Anne Godoy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hotel Reviews

Costa del Sol Wyndham Trujillo Centro

Trujillo

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

Authenticity & Character

It is a lovely old building nicely restored.

Location

Right on the main square.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Costa del Sol Whyndam Chiclayo

Chiclayo

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

Authenticity & Character

It is a corporate hotel in a bland building.

Location

Very centrally located

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything worked!

Mamaq Tambo Lodge

Cocachimba

Comfortable room in a nice location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

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

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rangra Wasi

Leymebamba

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lovely garden and nice view.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

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

Activity Reviews

Chan Chan & Huaca de la Luna

Trujillo

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

Journey to {{end_location}}, visiting El Brujo

Peru

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

Tucume Pyramids & Tumbas Reales Museum

Chiclayo

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our local guide Grace was great!

Hummingbird Sanctuary

Cocachimba

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

Quality of Experience

Nothing - it just not what we expected

Journey to Cocachimba: Kuelap Fortress

Peru

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

Quality of Experience

Kuelap is incredible. The drive is HARD.

Quality of Experience

Kuelap is incredible. The drive is HARD.

Food

We didn't have any food at Kuelap.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had an excellent local guide, Yeslin.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had an excellent local guide, Yeslin.

Transport

Carlos was a great driver

Transport

Leymebamba: Workshops & Museum

Peru

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

Quality of Experience

Excellent local museum

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Transport

Our driver was Carlos - very safe and courteous.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I am so incredibly grateful for the expert planning and support of the kimkim team and the local partners they worked with in Peru. Our family of 6 had an incredible trip over Spring Break. We loved the family friendly food tour in the Barranca neighborhood of Lima, where we also learned about the local culture and art scene.

After Lima we spent a few days in the Amazon jungle where our guide, John, led us on very memorable excursions - fishing for piranhas, searching for anacondas, finding tarantulas at night, hiking the jungle, climbing the viewing tower, enjoying the boat rides and most of all sight-seeing. We saw several types of monkeys, macaws, parrots, capybaras, caymens, and much more. His expertise not only made it educational - he made it very fun! The Finca lodge was perfect with sweet staff and enjoyable community meals.

After the jungle we flew to Cusco and enjoyed the Sacred Valley for a few days before spending a day at Machu Picchu. Out guide Willy was phenomenal! He took us to various stops - salt quarries, llama farms, forts, trains and more - and excellent restaurants. He was following our tour schedule, but when he learned of my affinity for Catholic Churches, he adjusted the schedule so we could see the Cathedral in Cusco, which was a highlight for me! I was so grateful for his in-depth knowledge and proactiveness to suggest this schedule change. And his positive attitude kept all my kids engaged. Our family was definitely feeling the altitude, and we were all struggling with some stomach issues. Willy helped us find electrolyte drinks and other remedies to help quell our issues and get back to enjoying the trip. He was truly excellent!

Hotel Reviews

Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay

Urubamba

The hotel was so wonderful. I was genuinely surprised by all of its offerings. The rooms were large, clean, very modern and well decorated with great character. The kids love the lofted bed section. The building and grounds were stunning with old, well-maintained walkways, architecture, beautiful plants, eye-catching lighting , unique chapel, and more. The different restaurants and food spots offered a variety of options for our family. We enjoyed a high-end gourmet dinner one night, Pisco Sours at the bar, and homemade Italian pizza the next. My family also loved the breakfast buffet with the made-to-order omelets and fresh juices. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone. It has a traditional local Peruvian flare mixed with modern amenities and a stellar staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

There is nothing really around this hotel. So if you like to take off walking, this isn't really the place for you. We found so many things to do in this former monastery that we didn't need to leave it!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Finca Sachabacayoc

After a 2 hour boat ride we pulled up to a steep set of stairs that led in to the heart of this beautiful oasis in the middle of the amazon jungle. It features several cabins and a main lodge. The lodge includes a bar, hammock area, sitting area and the main dining hall where we enjoyed community meals. Our cabins were large with screened in walls, beautiful wooden furniture, poster beds with mosquito nets and private bathrooms. The staff was incredibly friendly and quickly came to remove a large frog that made its way into my children's cabin. I would highly recommend this place for people who are ready to have a jungle adventure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Finca Sachavacavoc - D2 - Chuncho Claylick and Condenado Lake

Tambopata

We woke up very early to see the sunrise while we were boating to the clay licks. Our guide John set up his scope so we could see the different types of macaws and parrots flying around the clay lick. The crew prepared a lovely breakfast for us before we headed back to the Finca by boat. In the afternoon we hiked to Condenado Lake where we saw a family of feisty river otters and then enjoyed time fishing for piranhas. My kids just loved catching them! Luckily the rain opened up on us to cool us down a bit. Fantastic day in the jungle!

Quality of Experience

The mix of the boat ride and clay lick experience in the morning with the afternoon dedicated to hiking and fishing was great!

Food

The large breakfast spread was such a delightful surprise.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We all just loved the boat rides!

Full Day Machu Picchu Exploration

Peru

Definitely a highlight of our trip. We woke up early and took the van to the train station. Our train stopped halfway through, and the last three cars joined together for live music, drinks and dancing! Felt like we were in a movie - it was so magical. We arrived at the train stop and took a bus up a very steep switchback road until we reached the top. Our prebooked tickets put us on the second circuit, and we saw some of the most incredible views. Our tour guide Willy was very knowledgeable and helped bring the Inca empire to life for our family. We were amazed by their planning, building and craftsmanship. Highly recommend this adventure!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The train ride with live music, free hats, Pisco Sour tastings, dancing and more was totally unexpected and so fun!

Exploring the Sacred Valley: Maras, Moray, Ollantaytambo

Peru

Really enjoyed learning about the Inca empire - from the salt quarries and agricultural testing to the fort and Inca trail, this was an educational day.

Pass by Pisac Market & an Andean camelid Farms

Peru

The kids just absolutely adored feeding the llamas and learning about them. The tour guide was a young local man who was learning English and seemed to really enjoy engaging with us. Great way to open up our trip to the Andean region.

Walking food tour at Barranco for families!

Lima

Nancy led our family on a fabulous walking tour of Barranca. We love the ceviche at awhich, the fish sandwiches at Horneando and of course, making our own chocolate!! Her knowledge of the history and culture of the area was great and helped us better understand the neighborhood. We also enjoyed checking out the street art from Jade and other local artists.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kim Kim has been great from start to finish. They payed attention to the key places we wanted to see and activities we were interested in. All the guides were so nice. Shout out to Valeria and the food/market tour. Blanca did amazing job taking us around Lima for a 1 day city tour and Martin was really that cherry on top! Martin completed our experience of Peru and we couldn’t have asked for a more knowledgeable and kind guide. He looked after us all so well.