Daniel Larrea

This trip was an absolute blast and made so easy to plan with Daniel's help! It was really neat that we got to meet him upon arrival too :).

Everything was exactly as advertised and having our own guide/transportation the whole time was a HUGE plus. Our guides were very knowledgeable and awesome as being flexible if we wanted to try something else. We got to do so many awesome things and it was all fairly affordable - great quality all around. We especially liked our hotel in Quito that was really like a cute B&B. The breakfast was delicious and the staff was awesome with recommendations.

I would 100% recommend KimKim for travel trips and I'm currently working on planning my next trip with them!

Hotel Reviews

Kitu Hotel

Quito

This was such a neat experience! They had yummy breakfast and it was nice to know that it would all be ready for you. The staff was also incredibly helpful with any questions we had and they provided amazing recommendations.

Authenticity & Character

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Cleanliness & Comfort

Isla de Baños

Baños

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cuello de Luna Mountain Lodge

El Chasqui - Pastocalle

This hotel is definitely tucked away - which is normally great and relaxing. We were the only ones staying at the hotel so we had the chance to scare ourselves and each other a little bit :P. The rooms were nice and having the heated blankets was a big plus too! I liked the common area with the sunken in bench seating area. We had a very nice relaxing evening hanging by the fire and just visiting with each other.

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Activity Reviews

Visit Baños & Pailón del Diablo Waterfall

Baños

I really liked Banos a lot! We got to explore the city one night and had a good time dancing and went to the best hole in the wall restaurant. The waterfall was also VERY impressive

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Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest

Quito

This was so neat with the trolleys going across the rainforrest! it was beautiful and really cool to see the waterfalls and mountains.

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Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon - Baños

Ecuador

This spot was an incredible sight! It was definitely a HIKE. Originally we were going to take the burros back up the mountain after hiking down.....mine freaked out and I was thrown off. It didn't seem like the guides had the best handle on the animals. So I ended up hiking back up the mountain...it is STEEP! It's not undoable but it was definitely a trek and you'll need at least 1.5 hrs (and we were really trying to move fast up the hill to meet our friends who's burros didn't freak out). Besides all that drama the Lagoon is extraordinary and the pictures don't do it justice. 1000% recommend seeing it.

Quality of Experience

Food

We didn't really eat food at this location

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was organized extremely well and each day transitioned seamlessly. Every guide was so pleasant an knowledgeable. Each activity was memorable from snorkelling, kayaking to hiking the volcanos. The animals, so unique to the Galapagos, are such a fabulous experience to see. The giant tortoises, sea turtles, ubiquitous sea lions, marine iguanas, and of course the blue footed boobies!

Daniel is such a great guy and was always readily available which was so reassuring. The guides, drivers, and contact escorts were all lovely, prompt and knowledgeable. We highly recommend using Kimkim. We did all the activities we had wanted to do.

Hotel Reviews

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Such a quaint hotel with friendly, helpful staff. Great location in walking distance to parks and restaurants. We walked to the Old Town which took about an hour.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Galapagos Sunset Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

The roof top breakfast nook was great.

Location

Right on the water front, with a beautiful view of the harbour.

Staff

Friendly and courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable, it would have been nice to have a couple of comfortable chairs instead of 2 beds. The cupboard and drawers were a bit musty. Otherwise the room was very clean.

Hotel Deja Vu Galapagos

Pto. Ayora

Authenticity & Character

We stayed in two different rooms, each one very unique. The breakfast room was nicely laid out.

Location

Staff

Very helpful and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Authenticity & Character

A lovely court yard with swimming pool and eating area.

Location

Our room faced the beach which with a view of the palm trees, sand and turquoise water. Beautiful!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room and bed were very comfortable. The only suggestion would be to have more comfortable chairs or cushions for the poolside area.

Activity Reviews

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

Our tour guide, Solange was lovely and very knowledgeable. It was obvious she loves her work. The Interpretation Center provides a detailed history of the islands. It was the perfect place to start our arrival to the Galápagos. Tijeretas Hill gives you a great view and no shortages of sea lions!

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

Great views of fish and tortoises. Spectacular view of Kicker Rock o the boat ride out. Impressive stop for lunch in a quiet bay and opportunity to walk a near by beach.

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Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

The opportunity to learn so much about the tortoises and be able to get a couple of meters close to them. Who knew tortoises and cattle live side by side! The volcano lava tunnel was impressive and so educational. The conservation efforts for the tortoises is impressive and the guide was very knowledgeable.

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History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island

Puerto Ayora

We did not visits Floreana, but rather Bartolome.

Speedboat to Isabela Island - Las Tintoreras (Kayak)

Galapagos Islands

We really enjoyed the kayaking and seeing the sea turtles, sting rays, pelicans and blue footed boobies. The hotel accommodations we beautifully situated across from the beach with the view of the turquoise water. The walk up to the volcanos was one of my favourite activities.

Quality of Experience

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Daniel was a phenomenal specialist. He went above and beyond to make our trip to Ecuador's city of Quito and the Amazon Rainforest a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Not only did using kimkim service provide a meaningful experience it packed more into our trip than we could have done on our own with our limited Spanish and knowledge of the region.

I started planning this trip in 2019 and because of COVID, had to reschedule it a few times. It began with about 15 people in the group and we ended up with a group of seven senior women. Our guides on the mainland (Marco and Gorge) were outstanding, very patient and knowledgeable.

We spent two nights at the Napo Cultural Center which was the most memorable for me. The staff was very accommodating, food delicious and watching the macaws at the clay lick was amazing.

Kim Kim is a very useful and user friendly site for my trip planning. Daniel is very responsive and helpful in planning my itinerary to Ecuador. He adjusted the itinerary several times to accommodate my flight changes and preferences. He is friendly and knowledgeable, and provided a packing list for my reference. Daniela was also helpful and she set up a WhatsApp group for communication right before our trip.
The trip to Ecuador is very memorable. The country is beautiful and we had some good tour guides. The best guide was Darwin in Isabella Island in Galapagos. He took great photos and videos with his GoPro underwater and took the group to see a variety of marine life, including penguin, seahorse, sharks, sea lions, iguanas, sea turtles, birds, etc. It was absolutely fantastic to be so close to the animals in their natural habitats. Besides Galapagos, Quilotoa has stunning scenery, the Equator is fun to visit and the Quito historical town is very pretty.
The cons of the itinerary is that there is a lot of time spent on the car and/or boat each day. The hotel locations and the route can be further improved to reduce the driving time. This is especially true for our hotels in Quito, which were rather far from the attractions.
It would also be helpful if we get more information on the exact activities and what we should bring and wear each day, especially for the boat trips.
Overall, we had a very good trip in Ecuador and would love to visit again.

Hotel Reviews

Kitu Hotel

Quito

The hotel is quite old and the shower does not work so well. It is a bit noisy. However, the staff is very nice and friendly. It is also close to some good restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

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Posada del Mar

Santa Cruz

The owner is extremely helpful and nice. The location is very convenient and close to the pier. The room is big with a balcony. The hotel is very comfy.

Authenticity & Character

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Hotel La Jungla

Puerto Villamil

The hotel is far away and the hygiene is not good. The shower sometimes doors not have hot water. The room is big and has a sea view.

Authenticity & Character

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La Floresta

Baños

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

The hotel looks new and is clean and very comfortable. The location is not the most convenient for tourist attractions but it is close to many good restaurants. The design of the hotel is pretty.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful design

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Close to the airport, comfortable, clean and big room. The pool is tiny and the gym is small. But the restaurant is decent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

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Activity Review

Excursion to Los Túneles

Ecuador

The trip is wonderful and the best of my 2 weeks in Ecuador. We saw many marine animals in their natural habitats and were very close with them. Darwin was a fantastic guide and he took great photos and videos with his GoPro underwater. We saw penguin, sharks, seahorse, sea lions, giant sea turtles, colourful fish, etc. The ocean was stunningly beautiful. I wish we could snorkel for longer.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hello Daniel, this trip was quite an adventure. My favorite place was the Napo Cultural Center. I loved traveling the river in boats, the clay lick, the tower, our guide, Marcelo, and the wonderful staff.
The travel in the Andes to volcanos, caldera, etc. was beautiful and interesting. I don’t like moving hotels every night and some of the drives were too long. Our guide, Jorge, was very knowledgeable and helpful. I enjoyed having him with us. Two hotels stand out for me...in Quito the cultural Manor and CotopaxiPungo were both beautiful and interesting. The drive to the Cotopaxi Pungo was too rugged and long.
In the Galapagos, Bibi was excellent and then we had a mixture of guides. I would have appreciated more advance knowledge about the experiences, especially the trip to Bartolom, which I wisely skipped and would have been too much for me. Some of us went to Tortuga Bay which was very nice and should have been offered as an alternative. The hotel Deja Vu was nice, friendly and very well located. We all enjoyed it. (Ps...I was the oldest person in this group of 7)

Hotel Reviews

Boutique Hotel Cultura Manor

Quito

As a person who loves historical hotels and restoration, this was just right for me. Our room was charming and the common areas were pleasant and comfortable. We enjoyed dinner there one evening and 3 breakfasts in a lovely, sunny breakfast room. The staff were kind, attentive and helpful. I can’t speak about the location since we only used planned transportation.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cotopaxi Pungo

Cotopaxi Area

I enjoyed this hotel. The location was stunning. I loved fires in the fireplaces and the beautiful restaurant/breakfast space. My dinner was excellent and the activities manager took us for an exploration of the grounds with great enthusiasm.

Location

Views in all directions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were chilly

Hotel Deja Vu Galapagos

Pto. Ayora

Very nice for the Galapagos

Location

Walking distance to village, shops and restaurants.

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Colonial City Tour, Cooking Class & the Middle of the World Monument

Quito

Guide, Marco, was great. It was Sunday so we experienced the bustle of the city. We also all enjoyed the cooking class and the tasty lunch we created.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent guides and drivers. So appreciated.

Yet Another Day on an Uninhabited Island!

Ecuador

Needed more advance knowledge of long, rough boat trip. I wisely skipped this. Alternative could have been offered.

Free Morning - Afternoon Boat Tour

Ecuador

Walked this island and met the local wildlife. Beach. Lunch. Snack were amazing.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

Napo Cultural Center experience

Yasuni National Park

I loved this experience, guide, staff, indigenous presentation, tower, clay lick ., etc.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon - Baños

Ecuador

I didn’t hike down. Took lots of time.

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Great guide, lunch, introduction to tortoises, Darwin Center. Fun!

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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The whole process from first contacting Daniel at Kimkim to discuss the itinerary through to arriving back home at the end of the holiday was as seamless as it could have been. Daniel was super responsive throughout and always happy to talk through any changes to the itinerary we wanted, and the guides/drivers we had in Ecuador were similarly super helpful and friendly (Danny, Francisco, Segundo and Pablo).

All the accommodation booked was exactly what we wanted (the Huayna Capac suite at the Luna Volcan adventure spa in Banos was particularly amazing) and all the activities were excellent (horse riding in Cotopaxi national park was a favourite of the kids, despite the weather). There was a lot of travelling during the holiday but the vehicle Daniel booked was perfect and spacious for a family of four.

Iberia airline were awful throughout but that's nothing to do with Kimkim and in fact Daniel helped a lot by finally getting Iberia to return our luggage which they lost. So if you want a reliable tour guide I would recommend Kimkim.

Hotel Review

Luna Volcán Adventure Spa

Baños

Book the Huayna Capac suite if you are in a family of four and it is available, the views are incredible. Checkout is 1230 lunchtime so make the most of it and checkout at 1230....

Activity Review

Agroecological Farm - Mompiche

Quito

We only stopped here because it was en route to our final destination but so glad we did as it was fascinating to get a personal tour of the farm and amazing lunch.

I cannot say enough good about this the KimKim company and Daniel. Our trip was booked for March of 2020 and canceled because of Covid. The company and Daniel kept in touch over the difficult years and was always so helpful and pleasant. We were able to rebook our trip and go in March of 2022. It was a amazing and memorable trip. The communication was great and Daniel was on top of everything. It was nice to be able to meet him. I would highly recommend using KimKim to travel.

Hotel Reviews

Kitu Hotel

Quito

Amazing staff and nice accommodations. Good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blue House Youth Hostel

Quito

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nicky Amazon Lodge

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Such a great time in such a special place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

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Activity Reviews

Colonial City Tour, Cooking Class & the Middle of the World Monument

Quito

It get a little rushed and I wish we were told to bring our passports so they could be stamped. We also did not have time to see the original location.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Arrival at the rainforest

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Beyond amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adventure in the Amazon

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Indigenous Community, Laguna Grande, & Igapó

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Hiking & canoeing in the rainforest

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Farewell Cuyabeno! Return to the City

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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COVID Test at your Hotel

Ecuador

Didn’t have this… not applicable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands was very pleasant and enjoyable. Thanks to Daniel, my travel details were ironed out before , during and after the trip. I had issues with my covid test result being delayed and had a mild panic, anxious situation, but with Daniel help I was able to enjoy the rest of my trip, During the trip, Daniel was very easy and fast to reach when I had questions . He helped me speak to one of the receptionist over the phone because I couldn't communicate in Spanish . Daniel is very thorough when booking tours , he would follow through with the tour guides and made sure they were there on time and explained what I would expect on the tours. I also felt safe knowing that Daniel was only a call away via whatsapp. I'm using kimkim again for my next trip because my experience with Daniel's help made a huge difference.