Kimkim Trip Reviews for South Africa

Follow up to second rating above: we met Esther on WhatsApp at the beginning of our trip, mid-Sept this year after arrival in South Africa. All of our messages with Esther over the next ~6 weeks were met with quick and supportive responses.
Importantly for us, Liz and Tshepo were two local specialists who spent most of the last 12 months planning this trip. The itinerary they helped plan was overall perfect for us. Communication via messages was prompt, clear, helpful and friendly. Changes we suggested were made.
We had the trip of a lifetime. From minute one, any concerns we had about arrangements disappeared. Escorts, drivers and transfers at airports and activities were consistently flawless. We felt cared for and secure.
Overall, from Day 1, the trip got better and better. We discovered Tshepo and Liz had included activities in each spot that went above and beyond what we thought we wanted. We soon realized where our money was going! The accommodations and excursions exceeded our expectations, e.g., Ocean View House in gorgeous Camps Bay, Marine Big 5 tour, a 25 minute helicopter flight over Victoria Falls and more!
Our biggest unexpected issue was a delayed flight resulting in missing connecting flights to Uganda gorilla excursion. From the moment about 1150pm that we messaged Liz, she pulled out all stops to rearrange this tour which was so important to us. By the following morning, she had a new itinerary for us which was again perfect.
We were fortunate all around.

Anna-marie and her team did an outstanding job. The hotels, restaurants, and tours she suggested were fabulous. The drivers were always on time, the guides were great.
I would use Anna-marie and her team again happily

My husband and I had the most wonderful time in South Africa and did not want to leave, each place we visited was amazing in its own unique way! In many ways this trip has changed our lives, it was the perfect start to our 6th decade on earth. It gave us an opportunity to experience wonderful people and new things, reflect, reset, get clarity on what is important to us and envision new paths moving forward.

Our experience with kimkim has been excellent! We love the model and the platform, we will use kimkim again for future trips and recommend it to our friends and family.

We were matched with the lovely Tshepo as our travel planner, she listened closely to our ideas and we collaborated to put together a trip that was just right for us. She is very kind, thoughtful and understanding, she makes very helpful suggestions and recommendations. We give her our highest recommendation!

The highlight of our trip was 4 days on safari at Sabi Sands Game reserve, staying at the incredible Umkumbe Lodge Riverside and celebrating my birthday. Our guide Michaela and tracker Moses were the best we could have hoped for. We were privileged to see lions and leopards every day, along with so many other animals up close, we have some amazing photos to share with our friends and family. On my birthday, we saw a pangolin, the best gift I have ever received! I cried happy tears. Back at the lodge, my room was beautifully decorated, the staff made me a birthday cake and sang happy birthday to me in two languages at dinner. BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

We experienced a high level of excellent service at all of our hotels and on our tours. Many thanks to the following:

Greeted warmly at the airport by Nokuthala and driven to our hotel by driver Roy. 5 stars

Tuk tuk tour of Soweto in Johannesburg - our driver Isaac and guide Luguile of Lebdo’s Backpackers shared their experiences of life in the township with us. They gifted us with a real experience and connection with the history of Johannesburg and the ongoing impact of the Apartheid system. We enjoyed the delicious food and hospitality of the backpacker lodge after the journey. 6 stars!

Private tour of Johannesburg with guide Andrees from Drifters- Andrews was fun and knowledgeable, he took us to all the places we wanted to see, provided a lot of information and context. We visited The Apartheid Museum, Constitutional Hill and the Maboneg neighborhood. I had been reading Nelson Mandela’s autobiography Long Walk to Freedom so I was able to connect more closely with the history of South Africa. I think it is important to learn about the countries we travel to and I felt that we got a good understanding. However, I would have preferred a Black guide and Andrees didn’t know much about Maboneneg, 4 stars.

Panorama tour from Unembeza, Hoesdpruit - our guide David was one of the best private guides I have ever had, so knowledgeable and open-minded. We had some wonderful conversations and shared information about our home as well. We visited the stunning Blyde River Canyon, Lisbon Falls, Bourke's Luck Potholes, God's Window, the Three Rondavels and had a fun lunch at the Chubby Pig. 5 stars.

Morning walk from Unembeza - our guide Jeramiah took us on an early morning walk in the vicinity of the lodge. We learned about the “Big 5 Trees” of the Kruger area: Baobab, Fever Tree, Knob Thorn, Marula and Mopane. It was refreshing to learn about some of the plant life instead of just animals. We also got some great pictures of zebras and 2 large kudu and learned how to identify different kinds of dung. Awesome, 5 stars.

Drivers Laurence and Vusi of Echo Africa Safaris transported us to and from Sabi Sands, very engaging conversations, 5 stars.

Visit Table Mountain by Cable Car tour in Cape Town - Our guide was Garreth from AWOL Tours and he was a great source of history and tips for enjoying the area. 5 stars.

Hotel Reviews

Ocean View House

Cape Town

This hotel has everything you want for a visit to Cape Town. Stunning views of Camps Bay and the Twelve Apostles, gorgeous modern rooms, delicious breakfast and lunch and amazing staff who go out of their way to help you. We will stay here again, we can't wait to go back to see more of the area! We arrived late in the evening on a Sunday and there weren’t many food options available. We ordered on Uber Eats but had some challenges getting our food. Kinearr, the night guard, was incredibly supportive and understanding. He stood in the street with me looking for the driver and helped me give instructions. When the driver never showed, he rounded up some food for us from the kitchen, peanut butter and bread. We are so grateful for his kindness. One note: there are other locations with the same address (33 Victoria Road) when looking up in Google Maps or within Uber. It would be great if that could be cleared up <3

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Unembeza Boutique Lodge & Spa

Hoedspruit

This was a lovely place for a short visit to relax and recharge before our next adventure. The staff made us feel so welcome, the food and decor are a wonderful mix of modern and traditional elements. We loved the spa treatments, full day Panorama Tour with the incomparable David, outdoor dining and morning game walk with Jeramia. Highly recommended!

Authenticity & Character

The suites are beautiful and fit nicely into the surrounding environment, the main lodge dining areas were elegant and open, making us feel like a part of the bushveld.

Location

On the flight into Hoedspruit, we saw a herd of elephants. On the drive, we saw a giraffe and some baboons. The front porch of our suite in Villa Umbali looked out into the open bush. We could see birds and all kinds of hooved creatures by just sitting quietly, Amazing!

Staff

Everyone on the staff was incredibly helpful, enthusiastic and kind, their service was outstanding!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, no complaints.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Hoedspruit

The highlight of our trip was 4 days on safari at Sabi Sands Game reserve, staying at the incredible Umkumbe Safari Lodge (Riverside) and celebrating my birthday. Our guide Michaela and tracker Moses were the best we could have hoped for. We were privileged to see lions and leopards every day, along with so many other animals up close. We have some amazing photos to share with our friends and family. On my birthday, we saw a pangolin, the best gift I have ever received! I cried happy tears. Back at the lodge, my room was beautifully decorated, the staff made me a birthday cake and sang happy birthday to me in two languages at dinner. BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Saw different kinds of animals every day from our back patio

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

HYDE Hotel Rosebank

Johannesburg

The HYDE hotel is stunning in it's design, food at the Proud Mary restaurant and service by an excellent staff! When we arrived, Tamara and her staff had a birthday surprise for me waiting in our room: champagne, red velvet cake and balloons. They went out of their way to make the first part of our trip special. The interior design of this hotel and restaurant are just gorgeous and the rooms are spacious with all the amenities. The location is perfection. The only reason we're giving it 4 stars is because when we were checking out, the staff member asked us if we had taken a towel. Apparently they tag all their towels and we walked through the security gate with a group of people so they couldn't tell who had removed a towel. Instead of looking for the guy who went to the gym or the other people, they implied that we had stolen a towel and had it in our suitcase. This was extremely insulting and coming at the very end of our stay, it soured the entire experience. Why would we take a $10 towel when we were on vacation and was it worth it to end our otherwise great experience on a sour note?

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Marine Big 5 Safari

South Africa

We loved the concept of this activity, the staff was excellent and knowledgeable. However, the time of the activity was moved to earlier and we had to drive a long way in the dark to get there from Camps Bay in Cape Town. We're from Oregon and have a wonderful coastline with whales and such. We didn't see much that was any different on this tour except a small copper shark. In hindsight I would have preferred to do something else.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We drove ourselves, so N/A

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden Visit

Cape Town

Beautiful place, stunning garden, views and excellent food! Don't miss it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Big 5 Safaris in the Sabi Sands

Sabi Sands Game Reserve

The highlight of our trip was 4 days on safari at Sabi Sands Game reserve, staying at the incredible Umkumbe Lodge Riverside and celebrating my birthday. Our guide Michaela and tracker Moses were the best we could have hoped for. We were privileged to see lions and leopards every day, along with so many other animals up close, we have some amazing photos to share with our friends and family. On my birthday, we saw a pangolin, the best gift I have ever received! I cried happy tears. Back at the lodge, my room was beautifully decorated, the staff made me a birthday cake and sang happy birthday to me in two languages at dinner. BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided tour of the Panorama Route & Blyde River Canyon

South Africa

Our guide David was one of the best private guides we have ever had, so knowledgeable and open-minded. We had some wonderful conversations and shared information about our home as well. We visited the stunning Blyde River Canyon, Lisbon Falls, Bourke's Luck Potholes, God's Window, the Three Rondavels and had a fun lunch at the Chubby Pig. 6 stars!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unwind at the Unembeza Spa!

Hoedspruit

I had a massage and a facial, both were excellent! Highly recommended as a relaxing treat in the middle of a long vacation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My Joburg Private Tour Full Day

Johannesburg

Andrees from Drifters was so fun and knowledgeable! He took us to all the places we wanted to see, provided a lot of information and context. We visited The Apartheid Museum, Constitutional Hill and the Maboneg neighborhood. I had been reading Nelson Mandela’s autobiography Long Walk to Freedom so I was able to connect more closely with the history of South Africa. I think it is important to learn about the countries we travel to and I felt that we got a good understanding.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tuk-Tuk Tour

Johannesburg

Our driver Isaac and guide Luguile of Lebdo’s Backpackers shared their experiences of life in the township with us. They gifted us with a real experience and connection with the history of Johannesburg and the ongoing impact of the Apartheid system. We enjoyed the delicious food and hospitality of the backpacker lodge after the journey. 6 stars!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to South Africa!

South Africa

Greeted warmly at the airport by Nokuthala and driven to our hotel by driver Roy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From our planning stages Liz at Kim Kim was terrific. She anticipated all our questions and so many more we were too inexperienced to ask. Our trip was thorough and flawlessly planned from the experience we described to Lize. Our local guides were warm, welcoming and attentive.
Elizabeth (Liz) in Cape Town showed us the sites, gave great background information and recommendations for our free time. The hotel we stayed at was lovely and the staff charming - as was our experience with the people everywhere we visited. Kruger Park and the surrounding preserve where we stayed - Thabamati Luxury Tented Camp was beyond expectations! Hostess Courtne Ranger Brett and all the team provided not only a luxurious experience but a chance to see incredible animals up close from our safari vehicles and looking at the at the waterhole just next to our deck. Victoria falls was lovely and the private/small groups gave us a personal touch. Chose Lodge in Botswana provided an additional opportunity to visit the park from small river boats. All in all, the food, the people, the location, the animals made a once in a lifetime trip for us. Thank you Lize for making this dream come true!
Paul and Carol

Activity Reviews

Chobe Safari

South Africa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boma Dinner

Victoria Falls

Quality of Experience

Timbavati Private Game Reserve Safari Day

Timbavati Game Reserve

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Anna-Marie was super helpful in planning our trip beforehand and gave us great suggestions in tailoring our trip to our family's needs. During the trip she was super responsive and always made sure we found our guides, transport, and was available throughout the entire journey. She truly helped make our trip a once in a lifetime experience and it would not have been the same without her and her team's planning and execution. We highly recommend Kim Kim and Anna-Marie.

Petru was amazing from beginning to end, especially when it came to tailoring the experiences to what my boyfriend and I enjoyed! All of the lodging, food, hospitality was a 10/10. South Africa was beyond our wildest dreams and we are planning on going back as soon as possible! Without Petru this trip would not have been as seamless; she was even there to assist when we had some unforeseen issues with our luggage that had nothing to do with this company. She checked in throughout the planning process, during and even after. I highly recommend her, as well as South Africa. You get the best of both worlds with the beaches, then Safari wildlife. Nothing beats the Motherland.

Nokothula did a fantastic job of designing our adventure and then assisting in ensuring it went smoothly and was most enjoyable. I can certainly say the same thing for Lucy who was always available if we had questions or issues. I can definitely recommend Kimkim to my family and friends as a trusted travel coordinator.

Hotel Review

Mjejane River Lodge

Hectorspruit

Very attentive staff ensured a most enjoyable stay and our excellent game guide gave us an unforgettable wildlife experience. Highly recommend Mjejane River Lodge.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The natural scenery and wildlife right on the Lodge's grounds were outstanding.

Staff

Very attentive care to our needs. Cannot say too much about the staff and their service!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

A Day on Safari

South Africa

Amazing wildlife experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff and guide were excellent!

Transport

First off, everyone we dealt with were super friendly and professional. Our accommodations, including meals and local staff, were 100% incredible. This was a bucket list trip and it did not disappoint in that department. Where things went a little sideways, was Liz got our travel dates confused from the onset. We looked to travel in September, however were advised that was not available, so we changed our dates to early mid August. As it turns out all the reservations were made for us in September. Liz called just days prior to our departure date recognizing their error. This caused us to make many changes in other trips to work around new dates for Africa. KimKim covered any out of pocket expenses we incurred, but it was a headache to change. During our trip we ran into three other problems. The resort we were at did not have us scheduled for a hot air balloon ride, which we had scheduled through KimKim, we had a tour of Stone Town in Zanzibar that included lunch, however the guides directions is that we did not have a lunch included. We ended up paying out of pocket for that. Lastly, when we departed Zanzibar for Dar es Salaam, we arrived in Terminal 3. International departures are Terminal 1, which was 3 to 4 kilometers away. Other families had rides waiting, we did not. So it was either walk with our bags or get hustled by the taxis there. I paid out of pocket again. Maybe these oversights are part of big packages, but, for the cost of the entire trip, these would be expected to come off like clock work.

Liz was very apologetic in her dealings with us. The trip dates and hot air balloon ride issues were remedied quickly. The other two were not. We love the KimKim service and our trip was tailored exactly to our wishes. I just wish it was a little more seamless in its execution. Things we had to worry about, should have been managed well in advance of our arrival.

From the moment I hit "send" to be connected with an agent to touching back down at home, this entire experience went above and beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Working with Janneke and Anna Marie helped put me at so much ease and they had so much patience with me when I asked a thousand questions about the process. We didn't really know what to expect from visiting South Africa and Zimbabwe and since we've been home we've been recommending this trip to everyone we know. Thank you SO much Janneke and Anna Marie for giving us the experience of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

Pioneers Lodge Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls,

We loved Pioneers and we know if we ever get to go back to Zimbabwe, we would absolutely stay here again and bring the kids. The room was great, the grounds are gorgeous and well cared for, the food was delicious and the staff were really friendly and helpful (especially with a luggage issue we had to deal with). I would definitely stay here again and recommend it to everyone.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bambuu Lakeside Lodge

Hazyview

This hotel was fine for our one night stay. The food was ok but the room was lovely and the staff were very kind.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Walkers Plains Camp

South Africa

The absolute best. We absolutely loved this hotel and everything about it. The private deck and pool were perfect places to wind down in between drives. The hotel staff were amazing and we can't say enough positive things about our guide and tracker Tristan and Chris. They were so funny and smart and really got to know us to make the game drives as meaningful and memorable as possible. I would absolutely recommend this hotel to anyone and everyone. We wish we could have stayed longer!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Intercontinental Johannesburg O.R Tambo Airport

Johannesburg

We only stayed here for a night but the room service food was fantastic and the staff were so kind and helpful in getting us to the airport the next morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rovos Rail

Foreshore

We absolutely loved this experience. The staff goes above and beyond to make you feel at home and cared for. The ride was smooth and staff made sure that our room was as comfortable for us as it could be. We also loved the excursions that Rovos offered and loved the opportunity to learn about the people and culture around us. Once we learned about Rovos, it became a non-negotiable part of the itinerary and we are so happy we did it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Romney Park Luxury Apartments

Cape Town

Perfect for us as a couple! The room was spacious, everything was clean and the staff was very friendly!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arrive at Your Lodge in Kruger & First Game Drive

South Africa

We loved our driver from the airport! Then, we showed up at the lodge after brunch was served and dinner wasn't scheduled for a few hours. The chef very kindly made us delicious sandwiches which was so necessary after a morning of travel. We were so grateful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Day in the Kruger Bush with Two Game Drives

South Africa

I can't say enough about our experience with Tristan and Chris. They were truly the best. They were both so smart and so engaging and happy to answer any and all of our questions about their work, the game drives and the animals.

Quality of Experience

Food

They even had a mini bar and snacks for break time!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

PANORAMIC ROUTE

Kruger National Park

We are SO glad we did this! It's a long day but we felt like we really got to see so much of the beauty of South Africa.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Victoria Premium River Safari Sunset Cruise

Victoria Falls

This was lovely! The sunset was even better than advertised and we got a chance to see even more wildlife that we hadn't seen yet on the trip. The staff was lovely and the food was so delicious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dusty Road Township Lunch/Dinner Experience **highly recommended by our team

Victoria Falls

An absolute must do! It was the perfect way to end our trip. I couldn't recommend this enough. The food was outstanding and we got to try so many new flavors.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Experience on Rovos Rail: Nambiti & Spionkop

South Africa

We chose the game drive at Spionkop and we were so glad we did! It was our first game drive so helped give us a head's up as what to expect. Friends we made on the rail who did the history tour said they learned more on that trip than they did in years of school so I don't think you can go wrong either way. We loved our guide at Nambiti and by the time we finished those two game drives, we saw 4 out of 5 of the big 5!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner at GOLD Restaurant

Cape Town

This place is definitely meant for tourists but if you can embrace that, you will have a great time. We were exposed to lots of new and delicious foods, traditional dance and song and the drum lesson in the beginning was so fun.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bo-Kaap Walking Tour

Cape Town

Zaki is the best and it felt so important to us to do this tour with someone from the community. There is such important work happening all the time and we loved learning about the history and vision for the future. We would recommend this to everyone.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lunch at Crofter's Kitchen

Cape Town

This is a must do! The food was incredible and we loved taking a mid meal break to walk around the garden.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Peninsula & Penguins

South Africa

Andrew was the best! He taught us so much and brought us to some of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. We really enjoyed his company and we felt like this was a great day to help us see and experience so much of the Cape.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved Andrew!

Transport

The trip was amazing. The people we encountered as tour guides and drivers and hotel personnel were knowledgeable and friendly and just wonderful. We were very pleased with the entire experience from planning to booking and experiencing the whole trip. A big Thank you to ALL who participated.

We travelled to South Africa, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and Botswana for 19 days, and Anna-Marie and her team did an excellent job in planning our itinerary.

Anna-Marie was our lead planner along with her colleague, Janneke, and others.

We provided Anna-Marie with our wishlist, our requirements for accommodation, and how we like to travel in a day, and she made sure each day was planned accordingly. We were celebrating our 20th anniversary of marriage anniversary and she had made sure to convey that throughout, so we were surprised by the celebrations at all our accommodations. All our accommodations, our rides, were exceptionally well thought keeping our family's requirements in mind.

We met Anna-Marie and her family while in Cape Town for dinner, and it was great to connect with her personally. My daughter and her daughter are now friends. She was very helpful and patiently answered all the questions I had before the trip. And during the trip, she checked in with us every day to make sure everything was as planned and also gave a heads-up for the next day. Constant communication with her on the trip was very comforting. We also got the opportunity to meet Janneke for lunch one day, who was a pleasure to meet with.

We had a great trip, and a well-planned itinerary plays a big role in making it a success. We planned to go back to South Africa and will definitely reach out to Anna-Marie for that. She is great with communication and understands your requirements very well, and is always ready to work around that. Got back with us amazing experiences and a lifetime of memories, and thanks to Anna-Marie for this. Couldn't have done it any other way.

Hotel Reviews

The Winchester Hotel

Western Cape

Great location, very comfortable stay

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chobe Game Lodge

Serondela

What a great place, very comfortable, great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

58 On Hume

Randburg

They gave us an upgrade to their most amazing rooms, and they had the smallest details to make it super comfortable. Food and staff were amazing. Beautiful place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Schoone Oordt Country House

Swellendam

It is such a cozy place to be run by a family. Small details during the stay were very comforting. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Knysna Hollow Country Estate

Rooms were sooo big and very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge

Hoedspruit

Such a cozy place, the staff is exceptional and took care of our smallest requirements. My 10-year-old did not want to leave the place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Classic Air Balloon Flight

Johannesburg

It was our first time doing an air balloon ride, the pilot was a very young lady, but very confident and knew what she was doing. We got to see Rino, and the whole experience was very smooth and comfortable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My recent trip to Victoria Falls and the Western Cape was a great success, and one of my best vacations. This was mainly due to the excellent itinerary and arrangements suggested and finalized by the folks at Kimkim. They also selected all the lodgings, which were unique, perfect locations, and fun.

Starting in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe I toured the incredible Falls. I visited a local Matabele village, Mpisi, where I leaned how people live and work. They were so friendly and inviting, it deepened my knowledge of the place and was one of the highlights of my visit to Vic Falls. I also went on a sunset cruise of the Zambezi River. Outstandingly beautiful, and the boat, the Zambezi Vista, was superbly outfitted and the crew informative and fun.

In Cape Town I enjoyed a private tour with guide Zaki Harris of the Bo-Kaap neighborhood. Having grown up there, his insights and knowledge enriched my time there. Of course I visited Table Mountain, with its beautiful views.

Another highlight for me was my private tour of the Cape Peninsula. Rochelle, my guide and driver, was first-rate and made the whole experience rewarding. Her enthusiasm, knowledge and joy of showing me South Africia’s Western Cape was infectious, and the best part of my entire trip. The scenery was stunning, and one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen.

We ventured to wine country, where Rochelle took me to a winey outside of Stellenbosch, where I sampled superb wines. With each wine, the staff provided with informative explanations of the grapes used and wine making process.

Another stop was Babylonstoren Farm. I toured the large establishment where various food and other products are produced. It was fun to wonder over the grounds and buildings, and taste the local specialities.

The day ended at Franschhoek, where I stayed in another marvelous property. Utilizing the easy to use Wine Tram I visited two stellar wineries and enjoyed some lovely wines and learned why South Africa produces exceptional wines.

My next and final stop was Hermanus on the coast, where I boarded a boat in the hope of seeing whales. To my delight we saw many in the Bay. It was very exciting to have the whales break the surface right by the boat.

Staying near Hermanus at a fantastic place overlooking the Klein River Lagoon. A local guide, Vitalis, took me on a nature walk and a water bird sightseeing trip by boat. Both informative and entertaining.

All the transfers went smoothly, with amicable and professional. The lodgings were excellent, as were the meals. Thanks to the great endeavors of Anna-marie and Deb and all their team members this first class trip was memorable.

Mark did a wonderful job showing us around the Cape Town area. He was extremely knowledgeable of the area. Every place he recommended to eat was great food and reasonably priced.
Eddie was our guide at DeHoop Nature Preserve. We had a great time seeing all of the animals in the area. We had never seen so many zebras before. The chef made some amazing meals. Everythi ng tasted great.

We had a great time working with Lucy and her team. Lucy listened to what works for our family and took that into account when she was planning our trip. Our trip was multi-generational and had a lot of activities and a lot of moving around. Everything was well organized. All we had to do was show up! Lucy booked a lot of really special meals and activities for our family. We were all looking forward to the safari, but our trip was so much more than that. We had a great time and are still talking about our trip!

Tshepo was wonderful in helping us plan and keeping us updated on changes to the itinerary for our trip. The accommodations she chose were great, the Lebo tour of Soweto was also an amazing experience.
The people throughout our trip were very knowledgable and helpful, including:
Nokuthula - she was very kind and helpful in guiding us to the hotel and welcoming us after a long flight
Nadine - Our greeter at Kariega was very helpful and made us feel at home.
Osmond - Our ranger at the Kariega reserve, he was very personable, funny and extremely knowledgeable. We were excited and did 4 game rides with him.
The staff at Kariega was great as well and gave us a evening campfire barbecue meal which was tasty.
In Oceana, Max and Zed were great and helpful in answering all of our questions. They helped us arrange a short visit to Bathurst to see The Pineapple museum and Pig n Whistle bar. Luke was very knowledgeable and friendly.
FInally, our Soweto Tuk-Tuk tour guide Tami was kind-hearted and energetic and gave us a final tour of Soweto and took us to Mandela House.
All in all , it was a great first experience to South Africa - and has inspired us to consider future visits!

Hotel Reviews

Oceana Beach and Wildlife Reserve

Wonderful resort, beautiful views of Indian Ocean

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

All the staff was kind and helpful. Max and Zed were in constant communication helping us plan out our day and activities.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kariega River Lodge

Great Lodge, staff is kind and helpful. Osmond was a great ranger , knowledgeable and funny.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Osmond was personable , friendly and had a great sense of humor. He was also very knowledgeable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Tuk-Tuk Tour

Johannesburg

Tami was a great host and driver, he explained to us the history of Soweto and had a great smile and sense of humor. It was a great pleasure to learn about Soweto from him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guides, drivers, staffs, food & accommodations went beyond expectations. We traveled the Garden Route and then 2 lodges for safari. Even the animals cooperated with stunning appearances. Thru our travel experts, Salty Travel we were totally surprised by several locations providing kosher meat. Couldn't be better.

Hotel Reviews

Simbavati River Lodge

Kruger National Park

Could imagine staying in a more beautiful place with great warm friendly accommodating staff

Authenticity & Character

This is the place to experience safari, our guide Marc was brilliant

Location

In the middle of the resetve open to Kruger

Staff

Very very accommodating to your needs. Class act

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lodge was very clean

Pumba Private Game Reserve

Grahamstown, Eastern Cape

Beautiful location, superb accommodation and dining arra.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Guides to animals were excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

5 star for sure

Head over Hills

Knysna

Doesn't get any better than this.

Authenticity & Character

So special. From the owner to the manager to the staff, so hospitable

Location

Spectacular views of the ocean

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were beautiful. Ocean views

Abalone Guest Lodge

Hermanus

Beautiful lodge on the ocean. Great staff and breakfasts.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Ainsley the manager.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Suerb view from the room

Queen Victoria Hotel

Cape Town

Great location, accommodations and staff. Superb

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day City Tour, Robben Island & Table Mountain

South Africa

The visit to Robben Island was incredibly meaningful. It offered a poignant look into history and was one of the standout experiences of our trip to Cape Town. It set a somber yet enlightening tone which we appreciated.

Knysna Elephant Park

Knysna

The Knysna Elephant Park was a lovely experience. The chance to see these majestic creatures up close was a highlight of the trip. I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

Marine Big 5 Boat Tour

South Africa

The Marine Big 5 Boat Tour did not quite live up to my expectations. Having been on whale watches before, I found it less engaging and the payoff was minimal compared to the effort required. It wasn't as thrilling as other marine experiences I've had.

We had an amazing trip. We had a wonderful time in Sun City doing a self drive Safari in Pilanesberg, The palace and the breakfast were fantastic. Our early morning balloon ride was such a beautiful experience.
Sabi Sands was amazing. We went straight to a leapord kill upon arrival. Our guide Peter was amazing and actually tracked a pride of Lions for us.
Victoria Falls was beautiful. We went when the water was high so there was a lot of mist making it hard to see the entire falls, but it was still amazing. The Victoria Falls River lodge was incredible. We had an amazing cook and our Butler David was awesome. Overall the trip was amazing and everything went smoothly with Lize taking care of everthing for us as we traveled from place to place.
We will use Kimkim again in the future. Thank you so much for an amazing trip!!!

My partner, and my, 19 day trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe was a trip of a lifetime.
The success of the trip was in no small part due to the excellent work of Lize (Enderstein). Lize took our high level "would like to do's" and turned them into a marvellous adventure. Her communications were at all times clear, timely and responsive to our needs. The itinerary that Lize put together was detailed, with activities, providers, accommodation, transport and times all clearly spelt out. Accordingly, we felt most comfortable in embarking on the trip.
We did the three night ROVOS Rail trip from Pretoria to Cape Town, spent four nights in Cape Town and three nights in each of the Thabamati Luxury Tented Camp, Timbavati Game Reserve, and the Nkorho Bush Lodge, Sabi Sands. In addition, we spent three nights at the Victoria Falls River Lodge. All were excellent.
To call out highlights is doing the others an injustice, but I will. The ROVOS Rail was 5 star travel. The accommodation was first class, the staff super friendly and efficient, and the food delightful. Our guide, Oliver, in Cape Town made our day trips to Table Mountain and Cape Town, the Winelands, and Cape of Good Hope most enjoyable and informative. Courtene and Brett, our hosts at Thabamati, and their staff, made our stay a real luxury experience. The game drives at both Thabamati and Nkorho were something else. We were most fortunate to see an abundance of a diverse range of wildlife in their habitat. Amazing. And then there was the Victoria Falls River Lodge. We were treated like royalty, with our personal butler Reeves going far and beyond. The excursions to Victoria Falls were outstanding. Finally, in Johannesburg we did a guided tuk tuk tour of Soweto, Johannesburg, which was quite an eye opener.
Well, I haven't missed much, but it was such a great trip.
Thanks to all involved, particularly Lize.
I will use KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

Victoria Falls River Lodge

Wow, what an experience. Every need is catered for in style.

Authenticity & Character

Location

What more could you want than a treehouse on an island in the middle 'of the raging Zambezi River

Staff

Excellent in all respects. We offer our gratitude to the services provided by our butler Reeves.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nkorho Bush Lodge

Kruger National Park

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thabamati Luxury Tented Camp

Kruger National Park

Luxury and service at its best

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Welcoming, friendly and service driven

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Manor House

Cape Town

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rovos Rail

Foreshore

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Intercontinental Johannesburg O.R Tambo Airport

Johannesburg

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Johannesburg Private Historic Walking and Tuk Tuk Tour

South Africa

Having approached this experience with some reluctance, our guides, particularly our tuk tuk driver, made the day one of learning in a fun environment.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tuk tuk driver (sorry I've misplaced his name) made this a great excursion, through sharing freely his personal experiences.

Transport

Vic Falls River Lodge Activities

Victoria Falls

Our guides made the experiences special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All our guides and drivers did an outstanding job.

Transport

Helicopter Flight

Victoria Falls

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning and Afternoon Game Drives

Sabi Sands Game Reserve

I perceived that some of the driving to get to the wildlife locations was at times somewhat unsafe.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Timbavati Game Reserve to Sabi Sands Game Reserve

South Africa

Quality of Experience

The transfer was done by road. My rating is no reflection on the provider and our driver who were first class, it is a statement on the condition opf the roads.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Timbavati Private Game Reserve Safari Day

Timbavati Game Reserve

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Days on Safari

South Africa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Game Drive

South Africa

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Winelands Tour (including lunch)

South Africa

Oliver, our guide, made the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highly recommend Oliver our guide.

Transport

Full Day Cape Peninsula Tour (including lunch)

South Africa

Oliver, our guide, was tremendous.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Oliver, our guide, is highly recommended. He was informative and responsive.

Transport

Half Day Private Table Mountain and City Tour

Cape Town

Oliver, our guide, was tremedndous.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Oliver was attentive, informative and responsive.

Transport

Rovos Rail Pretoria to Cape Town Journey

Pretoria

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The disruption caused by the change in "pilots" was quizical

Transport

The change in "pilots" caused unnecessary delays.

We enjoyed the trip arranged by KimKim and Nadia very much. The process was excellent from start to finish. We really liked our guide Mark who did a great job showing us around for the the time we spent in Cape Town. They were flexible too, when we wanted to add an excursion to Khayelitsha they arranged it with no problem at all. The days we spent in the wine country were very good also. We liked the Winchester Hotel in Cape Town a lot, but the La Fontaine in Franschhoek was really outstanding. About the only quibble i would have is that the stop in Bo-Kaap on the food tour wasn't that great, due to the owner not being available to talk to us about the food and things. The rest of the food tour was excellent though and we enjoyed it very much. I would recommend Kim-Kim to anyone. Some of our group used Kim-Kim on travel to other parts of the world and thought very highly of their experience there as well. Thank you!!

Excellent trip! Our guide was Rosamary Balino for Capetown and Franschoek and she was energetic, fun and knowledgable. We stayed at Timbavati game reserve at the Thabamati luxury tented camp which was wonderful and the game drives were amazing. Then at the Victoria Falls Lodge which was the most luxurious place we have ever stayed. Kimkim, particularly Lize, did a great job putting our trip together based on our wants and it was so well coordinated, we didn't need to worry about anything on the trip. Everyone picking us up or guiding us were always right on time and were they they were supposed to be throughout the 16 days in Continent. Thank you Lize and kimkim for a trip of a lifetime!