Kimkim Trip Reviews for Peru

The trip was absolutely amazing. Kristy is a true professional and helped to customize the trip to accommodate all our family requests. Sonia, our private tour guide was phenomenal, very knowledgeable and adjusted our tours as needed.

Kristy checked on us throughout the 9 days trip. Her restaurant recommendations were very helpful and very good!

Highly recommended to use her services .

Our journey with PeruvianSoul through the heart of Peru's culinary and cultural delights was an absolute delight. From the vibrant streets of Lima to the serene landscapes of the Sacred Valley, every moment was filled with unforgettable experiences.

Our adventure began with a walking food tour through the charming streets of Barranco. Led by the knowledgeable Marcus, we explored hidden culinary gems while soaking in the artistic ambiance of the area. The ceviche we sampled was a revelation, showcasing Peru's culinary prowess and leaving us craving more.

Arriving in the Sacred Valley, we were treated to a picturesque lunch on the shores of Piuray Lagoon, a moment that quickly became a favorite for Jim. The stunning scenery paired perfectly with the delicious cuisine, setting the tone for the rest of our journey.

Exploring the Moray Terraces, Maras Salt Ponds, and Ollantaytambo provided fascinating insights into the region's rich history and natural wonders. However, it was our visit to the Amaru community that left the most lasting impression. Welcomed with open arms by Pedro and his family, we experienced genuine hospitality as we learned about their traditions and sampled local delicacies.

Of course, no visit to Peru would be complete without witnessing the awe-inspiring wonder of Machu Picchu. The ancient ruins left us spellbound, offering a glimpse into the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the Inca civilization.

Throughout our journey, we were fortunate to have the expertise of Kevin, our skilled driver, and Miguel, our passionate guide. Kevin navigated the winding roads with ease, while Miguel's wealth of knowledge and infectious enthusiasm brought each destination to life. His attention to detail ensured that every aspect of our trip was seamless, leaving us feeling cared for and well-informed.

The personalized touches from the PeruvianSoul team truly set our experience apart. From remembering special occasions like my birthday to surprising us with thoughtful treats, their genuine care and attention to detail were evident at every turn.

In conclusion, our adventure with PeruvianSoul surpassed all expectations, leaving us with cherished memories and a newfound appreciation for the soul of Peru. Thank you to the entire team for an unforgettable journey. We cannot wait to return and explore more of this incredible country.

Oscar in Cusco was great. The other guides were good and the trip was great, basically hitting all the spots we wanted in a short period of time!

All in all we had a great trip. Everything was well organised and ran very smoothly.
Our guide Emelia in Cusco was so good and when Machu Picchu was shut down she handled the new itinerary etc very well. Also a big thank you for the refunds processed so quickly. The highlight of the trip for us was the train between Cusco and Puno. 5 star service and amazing scenery.
The guides who helped us through the land border Peru/Bolivia were amazing as was the guide who assisted me with getting the Bolivian visa. We would have struggled to do this all ourselves.
We loved the personal service and private tours and being able to connect with KimKim any time via the email link was excellent.
All the hotels were great, just to our liking especially Antigua Casona San Blas in Cusco.
Thank you.

Hi Liz

It was a great trip. My wife and I had a wonderful time with our friends and enjoyed Peru greatly. We will recommend you to other friends who may want to experience Peru.

Thank you

Gary

I loved the entire trip. The only downside was too much time spent riding in the van, but Peru is SO HUGE it was unavoidable. It was interesting driving through the Andes and seeing animals and how the people in live.

Our guides were excellent, knowledgeable, and eager to answer our questions. The Machu Picchu guide was kind and considerate and helped me walk up the steps. (I have a bad knee).

I especially enjoyed the lunch and tour at Sarapampa Haienda. All the hotels were lovely, especially El Albergue and Tierra Viva in Aguas Calientes.

Activity Reviews

Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV

Peru

Our guide was kind and patient. We were a party of 6 seniors from age 70 to 82. She was very helpful with the steps, took her time, etc.

Quality of Experience

Food

Great restaurants in Aguas Calientes and the breakfast at the hotel was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

NVFlight & transfer to The {{end_location}}: Awanakancha, Lunch at Sarapampa Hacienda & Pisac sites

Peru

Joseph and his wife at Sarapampa Hacienda were so kind and informative. Oscar was a very interesting tour guide and we learned much about the Incas. Would have been nice to hear more about the previous cultures who inhabited the area before the Incas. One comment was that Oscar said the valley was named "The Sacred Valley" was named because hippies settled in the area in the 1960s. I beg to differ because everything I read said that the indigenous people thought it was sacred because of the water, climate and soil conditions.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour to Moray, Maras & Chinchero

Sacred Valley

Could have skipped the salt mines - not really mines and not at all interesting. The climb up and down the stairs was not worth it for what we saw. I hated this part of the tour and felt like we were just filling up time. We stopped for lunch in a very nice town (sorry, can't remember the name) and ate in an old colonial house. It was excellent. I also really enjoyed meeting the women at the textile place in Chinchero.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver was outstanding and made us feel very safe.

2023/Explore Ollantaytambo, Pachamanca Farm Tour & Vistadome train to Machu Picchu town

Peru

Great hotel! We skipped much of the farm tour but we did make it back to the hotel in time for lunch. What a fun experience. Loved every minute of it! The scenery on the train was fantastic! We loved every minute of this part of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Loved El Alberque and the train to Machu Picchu.

Food

Fresh food, homemade pasta.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drivers were on time, easy to find and helped with our luggage.

Briefing about your future tour/trek

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Cusco City Tour & San Pedro Market

Cusco

It was okay. Loved the archeology sites but there wasn't that much to see in the town. The cathedral was interesting.

Quality of Experience

Food

We ate lunch at the Inca Grill. Very nice place with excellent food and service.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Oscar is a grat guide! He loves his city and was so informative.

Transport

Private 02-Days Colca Canyon Tour 1/2

Peru

Very interesting drive to the canyon. Unfortunately, we had to make the return trip on the same route so it was so LONG and tiring.

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the dinner at the Colca Lodge.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was AMAZING. We felt very safe and comfortable.

Transport

Private 02-Days Colca Canyon Tour 2/2

Peru

Too much time riding in the van and looking for condors. I'm not that into nature. We finally did see some condors and got some great pictures. The Colca Lodge was very nice and relaxing. We loved the hot springs!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Traditional Arequipa Food & sightseeing tour

Arequipa

Way too much food! We could hardly eat it all. The market was interesting and colorful. I would love to have the variety of fruits and vegetables available here in the USA, Arequipa is a beautiful and vibrant town. I would have liked to have spent more time there.

Quality of Experience

Food

I didn't care for the alpaca or Guinea pig but my husband loved it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This is the second time we’ve used KimKim and both trips we’re flawless. All guides were professional, punctual and responsive. For our last trip, our contact person in Peru, Kristy, responded to all our emails thoroughly and in a timely manner. The excursions were as described, without exaggeration.

Joanna planned a great trip for us to Peru. The hotels were great. The activities were great and the prearranged driver was amazing. We really got to like Alex. The sky Lodge was an amazing recommendation, and a once in a lifetime adventure.

We had an overall positive experience with KimKim travel on our recent visit to MachuPichu. Our main contact was Johanna. We made plans just a few weeks before actual travel. Johanna was very helpful in helping us plan out our 6 day vacation to Machu Piche, the sacred valley, Cusco and Lima. We had a detailed phone call with Johanna prior to travel and also got good advice about travel to Peru ( our first visit). Kristy was also given as a contact for our trip.

During the trip, everything also worked out great / as planned. Our guides - Richard in Machu Picchu, Jose in Sacred Valley and Sonya in Cusco were all excellent. They were knowledgeable and friendly.

I would have given this review 5 stars had it not been for a scheduling issue. Our final day was supposed to be a nice culinary tour in Lima. We were flying in from Cusco to take that tour. At the last minute, our tour was changed to a different one - more of a city tour, because of a realization that we may be short on time to catch the original tour. Since all the planning was done by KimKim, we feel this change could have been avoided by asking us to take an earlier flight from Cusco. Not sure why this was a late realization. When we expressed our dissatisfaction , they promptly refunded us for this part of the tour. Until this time, we were having a flawless trip.

I do appreciate the good support from the Kimkim team. Both Kristy and Johanna were extremely responsive throughout. Thanks ! Overall excellent communications throughout. Johanna even took a phone call from me on the evening of Christmas Day. She was proactive in advising us to go to the Ministry of Culture on our arrival in Aguas Calientes to check for tickets on a different circuit that we were interested in. All hotels and transfers were great and overall planning was superior.

Over a number of months, we worked with Kristy to plan a 2 week trip to Peru. She was full of helpful advice, and patient as we figured out and changed our plans (a number of times!). The end result was a great trip!

Our local guide and driver were friendly, punctual and engaging. Our Guide, Emilia, spoke terrific English and provided a few days full of information and insight on Peru, the Incan sites and all sorts of other cultural and informational details. She was so passionate about her country, and so excited to share it with us.

We were also really grateful to Kristy for having put together an itinerary that really reflected our interests and preferred way of traveling. We had impressed upon her that we liked to get away from crowds and off the beaten path. As our trip unfolded, it was clear that this request had been taken seriously with our travels designed around this request. We were often the only travelers at spectacular sites, and our guide explained that our itinerary was often timed in reverse of the larger tour groups and buses. it was exactly what we'd hoped and we enjoyed the experience so much.

So many great experiences on this trip - the Hyuana Picchu hike will forever stand out for us! It was spectacularly challenging, and spectacular. Highly recommend for anyone up for a challenge.

Activity Reviews

Fly to Cusco, and Sacred Valley Expedition: Exploring Chinchero and Urubamba

Peru

Fantastic part of the trip, it provided an opportunity to get away from the bigger tour groups and explore off the beaten path. The ruins were a highlight, it felt like we were seeing something quite different. Overall, it highlighted the true beauty of Peru!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Ollantaytambo

Peru

A great place to explore with a lot of historical importance. I liked how different the itinerary was and that we were not mixed with large buses or big tour groups. Scenery was beautiful and of course, lots of picture-worthy moments. A recommendation for anyone who loves history and culture!

Quality of Experience

Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

A must-visit for anyone traveling to Peru. The guide was very informative and it greatly enhanced our visit. The trails leading up to the site present unforgettable views. Definitely a highlight of our trip to Peru! A highlight was the Huayna Picchu hike. Lack of re-entry tickets was a bit of a letdown though. Could use better communication regarding this in the future.

Sacred Valley Tour: Pisac and Maras

Peru

Another excellent experience. It was very well-organized and not congested. The guide was very knowledgeable and facilitated a unique experience that didn't feel like a typical tourist route. There was a nice balance of history and cultural immersion!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Train to Aguas Calientes from the Sacred Valley & Afternoon in Machu Picchu

Peru

The train ride was okay, although seating could have been better arranged as we didn't get seats that faced forward or sit on the viewing side despite booking far in advance. There was also a delay on the way back which wasn't an ideal end to the journey. It would have been nice to know beforehand that the bus journey was as long as the train ride.

We had a great experience with both, booking our trip as well as enjoying the services provided. The booking went very smooth, our booking agent Liz was happy to fine tune their proposal to our needs and tried to accommodate our special needs. The communication was very clear and we had all the needed information at our fingertips. Overall it was a time efficient and very easy way of booking the trip of our dreams.
Our trip was so well organized too! The drivers were always on time, the guides were one of the best, we got all our entry and train/bus tickets upon arrival from our guide, the itinerary was set up in the most efficient and enjoyable way (you don’t know if it’s good until you experience it). Those who set up our itinerary definitely knew what they were doing! Moreover, we had a trip coordinator though out our trip so if we had any questions we had someone to contact. And Lisbeth was always quick to respond and help, not that we needed much of her assistance as the trip went smoothly from start to end.
Overall: the easy and most efficient way you can get for booking a trip and traveling without needing to do the hard work while on holiday.

Lisbeth at Andean Travel was excellent. She stayed in touch every bit of the way on our journey. There were many moving parts & she managed them all beautifully. She was extremely responsive always despite the fact part of our trip took place over a holiday.

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn Lima Airport

Lima

Staff were lovely-room was clean-beds were comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

They start serving breakfast at 4am!!

Location

We needed to stay at the airport as we flew out very early the morning after we arrived in Peru. The free shuttle was great & proximity to the airport excellent.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Refugio Amazonas Lodge

Puerto Maldonado

Wow! The lodge is very beautiful but you should know your experience includes sleeping in a room with 3 walls-your room is completely open to the Amazon Rainforest! You must sleep under a very good mosquito net that stops all airflow and when it is hot as it was late Dec-Jan, it is really hot. The solar powered electricity is on from 4am-11pm so your fan goes off. I think they need to find a way to have small rechargeable fans inside the mosquito nets during the hot months. Speaking Spanish will enhance your experience here. I feel I missed a lot since I did not speak Spanish & our guide while lovely often could not properly convey his knowledge to us in English. Food was good & beautifully presented. Staff were very friendly. Loved the carbon neutral visit. Also be aware you have a fairly long cling with about 70-80 steps from the river to the lodge. The area is so beautiful & I did love all the sounds of the rainforest at night.

Authenticity & Character

You are one with nature with a room open to the rainforest!

Location

Staff

I think you need guides who speak better English for visitors who speak only English. The staff overall were lovely & helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was very clean but it was incredibly hot with no air movement once you were inside the mosquito net in the evening.

El Albergue Ollantaytambo Boutique Hotel

Cusco

Lovely hotel-great location if you are going to take the train to Machu Picchu. You are literally steps from boarding your train. You are in a gorgeous setting-flowering plants everywhere. The only thing we could have used was a ceiling fan or other fan in the room because there was no way to open your window in the evening without leaving your room open to someone coming in as the windows are low and no screens. Food in restaurant was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Lush garden setting. Bathrooms very modern. Comfy beds-nice size rooms.

Location

Right next to train station.

Staff

Super helpful. Got our laundry done there & our luggage stored while we visited Machu Picchu for an overnight stay. Collected everything when we returned. Also the Pachamanka lunch was great! Highly recommended.

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Mapi by Inkaterra

Cusco

Rooms are very nice-hotel is lovely-staff are lovely. Unfortunately there is a lot of smoking happening-they have a smoking area right by the restaurant where the doors are often kept open so if you're not a smoker you were subjected to it if you sat in the bottom part of the restaurant. Also the room across from our balcony had 2 men who constantly chain smoked on their little balcony so we had smoke drifting into our room thru the open windows.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not far from train station which was great. Lovely grounds. Comfy beds.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Our issue was with the smoking everywhere.

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Wow!! Great hotel-great staff-gorgeous setting-delicious breakfast included with room. Food excellent at the restaurant. Cool bar & outdoor seating with firepit. I cannot stress how wonderful & helpful the staff are. I highly recommend this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful setting.

Location

Close to ATM, pharmacy.

Staff

If there were 10 stars they would get 10!!! Really great staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean & comfy. When we arrived, there was a pot of hot water with a wonderful tea to help you relax and sleep and they brought hot water bottles up and put them in your bed every evening so when you got into bed, you had a nice warm bed to crawl into. It felt so luxurious. If you needed coca tea, you could call at any time and they would bring it to you. I can't say enough about this hotel.

Casa Andina Premium Puno

Puno

Really lovely hotel. Just know there are no elevators & lots of steps to climb if your room is not on the first floor, and even then you would have to climb upstairs to get to the main area of the hotel. Also, you are at an extremely high altitude in Puno. Need to be aware of this, as it does become difficult to breathe for some people. Puno is a beautiful town & Lake Titicaca is gorgeous. We watched an amazing storm rolling over the lake our first night, and it was a beautiful thing to see. Good room service!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Our room looked over Lake Titicaca-gorgeous. We had a small balcony to sit on. The room was a nice size everything was modern.

Staff

Very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfy.

Activity Reviews

Shared Uros & Taquile Floating Islands tour

Puno

Amazing to see the floating islands & learn about their way of life on Uros. Bonus--be sure to take your passport with you as you can get a passport stamp here. Taquile is beautiful and you have the opportunity to interact with the people who live here as you did in Uros. Nice lunch, boat was very comfortable, just know it's about an eight hour + day.

Quality of Experience

One of the best days of our trip.

Food

Lunch was delicious. You could buy snacks on Uros.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wonderful guide. Very informative.

Transport

Comfortable seating on the boat. Shaded. Bring a rain jacket as it rained off & on.

Titicaca Train from {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} NC

Peru

Luxury train ride. Delicious food, beautiful service, gorgeous scenery. The 10 hours went by much more quickly than we could have imagined.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hello Johanna did a great job of pulling together our amazing trip to Peru and the Galapagos. There were some small snafus in terms of timings but overall it was a great time. We would definitely go again. Our local guides were amazing and we learnt so much from our experience.

Hotel Reviews

El Mapi by Inkaterra

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

JW Marriott El Convento Cusco

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iguana Crossing Boutique Hotel

Galápagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms facing the ocean are gorgeous. But the internet leaves a lot to be desired. But that’s the Galapagos for you. ❤️

Hotel Solymar

Galápagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Puerto Villamil: Day 2

Isla Isabela

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Inca Trail Day 1: Hiking to Machu Picchu via Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly to Santa Cruz Island & Tour Charles Darwin Station

Peru

The tortoises are just amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Puerto Villamil: Day 1

Isla Isabela

This was ok would have been good to know that this was a hike tour in high heat. Would Likely not have done as heat intolerance

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire experience was wonderful. Nicholas could not have been more attentive and detailed in the pre-planning phase of our trip. He listened to our needs and wishes and created a perfect itinerary. All our guides, Dani, Ximena, Miguel, Willy were amazing. All showed great passion, were enthusiastic in explaining (some even brought books and brochures to explain i.e. Inka sites even in more detail), knowledgable and very proud of their country and history. Each of them created truly personalized experiences for us. Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, The Andean Picnic, Lake Titicaca - we will never forget. All our drivers made us feel safe and were very pleasant; needless to say, the team was always on time!
Jesus checked in on our during our trip, to make sure we had a good time.
Thank you Kimkim team for making our vacation an unforgettable wonderful experience!

Hotel Review

GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca Puno

Lago Titicaca, Puno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Exploration of Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Dani was our guide at Machu Picchu. He was super knowledgeable, friendly and fun. We had an amazing day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maras & Moray

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vinicunca, The Rainbow Mountain

Cusco

Miguel was our tour guide and could not have been more kind and understanding. It was a tough hike and he made us feel comfortable and was very patient. The Andean Picnic he set up for us was absolutely amazing in a stunning site with mountain and valley views and lamas and alpacas watching us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Journey to from {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}

Peru

Willy was our tour guide and we enjoyed the drive from Cusco to Puno. The stops in-between were perfect and Willy was just wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sailing to the Uros Floating Islands & Taquile

Puno

Wow, what an experience. Willy was our tour guide and while they were large tourist groups around those activities, Willy always found ways to escape and made us feel like individual travelers. We appreciated that

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sillustani tombs

Puno

Our last day with Willy. He explain the site I detail and made sure we got to the airport safe.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ollantaytambo Village and Inca Site Exploration. Pinkulluna Hike

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Liz Karen is the most knowledgeable and patient when it comes to planning detailed itinerary for someone like me whose requirements keep on changing!!!!

I must say Liz is awesome.
And, so is Lisbeth who oversaw our entire trip from the time we landed in Peru.
Sacred Valley guide David, driver Freddie, Machu Picchu guide Javier ... all are super awesome.

My only request to Kimkim team is to let people know the breakup of expenses on travel and hotels (not the break-down to individual days) ... so that people can decide if they can go more luxurious in travel or should go down on hotels etc.
That's something policy related that Kimkim must do.

Other than that, you exceeded my expectations.
A big shout out for Liz Karen and Lisbeth again!

We're a family of six with teens and a six-year-old, and Liz helped us pack it all into a 12-day trip to Peru! Ninety percent of the trip was incredible.

First, however, here's the part that sucked: A preventable snafu cost us a lot of $$. When we were too sick to hike, we were misinformed about train ticketing restrictions, which led us to lose $500 on rebooking fees. Also, every one of us got sick. Like, fevers, antibiotics, puking, oxygen, and hospital trips sick. Yes, we drank only bottled water, through filtered water bottles. It happens.

Here's the meh: We needed a little more mental preparation for the rigors of the Amazon section of the trip. It was 98 degrees with 90% humidity and swarms of mosquitos and roaches. Reading that is different than being ready for it. We needed different clothes to be more comfortable. Also, pretty much every single one of our flights was changed after we first booked it. We had to get up at 4 am a few times, which led to some grumpy family members later in the day.

Now, on to the great parts: We loved our first few days in Lima. The food tour in Barranco was a delicious introduction to a country filled with flavorful food. Even our picky eaters tried it all. We didn't give ourselves enough time in the colonial section of downtown Lima. Day two was the sea lion tour, which was a grand adventure. The boat trip was gorgeous. As you approach the island, it does smell bad but you get used to it, and swimming with the cuties for twenty minutes is well worth it. In the Amazon, we saw caiman, otters, wild macaws, parrots, four kinds of monkeys, and a ton of cool trees (rubber, cork). Corto Maltes was a beautiful lodge with hammocks and great food, and we loved cooling off in the pool. We flew to Cusco and then drove on to our favorite place, El Albergue in Ollantaytambo. This "boutique" hotel was paradise, with flowers everywhere and breathtaking views. There was a huge farm and a little school behind it. The place was a short (uphill) walk from the ruins towering above the town, the Plaza Mayor, and the souvenir market. The sacred valley ruins tour was ah-mazing for my history teacher heart and Jose was well-informed about so many different perspectives. We loved the llama trek and weaving demo with indigenous women. Since we were too sick to hike, I wish we had skipped staying in Aguas Calientes. Still, our hotel, Hatun Inti, was minimalist and clean. The Vistadome train ride - with party car! - was a highlight of the trip. Machu Picchu is even more marvelous in person and our guide, Javier, was a huge help in answering all of my questions. He did a great job with the Insta pix for the teens and the pacing for our slow kiddo and those of us feeling the altitude. Another train ride and then a drive to Cusco. The elevation here really buried some of us but we were all incredulous at the beauty of this colonial city. We stayed at Casa San Blas, which was super cute and had the perfect location. Situated on a hill, we could see the red roofs of Cusco below. San Blas is an artists' neighborhood and my artistic teens loved seeing the artists at work. From here, we did a pottery experience, a chocolate experience, went to an animal rescue center, and visited many ruins. I also recommend the Museo del Arte Precolombino and visiting the cathedral and church on the Plaza Mayor.

Although a few things went wrong, the combination of support and individual choice made for the perfect way to plan a family trip. Thank you, Liz, Lizbeth, Domingo, Jose, Javier, and so many others. I would recommend KimKim to other travelers in a heartbeat!

Hotel Reviews

Innside Lima Miraflores by Melia Hotels International

Miraflores

A good introduction to Peru, this hotel feels pretty familiar to Americans. Good breakfast and yummy room service. The front desk staff is really helpful. Located in a nice area of Miraflores, right near Kennedy Park.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing was really wrong, it was just pretty normal.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Corto Maltes Amazon Lodge

Puerto Maldonado

Corto Maltes was a beautiful lodge with hammocks and great food, and we loved cooling off in the pool. Our guide, Mario, was an expert at spotting animals. We saw caiman, otters, wild macaws, parrots, four kinds of monkeys, and a ton of cool trees (rubber, cork). The boat ride to and from the lodge were beautiful and fresh. The massage at the lodge was well worth it. We were underprepared for the sheer volume of mosquitos and the small armies of roaches. Also, everyone stressed that we needed long sleeves and pants (which we did, for the hikes and such) but no one really mentioned that we needed a TON of extra clothing because everything would get wet and nothing would dry in 90% humidity. We could have been more comfortable if we were better prepared. Our littlest one got super sick here with a fever.

Authenticity & Character

The location, architecture and food make this place pretty amazing. I wish there was more of a cultural aspect as well.

Location

Right on the river with a big property filled with cool plants and animals, and a lookout tower.

Staff

We were there over Christmas and there was nothing special about it. Other lodges had cultural celebrations.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wellllll - there was no air conditioning, spotty electricity and there were a lot of bugs.

El Albergue Ollantaytambo Boutique Hotel

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hatun Inti Classic Machupicchu

Machu Picchu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa San Blas Boutique

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Shared Short Inca Trail Trek & Machu Picchu by train 2/2 (Private Guided Tour in Machu Picchu)

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

No food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Inca Pottery Classes (Kutiry)

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Peruvian Food Tour in Artsy Barranco

Lima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Palomino Islands - Sealions tour

Lima

Quality of Experience

Food

There was no food. Provided snacks would have been great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The boat was broken when we arrived, which delayed us.

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

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

It tasted great but a few of us got sick.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour to Chinchero & Llama trek with Ancestral Weaving at Umasbamba town Experience

Sacred Valley

Quality of Experience

Food

Only tea was provided. We should have added lunch into our tour on this day because we were starving!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Corto Maltes Lodge 2/3 (Sandoval Lake Program)

Puerto Maldonado

Quality of Experience

Food

No 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

Shared Mini Chocolate Workshop

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Food

Yummy chocolate

Guides, Drivers and Staff

NA

Transport

NA

Private tour to Sacsayhuaman, Cochahuasi & Pisac

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing time in Peru!! Our local specialist, Liz, helped us plan the trip to our specifications and made our trip exactly the way we wanted it. We wanted to see historic sites, beautiful views, and experience the local culture and she made it possible! The hotels she selected for us were great, with exceptional service and hospitality. They were knowledgeable about many restaurants (especially vegetarian and vegan!) In Cusco, our local guide Manuel was exceptional - he took us to see some amazing historical sites, salt times, Llama Sanctuary, and to an at home textile production. He made us took us around the city as if we were locals and had great stories about the countries rich history. In Machu Picchu, our guide, Javier, was a joy to hike with. He took us to many great photo-op spots, some of which other guides knew nothing about! He told great stories and taught us much about the history of a wonder of the world. We also visited Lima and were able to explore the city on our own, going to street markets, small homey restaurants, and night time gelato treats! Overall, it was a warm and beautiful country with amazing guides/ locals who made us feel right at home. Already looking forward to our next trip!!

Hi my name is Jeanette I reach on to Johana to help me to make my husbandJulio big 50 birthday very special .we wanted to know Peru and their culture and people .johanna went beyond my expectations ❤️she listen very carefully all the special details I request to make this birthday memorably.from the people that pick us up from the airport and all the staff from each hotel and our tour guide Franklyn we felt welcome ,secure,and very inform and especially lots of fun .I recommend with my eyes close kimkim to help you book your tours .I highly recommend our Franklyn as your tour guide ..i also want to say thank you to Kimkim and Franklyn for the surprise cake 🎂 up in matchu pichu ❤️❤️❤️❤️ here I live you some picture of our adventures Peru until then

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Antigua Miraflores

Lima

Is amazing is so beautiful from inside out .very clean the staff very welcoming very attentive.i love it

Authenticity & Character

Location

Is a beautiful place.is located it in a very secure area you can walk around to learn about Lima and also know the history of the area

Staff

Staff is very welcoming and very humble

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Albergue Ollantaytambo Boutique Hotel

Cusco

El albergue located at the sacred valley you waked up in the middle of this two huge mountain with the birds sound everything they serve you they themselves harvest .is very welcome romantic and the staff so kind

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Mapi by Inkaterra

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Antigua casona San Blas is located in Cusco once you step out everything is just a walk away from restaurant museum and market is so beautiful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Everything is very close just a walk away you can enjoy life music and all kind of food

Staff

Beautiful people i request flowers wine cake in the room before my husband and I got to the room and I can’t ask for nothing less they made it very special for us

Cleanliness & Comfort

When I tell you clean is clean no noise very comfortable and cozy

Activity Reviews

Moray & Maras, and ATV Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Train to Aguas Calientes

Peru

We love the scenic and the experience the train ride

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

The most beautiful place that I ever visit .we made my husband big 50 so special at this place and day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All I can say thank you Franklyn and Kim Kim

Transport

Lima Food Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly from Lima to Cusco, Explore the City

Peru

Is such a beautiful place Franklyn our tour guide took us to explore the city of Cusco to learn about their food and culture

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I want to say thank you to our tours Franklyn thank you for helping us to explore your city you speak with passion of your people and your culture Julio and I will always will be so greatful for your time and acknowledge.i also want to say thank you for the drivers which I am try to remember their name i remember the lady Milagros thank you for making sure we got to our destination safe

Fly from Cusco to Lima

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival to Lima: Free Day to Explore

Lima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cusco Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our first time using KimKim and it was an excellent experience. Martina, our local specialist was very prompt in her responses and took into account our preferences. The logistics were flawless - airport transfers, domestic tickets, tours everything worked out as planned. Our local guides were excellent as well - Jime, Melbin, Darwin, Will and took care of everything. It was a new experience for us to offload all the planning to someone else; all we had to do was show up. Thanks Martina and team!

Phima Voyages made our trip to Peru so easy because they planned for and took care of every detail. Martina who is very knowledgeable about the area asked all the right questions, and really listened to our responses. We had a truly amazing time. Not only because Peru is amazing, but because Martina, Alex, Wilfredo, and the various drivers, made it easy for us to to focus on how amazing Peru is. Wilfredo is a wonderful guide- very knowledgeable, kind, and intuitive. He gave us the right amount of detail as he gauged our interest based on our questions. Thank you to Phima Voyages!