Kimkim Trip Reviews for Iceland

Our guide was Othman and he was very attentive, knowledgeable and flexible. He always returned messages promptly. Our itinerary was perfect for us. We especially liked Viking and Dis cottages. The Westfjords were gorgeous and without crowds which suited our needs. We tried to keep driving to a minimum and not rush from place to place and I feel we did that as best we could considering the landscape and infrastructure. The country is very unique and special and KimKim made it much easier to navigate. Thanks Othman.

Rita was highly organized, responsive, and service-oriented. Recent volcanic activity and weather conditions required minor adjustments to our plans. Rita was always on the ball when tweaks needed to be made. Would definitively work with kimkim and Rita again.

The hotel and excursion selections were great, and we liked the timing and location of the stays, but two comments:

The experience at the Armani’s Country Hotel outside of Hofn was horrible. When we checked in the manager warned of sand flies and advised us that the windows had no screens. It was a warm day, so the room was exteremely warm, so that was a problem. Worse was the fact that despite only opening and closing the door once and keeping the window closed, it became evident that there were hundreds maybe thousands of tiny biting insects in the room already. Couldn’t do anything but hide under the heavy duvet- which was problematic since the room was so warm. By the time we left, we literally had hundreds (not an exaggeration!) of bites and dozens of bloody spots and dead flies on the bedsheet. Recommend you NOT send people to this hotel during sand fly season! I still have hundreds of swollen bites a week after and had to use medicine to control itching - really ruined a few days of the stay!

Also the Google map provided in the map didn’t include some of the listed itinerary stops on some days, causing us to miss some. I had to resort to creating my own map based on the written plan each night before.

Other than those two issues, we enjoyed the trip and the arrangements made. Also since one of our party got COVID early, she had to revise her trip. I am told that the Iceland offbeat office was very helpful to her in making the changes in her plan, so thanks for that.

Hanna was so nice to work with and really responsive to us through the planning of our trip to Iceland and through a surprise June snow storm in the middle of our trip. She included sights and hikes geared to our liking. She even provided an optional itinerary just in case we had extra time or wanted to pivot. When the snow storm hit, she handled the change in hotel bookings and kept on top of the weather forecast and road conditions. She was proactive in getting us refunds from a hotel and an activity we were not able get to. What more can one ask for in a travel agent?

Activity Reviews

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon Zodiac boat tour

Iceland

Unfortunately, we couldn't do the Jokulsarlon glacier boat tour due to high winds. However, I would still recommend it to others because even walking along the water and seeing the ice was really cool. We had friends who also missed the boat ride because of the weather, but just being in that area was worth it.

Katla Ice Cave Superjeep tour

Iceland

I really enjoyed the Katla Ice Cave tour. It was an incredible experience, but I want to mention that it's not for everyone. There was a 77-year-old woman in our group who fell and didn't feel comfortable continuing, so she had to wait for us at the bottom. It's a bit strenuous, so just be aware if you have older people in your group. That said, we had no issues and found it to be a fantastic adventure.

Emanuela was prompt, personable, and took into consideration all of our needs when planning our 5 day trip to Iceland. She gave us a detailed itinerary with places to see including some off the beaten path we may have missed if we didn't have her information. She gave excellent restaurant recommendations to help us narrow down meals during our time there as well.
I would definitely use KimKim again in the future and would utilize Emanuela again if I plan to take another trip to the arctic.

Emanuela put together a fantastic trip for us in northern Iceland including Akureyri and Lake Mývatn.

The planning phase was very useful as we had several decision points that would have been unclear without her help. Do you fly or drive from Reykjavik? Answer - there’s little to see on that drive if you have the funds try to fly. How many days? We wound up adding one to make Mývatn and Akureyri 2 days and that was well worth it.

The itinerary was filled with otherwise unobtainable local nuance such as the very pleasant and unexpected cafe Kaffi Klara she casually mentioned in a note to an optional side trip to Olafsfjordur. Best apple cake we had anywhere. Or the endorsement of the seeming odd thing like the bird museum in Mývatn that nudged to try something unique we might not have considered. Suggested providers like hotels and horse riding outfits were very good. My wife’s horse ride in Mývatn was a highlight for her as she’s and advanced rider and she got a solo tour that worked on unique gaits of Icelandic horses.

Highest value to us I would say is having Emanuela available via messaging throughout. There are dozens of little questions that come up and we found it very comforting to just have a local available. 100% would recommend.

Miglé played a crucial role in organizing our family's trip to Iceland, celebrating our son's high school graduation. As first-time visitors, we were unsure how to begin planning, but Miglé helped us pinpoint destinations and activities that matched our interests. She provided a detailed daily itinerary and additional suggestions that enriched our experience. Highlights included kayaking at Jökulsárlón and snowmobiling at Mýrdalsjökull. All our accommodations were excellent, with Fosshótel Reykholt being a standout. We decided to skip some of the busier Golden Circle attractions in favor of hiking to Glymur Falls in the Botnsdalur Valley, which was breathtaking.

Miglé was always quick to respond to our questions and offered great restaurant recommendations for each location. The entire trip was filled with special memories that we will cherish forever.

We visited Iceland as a family for 4 nights and 5 days. Hanna helped create the trip for us and she put to gather a fantastic itinerary in the limited time that we were in Iceland. She was diligent in following up and reached out while we were on the trip. She kept us informed about the volcanic eruption in Grindavik that closed the Blue Lagoon. The detailed Google map directions day-by-day were extremely useful and made driving stress-free. The accommodation in Reykjavik was outstanding and in a great location. The accommodation in Kirkjubæjarklaustur was comfortable but in a rather remote location. Overall a great experience, thanks to Hanna and kimkim!

Activity Review

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Duncan was phenomenal from beginning to end. He listened to what I wanted, what our budget was and answered all my questions promptly. He was super supportive when I voiced concerns about the active volcanoes. Our itinerary was laid out beautifully and made our trip extremely seamless and enjoyable.

The trip was perfect ! Exceeded our expectations Perfect mix of driving time and activities. Mapped out perfectly on google maps. Gummi took care of all the details !

Gummi was friendly, thorough and knowledgeable lending a hand when necessary and taking care of business in a professional manner. He and his wife Yara are a fantastic team! We would not hesitate to recommend them to our friends.

Our KimKim local specialist, Gummi , put together a wonderful tour for us, that was comfortably paced. The hotels and restaurants were all enjoyable. I particularly liked the food at Hotel Kria in Vik and the Hotel Budir on the peninsula near Reykjavik.

Eric did a great job helping us plan an awesome 11-day trip to Iceland, circumnavigating the country with a good mix of sightseeing and activities. We rented a car at the Keflavik airport, spent one full day in Reykjavik including a guided city tour, then began driving counterclockwise around the island. The next four days were packed with unique adventures including "Into the Volcano", snorkeling in the Silfra fissure (in an insulated dry suit!), exploring an ice cave, and walking on the biggest glacier in Europe - all were absolutely wonderful.

That got us to the SE corner of Iceland and the remaining days were spent driving, checking out the beautiful sights, hiking, and going to 2 thermal spas. It was a fair amount of driving (2.5-4 hours/day) but allowed us to be immersed in the wonderful natural beauty, culture, and variety of the island. Of particular interest to us were some spectacular waterfalls, Hverir geothermal area (fumaroles, mudpots), Hvitserkur rock formation and beach w/lots of seals and seabirds on the Vatnsnes peninsula, and the Glaumbaer Museum w/traditional turf house.

Activity Reviews

Skaftafell Glacier Hike

Iceland

The length of the hike was just right—not too long, but definitely enough to feel like an adventure. I'd do this again in a heartbeat!

Katla Ice Cave Superjeep tour

Iceland

The Katla Ice Cave Superjeep tour was such an amazing experience! The ice cave was absolutely stunning, and the tour was well-organized.

We absolutely loved our visit to Iceland and our guide Gummi was amazing!! What a dramatic, beautiful and constantly changing country. So much to experience that picking a favourite thing is hard, but for me I would likely say it was the beaches, for my husband those beautiful little fishing villages. I can't imagine a better person to have shown Iceland to us than Gummi and his assistant Yara. He obviously loves Iceland and that made everything we explored more special. His stories were informative and very entertaining. And his ability to balance the whole trip, troubleshoot any glitches or necessary changes and do so seamlessly was admirable. But mostly what we appreciate was Gummi's warmth, kindness and humour in showing us his beautiful country and making us welcome.

Gummi was amazing on our 10 day Ring road tour. More than once he handled unexpected hiccups in our plan. When a restaurant cancelled dinner for our 21 person group he found us a new restaurant within 24 hours. He also had to get us back a hotel room that was cancelled without notice. He achieved that perfect balance between stopping at all the impressive natural wonders and allowing us time to appreciate the beauty we seeing. His great planning was exceeded only by his outstanding execution - he is a good driver, as well as funny and informative.

This was the first time I have used KimKim for travel and it was great. All hotels were good other than the last night in Reykjavik (the hotel was under construction, self check in only, did not have 3 separate beds as requested). All of the suggestions on our itineraries were most helpful. My favorite activities were the glacier hike and ice cave, the lava cave, and especially the PUFFINS! I expected to see them on a cliff via binoculars but they were just feet away from us and it was fabulous!

Gummi was an absolute gem. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he made sure that each and every person in the group was comfortable with the excursions that we had. His wife Vara came with us too as we were a big group and she added another dimension and took care of the admin.
Gummi's knowledge of Iceland was great and we enjoyed his Trolls and Elves stories on long segments of our travels although I'm not sure we believed all his tales!
Gummi's passion for Iceland was evident as was his pride in his country. That came through loud and clear on many occaisions.
A busy trip but a wonderful one.
Thank you to the Kim Kim team and especially thanks to Vara and Gummi
Gill and Maurice

Hotel Review

Hótel Kría

Vík

Excellent food and helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

Quite a long walk to the cave but the staff made sure that I was ok. I have two knee replacements so I am not as agile as i used to be! Cave was good but with our large group was a bit full of people

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lunar Landscapes & Healing Waters – Blue Lagoon Immersion

Iceland

Much better than I was expecting! It was busy but didn't feel crowded. The drinks from the swim up bar were great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We and 19 friends had a SUPERLATIVE experience with Gummi. I cannot say in words how effective he was in all respects, as was his assistant Yara. He was great at the outset working with me on agenda. The customized attention he and his team gave from the moment welanded to the last cab ride to airport heading home was great. H em masterfully navigated the bad things that every trip involves, ie Covid case hotel and restaurant reservations that broke down etc.

He also has a great knowledge and sense of humor. All of our group connected with and appreciated him. Kimkim is lucky to contract with him.

Let me know if other questions. Give him a raise

Tayloe Washburn, group leader

Duncan arranged a very comprehensive/detailed wonderful plan for us to complete Iceland’s ring road! We loved the route, sites, and unique lodging/breakfasts. The car rental process was very efficient and loved the onboard wifi capability. This was our 3rd KimKim trip and we are going to use again!

Hotel Reviews

Fosshotel Hellnar

Hellnar

Very pleasant place to rest/refuel! Restaurant and staff were great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshótel Reykholt

Reykholt

Modern lodging with great restaurant/breakfast and staff! Our room was very spacious and included a small table with comfy chairs to enjoy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Katla by Keahotels

Vík

Very comfortable lodging with access to lovely dining facility/hot tub/sauna.

Hotel Hallormsstadur

Egilsstadir

Very lovely and large space ‘in the forest’! The hotel had just opened for the season so not many people there yet or lots of staff. But breakfast was grand and staff were very pleasant & helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Abit out of the main town but lovely setting. We loved having access to out doors to sit in the evening!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Litli Geysir Hotel

Haukadalur

We were early in their season and at their non-connected hotel. It met our needs for 3 people well.

Authenticity & Character

The main hotel/restaurant were very top notch! Right across from the geysers…

Location

Staff

I had misplaced my phone and called after leaving to have them check space. Given lower staffing this took abit of time & a few call backs. But I appreciated their efforts!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Árnanes Country Hotel

Höfn

Really liked the cabin like lodging! Could get a glacier brewed beer when checked in (price reasonable)! Staff lovely and breakfast was tasty/adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vogafjós Farm Resort

Myvatn

Very sweet farm setting and decor of ‘cabin’/dining area. Dinner and breakfast were fabulous! Vista of sheep grazing plus seeing their dairy cows get milked/tended to—while overlooking the acreage was very cool (for this ‘farm girl’)!

Authenticity & Character

Lodging was across the road from the dining/reception area. But very pleasant stroll to access or to walk in the eve on paved off road trails.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Laugarbakki

Laugarbakki

The hotel is very remotely located and was just getting started with this season. Staff were fine. Breakfast was great—(dinner was OK just not the caliber have been having). We had them move us to a room with 3 separate beds which they did accommodate. It was in a building that did not seem to have others in—so felt abit more isolated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

22 Hill Hotel

Reykjavík

This was very proximal to walking to sites downtown but we came early and without central reception on site—it was more challenging to call ‘home’. This was one hotel we also were not able to get our 3 ‘separate beds’ but all was very feasible. They were doing major renovations so lots of construction activity in the ‘lobby’. This will be nicer when all renovations are done!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Vidgelmir cave guided tour

Iceland

This was a great educational and physical experience! Guide did a great job preparing us and leading us through activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rye Bread tour (Geothermal bakery)

Iceland

Great job by seasonal staff! Lovely space to wait in (by geothermal spa)…

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

i’m

The Geothermal Vok Baths

Iceland

Loved the non-sulfur hot bath! Also enjoyed being able to dip in cold lake water from one of the hot baths. Very cool building/shower rooms etc. Only comment for possible improvement—is that some of the equipment getting in/out of baths were kind of green/slimy/slippery. It may be tough for them to impact this—but seems like they could have been cleaned.

Quality of Experience

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

Very fun activity! It was fun to get into the ‘back country’ with big vehicle and then to explore on glacier trails that staff keep having to affirm are safe for walking on (with crampons). The caves and sites were glorious to take in!

Quality of Experience

Note to anyone who may have challenges with balance or endurance—this could be abit much for some. We really enjoyed but are used to walking with crampons on ice & in good shape!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide/driver was very well versed on the area and entertaining/informative.

Transport

The trip was great. Everything was very easy to do and follow. One of the things that made it incredibly easy were the day trip plans set by Hanna - we never questioned where we were headed as all we had to do was click a link and we had all our directions preloaded in google maps.