Kimkim Trip Reviews for Jordan

I have been wanting to go to Jordan and have done a lot of research and comparison between different tour operators. I have also considered just renting a car and doing it on my own since I want the experience to be as intimate as possible and not be stuck with a big tour group. Thankfully, I came across Kimkim's 8 days Experience Jordan Tour which offered the type of itinerary I was looking for and also offered a fair price as a private tour. The communication platform of Kimkim worked great for our group and Andy Nurse, our tour specialist was able to answer all our questions and concerns on a timely manner. He was the one responsible to set up our tour and was very patient with all the changes and adjustments we made until the last minute. Joost Schreve and Alex Buri also came to our rescue to make sure our needs were attended to. They all worked well as a team.

There were 8 of us in our group and everyone came back home safely and full of amazing memories and adventures created during our tour of Jordan. We were also happy with our tour guide, Abdallah As'ad, who gave us an insight about Jordan's culture & history through out our tour. He was easy going, patient, knowledgable, accommodating and a great company to be with.

As far as the negative side, the only hiccup I have experienced was during our arrival at the airport. The 4 of us out of the 8 in the group arrived a day earlier at the airport. The representative who was supposed to meet us and process our visas failed to show up. It was late at night so we got a bit frantic not knowing if we were going to get picked up or not. We waited for about 20 minutes just incase they were running late before we decided that we needed to get a hold of somebody from the company. Fortunately, we were able to call the main office based out of California and with the time difference, the office was open at that time and that was when Alex Buri stepped in to help us out. He got a hold of Andy for us and got things straightened out from there. The airport representative never made it so we got instructed to buy our own visas which later got reimbursed by the company. It set us back almost an hour until we got picked up by our driver to take us to our hotel. The rest of our group who arrived the following day had no issues with their airport transport.

Overall, I recommend Kimkim and I would chose to book again with them for future travels.

BTW, since we arrived a day early, we were able to do an extra activity by having Kimkim arrange our R/T transfer to Wadi Mujib Resereve. We did the Siq trail Hike and I highly recommend this thrilling activity if you are looking for something different to do while in Amman. The book Lonely Planet quoted one of the reserve ranger describe this hike as "Petra with water".

Our trip to Jordan was great. Lena created a perfect itinerary for us and she included in it everything we wanted. Even if we changed our requirements a lot of times and we booked our trip at the very last minute, Lena was very patient, responsive and understanding.

We didn't have any problems. and our driver was very funny, professional and friendly. The price was very good as well. Highly recommended!

The only thing that I would change is the 4-hour 4x4 Jeep Tour that we had in the desert. We really enjoyed that tour, but the car was not even close to a Jeep. It was an old vintage car, which caused us some headache.

There were a few bumps along the road with the reservations and requests for activities that didn't go through e.g. we were placed into a different hotel than the one we had requested and weren't notified; we only found out when we got to the hotel and had to call Andy ourselves. Granted, the hotel was a much nicer one than he one we had requested but "I changed the booking I just didn't tell you" isn't what passes for an apology or a suitable notification.
For the dive in the Red Sea, we asked for 2 dives and we paid for the 2 dived each but when we got onto the boat we were told that we were only to do 1 dive because thats what they were notified.

Our freelance tour guide, Walid, along with the bus driver who was provided by the Agency helped a lot in getting us around and giving us information and knowledge on the places we were to, and gave us insider trips to get us the best deals.

However, I think we could've done without the bus driver smoking on the bus every time we got off. It was nauseating every time we came back onto the bus.

Ultimately, it was an amazing experience visiting that part of the world for the very first time, it wouldn't be an adventure if we didn't have any obstacles.

Our group had an amazing time in Jordan! Despite some minor miscommunication at the beginning of our trip with Andy, our local specialist, about some accommodation details, it was overall a pretty smooth experience and he was able to help us with the problems we had. We very much enjoyed our time with our local guide, Waleed, who was very accommodating and had ample knowledge about Jordan's history and traditions, all of which we very much enjoyed hearing about.

We spent a total of 5 days there and we felt that was enough to see everything without having to rush, although more time to relax at the Dead Sea at the end of our trip could have been the cherry on top. Petra is truly a world wonder and we spent about 7 hours exploring, which for the average traveler, I think is plenty of time. But, if you are very interested in ancient history and want to do more of the hiking trails, perhaps an extra day in Petra would be good. I wouldn't necessarily recommend the Petra by Night experience because it is quite a long walk and you don't get to see much in the dark -- but it might be worth it to some people. We also went to Aqaba, which is worth a boat trip if you are into snorkeling/scuba diving but otherwise, there isn't much to do in the city. Wadi Rum is also a very cool spot, but if you stay at one of the campsites, I would recommend trying to get there a bit on the earlier side to explore the grounds -- but that and the desert jeep tour warrants about a full day at most.

The meet-and-assist step at the airport both upon our arrival and departure was highly convenient, although it would have perhaps been useful to know what to expect about the visa process prior to our arrival.

The only downside was our bus. The driver was very nice but he had the habit of smoking in the car (albeit, when we were not there) which made long bus rides very uncomfortable because of the smell. The driving was sometimes erratic but I think that can be partially attributed to the slightly bumpy roads!

The trip was simply amazing.. The online scheduling department, the driver and the guide were all top notch. I could not have hoped for a better experience. Honestly, what a great country, experience and team that are at Kimkim... Thank you to all of you for all of your effort.

Our trip to Jordan was just as expected. We were met at every stop exactly on time. The guides and drivers spoke english well enough to explain our needs and to hold an enjoyable conversation on some long drives. The cars used were new and comfortable. The hotels, camp, and spa were excellent with the exception of occasionally poor hot water for showers. We had a great time and felt safe and well cared for throughout our tip. I would suggest that the company issue a list of contact numbers when they send out the written itinerary before the trip.

The trip was very well organized. The whole process of communication with Raisa and payment process before the trip was very easy. Raisa picked the best itinerary for our short four days stay in Jordan. Our guides were very professional and knowledgeable. Drivers were very polite and courteous. Hotels and bedouin camp which Raisa picked for us were very good, provided great service.

Overall Andy and our the local guide and driver were excellent. They were responsive and designed a bespoke trip for us , managed all the logistics well and really knew Jordan.

Our Jordan trip for 8 days covering Amman, Jerash, Mount Nebo, Petra,Wadi Rum, Aquaba and Dead Sea has been excellent. The trip was well organised by Andy Nurse and we had hassle free trip with the driver and car provided to us. The driver Khalid Hdaib was great , friendly and always ready to help.
The whole package organised by Andy Nurse was good value for money.

The trip was amazing. Carmen did a great job planning the excursion, she was always available to answer any questions or make last minute accommodations.
Akram was our guide for most of the trip. He was knowledgeable about all the sites we travelled to. Gave us lots of free time to explore. His english is impeccable but most impressive was his driving skills. Couldn't ask for a better guide.
Petra was unbelievable. We were there for 2 nights and 1 full day. If you like hiking I would recommend 2 to 3 days there. A lot more to see then just the treasury.
Overall the trip was 5 stars

I booked this trip as a surprise for my husbands 40th birthday. Carmen was amazing in putting the itinerary together and answering all of my many questions, no question to stupid, ensuring it was a birthday to remember!
From Jerash to the Dead Sea we saw so many amazing sites with our driver Bashar nothing was any trouble!
For the birthday day itself we went to Petra which no words can describe it’s beauty and wonder! Followed by a night under the stars at Wadi Rum.
Even on returning home Carmen and her KimKim team have been amazing as I left my Bose headphones in the car transfer to the airport!!! Carmen had tracked them down and sent them home to me.
First time using KimKim and I’m sure not the last! Fantastic service from everyone!!

We just returned from our Petra/Wadi Rum trip and it was an outstanding experience. The entire 4 days were great - filled with many new tastes, mind-blowing sites, and relaxation. Working with Carmen was smooth and easy. Our driver - Mohammad Karajeh - went out of his way offering guidance, coffees, tastes of native foods, etc. He really added touches that made our trip so memorable. My only suggestion might be to offer a range for the tent stay in Wadi Rum...I believe we might have chosen a place that had hot water. (The place was stunning and this is a minor issue). Last piece of advice: stay 2 days in Petra and 2 in Wadi Rum - so much to take in, so much to see!

The trip planning had up and downs with regard to hotels. Carmen suggested the Movenpick as a 5 star option, but I had already seen that rooms were not available. She then came back with news that rooms were not available and suggested the option of the Hyatt Zamman as a 5 star option. Turns out it was not even a part of the Hyatt chain but just a local hotel claiming to be 5 star but certainly not of international standard. I had to demand WiFi in the room ( arranged finally after being told that WiFi was only in community areas).
The driver and car assigned were good (once one got accustomed to the strong cigarette smell).

Thank you to Carmen who facilitated our first trip to Jordan. It eased our apprehensions knowing we have transports and guides to assist us in a foreign land. The recommendations to stay at the Wadi Rum Luxury Night camp, and accesss to the Dead Sea at Dead Sea Spa Hotel —spot on! The Backdoor hike to Petra’s Monastery from little Petra— incredible ! We are also grateful to our guide, Ibrahim whose personality and character, stands out amongst the many we have met.
Thank you again. Hope to be back soon.

A fantastic trip to Jordan thanks to Carmen’s expertise and knowledge. It was busy but never too hectic as we saw the amazing sites. Wael, our driver and guide was easy going and friendly, as well as very punctual. He put some miles on that car shuttling us from Amman to Wadi Rum and back again! Petra of course had to be a highlight, just magical. I also loved the vastness and beauty of Wadi Rum and our friendly guide, Rashid. I think we may have been running out of energy towards the end, but I really enjoyed the Amman city tour and the fantastic city of Jerash. All in all just WOW! Thanks so much!
Mark N

Mark and I had a great trip thanks to Carmen and the travel team she organized for our time in Jordan. Everything went as planned and the sights and schedule of activities exceeded our expectations.
I will definitely recommend Kimkim to my friends and will be using Kimkim for my upcoming trips.
Thank you very much!

My overall experience with the travel arranged for me in Jordan was quite nice.

Plus
- all the drivers arranged for my pick-ups were professional, polite and kind. They made some calls for me on the way to the hotel and so on to make sure everything goes smoothly. I really appriciated that

Minus
- I feel like I didn’t get enough information about Jordan and all the destinations I was going to prior my trip. Carmen created Vamoos app for me for my itenerary, which was great, but I thought I’d get more personalised information about some interesting places , where to dine, or some local facts I wouldn’t normally get from the internet. Clicking the map didn’t help much, since most of the places on the map don’t have any information. Also the traveling date was wrong, and is still wrong up til now. It’s Febuary in the app.

- on my first day, my visit to Amman beach was pretty disappointing. The facility was not great, shower room broken, no hair dryer, lockers with no lock, and no staff to borrow the lock or lend towels from. Good thing I had my towel with me so I didn’t have to, but i had a hard time showering and drying my hair after the swim, espeically with that much salt on my body and hair. I would have been willing to pay more for better places, like one of those 5 star hotel facilities nearby (Kempinski, movenpick, dead sea spa etc.)

- on my last day, it seemed like my bus ticket from Aqaba to Amman was wrong. I couldn’t read Arabic of course, but my driver was kind enough to check for me at the bus station when he dropped me off, so they changed the new one for me.
And since my bus was at 6 PM and i was dropped off at 10 AM with my luggages, I had to find a place to store those before I could do anything, which was pretty troublesome. At that point I wish I was told or suggested beforehand what to do with my luggages. In the end I mannaged to ask Movenpick hotel to keep them for me, eventhough I wasn’t staying with them.
And I also wish I was given some interesting information about Aqaba, restaurants, cafe and attractions. Since it was a very low season, whatever I tried to do (glass bottom boat tour etc.) everything was unavailable due to too small group of people joining.

I think that’s pretty much my opinion on my trip to Jordan. Thank you Carmen for all the help in planning and everything. Jordan was an amazing country and I loved my experiences there.

Thanya

Ibrahim in Jordan was a fantastic guide and Mohammed was a great driver. They worked well together. We like our history so Jerash was fabulous. The hike through Dana Valley also was a highlight as was Jerusalem. Re the design of the trip, the only dud day was the trip to the Dead Sea. The hotel where we had lunch was depressing and the beach was ugly and cordoned off with barb wire.

The driver was good and gave us lotts of good informtion about Jordan. However, even though he never smoked when we were in the car, the vehicle stank f stale cigarette smoke.

The restaurant in Petra did not have any record of us, of Kimkim or of Experience Jordan. Forunately I had the contact telephone numbers which the restaurant used and found our booking under a company name hat had never been mentioned in the correspondence. This should be rectified in your system.

We booked quite late, but some of the things between Kim Kim, Experience Jordan, and the driver were not so clear; although things were always resolved quickly.

Good advice on the trip, and how to best allocate time.