Guðmundur Óli Pálmason

Gummi was an absolute gem in crafting an unforgettable journey for us. He meticulously planned private tours during our cruise to four cities in Iceland, ensuring that we found an option that perfectly fit our budget. Gummi’s responsiveness during the planning process was truly remarkable; I’m not sure he even sleeps!

Gummi went above and beyond by personally driving up to be our guide in Isafjordur when the local guide was unable to be our guide. Gummi’s dedication and attention to detail were truly exceptional. And Gummi’s knowledge of the area is unparalleled.

All our guides were native Icelanders who shared their rich history and fascinating stories about the country.

In Seyfjordur, Snorri took us to a waterfall, a basalt canyon, enjoyed a delicious pizza lunch, and even had the chance to see reindeer. Snorri’s stories about trolls, Christmas lads, and more added an extra layer of enchantment to our experience.

In Akureyri, Marta was incredibly accommodating and informative. One of the highlights for my daughter was getting a photo with the iconic heart-shaped stoplights. Marta went out of her way to ensure that my mother-in-law, who had limited mobility, felt comfortable and pampered throughout the tour. We marveled at the incredible natural wonders, including waterfalls, geysers, craters, and even Game of Thrones type lava formations. Marta took us to a delightful restaurant that served geothermal-cooked baked potatoes and geothermal-baked bread, making our dining experience truly unique.

In Isafjordur, Gummi guided us to a breathtaking set of waterfalls, which was undoubtedly my favorite in Iceland. He found an adorable cafe for lunch that had delicious soup and warm bread. We also visited a must-see fishing museum, complete with charming turf-roofed fishing huts and an adorable museum curator dressed as a fisherman. He also took us to overlook where we got to experience how quickly the weather can change! We ended the day at a secluded black sand beach with perfect weather, surrounded by stunning views and unforgettable stories. Gummi’s extensive knowledge of a truly broad range of topics was remarkable.

In Reykjavik, Smari took us on another incredible adventure. We visited a black sand beach, a geyser, a magnificent bird cliff, a tide pool formed by lava, a lighthouse, and much more. But the most unforgettable sight was witnessing a town that had been devastated by lava a few years ago. Smari’s calm demeanor and captivating stories made him a truly exceptional guide. He’s also an avid birder, which added another layer of interest to our journey.

Throughout our trip, Gummi, KimKim, and all our guides demonstrated exceptional accommodation and understanding of our diverse needs and preferences. Their dedication and expertise made our trip truly unforgettable.

We had a wonderful experience covering much of western and southern Iceland over 12 days. Guðmundur (Gummi) was responsive and provided lots of thoughtful feedback as we fine-tuned our itinerary before booking.

We had the challenge of booking the trip only about 6 months in advance, wanting to see a lot different natural and cultural attractions, and at the same time managing the abilities and interests of 3 generations of travelers. Gummi took those constraints and laid out an itinerary that managed to address all our interests, found fun and comfortable accommodations in the right locations, and kept us at a manageable pace where we could move every 2 or 3 days. The food recommendations were great and often corroborated by a foodie acquaintance who splits time in Reykjavik. Out of the entire agenda, we only opted not to do 2 optional stops, and one of those was due to the worst day of weather which prevented safe hiking in Highlands.

During the trip, Gummi provided quick responses when we needed some real-time feedback or advice on some small issues. I am confident that had we run into major problems, he would have solved them for us.

We have recommended kimkim to friends, who are since booked a trip to Iceland, and would use it again ourselves. I would recommend anyone work with Gummi. Thank you!

Guomundir Oli was terrific. He answered the questions that we had on the trip in a timely manner. His itinerary was very thorough with all the information we needed. He tackled a problem with the car company for us. I would highly recommend him and the Kimkim trip to Iceland.

Hotel Review

Hótel Laxá

Myvatn

The hotel was a very good base for the activities that we had planned. It was a little bit bigger room at this point in our trip and it was nice to have the extra space. We use the dining room here in the mail was quite good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

We had done some cave tours and other parts of the world, this was well done and very in

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The trip to Iceland was a dream come true! It was so wonderful to have all the suggestions, ideas, details and logistics provided by Gummi, the local KimKim guide. There is absolutely no way I could have done everything that Gummi did with the level of professionalism and perfection. The trip was packed with memorable experiences which is exactly what we wanted. Highly recommend the kayaking on the Glacier Lagoon/Diamond Beach, snorkeling at Silfra, hiking in Thorsmork, and the hot springs at Reyjadalur. The entire trip was memorable. Thank you to Gummi and KimKim for the trip of a lifetime.

Hotel Reviews

Fosshotel Stykkishólmur

Stykkishólmur

This is a great hotel - best breakfast we had in Iceland too! Nice people and very comfortable room.

Authenticity & Character

Felt homey and intimate but not pretentious

Location

Easy to walk into town

Staff

Professional and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, and good room darkening shades here!

Black Beach Suites

Vik I Myrdal

This hotel appears to be very chic and swanky. The rooms are very updated and feature a kitchen. Unfortunately, you could not lock the doors once in the room. I ended up putting our suitcases in front of the door to keep someone from coming in. They gave crazy directions about how to use an Icelandic lock but we stayed in several places that had plain old deadbolts. Would not recommend or stay there

Authenticity & Character

Fix the locks - all the fancy in the world does not make you safe. Also no breakfast provided

Location

Close to things we were seeing

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and spacious but the door thing is a no go on comfort

Activity Reviews

Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion

Reykjavík

We did see whales so that was the main goal. The person telling us about the things we were seeing was very good. The whales were pretty far away so it would not be an experience for someone who wanted to see whales closer up.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Silfra Snorkeling Adventure

Golden Circle

This experience is truly one of a kind in the world. If you like snorkeling, then you should definitely try this experience. There is no wildlife but the water, rock and depth of sight is amazing

Quality of Experience

Great location and interesting snorkel.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide in the water was awesome. Explained everything very well. They move a lot of people in and out of Silfra, and they've got it down. You'll take more time than you think at the busiest times of the year. The entire staff is hustling to get people dressed and ready.

Transport

Good job providing vans and seating to help people change.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Excursion

Iceland

Great kayaking experience - fun to get a little closer to the icebergs.

Quality of Experience

Nice to get on the water and kayak amongst the icebergs

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were fantastic.

Transport

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

Great fun to see the cave carved by lava!

Quality of Experience

Unique thing to see. Used to seeing caves in the US. This is very different

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was awesome. She knew a ton about the cave, formations and geology of the lava cave/tube

Transport

Short walk with stairs to descend. Safety protocols were very good. Everyone had headlamps to see

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

The ice cave was smaller than I thought but still cool to see.

Quality of Experience

The ice caves are cool and interesting

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide did OK - did lots of picture taking. I listened to another group guide and she gave more info and details about the ice caves. I like those details and info rather than always lining people up for a photo op.

Transport

The modified cargo van we took to the locations was absolutely awful. It was not a super jeep and they stuffed 13 people into it including 4 of us on the very back bench seat that could have fit 4 children but not four adults. It was hot and no air circulation - so if you get carsick this is not the ride for you. The car bounced around so much that our heads hit the ceiling WITH seatbelts on. It was dangerous, uncomfortable, and terrible. It felt like they were more interested in making money and stuffing as many people into a vehicle as they could rather than providing safe, fun transport.

Iceland is phenomenal! I encourage a visit to see the unique environment for sure!!! Gummie did a very good job planning our trip.
Constructive advice: If self touring(driving), encourage your traveler to rent a 4 wheel drive. Increases the ability to drive on all roads safely and also explore other options not included in the travel itinerary.
Also, write the final itinerary in order:
1-Date
2-Day of travel
3-Google link
4-Step by step instructions for the day and description of sights to be seen that day
5-Hotel accommodation
6-Restaurants recommended for that day where the travel plans are

Gummie
Your plans were awesome but a bit confusing to follow. Your recommendations were spot on and appreciated.
Thanks for your help!! Your country was awesome!!!

Jerri Hall Tuxbury

Hotel Review

Hótel Kría

Vík

Clean and comfortable

Location

Nice city on Golden Circle tour

Staff

Helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything

Activity Reviews

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Geothermal Helicopter Experience

Reykjavík

Horseback Riding Below the Mountains

Iceland

Well done , but my daughter and I are experienced riders. Would have preferred a more scenic and different type of tour.

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Zodiac Boat

Iceland

Last summer my family (7-year-old daughter, 9-year old son, me and my husband and my parents) decided 2026 was the year for our bucket list trip to Iceland. We decided to work with KimKim again after the wonderful experience we had the summer before traveling to Japan.

I reached out to KimKim last June to start planning and they put me in touch with Gummi, our Icelandic travel coordinator and who ended up being our tour guide and driver who was with us for most of our trip. More to come in a moment on Gummi the guide.

As our travel coordinator, Gummi was incredibly responsive and helpful in shaping our vacation. He helped us prioritize the areas of the country that best aligned to the vacation we were looking for, he helped us pick activities and excursions that were great for the kids and my parents alike, and he strongly suggested we didn’t miss out on seeing highlands of Iceland which ended up being most of our group’s favorite part of the trip. His hotel and restaurant recommendations were wonderful; every meal was fantastic.

As a guide, we couldn’t have asked for more!
Gummi’s knowledge of the country, from its history and the Viking Sagas to the volcanoes and eruptions that have shaped the landscape, to the glaciers, and Nordic mythology, his expertise was so impressive. Some of my favorite parts of the trip were hearing Gummi and my son swap their favorite stories about Odin, Thor and the rest of the Nordic gods:). He was so engaged with all of and also was great at managing the time he was with us and when we had time as a family. Yes we could have rented a car and driven ourselves stop to stop but we would have missed out on so much each day that we learned, thanks to Gummi. The conversation in the van rides from destination to destination was as enjoyable as the stops!

We are so grateful to Gummi and KimKim for this amazing experience. It’s our favorite family vacation yet and we give so much credit to Gummi for taking wonderful care of us and treating us like family!

We had a fantastic trip! Gummi made sure we saw a good amount of site seeing and made sure to keep activities doable as I traveled 24 weeks pregnant and with our 3 yr old. Our accommodations were very comfortable. We enjoyed seeing the natural beauty Iceland had to offer. We loved our underground cave tour and the trip to the blue lagoon. We can't wait to travel again! Kimkim took the stress out of planning, especially since we weren't too familiar with the country.

Where do I even start?! All 4 of us - myself, my husband, and my 2 girls, ages 6 and 8 had an amazing time! I provided some guidance to Gummi, and he planned us an amazing trip. First of all, the accommodations were amazing:

Berjaya Reykjavik Marina - This was our favorite hotel of the trip. It was such a cozy, hygge vibe. Exceptionally clean. So many different rooms to hang out in! An awesome restaurant and bar with a happy hour. You could tell that this was not only a great place for tourists but for locals as well. There were always locals hanging out at the bar and in the lobby. Our kids loved the bunk bed in our room and the libraries and different rooms in the hotel. My daughter and I got sick one of the days, and it was nice that we had such a cozy room to hang out in. It was truly a place we loved to hang out in. The included breakfast buffet was the cherry on top!

Skálatjörn Guesthouse / Goat Farm - My girls were in love with the goats. The woman who runs the place was so friendly, and everything was exceptionally clean. It was a great place to rest after a long day of exploring.

Hotel Vík í Mýrdal - Amazing breakfast. Very spacious room with a loft area for our kids to sleep (they loved it). Their room darkening shades could use some work, but all in all it was a great place to stay. Close walking proximity to everything we had planned in Vík. Exceptionally clean.

Some activities we did that really stood out:

Blue Lagoon Comfort Admission (If I went back to Reykjavik, I would definitely do the Blue Lagoon a few more times! It was very relaxing)
Lava Tunnel Activity (This lava tunnel was seriously cool. My kids enjoyed all the troll lore. )
Glacier Ice Cave Experience (This was my favorite activity of the entire trip - it was so amazing! Once in a lifetime experience for sure!)
Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Amphibian Boat ( we enjoyed seeing all the wildlife and my kids really enjoyed skipping rocks on the glacier bay beach)
Reykjavík Puffin Watching (I've never seen a puffin, let alone so many puffins all at once! This was truly a sight to see! Don't expect to get close enough to get any true close-ups of puffins though - I was a bit disappointed by how my photos turned out from so far away). However, I understand why it is important to give them space while they are nesting. Bring a really powerful telephoto lens if you plan to do this! I had one but needed more zoom! I actually enjoyed this more than the whale watching excursion - mainly because it was only an hour whereas the whale watching was 4 hours on a boat; my kids grew tired of being on the boat for that long.
Family-Friendly Horse Riding on Black Sand Beach. - Big hit with the whole family! The horses were all so sweet and well-behaved. I was a bit worried considering this was my first time on a horse ever, but I felt very safe!
The Secret Lagoon - Very cool hidden gem. The rocks at the bottom of this hot spring feel soooo good on the feet!

Gummi was very responsive on WhatsApp whenever we had issues. I would highly recommend using him as a guide or planner for any trip to Iceland. We even got to meet him in person because he was driving a couple and happened to stop at the same restaurant as us at the same time. I saw him and thought, that has to be him, and it was!

Hotel Reviews

Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skálatjörn

Selfoss

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vík í Mýrdal

Vík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lava Tunnel Activity

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reykjavík Puffin Watching

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Amphibian Boat

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whales of Iceland Museum

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Family-Friendly Horse Riding on Black Sand Beach

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport