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Esther Ruempol

Travelling and discovering new places is one of the things I love most in life, and the best part is to share these special places with our travellers. Our goal as a local specialist is to design your ultimate dream holiday, with a focus on sustainability and authentic experiences.

We like to make sure your trip has a minimum negative and maximum positive impact on the destination you visit. To this end, our accommodation portfolio consists of luxury lodges that have been verified and are known to have a sustainability mindset. They make a genuine effort to contribute positively to the nature, wildlife, and local communities in their direct environment.

I firmly believe that luxury travel and sustainability can co-exist and be integrated with your personal wishes to ensure you have the holiday of a lifetime!

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"South Africa is definitely my specialty. I have lived and worked here for the past 11 years and I have travelled extensively. I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to have seen a lot of accommodations and visited many of the highlights as well as off the beaten track destinations.
In addition, I make regular visits to the countries surrounding South Africa and I have also gained a lot of knowledge on Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique."

How did you get involved in travel?

"When I was 18 and had finished high school, I was not sure what to study and so I embarked on a solo-trip to Australia for 8 months. This was the best thing I could have done and when I came back I decided to study tourism!
I have never looked back since then. Travelling is in my blood, I love discovering new places and especially to use those experiences to plan the perfect trip for my clients.
"

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"That first trip to Australia is something I will never forget. Australia is an immensely large country and because I was there for 8 months and travelled around a lot, it gave me so many different experiences. There are many beautiful and different types of landscapes, activities from wine tasting an visiting the vineyards to driving a 4x4 and diving and snorkelling on one of the islands bay the East Coast.
It also taught me a lot of things about myself and about (solo) travelling in a new country you have never been to. Some of these things I can still use today when designing a tour for my clients. "

Top itineraries and travel advice
Road trip itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Esther

JJ in the first part of our trip was an outst...
Madagascar | Oct 11 - Oct 26, 2025

G
George H.
La Vista, NE | Reviewed on Oct 27, 2025
JJ in the first part of our trip was an outstanding guide. He was charming, easy going and astonishingly knowledgeable. I can’t recommend him highly enough. Read more

JJ in the first part of our trip was an outstanding guide. He was charming, easy going and astonishingly knowledgeable. I can’t recommend him highly enough.

Hotel Reviews
Masoala Forest Lodge

Excellent. Rustic and expensive but how they manage to maintain the offer in such challenging conditions is astonishing.

Anjajavy Lodge

Very expensive but very very good and astonishing for where it is located.

Le Soleil des Tsingy
Palissandre Côte Ouest
Morondava
Relais des Plateaux & Spa

Don’t buy the inclusive dinner for travellers. It’s a poor second to the full menu which is not expensive in any event.

Relais de Mantadia
MAISON GALLIENI
Antananarivo
Intercontinental Johannesburg O.R Tambo Airport
Johannesburg

About as good as an airport hotel can be (which are so often deeply disappointing)

Local specialist: Esther Ruempol
Esther
Esther Ruempol
Local specialist in Johannesburg, South Africa | Replied on Oct 28, 2025

Hi George, thank you so much for your review and the feedback. We are thrilled to hear you had a wonderful time in Madagascar and will be sure to pass on your compliments to the guides and lodges!

Amazing Africa Journey
South Africa | Sep 17 - Oct 11, 2025

Ron
Ron B.
Canada | Reviewed on Oct 27, 2025
Follow up to second rating above: we met Esther on WhatsApp at the beginning of our trip, mid-Sept this year after arrival in South Africa. All of our messages with Esther over the next ~6 weeks were met with quick and supportive responses.
Importantly for us, Liz and Tshepo were two local specialists who spent most of the last 12 months planning this trip. The itinerary they helped plan was overall perfect for us. Communication via messages was prompt, clear, helpful and friendly. Changes we...
Read more

Follow up to second rating above: we met Esther on WhatsApp at the beginning of our trip, mid-Sept this year after arrival in South Africa. All of our messages with Esther over the next ~6 weeks were met with quick and supportive responses.
Importantly for us, Liz and Tshepo were two local specialists who spent most of the last 12 months planning this trip. The itinerary they helped plan was overall perfect for us. Communication via messages was prompt, clear, helpful and friendly. Changes we suggested were made.
We had the trip of a lifetime. From minute one, any concerns we had about arrangements disappeared. Escorts, drivers and transfers at airports and activities were consistently flawless. We felt cared for and secure.
Overall, from Day 1, the trip got better and better. We discovered Tshepo and Liz had included activities in each spot that went above and beyond what we thought we wanted. We soon realized where our money was going! The accommodations and excursions exceeded our expectations, e.g., Ocean View House in gorgeous Camps Bay, Marine Big 5 tour, a 25 minute helicopter flight over Victoria Falls and more!
Our biggest unexpected issue was a delayed flight resulting in missing connecting flights to Uganda gorilla excursion. From the moment about 1150pm that we messaged Liz, she pulled out all stops to rearrange this tour which was so important to us. By the following morning, she had a new itinerary for us which was again perfect.
We were fortunate all around.

Hotel Reviews
Sultan Sands Beach Resort

Very nice resort on the Indian Ocean. Spectacular location. Staff were lovely. Very friendly and accommodating. Unfortunately can't remember the name of a few special staff. Food met expectations. We upgraded to all inclusive - were a little confused as the all inclusive had exclusions. Evening entertainment was very good. Room/cabin on the beach was very nice. The food at the Indian restaurant was spectacular.

Mara Simba Lodge

The lodge was not fenced so wildlife such as monkeys and antelope could wander through which was fun. Location on a river was great. Waiter, Daniel took us under his wing. Service was excellent. Buffet food was good. Jane at the front desk was very helpful. Internet service could be improved. Our driver Sam was great taking us on game drives. Extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, very experienced guide and it showed. We were very fortunate to have him as our private tour guide for our 5 days in Kenya. We would love to go back to Mara Simba.

Lake Nakuru Lodge
Nakuru

Thanks to Sam, our dedicated driver and guide from Nairobi to Maasi Mara, we thoroughly enjoyed our introduction here. A scenic setting with good food and accommodation that Sam made into a great introduction to Kenya safari drives. Thanks to all the helpful staff*****. The lodge seemed older compared to other accommodations?

Tamarind Tree Hotel
Nairobi

Good for our brief overnight stay after airport arrival. Good for sleep, shower and breakfast. No time to check out other amenities. Please provide water as necessary in a liberal way - namaste.

Ichumbi Gorilla lodge

How can a lodge in such a remote, difficult access spot get 5 stars?! Well, because of how extraordinarily service-oriented they are! Fabulous people. They cleaned our boots post gorilla-extravaganza when we would have been unable to; they went above and beyond with food, drinks and service for dinner, breakfast and bar, despite being in a rural situation. They saved my (Rosella) life with a post- gorilla trek deep tissue massage in our room - thanks 'Maria', I know that's not quite right - sorry.

Protea Hotel by Marriott Entebbe
Entebbe

We ended up being here for a whole day and night instead of a couple hours as a result of a missed flight to Bwindi and a revision of our itinerary. Scenic location with good amenities - we took advantage of the downtime and sat by the pool after walking around the site, which was under renovation. The room, the balcony, the Lake Victoria view, the restaurant and the bar were perfect. We would go back in a minute - Immaculate*, please be there to help us - you are a treasure! Ronald, you're also a rock star - thanks for your assistance with storing some luggage for us while on restricted transport - that was so helpful and kind.

Old Drift Lodge
Victoria Falls

Once again, we did not expect the magnitude of what we received. Superlative site for luxury stay in a scenic environment with wild animals and unique birds in their natural habitats. Four excursions were included in our two nights - a sunrise and a sunset river bird game cruise, a Falls guided walk, and a land game and bird drive. OMG! We somehow won the lottery to get Jeremiah for all 4 excursions! We benefitted from his vast knowledge, experience and attitude to safari living as well as to life in general. Thank you. The food and staff were extraordinary - so friendly and helpful and interested in their clients. The added breakfast at their associated restaurant on the gorge - wow! Luckily, or maybe not, no elephants drank from our pool while we were in it!!

Camp Shawu

Camp Shawu in Kruger was our first safari camp ever - how lucky were we to be here for our initiation into game drives and safari camp life!! The people**** wow! Steven, Sifiso, Bellinah, Harold and the fabulous cook were extraordinary beings. Steven the camp manager could not have done more to make our stay amazing - above and beyond! Sifiso was like an animal in another life with how in tune he was with so many animals in the vicinity. He was connected and knowledgeable and understood their behaviour and life - this allowed us some fascinating experiences. Thank you Bellinah:) Thank you Cook for local meats for our inaugural tries. Harold, you also are connected at a deep and spiritual level with your role - wow! We would stay anytime we could.

Rickety Bridge Manor House
Franschhoek

Sadly, it was short and sweet. The building, site, room, and furnishings were world class. Wine tasting was outstanding; recommended restaurant was superlative. Thanks to the owners for going above and beyond.

Harbour House Hotel
Hermanus

Perfect although short at one night. We would definitely go for longer. Gorgeous scenery and walks. Good welcome wine:)

Ocean View House
Cape Town

Good location, helpful friendly staff, good facilities, great breakfasts. We wanted to live there!

Authenticity & Character
The gardens! The room. The view! The balcony! The pools!
Location
Short Uber ride to downtown Capetown. Camps Bay is walkable and gorgeous.
Staff
We are sorry we did not write down names of the staff members because we thought we could never forget how much they helped us. Huge thank you to the office and service staff and gardeners.
Cleanliness & Comfort
At risk of overusing the word perfect, it was!
Local specialist: Esther Ruempol
Esther
Esther Ruempol
Local specialist in Johannesburg, South Africa | Replied on Oct 28, 2025

Thank you SO much for the wonderful review. It was an absolute pleasure for all of us to plan this trip with you and 'travel along' (in spirit and via WhatsApp) with you. Also a big thank you for doing the individual reviews on the hotels and guides. This is incredibly valuable for us and we will definitely pass on your feedback to them.

My husband and I had the most wonderful time ...
South Africa | Aug 21 - Sep 4, 2025

Zahra
Zahra L.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Sep 25, 2025
My husband and I had the most wonderful time in South Africa and did not want to leave, each place we visited was amazing in its own unique way! In many ways this trip has changed our lives, it was the perfect start to our 6th decade on earth. It gave us an opportunity to experience wonderful people and new things, reflect, reset, get clarity on what is important to us and envision new paths moving forward. Our experience with kimkim has been excellent! We love the model and the platform,... Read more

My husband and I had the most wonderful time in South Africa and did not want to leave, each place we visited was amazing in its own unique way! In many ways this trip has changed our lives, it was the perfect start to our 6th decade on earth. It gave us an opportunity to experience wonderful people and new things, reflect, reset, get clarity on what is important to us and envision new paths moving forward.

Our experience with kimkim has been excellent! We love the model and the platform, we will use kimkim again for future trips and recommend it to our friends and family.

We were matched with the lovely Tshepo as our travel planner, she listened closely to our ideas and we collaborated to put together a trip that was just right for us. She is very kind, thoughtful and understanding, she makes very helpful suggestions and recommendations. We give her our highest recommendation!

The highlight of our trip was 4 days on safari at Sabi Sands Game reserve, staying at the incredible Umkumbe Lodge Riverside and celebrating my birthday. Our guide Michaela and tracker Moses were the best we could have hoped for. We were privileged to see lions and leopards every day, along with so many other animals up close, we have some amazing photos to share with our friends and family. On my birthday, we saw a pangolin, the best gift I have ever received! I cried happy tears. Back at the lodge, my room was beautifully decorated, the staff made me a birthday cake and sang happy birthday to me in two languages at dinner. BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

We experienced a high level of excellent service at all of our hotels and on our tours. Many thanks to the following:

Greeted warmly at the airport by Nokuthala and driven to our hotel by driver Roy. 5 stars

Tuk tuk tour of Soweto in Johannesburg - our driver Isaac and guide Luguile of Lebdo’s Backpackers shared their experiences of life in the township with us. They gifted us with a real experience and connection with the history of Johannesburg and the ongoing impact of the Apartheid system. We enjoyed the delicious food and hospitality of the backpacker lodge after the journey. 6 stars!

Private tour of Johannesburg with guide Andrees from Drifters- Andrews was fun and knowledgeable, he took us to all the places we wanted to see, provided a lot of information and context. We visited The Apartheid Museum, Constitutional Hill and the Maboneg neighborhood. I had been reading Nelson Mandela’s autobiography Long Walk to Freedom so I was able to connect more closely with the history of South Africa. I think it is important to learn about the countries we travel to and I felt that we got a good understanding. However, I would have preferred a Black guide and Andrees didn’t know much about Maboneneg, 4 stars.

Panorama tour from Unembeza, Hoesdpruit - our guide David was one of the best private guides I have ever had, so knowledgeable and open-minded. We had some wonderful conversations and shared information about our home as well. We visited the stunning Blyde River Canyon, Lisbon Falls, Bourke's Luck Potholes, God's Window, the Three Rondavels and had a fun lunch at the Chubby Pig. 5 stars.

Morning walk from Unembeza - our guide Jeramiah took us on an early morning walk in the vicinity of the lodge. We learned about the “Big 5 Trees” of the Kruger area: Baobab, Fever Tree, Knob Thorn, Marula and Mopane. It was refreshing to learn about some of the plant life instead of just animals. We also got some great pictures of zebras and 2 large kudu and learned how to identify different kinds of dung. Awesome, 5 stars.

Drivers Laurence and Vusi of Echo Africa Safaris transported us to and from Sabi Sands, very engaging conversations, 5 stars.

Visit Table Mountain by Cable Car tour in Cape Town - Our guide was Garreth from AWOL Tours and he was a great source of history and tips for enjoying the area. 5 stars.

Hotel Reviews
HYDE Hotel Rosebank
Johannesburg

The HYDE hotel is stunning in it's design, food at the Proud Mary restaurant and service by an excellent staff! When we arrived, Tamara and her staff had a birthday surprise for me waiting in our room: champagne, red velvet cake and balloons. They went out of their way to make the first part of our trip special. The interior design of this hotel and restaurant are just gorgeous and the rooms are spacious with all the amenities. The location is perfection. The only reason we're giving it 4 stars is because when we were checking out, the staff member asked us if we had taken a towel. Apparently they tag all their towels and we walked through the security gate with a group of people so they couldn't tell who had removed a towel. Instead of looking for the guy who went to the gym or the other people, they implied that we had stolen a towel and had it in our suitcase. This was extremely insulting and coming at the very end of our stay, it soured the entire experience. Why would we take a $10 towel when we were on vacation and was it worth it to end our otherwise great experience on a sour note?

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Umkumbe Safari Lodge
Hoedspruit

The highlight of our trip was 4 days on safari at Sabi Sands Game reserve, staying at the incredible Umkumbe Safari Lodge (Riverside) and celebrating my birthday. Our guide Michaela and tracker Moses were the best we could have hoped for. We were privileged to see lions and leopards every day, along with so many other animals up close. We have some amazing photos to share with our friends and family. On my birthday, we saw a pangolin, the best gift I have ever received! I cried happy tears. Back at the lodge, my room was beautifully decorated, the staff made me a birthday cake and sang happy birthday to me in two languages at dinner. BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Saw different kinds of animals every day from our back patio
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Esther Ruempol
Esther
Esther Ruempol
Local specialist in Johannesburg, South Africa | Replied on Sep 25, 2025
Hi Zahra Thank you so much for taking the time to share such an extensive review! This is incredibly helpful for us and also for the hotels, activity partners, and guides. Thank you for naming everyone personally and we will pass on the compliments 😊 I am sorry to hear about the towel incident at the Hyde hotel, my apologies for this and I will definitely take this up with them. Apart from that, I’m thrilled to hear you had such a wonderful trip in South Africa. How special to celebrate... Read more

Hi Zahra

Thank you so much for taking the time to share such an extensive review! This is incredibly helpful for us and also for the hotels, activity partners, and guides. Thank you for naming everyone personally and we will pass on the compliments 😊

I am sorry to hear about the towel incident at the Hyde hotel, my apologies for this and I will definitely take this up with them.

Apart from that, I’m thrilled to hear you had such a wonderful trip in South Africa. How special to celebrate your birthday on Safari AND to see a Pangolin! That’s such a rare and special sighting.

We hope you’ve returned home with many beautiful photos and memories to look back on ✨

The trip was amazing. The people we encounter...
South Africa | Sep 1 - Sep 15, 2024

Kathleen
Kathleen S.
Whitehall Township, PA | Reviewed on Aug 22, 2025
The trip was amazing. The people we encountered as tour guides and drivers and hotel personnel were knowledgeable and friendly and just wonderful. We were very pleased with the entire experience from planning to booking and experiencing the whole trip. A big Thank you to ALL who participated. Read more

The trip was amazing. The people we encountered as tour guides and drivers and hotel personnel were knowledgeable and friendly and just wonderful. We were very pleased with the entire experience from planning to booking and experiencing the whole trip. A big Thank you to ALL who participated.

Hotel Reviews
HYDE Hotel Rosebank
Johannesburg

Beautiful place, every and everything was great.

Authenticity & Character
It’s beautiful
Location
Down town.. don’t go out unescorted. Locals will want money or whatever you’re willing to give.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
All.
Wild Blue Lodge

Beautiful and amazing staff taking care of your every need.

Authenticity & Character
Friendly,clean and location
Location
It’s not down town.
Staff
All
Cleanliness & Comfort
Yes all was
Local specialist: Esther Ruempol

Excellent, well planned trip - my third with Kimkim and more to come!
Zimbabwe | Mar 9 - Apr 15, 2025

SANDRA
SANDRA V.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on May 08, 2025

Guides were all top rate - really knew their stuff, and could communicate well. Kimkim staff is top-notch!

Local specialist: Esther Ruempol
Esther
Esther Ruempol
Local specialist in Johannesburg, South Africa | Replied on May 08, 2025

Hi Sandra and Tom, thanks so much for the great review, we are thrilled to hear this :-). Love the pictures you posted!

What an amazing adventure! I am so appreciati...
Namibia | Mar 22 - Mar 31, 2025

Katty
Katty H.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Apr 15, 2025

What an amazing adventure! I am so appreciative to Esther and team for all their help -- even when changes arose.

The Namibian desert and Kadizora Camp were the highlights!

Katty

Local specialist: Esther Ruempol
Esther
Esther Ruempol
Local specialist in Johannesburg, South Africa | Replied on Apr 16, 2025

Thanks so much Katty, it was a great pleasure planning this trip with you! :-)

South Africa - Esther
South Africa | Dec 15 - Jan 3, 2025

Gretchen
Gretchen D.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Feb 19, 2025
Esther was great to work with and organized a very customized trip for us that included lots of time with our local family while we were in South Africa, while also suggesting places to stay or visit that we wouldn't have known about. She helped find accommodations that our family of 6 were comfortable in and was super responsive and accessible throughout the planning process and the trip itself. She managed to keep us within budget, and when there were small hiccups a few places we went,... Read more

Esther was great to work with and organized a very customized trip for us that included lots of time with our local family while we were in South Africa, while also suggesting places to stay or visit that we wouldn't have known about. She helped find accommodations that our family of 6 were comfortable in and was super responsive and accessible throughout the planning process and the trip itself. She managed to keep us within budget, and when there were small hiccups a few places we went, her team was able to troubleshoot to get us the best outcome possible.

We had a magical experience with our family of 4 teen and pre-teen boys, and I know it was in no small part due to Esther's help, ideas, creativity, and resourcefulness.

Hotel Reviews
Mjejane River Lodge
Hectorspruit

Loved the people here - Aaron was an incredible guide and driver - and Simon who helped welcome us and get us settled in - and everyone from the folks at the front desk, to those who made the delicious meal spreads, to those who helped with luggage and cleaned our rooms, and served in the restaurants - everyone was so wonderful. The location was incredible right along the river and allowed for some great game viewing. The game drives were informative, fun, and interesting, and the breaks for coffee and sundowners were special. The bathrooms could use a bit of updating, but the rooms were spacious and had lovely outdoor space, too.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Navarre Residence

This place was magical. Clean, indulgent, spacious, beautifully kept and stunning grounds, wonderful helpful staff, and a good location to explore the winelands. A real treat for all of us at the end of our three week trip.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Ocean & Marine Apartments
Cape Town

This was a fantastic place for our family of 6 to stay while in Cape Town over the Christmas holiday. Location was amazing and convenient, apartment was clean and bright and spacious, and it was wonderful to have secure parking right in the heart of CT.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Cinnamon Boutique
Wilderness

Such lovely folks who run this hotel - offered us restaurant recommendations, directions to the beach path, and umbrellas to use when the skies opened up, and worked hard to fix a non-working tv situation for us and had it solved within a short time. Breakfast was delicious and the location was close enough to walk to the grocery store and restaurants and beach, but also secluded enough to feel away from all the hustle and bustle of the main area of town. The bathroom situation could benefit from a few updates, but beds and rooms were clean and large and had lovely views.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
HYDE Hotel Rosebank
Johannesburg

Lovely hotel - lovely location - delicious restaurant (though it was a bit loud in the evenings). Nice neighborhood, helpful and accommodating staff. Rooms were spacious and clean and offered big views of the city. Loved this spot.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Angel's View
Graskop

A gorgeous view - we stayed in a stand alone house and there was plenty of room for our family of 6. The bathrooms were adequate, but the bedrooms and living area and kitchen were lovely. The hotel itself was beautiful - bright and clean and full of helpful staff. We enjoyed a delicious dinner and breakfast before our stay was up and are glad we got to stay here.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
City Lodge Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport

This was clean and comfortable and close to the airport (though a longer walk than I envisioned with all of our bags). Everyone who we were in contact with was kind and helpful. The breakfast in the courtyard was wonderful and delicious, and our family of 6 had a nice stay.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Esther Ruempol
Esther
Esther Ruempol
Local specialist in Johannesburg, South Africa | Replied on Feb 22, 2025

Hi Gretchen and family

Thanks so much for your wonderful review and for the individual accommodation reviews! These are incredibly helpful to us to continuously improve our offerings :-).

It was such a pleasure to plan this trip with you and we are so happy you enjoyed it!

Warm regards
Esther

Dream Vacay in South Africa
South Africa | Nov 24 - Dec 9, 2024

Rafael
Rafael C.
Austria | Reviewed on Dec 14, 2024
Esther planned a wonderfull vacation for us.
We enjoyed all the highlights of Cape Town and the sorrounding areas.
Starting with a bus-tour through the city and a tour to Cape Point during which we also visited a Penguin Colony.
We then spent time in Hermanus and did an incredible shark cage experience.
After this we drove to Stellenbosch and enjoyed South African wine with the Wine Tram.
Our vacation then endes with a safari in a private game reserve and some last day to relax in Cape...
Read more

Esther planned a wonderfull vacation for us.
We enjoyed all the highlights of Cape Town and the sorrounding areas.
Starting with a bus-tour through the city and a tour to Cape Point during which we also visited a Penguin Colony.
We then spent time in Hermanus and did an incredible shark cage experience.
After this we drove to Stellenbosch and enjoyed South African wine with the Wine Tram.
Our vacation then endes with a safari in a private game reserve and some last day to relax in Cape Town.
All the activities were planned perfectly. Esther was always there to help and assist us if needed and also our drivers were punctual, polite and shared a lot of stories about South Africa and there culture.
All in all a perfect vacation!!!

Activity Reviews
Wine Tram Hop on Hop off Tour
Wine Tram Hop on Hop off Tour
South Africa

Great experience! It should be stated that the wine tastings have to be paid extra

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Shark Cage Diving Adventure
Shark Cage Diving Adventure
South Africa

It should be stated more that Great White Sharks sightings are quite unlikely. Bit still great experience

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
African Dinner Show & Drumming Experience
African Dinner Show & Drumming Experience
Cape Town

Great show and food!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
City Sightseeing (Hop-on Hop-off) Bus Cape Town
City Sightseeing (Hop-on Hop-off) Bus Cape Town
South Africa

Good for a first look at the city. Could contain more historical infos.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Esther Ruempol
Esther
Esther Ruempol
Local specialist in Johannesburg, South Africa | Replied on Dec 15, 2024

Thanks so much Rafael, so happy to hear everything went smoothly and that you enjoyed your South Africa vacation :-)

Amazing Trip to South Africa
South Africa | Nov 24 - Dec 9, 2024

Theresa
Theresa E.
Austria | Reviewed on Dec 14, 2024
Esther was a Great and very patient Specialist. She tried to meet all our expectations and was there for us at all times. Great Service!! Read more

Esther was a Great and very patient Specialist. She tried to meet all our expectations and was there for us at all times. Great Service!!

Activity Reviews
Wine Tram Hop on Hop off Tour
Wine Tram Hop on Hop off Tour
South Africa
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Shark Cage Diving Adventure
Shark Cage Diving Adventure
South Africa

There is a very low chance to actually see white sharks there.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
African Dinner Show & Drumming Experience
African Dinner Show & Drumming Experience
Cape Town
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
City Sightseeing (Hop-on Hop-off) Bus Cape Town
City Sightseeing (Hop-on Hop-off) Bus Cape Town
South Africa

Very Little Information about the history of the Country

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Esther Ruempol
Esther
Esther Ruempol
Local specialist in Johannesburg, South Africa | Replied on Dec 15, 2024

Thank you so much Theresa, wonderful to hear you had a great time!

Great experience, some observations and suggestions.
Madagascar | Nov 5 - Nov 17, 2024

Gary
Gary H.
Maple Grove, MN | Reviewed on Nov 23, 2024
On the front end of this trip, Esther did a great job of responding to our questions and concerns and suggesting solutions to potential problems. In country Charlie was a great guide. He was responsive, concerned, knowledgeable, connected. Our best experiences with KimKim connected trips are when the local guide is plugged in and knowledgeable. Our marginal experiences were when the local guide was not directly connected to the community we were touring. Charlie was connected throughout... Read more

On the front end of this trip, Esther did a great job of responding to our questions and concerns and suggesting solutions to potential problems. In country Charlie was a great guide. He was responsive, concerned, knowledgeable, connected. Our best experiences with KimKim connected trips are when the local guide is plugged in and knowledgeable. Our marginal experiences were when the local guide was not directly connected to the community we were touring. Charlie was connected throughout Madagascar and it made a big difference.

Some general observations: There were more meals provided to us during the trip than we were expecting. Not sure why there were discrepancies between our itinerary and our experiences, but it happened several times. On a personal note, sandwiches and snacks would be preferred to a big more formal lunch. Breakfast, light lunch, and nice dinner would be our preferred model.

We very much appreciated having the charter flight arranged for us to successfully complete our tour. Perhaps this should be offered during the planning of the trip as a more reliable way of transportation. We had "padded" a day on the end of the trip to make sure we were back in time for our international flight, but the charter was a better option. The flight itself was enjoyable, smooth, high wing enabling great views. Good option for people who are willing to fly single engine charter.

Being able to do a late checkout on our last day in Antananarivo made a huge difference in our comfort. It should be built into the itinerary. We were able to have a last large dinner (more revenue for the hotel) relax, get a shower before heading for 28 hours of continuous travel. Build this into all or your customers travel plans who are leaving around midnight.

Local specialist: Esther Ruempol
Esther
Esther Ruempol
Local specialist in Johannesburg, South Africa | Replied on Nov 24, 2024

Hi Gary, thank you so much for this great review! I am so happy that you enjoyed your trip in Madagascar and we really appreciate that you mentioned some points for improvement. I've read through everything carefully and we will keep it in mind going forward! It is an on-going goal within our company to make each trip better than the previous one and your feedback really helps us to do this. So once again a big thank you and we hope to see you again :-)