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Emanuela Grieco

I am an Italian Travel Designer mostly based in Iceland.
Traveling has been my passion since I was young, being always fascinated by other cultures and people.
In 2005, after living and studying in Norway and Denmark, I got my degree in Scandinavian languages and cultures at the university in Rome and began to travel the world. I never stopped since then.
So far, I have been traveling for 20 years across more than 100 countries and lived in 12 different ones. And counting....
In 2016, after an unforgettable summer spent in Kulusuk, East Greenland, I went back to Italy to get a new degree as a Travel Designer in order to make my love for traveling becoming my job. So now here I am, on this amazing new adventure called Arctic Travel Designer, where I can finally help people making their Arctic dream becoming true.

In 2021 I published my first book: "The tiny book of traveling with an open heart.
A travel checklist, a mindful travel guide and a travel diary, all at one!".

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I specialise in customised experiential holidays across Iceland and Greenland. Having lived in both countries allows me to have a deeper insight about places and activities not to miss when visiting these stunning countries."

How did you get involved in travel?

"I am a globetrotter at heart, who loves slower paced travels, experiencing and taking my time to get absorbed by new cultures and people.
I mostly travel alone. My first solo trip was in 2003 when I discovered the beauty of exploring and discovering the world and simply never managed to stop since then. Traveling for me is not only a life style but it is my life in general. I simply can´t stay still in one place...and who would, when there is the entire world to be discovered out there?"

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"My most beautiful travel experience has been being part of "Viking Across Africa", the first overland expedition ever to go from Iceland to South Africa.
Back in 2013, together with other 16 adventurers, I traveled for seven months across 23 countries, for 22000 miles, on an old war truck, experiencing some of the most remote places and people in the world. The experience of a lifetime!"

Emanuela is part of the following groups: Iceland Travel Agents, Greenland Travel Agents, Iceland Family Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Road trip itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Emanuela

Emanuela planned the perfect trip for our fir...
Iceland | Aug 19 - Aug 25, 2023

R
Rebecca R.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Aug 26, 2023

Emanuela planned the perfect trip for our first visit to Iceland. It was amazing to have a detailed itinerary and suggestions for restaurants. It was a trip of a lifetime.

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco

Iceland is beautiful!
Iceland | Jul 16 - Jul 21, 2023

J
Jane B.
Goddard, KS | Reviewed on Aug 25, 2023
We had a nice trip in Iceland. The country is beautiful and easy to navigate.
In regard to Kimkim we had a few hiccups in booking everything, but nothing that wasn't taken care of before we left. (for example; they booked the wrong month for our Sky Lagoon tour and if I hadn't caught the mistake we wouldn't have been able to get in)
I also wish the itinerary didn't look so cut/pasted. I get each person has several clients to work for, but we pay for it. Nice to have the maps and pics....
Read more

We had a nice trip in Iceland. The country is beautiful and easy to navigate.
In regard to Kimkim we had a few hiccups in booking everything, but nothing that wasn't taken care of before we left. (for example; they booked the wrong month for our Sky Lagoon tour and if I hadn't caught the mistake we wouldn't have been able to get in)
I also wish the itinerary didn't look so cut/pasted. I get each person has several clients to work for, but we pay for it. Nice to have the maps and pics. Also, when I went to print out the itinerary is was going to be 38 pages for a 5day self drive trip! No one wants to lug around 38 pages of stuff! While all of it is useful, u can easily font down the print and take off the 3" heading at the top every single page! (You only need to put that information on the very first page.) I did exactly that and was bale to get it on 14 pages, which when printed front/back was only 7 pages. Much more manageable.
The hotels were just ok, although we paid for upgraded hotels. I guess this may be the best Iceland has to offer.
Will not use Kimkim again as I felt it was more work to go through the agent than if I would have booked it all myself. We travel extensively every year and I do all the planning. Thought I would try out having someone else do all the research, but found it isn't worth the extra $$.

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Aug 31, 2023
Hi Jane,
thank you for your feedback and glad you had a wonderful time in Iceland.
The itinerary could have been easily used online if printing it was such an issue for you, as you also got your driving maps and links to be used online on your phone.
Also, the itinerary was not a copy-pasted one and fully personalised and I am sorry if giving you 38 pages of info was too much work for you to handle. My travelers usually appreciate it and that is the first complaint I ever had of this sort....
Read more

Hi Jane,
thank you for your feedback and glad you had a wonderful time in Iceland.

The itinerary could have been easily used online if printing it was such an issue for you, as you also got your driving maps and links to be used online on your phone.
Also, the itinerary was not a copy-pasted one and fully personalised and I am sorry if giving you 38 pages of info was too much work for you to handle. My travelers usually appreciate it and that is the first complaint I ever had of this sort.

I am sorry if my help was not appreciated and I wish you the best for your next self-organised adventures.
Emanuela

Absolutely beautiful trip.
Iceland | Aug 4 - Aug 14, 2023

Jenna
Jenna S.
Largo, FL | Reviewed on Aug 23, 2023
Absolutely beautiful trip. The detail and time put into our itinerary made our trip stress free. We will definitely suggest Kimkim and Emanuela to our friends if they plan a trip to Iceland. Read more

Absolutely beautiful trip. The detail and time put into our itinerary made our trip stress free. We will definitely suggest Kimkim and Emanuela to our friends if they plan a trip to Iceland.

Activity Reviews
Ice cave tour under Katla glacier
Ice cave tour under Katla glacier
Vík

The Ice cave was beautiful. It was so humbling to see how global warming has effected these stunning glaciers and caves. Our tour guide was super funny and really loved his job. It was by far one of the most amazing stops in our trip

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Whale watching tour  in Hauganes
Whale watching tour in Hauganes
Akureyri

The guides were very knowledgeable about the whales usually in the harbor and explained to us the migration patterns of the three groups on whales. They tried to get us as close as possible to the whale so we could see the markings and get some pictures before they would deep dive again

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lava Cave Explorer Tour
Lava Cave Explorer Tour
Iceland

The lava cave was really awesome. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about how the lava tube was created and took the time to answer questions along the way. It was an amazing adventure and was very family friendly

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Geothermal bakery
Geothermal bakery
Golden Circle

Of all the rye bread we tried in Iceland this was by far the best. The people even gave us a recipe card and instructions to try and make it at home in the oven.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Food Walking Tour
Food Walking Tour
Reykjavík

The food tour was a wonderful way to learn about the history of Reykjavik and get to try so of their most popular dishes. Our guide was very kind and funny. We really wanted us to have a good time and enjoy ourselves

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Arrival and Sky Lagoon
Arrival and Sky Lagoon
Reykjavík

The Sky lagoon was amazing. It was the perfect way to start off our trip after a long overnight flight. The facility was clean and everyone was very friendly. The view was stunning from the lagoon and the 7 step ritual was so relaxing.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Aug 28, 2023

Hi Jenna,
thank you so much for the beautiful review you have written for me and the time you took to do so.
It means the world to me to know you had a wonderful perfect time on your honeymoon.

I wish you all the best and I hope to have you back again, one day.

Emanuela

Highly Recommended! The trip was planned exactly as we had asked....
Iceland | Aug 3 - Aug 10, 2023

G
Geoffrey R.
Canada | Reviewed on Aug 14, 2023

The trip was planned exactly as we had asked. Emanuela was prompt and efficient at dealing with the minor issues that arose. Highly recommended!

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Aug 15, 2023

Dear Geoffrey and Susan,
how lovely it has been to connect with you since the beginning of your trip planning.
I am so happy you had a wonderful time in Iceland and thank you for your beautiful review.
All the best,
Emanuela

It was a fantastic experience all around.
Iceland | Jul 25 - Jul 31, 2023

Axel
Axel v.
Gaithersburg, MD | Reviewed on Aug 05, 2023
It was a fantastic experience all around.
Planning the trip was easy with simply stating our interests and Emanuela assembled and booked the itinerary. We had plenty of input during the trip planning to make sure everything we wanted was included.
The trip summary and itinerary was well organized with sightseeing suggestions, food choices and reservation details. Each day had it's own plan with driving details through Google maps.
During the trip Emanuela was available via WhatsApp for any...
Read more

It was a fantastic experience all around.
Planning the trip was easy with simply stating our interests and Emanuela assembled and booked the itinerary. We had plenty of input during the trip planning to make sure everything we wanted was included.
The trip summary and itinerary was well organized with sightseeing suggestions, food choices and reservation details. Each day had it's own plan with driving details through Google maps.
During the trip Emanuela was available via WhatsApp for any urgent questions or issues. She was very helpful and made our trip a lasting memory.
We will definitely be back and booking with her again!

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Aug 09, 2023

Thank you so much for your beautiful words, dear Axel!
It has been a pleasure to connect and plan together your trip!
I hope to have you back here one day!

All the best,
Emanuela

As a young woman, I had my worries about trav...
Iceland | Jun 15 - Jun 28, 2023

Olivia
Olivia G.
Bozeman, MT | Reviewed on Jul 30, 2023
As a young woman, I had my worries about traveling solo without a tour group or travel companion. Emanuela helped my every step of the way! I had the most amazing trip of my life, a great combination of wildlife watching, hiking, and sightseeing! She organized everything perfectly where I could focus on relaxing and having fun. She was available to communicate with, even on Iceland Independence Day where she should have been off work. She was happy to receive updates from me on my travels and... Read more

As a young woman, I had my worries about traveling solo without a tour group or travel companion. Emanuela helped my every step of the way! I had the most amazing trip of my life, a great combination of wildlife watching, hiking, and sightseeing! She organized everything perfectly where I could focus on relaxing and having fun. She was available to communicate with, even on Iceland Independence Day where she should have been off work. She was happy to receive updates from me on my travels and checked in on me when I had gotten quiet. She helped me with everything, from making payments on my schedule with KimKim, reserving tables for me at restaurants for dinner, and acting as my digital travel companion over the course of my trip. I am really glad I booked with KimKim because Emanuela really seemed to know all of the secret spots and hole-in-the-wall restaurants with the very best food and cozy atmospheres. She created detailed daily itineraries for me including excursions I had requested as well as new experiences that were so rewarding. I was always so grateful to be traveling alone at my own pace, since I was able to see and do every single thing I wanted! I will forever be grateful to her for supporting me on my first big solo trip, and making it absolutely perfect. I am not kidding when I say I cried happy tears multiple times over the course of the trip, and sad tears when I had to leave!

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Aug 15, 2023

Thank you so much, dear Olivia, for your heartwarming review. I could feel it was truly written with love and I really appreciate it so much.

It has been wonderful to connect with you and help you having the time of your life in Iceland.
I am sure you will be back again and I will be always available for you.

All the best for now and a big hug,
Emanuela

We had a great trip to Iceland and would love...
Iceland | Jul 7 - Jul 15, 2023

T
Tiffany H.
Northern Cambria, PA | Reviewed on Jul 18, 2023

We had a great trip to Iceland and would love to come back! Emanuela reached out before and during our trip to make sure everything was going smoothly. Fortunately we didn’t need any assistance but I’m confident it would have been promptly provided if we had needed it. Just FYI, the monster bounce house and zip line are no longer at Perlan in Reykjavik.

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Jul 20, 2023

Hi Tiffany,
thank you for taking the time to write this beautiful review of your trip and for the if provided.
Very happy you had a wonderful time with your family and that everything went smoothly.

It has been wonderful to stay in touch with you.

All the best for now and I hope to have you back here again, one day!
Emanuela

Best holiday of my life!
Iceland | Jun 25 - Jul 6, 2023

Rahul
Rahul S.
the United Arab Emirates | Reviewed on Jul 09, 2023
This was the best holiday we have ever been on. We'd like to thank Emanuela and the team that worked with her to arrange this. Before the trip the service and responsiveness from Emanuela was excellent - she was quick to clarify options and to come up with suggestions and ideas based on our queries.
The itinerary was excellent and allowed us to see so much of this beautiful country. The accommodation was also top class - we loved virtually all of the places we stayed in. I have provided...
Read more

This was the best holiday we have ever been on. We'd like to thank Emanuela and the team that worked with her to arrange this. Before the trip the service and responsiveness from Emanuela was excellent - she was quick to clarify options and to come up with suggestions and ideas based on our queries.
The itinerary was excellent and allowed us to see so much of this beautiful country. The accommodation was also top class - we loved virtually all of the places we stayed in. I have provided more detailed reviews below of the individual places where we stayed.
The car was perfect and WiFi device provided with the car was just superb. We were amazed by the Internet coverage even in remote areas of Iceland!
The activities proposed by Emanuela were also excellent and loved every one of them. Here are some details about our accommodation and experiences:
1. Foss Hotel Baron was excellent - our suite was large and comfortable and had a great view facing the sea. The bathroom was great, breakfast was good and the view facing the sea was also excellent. Location was not perfect as it was away from the centre of town… but that was OK and did not affect us much.

2. We enjoyed the amazing Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik - did not want to come out and spent several blissful hours there.... very unique experience! All our friends have seen the amazing pics on Facebook and now want to do the same!

We also did the Fly Over Iceland in Reykjavik - what an amazing experience! It was exciting and we really felt we were flying over Iceland... We all loved it - very well done and memorable. We visited the Whales of Iceland museum and again really enjoyed it with my 17-year old very interested in the guided tour where we learned so much. The huge life sized models of the whales were amazing and we spent a lovely couple of hours here. We also went to Perlan and again thought it was excellent.

3. We had two very enjoyable meals at Hlemmur Matholl. Very cool place that was walking distance from our hotel... and we also could not believe it was just a bus station in the past! The meal from Krost was excellent with some good wine and beer as well. Thanks for suggesting this!

4. Snorkeling in Silfra was the most unique experience of all. Very enjoyable and exciting. Our guide - Gabriel was our guide - he was top class and really made us feel comfortable. Some feedback for your information: The dive.is team at Silfra was very busy ... probably too busy - if you ask me they have too many people and our 11am dive eventually happened at 1pm - they were quite backlogged and I feel that they need to cut down on the number of people. But we were in no hurry and really enjoyed the unique experience. I will be writing to dive.is with some detailed feedback as I feel they are not equipped to handle the large volume of people that are being booked in summer.

5. The Kerid crater and the walk around it was wonderful and also a new experience for us to walk around a dormant volcano. It was beautiful and we got some beautiful pictures.
We missed out on Geysir and Gulfoss waterfall as the road was closed... and we did not have enough time to go around the other way.

6. Hotel Arnarstapi was a very special experience. We really liked the stand alone 2-bedroom suite - it was well designed and very comfortable for the three of us. The location was just spectacular as it was not far from the cliff walk. We did long walks along the cliffs and enjoying the sights of all the sea-birds roosting on the cliffs. The place had a wild beauty that we fell in love with... could not stop snapping pics!
The Snjofell restaurant on site was top class - a beautiful setting with excellent food and service. We had a memorable dinner there.

7. The VATNSHELLIR lava cave was also an interesting experience and our guide Irina was wonderful.

8. We were a little apprehensive about the Acco Apartment when we were standing outside in the street. But once we went in we were super happy with the beautiful and spacious apartment. It is beautifully located and has amazing views. It is comfortable with all of the amenities and really enjoyed the evening there. In fact my wife wanted to stay another night in the apartment - she liked it so much.
The breakfast in the Cafe Berlin was excellent - the best breakfast on the trip. The staff were super nice and very competent and professional. We'll be giving Cafe Berlin 5 stars on tripadvisor.

9. The Whale and Puffin tour was amazing - we ended up seeing 3 different humpback whales and all three of us were thrilled. We also saw dolphins and of course the puffins were wonderful. The guide - Victoria was wonderful and funny and did a great job. A very memorable experience and a first for us as we had not seen Whales before!
We had lunch in Húsavík at the Salka Restaurant - again an excellent meal that we all thoroughly enjoyed.
Later the Godafoss waterfall was lovely and we enjoyed the walk to and from it.

10. The Sel Hotel at Myvatn was just wonderful. I think it was my wife's favorite place. The rooms had beautiful views and we loved the surrounding area. The staff were very helpful and we enjoyed a good meal at the restuarant of the hotel. The Pseudocraters of Skutustadir were wonderful and we enjoyed walking among them and the lake area. In the evening we went to the Myvatn Nature Baths and very much enjoyed the experience and the views. We explored e DimmuBorgir rock formations and the Grjotagja cave with the hot water inside.
We had lunch at Vogafjos farm - another superb sugestion - the food was excellent and we enjoyed it very much.

11. The horseriding at Safarihestar, Safari Horse rental was a major highlight for me. They were truly wonderful and patient as my wife was very nervous and they handled her perfectly. The horses were beautifully trained and very obedient. I loved the landscape and the setting and took so many photos from horseback. Thanks for suggesting this wonderful experience.

We very much enjoyed the Hverir Bubbling Mud Pots... a truly unique experience that none of us had had before.

Móðir Jörð restaurant with its wonderful vegetarian food was probably our favourite restaurant in Iceland! We loved the food and setting and had our coffee in the greenhouse and loved wandering around the lovely area.

12. Hotel Egilsstadir was lovely as well. We loved the setting and the warm bar area was so nice - my wife and I stayed up until late having a couple of drinks. The staff were superb and very helpful and friendly.
We later visited Seydisfjordur - the drive to that village was beautiful and very memorable.

13. Hofn Inn guesthouse: The accommodation was spacious and it was clean and functional. It was comfortable for the few hours we spent there - but it was not our favorite. They had an unusual rubber floor instead of carpet which felt odd. But everything was comfortable and we are just being a bit picky as all the other accommodation was superb.

The amphibian boat tour was excellent and quite a unique experience. We saw some seals in the lagoon which was wonderful.

14. The snowmobile tour on Vatnajokull glacier was just out of this world. Sven our guide made it very enjoyable and put my wife at ease as she was quite nervous. Very special experience that we will not forget.

14. The Kria hotel in Vik was just superb. We loved our corner room - 101 - and the views of the mountain opposite. What a special location! We had dinner at the hotel restaurant which was excellent and the next day had lunch in Restaurant Suður-Vík - I had the best softest lamb dish here.

15. Finally the Ice Cave tour with our guide Maria was amazing - my wife bonded with her as she really lokked after my wife and held her hand through some areas where my wife was a bit apprehensive.

16. The last night at the Hotel Keflavik was also very nice. We expected a functional airport type hotel - but were very pleased with the quality of the hotel and the view toward the sea.

If we could give 6 or 7 stars to Emanuela we would! Thanks for a memorable experience which we will remember for the rest of our lives.

Activity Reviews
Whale and Puffin Watching Tour
Whale and Puffin Watching Tour
Husavik

It was a phenomenal experience. Our guide Victoria was excellent - funny and informative and also very non-nonsense when it comes to safety etc. We were given thick waterproof overall to wear on top of our clothes - which was excellent - as it was quite windy and cold - but the overalls kept us warm throughout. The boat was not large and was a speedboat which is essential to be able to maneuver and quickly get to where the whales are. They also had a good system of keeping in touch through the radio with other boats / spotters so that they know in real time where to go to see the Whales. Before we saw the whales we really enjoyed the puffins! They are beautiful birds and we learned a great deal about them.... we saw hundreds of them which was amazing. We saw 3 different humpback whales on our tour - with one of them getting very close to the boat - on one occasion - only about 15 or 20 feet away. We saw the whales come up on multiple occasions and then dive down. It was an almost spiritual experience for me to see these huge but gentle animals so close. The experience was awesome and I would not miss it for anything.

Quality of Experience
The sight of a beautiful huge whale coming up right next to us and blowing and then diving down!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Victoria was awesome and funny and very informative
Horseback on the Lake
Horseback on the Lake
Lake Mývatn

Is it possible to give an experience 6 or 7 stars? We just loved the horse riding in the unspeakably beautiful environs of Lake Myvatn - a big thank-you to Emanuela for recommending this! The people at Safarihestar, Safari Horse rental - were just awesome. My wife was very nervous and they handled her perfectly calmed her down and handled everything very professionally. The horses were superbly trained and just followed the lead horse. Although none of us were very experienced horse riders, we were comfortable all the time. We rode along the margin of the lake and then into the wild area. It was unspeakably beautiful and I could not stop taking photos whenever I had the opportunity. A superb experience - 7 stars - highly recommended!

Quality of Experience
The personal care, the well trained, gentle horses and the astounding scenery!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Great care and patience. We always felt we were in good hands.
Vatnshellir Lava Cave Tour
Vatnshellir Lava Cave Tour
Snæfellsnes Peninsula

The experience of going into the lava cave and learning all about it from our guide Irina was excellent. My 17-year old daughter was very interested in the details and kept talking about it afterwards. We really enjoyed the experience and found Irina to be excellent - she had great knowledge, was uncompromising about safety - but had a good sense of humor and made it fun.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Silfra Snorkeling
Silfra Snorkeling
Iceland

The most unique experience - very special to be snorkeling between two tectonic plates! Our guide Gabriel was excellent, caring, funny and very friendly. He did a great job and gave us an experience that we will never forget. When you are in the water and snorkeling between the tectonic plates, it feels very special and you feel like pinching yourself! I have not given 5 stars for this activity because I found that dive.is has taken on too many people and is not able to process this volume of tourists effectively. The expected 30-minute prep took 2 hours. Our 11am snorkel in fact started at 1pm. Our group of 6 people also had two issues with the equipment/dry-suits as two of them were leaking. There seems to be too much pressure on the guides to keep things moving and weight of numbers of tourists is too high. My strong recommendation is that dive.is review what is a realistic number of tourists and cut down a little bit. They should charge higher prices if need be but it is important to reduce the volume of people to keep it fun and enjoyable and safe.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Gabriel our guide was just awesome. His sense of humour helped one of our party which was nervous to relax. He was professional and made it a special experience for us
Relax in Reykjavik and Sky Lagoon
Relax in Reykjavik and Sky Lagoon
Reykjavík

Nothing short of top class. The Sky Lagoon is magical and an amazing experience. The design of the lagoon is beautiful and the water temperature is wonderful. There is a beautiful pool bar and the changing facilities are first class. The seven step experience is amazing and must be done. The view from the dry Sauna is outstanding.

Quality of Experience
The beautiful design of the lagoon itself
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Staff are super helpful and friendly
Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Jul 10, 2023

Hi Rahul,
I just want to personally thank you for your wonderful review, and the time you took to write all your happy feedbacks. This has truly made my day!
I am so happy to look at your pictures and see smiles and know that you had a wonderful time with your family.

It has been truly a pleasure to stay in touch with you for all this time. Thank you for your trust!

All the best to everyone and I hope to have you back here again, one day!
Emanuela

Emanuel’s worked with us to customize a great...
Iceland | May 26 - Jun 3, 2023

R
Ric A.
Lawndale, CA | Reviewed on Jun 04, 2023
Emanuel’s worked with us to customize a great itinerary and investigate all the possibilities for fun along the way. Read more

Emanuel’s worked with us to customize a great itinerary and investigate all the possibilities for fun along the way.

Activity Reviews
Sky Lagoon
Sky Lagoon
Reykjavík

The absolute best. Don’t miss. Must do. Very cool. Everyone having a great time.

Quality of Experience
Free day in Reykjavik
Free day in Reykjavik
Reykjavík

Funday in town, a few museums and shopping. Dinner at Fiskgelid was delicious.

Quality of Experience
Drive back  and more of the South Coast
Drive back and more of the South Coast
Vík

In retrospect, probably could have travelled directly from Westmann island tour back to Reykjavik, rather than returning to Vik and the retracing our steps the next day.

Quality of Experience
A Day at the Westmann islands
A Day at the Westmann islands
Vík

Fun ferry ride, followed by boat tour with local guide. Lots of birds, caught a glimpse of a whale

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The local guide on the boat tour
Transport
Snowmobile tour on Vatnajokull glacier
Snowmobile tour on Vatnajokull glacier
Jökulsárlón

Unbelievable. Really fun - we had perfect weather. Drive up and back in giant truck on extreme road was almost as fun as the snowmobiling. Had the glacier all to ourselves - beautiful pictures

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon amphibian boat tour
Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon amphibian boat tour
Iceland

Didn’t get to do - hurricane force winds forced cancellation. The lagoon itself is a “ don’t miss” activity. Looked like it would have been fun

South Coast
South Coast
Vík

Great jumping off point for multiple day trips. Town is cute as a button and has a gigantic Icewear store.

Quality of Experience
Food
The Brewhouse was surprisingly great. Good selection of craft beer made on the premises and delicious food choices.
West Iceland
West Iceland
Borgarnes

Snaefelles National park was fantastic. We had a great weather day for the drive around the peninsula.

Quality of Experience
Food
Both meals; at Englendingavik, and Bara Olstofa were excellent.
Transport
B59 hotel was adequate but not special. Clean, but run more like a youth hostel ( one of the floors) than a full service hotel. Many things in the room had mechanical or design problems - all small, but irritating.
Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Jun 06, 2023

Hi Ric and Suzanne,
thank you so so much for your lovely feedback and your beautiful review.
It fills my heart with joy to hear you had a wonderful time and truly appreciated the beauty of what Iceland can offer.

It has been a pleasure to stay in touch with you guys, you have always been the kindest.
I hope to have you back here again one day.

All the best,
Emanuela

Great experience using KimKim for our trip to...
Iceland | May 8 - May 13, 2023

E
Edward V.
Lexington-Fayette, KY | Reviewed on May 18, 2023
Great experience using KimKim for our trip to Iceland. Emanuela was helpful obtaining hotel reservations we were unable to get on our own. She seemed to get the best rooms at the best hotels for us. Daily itineraries including maps, travel times, sights to see and places to eat were so helpful. This gave us the confidence to go out on our own to explore instead with a tour group. I would definitely use again when a first time traveler to another region of the world. Read more

Great experience using KimKim for our trip to Iceland. Emanuela was helpful obtaining hotel reservations we were unable to get on our own. She seemed to get the best rooms at the best hotels for us. Daily itineraries including maps, travel times, sights to see and places to eat were so helpful. This gave us the confidence to go out on our own to explore instead with a tour group. I would definitely use again when a first time traveler to another region of the world.

Hotel Reviews
The Reykjavík Edition
Reykjavik

Amazing service. Breakfast buffet was excellent.

Magma Hotel
Kirkjubæjarklaustur
The Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland
Grindavik

Incredible accommodations along incredible service made for an amazing stay

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on May 19, 2023

Hi Edward,
I just want to thank you so much for this beautiful review.
I truly appreciate it and, most of all, it makes me so happy to know it all went well and that you had a wonderful time in Iceland.

All the best,
Emanuela

Unforgettable Iceland
Iceland | Apr 3 - Apr 11, 2023

Guillo
Guillo C.
Suitland, MD | Reviewed on Apr 17, 2023
Our ten day trip to Iceland was very memorable where the tour arranged by Emanuela allowed us to see and do a lot in a very short time. The first thing that caught our eye was the beauty of Iceland. Emanuela arranged a car rental for us and we drove over a thousand miles where we saw lava fields, dozens of water falls, glaciers, gorgeous remote coastlines, and snow capped mountains. Emanuela also arranged plenty of activities which engaged us and our teenage kids. This included snow... Read more

Our ten day trip to Iceland was very memorable where the tour arranged by Emanuela allowed us to see and do a lot in a very short time. The first thing that caught our eye was the beauty of Iceland. Emanuela arranged a car rental for us and we drove over a thousand miles where we saw lava fields, dozens of water falls, glaciers, gorgeous remote coastlines, and snow capped mountains.

Emanuela also arranged plenty of activities which engaged us and our teenage kids. This included snow mobiling, hikes, an ATV tour of the coastline, ice cave hikes, glacier hikes, and hikes at waterfall sites. It was a packed schedule but appreciated the nice hotels with warm cozy rooms, plenty of hot water, and good food.

We do recommend that if you travel to Iceland in the Spring to buy offshore sailing gear (foul weather gear). It rained 8 of the 10 days we were in Iceland and when the rain comes down sideways, it does sting. Good foul weather gear will protect you and keep you toasty.

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on May 17, 2023

Hi Guillo,
I am so happy to hear you and your family had a wonderful time here in Iceland, despite the crazy weather.

Thank you for the lovely words you wrote for me and I hope to have you back here again, one day.

All the best,
Emanuela

Family trip of a lifetime - a beautiful adventure
Iceland | Apr 3 - Apr 11, 2023

Rachel
Rachel C.
Fairland, MD | Reviewed on Apr 14, 2023
We had such a wonderful time on this trip! I am so grateful to Emmanuala and her team. I could never have organized such a trip myself - to know where to stay and which activities to do. It took so much stress out of the planning. Every day had a program, and we stuck to it. The highlights were both the Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon (beginning and end of the trip), and the ATV adventure. Even in the rain it was awesome! The fun surprises were the beautiful photos at Diamond Beach, the... Read more

We had such a wonderful time on this trip! I am so grateful to Emmanuala and her team. I could never have organized such a trip myself - to know where to stay and which activities to do. It took so much stress out of the planning. Every day had a program, and we stuck to it. The highlights were both the Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon (beginning and end of the trip), and the ATV adventure. Even in the rain it was awesome! The fun surprises were the beautiful photos at Diamond Beach, the extra-strong winds at Dryhoemy (55 km/hr), the blue of the ice cave with the spring river rushing through it, and the wonderful food wherever we went. We were also impressed by Icelandic infrastructure and architecture - which really keeps out the cold! We missed out on the glacier walk because of the strong winds, and didn't get to see the northern lights - so perhaps we'll have to come back. Overall it was a wonderful experience that I would recommend to others.

Activity Reviews
Whale Watching Ólafsvík
Whale Watching Ólafsvík
Iceland

We got really lucky and saw humpback whales and several orcas and their babies. While it was awesome to see these creatures in the wild, the water was pretty choppy, and not for the faint of heart (or stomach). It is an outdoor boat - so cold, and there was competition for the best spots on the rails to get photos. I'd still recommend this experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
ATV tour
ATV tour
Vík

This was fantastic! Not only is it fun to be on the ATV, but you see different landscapes - the black beach, the ocean, the valley the airplane... The guide stops and explains what you are seeing, and there are wonderful photo ops as well. This was our family's favorite thing that we did.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco

Emanuela was great every step of the way! Res...
Iceland | Apr 2 - Apr 7, 2023

S
Sweta P.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Apr 11, 2023

Emanuela was great every step of the way! Response time was impeccable and to me that’s the most important sign of excellent service.

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Apr 11, 2023

Thank you so much, dear Sweta!

Dream Greenland trip became a reality
Greenland | Feb 28 - Mar 10, 2023

Katie
Katie R.
College Park, MD | Reviewed on Mar 15, 2023
Emanuela helped make my dream Greenland trip a reality. She was super responsive throughout the entire trip, ready to rearrange an activity when any unforseen circumstances came up due to weather, and would check in to make sure everything was going well. Everything exceed expectations, and we were grateful to have Emanuela and her expertise to help navigate Greenland's hotels, DMCs, and more. 10/10 recommend. My highlights:
- Boat tour through UNESCO Ilulissat Icefjord
- Version of an...
Read more

Emanuela helped make my dream Greenland trip a reality. She was super responsive throughout the entire trip, ready to rearrange an activity when any unforseen circumstances came up due to weather, and would check in to make sure everything was going well. Everything exceed expectations, and we were grateful to have Emanuela and her expertise to help navigate Greenland's hotels, DMCs, and more. 10/10 recommend.

My highlights:
- Boat tour through UNESCO Ilulissat Icefjord
- Version of an Inuit kaffemik in Oqaatsut
- Seeing the Northern Lights
- Dog sledding over frozen lakes
- Drinking wine while enjoying Ilulissat sunsets from our hotel room, epitome of "room with a view"

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Mar 16, 2023

My dear Katie,
thank you so much for your words and for such a nice review.
It has been a pleasure to connect these past months and a lot of fun to plan your Arctic honeymoon together.

And I am very happy that the overcome exceeded your expectations and that, in a way, I managed to share my love for Greenland with you and Brendan.

Thank you for your trust and for your kindness and hope to have you back somewhere up here again, one day,
Emanuela

Had a wonderful Golden Circle trip with Proko...
Iceland | Feb 16 - Feb 21, 2023

V
Virginia S.
West Falls Church, VA | Reviewed on Feb 22, 2023

Had a wonderful Golden Circle trip with Prokop and an amazing South Coast tour with Toby. Kids loved off roading in the land rover en route to the ice cave. Spent a rainy afternoon at Perlan, which was very interesting. The strike of the restaurant and housekeeping workers was a bit disappointing, but nothing we can do about that!
Overall a great trip and we would return, hopefully in the summer to see puffins and whales.
Thank you very much!

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Mar 09, 2023

Thank you for your feedback and review Virginia, and so happy to hear you had a wonderful time with your family.
It was lovely to stay in touch while you were here and I hope to have you back again, one day.

Emanuela

Amazing trip
Iceland | Jan 2 - Jan 7, 2023

A
Ana R.
Puerto Rico | Reviewed on Jan 08, 2023
We had our first trip with Kim Kim to Iceland and Emanuela Grieco was our travel designer. By providing her our must and nice to see, she was able to coordinate a trip itinerary that ensure we maximize our time in the country and we were able to do and see all we wanted. Her experience and recommendations were exactly what we were looking for. She was very attentive and responsive before and during the trip. The hotel selection was comfortable and with a great location to walk around... Read more

We had our first trip with Kim Kim to Iceland and Emanuela Grieco was our travel designer.

By providing her our must and nice to see, she was able to coordinate a trip itinerary that ensure we maximize our time in the country and we were able to do and see all we wanted. Her experience and recommendations were exactly what we were looking for. She was very attentive and responsive before and during the trip.

The hotel selection was comfortable and with a great location to walk around to the recommended places of the city. She provided a written itinerary, inclusive of sightseeing and restaurants suggestions. If you are coming to Iceland, Emanuela is your person.

Activity Reviews
Snorkeling at Silfra fissure
Snorkeling at Silfra fissure
Selfoss

The snorkeling experience is a unique one, however the preparation period during the cold weather was difficult. The companies managing this tour should be able to attend this process better for the group as well for the guides.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
South Coast  on small group tour - Day 1
South Coast on small group tour - Day 1
Skaftafell
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide was Asi from Troll Experiences and we was very attentive, telling stories about the locations, changing music based the place or story he was telling and knowledgeable of questions we had.
Transport
Ice cave tour and back to Reykjavik - Day 2
Ice cave tour and back to Reykjavik - Day 2
Iceland

This has a great experience, hiking in the glacier and learning about its changes provides perspective.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Kostas was our tour guide and he was patient with the team understanding the different people needs.
Transport
Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Jan 14, 2023

My dear Ana,
thank you for your beautiful review, just a day after you came back from your trip!
Starting the new year with happy travelers is wonderful. Your happiness is mine and I truly appreciate your kind words.
Hoping to have you back here again, one day.

All the best to all of you,
Emanuela

Emanuela was so very helpful and accommodating ....
Iceland | Sep 16 - Sep 27, 2022

L
Laurie A.
Beckley, WV | Reviewed on Nov 17, 2022
Emanuela was very helpful and accommodating . She provided us with the perfect itinerary, capturing as much as possible of sites and experiences that mattered most to us. She was able to make adjustments as our travel plans changed and was extremely helpful when we were faced with an unexpected Icelandic storm, throwing everyone into a state of emergency, and causing our Zodiak iceberg tour to be cancelled. She urged us to leave the area quickly and found us new accommodations further... Read more

Emanuela was very helpful and accommodating . She provided us with the perfect itinerary, capturing as much as possible of sites and experiences that mattered most to us. She was able to make adjustments as our travel plans changed and was extremely helpful when we were faced with an unexpected Icelandic storm, throwing everyone into a state of emergency, and causing our Zodiak iceberg tour to be cancelled. She urged us to leave the area quickly and found us new accommodations further South. The next morning the ring road was closed from our new location northward. We would have been trapped without her assistance. Instead, we had 2 more very lovely days to explore Vik and surrounding area with plenty of time to regroup in Reykjavik before heading home. Though we enjoyed all of Iceland, our favorite place was Seydisfjordur, where we stayed with Hotel Aldan (Highly recommend them). We loved our room in the Old Bank and they served the best breakfast of our entire trip. This is also where we finally witnessed the Northern Lights' splendor. Shout out to Martin (works with Anton) - our guide on our Northern Lights tour in Lake Myvatn, who taught us a lot about how to look for them and, though we did not see them that night, I credit him with teaching us how to find them the next.

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Nov 20, 2022

Dear Laurie,
thank you so much for this beautiful note and your kind words. It was lovely to be in touch with you since the beginning of your planning and, indeed, what an adventure you got when the storm hit South Iceland! Luckily we managed to make it work and you could enjoy the rest of the trip without issues.

Thanks again for having booked your trip with me and I hope to have back here again one day.

All the best,
Emanuela

8 Day Complete Excursion
Iceland | Oct 1 - Oct 9, 2022

D
Daniel W.
Randolph, NJ | Reviewed on Nov 01, 2022
I was a bit skeptical with using a professional because I have always booked my own trips, but I will say that it was 100% worth giving up the reigns with Emanuela. She took just a few tidbits of what I was looking for and was able to deliver really the perfect trip. There were so many examples of places that I would have missed seeing because they were tucked away off the main road. Emanuela provided a very detailed, but simplified itinerary that I was able to follow without any issues.... Read more

I was a bit skeptical with using a professional because I have always booked my own trips, but I will say that it was 100% worth giving up the reigns with Emanuela. She took just a few tidbits of what I was looking for and was able to deliver really the perfect trip. There were so many examples of places that I would have missed seeing because they were tucked away off the main road. Emanuela provided a very detailed, but simplified itinerary that I was able to follow without any issues. Thank you Emanuela, I hope to have another trip in the future!

**If you usually book your own trips like I do, I would suggest for Iceland that you avoid that. I met people who were "doing their own thing" and so many of them seemed a bit lost and missed the off-the-beaten path sights. For Iceland specifically, I'd highly recommend using a local professional like Emanuela.

Activity Review
The Secret Lagoon
The Secret Lagoon
Iceland
Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Nov 02, 2022

Hi Daniel,
thank you for your beautiful review and your super kind words.
It was a pleasure and very funny to stay in touch while you were traveling and enjoying Iceland. I am very happy you made the most out of your time here and you managed to see all the great spots that were on your detailed trip plan.

Thank you again for having booked your trip with me and for the trust.

Emanuela

Emanuela was incredibly responsive and answer...
Iceland | Oct 14 - Oct 21, 2022

Ian
Ian M.
Evans, GA | Reviewed on Nov 01, 2022

Emanuela was incredibly responsive and answered all my questions. There were some great recommendations that we checked out and found some of our own…definitely include the “Icelandic Phallological Museum” for places to see on Reykjavik 😁

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Nov 02, 2022

Hi Ian,
so happy to hear you had a wonderful time in Iceland and you enjoyed my recommendations.

All the best to both of you and come back soon!
Emanuela

Iceland Expectations Exceeded!
Iceland | Oct 2 - Oct 11, 2022

Allison
Allison G.
Oak Ridge, TN | Reviewed on Oct 17, 2022
Our trip to Iceland was our first trip with Kim Kim and we have already recommended both (Iceland and Kim Kim) to friends. Emanuela Grieco was fabulous to work with. She developed a trip itinerary that checked all of the boxes for things I wanted to see and do in Iceland. Her expertise was invaluable in knowing what were the not-to-miss sights and experiences as well as what might not be worth our time or further driving distance. Some of our favorite things were hiking Fjadrargljufur... Read more

Our trip to Iceland was our first trip with Kim Kim and we have already recommended both (Iceland and Kim Kim) to friends.

Emanuela Grieco was fabulous to work with. She developed a trip itinerary that checked all of the boxes for things I wanted to see and do in Iceland. Her expertise was invaluable in knowing what were the not-to-miss sights and experiences as well as what might not be worth our time or further driving distance. Some of our favorite things were hiking Fjadrargljufur Canyon, Skogafoss and the trail that starts above it to so many beautiful waterfalls, and up along the river to Hengifoss.

Our accommodations were exactly what we had asked for and Emanuela planned our itinerary for the perfect driving distance between each stop so there was time to enjoy the sights and relax in the evenings. We loved her restaurant recommendations from elegant dining in unexpected places (Narfeyrarstofa in Stykkisholmar) to casual, non-touristy breweries (Ölverk in Selfoss).

We also truly appreciated that Emanuela was looking out for us during our trip. At one point a big storm was headed to Iceland and Emanuela got in touch to make sure we knew to headed to our next destination early, before the Ring Road was closed. She managed a couple of tours that were canceled because of the storm and made sure we were refunded - no extra work for us. With her guidance we were safe and sound!

Activity Reviews
Vatnshellir Lava Cave Tour
Vatnshellir Lava Cave Tour
Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Driving around Iceland you see plenty of lava fields but seeing what lava does underground is amazing!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Silfra Snorkeling
Silfra Snorkeling
Iceland

Silfra Snorkeling was one of the most unique experiences of our trip. The water was so blue, so clear and so cold! But the equipment kept us comfortable and we have a great story to tell!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Oct 18, 2022

Hi Allison,
Thank you so much for your beautiful review and the time you took to write it.
What a pleasure it has been to follow you on the road, in such an adventure on one of the first storms of Iceland!
Thank you for sharing your amazing photos while you were traveling and happy we managed to create together exactly what you were looking for on your Iceland trip.

All the best to both of you and I hope to have you back here again, one day,

Emanuela