Kimkim Trip Reviews for Jordan

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Deborah Hartnett
Date: Tue, Oct 31, 2023 at 11:08 AM
Subject:
To: Deborah Hartnett

Hi Samir
I want to thank you for all the expert help, guidance and advice you gave me in planning our trip to Jordan. What an amazing country with so much history! The arrangements, timing and tours were perfectly coordinated from the time we were met at the airport with our visas until the time we left with so many incredible experiences in between like floating in the Dead Sea, exploring Petra by candlelight and sleeping in a yurt or bubble tent under the stars in Wadi Rum. We had a wonderful driver for the entire time - Abed Al Salam Alhaleq- and I think the very, very best guide in Jordan - Mutaz Moghrabi. You were wonderful to work with. You were always responsive and always giving insight into your country. Because of all your help, we had a wonderful trip. I Thank you so much. I would recommend you and KimKim to anyone who wants to travel to Jordan.
Debbie

Ahmed organised a good itinerary for us. He was helpful throughout and answered questions. I liked the chat used as I didn’t need to email every time. Ahmed also ironed out some problems when we were in Jordan too. He answered our calls . Thank you Ahmed for organising this fantastic trip and we will come again to visit this amazing country

Hotel Reviews

Seven Roses

Amman

Good location but limited breakfast options it seemed more suited to locals

Authenticity & Character

Breakfast

Location

Staff

Helpful and polite

Cleanliness & Comfort

Average room but clean

Dana Guest House

Al Tafileh, Dana

A good location but very very remote we got there quite late. There was no bread or toast for breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

No hairdryer/ iron

Location

Amazing view

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was good bathroom was average

Movenpick Nabatean Castle Hotel

Wadi Musa

Great hotel and lovely ambience

Authenticity & Character

Lovely decor

Location

A few minutes drive from Petra

Staff

Guy at check in was very nice and on the whole staff at the buffet were very polite and efficient

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean bathroom is always a must and the room was pristine

Zeina Luxury Desert Lodge

A great location which was remote. Good staff but the dinner and breakfast buffet could be improved.

Authenticity & Character

The pod was basic. Lack of hairdryer and sockets

Location

Amazing view of Wadi Rum

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pods need a revamp

Movenpick Dead Sea Spa & Resort

Sweimeh, Amman

Loved the hotel and the room

Authenticity & Character

A bit tired looking lack of light in room

Location

Sea front/ Dead Sea accessible

Staff

Helpful and polite

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ok cleaning

Activity Reviews

Day trip north to Jarash, Ajloun and Umm Qais

Jordan

A good half day is needdd

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self drive

Dana - Petra Visit

Jordan

Amazing site but we got duped by someone saying to start at other end from little Petra. This is not worth it and you have to hike 2 hours to your destination even if you get the shuttle. The views are good but we were not prepared for the long walk. Just start at the main gate and you will see everything. The horses/ donkeys people are also a rip off don’t bother! I felt we paid to start from the other end and felt it was not worth it.

Quality of Experience

We were not prepared for the 2 hour hike to monastery

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dead Sea - Jerusalem - Dead Sea

Dead Sea

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I

Transport

Hike in Wadi Mujib

The Dead Sea

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We opted for a custom tour with KimKim. Samir was our online contact; Mohammed was our driver for the week. Both made our trip to Jordan one of the books. Highly recommend them.

Samir was responsive (got back to us within a few hours) and patient with our various requests and preferences (it took us about two months on and off to finalize our trip). Mohammed was engaging, informative, and just as patient with us on the road; we never felt rushed with him.

Our week-long itinerary involved time in Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea. Samir finetuned our itinerary to our preferences, always answering our questions and making changes for our review without hesitation. We rarely travel the “meet us with a sign and take us around” style, but we did for this trip and all details were handled for us: hotel check-ins, guide intros, and excursion tickets. We didn’t have a single hiccup in 6 days and 650 miles of driving (even when we were late by an hour one morning).

We didn’t need the fanciest hotels as we planned to be out and about during our short week in Jordan. We wanted close proximity to attractions and Samir honored our wishes even if he thought other hotels would have been more comfortable, which we appreciated. In Amman, the Art Hotel is 3-star, so manage your expectations. It’s in the heart of King Faisal Square and close to the downtown attractions. Staff was always pleasant. For Petra, we stayed at the Petra Palace Hotel in Wadi Musa, which was a bit dated but offered amenities such as two pools, spa with massage, full-service bar, and breakfast. It was within walking distance to Petra and we would stay there again even if it isn’t the shiniest hotel (we woke up late another morning and got to breakfast at closing, but they still set us up with a table by one of the pools). Our splurge was a Martian tent in Wadi Rum at Mayazen Rum Camp. We had all the modern amenities: AC, nonstop running hot water, and even an outdoor hot tub. We even got to see sunrise from our bed through the panoramic window. The staff was also pleasant and attentive. The restaurant served good traditional and foreign food; we always had more than we could eat.

Amman is a lively city with a lot to see and do from tourist sites to restaurants, cafes, and shops. We love a good shisha when in the Middle East and Amman had two great options at Faisal Cafe and Nara Cafe. We wish we had more time there. Petra is a bit touristy and the local vendors can take away from the experience, but it is hard to deny its allure. We went to Petra at Night and despite mixed reviews, we recommend going. How often can you walk The Siq at night underneath the moon and stars? Check out Old Street Cafe on a side street off Tourism St, excellent food and service. The Dead Sea is a must do, but we went in early September and it was hot (100 degrees - the air temperature, not the water). Hope you’re lucky and a tour bus (or several) don’t arrive at the same time you are there. The surge of people all trying to get their floating pictures can get annoying, but fortunately for us, it was too hot out for most people. Still, where else can you float without even trying? Wadi Rum was our favorite stop. We stayed two nights and did a sunset 4x4 tour and a 1/2-day 4x4 tour… two different experiences you should have. We also opted for a sunset camel ride for our last night and it was surreal to cross the red sands of the Wadi Rum with the landscape on the horizon. We appreciated how beautiful, and peaceful, our planet can be. All of this arranged through KimKim.

Thank you, KimKim, Samir, and Mohammed!

Our vacation in Jordan was simply perfect. Magical in a way. Every place we visited was interesting, intriguing and beautiful. Jordan is a wonderful country. All our hotels were perfect.
A special thanks goes to Nader (or Nick for us!) our driver. He was very generous, kind, full of knowledge and he made our journey even more interesting. Thank you Samir for organising a great trip. We will come back. Enrica & family

Samir was so amazing and helpful from day 1 planning our trip to Jordan. We had quite a few changes as well closer to the trip date and he was able to accommodate all this timely, it was such a huge help. It was also nice of Samir to check in on us during the trip.

During our trip it was really smooth-sailing from the time we arrived. Our driver Anis picked us up and was our driver throughout. Anis was so patient with us, knowledgeable about Jordan and the place we were visiting, advising us on the recommended places to visit and when not to, he knew his background and history of the places which really enhanced our visit. We had a little set-back due to some unforeseen circumstances but Anis continued to be patient and advised us accordingly, supporting us and being so resourceful during these set-backs. He was a lovely company to be with throughout our trip, without being too intrusive too :)

Just a side note, myself and my husband realised that the food in Jordan is very salty (more at the local restaurants in malls etc., hotel food and some restaurants was totally okay), which according to my friend who stayed in Jordan before, it is normal as they like it this way. We had some stomach issues because of this, but again Anis was able to accommodate and take us to the pharmacy etc.

Overall, loved our honeymoon. Will be a great memory for us! ^^ Really appreciative and grateful towards Anis and Samir :)

Hotel Review

SEAS HOTEL - AMMAN

Amman

Seas Hotel is a very humble hotel. It is a small and simple hotel but has some element of luxury in it. Myself and my husband got the Junior Suite and it was a beautiful room, nicely sized, especially with us staying in Amman for about 3-4 days.

Authenticity & Character

Location

There are beautiful cafe's not too far from the hotel too in a nice shopping area (looks quite luxurious too with some big brands), walking distance.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Full Day Petra (With Site local Guide or private guide)

Petra

Ohh we had a really good time at Petra, it's totally different to seeing and hearing about it online. At it being our first official activity during our trip, it really boosted morale after our long flight especially. There was lots of walking but our guide was able to captivate us a lot with the history of the place. We took a private guide and it felt more personal so we liked that. At the end, we got a donkey ride back to the treasury (because it was a long walk) so that was a nice experience too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Miriam was responsive and incredible helpful. My driver Ayoub was knowledgeable, generous, and patient. My thanks to both of them.

I had the greatest privilege to work with Samir in planning my trip with my husband in Jordan. From the get go, Samir was consistently supportive throughout the process.,Timely responses to my questions and knowledgeable with his recommendations to make our visit unforgettable. From the time we arrived at the airport up to our last day, his team made sure we are comfortable and happy. Our driver-guide Bassam was professional, warm, kind and funny guy. We enjoyed his company and felt safe in his capable hands. Thank you Bassam!
Very grateful of our time in Jordan made possible by Samir and his wonderful team!

Hotel Review

SEAS HOTEL - AMMAN

Amman

This hotel is busy and we are thankful that we only had to stay here overnight to catch our flight out of Jordan. The lady at reception raised her voice and reluctant when we asked help in printing our boarding pass. When no one at Room Service was available to get our order, we called Reception to help. A gentleman said he will call them to call us. No one called us. We just decided to get food somewhere else when we would have preferred to stay in and get rest before our flight. The hotel is nice and modern but the service is not up to par.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Nce part of town and close to the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Meet & Assist - Queen Alia Airport

Jordan

To get assistance at the airport after a long flight was a great kick-off to the adventure that awaited us in Jordan. We were greeted by Samir’s team that facilitated customs and immgration in a quick manner. We were then handed off to Bassam, our driver guide to warmly welcome us to Jordan in his clean and comfortable car. And off we went to our Jordan adventure!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Petra (With Site local Guide or private guide)

Petra

After Bassam, our driver handed us over to Abd, our guide for 2 days we knew it was an experience to behold. Abd was knowledgeable about Petra, he knew how to pace our visit when he thought we were getting sensory overload. Very patient, kind and funny. He made us feel safe and well taken care of. On our last day in Petra, he helped us arrange a lovely lunch at a local restaurant so we can try mansaf, Jordanian national dish. He even used his personal vehicle to pick us up at the hotel to bring us to the restaurant. What a great and thoughtful way to cap off our Jordan visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Samir, our booking specialist did an amazing job at coordinating our trip. His communication was excellent and we felt we had very personalized service.

Shareef, our dedicated driver/guide was very informative and flexible with our daily plans. He took us to an amazing lunch spot with outstanding food and service.

Unfortunately, we decided to cut our Jordan trip short due to the Israel war outbreak which was not a reflection of KimKim's services. We would book again with Kimkim in the future!

Samir has been so awesome to work with. He put together an amazing itinerary for us! Additionally when we arrived in Amman, Samir was very accessible and checked in with us. I’d recommend him to anyone! We had a nice city tour with our driver Sharif who was also very punctual and attentive. The people in Jordan were so friendly and the weather in October was fantastic.

We had an incredible trip to Jordan. Samir was great with organising and being available throughout the trip. We experienced a couple of minor hiccups with one or two of the hotels which was no fault of the agency but the hotel themself which Samir and our driver Nader dealt with really well and sorted us out.
Our driver/ tour guide, Nader was very knowledgeable and treated us very well, like family. Overall wonderful trip and would highly recommend.

Our trip was great , made easy through Kim Kim who we didn’t know about prior to the trip and simply booked online with them.

Highlights were Jaresh (a surprise as we didn’t know anything about it), Petra (there is plenty of time to hike to the Monastery (definitely worth doing) and the Dead Sea (the Movenpick resort is an amazing resort too), plus our driver Mohammed who was particularly knowledgeable, kind, accommodating and a safe driver.

The only negative was the accommodation in Wadi Rum- mazayen camp which was very run down and disappointing. Described as luxury but far from it! Everything was falling apart. Personally, I would give Wadi Rum a miss and do an extra night at Movenpick Dead Sea.

Hotel Reviews

The House Boutique Hotel

Amman

Really nice. Plus drinks and nibbles on pool deck were nice, pre dinner. Good location - close to Rainbow street

Authenticity & Character

Nice location and plenty of room

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Old Village Resort

Wadi Musa

Lovely accomodation, spacious. Good massage and great pool area. Only negative - alcohol free.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

But abrupt

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mazayen Rum Camp

Al Dissi

Old, run down and grubby. The jacuzzi didn’t work and the front of it was propped up by a chair. The toilet seat was askew and the bathroom was old, with missing grout and grubby. Light bulbs not working and the bed was very old and battered. Far from luxury as advertised. Maybe school camp level at best. Would definitely delete wadi rum from the itinerary and have an extra night at the Dead Sea’s Movenpick resort

Authenticity & Character

The place needs an entire refurbishment

Location

Staff

Not interested

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything. What a dump!

Movenpick Dead Sea Spa & Resort

Sweimeh, Amman

Everything was amazing from our float in the Dead Sea and mud cover to the various pool areas and restaurants. Would have liked an extra night

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the Dead Sea. Gorgeous location and views

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

King David Hotel - Jerusalem

Jerusalem

Gorgeous hotel. We were there during Shabbat so limited meals etc but that’s part of the experience

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

So very accomodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Meet & Assist - Queen Alia Airport

Jordan

The person who meet us then disappeared to help other customers for some time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mohammed our driver was an absolute stand out. Really nice fellow and beautifully spoken with a good sense of humour. Helped find someone to fix my shoe. Safe driver

Transport

Our driver Mohammed and his very clean car!

Amman-Jarash-Ajloun-Amman city tour

Jordan

A surprise bonus. Definitely worth the visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amman-Madaba-Mount Nebo-Karak-Petra

Jordan

The day trips on this day really just provide some bathroom stops on the way to Petra. Definitely miss Karak castle!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Petra (With Site local Guide or private guide)

Petra

Outstanding experience. The trip says you won’t have time to hike to the monastery but you easily can and it is just as amazing as the treasury and less crowded. Awesome day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wadi Rum (2-3 Hrs Jeep ride)

Jordan

Took about 45mins. Was fine but could have missed it and spent more time at the Dead Sea

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mohammed not driver who was totally disinterested!

Visit JERICHO

Jordan

Not much to see folks. Don’t get conned into the lunch.

Visit to Bethlehem

Jordan

Definitely worth the trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Old City Jerusalem

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jerusalem, Mount of Olives and Mt Zion

Jordan

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The highlights of our trip were the Dana to Petra hike trails where we were looked after by Mohammed and his team. The landscape was stunning but the team knowledge, catering and guiding was top class in terms of service. We also loved our trip to Wadi Rum Bedouin camp where Suleiman was a lovely guide for us. Our driver, Yazeed was great too.
Jordan is a wonderful and hospitable destination.

My wife and I had a wonderful time in Jordan. Our driver, Sharif, went above and beyond in making sure our trip was everything we wanted it to be. In addition to driving, explaining the sites along the way, and keeping track of all the logistics, he took care of any problems that came up. We had a snag involving our baggage at the airport and I'm not sure what we would have done without his help figuring it all out. Samir at Enjoy Jordan was also always available if we needed further assistance with anything.

Jordan is a fascinating country with unparalleled historic sites, natural beauty, and friendly people. Sharif's love for the country was plain to see, and the value we were getting was obvious when we compared our experience to that of the dozens of people getting out of the big buses. I highly recommend working with him if you do decide to make the trip.

Hotel Reviews

Enjoy Desert camp

Wadi rum

This was a pleasant stay. The dinner, cooked in an underground oven, was a highlight. The cabins were nice, and the staff was friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea Resort

Dead Sea

This was by far the best hotel of the trip. The property was super nice, and while there wasn't much else to do in the area, it was a great place to relax. The only downside was the intense heat.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Feynan Eco Lodge

Dana, Feynan

This was a unique and enjoyable experience, although it was hotter than expected due to the lack of air conditioning. Despite this, the option of sleeping on the roof at night was a nice touch. It's really an awesome place, I'd just advise people to go in the cooler months.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

No A/C

Activity Reviews

Amman - Ajloun (Hiking) - Jarash - Amman

Jordan

Contrary to the itinerary, this wasn't a hike but a relaxed walk around historic sites. Still, the experience was enjoyable and flexible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trekking from Dana to Feynan lodge

Jordan

This was a superb experience despite the heat. The area was beautiful, and having a guide who provided lunch was a great touch. It was also private, which made it more enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rum Valley CAMELS SUNSET RIDE FOR 01HRS

Wadi Rum

The itinerary suggested a camel ride, but it ended up being a four by four tour. The tour was fantastic and was preferred.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This is our second amazing trip with KimKim. We had a spectacular five days in Jordan exploring Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea. In particular, we really enjoyed hiking in Wadi Rum with Ahed, our Bedouin host. Ayuob was a great driver and guide as well teaching us about the culture and history of Jordan along the way. Big thanks to Mariam for planning such a memorable trip for us!

Since the first contact, Samir was great trying to tailor our experience and trying to adapted to our budget.
And even if we ended up spending more than our original budget it was worth it. All the services provided, hotel, transfer etc everything was spot on, welcoming and comfortable.
Samir knew what he was doing.
A big thank you to Nayef our amazing driver in Jordan we couldn’t been happier and we can’t recommend him enough.
And to our indescribable guide in Israel, Elias and the driver Roni, again we can’t recommend them enough. They were brilliant.
The whole experience went smoothly with no setback.
Book with them and you won’t regret, it was the trip of a lifetime.

Hotel Reviews

TORINO HOTEL

Amman

Big and comfortable room

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable

Silk Road Petra

Wadi Mousa, Petra

Great staff They were absolutely welcoming and so friendly

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sun City Camp

Wadi Rum

Indescribable facilities with super friendly staff. You won’t regret. A must in Wadi Rum.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dead Sea Spa Hotel

Sweimeh

Great spa service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ink Hotel Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Prima Galil Hotel

Tiberias

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holy Land Hotel - Jerusalem

Jerusalem

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

NAZARETH

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Bethlehem

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wadi Rum (2-3 Hrs Jeep ride)

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jerusalem, Mount of Olives and Mt Zion

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Old City Jerusalem

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

FULL DAY TIBERIAS , CAPERNAUM

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Meet & Assist - Queen Alia Airport

Jordan

Transport

Amman-Madaba-Mount Nebo-Karak-Petra

Jordan

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Petra (With Site local Guide or private guide)

Petra

Transport

Monastery In Petra Visit

Petra

CANA / NAZARETH

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, KimKim was an excellent choice for us in planning our trip to Jordan. We are confident in recommending KimKim to friends and associates, and will look to KimKim in the future when planning trips. In addition to the professionalism and expertise, KimKim was also a good value for us, and simplified the complexity of international travel.
Driver / Guide: Bader Halaiqa
As a mom and daughter traveling as a “group of two” in an unfamiliar, foreign country, Bader Halaiqa made us feel welcome, safe and appreciated. He went above and beyond to make our trip memorable. We felt more like family than clients, and he treated us to little surprises along the way, such as eating Arab Bread and dates after a gas station stop, and sampling unfamiliar Jordanian “treats” while walking through the market. Bader always made sure we made plenty of water, and when we were driving between locations he pointed out many cultural sights that enhanced the trip. For example, on the last couple of days of our trip, we saw sheep and goats in pens in unexpected places and he explained the religious customs associated with an upcoming major holiday. He also showed us how camel owners identify their herds. On longer trips, he played music in the car that fit the scenery, or videos to provide history and context to an upcoming site. It was reassuring to know that after he dropped us of at our hotel each evening, he lodged close by overnight to make sure he was there to pick us up on time the next morning. Occasionally Bader accompanied us on excursions to help us find our way and avoid making “touristy missteps.” He steered us clear of saying “yes” to an offer by random locals offering unscheduled “guide services” and explained that could actually turn into an obligation to provide a generous gratuity. When we wanted to go shopping he guided us through the market, speaking to shopkeepers to ensure we purchased the best item for a fair price. From the exceptionally tasty and fresh watermelon while we waited for our camel ride, to serving as our “photo journalist” when we explored and experienced the wonders of Jordan, we can’t imagine this trip without the contributions of Bader. His love of country, culture, family, and profession shone through in every encounter we had with him.
Pre-tour Contact: Samanta Neroli
Months before our trip to Jordan, we were introduced to our local specialist, Samanta Neroli. Samanta never tired of answering questions as she helped us make the most of the five days we planned to spend in Jordan. She was prompt in her communications, and creative in the suggestions she made. Samanta was flexible as we developed our trip and it was helpful to have a female representative tell us what we needed to know about local customs. Samanta was very knowledgeable about the sights and features of the places we planned to visit, and made certain our lodgings were relaxing and comfortable. She also explained the process of crossing the Border, and assured us that all the documentation would be in order and prepared for us ahead of time. Thankfully, the Border crossing went smoothly for us – just as she predicted.

Mariam was great to work with in planning. During the trip, every detail was covered- white glove treatment from when we got off the plane! Dinner in a cave in Petra was off the beaten path and special. She squeezed as much in to our week in Jordan as possible, to take full advantage!

Our driver/guide for our week, Ayoub, was superb. Highly recommend. He had all the qualities of a great guide: knowledgeable, diligent, creative, flexible, friendly, hard working, caring. Truly excellent . We have had tons of guides through our years of travel and he really stands out!

Great experience with KimKim!!

I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the local tour company, Zaman Tours, which was selected for us during our recent trip to Jordan. Our disappointment with Zaman Tours was significant as we had previously experienced an excellent trip to Peru last year with Peruvian Tours, also arranged through Kim Kim. As a result, we placed our trust in Kim Kim again to find us a reliable tour company for our trip to Jordan and Israel. Unfortunately, our experience with Zaman Tours was far from satisfactory, leaving us feeling let down by the quality of service provided.

During the booking process, we were impressed by the website claim that Zaman Tours creates tailor-made tours with local experts. Regrettably, our experience did not meet this promise. The itinerary provided was inadequate and lacked details such as local contact information and a clear timetable. When we asked for a more detailed itinerary, we were told that it was all that could be provided. We specifically requested a thorough schedule, but instead, we were given a vague response and told we had total flexibility to change it ourselves. We were hoping to have an expert guide us through the best schedule so that we didn't have to worry about the logistics ourselves.

During the first two days of our trip in Amman, we were disappointed to be guided by an inexperienced tour guide who had only joined the tourism industry for a month. Despite informing Zaman Tours before our trip that we were interested in history, our guide didn't seem to know the city or its history well enough to provide us with any meaningful information. He clearly did not do enough research beforehand and left us feeling frustrated and underwhelmed by the experience.

To make matters worse, we had to pick him up and drop him off at his home before heading back to the hotel as apparently it was "on the way." However, we later realized that we actually made a detour just to send him home, which was very unprofessional and a waste of our travel time. We could have planned the sites and booked separate tour guides ourselves, which made us regret paying a premium for an "expert" when we could have done a better job ourselves.

It was disappointing that Zaman Tours linked us up with an inexperienced, young guide and claimed that he was an expert. We expected to receive professional and expert guidance from a tailor-made tour company, but instead, we received the opposite. The lack of attention to detail throughout our trip caused us stress and frustration, which is not something we would expect from a professional tour operator.

Another example of poor service we encountered was when Zaman Tours planned Petra by Night for us on a Tuesday when it only runs every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Despite being informed that it was a must-see attraction, we were not told about its opening dates and hours, which was quite disappointing. As Zaman Tours claims to provide local experts, we were expecting them to have this information readily available. Instead, we found ourselves having to navigate our itinerary and communicate with the driver, who was not a tour guide and did not have the necessary information. We feel let down that we missed Petra by Night, which was the most important highlight of our visit to Petra.

When we contacted Zaman Tours to complain about this issue, their response was dismissive. They seemed to think we were making a big deal out of it as we could just visit it the next day, Wednesday, when Petra by Night would be open. However, what they didn't take into consideration was that we had also planned to stay at a Bedouin Camp and participate in their nighttime activities, so we had to choose between the two activities. By going to Petra by Night, we would have missed the Bedouin Camp activities and vice versa. Unfortunately, Zaman Tours did not take our dilemma seriously and suggested we skip the Bedouin Camp if Petra by Night was more important to us. We felt disappointed that they did not understand the significance of missing out on an activity that we had been looking forward to, especially since it was one of the highlights of our visit to Petra.

On the night of the Petra by Night incident, we were informed that our agent had quit Zaman tours for personal reasons. This left us feeling even more helpless and worried. We were essentially left on our own with the driver. The lack of communication and professionalism during this situation added to our disappointment with the overall service provided by Zaman Tours.

Despite our attempts to reflect our discontent to Zaman Tours directly, we were met with an unsatisfactory response from even the CEO. His reply was "We have successfully handled thousands of clients this month, and we have not received any negative feedback thus far. All of our clients have utilized the same services, stayed at the same hotels, engaged in the same activities, and been driven by the same drivers." This response is frustrating as it is clear that they claim to provide a tailor-made trip, yet all of their clients have apparently been provided with the same services, itinerary, and experience. It begs the question: what is the point of paying for a tailor-made service if it is the same as everyone else's?

Furthermore, their unwillingness to acknowledge and address our concerns shows a lack of professionalism and customer service skills. We feel that Zaman Tours does not take constructive criticism well, leaving us dissatisfied with the entire experience. If we wanted a generic itinerary, we could have easily found one online at a lower cost and without the unnecessary stress and trouble of dealing with a tour operator.

In conclusion, we were disappointed to be linked with this local tour company. We expected better from a company that claims to provide tailor-made trips. Instead, we found a lack of communication, professionalism, and local knowledge. We hope that Kim Kim will take steps to ensure that clients are only connected with reputable and reliable tour operators to avoid similar experiences in the future.

This was an OUTSTANDING experience. Our local guide and driver, Sharif, was so spectacular. He understood us and our interests, taking care to customize our activities to us and also taking us to cool, local, authentic places. The value he added to our trip is unquantifiable. He knows everyone and this made for consistently special and easy experiences all throughout our journey. He also stayed in touch regularly to ensure our satisfaction & comfort. Words cannot express how much we appreciate Shsrif and how he ensured the excellence of our experiences.

Big thanks also to Samir, who was very patient and regularly checked in on us. He tailored a great itinerary for us, even with my constantly changing plans (over the course of many months!).

Kimkim remains my go to means for connecting with local travel experts.

Bassam was our guide in Jordan. He was wonderful! He was a safe, careful driver, and a well-informed guide on local sites and history. Jarash was amazing with the roman ruins, collinated streets and temples. Petra was so beautiful with the slot canyon (Siq) and the Treasury, the Monestary and the tombs. But if I go again, I will use the Golf Cart to enter and exit Petra because I was completely exhausted from walking in the sun and sand all day. The Wadi Rum desert was so unique with the sand, the mountains, the camels, the Bedouins, and the history of the Arab Revolt with Lawrence of Arabia. And the Dead Sea was very fun! I had a wonderful massage at the resort, I floated like a bar of soap in the sea! LOL.

Eli was our guide in Israel. He was very well educated on both state history and religious history. I especially loved his maps and his diagrams! He was an excellent guide everywhere we went. The Sea of Galilee was inspiring, as we visited Capernaum, the Mt of Beatitudes, and the Greek Orthodox Monastary. Jerusalem surpassed my wildest dreams, with the markets, the fantastic food, the history, the churches, and the christian sites. Akko, with its crusader castle, was so well preserved it was unbelievable! The street food in Jaffa was beyond yummy!!!