing trip for us on very short notice. Our itinerary included everything we had on our list and we had a very long list. We went to several lagoons and baths (the Blue Lagoon, the Forest Lagoon, the Sky Lagoon, the Bjorbodin Beer Baths and the Myvatn Nature Baths). All of them were special in their own way and very welcome after full days of hiking, seeing Iceland’s amazing waterfalls, rafting, touring the Vidgelmir lava cave and whale and puffin watching. We had one issue with our lodging that turned out to be the fault of the hotel. We called the Kimkim emergency number and Preeti and the hotel host had a new place worked out for us in about a half hour. I should also mention that Duncan answered all of our pre-trip questions and he checked in with me several times during the trip to see how things were going. Great job Kimkim. I would definitely book another trip with them.

Activity Review

Iceland Thermal Bath Experience

Iceland

The Sky Lagoon was one of the most relaxing places I have ever been. The scenery was beautiful - you looked over the edge of the infinity pool into the bay beyond and the sky beyond that. The facilities were very calming and relaxing. We purchased the Pure pass which included a seven step ritual meant to relax and rejuvenate. It worked.

Quality of Experience

I honestly liked everything we did. Driving gave us a lot of flexibility. Visiting Iceland in the summer gave us 22 hours of daylight to do it. We never felt like we were rushed.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I liked the individualize itinerary.

Transport

I liked that we had a hybrid car that was great on gas mileage.

We are a busy family, and did not have much time to do our own research on what to do in Iceland. Rinolda was just what we needed for a travel specialist! She took our requests and built a great itinerary for us. The program included not only the must sees, but also a number of suggestions in case we have extra time. She went over the itinerary with us before the trip in great detail and made any necessary changes based on our requests. She also booked all the hotels and hard to get tickets in advance, so all we had to do was to show up. Rinolda also checked in with us throughout the trip to make sure that we were having a good time. She was quick to respond whenever we had a question. I couldn't have asked for a better agent!

The itinerary and accommodations perfectly matched our requests.

Activity Reviews

Skaftafell Ice Climbing & Glacier Hike

Iceland

We and another family of four ended up on a tour with 16 others from a single group. We were split into two groups of 12 with 8 members from the large group paired with each of the separate families of 4. Together or apart, the large group commandeered the tempo of the tour being allowed to move slowly, secure gear improperly, over/under dress and stop to change, ask the guide to carry one of their water bottles, talk when they should have been listening, and take pictures when instructed not to (not just a group picture but each person individually). The trip could have gone twice as fast or twice as far without them. Patience was tested.

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ribsafari Boat Tour

Westman Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Silfra Snorkeling

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Iceland Thermal Bath Experience

Iceland

Quality of Experience