
Duncan Campbell
Iceland touched me like no other place has before. It's vast sweeping vistas, its powerful, evocative elements, and its sheer beauty - at times desolate, at others, luxurious - has for me made it the premier travel destination bar none.
Having been born and brought up in South Africa with an innate passion for nature and the outdoors, I have always been drawn to explore the diverse landscapes and inhabitants - human and otherwise - of this wondrous and curious world. It's also a means to really getting to know oneself, which I've found is a life-long endeavor, and it's taken me to places as distinct and dissimilar as the Namib desert and Zanzibar, Patagonia and the Utah slickrock country, the Italian Apennines and Delhi's Chandni Chowk, and now, the mother of them all, Iceland.
As an avid traveller, maps are my bedrock, and while poring over them is a delightful pastime in and of itself, they also fuel the excitement that builds through that most essential aspect of the trip: planning. My experiences have helped hone my approach to travel preparation so that efficiency and openness to spontaneous opportunity are harmonious bedfellows. Thus far, it's a mantra that has served me well.
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"Tailor-made trips to explore the untrodden paths and untouched beauty of Iceland: help travelers discover lesser-visited parts of Iceland and add flavor to the more frequently traveled routes; provide personalized service to make sure your holiday is all about you; offer local expertise to provide an authentic experience."
How did you get involved in travel?
"Having lived for almost 20 years in the US, I moved to Italy in 2006, launching myself into travel-related initiatives such as self-publishing an online magazine focused on monthly events, local personalities, seasonal food recipes, and "hidden havens"; making presentations on the appeal of my adopted home in Le Marche; and conducting tours to local attractions, all with an off-the-beaten-track bent. When my new-found passion for Iceland guided me to Iceland Offbeat, I realized I'd found the ideal environment to channel my energies through a shared philosophy towards travel."
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"On a moody, overcast morning in northern Iceland, along with my wife and son I walked up to the rim of the Hverfjall crater. Upon getting to the top, I was immediately filled with a raw emotion that brought me almost to tears - the black earth sweeping away in every direction, the sense of a living earth beneath my feet, a feeling that I was in the presence of the gods."
Duncan's favorite itineraries and travel advice
Top itineraries and travel advice

With two weeks in Iceland, you can complete the entire Ring Road and add incredible detours. This grand tour will take you to all the best places giving you plenty of time to...

Ten days in Iceland is a perfect amount of time to complete the rightfully famous Ring Road. Alternatively, you have time to explore up to three areas in-depth. A great option...

Have only 5 days to explore Iceland? While it might be tempting to stay in Reykjavik and do day trips from there, we recommend to head out into the country side using one of...
Family itineraries

Drive Iceland's south coast for a memorable family adventure in just under a week. After getting to know Reykjavik, you'll check off blockbuster natural sites in the Golden...

Leave your cares behind you on this rejuvenating 10-day Icelandic family adventure that kicks off in the iconic Blue Lagoon Spa and ends with a journey into the icy heart of the...
Road trip itineraries

With 10 days on the road, you can discover a variety of regions and landscapes as you loop around Iceland's famous Route 1 (Ring Road). This moderately paced self-drive...

With two weeks in Iceland, you can complete the entire Ring Road and add incredible detours. This grand tour will take you to all the best places giving you plenty of time to...

With seven days in Iceland, hit the road and explore the incredible wonders farther afield from Reykjavik. Explore a variety of landscapes: volcanoes and lava fields, green...
Recent trip reviews for Duncan
Awesome trip. Saw so much in 10 days and real...
Iceland
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Aug 3 - Aug 13, 2023

Awesome trip. Saw so much in 10 days and really appreciated having to plan so little!! Totally worth the cost and wil use kimkim in the future. read more

Thanks so much for your great and informative review, Jennifer. It was a pleasure to work with you and I'm really glad you had such a wonderful time with your family. Thanks for the pics as well, I always enjoy seeing travelers in situ. Wishing you exciting adventures in the future.
Duncan
Duncan made us feel well taken care of and th...
Iceland
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Jul 6 - Jul 15, 2023

Duncan made us feel well taken care of and the itinerary was fantastic. I was a little concerned about accommodations but we stayed in nothing but lovely places and the food all over Iceland was delicious. A beautiful country and the self drive option is the way to go! read more

Thanks so much for your positive review Carol, I'm so gald you enjoyed it, particularly after your fall. You have a great attitude and it was a pleasure working you. Looking forward to welcoming you back to Iceland sometime in the future.
Trip driving the Ring Road around Iceland.
Iceland
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Jul 7 - Jul 18, 2023

Duncan did a great job of planning our driving times and giving us so many options on sights and hiking. The hotels were nice and very accommodating. We enjoyed having the breakfasts included, made for a good send off every day.
The sights were amazing. The activities he planned for us were great, the 3 water parks were so relaxing, the walking on a glacier was a first for us, the zodiac boat ride with the icebergs was fantastic.
All the hiking we did each day was an experience in sights... read more

Hi Nels, thanks so much for your great review, it's much appreciated. I'm so glad your trip went well, and the you were able to get a really good taste of Iceland's wonders. I wish you smooth and rewarding travels in the future.
Outstanding Itinerary
Iceland
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Jul 7 - Jul 18, 2023
We were very pleased with the entire trip. The itinerary worked out just perfectly. The pre-booked activities were excellent, especially the zodiac ride, glacier hike and the Sky Lagoon. Duncan’s suggestions for hikes and points of interest were very helpful; we did many of them. The accommodations were very good with the exception of Heradsskolinn Guest House.
So very glad that we booked with Duncan and Kimkim and would recommend the company to others. read more

Hi Robert, thanks so much, I appreciate your positive review, and am really happy things worked out well for you. It's very useful to hear which aspects of your trip were highlights, and it would be equally useful if you could share your experience at the Heradsskolinn Guest House so that we could learn for the future.
Iceland
Iceland
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Jun 9 - Jun 18, 2023
Duncan was a terrific planner and guide for our first trip to Iceland! He listened to our interests and provided terrific options. The itinerary, restaurant suggestions, and optional activities were all first-rate! When we had a few questions during our trip, Duncan was immediately available & always helpful! Overall a great experience! Thank you Duncan!!!

Marion, thanks so much for the great review. I'm really pleased you and your family had a great trip, it was my pleasure to help create it.
Regards
Duncan
My son and I had the trip of a lifetime! Havi...
Iceland
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May 18 - Jun 1, 2023

My son and I had the trip of a lifetime! Having Duncan and our local person to contact as well was the way to plan a trip. They helped us when weather unexpectedly changed our plans, they also made our trip exactly like we asked them too! Each activity was exactly what we wanted and more. I look forward to using them in the future.
read more

Thanks so much for this glowing review, Julie, I'm so glad you and Jacob had a great experience.
Regards
Duncan
A family adventure in Iceland
Iceland
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Jun 9 - Jun 17, 2023

Our family of five had an amazing trip to Iceland. I am so appreciative of the itinerary Duncan put together for our family. You could tell he listened to our families’ interest in planning the trip. Finding activities to interest three kids ranging from 19 to 13 in age. The country of Iceland is unlike anywhere we have traveled, pictures do not do it justice.
We had a chance to see a lot of the country during our visit. Driving in Iceland was very easy especially with access to... read more

Erin, thank you so much for your detailed review. I am so glad you had good weather and were able to experience everything to the full. You were a real pleasure to work with!
Iceland is an incredible country to visit! And Duncan/KimKim can make it happen!
Iceland
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May 8 - May 18, 2023

Iceland is an incredible country to visit! It has so many things to offer...and it is so varied...and how to see everything? Duncan, who organized our trip and KimKim who provided him the necessary backup did an absolutely amazing job! To see so many sights and to do so many activities in a short period of time and enjoy every step of the way is an impossible feat but Duncan and KimKim did it. Thank you. It will be a life time memory for my wife and me and the other couple who went with... read more

Bill, thanks so much for your wonderful review. I'm so glad you created wonderful memories in Iceland. Travel well in the future!
Our trip to Iceland with friends was excellen...
Iceland
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May 8 - May 18, 2023
Our trip to Iceland with friends was excellent. We had a wonderful time. Duncan allowed us to have the very trip we wanted.

Thanks, Jim, for your positive feedback, I'm really pleased you had a wonderful time.
Wishing you great travels in the future.
Duncan
Our trip to Iceland was great!
Iceland
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Mar 4 - Mar 12, 2023

Kimkim made it very easy to follow the plan our travel agent, Duncan, laid out for us! Would definitely use this service again and recommend to a friend read more

Thanks for your positive words, Samantha!
First trip to Iceland
Iceland
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Oct 3 - Oct 10, 2022
Working with KimKim (and Duncan in particular) was great! This trip was our first time using kimkim and our first time visiting Iceland. Duncan was very responsive to our requests and planned a great introductory trip to Iceland, including some must-see stops plus some stops off the beaten path. We especially enjoyed Mosfellsbakarí, Sky Lagoon, and Seljalandsfoss. We would've loved to stay longer at 360 Hotel & Thermal Baths. Overall, it was an amazing and memorable trip. I'm looking forward... read more

Hi Cathrynne, thanks so much for your positive feedback, it's greatly appreciated.
Regards
Duncan
Dream Team
Iceland
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Dec 6 - Dec 15, 2022

Duncan was a dream to work with. Our trip was meticulously planned and laid out for us. All we had to do was follow it. We appreciated Duncan checking in during the trip to ensure things were going well. When we requested to change a planned event, he was quick to cancel for us. We would definitely work with Dunan and KimKim again!

Thanks for your positive review Sonnya, you were always easy to work with and positivie throughout. Happy travels for the future.
Reliable, resourceful, responsive and fair
Iceland
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Sep 22 - Oct 1, 2022

Our trip to Iceland was unusual in many predictable and unpredictable ways. The Iceland Offbeat team stepped up to the plate and provided a high quality of service and support before and during the trip.
Starting at the planning phase, they had to deal with different expectations and requests from the 2 travelers, both for activities and hotel stays. Duncan did a great job in showing different options for both of us.
During the trip we faced unpredictable challenges, beginning with me... read more

Thanks for your kind words, Marcos, I hope that despite the disruptions to your schedule, your trip was still compelling, energizing and fulfilling.
Five of the most amazing days ever.
Iceland
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Oct 9 - Oct 14, 2022
We did so much in five days that my head is still spinning. The detailed plan, with driving directions and all confirmations and reservations made it possible to stay on schedule and see as much as we possibly could. Duncan worked with me to make changes as needed before the trip, including some last minute changes due to a traveller not being able to go with us. It all worked out with minimal stress for me. Duncan's expertise and knowledge of Iceland was invaluable, and resulted in a... read more

Thanks so much for your glowing review, John. It's great to get such detailed feedback on all aspects of your trip. You and your sons certainly packed it all in, never wasted a moment, and truly immersed yourself in the country. I'm so pleased that the rewards you received were commensurate with the effort you put into it. Now for the east, the north and the west! :)
Duncan
Iceland 11 Day Self Drive
Iceland
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Sep 23 - Oct 3, 2022

Thank you Duncan for arranging our 11 day self drive adventure in Iceland. Also, thank you to a local agent, Sigurdur, who provided much needed information when our wifi didn't work.
We definitely recommend KimKim to all our friends. Your complete plan was easy to follow and allowed for just the right amount of time to drive from one destination to the next. The hotels were all clean with great beds. All the little things really do add up. We would never have been able to see as... read more

Thanks so much for your review, Kathy, it was a pleasure working with you. Your positive outlook throughout made it easy, even when things weren't going quite as planned. I wish you and Bob all the best in your future travels!
Duncan
Duncan was an amazingly responsive and intuit...
Iceland
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Sep 24 - Oct 2, 2022

Duncan was an amazingly responsive and intuitive specialist, understanding the types of adventures & experiences, places of both common and unusual interest, and level of difficulty (hiking) that we sought for our first trip to Iceland. Given that we were traveling in fall, we had to make a few "audibles" given the weather, and he was able to redirect our itinerary without missing a beat. He checked in on us during our trip (which was a positively wonderful touch), and made some additional... read more

Thanks so much for your generous review, Laura. I am so glad your trip turned out as well as it did, and that you left feeling fulfilled and full of Iceland's rare energy. It was a real pleasure to work with you and to 'meet' you (albeit virtually). Now you need to plan a return to see the country's other diverse wonders - the Eastfjords, the North and the Westfjords! I wish you great travels in the future.
Duncan
This has been an amazing trip, Duncan has bee...
Iceland
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Sep 19 - Sep 28, 2022

This has been an amazing trip, Duncan has been extremely efficient in always providing responses very quickly and in great detail. I would not hesitate to work with Kimkim again!!! Special thanks to Duncan for all the support he has provided to us.

Thanks so much for your great review, Aleksandra, you've been a pleasure to work with. I hope your trip was rewarding and all you hoped it would be, despite the storm and all the cancellations.
Great planning by Duncan!
Iceland
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Aug 22 - Aug 26, 2022
Duncan did a great job planning out our trip and accommodated for our flight days by mixing in high energy and low energy days. He even had restaurant suggestions for our specific dietary needs! read more

Thanks Rom, I'm pleased you got some footage and enjoyed the food, personally I enjoyed putting it all together. It was a full 5 days, from what I can tell!
Regards
Duncan
Beautiful and fulfilling Iceland vacation!
Iceland
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Aug 22 - Aug 26, 2022

We had a great trip to Iceland that was planned out by our guide Duncan. He was very responsive to questions and helped coordinate based on our requests. The trip was based on the Golden Circle.
The trip started easily with the car rental. Driving around Iceland was quite easy. Duncan had given us a route and itinerary based on location so we can maximize our time. The weather was amazing so that made the site seeing easier. The waterfalls were amazing and each was different from the... read more

Kannan and Rom, thanks so much for the great review! I'm thrilled you had such great weather, enjoyed the accommodation and the food, and also saw puffins! Seems like you had a very active 5 days, I hope you returned home suitably tired yet energized at the same time, and also fulfilled.
All the best
Duncan
South Iceland & Snaefellsnes 1 week trip
Iceland
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Aug 5 - Aug 12, 2022
Duncan was a fantastic guide. He listened to our preferences and clearly tailored a trip to our desires. He spaced the hotels well to keep the driving very manageable each day, but at the same time we covered a lot of ground and felt like each day we still saw a lot! His food and hike recommendations were great. He was responsive and helped give us options to adjust our trip if we needed based off how the day was going.
Our favorite moments of the trip were:
Glymur waterfall hike
Blue... read more

Thanks so much for your review, Anil, and the feedback on activities and hotels, it's great input for the future. I'm so glad that everything worked out well.
Duncan