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Emily Solís

Hello, I am Emily. I have a bachelor's degree in sustainable tourism. I am interested in knowing all about the culture, gastronmy, lige style of living, the beauties and the own particularities that characterized the countries. In addition, I love getting sole adventure, connect to nature, depend time with my family, travel and get cultural exchanges. Getting good experiencies is important to me, so I am glad to assist you in avieching your dream trip based on your request and needs.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"History and cultural experiencies
Hiking in Nicaragua volcanoes
Leisure time at beaches
Eco tourism
Rural community "

How did you get involved in travel?

"I began to acquire an interested in tourism when I was a Child and watched segments of programs that presented the culture, customs, gastronomy and unique resources that each country had to offer. I also liked to watch online videos of the reviews and experiencies that travelers had of the places they visited in our country and from that moment I thought that I would like to be part of that experience by assisting them to achieve their dream trips"

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"An experience that I will nevera forget was the time that with my friends we would go on excursions within the country and we visited beautiful places like the volcanoes, we also had the opportunity to make crafts that local artisans taugh us and it was a unique experience yo know and learn about processes and teachings that have been passed from generation to generation that allow to keep alive our culture and technique of works. And out day ending with a rainy day we enjoyed spending time together on one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen with its turquoise waters, and a wonderful point of view. Without a doubt it was a unique experience because besides getting to know, I was able to share with my friends"

Emily is part of the following groups: Panama Travel Agents, Nicaragua Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice

Recent trip reviews for Emily

Nicaragua Trip
Nicaragua | Jul 14 - Jul 22, 2024

Krista
Krista L.
Bellflower, CA | Reviewed on Jul 23, 2024

Emily made the best itinerary for me! And from the day I got there, I knew I was in good hands. I was able to do the volcano boarding, have some relaxation time, and go ziplining. I was very happy with my accommodations. I would def recommend Emily if you plan on going to Nicaragua!!!

Local specialist: Emily Solís
Emily
Emily Solís
Local specialist in Managua, Panama | Replied on Aug 05, 2024

Hi Krista,

Thank you for your kind feedback. I appreciate your kind words. It was my pleasure to assist you during the trip planning process as well as the follow up during your trip :D

I hope you had a great time in Nicaragua and you are always welcome

Fantastic trip to Nicaragua with great guidance
Nicaragua | Jan 13 - Jan 22, 2024

R
Riley B.
Bethesda, MD | Reviewed on Jan 23, 2024

Emily was an absolute pro at making me feel well looked after on this trip. She was wonderful about listening attentively to my needs and shifted her approach to the planning when some unexpected developments emerged shortly before and during the trip. The local guides and drivers were so hospitable and made me feel like a family member at every step of the way. I couldn’t have enjoyed this trip more!

Local specialist: Emily Solís
Emily
Emily Solís
Local specialist in Managua, Panama | Replied on Aug 05, 2024

Hola Riley

Thank you for your wonderful feedback. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed your trip in Nicaragua. The whole team was delighted to be able to assist you and give you the best possible attention. We hope you will come back soon :)

One of my best trips ever
Nicaragua | Jul 20 - Jul 28, 2023

Clare
Clare T.
Menlo Park, CA | Reviewed on Aug 09, 2023
My trip to Nicaragua was truly one of the best trips I've ever taken. Two things made it particularly amazing. First, I want to thank Emily, my trip organizer, who managed to put together a spectacular itinerary for me based on my interests and feedback. We went through several iterations with where to go/what to see/where to stay, etc, and she always responded quickly and kindly. I really felt like her goal was to make me happy, and she did not seem to mind all my questions and changes as we... Read more

My trip to Nicaragua was truly one of the best trips I've ever taken. Two things made it particularly amazing. First, I want to thank Emily, my trip organizer, who managed to put together a spectacular itinerary for me based on my interests and feedback. We went through several iterations with where to go/what to see/where to stay, etc, and she always responded quickly and kindly. I really felt like her goal was to make me happy, and she did not seem to mind all my questions and changes as we went through the process. I actually looked at a few other personal organization services like kimkim, but Emily went above and beyond to deliver the best itinerary for me, which included lots of walking, nature, culture, museums, seeing the big sights (Leon, Esteli, Granada, Ometepe, San Juan Del Sur, etc). I have a friend who was born in Nicaragua, and he looked at my final itinerary and said "this is nearly perfect...with this you will see as much as you can in 9 days).

The second aspect of my trip which made it great was my personal guide, Oscar Lopez. Somehow I seem to always have had luck with guides, but Oscar was absolutely wonderful, and probably the best guide I've ever had. Thank you to Emily for pairing us up! Oscar was so affable and easy going, and of course his English was perfect. He would give me a brief overview of the day's events in the morning (using a map to show me where we were going) and then in the evening give me an update of what was to come in the morning. If we said we would meet up at X time, he was *always* there and I think probably 10-15 minutes early! Another thing I really liked was he always offered to take a picture of me, or a video..so it felt more like my friend was there than a tour guide. He even took pictures when I did not ask, and then would faithfully send them to me at the end of the day. He was very chatty and extroverted, and willing to answer all of my many questions about all sorts of things. We had some great conversations during our drive around the country. He came to realize how much I liked hiking and walking, so if there was a chance to do extra hiking he always offered it (ie. "Let's do the difficult hike back up the volcano, Clare!" or "Here's road I've never been on...let's hike up there and check it out!"). If I wanted to add something or make changes, that was always fine and he'd say "You are the boss; it is your trip". He is an incredibly kind, thoughtful, generous, intelligent, wonderful person who became my friend. The next people who get him as a tour guide will be very fortunate indeed!

I thought overall the hotels I stayed in were fantastic, except for maybe one, and I think that has to do with there not being enough hotels in that city (Esteli). I felt very well prepared for my trip and only wish it could have been longer. I cried at the end, I was so sad to leave. I had a fantastic time and it will remain one of the best trips of my life.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel El Convento
León

I absolutely loved this hotel! So clean, wonderful staff, great breakfasts, and nice icy cold AC! One of the best hotels I stayed in during my trip. Great location as well right in the middle of the city. Would stay there again in a heartbeat.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Los Arcos
Estelí

Not my favorite hotel, but my guide told me it is one of the best in Esteli, so there you go! On the plus side, it was very quiet, had working AC, there is a restaurant downstairs, and the staff are all very nice. It is in walking distance from the city center. On the not so great side...the rooms look out into a hallway, the lights are fluorescent (feels sort of like a hospital), the hot water in the shower does not work, and I ended up being attacked by bed bugs (at least 30 bites). The room felt clean, but I had bites all over my stomach and legs and torso for days after. I would try to find someplace else if I go to Esteli again.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Plaza Colon
Granada

Loved this hotel! The hotel gets 5 stars, and Victor at the front desk gets 10! :) The hotel itself is just gorgeous and you feel like you are walking around at one of the finest resorts in the world. The rooms are huge, with patios and huge bathrooms. My room was spotless, and the AC was so nice to feel after walking around in the hot / humid city! This was one of the few hotels I stayed in as well which actually had working hot water in the shower. I could have stayed here a week. The breakfasts were very yummy, and they had a pool. It's right smack in downtown and within walking distance of everything. Victor at the front desk is a total star...helped me out and answered questions...always smiling and happy to help. I was ready to move in and only wish I could have stayed here longer! I saw other people mention the noise, but my room was in the back away from the street, so it was very quiet at night. Totally loved this hotel!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Victor was amazing!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Finca San Juan de la Isla
Altagracia

Who would have thought there would be a 5 star experience like this on the island of Ometepe? Truly this is one of the most unique and most amazing places I have ever stayed. I had my own little bungalow right on the beach, and only heard the waves and monkeys at night. It was so peaceful and serene. One of the few places I stayed in all of Nicaragua with a hot shower as well! It was super clean. The staff were so friendly and helpful, and the restaurant provides great service and food at very reasonable prices. I only wish I could have stayed here longer (like a month!) It is a magical place and I can't wait to come back.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel La Estación San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur

I really enjoyed this quaint little hotel, and don't judge the hotel by its facade! It looks a bit odd on the outside and rundown, but the interior rooms are very clean, bright, spacious, and well decorated. I had my own little balcony and it is mere steps from the beach. I picked this one over the Hotel Victoria and I am overall glad I did. My only not so great comment would be that the breakfast included is served across the street at a restaurant, and while the view from there is amazing (you are right on the beach!), the breakfast itself was probably the worst I had in Nicaragua. It was edible, but I would not pay to eat there again, which is odd, as I had a dinner there the night before and it was really tasty. Anyways, the hotel was great and I would stay there again...had a mini fridge which I found really nice to have while traveling.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Leon - City Walking Tour
Leon - City Walking Tour
León

Oscar did a wonderful job showing me the city.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cerro Negro sandboarding tour
Cerro Negro sandboarding tour
León

Really enjoyed the hike to the top and then sliding down. Oscar made me feel very safe and it was super fun. Wish we could have done it again, but would have been quite a hike again to the top!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
León - Juan Venado Island Motorboat Tour
León - Juan Venado Island Motorboat Tour
León

This was so fun! The guide was so good at spotting things to see!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Miraflor Nature  Reserve
Miraflor Nature Reserve
Estelí

Probably one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. Our guide, Carlos, was amazing. Started out as a 20 minute walk and turned into 3 hours...and a great jeep ride back to the city!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Esteli - Tisey Nature Reserve & El Jalacate (-L-)
Esteli - Tisey Nature Reserve & El Jalacate (-L-)
Estelí

Really enjoyed this day. Oscar went out of his way to make sure I saw the whole reserve, the waterfalls, and an extra hike to the top of a mountain so that we could make the most of our Sunday. I was supposed to have the afternoon off, but it was Sunday, and everything was closed. Oscar found an extra hike we could do and filled the day with more fun things for me. Above and beyond treatment. I was so grateful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Masaya Highlights : Artisan Market, The White Villages (Pueblos Blancos)&Masaya Volcano
Masaya Highlights : Artisan Market, The White Villages (Pueblos Blancos)&Masaya Volcano
Nicaragua

This was very fun! I loved the hike to the active volcano, and Oscar made sure I got the best views. I enjoyed the little artisan market and seeing how pottery was made. We made a few stops and got to do some extra walking.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Granada - Las Isletas Boat Tour
Granada - Las Isletas Boat Tour
Granada

This was much more than I expected! I loved seeing all the little islands, getting to take a walk on one, and being able to feed a mango to a monkey!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Mombacho Volcano - Crater Trail
Mombacho Volcano - Crater Trail
Granada

Loved our hike to the top! Oscar made sure I got to see everything, was able to take my time.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Ometepe Highlights
Ometepe Highlights
ometepe

Oh, I loved this island! I only wish that I could have had Oscar as my guide instead of Donald. Donald was very good, but I got very spoiled by Oscar and all the extra things he did for me. Nonetheless, Donald was quite good and made sure I got to see as much as possible. The driver of the car, Elma (Alma?) was also really nice and I enjoyed having a woman along for a bit!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Canopy tour San Juan del Sur
Canopy tour San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur

Super fun! It was much more than I expected, and the ride to the top was scary but the driver made me feel safe. Great value, and I was so happy Oscar could do it with me.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
San Juan del Sur Hiking
San Juan del Sur Hiking
San Juan del Sur

We hiked so much! Oscar showed me all around the city and was willing to keep going much longer than I was! I loved getting to see so much of the town.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Emily Solís
Emily
Emily Solís
Local specialist in Managua, Panama | Replied on Aug 05, 2024

Dear Clare,

I am very happy to have received your kind feedback. It was memorable for us to help you all the way from the time of the planning process to the time of the trip and saying goodbye.and we are very glad that you were able to enjoy your trip and that it was more than you expected. It was a pleasure for us to have met your expectations and we will be happy to assist you at any time. Oscar was delighted to be your guide and treat you as one of his friends.

I will be looking forward to meeting you if we have the opportunity to assist you again

All the best wishes for you

Panama Adventure
Panama | Mar 10 - Mar 18, 2023

Candace
Candace S.
Lewiston, ME | Reviewed on Mar 24, 2023
Overall, my husband and I had a great time on this trip we planned through KimKim. It was nice to have all the hotels, domestic air tickets and excursions handled by someone else as we typically do it all ourselves. All the guides were well-educated and friendly, arriving on time and were versed in the activity we were doing. We used "WhatsApp" to communicate directly with our guides which was very helpful. The hotels we stayed at were lovely and we will definitely go back again. The down... Read more

Overall, my husband and I had a great time on this trip we planned through KimKim. It was nice to have all the hotels, domestic air tickets and excursions handled by someone else as we typically do it all ourselves. All the guides were well-educated and friendly, arriving on time and were versed in the activity we were doing. We used "WhatsApp" to communicate directly with our guides which was very helpful. The hotels we stayed at were lovely and we will definitely go back again.

The down side to this experience was that there was a lot of changes once got to Panama which made things a bit confusing. Times changed significantly for many of our tours (though we actually liked the changes), but it was an effort to communicate to make sure everyone was on the same page. We also did not get the bed type we requested at our first hotel and were a bit cramped in a queen vs. a king or two doubles.

This is the second time I have used KimKim to assist with a trip. My first experience was to Columbia and our specialist resided in that country. This experience was very smooth and the communication among all parties was excellent. The specialist we worked with for Panama was located in Nicargua and was more complicated. Given this limited experience, my recommendation is to check out the bio of the specialist to whom you are assigned before you begin planning your trip. Make sure they reside in the country you are visiting, and if they don't, check out their reviews for planning trips there.

Hotel Reviews
Central Hotel Panama
Panama City

My husband and I stayed at the Central Hotel Panama for a total of 4 nights. It is in a fantastic location in the heart of Casco Viejo, with restaurants and shops all around it. The rooftop has a beautiful view of the city and has a nice small pool with lounges around it. The food and the staff in restaurant that is located one floor below the pool is amazing (get the Octopus!). A buffet breakfast is included and is served in the restaurant near the lobby on the main floor. We found it satisfactory, featuring a changing variety of items; however, most of the time the hot items were on the colder side and you wondered how long they had been sitting there. The staff also needed prompting to refill coffee, tea, etc. as they seem more interested in talking to each other than in helping the guests. We travel a lot and try to get hotel rooms with a bit more space. We reserved a Premium room for this reason but were suprised at how small it was. We even inquired to make sure that was the correct room type because there was barely enough space between the queen bed and desk to get to the bathroom. We had requested a king bed but did not receive it until we returned for our second stay at the end of the trip for one night. This beautiful hotel was the first hotel in Panama and has a lot of wonderful history. I gave it three stars because while we loved the location and the views on the rooftop, the service and food were not the best and the rooms were less than we were expecting based on the descriptions.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Central to everything in Casco Viejo
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Finca Lerida
Boquete

Hotel Finca Lerida is a beautiful, outdoor-oriented, single-story, bungalow-style resort located in the lush mountains of Boquete, with sweeping views of the area. My husband and I stayed for three nights in the rooms with the hammocks outside (can't remember their name!), which were near the highest part of the resort (up the mountain). These rooms are spacious though modestly furnished, with just a desk and chair besides the bed for furniture. The bathroom is very nice with a huge, glassed-in shower. The king bed was comfortable and we enjoyed the beautiful views from the room. I absolutely loved lounging in the hammock after our activities each day listening to the birds! The temperatures up here are cooler than in town, which we enjoyed. The restaurant serves a complimentary breakfast with a limited but adequate menu. Everything is made at the time of ordering and is prepared and served by a wonderful staff. You can eat inside or outside on a deck that overlooks a beautiful view while watching a variety of birds fly around. They also have a very nice dinner menu and we enjoyed one night dining here. The resort is also a well-known coffee farm, so you can see how coffee is made and try their various varieties. They offer different tours on the property and also have some hiking trails. We walked the #1 trail that takes you through the coffee bean bushes and moutains, which was fun (about 1.5 miles). Our favorite part of this resort was the tranquil nature of its location, the gorgeous scenery and the friendly staff. That said, you pay a price for this serenity, as you are 20 minutes up a high, winding mountain road, which is trecherous at night to drive as there are local people and animals walking the road and hard to see. If you want to have drinks and dinner in town, I would highly recommend getting a taxi which the resort can arrange. You want to avoid our experience which was to be returning from town after dark and we came face to face with a large construction truck, with nowhere to go. It was touch and go there for awhile as the truck wanted us to back down the mountain in the dark! Fortunately, my husband has steady nerves and managed to inch around the truck. If you like to be away from the hustle and bustle of town, and enjoy nature, this would be a wonderful choice.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Emily Solís
Emily
Emily Solís
Local specialist in Managua, Panama | Replied on Aug 05, 2024
Hi Candace, Thank you very much for your kind feedback which will help us to improve further. We are located in Panama and Nicaragua, having staff and offices in both countries allows us to offer the best possible assistance in the services provided. An apology for not specifying that the whatsapp communications were with me directly providing follow up to you during your stay. I am glad to hear that you had a pleasant time in Panama despite the last minute changes that were unfortunately... Read more

Hi Candace,

Thank you very much for your kind feedback which will help us to improve further. We are located in Panama and Nicaragua, having staff and offices in both countries allows us to offer the best possible assistance in the services provided. An apology for not specifying that the whatsapp communications were with me directly providing follow up to you during your stay. I am glad to hear that you had a pleasant time in Panama despite the last minute changes that were unfortunately out of our hands. Thank you again for your feedback which will undoubtedly help us to improve the quality of our services. All the best