Kimkim Trip Reviews for Iceland

We were very happy with Eric throughout the planning process. He was very responsive and sensitive to our technical challenges.
The itinerary met our required wishes. The 'Golden Circle' stay was a great way to begin our introduction to Iceland and the proximity to the airport of our first lodging helped us deal with the jetlag. The geothermal activity was a real attraction. Unfortunately I missed the planned activity at that location.
Our stay in Kirkjubaejarklaustur gave us exposure to the desolation and rawness of the country. The Diamond Beach day trip was a pleasant surprise. We loved the icebergs.
After the relative sparseness of humanity of the first two stays, Reykjavik was anything but. Unfortunately, Penny caught a virus of some sort two days before we were to fly to Iceland, and she couldn't partake of the Sky Lagoon pass. I, however, very much enjoyed the venue. It was splendid and I wish Penny had felt better and been able to accompany me. It was quite breathtaking.

Where to begin? KimKim helped us plan an 11-day ring road trip and we hardly scratched the surface of this beautiful place.

Lodgings: Eric and his team did a great job finding us off the beaten path places to stay within our budget. We especially loved Frost & Fire in Hveragerdi - cute room, great view, nice restaurant and their own hot springs tubs on the side of the hill. We also loved Gistihsid Lake Hotel in Eglisstadir - really nice rooms, views, great restaurant too. They had an indoor spa/hot tub too. Also of note were the Stracata apartments near Kirkjubæjarklaustur - it was an adventure arriving in the dark to discover the next morning that we were in a lava field filled with pools of water. It was raining that night so hard to tell where we were. Would be fantastic for Northern Lights! Also, the Mork Cottage in Hvammstangi was so cute, only 1.7 km from town but felt like it was in the middle of nowhere. We wished we could have stayed there a few days - the Northern Lights over the fjord were amazing. We would have liked to explore this part of Iceland more. The other lodgings fit our budget but were more standard hotels, met our needs, and had comfortable beds.

Excursions: We did 3 guided excursions. Horse back riding at Eldhestar stables outside of Hveragerdi, Glacier hike with Arctic Adventures on Sólheimajökull, and a crystal blue ice cave super keep/hike with Blue Iceland. Riding 2 hours in the rain was an experience in itself. We are glad we went - the horses are wonderful and the scenery beautiful even in the rain. The glacier hike was great too. We learned a lot about glaciers and climate change from our guide, Tin. Finally, the Ice Cave tour was beautiful. We went late in the day and had the cave to ourselves. It wan’t a sunny day but the blue in the cave was gorgeous. We would recommend spacing excursions out (we had one each of our first 3 days) - this felt rushed to us, but they did fit within the schedule.

Maps, Sites, Options - the maps were fantastic and linked right to google. The hardest part was letting go of all the things we could see but didn’t have time. The final trip plan contained 50-60 pages of site descriptions, recommended sites, and optional activities. Some of the most memorable - the South Coast Lighthouse trail on our first day, Hveralaug wild hot springs afterward. Skaftafoll Nature Reserve and Svartifoss waterfall (2.5 m hike). All of the East Fjords drive & Stokkanes beach (we missed the South black sand beach because the wind was crazy when we arrived). We also loved Húsavík and Akureyri.

Hot Springs - we asked Eric & team for a hot spring almost everyday. We had hot tubs at many of our lodgings. We visited Fontana Nature baths near Gullfoss, Geosea in Husavik, Lake Mývatn Nature Lagoon, and Forest Lagoon. All were wonderful - Forest lagoon was probably our favorite.

Food - Amazing! We tried it all. 3-4 different tasting menus including ending with Michelin Guide restaurant Matur of Drykkar in the Saga Museum. Also, hot dogs, burgers, tomato, mushroom and Icelandic soup. Most days we made sandwiches for lunch because they gave us flexibility to eat in the middle of nowhere.

Our car was great. Enough 4x4 to get us over gravel roads, puddles, pits, and snow.

Fortunately, we did not need to flex schedule because of weather. We just did everything in whatever weather we got. We saw the Northern Lights twice! The biggest gift of Iceland to us.

Thank you Eric & team!

Activity Reviews

Forest Lagoon

Iceland

Gorgeous, new, and very quiet at 2 pm.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

GeoSea Geothermal Baths

Iceland

Again, super windy. Great view.

Quality of Experience

So windy no one stayed long.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Myvatn Nature Baths

Lake Mývatn

Super windy. These pools are heated through rocks and gravel under foot - warmer/cooler depending on where you stood. They are also expanding so view wan’t quite as good as it could be.

Quality of Experience

Great facilities. Construction so not as pretty/wild. Got a free drink for Women’s Day!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

So beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Crazy driving the super jeep where we did!

Transport

Crowded

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

Perfect for what we wanted (easier hike). Great guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fontana Geothermal Baths

Iceland

Lovely. We were there late 7:30 pm, so didn’t get to really see the lake, but the pools and facilities were top notch.

Quality of Experience

Horse Riding

Iceland

I’m only giving it a 4 because it poured rain. Horses were great, scenery was wonderful and they waited for us when we took a wrong turn and ended up 15 minutes late

Quality of Experience

Nice facilities, great location, beautiful horses.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip to Iceland was absolutely amazing! We would have never been able to design a roadtrip like the one Eric did for us on our own. His expertise was invaluable when it came to seeing as many sights as we could within our 9 day window. His itinerary gave us the confidence to venture out on our own with a rented car, eliminating the need to go on any large group tour buses. The tours that he did book for us, like the glacier hike, ice cave tour, and walking tour of Reykjavik were small and the guides were engaging, accommodating, and knowledgable.

It was a seamless experience. We started at the blue lagoon right after picking up our rental car and then headed straight to the Snaefellsness Peninsula where we were able to see a spectacular glacier volcano, Snaefellsjokull, explore lava caves and endless lava fields, and walk on cliffs and black sand beaches. From there we spent a couple days in the Golden Circle seeing all the major sights like Thingvellar National Park, Geysir, Kerid Crater, and Gullfoss. We had a few days exploring the waterfalls, beaches, gorges, lava fields, and glaciers to be seen on the south coast before ending our trip in Reykjavik. All of the sights and driving instructions were in a logical order that kept us moving forwards, never wasting time backtracking.

We appreciate the time and care it took to design an itinerary specially made for us. We had told Eric that our main priorities were seeing the northern lights, soaking in hot springs, seeing nature, and learning some history. He booked us rooms at hotels with excellent views in case we might catch a glimpse of the northern lights; he fit 3 different lagoons into our itinerary (Sky Lagoon was the best); and we had a good balance of experiencing nature as well as making time for museums and history. We also tried some of the restaurants he recommended all of which were delicious! Thank you Eric for designing a trip we will never forget!

Eric did an amazing job planning and timing everything. All our tours were small groups, so to get the most of every experience, we work with tourists in our everyday lives also, so we know how important that is. . We liked the Troll expedition company that was chosen for our tours on the glacier. Beda was amazing hiking on the glacier, Bearney at the ice caves. Bearney was especially patient since the weather was so extreme and uncooperative with blowing gravel and pouring down rain. We also appreciated that our companies vehicles did not break down, while we watched many that did.
Horse back riding with Julia was a fantastic experience and learning about the Icelandic horses and getting to experience their Tolt (walk trot). And finally meeting Paul for our local walking culinary tour, you can see he truely lived Icelandic culture. As a fisherman his whole life, his tour gave us a true view of what it was like to grow up in Iceland.
Our first hotel at Fire and frost was amazing and such a perfect way to ease into our vacation. It helped us adjust to the time change while appreciating the beauty around us. I really liked staying in each location two nights so there wasn’t too much chaos packing and unpacking.
I will use KimKim to plan my vacations anytime I can. Even with all the info online, there would have been no way to plan things so smoothly, no way to know which tour companies to use, and no way to know how much time we would want to spend in each site.

Activity Reviews

Reykjavik Food Walk

Iceland

Paul was a fisherman his whole life, he showed us a tour from a true local and not just someone working in Iceland for a few months. I appreciated the small group interaction so we could really get a feel for Reykjavík.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horse riding tour

Iceland

Julia was knowledgeable and our small group made it a quality experience. Truely enjoyed learning and experiencing the Icelandic horse Troit. Having the horse riding suits available to us made the cold windy weather experience enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Julia was knowledgeable and made sure everyone felt comfortable as we proceeded.

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

Bearney was great with our small group, the weather was so miserable that day, but we all made it. We watched so many vehicles break down returning to base. It was comforting to know we chose the right company.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

Better with Beda!!! What a great time! Once in a lifetime experience! Nice small group attention while we watched some guides with 35+ on the glacier. Lucky with the weather.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Better with Beda!!

We had a wonderful trip. Everything was well planned and laid out.

Hotel Reviews

Skuggi Hotel by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Katla by Keahotels

Vík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Gullfoss

Tungufell

Charming hotel! Friendly staff l.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights & Stargazing

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sólheimajökull Glacier Walk

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

It was cold and rainy yet a wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rinolda was great with helping us book the trip. It was on short notice and part way through we added a day to the trip and she didn't falter at all. We got to see lots of Iceland without feeling rushed along with lots of tips. The places we stayed at were fantastic and despite the shorter sunlight days we still were able to fit it all in (and Rinolda knew which places we could visit while still slightly dark and get great photos). We all really enjoyed the trip

Kimkim made choosing my travel plan so much easier. When I first started planning my trip to Iceland, I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do. The to-do list quickly begins piling up when you book a multi-city trip, so having all of your bookings in one place makes a huge difference.
On our way to Iceland we were delayed 24h, meaning we were missing 1 night at our first hotel, 1 day of our rental car usage, and one of our planned/paid for tours. Rather than having to contact each place I simply contacted Othman with the details of my delay, and he connected me with the local tour operator and they took it from there. Because of the hectic weather we had to make several adjustments to our itinerary and having it booked through Kimkim was a big stress reliever since they did all of the rebooking.
Othman was very kind and checked in with me before, during, and after our trip and was always there to answer questions when needed.
I look forward to booking with kimkim again in the future!

Activity Reviews

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

The ice cave was very crowded and was a lot of stopping for prolonged periods of time before moving to the next area, where you waited for a very long time. Our group was small, which was nice, however we had a few individuals who were always lagging behind to take photos and it really slowed us down. What could've taken 30 minutes took more than over an hour. I feel like there were too many people inside the cave and that it would've been better if the tours were more staggered so you weren't constantly waiting around. Another tour that we did had a nice idea of bringing us to the end fairly quickly while still being informative and not rushing, and then gave us all the option of exploring and making our way back at our own pace. This way people could take photos and take their time if they wanted to while others could make their way back quicker. This doesn't exactly work with the ice cave tour as they transport tour-goers to and from base, however maybe there could be a couple of options for departure from the cave.

Quality of Experience

Less tours happening at the same time, or having an option for a longer tour for those who want to stay longer/take more photos

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vatnshellir lava cave tour

Iceland

This was an activity that I underestimated and had booked for something to do, not necessarily because I really wanted to do it. We had visited The Lava Show in Reykjavik which gave us some education regarding lava tunnels and it was actually a really cool experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very friendly and cracked a few jokes with us and made the experience more enjoyable.

We had the trip of a lifetime. Emanuela with Kim Kim took very good care of us. We had weather issues that required us to change hotels twice in one day. We were extremely grateful to her for working so hard to make sure we had the best accommodations. She even had a bottle of champagne waiting for us in our room. We were in very good hands with our guide Svavar. He was very knowledgeable and went above and beyond for us. I would highly recommend booking with Kim Kim and ask for Emanuela!!!

This was the best trip ever!

I found KimKim through a search engine. Reviews were good and so I sent a message asking for information. From the beginning Adam was amazing. He put together a trip and then changed it multiple times as we added and subtracted. Although we never spoke, his good nature was visible throughout the entire process and much appreciated. Even during the trip itself, Adam and others answered emails quickly and humored our endless need to make adjustments.

The first day was rough but we pushed through and we were glad that we did. We saw the Northern Lights our first night in Budir and the trip got better from there. Other high points? Snowmobiling, eating at the Tomato Farm, hiking a glacier (thank you Sara!), soaking in the sky lagoon, dinner at Dill and so many frozen waterfalls. It was cold and dark but we had a magical trip. What made the trip a success besides the fabulous country? The trip was seamless. KimKim provided a travel plan that was perfect. Each day the driving route was provided with stops posted along the way with descriptions that added to the magic. We never felt lost because travel plan was perfect! Okay, one day a road was closed because of snow but it was Iceland in winter and to be expected. Every hotel and activity was set and went off without a hitch.

Cannot wait to use them again!

Eric our trip specialist was great to work with. We described what we wanted, and he tailored the itinerary to us and made changes happen very quickly and easily. The hotel rooms were fantastic and exactly what I would have picked, he nailed it! We will definitely be using Kimkim again in the future.

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Iconic and really neat to see the lagoon. The facilities aren't great here though, very few chairs to relax or sit on, so you basically need to be in the lagoon or sitting on a hard bench or plastic chair inside when it's cold out.

Quality of Experience

Sky Lagoon

Iceland

Relaxing and located conveniently close. It was clean and a neat experience. Very easy to access.

Quality of Experience

Katla Ice Cave Superjeep tour

Iceland

Small group, wonderful and laid back guide. Our favorite guided activity of the trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Langjokull Glacier Snowmobiling

Iceland

Huge group, lots of waiting, pretty lame trip overall. We went in a single line at no more than 10km/hr out to a spot and then back.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thanks to Othman's patience, knowledge, flexibility and availability, we had an incredible, once in a lifetime Christmas trip to Iceland!!! Although the winter weather was a bit unpredictable, we were able to tour the South East coast, the Golden Triangle and Rekyavik with our family over the course of a week. Othman planned out a reasonable driving route and listened carefully to our hotel requests. The number of excursions per day was appropriate and we had a good selection to enjoy. The Blue Ice cave tour and the Glacier hikes were obvious highlights. We enjoyed stopping at the Diamond beach, Fjadrarjiljufur Canyon and riding the Icelandic horses during a hail storm was an outing to remember! They kept on trotting with their strong and short legs.:)The hotels were perfect accommodation for a family of 5 and we appreciated all we could see on a self guided tour. I was not sure how a trip would unfold with never actually speaking to our advisor, but Othman was a great communicator and paced out our trip, making changes even at the last minute to accomodate things. I would defintiely recommend working with Othman and using KimKim travel for my next trip!

Eric was an amazing source of information and guidance for our Winter Iceland Trip (for our family of 8)! I had done a lot of research on specific areas we wanted to visit, and he provided excellent details in creating a realistically-paced vacation, as well as specific details for greater understanding and additional highlights to visit. Eric was responsive and thorough in his explanations, as well as professional and patient with our itinerary questions and changes.

Specifics:
Car Rental - No problems at all... only a pesky spot that the windshield wiper didn't quite wipe away in the driver's view.

Day 1: We stopped to see some Icelandic friends at their home and visited with them awhile. The stops along the Golden Circle were beautiful... Thingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss. What we should have, but didn't expect was all of the tour buses and group tours! We didn't have time for Fridheimar Tomato Farm or Kerid Crater, as our daylight was running out and we had dinner reservations. Our dinner at Ingolfsskali Viking Restaurant was absolutely delicious (for everyone)! We stayed at our friend's parents' cottage this night.

Day 2: Seljalandsfoss & Gljufrabui were amazing, although we couldn't see anything but pure whiteness when we pulled into the parking lot! The weather quickly cleared, and we were able to experience both waterfalls... my two sons even meandered back into the canyon to get closer to Gljufrabui, at the expense of one wet foot. Skogafoss & Reynisfara were amazing as well. We did witness a risky tourist challenging the sneaker waves too much and got completely knocked down & soaked by them! We had to call it a day after this because of weather/visibility. We went grocery shopping and cooked dinner at Eaglerock Guesthouse this night (and the next)... as well as breakfast. Very nice accommodations.

Day 3: Our Crystal Blue Ice Cave tour was awesome, and our tour guide (Johann from Troll Expeditions) had a super fun personality! Jokulsarlon & Diamond Beach were both truly beautiful! We even saw a seal playing close-up in the lagoon, and we saw the Northern Lights back at our rental this night right before bed!

Day 4: We HIGHLY recommend ice climbing with Tindaborg (referred by our Icelandic friends). Iris & Arni are expertly trained glacier mountain and climbing guides. They are involved in the national training of mountain guides, rescues, and glacier mountaineering. What's best are their friendly, patient, informative, adventurous, and truly pleasant personalities! We had complete confidence in our safety and guidance with them, and our whole family was able to experience something we never could have done on our own! We had a good meal at Smidjan Brugghus, and Vik Apartments provided a perfect stay for us.

Day 5: We really enjoyed hiking around Dyrholaey and into Loftsalahellir cave... spent more time there than we'd planned, but it was worth it! We drove to our friends' home in the Reykjavik area this night (New Year's Eve), and they had a delicious dinner catered in for us. They drove us out to one of the local bonfires, then back to their home for the traditional Áramótaskaupið TV show with English subtitles (and their helpful explanations of some jokes), then back outside for amazing fireworks all around!

Day 6: New Year's Day we went to Christ the King Catholic Church for Mass, shared coffee & pastries with some of the parishioners, then toured around some of the famous spots in Reykjavik. Some shops and quite a few restaurants were closed for the holiday, but we still got to visit a few. We had quick sandwiches for lunch and were throughly relaxed in the Seven Rituals of Sky Lagoon... Wow, what an experience! We even got to see the Northern Lights again from the warm waters of Sky Lagoon itself & outside as we were leaving. We returned to our friends' home for dinner and games that night.

Day 7: Our drive towards the Snæfellsnes Peninsula included the beauty of Hraunfossar & Barnafoss, but we didn't get to see much else because of the weather. The Gerduberg basalt cliffs were almost completely buried in snow (we could only see the very top of them), and we bypassed the other stops as well. Our family was hungry, and there were very limited options this time of year. We checked into Midhraun Resort (great accommodation), relaxed a bit, and waited for Langaholt Restaurant to open their buffet dinner (which was delicious)!

Day 8: We did a lot of imaging what beautiful Snæfellsnes would be like in the summer this day, as it we got pretty harsh weather most of the time we visited. We stopped at Budir church, Arnarstapi, and Londrangar. We spent a lot of time hiking around the amazing Djupalonssandur beach, which we thought was more enjoyable and preferable to the crowds of Reynisfara! Some of us took turns lifting the stones and staying clear of the sneaker waves. We had a very delicious lunch at Matarlist in the visitor center, but wow, it was pricey! We stopped by the Murals of Hellissandur, and half of our family walked the steps up to Saxholl Crater but found its top view a little disappointing. Unfortunately, Kirkjufell was only barely visible at its base because of the weather, but we were able to see Kirkjufellsfoss and play in the snow (snowball fight & built a snowman). We had planned to go to Stykkisholmur for a highly-rated restaurant dinner option, but were pretty worn out from the weather (and had spent so much at lunch) that we opted to stop at a grocery store and fix a simple dinner back at Midhraun.

Day 9: Breakfast at Midhraun both mornings was great, and staff was very friendly. We saw more Northern Lights this morning before heading out! We were mesmerized by the drive between Borgarnes and Hvammsvik with its incredible scenery... blue, clear skies and breathtaking views of the water and snow-covered mountains! Hvammsvik Hot Springs was throughly enjoyable, and most of us even went into the ocean in between the hot spring pools. We stopped in a shop near Reykjavik for some souvenirs, said goodbye to our Icelandic host friends, and made it to the airport on schedule.

We found the Icelandic people to be very friendly, the tour bus groups to be a bit annoying, and the trip as a whole to be outstanding!! We would love to return and experience it again one summer, but we also really appreciated and enjoyed the amazing beauty of this winter wonderland!

Thank you, Eric, for all your help and expert guidance!
Sincerely,
The Williams Family from Florida

Activity Reviews

Hvammsvik Hot Springs (& Nature Reserve)

Iceland

Such a great and relaxing experience! We enjoyed the views from these hot springs even better than Sky Lagoon, and it was much less crowded as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sky Lagoon

Iceland

Truly relaxing and luxurious experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

Amazing sights and creation! Johann from Troll Expeditions had a great personality and helped make this experience super fun! The crowds were the only thing detracting from this trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great time despite the terrible weather. Difficult driving conditions (we rented a car) added to the adventure! We did not get to do everything on the itinerary, either because of time, weather, or we just decided to pass on a couple of things. Do not miss the Freidheimar tomato farm. The tomato soup and breads are the best.

Blue Lagoon was a great way to start the trip. Ice cave tour was amazing. Thingvellir is incredible from an historic and geological perspective.

We are talking about going back for 3-4 days in Spring or Summer just to stay in Reykjavik and maybe do some days trips from there.

Emanuela was so amazing to work with! We could reach out to her with any questions and she got right back to us. I told her what we were hoping to do and see during our trip to Iceland, and she planned a perfect vacation full of waterfalls and hot springs, and even a glacier hike. We were able to print out everything before our trip, including the tickets that she booked to the hot springs and for our snorkeling tours. Everthing that we need to know was on the pdf files that we printed out. It just made packing and planning so easy and stress free. The driver that she booked for us was such a nice guy. He was able to tell us so much about his beautiful country. And he was super helpful with everything. We had a wonderful trip and would absolutely use Kimkim again for future trips. Thank you Emanuela!

Iceland truly left me in awe with its otherworldly beauty, and our trip was unforgettable in every way. The landscapes were absolutely breathtaking—rugged volcanic terrain, vast glaciers, and waterfalls at every turn. The highlight for me was the charming town of Vík, a place so picturesque it almost felt surreal. Nestled by the sea, Vík offered incredible views. Every corner felt like something out of a dream.

Our hotel was nothing short of spectacular. Located between two mountains with the sea infront ,it felt like we were nestled in the heart of Iceland's wild beauty. Waking up to those mountain views each morning was an experience in itself. The accommodations were cozy and modern, providing the perfect base for our adventures.

Throughout the trip, we were consistently impressed by the warmth and kindness of the Icelandic people. Every guide we encountered was not only friendly but also incredibly knowledgeable. Their passion for Iceland’s history, culture, and natural wonders shone through in every tour. We learned so much about the island’s geology, mythology, and wildlife, which made the excursions even more enriching.

A special thanks to Jenny for helping to book the trip. She was wonderfully patient, attentive, and extremely helpful throughout the process, ensuring every detail was taken care of. Thanks to her, everything went smoothly from start to finish, and we were able to experience the best of what Iceland has to offer.

This trip was an absolute dream, and I can’t wait to return to Iceland someday!

Activity Reviews

Whale Watching Tour

Reykjavík

Katla Ice Cave Superjeep tour

Iceland

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Northern Lights Hunt Super Jeep Tour

Iceland

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Adam listened to what we were looking for and created a great itinerary for us. Loved the fact that he created Google maps itineraries for each day, that made our road tripping so much easier and was such a thoughtful detail. Furthermore he made great suggestions in case we wanted to do more than what had been aalloyed for each day- some of those ended up being extraordinary experiences which we loved. Our trip was beyond delightful, the activities selected and even the hikes he managed to sneak in (it’s late November and quite cold) were extraordinary. Hotels were great as well and were within our budget.
This is my 3rd trip with Kim Kim and I am definitely a fan! Will be consulting them for my next trip without a doubt.

Our planner & guide, Gummi was wonderfully responsive to our wants in planning and needs once we arrived. His sense of humor was a plus. Gummi was in tune to the children’s ages and was able to flex to keep them interested. He planned tremendous activities, tours, and events for them.
We did experience a couple of very minor issues. With a call to Gummi, his immediate response resolved the problems nearly immediately.
Our trip was a complete success.

Hotel Review

Óðinn Penthouse Apartment

Reykjavík

Pros: Nice, clean, well appointed, comfy beds, plenty of room. Cons: 4th floor walk up with 7 & 4 year olds was a bit difficult at times when they were carrying their luggage & when they were tired.

Authenticity & Character

Seemed like a typical Reykjavik apartment & furnishing

Location

Right in downtown

Staff

Did respond to our initial questions when we tried to check in but seemed irritated with some of our questions

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfy & generally clean. The 1 bathroom, though functional, was in need of updating

Activity Reviews

How to be­come Icelandic in 60 minutes

Iceland

What an enjoyable presentation! Wonderful for all ages. There were many facts embedded in the humor that we all retained.

Quality of Experience

The comic was terrific, playing well off the audience.

Whales of Iceland

Reykjavík

This was very interesting for the adults. The children were only interested in the scale models. It was geared more for adults.

Quality of Experience

More for the littler ones to do and manipulate.

FlyOver Iceland

Reykjavík

Excellent show. Thrilling but not frightening. The children loved it and compared it to a Disney Park ride.

Quality of Experience

So much fun and oh so interesting.

The Reykjavík Park and Zoo

Reykjavík

We went at night to view the Christmas lights. They were beautiful. We saw many animals, unfortunately not the reindeer that night.

Quality of Experience

It was free admission when we went and therefore were not disappointed when we were unable to see all the animals.

Perlan Museum - Icelandic Wonders & Northern Lights Show

Reykjavík

So much to see and do, even for the 4 & 7 year olds.

Quality of Experience

High quality multi-media presentations

Reykjavik Hop-On-Hop-Off Tours + Wonders of Iceland Exhibition

Reykjavík

We used the bus as our public transportation within Reykjavik. Harbor views we beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The drivers were polite, but not the least be hospitable

Transport

The Golden Circle Private Tour

Iceland

Gummi, our guide, offered just enough information to make the journey educational without being boring. Additionally, his sense of humor was delightful, very much like our own.

Quality of Experience

Traveling in winter, there were no crowds so we were able to enjoy the quiet beauty.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gummi tailored the experience to suit the needs of our 3 generational group.

Transport

Safe and comfortable

Hunting the Northern Lights with a Guide -Private tour

Iceland

Our guide, Joost, tried hard to conjure up the northern lights for us. They just were not cooperating ;) We had amazing views of thousands of stars and a myriad of constellations.

Quality of Experience

A new experience for our young grandsons

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joost was pleasant and his efforts were apparent

Transport

Comfortable ride.

Our Icelandic adventure was nothing short of spectacular, despite the elusive Aurora Borealis. Gummi's meticulously planned itinerary was a game-changer, ensuring we made the most of our time.

We kicked off our trip in Reykjavik, a vibrant city with a lively atmosphere. The food tour and cultural exploration were highlights, offering a delicious and insightful introduction to Icelandic cuisine and history.

Our journey continued to the Golden Circle, where we marveled at the raw power of nature. From the tectonic plates and cascading waterfalls to the geothermal geysers and the serene black church, every stop was breathtaking. We ended the 2 day round trip with a relaxing soak in a geothermal pool, the perfect antidote to the 2 days of intensive driving.

The next leg of our trip took us to the south coast, where we encountered stunning landscapes, including frozen waterfalls, dramatic cliffs, and the iconic black sand beach. The highlight was undoubtedly the glacier hike and the crystal caves, unforgettable experiences that allowed us to witness the immense power of nature firsthand.

While we didn't catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, the otherworldly beauty of Iceland more than made up for it. The crystal ice caves, the diamond beach, and the glacier lagoon were truly awe-inspiring.

We wrapped up our trip in Reykjavik, visiting the fascinating Museum of Iceland before heading home. Though exhausted, we were filled with a sense of wonder and exhilaration. Iceland is a must-visit destination for anyone seeking a unique and unforgettable travel experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Laki

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Hotel Laki was nice; we stayed there for two nights. Although we spent little time at the hotel due to being out exploring, the restaurant was impressive. The roof deck provided an excellent spot to search for the Northern Lights. Overall, a pleasant stay.

Buubble Hotel Ölvisholt

Selfoss

The Bubble Hotel offers a unique glamping experience where you can sleep under the stars in a clear plastic bubble. While the view was breathtaking, the lack of furniture besides the bed was slightly inconvenient. It's more about the amazing experience and the view than hotel room comforts.

Reykjavik Natura - Berjaya Hotel

Reykjavík

The Berjaya Hotel Reykjavik Natura was a comfortable stay. Overall, a nice hotel with convenient parking.

Activity Reviews

Journey Through Time & Tectonics – Thingvellir National Park Exploration

Iceland

The Golden Circle tour was a bit rushed due to limited daylight hours in winter. Although the sites were stunning, driving 400 to 500 kilometers each day felt like a lot, and the final activities of the day were often in the dark, which wasn't ideal for viewing the waterfalls. If there's an option, allow for more time or perhaps an extra day during the winter to fully enjoy the sights.

Lava Cave Explorer Tour

Iceland

The Lava Cave Explorer Tour was definitely worth it! It was fascinating to see the inside of a cave where lava flowed hundreds of years ago. Our guide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, making the experience very engaging.

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

The Solheimajokull Glacier Hike was a unique and amazing experience. Walking on the glacier with nothing but ice around was surreal. We had an excellent guide who made the experience unforgettable, sharing insights and ensuring we appreciated the incredible glacier landscape.

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

Visiting the Crystal Blue Ice Cave was a highlight of the trip! We were lucky to explore a newly discovered cave, which was pristine and breathtaking. The size of the cave allowed us to walk in comfortably, and the beauty of the ice formations was unparalleled.

Reykjavík Food Walk

Iceland

The Reykjavík Food Walk was an absolute blast! It was a fantastic way to spend the day exploring the city, trying out different restaurants, and getting recommendations for places to eat. The tour was fun and engaging, and I really enjoyed the experience.

My husband had been wanting to go to Iceland since we first met. We decided to go for his 40th birthday and worked with Rinolda to plan the trip. It was amazing. She took all of our feedback into account and really thought about the details. We had a redeye flight so didn't sleep much and basically started our activities as soon as we landed. The first stop on our itinerary was the Blue Lagoon which was really refreshing and helped to wake us up. We had just the right amount of things to do each day and got to see so many beautiful places and do so many unique things on this trip.

Hotel Review

Comfort Category Accommodation With Private Bathroom

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

Our guide was very knowledgeable and funny. The experience itself was really cool and definitely something I'd recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

The facilities were very nice and it was a nice, relaxing experience overall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Based on the time we had and priorities we shared, Adam developed a complete itinerary for our first trip to Iceland with wonderful lodging well-suited to our group. Adam's communication was frequent and supportive before and during our trip. For a reasonable fee, our group of 4, which had minimal time to plan and communicate with each other, had an on-demand advisor and assistant who took care of booking lodging, transportation, and several structured activities that reflected our desires for the trip, budget, and timeline needs. It was easy, supportive, and affordable and we had a great trip!

Activity Reviews

Skaftafell Glacier Hike

Iceland

Despite the rain and cloudy sky, our friendly and enthusiastic guide, Lilly, made sure we were all safe and having a good time out on the Skaftafell Glacier Hike. While there was not as much pre-hike safety and what-to-expect info before hitting the trail, as we've come to expect doing similar activities in the US, our guides and staff who outfitted us before leaving the meeting location were definitely open to questions and made sure we knew what we were doing on the glacier.

Quality of Experience

Just being on a glacier in Iceland was amazing. Wish the weather had been nicer and would have preferred to book a time that would have had us back before dark at this time of year. Great informative and fun guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

An informational chat with the group before leaving the meeting center would have been appreciated. Lilly was awesome--so friendly, made sure we were safe, and put us all at ease.

Transport

10 min bus trip was no problem. Some may want to know there is 15-20 min of hiking on either end of the glacier hike beforehand, especially the return hike in the dark if you're booking a hike after 3 in November.

Rye Bread tour (Geothermal bakery)

Iceland

The "bakery tour" was a fun activity and I would highly recommend a visit to the spa and brief presentation about traditional geothermal baking, but I would keep expectations realistic for the depth of the tour. We did not tour a bakery, but witnessed a guide pulling a pot out of the ground and then serving us the bread. On the one hand it was nice that it was just a brief spiel and demo by a friendly presenter, (especially in the windy rain outside), with a tasting as the main event, but if you're looking for something more in-depth about history, baking, or science, this isn't it. Not sure how much the tour is since it was booked for us, but I think I might be happy with a meal at the café and a visit to the spa. It was a great change of pace from driving and waterfalls, though, and the bread was delicious! At this time of year, there were 2 times available, 11:45 and 2:30, so take that into account with what else you want to do that day. We enjoyed the tomato greenhouse cafe and educational space about 40 min. from the bakery after the tour.

Quality of Experience

More depth to the tour, maybe a peek at the actual bakery, something more immersive--experience with the baking?, more history about baking in this way and the place of bread and rye and geothermal water in Icelandic cuisine. That said, it was enjoyable for what it was. The brevity might be especially appropriate for families with kids or itineraries with several other things on it for the day.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and clear

Transport

Just a short walk to the site where the bread is buried.