Kimkim Trip Reviews for Peru

Trip of a lifetime!
The organization was very good, the activities were well planned and Jesus' daily updates including with boarding passes for internal flights were excellent. It did not seem to me that Jesus went to sleep.
I thought the guides were very well chosen - Fernando in Quito was an amazing fount of information about Quito, its history and the area. Our guides in the Galapagos, Justin in Santa Cruz and Oswaldo in San Cristobal, were very well-informed and good hike guides, though they was not with us all the time owing to boat trips and island changes. I would like to mention our transport driver (Arturo?) in San Cristobal - he was very courteous and prompt.
In the Galapagos, I would only change our hotel - the Golden Galapagos. It did not meet the standards of our other hotels.
The Indigo seemed much more organized.

In Lima, Nancy was an excellent guide with lots of historical details that we learned from her. However, our guide in Cusco was exceptionally way above the guides we had on this trip (Julio and the driver Robert) were above and beyond. Partly it was due to the elevation and related issues, but they also had really detailed knowledge and insights that were very interesting to hear.

We had a great time!

What could you improve - ditch the Golden Galapagos. Also, I noticed that the company always picked the cheapest room in the hotels. Can you manage to upgrade it a bit, to the second lowest level? At least ask the question!

This trip was a dream every step of the way. I had a lot of questions which were always answered quickly in detail, and with patience. Peru has so many amazing locations and experiences but we were able to narrow them down to a perfect trip, customized to our exact preferences, budget and interests.

Once we got there Anne sent thoughtful notes to our room and checked in periodically to make sure everything was going well.

Everyone we met in Peru was so kind, accommodating and friendly. We spent time with several guides who were very knowledgeable and personable, but I’d give a special shout-out to our Cusco guide, EJ. His background in archaeology made every historical site even more interesting. We saw so many amazing things but wouldn’t have fully appreciated them without EJ’s insights and his photography skills left us with so many great photos and memories to take home with us.

Our trip to Peru was incredible from start to finish. The overall planning and booking experience with kimkim was smooth, thoughtful, and very personalized. Our local specialist, Liz Karen, was fantastic and went above and beyond to make the trip special. She was even willing to help organize a photographer and location so I could plan a proposal, which meant so much and made the experience unforgettable.

Our guide Juan and driver William were amazing as well. They were professional, kind, knowledgeable, and made us feel comfortable throughout the trip. The places we visited were memorable, but the people who helped us along the way made the experience truly exceptional.

I would highly recommend kimkim, Liz Karen, Juan, and William to anyone planning a trip to Peru.

The organization of the trip and constant monitoring of location and help by Jimena and Jesus was quite amazing. Someone was always there to help, offer advice, and make suggestions while en route. My husband, 80 years, was not feeling well at 12,000 feet altitude and they were quick to offer help and solutions. We were very grateful.

Our guides were exceptional with their knowledge, especially our guide the second day in Lima. I can’t remember his name, maybe Jose. We had Martin in Sacred Valley and Cusco who not only was extremely well informed but full of fun , knowledge, and personal information. He was outstanding!

Eddy was able to get us into Machu Picchu when the tickets were sold out for the day and he kindly helped my husband navigate the terrain. Luis, in Puno, was also very helpful in assisting my husband through the climbing.

The guides were all excellent and helpful.

Lake Titicaca at the island of Uros was absolutely amazing and my favorite area.

For us being near or at 80 years and coming from sea level, we found the schedules very tiring with early departures and constant activity at difficult altitudes. However, we enjoyed the trip very much . If I went again, I would go at a slower pace.

All in all, Kim Kim, Peruvian Soul, did a great job.

The accommodations were great but the daily events were not well planned and the communication was poor. We had to frequently text our contact and ask where are our train tickets, or what is the plan tomorrow. Kimkim failed to get us the tour we wanted at Machu Pichu - we were able to get our guide to change it - thank goodness. One of the highlights for me was the train across the Andes which KimKim failed to book for the right day so we took a van and although we made some stops, our guide did not speak English and knew little about the sites we stopped at - clearly a last minute plan. I am 72 and will never return to Peru and will never have the opportunity to take that train.

Our trip was magnificent! Our guides, Rony Nikolai Henry Wilbur Franco were informative, fun and made our adventure the trip of a lifetime !

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Northern Peru. The places we visited were fascinating and the local guides/drivers selected by KimKim were top-notch. Yelsin and Carlos in Chachapoyas, Grace and Alberto in Chiclayo, and Cinthia and again Alberto in Trujillo. Our ride over the Andes was memorable but our driver Elvis got us to our destination safe and sound.

We did have some logistics challenges and overall, Anne and her team were available to help us sort them out. Our main critique is how the Keulap portion of the trip was organized. As it turns out, the cable cars up to Keulap are closed the month of May which resulted in a longer drive for us from Leymebamba. In fact, on the day we visited Keulap, we left Leymebamba in the morning, visited Keulap and then continued our drive to Cocochimba which ended up being a very, very long day. A better itinerary would have guests staying in a lodge closer to Keulap (for example one called Amazilila) and then doing Leymebamba as a day trip from there.

The lodging at Leymebamba leaves a few things to be desired. While the room and the property are lovely, and the staff very accommodating, during this time of year, the room was freezing at night and no amount of blankets helped. The property could consider adding propane heaters during the cold season. Also, the stairway between our cabin and the restaurant was steep, slippery, and dark, and there were no handrails since they are replacing them. But they could add some rope as a temporary measure and install some solar lights to operate at night to improve safety. We were honestly afraid of falling down those stairs.

We really wanted to explore the town of Cocochimba, but the town had a general strike. We decided to leave a day early but this was no reflection on the lodge we stayed in. That said, they too could benefit from some solar lighting along their pathway. When we contacted Anne's team, they didn't readily have the number of the driver assigned to us - we had received that from Yelsin ourselves.

Which is actually another suggestion is to provide guests with the directly numbers of the guides ahead of time. In case of a sudden change of plans it is important for us to be able to contact the guides/ drivers and not wait for KimKim to provide us with contact information.

During our time in Chiclayo, there was a mix-up in the sites that we visited. Our itinerary showed that we were supposed to visit the pyramids of Tucume in the morning and then right after, visit the Royal Tomb Museum of Sipan. However, what we did instead was visit the town of Sipan to see the site were the original tombs are and then we went to the museum. That is actually a better trip and we were happy to do that. However, our guide and driver had no idea of the previous itinerary and also, there was no lunch break built in to that day, which cut short our time at the museum because we were getting faint from hunger.

Everything worked great in Trujillo and we appreciated the transfer back to the airport because we had forgotten about that.

Hotel Reviews

Costa del Sol Wyndham Trujillo Centro

Trujillo

A lovely hotel right on the main square in Trujillo. Friendly staff and great facilities.

Authenticity & Character

It is a lovely old building nicely restored.

Location

Right on the main square.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Costa del Sol Whyndam Chiclayo

Chiclayo

A modern hotel with all the amenities. A nice change after staying in more rustic hotels.

Authenticity & Character

It is a corporate hotel in a bland building.

Location

Very centrally located

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything worked!

Mamaq Tambo Lodge

Cocachimba

Comfortable room in a nice location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is a nice location, but a bit far from town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rangra Wasi

Leymebamba

It's a lovely hotel, but the rooms have no heat. Depending on the time of year, it could be freezing. Also, there was no hot water in the shower. The property is lovely, but dark in places - be sure to bring a flashlight. Staff is great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lovely garden and nice view.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Need to add a little heater in the room, improve hot water to the shower, add lights to the property and a handrail for the outside stairway.

Activity Reviews

Chan Chan & Huaca de la Luna

Trujillo

Fabulous visit to the ruins of Chan Chan, followed by a lovely lunch by the sea and then a visit to see the murals at Huaca de la Luna. Our guide Cinthia was great and we learned a lot about this fascinating pre-Inc site.

Journey to {{end_location}}, visiting El Brujo

Peru

Great museum and burial site that shows that there were female rulers among the Moche people. First go to the museum to learn more about the burial site and what was found there and then go visit the actual site near by

Tucume Pyramids & Tumbas Reales Museum

Chiclayo

We did not go to the Tucume Pyramids. Our itinerary was changed and we went first to the town of Sipan which is where the royal tombs were found and then to the Royal Tombs museum. This is the best way to truly appreciate the scope of of this archeological discovery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our local guide Grace was great!

Hummingbird Sanctuary

Cocachimba

This is a small eco-tourism project designed to protect a rare type of hummingbird. You walk down many stairs and then sit down to wait for hummingbirds to come to the feeders. They may or may not come.

Quality of Experience

Nothing - it just not what we expected

Journey to Cocachimba: Kuelap Fortress

Peru

If you've come to this isolated pat of the world, you're probably here to see Kuelap! Our guide and driver from KimKim were excellent. 4 stars instead of 5 because that day should have been planned with less driving (see suggestions).

Quality of Experience

Kuelap is incredible. The drive is HARD.

Quality of Experience

Kuelap is incredible. The drive is HARD.

Food

We didn't have any food at Kuelap.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had an excellent local guide, Yeslin.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had an excellent local guide, Yeslin.

Transport

Carlos was a great driver

Transport

Leymebamba: Workshops & Museum

Peru

Fabulous museum in a great location. This was a highlight of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Excellent local museum

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yelsin is a great guide who explained what we were seeing.

Transport

Our driver was Carlos - very safe and courteous.

We had a great experience in Peru with KimKim and the local tour company Peruvian Soul. Jimena worked with our preferences in setting up our trip, made great suggestions, and patiently helped us to make changes and add ons as we finalized our plans. She helpfully answered many questions that we had prior to our trip.
We did a city tour in Lima with Nancy as our guide. She was great and was willing to tailor the tour to our interests
After Lima, we flew to Cusco and won the lottery with our amazing guide Julio who we were fortunate to be with for the next 8 days. I would give Julio a 15 rating out of 5 if that was possible. Super knowledgeable about every area that we toured and able to answer our numerous questions but also amazingly patient, kind and friendly. KimKim is lucky to have Peruvian Soul as their local travel company (maybe they contract with others as well?) and Peruvian Soul has a gem in Julio as their customer facing employee. Julio went the extra mile daily and we couldn't be more grateful for the time that we had with him.
Guido was our driver and was also great; friendly and kind with a great smile and also able to handle many narrow roads, switchbacks, and hairpin turns in our travels with ease. We were returning from the Rainbow Mountains and came to an area that was under construction: Guido got out and helped to shovel so that we could continue on our way back to Cusco.
We had such a good experience with Julio and Guido that all six of us (including my 20 something kids and their significant others) had tears when we had to say goodbye at the airport.

Hotel Reviews

Hatun Inti Boutique Machupicchu

Machu Picchu

This hotel is right on the river and we were lucky to get rooms on the riverside. Very spacious rooms with a lot of character. A window in our shower opened up to the river which was fun and unique. We only spent one night here and all felt it would have been nice to have a second night as it was such a great location with fun rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casona de Yucay

Ollantaytambo Urubamba

We overall loved this hotel; beautiful setting with an amazing green space surrounded by mountains. We read somewhere else that the rooms were dated, but the place was built in 1810, so I'm not sure why people would expect a modern look. The hotel was clean and staff was gracious. We had several hours free one afternoon and were able to enjoy some relaxation time by the pool with the mountain views

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Innside Lima Miraflores by Melia Hotels International

Miraflores

Nice location in Miraflores. We got to our hotel around 6:30 in the morning and allowed all of us to check into our rooms immediately which was very much appreciated after a long night of travel. I'ms sure this is based on availability. Rooms were clean and the breakfast included a great selection of foods. The rooftop bar is cute and a free welcome drink was included.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour

Cusco

Beautiful hike in the Rainbow Mountains followed by a delicious lunch near a river. Another remarkable experience on our last full day in Peru. This area has been another bucket list item for us and we are glad we were able to experience it

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Julio and Guido picked us up a little after 4 in the morning to get us to the trail before the crowds. They had pillows and blankets in the van for us so that we could nap on the way; this was much appreciated. We were the first people there which made this even more of a special hike. We again are so thankful for the dedication of both Julio and Guido as well as for their selflessness and kindness.

Transport

Exploring Cusco & Sacsayhuaman

Cusco

Fun tour of historical Cusco including Sacsayhuaman, Cristi Blanco, the San Francisco Convent and the San Pedro Market as well as the main square

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Short Inca Trail: Morning at Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Today, we returned to the Machu Picchu site by bus and toured the actual site (rather than the overview following the hike the day before). Again, so much history here and in Peru in general. We felt lucky to get a second day at the site with good weather on both days. What an incredible experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: Ollantaytambo - Km 104 - Aguas Calientes

Peru

We had to start at marker 106 instead of 104 as part of the Inca trail was washed out which meant we missed the first archeological site of Chachabamba which was a bummer but also could not be helped. It also meant that we had to use the very steep switchback trail that is used by the porters. This was a touch trail, but we are so glad that we experienced it and were quite impressed with the fitness level of the porters running up and down the steep trail with heavy packs. We had a nice lunch at the mid point and visited the site of Winay Wayna which was an amazing site on a very steep hillside The second half of the hike was less grueling but still physical. Getting to the Sun Gate to our first view of Machu Picchu was spectacular. An emotional and somewhat spiritual moment as this is a trip that we haven't wanted to take for several years. The mountains and ruins of Machu Picchu are everything but also much more than what was expected. It is hard to describe the beauty of the site in words. Completing the difficult hike first, made getting to the site so much more rewarding

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We can't thank Julio enough for his patience and kindness on this hike. Breathing was difficult for a couple of us and he always stayed behind with whoever was struggling a bit. He is full of great Peru facts and legends and this was definitely appreciated for the information as well as for the distraction as we climbed. He was so encouraging the entire time. We also appreciate all the pictures he patiently took of all of us.

Transport

Guido had a lot to do today with driving us to the train, getting out overnight packs on the train and then getting our main luggage to our next hotel in Cusco which was in San Blas on the hill of which he could not drive fully to the door meaning, he had to carry luggage for 6 people up a long steep set of stairs and then down a street to get our luggage in storage until the next day. He is also such a nice and kind man. And obviously very strong.

Morning Visit to Ollantaytambo

Peru

Very interesting Inca site that we were not aware of until planning this trip. Another beautiful area with so much history. The town was also very cute.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Julio had restaurant suggestions for us throughout the trip and we can honestly day that everywhere we ate had excellent food

Transport

Discover Traditional Farming in the Andes: Amaru & Pisac arqueological site

Peru

We started the day with a hike around the archaeological site of Pisac; another amazingly beautiful setting with Inca ruins and so much interesting information shared by Julio. We were also lucky to have some of the local llamas and alpacas on the trail so were able to get some great photos next to them. We then headed to Amaru to have lunch with a local family. They were all kind and welcoming. They taught us about their farming and we were able to cut down some of our food and also able to help prepare the food a bit. We saw how the women made some of their crafts; it was a group of highly talented people and the food was delicious

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As stated in the trip summary, Julio and Guido were both such great people. We so appreciated both of them

Transport

Maras & Moray

Peru

Both of these areas are a must see. We were at the salt flats of Maras near sunset which made for a beautiful setting. Julio also took us to a nice shop where we were able to buy some of the salts. The chocolate at the same shop was amazing The "experimental laboratory" of Moray was also a great experience. Amazing the knowledge that people had so many years ago and the setting was gorgeous

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lunch at the Shores of Piuray Lake

Peru

Absolutely gorgeous setting with amazing food. We all agreed that this was some of our favorite food on the entire trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Everything!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Must sees in Lima

Peru

We started the Lima tour with a visit to the Huaca Pucllana archaeological site and were surprised that we didn't go in. We just stood outside for some information. We should have asked about it, but just assumed that it was not allowed. We looked it up later, and you are able to go in with a guide. We then went to the Larco Museum which was super interesting This was followed by a visit to the El Centro district with historical buildings and churches as well as a visit to Chinatown with lunch at a Chifa restaurant Nancy was our guide and was great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Peru and Lima

Peru

Basically, this was the pick up at the airport which was seamless. Our daughter and her boyfriend arrived late the night before and four of us arrived at 5AM. We appreciated that someone was there for two different transports at odd hours

All guides were excellent. But KimKim local coordinators totally failed! We never were booked for our train ride to Puno. Had to take 10hour van ride. And we had to call contacts to get our tickets throughout trip. The contractors KimKim uses are terrible in Peru. We will not trust KimKim again.

This was an amazing trip. There were 2 glitches in the schedule, the strike in Bolivia which caused us to miss Puma Punko but KimKim quickly made alternative suggestions and tours. Plus a change in Nazca line air tours from Paracus but KimKim quickly solved our hotel and tour options to make it happen. Overall we were very happy with the hotel selections and tours.

Working with kimkim was a very smooth experience from the beginning to the end. From planning with Io, to communication with Lisbeth during the trip and interacting with all the tour guides and drivers was a very good experience. Everything was running smooth,the drivers , tour guides were always on time and ready to help. The transition from hotel to hotel to airport was very well planned also. I will definitely be using kimkim with my next trip

Hotel Reviews

Casa San Blas Boutique

Cusco

Small boutique feeling hotel, clean, close to main square

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mountain View | Tipi A-frame

Amazing, highly recommended

Authenticity & Character

One of a kind

Location

Unbelievable views, lama farm, mountain feeling

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Corto Maltes Amazon Lodge

Puerto Maldonado

Little piece of paradise with jungle feeling

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dazzler Miraflores by Wyndham

Lima

Small, clean, staff very pleasant and helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to miraflores

Staff

Responsive, pleasant

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Half-Day Cusco Walking Tour: Sacsayhuamán, Qoricancha & San Pedro Market

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Machu Picchu (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV Htl

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour to Moray, Maras & Shared Pachamanca Lunch farm Tour

Sacred Valley

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Corto Maltes Lodge 3/3 (Sandoval Lake Program), Flight to Cusco & Transfer to {{end_location}}

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Corto Maltes Lodge 2/3 (Sandoval Lake Program)

Puerto Maldonado

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flight to {{end_location}} & Corto Maltes Lodge 1/3 (Sandoval Lake Program)

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We could not have been happier with our trip to Peru. We worked with Anne and Jesus in planning the perfect trip which included multiple hikes and interesting tours. We loved Blanca who took us on a walking food and art tour in the Barranco district in Lima that was incredible. The best ceviche we have ever tasted. And we can't say enough about our guide Edwar who guided us through Cusco's history, the Sacred Valley, the short Inca trail and Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain. He was knowledgeable, upbeat and took great care of us. He felt like family by the end of our 8 days touring with him. Peru was so beautiful and we hope to make it back.

Nancy, our guide in Lima, was passionate and did a great job at engaging us through each experience. Wily, our guide for all of Cusco,, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and then Cusco again, was EXCEPTIONAL. He provided a thorough and educational experience while working tirelessly to not only meet our needs but exceed our needs to make sure our vista weee the best they can be. And the were amazing! Wily worked well with Alan, our driver, to make sure that we were safe, arrived safely at all locations, that our luggage was generously and graciously cared for. We all felt safe and protected in their care at all points. Wily accommodated 1 injured member of our group and I friend who became ill while on the last part of our trip.

I highly tecommned all of our guides, our drivers and the leadership of Wily and Alan.

We had such a fantastic time. Jimena carefully curated the itineraries, hotels and restaurants that all surpassed our expectations. Our guide Guido was excellent - he was always attentive and had an incredible breadth of knowledge about the Incas, the sites we visited and all local customs and foods. We had a lot of fun with him! I can’t stress enough how perfect the hotels were - beautiful spots we would not have found on our own.

Hotel Review

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Nestled in the Cuzco downtown - this hotel was had a beautiful lush courtyard, lovely breakfast, and we loved the hot water bottles tucked I your beds and the nighttime tea! The staff was excellent and very accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Modern but rustic

Location

Right in the downtown

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Really nice showers!

Activity Reviews

Moray circular terraces and soft hike to Maras salt mines

Peru

This is a fascinating site. We strongly recommend seeing it and buying the pink salt!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Visit to Machu Picchu: The Royal Design

Peru

Words cannot do justice to seeing the sunrise over Machu Picchu!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guido knew exactly where to go to get the best photos and how to avoid the crowds.

Transport

Lunch at Hacienda Huayoccari

Sacred Valley

What a stunning property and the food was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We just came back from a 2 week trip to Peru. KimKim did an amazing job. We had a well rounded tour, starting in Lima to Cusco, Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Puno, then back to Lima. Everything went according to plan. The tour guides were wonderful. Pick ups were always on time. It could not have been better.
Thank you!

Activity Review

Urban Kitchen Experience

Lima

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was very impressed with the web design of the Kimkim platform and found it extremely helpful in planning our trip to Peru. I’m so glad we chose Kimkim—they did an excellent job suggesting activities that perfectly matched what we were looking for. We wanted a trip centered around my 13-year-old nephew and his love of animals, and the experience exceeded our expectations.

Our time in the Amazon was especially memorable, thanks to our wonderful local guide, Jahir. We saw an incredible amount of wildlife and thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Tambopata Research Center. All of our hotels were top quality, and we were consistently pleased with the level of service. Most of our guides throughout the trip were highly engaged and genuinely invested in making sure we had a great experience. Our private transfers and drivers were also excellent—despite some language barriers, they were always friendly, accommodating, and helpful.

The only issue we encountered involved an afternoon we believed was scheduled for a visit to a pisco winery (Tambo de Tacama), which had been mentioned by our planning agent, Io. However, our local agent, Lisbeth, informed us that this was only a suggestion and not actually part of the itinerary. As a result, we arrived at our hotel hours before check-in after a long four-hour drive from Lima to Paracas, leaving us with an unexpected and frustrating gap in our day.

What was most disappointing was how this situation was handled. The misunderstanding was attributed entirely to my error, and I felt that Lisbeth placed the responsibility squarely on me. At no point did the agency acknowledge any possibility of miscommunication or take shared responsibility, which made the experience feel dismissive and frustrating—especially since this was something I had been looking forward to.

While I appreciated my interactions with Io during the planning phase, I was less satisfied with the communication from Lisbeth during the trip. Her communication style felt very direct and lacked warmth or a sense of customer care, which added some unnecessary stress to the experience.

Overall, we had a wonderful trip and created lasting memories, but clearer communication and a greater sense of accountability on the ground would have made the experience even better.

Hotel Reviews

Palacio del Inka Cusco

Cusco

Very fancy hotel. We enjoyed the high-quality accommodations. They were not timely with our check-in however and we had to wait past the advertised check-in time. No additional service was offered to make up for the added wait time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very walkable to local shops and restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The facility was kept very clean. We appreciated the turn-down service. Also, the bathrooms in the lobby were attended frequently and kept spotless.

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

Machu Picchu

Cool property. Beautiful aesthetic. Very close to the train tracks.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tambo del Inka Luxury Collection Resort & Spa

Urubamba

This was one of the most luxurious hotels I have ever stayed at. The spa facilities were great, although small. The restaurant was very fancy. Everything was clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tambopata Research Center

Tambopata

Very remote, nestled in the rainforest. Great staff and service. Loved our guide. Great menu of excursions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very remote. Took a while to get there, but that was expected.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

My only complaint was finding several cockroaches in our hotel room.

Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort

Paracas

Very beautiful property.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

nhow Lima

Lima

This hotel had an amazing vibe and aesthetic. I was very impressed with the decor. My complaint would be that while the room was very clean and well-appointed, the room smelled strongly of mildew. We actually stayed at this hotel two separate times, and therefore had two different rooms, and both rooms smelled bad, the second one actually smelled worse than the first. Also, since they don't have rooms with two queen beds, we had to have a pull-out bed set up for our nephew, and the bed supplied (both times) was hard as a rock. The restaurant at this hotel had a great menu, however, the times we ate there for lunch or dinner, we were the only ones in the entire place and still had to wait a while for service. Our orders were not taken promptly, and we often had to flag down a server to take our order.

Authenticity & Character

Cool aesthetic.

Location

Very walkable to restaurants and Kennedy Park.

Staff

Very kind and accommodating. Slow service at the restaurant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but smelled bad.

Activity Reviews

Shared Palcoyo Trek: Small group

Cusco

We are so glad our travel agent suggested Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain vs. the more popular Rainbow Mountain. This experience was full of stunning views for the entire hike and had the optional additional hike to the Rock Garden overlooking the beautiful valley.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was so excited about the tour and gave us so much great information.

Transport

Private Full Immersion Cooking class

Cusco

What a fun experience! We had such a good time in this private cooking class. Our teacher was hilarious and did a great job of keeping us engaged.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Half-Day Cusco Walking Tour: Sacsayhuamán, Qoricancha & San Pedro Market

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Quad bikes tour in Moray & Maras & Transfer to Cusco

Peru

Very cool experience to ATV through the sacred valley. Absolutely stunning views all around. Our guide was a lot of fun and did a good job training us on how to drive the semi-automatic ATVs. My 13-year-old nephew loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Machu Picchu & Return to The Sacred Valley (Private guided tour in Machu Picchu)

Peru

We loved seeing Machu Picchu. It was as stunning as they say. I wish our guide was friendlier. She was very knowledgeable. though.

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Ollantaytambo Self-Guided Exploration with Pachamanca Farm Lunch & Scenic Observatory Train to Machu Picchu

Peru

We enjoyed exploring Ollantaytambo, but didn't have time to also explore the ruins there. We LOVED the Pachamanca Farm Lunch. It was very cool and so delicious. Definitely a highlight of the trip. We also enjoyed the observatory train to Machu Picchu.

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Flight to Puerto Maldonado & Tambopata Research Center 1/4

Peru

We loved our time in the rainforest. It was the highlight of our trip. Our guide Jahir made it very special and was so great with our 13-year-old nephew. We saw a lot of wildlife.

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Private Transfer to {{end_location}}: Shared Ballestas Islands tour

Peru

This tour would have been great if not for the large tour group taking up most of the boat who shamelessly invaded everyone's space in order to get photos of everything. The tour-guide was working with a dual language barrier with this tour group, so it was difficult to direct them to do otherwise, but not a lot of effort was put forth to enforce the rule of staying in your seat and waiting for the driver to turn the boat so everyone would get a decent view of the wildlife.

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Private transfer to {{end_location}}: Huacachina Adventure

Peru

The dunes were beautiful. It was fun to ride around and also to sand-board... Although I would more accurately describe it as sand-sledding because you were not allowed to stand up on the boards, which I thought was the whole point. I thought this would be like snowboarding, but it was just a board you lay down on or sit on, and the guide pushes you down the dune. It was still fun, just not what I expected. Also, our guide was not very engaged with us. He didn't even introduce himself until we were already making our first stop in the dunes and I asked what his name was. He didn't interact with us more than required or provide any information about our surroundings unless I asked him. He did offer to take some pictures of us, which was nice. Also, the vehicle we were riding around in was an old toyota SUV, while other companies out in the dunes had some really cool looking dune buggies.

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Shared Palomino Islands - Sealions tour

Lima

We had a great time during this experience. I do wish the tour group were smaller so that we could have had more interaction with the guide and learned more about the environment. The wetsuits provided were also quite shabby and a bit smelly.

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Shared Interactive City & Gourmet Lima Food Tour (AM)

Lima

This tour was a great way to see some of the city while learning about local culture through Peruvian food and drink. We loved our tour guide and driver who made the experience very enjoyable. They also kept everyone engaged throughout the experience, including my 13-year-old nephew.

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Kimkim makes everything easy, seamless, and enjoyable so you don't need to worry about snafus while on your trip. Peru has something for everyone and I appreciate Kimkim for working with me to plan an unforgettable journey suited to my taste. Highly recommend!!!

Hotel Reviews

Sol Natura Hotel

Ollantaytambo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lacking a star for ants in bathroom and internet was down during our stay.

Hotel El Tambo

Lima

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

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Hotel Rumi Punku

Cusco

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Activity Reviews

Shared Rainbow Mountain Tour: Small Group

Cusco

Edwin was a patient guide who takes the best photos!!!

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Private Half-Day Cusco Walking Tour: Sacsayhuamán, Qoricancha & San Pedro Market

Cusco

Nataly is the best and I wish I could take her home with me!

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Explore Machu Picchu (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV Htl

Peru

Javier was an awesome tour guide. Thanks for taking us on a spiritual, cultural, and historical journey!

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Private tour to The Sacred Valley via Pisac

Peru

We love Nataly!!!

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Shared Interactive City & Gourmet Lima Food Tour (PM)

Lima

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Private half-day Lima City Tour & San Francisco Catacombs

Lima

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Io was an amazing travel planner. She was so responsive and helpful, and we loved the trip she helped us put together. It was a complicated itinerary, but everything worked smoothly! Very impressed with all of the local guides and on-the-ground assistance!

I had an absolutely outstanding experience with Kimkim Travels. From start to finish, every detail of our trip to Peru was thoughtfully planned and perfectly organized. Everything ran on time, transportation was smooth, and the entire itinerary felt seamless.

One thing that really impressed us was how attentive they were to our vegetarian diet. They selected fantastic restaurants throughout Peru where we could enjoy authentic food without worrying about our dietary needs. Every recommendation was spot-on.

Our tour guide was truly exceptional — a 10 out of 10. His passion for his country was obvious in everything he shared with us. You could feel how much he loved Peru, and that made the experience even more special. From the cooking class to the Rainbow Mountain tour and of course Machu Picchu, he took such great care of us the entire time.

At every step we felt safe, comfortable, and well looked after. Traveling in a new country can sometimes feel overwhelming, but with Kimkim everything was handled so professionally that we could simply relax and enjoy the experience.

This trip was truly perfect, and I’m incredibly grateful to Kimkim Travels for making it such a memorable journey. I would highly recommend them to anyone planning a trip to Peru.

I am so grateful to all of our guides and drivers, especially Alvaro Galdos in Lima and Guido Pereira (guide) and driver Joel. They were timely and welcoming and accommodating and flexible which made all the difference in providing the best, unique and meaningful experience. Of all my travels, this trip rose to one of the top vacations.

Hotel Reviews

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Beautiful hotel with friendly staff. Would have given 5 stars but the room was too hot. For 2 people, 5 stars. For 3 people, it was a bit crowded.

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Had to request enough towels. Boxed breakfast was not very good. Requested coffee to go before our tour and never received.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa del Sol

Machu Picchu

Quaint. Didn’t have all the amenities. The bathrooms were small. We had the street side and it was very noisy. Would have been nice to have a river view.

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Tambo del Inka Luxury Collection Resort & Spa

Urubamba

Croissants were wonderful! Lovely rooms. Friendly and accommodating staff. Sauna quite small.

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Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort

Paracas

Gorgeous hotel and setting. Good food.

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Souma Hotel, Vignette Collection by IHG

Lima

Good location. Lovely hotel.

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Activity Reviews

Cocalmayo Hotsprings & Coffee Experience

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Again, the setting and experiences were delightful. The hot springs were so relaxing. The coffee experience was enlightening, insightful, purposeful and enriching. The family was warm and fun.

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Exploring Machu Picchu aboard the Hiram Bingham Train

Peru

What an exceptional experience. The train is gorgeous. Staff friendly and helpful. The scenery divine.

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I was surprised with my corn allergy that they served corn ceviche. However, there was plenty of food to consume.

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Morning Visit to Ollantaytambo

Peru

Charming UNESCO city. A must see. The people are so warm and friendly; learning about some of the history of Peru adds to the overall experience. Good exercise as well.

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Perolniyoq Hike

Sacred Valley

This was a challenging hike as far as altitude and terrain. Having said that, it was a perfect hike with captivating views. Again, our driver and Guido we’re simply the best!!!!!

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

We can not say enough about how fantastic our driver and guide were!!!!!

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Lunch at Hacienda Huayoccari

Sacred Valley

Stunning atmosphere! Interesting collection of artifacts. Lunch was good.

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Pass by Pisac Market & an Andean camelid Farms

Peru

Pisac Market was ok, but overwhelming. The camels farms was perfect! The retail store offered wonderful products. The staff were kind yet l didn’t feel l had enough space to think about a purchase so l didn’t purchase anything.

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Ballestas Islands from a private hotel pier

Paracas

Perfect day for this tour. Alvaro kindly walked us to the dock and the drivers were knowledgeable and entertaining.

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Huacachina Adventure & Ica Wineyards Exploration

Peru

Beautiful and unique setting. Interesting artifacts.

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Experience the cuisine of Peru & its cultural history

Lima

Bianca provided an interesting ands educational tour. The food was exquisite. I was disappointed that she hasn’t shared the pictures she took.

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