Profile photo for Chio Tabakman
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Chio Tabakman

Being a Paraguayan living in Colombia I have a different outlook at the local culture. As a foreigner, I'm always eager to know more. I've traveled to various countries within LATAM and its always exciting to see, learned and experience the wide range of cultural differences that exits in one country.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"Hikes and beaches! One of the things I love to do more is being at the beach and in the presence of the ocean, recovering energies and having a time for reflection. Also, I love adventures and challenging my body and my mind with experiences that I might think "are too much" for me.

I specialize in tailor-made trips plans for those who want the beautiful mix between adventure and relaxation."

How did you get involved in travel?

"I had the chance to start traveling from a young age, in and outside my own country. This created a sense of wonder in me and as I grew up I was always involved in "international environments". From volunteering in other countries, doing an exchange program and being part of a student exchange program organization, I was constantly surrounded by other cultures. All of these reasons and more made me curious and got me started in this area."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"I think every trip is special in its own way, usually, my trips are pretty chill and more of "walking around the city", nevertheless, one of the trips I took where I had the most fun was with two friends from Mexico. We live here in Colombia and one Saturday morning one of them show up to our house and ask "why are you guys not ready?"

Turns out that we end up in Sueca (about 1 hour away from Bogotá).

When we got to the Portal we didn't know where we were going, we selected a random destination and Suesca was the winner. Upon arrival we stumble into this cute little diner and made friends with the girls working there, they told us of a hostel that was available, it was settled, we were staying overnight.

We spent the afternoon riding bikes between the mountains, taking pictures, making jokes and having a good time. At night we stayed playing a game at the hostel and got scared when the door opens suddenly, but it turns out it was another guest in the hostel and she joins us and played board games with us. It was pretty fun and low key trip. "

Chio is part of the following groups: Colombia Travel Agents
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Recent trip reviews for Chio

Two weeks in Colombia
Colombia | Nov 7 - Nov 21, 2019

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Candace V.
Maiden Rock, WI | Reviewed on Mar 05, 2020
This is a long overdue review of our fabulous November 2019 trip to Colombia.
Despite a prolonged wait to clear customs, we were greeted by Lina who graciously made sure we were safely transported to our destination. For the next two days she provided an energetic and welcoming introduction to Bogota. In Villa de Leyva Mauricio was a delightful guide, providing a personal and entertaining opportunity to explore area. We really enjoyed his musical background and knowledge.
Natalia...
Read more

This is a long overdue review of our fabulous November 2019 trip to Colombia.
Despite a prolonged wait to clear customs, we were greeted by Lina who graciously made sure we were safely transported to our destination. For the next two days she provided an energetic and welcoming introduction to Bogota. In Villa de Leyva Mauricio was a delightful guide, providing a personal and entertaining opportunity to explore area. We really enjoyed his musical background and knowledge.
Natalia brought the Cocora Valley to life despite rain and mud! She is passionate about the flora and fauna and a great ambassador for nature lovers. We enjoyed Salento and Filandia with her and a very special stop at Finca Divisa de Don Juan (coffee farm)
Daniel was our special personality in Medellin. His walking tour and history lesson were amazing. We were appreciative of his attention during our visit to Penol Rock and Guatape making for two rewarding experiences.
Juan was our steady, patient and knowledgable guide in Tayrona Park. We very much enjoyed learning about the area as well as his family background. It was a strenuous excursion and he timed the pace and experiences beautifully to match our requests.
David helped us enjoy Los Pinos. His familiarity with the area diminished our concerns with the muddy, rutted roads to arrive safely at our destination. Again, this guide's love of the area made for a special day.
A highlight of the trip was a visit to Bazurto Market with Carolina. The market was incredibly interesting, and Carolina's presentation, interaction, and selections were memorable. Her class was extraordinary.
Ending our trip in Cartagena, we were entertained by Ingrid - an insightful and fun-loving personality that enriched our time there.
Chio and team were responsive and supportive throughout. We were especially appreciative of their flexibility when our departure coincided with national protests. They made sure our transport got us to the airport with time to spare.
Colombia is filled with beauty, architectural charm, intriguing history and welcoming nationalities.
Thank you for a trip that will not be forgotten!

Local specialist: Chio Tabakman
Chio
Chio Tabakman
Local specialist in Bogotá, Colombia | Replied on Mar 05, 2020

Hi Candace, how are you?

Thanks so much for your kind words and I'm really happy everything met your expectations. I'll make sure to tell every single person you mentioned your comments.

Best regards,
Chio

Memorable Colombia Trip!
Colombia | Feb 15 - Feb 22, 2020

Ellen
Ellen S.
Depew, NY | Reviewed on Feb 27, 2020
First - we will definitely use Kimkim again for future travels! Thank you for a well-planned vacation.
Secondly - Chio was responsive and helpful - nice work! Our only complaint is that everyone knew that Tayrona National Park was closed in February - apparently it's an annual thing. If we had known this from the beginning, we might have altered our itinerary. We did not get informed until January. We really loved the place we stayed outside of Tayrona Park, but the River Don Diego...
Read more

First - we will definitely use Kimkim again for future travels! Thank you for a well-planned vacation.
Secondly - Chio was responsive and helpful - nice work! Our only complaint is that everyone knew that Tayrona National Park was closed in February - apparently it's an annual thing. If we had known this from the beginning, we might have altered our itinerary. We did not get informed until January. We really loved the place we stayed outside of Tayrona Park, but the River Don Diego excursion was underwhelming. (Although the guide Stephen was very helpful when my husband became sick with digestive issues.)
Big highlights for us were the birdwatching in Minca with Antonio Martin, the trip to the market in Cartagena with Carolina and the day trip to the Rosario Islands. This was supposed to be at the end of our stay, but was moved to the beginning because of when we arrived. We really think this worked better - we had a day of beach and relaxation right away which we desperately needed coming from our cold, snowy, busy lives:)
The hotels were good and we had a nice balance of scheduled vs. free time. In our information packet it said that there would be an English-speaking person on our long car trips to and from Cartagena. We did not - just Spanish-only drivers. That would have been a great opportunity (9 hours!) to ask questions about what we were seeing and find out more about Colombia. My husband especially was disappointed that there was no conversation on these transports.
Again - we are happy to have discovered Kimkim and are already looking forward to our next trip with you. I hope our feedback has been helpful.

Local specialist: Chio Tabakman
Chio
Chio Tabakman
Local specialist in Bogotá, Colombia | Replied on Feb 27, 2020

Hi Ellen, how are you?

Thanks for all your comments and feedback! Actually, yes. Tayrona Park closes annually but it was supposed to be only the first 15 days of the month. In theory, this didn't affect your visit until January when we got the notice that it would be the last month and that's when we did the switch. I will keep all your comments and it was my pleasure working with you and putting together this experience.

Chio

I had 3 excellent guides: Maria Alejandro Nar...
Colombia | Feb 7 - Feb 23, 2020

Chuck
Chuck W.
Palo Alto, CA | Reviewed on Feb 25, 2020

I had 3 excellent guides: Maria Alejandro Nariño in Bogota, Juan David Martinez in Leticia, and Mauro Hernandez Aguinago in Medellin! The Lost City of Colombia Trek guides, Juan and Checo (sp) also did an excellent job!! I hope that the friendships I established with them will continue into the future:-)

Local specialist: Chio Tabakman
Chio
Chio Tabakman
Local specialist in Bogotá, Colombia | Replied on Feb 25, 2020

Hi Chuck! I hope you had a great return home and I'm so happy that you enjoy your time here! :)

Beautiful Colombia
Colombia | Feb 15 - Feb 23, 2020

H
Hamad A.
the United Arab Emirates | Reviewed on Feb 24, 2020
The trip was Over expectations Everything was superb!
First of all with Chio he managed everything very well and was so patient with all questions i have asked.
In Bogota the driver Francisco and the guide Maria were very nice and they introduced me very well to the Bogota and also the whole country.
After that I went to Raquira and Villa de layva with a very good driver (but I’m sorry I forgot his name) .
Santa Marta driver Carlos was a very good driver and he did a very good job, big thanks...
Read more

The trip was Over expectations Everything was superb!
First of all with Chio he managed everything very well and was so patient with all questions i have asked.
In Bogota the driver Francisco and the guide Maria were very nice and they introduced me very well to the Bogota and also the whole country.
After that I went to Raquira and Villa de layva with a very good driver (but I’m sorry I forgot his name) .
Santa Marta driver Carlos was a very good driver and he did a very good job, big thanks to him .
In Cartagena i met a guide Santiago, he was superb and introduced me very well to the city.
In Medellin, I met a very good Driver Miguel , he was an excellent driver. And for the guide to Guatepe was Sebastian , he was an excellent guide he introduced me very well to the city.
At last, I loved Colombia and the people there were so friendly and nice , overall 10/10 thank you KimKim team.

Local specialist: Chio Tabakman
Chio
Chio Tabakman
Local specialist in Bogotá, Colombia | Replied on Feb 24, 2020

Hi Hamad, how are you?

I'm so glad that you had a great experience during your trip and thank so much for the kind words. I'll let each and every guide know that you had a great time!

Chio

We spent a wonderful week in Colombia with st...
Colombia | Feb 8 - Feb 16, 2020

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Todd M.
Billings, MT | Reviewed on Feb 24, 2020
We spent a wonderful week in Colombia with stops in Cartagena, Minca (El Dorado reserve), and Mucura (Punta Faro hotel). We highly recommend Bazurto Market and National Aviary. Walking the streets of Cartagena was a joy. The many murals, buildings, people, shops, street vendors, and restaurant’s were all wonderful. I would recommend spending 2 full days and 3 nights in El Dorado with a 1 full day in Minca. Mucura was a wonderful and relaxing island. Punta Faro was amazing. The staff... Read more

We spent a wonderful week in Colombia with stops in Cartagena, Minca (El Dorado reserve), and Mucura (Punta Faro hotel). We highly recommend Bazurto Market and National Aviary. Walking the streets of Cartagena was a joy. The many murals, buildings, people, shops, street vendors, and restaurant’s were all wonderful. I would recommend spending 2 full days and 3 nights in El Dorado with a 1 full day in Minca. Mucura was a wonderful and relaxing island. Punta Faro was amazing. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. The food was excellent and served buffet style. The beach was not huge but incredibly relaxing. It was not crowded and the water was great. We did the snorkel tour which was nice. Not the best we have ever done but still good. There was some interesting coral and fish. Well worth the price. We would also recommend the bioluminescence tour. I would recommend 3 nights here to get in all the activities but also be able to relax.

We enjoyed all the guides that KimKim provided with a special shout out to Leo in El Dorado. He did a great job with the birding and was very knowledgeable and personable. All the drivers we had were very prompt, courteous, and friendly. It was very nice not worrying about how, when, or if we were going to get where we needed.

Chio (KimKim) communicated very well with us and answered all our questions. It was nice to not worry about anything on our vacation and just relax and enjoy. Thank you!

Local specialist: Chio Tabakman
Chio
Chio Tabakman
Local specialist in Bogotá, Colombia | Replied on Feb 24, 2020

Hi Todd, how are you?

Thanks so much for the kind words and I'm truly happy that you had a great experience! I'll be sure to pass your comments on to the guides and would love to work with you in creating more experiences here in Colombia, there's still plenty to see!

Chio

We loved Isabella and Alexjandra as well as o...
Colombia | Feb 13 - Feb 16, 2020

B
Bruce R.
Delray Beach, FL | Reviewed on Feb 17, 2020

We loved Isabella and Alexjandra as well as our driver. They worked hard to insure that we had a good experience.

Local specialist: Chio Tabakman
Chio
Chio Tabakman
Local specialist in Bogotá, Colombia | Replied on Feb 18, 2020

Hi Bruce, how are you?

I'm glad that you had a lovely time and liked your guides and driver, will let them know! :)

Great time in Colombia!
Colombia | Dec 28 - Jan 5, 2020

Victoria
Victoria C.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Jan 22, 2020
I've worked with Chio from the agency and she has been really awesome. My husband and I went to Colombia from 12/28 to 1/5/20. This was our very first time to South America and very first to Colombia. I was looking for tour guide and Kimkim.com came up in google search and I thought I'd like to try the agency. It was a such a good decision. After I contacted Kimkim, Chio got back to me within a day and she helped to plan our trip. I had very specific requirements for the types of the trips... Read more

I've worked with Chio from the agency and she has been really awesome.

My husband and I went to Colombia from 12/28 to 1/5/20. This was our very first time to South America and very first to Colombia. I was looking for tour guide and Kimkim.com came up in google search and I thought I'd like to try the agency. It was a such a good decision. After I contacted Kimkim, Chio got back to me within a day and she helped to plan our trip. I had very specific requirements for the types of the trips I'd like to take and Chio was very patient working with me to come up with different versions of the trip, unless the 3rd version, we've decided to go to: Medellin and Cartagena. I couldn't be happier with our trip.

In Medellin we had a very active itinerary: Comuna 13 graffiti tour, waterfall repelling, paragliding, Medellin city bike tour, and finally a trip to Gautape on the New Year's Day. Everything was awesome. The highlight of the trip for us would be the waterfall.

For Cartagena, it was more relaxed. We visited Bazurto market with our local guide Carolina and had the BEST breakfast at her restaurant Ohlala. Then we went to the The Rosario Islands, which was just soso as the resort we went to only had a very limited beach area. But the lunch was awesome! :)

Overall, we had a wonderful trip! I am already planning to work with KimKim for our next trip to Argentina and Peru to hike the Inca Trail!

Local specialist: Chio Tabakman
Chio
Chio Tabakman
Local specialist in Bogotá, Colombia | Replied on Jan 22, 2020

Hi Victoria!

Thanks so much for your feedback and comments. It was truly my pleasure working with you and putting together the whole experience. I'm glad that you have an amazing time and that it met your expectations!

Chio

We had a super time and felt very supported. ...
Colombia | Dec 26 - Jan 5, 2020

M
Margie L.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Jan 15, 2020

We had a super time and felt very supported. Chio was there for every little question I had! All the drivers, hotels and tour people were on-time and extra nice. I'm so pleased.

Local specialist: Chio Tabakman
Chio
Chio Tabakman
Local specialist in Bogotá, Colombia | Replied on Jan 15, 2020

Hi Margie! It was my pleasure assisting you during your trip :)

Travelling in Colombia with four children
Colombia | Dec 24 - Jan 4, 2020

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Diana N.
New Rochelle, NY | Reviewed on Jan 08, 2020
My husband and I travelled in Colombia with our four children (ages 11-15) and overall we very satisfied with the kimkim experience. The planning stage was fantastic-- I spoke with an agent in the US and also an agent in Colombia-- and it was very easy to come up with a specific itinerary to fit the needs and wants of my family. Our local specialist (Chio) was very responsive to my questions and requests and always responded in a timely manner. For the most part, everyone involved in... Read more

My husband and I travelled in Colombia with our four children (ages 11-15) and overall we very satisfied with the kimkim experience. The planning stage was fantastic-- I spoke with an agent in the US and also an agent in Colombia-- and it was very easy to come up with a specific itinerary to fit the needs and wants of my family. Our local specialist (Chio) was very responsive to my questions and requests and always responded in a timely manner.

For the most part, everyone involved in tourism who was recommended by kimkim (the drivers and guides for example) was excellent-- very professional and always on time. When we had drivers that did not speak English they let us know in advance and we always knew the specific itinerary for each day. The trip, in general, ran VERY smoothly. Over fourteen days there was only one mistake--- when we arrived at a certain hotel it turns out they had mistakenly booked us at a hotel with a similar name (which was not as nice as the one we were supposed to be in). As soon as we called her, Chio (and her supervisor Jules) immediately tried to rectify the situation-- we did have to spend one night at the wrong hotel but the next day they had us moved to a much nicer hotel and took the extra step of arranging for us a new itinerary for a "day at leisure" including a driver, lunch, and two excellent activities. They (Chio and Jules) kept in constant contact with us making sure we were happy with the new arrangements. (And I felt like they were truly sorry for the mix-up).

All in all I would definitely recommend kimkim-- it was VERY user friendly and our itinerary was excellent.

(If you are planning on going to colombia-- we particularly loved our Hacienda Santa Clara in the coffee region and our tour of Don Juan coffee farm, horseback riding in the cocora valley, EVERYTHING in Medallin, the beach and tubing in Palamino (outside Santa Marta), and our incredible hotel (the hyatt) in Cartagena.

Local specialist: Chio Tabakman
Chio
Chio Tabakman
Local specialist in Bogotá, Colombia | Replied on Jan 09, 2020

Hi Diana, how are you?

Thanks so much for your comments and once again, I apologize for that inconvenience. We were truly sorry but now happy that you had a great experience overall and make some wonderful memories!

Chio

Kimkim does make things much easier, but it's...
Colombia | Dec 26 - Jan 3, 2020

H
Hannah K.
Brazil | Reviewed on Jan 07, 2020
Kimkim does make things much easier, but it's not the best option if you want to save money. For flights and hotels, we saved more than $500 booking everything on our own. Cartagena was great and it's the place I would have spent more time. The guide in Medellin was awesome and explained everything we saw and asked about! However, the guide in Bogotá was quite different. His English wasn't very good so it wasn't very easy to communicate. Perhaps this was the reason why he didn't explain... Read more

Kimkim does make things much easier, but it's not the best option if you want to save money.

For flights and hotels, we saved more than $500 booking everything on our own.

Cartagena was great and it's the place I would have spent more time.

The guide in Medellin was awesome and explained everything we saw and asked about!

However, the guide in Bogotá was quite different. His English wasn't very good so it wasn't very easy to communicate. Perhaps this was the reason why he didn't explain much of the things we were looking at during the tour. He'd just say that X thing was the most important. There was a moment where I asked about Monteserrate and he gave the wrong timeframe of the photo I was referring to.

When we went to the Gold Museum, he took us only to see basically 2 things which he said were the most important and didn't explain anything about why they were important.

We stopped by to grab a bite and agua de panela at La Puerta de la Cadetral and we paid for his food as well (which I didn't know we were paying for). He took the receipt after I paid.

The tour included Museo Botero, but we walked pass by it and didn't stop.

The tour was supposed to last 8 hours, but he said we were done a bit after 1 PM.

Local specialist: Chio Tabakman
Chio
Chio Tabakman
Local specialist in Bogotá, Colombia | Replied on Jan 07, 2020

Hi Hannah, how are you?

Thank you so much for your feedback and of course, we will look into what happened with the guide in Bogotá to make sure it doesn't occur again. For us is very important that our travelers feels that they enjoyed the experience fully and know they have people looking out for them!

It was my pleasure assisting you during your time in Colombia,
Chio