Guðmundur Óli Pálmason

The itinerary that Gummi put together was FANTASTIC! He hit the best experiences/sites for us. Really loved the horseback riding & glacier ice cave tour. So sorry the whale watching trip was canceled due to weather. The food is Iceland was FANTASTIC and I really appreciated his recommendations! He did not disappoint!
We thought this was a once in a lifetime trip but we must come back! Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Hótel Grímsborgir by Keahotels

Ásborgir

Beautiful location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Eastfjords

Fáskrúðsfjörður

Love Fosshotels!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshótel Mývatn

Myvatn

Fosshotels are consistently wonderful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Love the view of the lake!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshótel Vatnajökull

Höfn

Beautiful setting. Very consistent quality with all Fosshotels!

Authenticity & Character

Great breakfast in gorgeous dining setting!

Location

Love the view!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Magma Hotel

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Loved the location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful setting on the lake!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Búðir

Búðir

Our favorite hotel from the entire trip! Everything was OUTSTANDING!

Authenticity & Character

Perfect!

Location

Loved it's remote location.

Staff

Perfect!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and linens were amazing!

Fosshotel Baron

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Reykjavík Saga

Reykjavík

Wonderful accommodations to stay out adventure. The only drawback was real difficulty finding parking in the city.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful!

Location

Easy access to the city!

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Outstanding!

Activity Reviews

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Amazing adventure in that super Jeep! The real deal with the crampons on the glacier!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cal (? Spelling) was really great!

Transport

Horse Riding on Black Sand Beach

Iceland

Amazing experience. The staff was PHENOMENAL, knowledgeable, friendly, reassuring and fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gummi’s handling of our trip was amazing !!! His recommendations for dining options at each of our overnight stays were fantastic! His personal recommendations for off the beaten path things to see and experience were greatly appreciated! We will not hesitate to use him in the future!!! We had an amazing trip to Iceland !!!!

Hotel Review

Hótel Búðir

Búðir

This hotel was described as a kimkim gem ! It truly was a gem ! Great location, beautiful room , fantastic restaurant in the hotel , and great staff . We loved it

Authenticity & Character

Modern look with all the amenities

Location

Scenic spot overlooking waterfront, and within walking distance to the black church

Staff

Very professional and friendly staff at all positions

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless

Activity Review

Lava Tunnel Activity

Iceland

It was an amazing experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was knowledgeable and made it fun

Transport

We really enjoyed our trip. It was packed full of nature and adventures that matched our travelling style. Very grateful for the help as there is not way we could've planned this trip on our own.

If you're considering a trip to Iceland, I can't recommend Gummi highly enough. From start to finish, our experience was exceptional.

Our itinerary was thoughtfully designed around our family's interests and needs, striking the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation. Every day was well-paced, and the timing for each stop was incredibly accurate, allowing us to make the most of our time without ever feeling rushed. We experienced an incredible variety of Iceland's breathtaking landscapes and attractions, and everything flowed seamlessly.

Every detail was handled with care—from coordinating our rental car, hotels, and excursions to recommending fantastic restaurants along the way. It was clear that every recommendation came from genuine local knowledge and firsthand experience, making the trip not only unforgettable but also completely stress-free.

What truly set this experience apart was Gummi's attention to detail, responsiveness, and commitment to creating an itinerary that felt personalized to our family rather than one-size-fits-all. We were able to relax and fully enjoy every moment, knowing everything had been so thoughtfully planned.

We absolutely fell in love with Iceland and are still amazed by its beauty and magic. This was one of the best family vacations we've ever taken, and the memories we made will stay with us for a lifetime.

We began planning for this trip over a year before departure...and we quickly realized that we needed help. Kimkim to the rescue! We had never used a travel service like this before, and I was a little hesitant at first, but SPOILER ALERT...We will 100% be using Kimkim going forward! It is SO worth it to have a local guide help you with the logistics. We could not have planned the trip to this level without Gummi's help, and he truly made the process so easy. We are a family of 6 (4 kids including 2 teenagers) and we skew more towards the budget side of things than luxury when it comes to travel. Gummi took all of our preferences into consideration, plus all of our unique family needs (a large rental van that would fit us and all of our luggage, accommodations for 6 people to sleep on real beds, varying interests and ability levels) and he planned the PERFECT trip for us. Every single day, we told ourselves that it really couldn't get any better...and then IT DID! Gummi took care of everything...our locations for the places we stayed were perfect for our family, the excursions he planned for us were superb, and his detailed recommendations for where to eat and what to see were essential. We really could NOT have done this trip without him. Possibly the most valuable part of this service was Gummi's insider knowledge and tips on the timeline for each day...he outlined when to leave each morning and approximately how long to spend at each location. We would have been lost without him.

Here are some of the highlights of the trip...although really, we loved it ALLLL!

Foss Hotel Raodara' was a great location...easy to walk to everything in Reykjavik and they had triple rooms to accommodate our family (2 rooms for 6 people). The breakfast here (included) was SO filling and had a huge variety.

Perlan Museum in Reykjavik (outstanding way to start the trip to get familiar with the country and the unique features we were about to explore)

Puffin Tour with Elding--we saw tons of Puffins and the boat ride was beautiful!

Every single spot along the Golden Circle was more stunning than the last! And again, we loved having Gummi's timeline to follow as well as his recommendations for food!

We stopped at Efstidalur for lunch and ice cream and it was SO GOOD! Perfect location and timing for a stop for the hungry crew!

Secret Lagoon was so relaxing and unique for us. We loved it!

Bakki Apartments was perfect for our family! Plenty of space and such a great location. We stopped at GK Bakari for breakfast and those pastries will live on in my brain forever. We even tried to stop back in on our way back to Keflavik but it was closed...heartbreaking!

Glacier Ice Cave experience with Southcoast Adventure really was a thrill for the kids! (I *might* have been a little scared on this, but I tried to be the coolest mom!) Peter, our guide, was so great at explaining the history and the geology while also taking us on a true adventure!

The Vik Apartments were another perfect location and space for our family. So clean, and beautiful, and spacious!

Black Crust Pizza was definitely a favorite and they deserve all the respect for being the best pizza in Iceland...as fas as we know!

Again...the trip plan, including specific timing and food recommendations, came in clutch for the trip from Vik up the coast to Jokulsarlon Glacier. We loved every single stop! The amphibian boat tour by Glacier Lagoon was incredible.

Of course, our finale was a visit to the Blue Lagoon. AMAZING! The comfort entrance package was perfect for us.

I could go on and on, but I've probably already said too much. We cannot thank Gummi enough for sharing his expertise, his love of Iceland, and his time and energy with us! THANK YOU, GUMMI!

Hotel Reviews

Vík Apartments

Vik I Myrdal

This place is BEAUTIFUL! So perfect for our family. We loved walking around the area and eating some crepes in the evening! The fact that there was laundry available was so helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bakki Apartments & Hostel

Eyrarbakki

This was a big WIN for our big family. We loved being able to stay all together after two nights spent in two separate hotel rooms. This space was perfect for us and so cute! We loved the location right along the ocean. So beautiful and perfect for an evening walk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshótel Rauðará

Reykjavík

Such a great breakfast! Loved that they had an early check in option. Totally worth the $40 for us to get a little organzied after an overnight flight.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel looks a little tired, but it has everything you need! Don't sleep on this budget friendly option.

Location

We walked everywhere and there was free street parking.

Staff

The team was so accommodating!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were super comfortable!

Activity Reviews

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Peter was a SUPER guide! He really showed us a great time...we loved every minute of this! (Even if some of us were scared!)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Amphibian Boat

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reykjavík Puffin Watching

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guðmundur Óli was enthusiastic and great to work with. He responded quickly to enquiries and obviously knew Iceland very well. This was our second time using a guide through KimKim and both times we have been very pleased.

Gummi took care of all the details of our trip and listened to what we wanted. He brought our dream trip to life and answered our many questions along the way. We are already talking about returning to explore more of this incredible island. Thank you, kimkim, and especially to Gummi.

This was our first experience with a guide service. Previously we had planned our own excursions. The KimKim model is interesting and attractive: they offer a catalogue of possible activities, based on prior positive traveler experiences-- you are free to pick and choose among alternatives (or add your own). Given your interests, budget and time constraints, KimKim plans a customized trip itinerary. We found this met our needs to perfection!

We found KimKim's approach to financial disclosure to be opaque and frustrating. Since we could not 'price' individual activities, it made price/value choices more difficult and frustrating. Additionally, the service was expensive. When we became too ill to travel 10 days before our trip in 2025, we had good reason to reconsider our financial frustrations--KimKim took care of everything! They cancelled all our bookings and gave us a 100% credit. This year they rebooked our trip consistent with our new travel dates.

Our 10 day trip around Iceland's 850 mile Ring Road was a total delight! Our 'virtual guide', Gudmundur (Gummi) Oli, provided us with a detailed daily itinerary including travel distance/travel time, points of interest/activities, and a recommendation of how long to spend at each location in order to keep the day manageable. Gummi's planning was so meticulous that we had very few questions, but we found him available in a matter of minutes by phone or WhatsApp and it was clear he took a keen personal interest in making sure we had a wonderful trip. We did! His dining recommendations at the end of each day resulted in some of the best meals we have had in decades of international travel!

We would highly recommend KimKim to travelers who want the freedom of an independent vacation without the burden of pre-trip research and logistics planning. Each day of whale watching, ice caving, whitewater rafting, and more unfolded without a glich! It was a vacation we will treasure for a lifetime!

We had a wonderful trip to Iceland and really appreciate the help that Gummi and KimKim gave us in planning this adventure for us. We went for 2 weeks and did just about everything we could think of to get the full experience and we still only saw a fraction of what there is to see. We went to Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon, rode Icelandic horses, went whale watching and saw loads of whales, visited ice caves, a volcanic crater and went kayaking in a glacier lagoon. We also went snorkeling in the Silfra fissure which was breathtaking (wear extra socks!). We saw endless beautiful waterfalls, all unique. For this trip we opted to rent a car and drive ourselves which worked out really well. The exception was a private jeep trip into "Thors Valley (Thórsmörk)" and I can't recommend that enough. We had Ragnar as our guide and he not only led us on multiple hikes, he also shared in-depth information about the park as well as about Icelandic culture in general. He was fantastic AND we got to drive through rivers in a big jeep. We also took the ferry over to Heimaey Island for a day to see the Beluga Whale sanctuary and see the museum to the volcanic eruption that happened there is the 1970s - well worth it. I recommended leaving a day or two to explore Reykjavik as well - we enjoyed walking the city and seeing all the public art and the giant church.

Hotel Reviews

Stracta Hotel

Hella

We had a "family apartment" here which was perfect for us. We didn't make use of the kitchen, but it was cozy and comfortable. And we loved that we had our own hot tub which we used both nights of our stay. The staff was very friendly and we were also able to have some laundry done quickly and affordably. The only small downside is that the units are a little old, kind of like a basic family cabin. But very clean with everything we needed. Would definitely recommend.

Authenticity & Character

The hot tubs and sauna were fabulous and the place was just very homey.

Location

Staff

They were really friendly and helpful and we appreciate how quickly they were able to do our laundry given our short stay.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vík Apartments

Vik I Myrdal

These little apartments are brand new and have everything you could want in a small apartment. Ours was clean, well appointed and even had it's own washer and dryer in the bathroom. It was also right across the street from the grocery store in Vik and the Vik Hotel is just behind if you need a great meal. We loved it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Geysir

Bláskógabyggd

Gorgeous hotel with excellent food and beautiful rooms. Also, a live geyser right across the street.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on our route through Iceland and near an excellent geothermal park.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heimaleiga

Reykjavík

These short-term rental apartments are super convenient and in an excellent location in the center of Reykjavik. However, they are a little run down/old. Our second apartment of the stay had wonderful views from the 4th floor, but a bathroom with mold all over the ceiling.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Get rid of the mold, put in rugs that are clean and don't hurt your feet when you walk on them.

Activity Reviews

Sturlureykir Horses Riding Tour

Iceland

It was great to ride and learn about the Icelandic horses. They are beautiful and very nice animals. We had a great guide, Carolina, and she was very knowledgeable re: how they got to Iceland and their current status. It was a rainy day so we mostly were able to just walk while on the horses and the times we did get to go at a faster pace, it was for a very short time (due to mud). We would have loved more time on these beautiful animals and the ability to do more on them. Maybe next time!

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Excursion

Iceland

This was a beautiful kayaking experience. Our tour leaders did a great job of balancing safety with independence so we knew what to do and what to avoid to be safe and could explore a bit on our own. From this lagoon you have a close up view of the glacier and lots of small to very large ice bergs to paddle around. We wished we had more time on the water, but otherwise would definitely recommend.

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

The ice caves were very beautiful and the tour operators managed the time and groups very well. We never felt rushed and didn't have to wait very long to enter the caves. They also did a nice job on safety, so we felt well cared for. The only downside was the trip out to the caves is long and bumpy and the jeep we were in was crowded with very poor airflow/air conditioning, so for me if was very uncomfortable. We also couldn't drive with the windows open because of the dust since we were driving through a black sand desert. Maybe I'd try to go with a smaller group if I were to do this again.

Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion

Reykjavík

We saw loads of humpback whales, so this was definitely a successful excursion. The boat was very well equipped and the tour leader did an excellent job of pointing out the whales as she spotted them, many quite close to the boat. We also saw our first puffins of the trip out with the whales, so that was exciting.

Inside the Volcano (Meet On Location)

Iceland

We loved this! It's very well run and the experience is wonderful being in the volcano crater. There is a 2 mile hike to get to what they call the base camp, and then another short, but steep climb to the entrance where you get on the open elevator to go down into the crater. So be prepared for that. The inside is stunning and weirdly disorienting, but not in a bad way. We were surrounded by beautiful rock and lava formations and it was easy to get around to see it all in the time we were down there.

Silfra Snorkeling Adventure

Golden Circle

A truly unique Iceland experience! We all really enjoyed this and it was as beautiful as in the photos you'll see online. The only reason this gets 4 stars instead of 5 is because once we were suited up in the dry suit (not the most comfortable, but necessary), we had to wait over an hour to get in the water. There are THAT many people there to do this activity. Once in the water it was great, but be prepared to have a cold face and hands. We checked in at 11 am and didn't finish until about 3 pm with only 30-40 minutes of that in the water.

Whales of Iceland Museum

Reykjavík

This was a nice place to visit before our whale watching tour. It's well done with beautiful models of all of the whales. There is also a fun origami station at the end which we enjoyed probably more than we should have!

Private Thórsmörk Super Jeep Experience

Iceland

We had a wonderful day with our guide Ragnar. It was a full day of adventure driving (through rivers!) and beautiful hikes. Ragnar timed everything so that we missed the crowds and still saw everything. He was a wealth of information about the park and it's history which we very much enjoyed. It's a stunning location and seeing it this way was really worth it for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport