Kimkim Trip Reviews for Peru

I'd like to thank and congratulate KimKim for your help and excellent organization during our trip to Peru.
When an alternative set of plans was suggested, as a result of problems in Machu Picchu, we were a little apprehensive.
The trip to the lodge in the Amazon was wonderful; and our guide, Rey, was a delightful character, with a wealth of knowledge about all things Amazon; his English was excellent, and he got his message over with ease and humour. He is a great ambassador for this region.
The flight to Nasca was also memorable, if a little disorganized. My main comment would be that heavy banking in the flight caused motion sickness in most of our party; something that might have been highlighted beforehand. Between this and the long delay in take-off, we were unable to avail of the wine-tasting and sand buggies. A pity, but not the end of the world.
Overall we were very happy with KimKim's cooperation and flexibility during our trip.
Thanks.

We returned from our South American trip a few days ago , I’m still processing the experience. I however do wish to commend Kimkim on their handling of the difficult circumstances which arose in relation to our Peruvian leg of the trip. Kim Kim’s communication with Stuart stands out for particular praise. Stuart was kept informed at every step , group concerns and questions were answered promptly and addressed appropriately. I was also very impressed with Kimkim’s nimbleness in reorganising our schedule. The Amazon rainforest / jungle stay was a more than satisfactory alternative to Machu Pichu and the guide, Ray, proved a real winner. A gentleman , a fund of knowledge and a joy to be with. He also went the extra mile to handle a tricky luggage problem. A lone bag was tracked and made its way safely upriver 24 hours late. Thanks Ray and team in Iquitos for that. The day in Cusco while long and somewhat arduous was unmissable due in large part to the infectious mess of the guide , Ali. A breath of fresh air , a superb communicator , very personable , a real asset to the Kimkim suite of guides.
Overall what could potentially have been an anticlimactic experience was handled magnificently by Kimkim along with our tireless , unflagging and ever patient friend Stuart.
Best wishes to all at Kimkim and indeed to all our Peruvian friends . Hopefully the present Political difficulties will be peacefully resolved and a prosperous way forward found for all .
One small caveat , the Lima walking tour was , in my view , underwhelming. The guide was perfunctory and somewhat uninformative. Lima as a major world city and centre of Spanish Empire building was underserved.
That said it was the first day of a big trip and as a group we were possibly tired and somewhat lethargic. Benefit of the doubt !!!!!

I'd like to thank and congratulate KimKim for your help and excellent organization during our trip to Peru.
When an alternative set of plans was suggested, as a result of problems in Machu Picchu, we were a little apprehensive.
The trip to the lodge in the Amazon was wonderful; and our guide, Rey, was a delightful character, with a wealth of knowledge about all things Amazon; his English was excellent, and he got his message over with ease and humour. He is a great ambassador for this region.
The flight to Nasca was also memorable, if a little disorganized. My main comment would be that heavy banking in the flight caused motion sickness in most of our party; something that might have been highlighted beforehand. Between this and the long delay in take-off, we were unable to avail of the wine-tasting and sand buggies. A pity, but not the end of the world.
Overall we were very happy with KimKim's cooperation and flexibility during our trip.

A last-minute trip to Cusco was facilitated by KimKim also, during which we spent the day with our fantastic guide, Ally. She was a breath of fresh air, enthusiastic and brimming with information about her home region. We were bowled over by her personality and her ability to inform us so completely; she was great company.

Hotel Reviews

Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport

Lima

AC Hotel by Marriott Lima Miraflores

Lima

Pacaya Samiria Lodge

Activity Reviews

Private Half-Day Cusco Walking Tour: Sacsayhuamán, Cathedral & Qoricancha

Cusco Airport (CUZ)

Private Full Day Transfer to Pisco Aerodrome & Route

Lima

Pacaya Samiria Amazon Lodge 2/3

Iquitos

Private Market Tour & Cooking Class with a Peruvian Chef

Lima

Private Round transfer to a Restaurant in Lima

Lima

Private half-day Lima City Tour & San Francisco Catacombs

Lima

I would like to thank Kimkim and Kristy especially to make our trip a reality. We were booked to travel to Peru in December but had a last minute cancellation due to political unrest in Peru. However, Kristy was able to create our itinerary within a week for Galapagos, Amazon Rainforest and Ecuador that enabled us to keep our travel dates. We spent 4 nights in Galapagos, 3 nights in the Napo Wildlife Center and 4 nights in Quito most of which were due to transit and travel. We visited 2 islands in Galapagos - Santa Cruz and La Isabela. Santa Cruz is populated and had a feel of a touristy beach town, La Isabela was beautiful and remote. Our hotel was right on the beach and we were able to find some time to relax and enjoy the scenery. Most of the days start early at 6 or 6.30am with guided tours or travel logistics between Islands or to and from Quito. Our guides were very proficient about the local wildlife, flora and fauna. Kids enjoyed snorkeling, we toured lava caves apart from visiting the Tortoises, Iguanas and Sea Lions that are in abundance. My favorite part of the vacation was the Napo Wildlife center that required a 2.5hr motor boat ride from Coca to the cultural center and then a 2hr paddle boat ride to the Wildlife center. The hiking in the rainforest, watching caimans, giant otters, macaws, rainforest canopy were an experience of a lifetime. Thanks to all our guides, especially Jose in the Napo wildlife center to make our trip an unforgettable experience!

We had planned a trip to Peru but with just a few days until arrival, a state of emergency was declared in the country. At a moment's notice, Jesus and the KimKim team were able to get refunds and organize a whole new trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands in just 3 days.

Despite the short notice, the trip they put together was incredible. Our guides, Kathy in particular, were knowledgeable, friendly, and punctual, and did an incredible job showing us the whole country. In Galapagos, every step was well organized and handled for us. The trip couldn't have been easier and less stressful for us - even though behind the scenes we had no time to plan.

I couldn't imagine trying to book this on my own and then needing to undo it and plan a new trip - it would've been impossible. Having Jesus and KimKim gave us the safety blanket we needed in planning and their plan made the trip so amazingly smooth - we couldn't be more grateful and hope to do it again!

Activity Review

Join a day hike to the The Rainbow Mountain

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Francesca was fantastic!

She was exceptionally quick, responsive and accommodative during the planning stages of our trip to Peru. We've worked with various travel planners at other companies and working with Francesca was definitely the smoothest experience we've had.

Francesca and her team really shined when our Peru trip had to abruptly be changed. Due to a presidential coup and a state of emergency, we had to cancel our Machu Picchu plans and quickly figure out a new itinerary. Francesca jumped in and did her best to secure refunds for the Peru services that were cancelled and then was very helpful in securing new logistics and plans for a trip to Mexico instead...all on very short notice and during peak Xmas season.

Many thanks to Francesca, her local agency team and Kimkim!

Anne, and the Peruvian Soul team organised my first solo South American trip at very short notice, with impressive attention to detail, coordination and planning. I was equipped with the right information prior to the trip, communication with the team was excellent throughout and the trip was speculator. The guides were welcoming and knowledgeable, especially Julito. I will cherish the memories for a long time to come.

We took a trip to Peru (primarily Sacred Valley) over Thanksgiving with our 3 kids and our friends with 2 kids and had an absolutely lovely time. Our guide, Justino, and the driver, Ruben, were A+. Knowledgeable, flexible, fun, kind--all of the things that help make a trip comfortable and safe and delightful, they provided us with. This is our second trip to have taken with a "kimkim" vetted team and we have had special, memorable experiences. Very grateful. Highly recommend.

Hotel Reviews

Miraflores Park, A Belmond Hotel

Lima

This hotel was perfection. It is beautiful, service oriented and has a lovely location. We couldn't have been happier with our stay. We felt extremely well taken care of.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

Machu Picchu

A special retreat, well appointed, clean, beautiful, staffed with kind and hospitable people. The food is delicious, the grounds are stunning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aranwa Sacred Valley

Urubamba

Well appointed and a stunningly beautiful property.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel

Cusco

Beautiful colonial style. Well appointed rooms and lovely breakfast and food amenities. Can't beat the location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Experience Peruvian village life

Peru

It was very special.hospitable and accommodating. We loved getting a glimpse into highlander life--the kids got to dress up in traditional clothes and get a sense of what life is like for people. Beautiful day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paddle on Lake Piuray

Peru

Very special and unique experience. We loved everything about it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Machu Picchu!

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Moray and Salineras with optional ATVing

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Guide Flor was very informative and very helpful. So were the drivers, the hotel staff. Very memorable trip and for overall safety.
Thanks a lot

We had a wonderful trip to Peru. The booking process and working with Johanna on the trip plan was enjoyable and she provided the best suggestions. We had some delays due to the airport incident and Johanna was even more amazing to work with during the rebooking/cancellation process. She was always available and willing to help. Our trip would not have been a success if it wasn't for her and Kristy who went out of their way to accommodate our changing plans. A big thanks to Johanna and Kristy from all of us.

Hotel Review

Abittare Hotels

Cusco

Although the hotel's location was ideal the rooms itself were very small and the hotel was very blah. Unfortunately, we happened to stay here on the night of our 25th wedding anniversary and were very disappointed. The light in the bathroom was so dim that we could hardly see anything in there. The front desk staff was not helpful either. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone planning to stay in Cusco.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lima Food Tour

Peru

We had a great time with Patricia!! Her knowledge of Peruvian history, culture and food is very impressive. We enjoyed all the restaurants she took us too. Especially the one where we learned to make coconut ceviche. Very well planned and fun for all.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Cooking Class

Cusco

We enjoyed the cooking class the lot. Chef Jesus was very knowledgeable and fun to work with. The setting of the cooking class was very nice as well I would highly recommend to other travelers in the area.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Liz prepared very nice initial plan and we were able to further tune traveling plan according to our wishes.
Liz and her team did a great job executing the plan without delays or mistakes. We appreciated that when we had some unexpected problems because of two days strike of transportation workers in Peru, Liz and her team successfully modified the plan to get the best possible outcome out of our trip.
We are quite experienced travellers, so we liked that plan was divided to organized visits and also some free time, when we were able to explore around on our own.

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Garden Inn Lima Miraflores

Great location, very nice new hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca Puno

Lago Titicaca, Puno

High quality hotel. Beautiful location, but remote (out of town).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aranwa Sacred Valley

Urubamba

Beautiful surroundings, nice room, good food. Very remote location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport

Lima

Walking distance from the airport. Quite noisy because of permanent traffic. Basic room. Nice bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Perfectly located small hotel in the old part of Cusco.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Lima City Tour and Larco Museum

Lima

Very good and knowledgable guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Uros & Taquile Floating Islands tour

Puno

Very nice, we were lucky with weather.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Mystic Walking Tour to The Temple of the Moon & Cusco City

Cusco

A new experience for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Machu Picchu (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour to Ollantaytambo, Moray, Maras & Chinchero

Sacred Valley

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

NV Private tour to The Sacred Valley

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was satisfied with everything. Guides and drivers were allways on time. The Andean was very helpfull, too. However, we had to make small changes because of strike and therefore missed some more time in Aguas Calientes. The team arranged all the changes because of strike. I already recomended Kimkim and Liz Karen and her agency to my friends.

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Garden Inn Lima Miraflores

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca Puno

Lago Titicaca, Puno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aranwa Sacred Valley

Urubamba

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Lima City Tour and Larco Museum

Lima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Uros & Taquile Floating Islands tour

Puno

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Mystic Walking Tour to The Temple of the Moon & Cusco City

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Machu Picchu (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour to Ollantaytambo, Moray, Maras & Chinchero

Sacred Valley

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

NV Private tour to The Sacred Valley

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of the arrangements made by Johanna were flawless. Hotels, tours, transportation all impressed. We had a very relaxing time knowing what was happening at each stage. The scenery and activities were fantastic and did not disappoint.

Hotel Reviews

Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica

Puerto Maldonado

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Lima Miraflores

Miraflores, Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort

Paracas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Overnight Stay at Lima Airport Hotel Upon Arrival

Peru

Airport hotel was right at the airport - so easy to access. Typical airport hotel, but comfortable and convenient.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Depart Puerto Maldonado to Lima, Fly home!

Peru

The transfer back to the airport was flawless, and we were able to get in a morning tour as we had a late afternoon flight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Jungle Excursions

Puerto Maldonado

Very flexible arrangements and the right blend of activities and relaxation.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Jungle Excursions

Puerto Maldonado

There were many excursions available and we did at least 2 a day with a lovely guide. Wellington boots were issued for those trips that were muddy. We saw lots of wildlife. and our guide also explained the importance of the various plants to the local population.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Into the Amazon: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica

Puerto Maldonado

The boat ride to the lodge was a lovely way to begin the experience and view the river. The lodge itself was rustic but very comfortable and totally in keeping with the environment. The organisation of the activities was faultless.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ballestas Islands Tour (Paracas Luxury Hotel)

Paracas

Our scheduled tour to the island had to be changed at the last minute as harbour authorities suspended trips due to water conditions. We were given a longer tour of the harbour area and closer islands and it was fantastic. Plenty of wildlife and interesting scenery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paracas National Reserve Tour

Peru

Who knew a desert could be so interesting? Spectacular scenery right on the Pacific coast and so much variation. The little museum was well worth a visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kim Kim did a great planning for our 11 days trip to Peru. When we had to reschedule our Machu Pichu trip, the team did a great job in rescheduling. The airport pickup everywhere was on time and the team addressed our queries/concerns immediately. The local guides were amazing and very friendly. Especially our guide in Cusco, Flor, she is the best! Overall it was a pleasant experience with Kim Kim.

We recently used Kimkim to put together a 10 day trip to Peru. I usually love to put together travel itineraries, but in this case, I just didn’t have enough time to do it justice. I haven’t used a travel agency before and was a little nervous, partly because I hadn’t used this type of service before, but also because I am a very picky traveler and like to avoid typical tourist experiences. This led to quite a few requests and questions on my part that Jessica very promptly answered. She walked us through each step of the planning to make sure that we were able to accomplish everything that we wanted to do on this trip. I felt like she really listened to our requests and was able to create a trip that was perfect for us. She set us up with amazing tours and experiences that had not even been on my radar. Our particular favorite was Edwin from Cusi Travel who took us through the Sacred Valley and through Machu Picchu. He was a wealth of information and was able to make the history come alive. Jessica’s support did not end once the itinerary was put together, but continued throughout the trip. She helped us set up additional transportation and negotiate travel delays that arose with a shut down airport in Lima and ensured that we were not delayed any longer than necessary. I was incredibly happy with the support that Jessica and Kimkim provided and the caliber of experiences that they set up for us. I will definitely be using them again.

Hotel Reviews

El Mapi by Inkaterra

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Novotel Cusco

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Lima Miraflores

Miraflores, Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

A once in a lifetime experience that did not disappoint!! Absolutely magnificient! While I expected this from the location and site, it was made even better by our outstanding tour guide Edwin from Cusi Travel. His descriptions and fact about Machu Picchu made the trip far more meaningful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pachamanca Lunch at El Albergue Farm in Ollantaytambo

Peru

So fun! Great experience both learning about Pachamanca, but also more about the El Albergue farm.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacred Valley Tour: Cusco - Pisac - Ollantaytambo

Peru

Excellent experience that really augmented our understanding and experience of Peru. Our tour guide, Edwin was the highlight of our trip. He provided a great mix of current information and historical facts. He made the history and region come alive.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lima Food Tour - (PM Tour)

Peru

Outstanding. One of the highlights of our trip. Our tour hit some great locations, and our guide was full of information about Lima and its cuisine, including some great historical information.

Quality of Experience

Great variety. Delicious!!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very informative. Lots of fun.

Transport

My husband and i just came back from a weeklong and activities-filled vacation from Peru. I could not be more thankful that we went along with Martina's agency. Being busy all the time-she has really been my brain throughout this trip. She created a trip for me, and my husband based on our likes, and it was perfect! Huge shoutout to the rest of her team. Gwen was always one step ahead of us in terms of our day-to-day activities. our drivers and guides were absolutely wonderful. We couldn't ask for more. Yuri and Yefry ,Juan Carlos and Percy -they were all professional and knowledgeable. Special mention to both Angel and Edgar-they were there during my toughest time battling through altitude sickness and they went above and beyond to take care of me. Even my husband said that they looked and sounded really concerned for my wellbeing.
With that being said, Cusco was wonderful. A very clean city, I might add. Machu Picchu was extraordinary. But i really enjoyed Palcoyo Mountain. If not for the harsh condition up there, i could've have stayed there all day. Peru is beautiful. We can't wait to go back!!!! Martina, expect am email from me one of these days. We'll do this again!!!!!!!!!!!

Hotel Reviews

Casa Vivencial Llachon Homestay Ruben

Puno

Loaction is very good. Overlooking Lake Titicaca. Another first-hand experience with a Peruvian family. They helped me get tucked in bed as this was when i got really sick with altitude sickness. Room was comfortable enough. We just didn't have any hot water for the shower.

Casa Vivencial Raqchi homestay

Very authentic Peruvian stay with the local family. Obviously, the comfort is not the same with the hotel but one night of immersing yourself with the locals and they are embracing you and welcoming you to their home--it's an experience in itself.

Sol Natura Hotel

Ollantaytambo

I like the hotel set up..They have some sort of indoor garden/oasis in the middle of the hotel, surrounding the rooms. Rooms were big enough and clean. Just a tad bit noisy since our room was right by the entrance and we can hear conversations when people walk by our room but when nighttime comes, it's really quiet Good location too--right across good restaurants and walkable train station.

Llipimpac Guesthouse

Cusco

A very quaint hotel in the middle of bustling Cusco, you instantly feel at home and relaxed in this hotel. The front desk person-i forgot his name is just oh so respectful and charming. They take good care of the place.

Location

Activity Reviews

Activites at Llachon, Lake Titicaca : Uros, Textile Workshop and Hiking

Llachon

Another amazing day with the floating villages. Very ingenious of using totoro reeds to build a floating village. How cool is that? Looking at those people--i didn't see any stress in their faces. Do they even know what stress is? They just looked very content in how they live their lives. It was just relaxing sitting with them and just looking at how calm and content they looked.

Palcoyo excursion

Cusco

Now this is what i call a marvel...I've seen mountains but not colorful mountains. I would want to go back if i can. I just can't stop appreciating how wonderful it really is. I got sick with altitude sickness, but it was really worth it.

Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco

Ollantaytambo

Amazing structure of Machu Picchu--just amazed as how intact it is despite hundreds of years that has passed. and how the people brought all those rocks on top -surrounded by the Andes Mountain is beyond my comprehension. It is a legitimate wonder of the world.

City Tour Cusco

Cusco

Cusco is surprisingly very clean. I loved all the architectural design. It's a bustling city but still relaxing..

This was our first trip using KimKim planning for our 10th anniversary in Peru including Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu.
To our pleasant surprise, it turned out that all excursions were private, and therefore we were always in the safe hands of all the friendly, very knowledgeable team members Amy, Edwin, Richard, Flor and all the excellent drivers who made our trip wonderful, enjoyable and unique.
We would never have figured out how to plan this trip on our own. Joanna, our agent, has selected hotels, guides and wonderful plan.
Thank you so much to all of you! We love you !
Highly recommended.
Tatyana & Peter

Hotel Reviews

Tierra Viva Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Albergue Ollantaytambo Boutique Hotel

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Abittare Hotels

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Antigua Miraflores

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fly from Cusco to Lima

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day to Explore Cusco

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

South Valley Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Train Journey to Aguas Calientes from the Sacred Valley

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacred Valley Tour: Pisac - Maras - Ollantaytambo

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Cusco Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly from Lima to Cusco, Explore the City

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lima Food Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very good service from peruvian soul and the choice of tour guides. We had an amazing trip to peru bolivia and chile. Only minor issue was type of room provided in uyuni, but was sorted next day once I told Anne about it. I would definitely recommend Kimkim/peruvian soul for journeys to peru and Bolivia.

Patty and her team at Aspiring Adventures in Peru took care of every detail for our 9-day journey. From airport transportation to our guide/driver team of Aldo and Paul (a.k.a Paul-do), we were shown the incredible history of the Inca civilization through hiking, climbing, and food. Aldo encouraged us to keep climbing to the very top of Waynupicchu, and we're so glad that we did. What an amazing accomplishment and view!

My husband and I booked our whole trip with KimKim and had an amazing time. We spent 4 days in the Amazon of Puerto Maldonado and 5 days in the Cusco and Sacred Valley area of Peru. Our travel was fairly smooth. There was one point when our flight was changed but Johanna helped us and made sure the Hotel would still be able to pick us up to bring us to the lodge in the Amazon jungle that night. It was so amazing to have everything already worked out, and we never had to wait for rides or our tour guides; they would always be ready for us! Our tour guides through Cusi Travels were also amazing and very knowledgeable and passionate. Flor was especially helpful to me and treated me like her own daughter. I don't speak much Spanish and I didn't really need to as all my guides and drivers were English speaking. I would highly recommend, as this was my second time to Peru and I learned so much more then the first trip I took there! Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Gringo Bill's Boutique Hotel

Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu

Great location but too many stairs! It was a bit hard to find since it was down a back alley. It was like a maze of stairs getting up to the 6th floor, also no one spoke much English. The room was beautiful though and the shower was amazing and hot with shampoo. They held onto our bags after check out while we were at Machu Picchu.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mamasimona Ollanta

Ollantaytambo

Very cute hostel in the heart of Ollanta. Just a 5 minute walk to the town center. Very clean and staff were so nice. I loved how our room had a balcony overlooking the creek and mountains, and we could eat breakfast in the beautiful garden area. No shampoo or conditioner in shower though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mamasimona Cusco

Cusco

A nice cheap place to rest your head. We didn't spend too much time here. The floor boards were very squeaky when you walked around and the floor was slanted. There was also no shampoo or conditioner in the shower. The bed was comfortable though and the room was tidy. Service was quick as well checking in and out. It was nice and close to the Plaza De Armas.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica

Puerto Maldonado

Very clean and comfortable place in the jungle. We never saw a single bug in our riverside bungalow! The hammocks were the best to relax in. The food was amazing! So were the drinks. I think more excursions could be offered, as we did virtually all of them. We wanted to do the fishing trip for piranha however they needed more people to go so we were able to to. I will say that the bungalows are very loud so there is no sleeping in, as the birds chirp very loudly and the bungalows are very close together and also close to the river with loud boats going by at times. I love the bird sounds though! We didn't get to see all the wildlife we wanted to, but we saw lots of monkeys!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lima Food Tour - (PM Tour)

Peru

Lima was awesome! Kimberly met us in Miraflores and took us around for drinks and food. Food was amazing and we were so stuffed by the end of the night we couldn't finish! It was so nice to have everything prepaid for and we could just get up and leave when we needed, and Kimberly had already paid. She was so fun to eat and talk with! A walk at the end of the night down the streets was my favorite part. I want to come back and see more of this city!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly from Cusco to Lima

Peru

No issues on our trip to the airport and flying back to Lima.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

We met our tour guide at 7am for our 8am tour of Machu Picchu. Richard was very cool and knowledgeable. A little preachy at times but he gave us good information. This was my second time to Machu Picchu and I get a bit of a different story from each tour guide I have! The clouds covered the city at first, and the clouds are always my favorite part! Then they disperse and show you the hidden city and it's amazing! It wasn't too crowded either.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Train Journey to Aguas Calientes from the Sacred Valley

Peru

I've taken the train to Aguas Calientes before, but it wasn't like this! We were on the train with only about 6 other people and it was so comfortable. The views were breathtaking on the way, and they even had us all go to the observation deck for drinks at the bar, dancing and a live band. We also got to go outside on the back deck of the train to watch the tracks roll on by and get some fresh air. Also gave us great snacks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacred Valley Tour

Peru

We had Flor as our guide again and the same driver, and both were excellent. Very flexible with the plan and stopped where we needed. Very patient with us as we shopped at the market in Pisac. When we were about to start the hike up the temple in Ollantaytambo, I spotted my host family from 6 years ago in the market and Flor let us stop to catch up. Also turns out my host mother is her Aunt! It was a very wonderful feeling to have family here. Then we continued our tours and had a great time. Flor took some great photos of my husband and I, thank you For!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Cusco Tour

Peru

Flor was our guide and she was amazing! She took her time since I wasn't feeling well, and made sure I stayed hydrated and ate some soup. She was extremely knowledgeable and passionate when speaking about her ancestors and the temples we visited. I learned so much more than the first time I came to Cusco 6 years ago. She also took us to a shop just outside of the main city area with great deals for alpaca clothing shopping. She was able to be flexible with the plan and stop for us if needed. It was an amazing day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly from Lima to Cusco, Explore the City

Peru

I wasn't able to explore, as I got sick with a fever and couldn't walk around much or eat. I went to bed nice and early!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Inkaterra: Depart Puerto Maldonado to Cusco

Peru

We woke up at 3:30am and paid extra to see the parrot Clay Lick. We saw hundreds of macaws and parrots and had a great breakfast on the boat. When we got back we were ready to check out and pay, and we boated back to PEM airport. I believe I was infected with a small parasite at some point this day, perhaps I talked too much and swallowed river water. Later that evening I got sick and had a fever. Luckily I had antibiotics with me.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Jungle Excursions

Puerto Maldonado

We did two excursions today. We started with Gamitana Creak in the morning. We saw monkeys, turtles, caiman, birds and piranha. I loved the canoe trip. We came back for lunch, and afterwards did the Hacienda Conception tour. This was more educational about plants. It was very buggy and mosquito filled even with bug spray. We saw monkeys and some birds but not too much else. We came back for happy hour and dinner.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Jungle Excursions

Puerto Maldonado

We had 3 excursions today. We started early with a boat ride to Lake Sandoval. We saw so many monkeys on the way to the canoe. Then we canoed around the lake and saw caiman, parrots, bats and monkeys. We can back and had lunch and rested in our hammocks. Then we did the canopy walkway which was very cool climbing up high and walking across the bridges. You got the see a different view of the jungle, but we didn't really see any wildlife. We had dinner after that, then did the night walk into the jungle. We love tarantulas and got to see about 5 of them come out of their dens! We also saw some lizards, possum, rat, other bugs. It was a long day but very cool!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Into the Amazon: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica

Puerto Maldonado

We arrived and got a huge sandwich snack, then went on the twilight River excursion to look for caimans. We saw about 5 or 7 white caiman! Very cool for the first night. We also still had time for dinner when we got back.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim Peru Review:
We had a very good trip thanks to the team of Johanna at Kimkim along with Amy and Flor at Miski Travels. Johanna kept us informed constantly and was very responsive to our questions.

All the hotels were very nice; the places were beautiful and the staff were good.
All of the drivers were excellent; professional, careful, on time.
Amy conducted a good food tour. She was friendly, fun and informative. I liked the market visit very much. It is always fascinating to learn about unfamiliar foods and she did a good job and I’m glad she included the fish monger. I loved all of the stops that were included and the last stop for a large meal was so good I wish I had a doggy bag for leftovers.
I have to say that calling it a “cooking class” is a stretch. I would be fine if it were not billed as such and just listed as the other stops.

Our guide to Cusco and Machu Picchu was Flor Bocangel Zuñiga and she was amazing. Are all private tour guides this good? I’m not sure because I did glance around to other tours and their guides and saw a bit of a difference. I think we had the best guide.

Flor was friendly and personable but also professional. She seems to truly enjoy her job so that makes everything better. She told us a bit about her life which gave gravitas to the information she provided for the area and for the sites.
She informed us of any policies and guidelines when applicable.
She also kept us safe; She kept an eye on us and did not let us stray to far. She let us know of any safety issues or concerns.

She was persistent in accommodating us a number of times. At one point we wanted to change our train tickets out of Aguas Calientes and it took perseverance on her part and a bit of time but she got it done. Another day we wanted to switch visiting one site to a different day - no problem.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Andina Premium Cusco

Cusco

Very nice place. Quiet rooms. Excellent staff. Good Restaurant.

Location

Close to restaurants, pharmacies and main square.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean. Bed was comfortable

Casa del Sol

Machu Picchu

Very nice place. Quiet rooms. Excellent staff. Good Restaurant.

Location

Close to everything but quiet. Balcony looked out onto the river.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean. Bed was comfortable

Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado

Urubamba

Very nice place. Quiet rooms. Excellent staff. Good Restaurant. It was great to have a balcony to enjoy the view.

Location

Staff

Professional, helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Antigua Miraflores

Lima

Very nice place. Quiet rooms. Excellent staff. Good Restaurant.

Location

Close to the walkway along the coast (paseo ruta del sol).

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean. Bed was comfortable

Activity Reviews

Machu Picchu Excursion (Circuit 1, 2, 3, or 4)

Peru

Our tour guide, Flor made the trip special. She has a great amount of knowledge about the site and made sure we got to see as much as we could.

Quality of Experience

Having our own guide was such a luxury and so worth it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flor is from the area so I think she was able to provide some additional info and nuance to the tour. At one point she stopped to chat to one of the workers at the site. They spoke in their native language, Quechua (the true name of the people and place rather than "Inka").

Transport

Lima Food Tour

Peru

Amy conducted a good food tour. She was friendly, fun and informative. I liked the market visit very much. It is always fascinating to learn about unfamiliar foods and she did a good job and I’m glad she included the fish monger. I loved all of the stops that were included and the last stop for a large meal was so good I wish I had a doggy bag for leftovers. I have to say that calling it a “cooking class” is a stretch. I would be fine if it were not billed as such and just listed as the other stops.

Quality of Experience

Food

Food market was great. Lots of fruits and veggies I had never seen before. Amy provided a box with a nice selection of fruits to try. She described and explained them all. Also great to make a stop at the fish monger.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport