Bruno Madeira

Our first trip to Brazil was an adventure we will never forget- we put our trust in Bruno to plan this amazing trip. From the moment we arrived until the end everything was perfectly organized in a safe & fun way. At each step of our journey we were met by local guides (Sol & Luis) who took incredible good care of us. It was our first time planning a trip with KimKim and it won’t be the last. All of our wishes came true.

Hotel Reviews

Villa Amazônia

Manaus

Great boutique hotel downtown Manaus with great beds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

No

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amazon Premium Lodge

Manaus

Comfortable beds - clean - quiet Just needed an extra blanket

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Miramar Hotel by Windsor

Rio de Janeiro

The size of the beds was HUGE … bigger than a California king … great sleep Excellent breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on Copacabana… walking distance to lots of activities and restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada Naturália

Angra dos Reis

A bit rustic and sometimes noisy but great overall experience. Be prepared to carry your luggage from the harbor (10 minutes)

Authenticity & Character

Great buffet breakfast

Location

A bit of a walk with luggage

Staff

Thanks to the staff for helping us carry our luggage

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Amazon Premium Lodge 4 days/3 Nights

The Amazon

In the heart of the earths lungs … insane beauty and quiet place - farm to table food - Piranha fishing and night time boating to see caymans was brilliant

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sol was a great young dynamic and knowledgeable guide

Transport

Plan for a rough ride getting there … 2 buses & 2 boats which we didn’t know about

Half island tour by speedboat to Ilha Grande from Vila do Abraão

Ilha Grande - Rio de Janeiro

The island is really a backpacker paradise - jungle & beach combo with great hikes and beautiful secluded beaches (reachable by boat). Food options are plentiful but expect to wait a long time to be served.

Transport

Boat to and from the mainland to the island is packed and luggage is everywhere

Welcome to Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Beautiful city with lots to do - safer than I expected - beaches are gorgeous but crowded.

Quality of Experience

Great to have a guide with you to experience the real thing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Brazil was unforgettable, thanks to Bruno and kimkim. Bruno helped us with our custom itinerary and was always available to answer any questions before and during the trip. The guides were very professional, knowledgeable and friendly and made our trip memorable and worthwhile. Marcelo at Rio, John at Foz do Iguacu, Carlos at The Amazon and Luiz at Salvador were our amazing guides.
Our trip highlights - seeing Christ the Redeemer at Rio on a cloudy day and catching a glimpse for a few moments, Sugar loaf mountain at Rio (saw marmosets and vultures), Iguacu falls (Argentine side was our highlight) and the boat tour under the waterfalls at the Argentine side (we got soaked thrice), Bird Park near Iguacu falls, Brazil, amazing Amazon experience (canoeing, fishing, sunrise and sunset tours, forest walks), Salvador city tour. We saw exotic wildlife everywhere and endangered birds at the bird park.
The hotels were all very good but with the Salvador hotel being our favorite as it was a boutique hotel located in a historic center surrounded by chapels and shops.
We were able to get vegan food in all places with the Amazon Tapuna lodge being our highlight as several vegan options were available with breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had difficulty in finding vegan food in small airports. Latitude at Rio international airport was a great place for vegan food.

This was a great trip. The Pousada Sandi in Paraty was a highlight. We enjoyed all our guides. Bruno was there every step of the way when needed.

Our ladies only trip to Brazil organized by Bruno, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. Everything was perfectly planned — from the Christ the redeemer of Rio to the breathtaking Iguazu Falls and the incredible adventure in the Amazon.
In Rio de Janeiro, our guide Marcelo was good. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and full of local insights. From visiting iconic landmarks like Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain to exploring the beaches.
At Iguazu Falls, we had the pleasure of being guided by Joan and Chris. They coordinated everything seamlessly on both the Brazilian and Argentine sides, ensuring we didn’t miss a single viewpoint.
Finally, in the Amazon, our guide Leo was outstanding. His deep knowledge of the rainforest’s wildlife and ecosystems made every hike and boat ride fascinating. He was patient, fun, and made us feel safe while exploring such a wild and beautiful environment. We watched the sunrise, sunset and even moon rise.
Overall, Bruno did an amazing job organizing every detail. The trip ran smoothly from start to finish, and every guide went above and beyond to make it a memorable experience. I highly recommend this team to anyone planning to explore Brazil

We had an amazing experience working with Bruno to plan our trip to Rio, Iguazu Falls, and the Amazon. From start to finish, he was professional, responsive, and attentive to every detail. Bruno always replied quickly to our questions and made sure all our requests were fulfilled — from hotel preferences to excursions and transfers. Everything ran smoothly, and we felt well taken care of throughout the entire trip.

We truly appreciated his organization and friendly communication. Highly recommend Bruno for anyone planning a trip to Brazil!

Bruno planned a great itinerary for us. He was very responsive to my messages and was able to accommodate all of our requests for our itinerary. He checked on us throughout the trip to ensure we were having a great time (and we did!).

Our tour guide in Rio, Marcelo, was incredible. He was so knowledgeable about the city, made sure we saw everything we wanted to see, and was so friendly. The weather on our first day was suboptimal to see Christ the Redeemer so Marcelo and Bruno worked hard to move our ticket to the following day. I’m not sure if you can request a guide or not, but Marcelo was top notch.

Our guide for the Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls, Leandro, was also great. I don’t know how he manages to walk 6 miles almost every day around the falls and still love his job, but he does.

A word of caution- double check ticket prices prior to booking an activity through your guide. We, unfortunately, were scammed $20 USD per person by our final tour guide for a boat ride on the Brazilian side of the falls. He told us the cost was $90 per person when it was actually $70 per person. Bruno, again, was very responsive to the situation. We were refunded $40 by KimKim for the issue quickly.

I definitely recommend using Bruno for your trip to Brazil!

Hotel Reviews

Viale Cataratas

Foz do Iguaçu

Clean rooms and friendly staff. We both really enjoyed having a buffet dinner option.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Windsor Plaza Copacabana

Rio de Janeiro

The room was tiny but for the most part clean. The bathroom had some mold in the shower area. The staff was very friendly. We loved having dinner at the pool bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Quick 5 minute walk to the beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sugarloaf Mountain & Old Town Tour

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Tour in Rio 6h

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Argentine side

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A visit to Foz de Iguacu Falls / Brazilian Side

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Unfortunately our tour guide overcharged us for the boat tour. We were told it cost $90 USD per person when in reality it cost $70 USD per person. The situation was handled promptly by Bruno and KimKim.

Transport

Our guide in Pantanal Nabutaka was EXCEPTIONAL! He was so knowledgeable, willing and such a pleasure to have around us! He took so much effort & time to show us countless wildlife especially birds and of course the jaguar! He made the Pantanal stay even better than what we had expected!
Marcelo in Rio was very good. Knowledgeable, smart & interesting
Gave us an immersive experience in Rio!
Our entire trip to Brazil was just fantastic! Every bit of it was as described and as we had imagined it after months of reading up on Brazil
The Pantanal exceeded our expectations! The sheer plethora of wildlife & birds is mind-blowing ! The 2 days of Jaguar safaris were wonderfully done thanks to our expert guide Nabutaka & boatman Jose
The Iguazu Falls, both Argentina & Brazil were dramatic!
The end of our trip with the Iberostar Amazon Cruise was truly 5 star, luxurious in every way and was far better than we had expected!

Hotel Reviews

Arena Leme Hotel

Rio de Janeiro

Only positive is the location in the beach Room very small Facilities not great No water provided in the room Even small bottles need to be paid for, which we were not informed about I feel we could have been offered a better selection of hotel for Rio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sanma Hotel Foz do Iguaçu

Foz do Iguaçu

Beautiful hotel Felt like a 5 star Amazingly cordial & quick check in, at midnight!! Such good English!! Welcome drink sparkling wine And fabulous breakfast spread Very nice spaces to just relax in Location very very close to Iguazu Falls & next door to the Bird Park I think Kimkim should definitely offer this hotel to guests visiting Iguazu. I was offered this only after I specifically wanted a hotel next to the flFalls

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to Iguazu Falls, next door to the Bird Park

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful property

Hotel Deville Prime Cuiabá

Cuiabá - MT

We reached at 3 am and there was no booking in our name. It was impossible to explain to the receptionist inspite of showing them a printed voucher. Finally in my desperation, I had to phone my Trip Planner Bruno at that unearthly hour and he sorted it out. Even then, they were not really welcoming. No water in the room

Authenticity & Character

Competence Willingness to understand what the guest is trying to say

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada Rio Claro

Poconé

Lovely Pousada - Rio Claro Lots of wildlife on the property! Competent quick check in Cordial service in the dining room Superb experience of seeing Hyacinth Macaws being fed in the morning, just magical This was on the first day We stayed in Pousada Berco Pantaneiro in Porto Jofre on the next 3 days The facilities were pretty basic Food was good & wholesome Service was tight probably because of the location & staffing There was a powercut from 9 pm to almost 4 am one night Apparently the generator wasn't working Extremely uncomfortable in the heat, with a Jaguar safari following on at 7 am! Was impossible to contact the Manager that night

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Intercity Manaus

Manaus

Quick check in Good English at Reception! Large comfortable rooms, very well appointed Nice breakfast Allowed us late check-out at 1 pm which was very helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half day Tour in Rio 6h

Rio de Janeiro

Marcelo our guide was very good - knowledgeable, friendly, interesting, very good English! Nice neat tour of Rio!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sugarloaf Mountain & Old Town Tour

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A visit to Foz de Iguacu Falls / Brazilian Side

Foz do Iguaçu

Absolutely stunning!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

.Pantanal Adventure Day 2/5

North Pantanal

Got to see Hyacinth Macaws being fed in the Pousada Rio Claro! Lots of birds, capybara roaming around the property!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

.Pantanal Adventure Day 1/5

North Pantanal

Unforgettable drive on the Transpantaneira! Guide Nabutaka is excellent and highly recommended! So knowledgeable, willing, friendly. Will never forget the countless birds we saw !

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nabutaka is exceptional and we were really lucky to have him!

Transport

Nabutaka

Pantanal Adventure Day 3/5

North Pantanal

The Jaguar Safari was as exciting as imagined! Fantastic safari for 10 hours on both days. Nabutaka & Jose were so patient and willing

Quality of Experience

Food

Service at Pousada Berco Pantaneiro could be better. Itbis too svsnty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pantanal Adventure Day 4/5

North Pantanal

Amazing Jaguar safaris, 10 hours on each day! Brilliant sightings, thanks to guide Nabutaka & boatman Jose

Quality of Experience

Food

Service at Berco Pantaneiro could be better. It is too svsnty & stretched. The room is small & crammed. No surfaces to keep stuff. Thankfully there was an extra bed so we could use that. The re is no housekeeping, hence the room & bathroom felt dirty. Though I don't expect 5 Star service at the Pantanal, it could surely be better. One of the nights there was a power cut from 9 pm till 4 am. Was extremely hot & uncomfortable, given a safari starting at 7 am! It was impossible to contact the Manager to enquire. It is scary to think what if a guest had an emergency but there is no one at the property who can be contacted

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cruise Grand Amazon Expedition Departure

The Amazon

Brilliant Luxurious Truly 5 star

Quality of Experience

The Cruise is highly recommended! Very special to be cruising on the Amazon with 5 star luxury! Amazing rooms, service, amenities, drinks & food!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing trip to discover Brazil. Bruno was extremely helpful during the trip to accommodate last minute requests. We especially loved our guide Ed in Iguazú Falls.