Jason Kearney

Jason Kearney provided us with everything we would have wanted in our itinerary. He was an incredible support throughout our trip and answered all the questions/concerns promptly. I believe his availability and willingness made our trip memorable! He was just awesome!!
We had two tour guides: Francisco (Santiago, Valparaiso) and Christian (San Pedro de Atacama). Both of them made our trip stress-free and totally enjoyable. Their knowledge of the towns, restaurants and landscapes was... read more

Jason Kearney provided us with everything we would have wanted in our itinerary. He was an incredible support throughout our trip and answered all the questions/concerns promptly. I believe his availability and willingness made our trip memorable! He was just awesome!!
We had two tour guides: Francisco (Santiago, Valparaiso) and Christian (San Pedro de Atacama). Both of them made our trip stress-free and totally enjoyable. Their knowledge of the towns, restaurants and landscapes was invaluable. We could not have asked for two better individuals ferrying us around!
We also had a guide (unfortunately, cannot recall her name) to the geysers ~ again, an outstanding source of information and and very environmentally conscious!
Overall, everyone starting with Jason worked together (including the drivers - Cristian and Jose) to make our journey in Chile an unforgettable experience!!
Karla and Ashok

We just returned from a 15-day trip to Argentina that we planned through kimkim. We loved the door-to-door coverage knowing that all arrangements for transfers, lodging, domestic flights, and most excursions were handled. In addition, we had a team of guides and drivers, almost all of whom spoke English, to help us really find the best of this unique South American Country.

Our trip started in Buenos Aires, went to Salta, Cafayate, Mendoza, and then El Calafate in Patagonia. The 474 Buenos... read more

We just returned from a 15-day trip to Argentina that we planned through kimkim. We loved the door-to-door coverage knowing that all arrangements for transfers, lodging, domestic flights, and most excursions were handled. In addition, we had a team of guides and drivers, almost all of whom spoke English, to help us really find the best of this unique South American Country.

Our trip started in Buenos Aires, went to Salta, Cafayate, Mendoza, and then El Calafate in Patagonia. The 474 Buenos Aires Hotel was in a great location, a short stroll from the Obelisco and bustling Avenue Corrientes. A private sightseeing tour took us to the Recoleta Cemetery and the colorful La Boca neighborhood, among other sites. We really enjoyed the spectacular Gala Tango Show (which was a recommended option). The food and wine were stellar and this started our Argentina experience in good fashion.

We then traveled to the beautiful city of Salta, whose scenic square features the impressive Cathedral, built in 1865. Our hotel, Balcon de la Plaza, was beautiful and two blocks from the square. The square is loaded with shops and restaurants and is a perfect spot to take in the evening fun while dining at a cafe. We had an evening tour of Salta with the highlight being a visit to San Benando Hill, which gives a panoramic view of the city below.

A full-day tour the next day took us to the Heights and stops included San Antonio de los Cobres, a village on the Puna plateau, which featured a tasty restaurant (loved the empanadas), an ancient church, and a bustling craft marketplace. We also stopped at Alto El Morado, 13,681 feet in altitude, the highest spot in our journey, and the salt plains of Salinas Grandes.

The next day was travel to Cafayate, with spectacular scenery and a stop at luxury winery Colome. Special thanks to our guide Andres, who was outstanding during our swing into the high-elevation wine country. To get to Colome we had to drive through (not over) two rivers. The winery experience, which includes the James Turrell Museum, was spectacular.

Our lodging in Cafayate was the Patios De Cafayate, our favorite stay of the trip. This elegant hotel is in the style of a French country estate, with beautiful grounds, a pool, courtyards, and a fine dining restaurant. Just about perfect -- and even more so since the El Esteco winery is right next door. El Esteco is a world-class winery not to be missed. The Cafayate wine museum in town is also a wonderful attraction. Other wineries visited included Nanni, located downtown, and the impressive Piatelli.

We then ventured to Mendoza, the wine capital of the country. We stayed in the Bohemia Hotel. We found this to be sub-par but with an ideal location two blocks from Avenue Arístides, which had eateries and shops galore. Our first sip of wine in Mendoza was at a lovely outdoor table under the trees at Repulica Aristides. We also found a nice vegetarian restaurant just steps from the hotel.

We visited a total of six wineries in Mendoza, three through the kimkim arranged Wine & Flavors of Maipu tour and the others through another tour we found online. The famed Traipiche was everything you could hope for in a winery visit. Sin Fin, Vistandes, and Familia Checchin were also memorable.

The final leg of our trip took us the the breezy region of Patagonia and El Calafate. We again stayed at a fine hotel in the Esplendor by Wyndham El Calafate. The hotel had all the full-service amenities including a nice restaurant and pool. The culinary highlight of our trip was dinner at Rancho Aparte. This was an optional recommendation and turned into an unforgettable event. The restaurant is the home of Chef Gabo, who prepares meals for small groups, in our case seven people. Guests are seated around a common table and the conversation flows as the amazing dishes come out paired with the rare and unique wines of Patagonia. El Calafate is an appealing small town with plenty of great restaurants and shops with outdoor gear. The Glaciarium is another great stop.

The excitement continued as we visited the Perito Moreno Glacier at Los Glaciares National Park. We hiked the catwalks opposite the glacier, giving amazing views of this glacier -- one of the few in the world that isn't shrinking. Titanic formations of blue and white ice make it a photographer's dream. We then took a boat tour to get even closer to the glacier (an optional but inexpensive add-on). This gave us another perspective of the glacier and brought us up close to hear the cracking sounds as icebergs calved and fell to the water. Memorable in every way.

Our final activity (aside from return travel) was a Patagonia Ranch Day at Nibepo Alke, where we were able to watch gauchos in action (shearing lambs) and enjoy a tasty asado of lamb and Malbec. We hiked to a lake and enjoyed the impressive views of the Andes.

We packed a lot into our two weeks and kimkim helped make it happen.

5 star Excellent Itinerary/Booking Services from KimKim Travel

We would definitely use this company again and again after our trip to Argentina! They were able to work with us over a series of weeks to create a custom itinerary for us that included different hotels, cities, excursions and flights between different cities. The local companies they work with are absolutely amazing. Drivers were on time, courteous, easy to locate, friendly and had a wealth of knowledge on the city we were... read more

5 star Excellent Itinerary/Booking Services from KimKim Travel

We would definitely use this company again and again after our trip to Argentina! They were able to work with us over a series of weeks to create a custom itinerary for us that included different hotels, cities, excursions and flights between different cities. The local companies they work with are absolutely amazing. Drivers were on time, courteous, easy to locate, friendly and had a wealth of knowledge on the city we were picked up. We had the unexpected perk of also having additional guides on hand to pick us up with the driver from the respective airports which was appreciated as the local guides knew our whole itineraries and would give us a rundown of the next day's itineraries along with the to-do local items in our off time. From start to finish, the whole itinerary was followed to a T with the local guides/drivers on hand to pick us up daily and take us through the respective itinerary. The additional perks via KimKim were having separate english speaking guides/tours in some of the shared stops, i.e. instead of staying with a big group, our initial guide would quickly take us to the respective english speaking guide of the tour to take us through an excursion. They did such a group job on each excursions. Special praise for Sergio, Aileen and Cecilia for all their knowledge!

What an incredible trip. I have had some terrible experiences with Travel Agents in the past, so I was hesitant to work with them again. With such a logistically complex trip, I am so happy we decided to work with Jason.

Firstly, his recommendations and guidance ahead of the trip ended up being very key. With so many places to visit in Patagonia, Jason took the places we knew we wanted to visit and crafted an itinerary that mixed that with his know-how of the region. What we ended up with... read more

What an incredible trip. I have had some terrible experiences with Travel Agents in the past, so I was hesitant to work with them again. With such a logistically complex trip, I am so happy we decided to work with Jason.

Firstly, his recommendations and guidance ahead of the trip ended up being very key. With so many places to visit in Patagonia, Jason took the places we knew we wanted to visit and crafted an itinerary that mixed that with his know-how of the region. What we ended up with is a trip where we hit everything we wanted to do, as well as some surprises along the way.

Most importantly, the trip was planned out to the hour and all the transfers, flights, tours, and guides went perfectly (with the small exception of one transfer, which was not a big deal).

I would recommend Jason to anyone that wants a trip where they can truly trust someone's expertise. It was one for the ages and he made it so simple for us on the ground.

Activity Review

Hike Base of Tower Torres del Paine

Chile

This is basically a must. An extremely demanding hike with the most stunning and incredible views at the end. The highlight of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Most guides were very good.
The guide on Jan. 25, 2023 for Torres del Plaine National Park spoke at length in Spanish and very little in English. So we missed out on a lot of commentary.
And all drivers were very good.

Jason provided great service.
He had planned and organized our trip very nicely.
This made it very easy for us and we had no anxiety or stress anywhere in Chile.
He communicates immediately on an inquiry and to the point.
He had promised us that our trip would be... read more

Most guides were very good.
The guide on Jan. 25, 2023 for Torres del Plaine National Park spoke at length in Spanish and very little in English. So we missed out on a lot of commentary.
And all drivers were very good.

Jason provided great service.
He had planned and organized our trip very nicely.
This made it very easy for us and we had no anxiety or stress anywhere in Chile.
He communicates immediately on an inquiry and to the point.
He had promised us that our trip would be memorable and indeed it was.
He is the best.
We would love too work with him on future trips.

Every place we visited in Chile was most exciting and enjoyable.
Jason had panned all important sights for us and so we appreciate his service.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Cumbres San Pedro

San Pedro de Atacama

Excellent service and support from the front desk staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Santiago - Airport Terminal

Santiago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Solace Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NOI Indigo Patagonia

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Eco Boutique Bidasoa

Santiago

Very good service at Bidosa.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Safe area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore the Geysers of El Tatio

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private City Tour of Santiago

Santiago

Excellent tour guide and driver.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour Valparaiso Discovery

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lagoons of Ojos del Salar, Tebinquinche & Coyo

Chile

Fernando is the best tour guide. He is amazing, funny, energetic, and most helpful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley)

San Pedro de Atacama

Fernando the tour guide made it most interesting. He showed us all the interesting features of Moon Valley, and he was very patient with us on the steep and rough trails.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiloé - Ancud - Castro - Dalcahue

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glacier Navigation Balmaceda & Serrano

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Torres del Paine National Park (ex. Puerto Natales)

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Atacama Salt Flats, High Plateau Lagoons & Toconao

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osorno Volcano & Petrohué Falls

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From our pickup at the airport, to our delivery to return, our trip was smooth and wonderful. Gabriel, our driver in Buenos Aires, was helpful far beyond our transit needs. He shared his love of the city and its history, pointing out several possibilities for our dining options and some of the areas of the city we would visit the next day with our guide, Marta. The Hotel Carles was comfortable with thermostat controlled A/C for our comfort. The staff ensured that our visit was trouble free,... read more

From our pickup at the airport, to our delivery to return, our trip was smooth and wonderful. Gabriel, our driver in Buenos Aires, was helpful far beyond our transit needs. He shared his love of the city and its history, pointing out several possibilities for our dining options and some of the areas of the city we would visit the next day with our guide, Marta. The Hotel Carles was comfortable with thermostat controlled A/C for our comfort. The staff ensured that our visit was trouble free, with a breakfast each day offered in their dining room. Wonderful bars and restaurants in walking distance.
our travel to El Calafate was trouble-free, picked up by our promised driver and delivery to the Hotel Rochester, again a comfortable room, off of the traffic area of the city, peaceful and welcoming, with an easy view of Lago Argentino. We enjoyed touring the national Park and the Glacier. I'd be remiss to not mention Cecilia at the front desk, who answered our questions, assisted with a power adapter, and was so gracious helping other guests who were missing connection with their tours and guides-not a problem that we experienced. The restaurant/bar was pleasant and comfortable as well, allowing a friendly atmosphere to chat with other travelers in the evening. Horseback riding trip was fun with the time we were able to learn more about the history of the Patagonian ranches and indulge in a delicious lunch. The flyfishing trip was interesting as the fast moving cold river made sight fishing impossible, but both trout and salmon were found! Then we were off to San Carlos de Bariloche, and the Hotel Edelweiss. Comfortable, clean, and staffed by helpful, friendly people that worked to make the stay as pleasant as possible, from the breakfast in the morning to the restaurant and bar in the evening, many other restaurants within walking distance . Kayaking on the Lago Nahuel Huapi was breathtaking, as this huge deep lake is crystal clear and the views of the mountains are wonderful. Our guide Yanina Capararo was gracious to take and share pictures of us allowing us to simply enjoy the trip, providing us with a nice snack and tea on the island and great conversation. Of course, our transportation was on time, and the cool evenings made sleep easy. Fly-fishing with Diego Martin was wonderful with a float trip, casting guidance, and an absolutely delicious lunch with salad, sandwiches, drinks, great conversation and beautiful views of the Andes as well. Followed by a day of river rafting through class 1-4 waters with a great breakfast first and a great meal after. The wetsuits and helmets provided, training and then a wet wonderful ride to the border of Chile! Back to Buenos Aires and the warm friendly piloting of our driver Gabriel. Enjoying the sights and the activities of the city with an evening of Tango, and then off to home. The trip was trouble free, and any questions or fears were solve quickly. Cannot recommend Jason enough. This trip hit all of the buttons we wanted, and was the best experience in travel I have had!

Hotel Reviews

Carles Hotel

Buenos Aires

nice vistas from the tenth floor of the nearby apartments and streets leading to some great places like Floreria Atlantica and Basa. Comfortable, with roomy shower and thermostat control of the temperature of the room. Would remind USA folks to bring an electrical adapter and an extension cord to charge two phones and a sleep machine or laptop/camera simultaneously. Just walking distance to park, Patagonia store, and right two doors down is a great little bakery for sandwiches or sweets. Helpful staff, breakfast provided.

Authenticity & Character

location to restaurants and bars

Location

Staff

friendly, helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Never had a complaint on anything in the room or hotel

Rochester Calafate

El Calafate

Away from the center of town, but quiet, relaxed, and feels private. nice sitting areas inside and out, friendly bar and restaraurant to visit with others at the end of your day.

Authenticity & Character

Better shuttle; if guests were allowed to call or text to arrange pickup, dropoff to sites in town.

Location

Quiet, when you were done with your tourism for the day, this felt like a private retreat

Staff

Cecilia at the desk, really worked to make the stay comfortable, helped other guests with missed connections on trips/tours.

Cleanliness & Comfort

No problems whatsoever. But there is no thermostat control for room, and no A/C on hot days

NH Bariloche Edelweiss

San Carlos de Bariloche

Start with helpful attentive desk staff, attention to detail, willingness to help: i.e. My passport had fallen out of a jacket on a tour bus, staff tracked bus owner, had my passport back within 2 hours! Nice, roomy bar with dining tables as well as just relaxing areas. Attentive staff in restaurant, good breakfast selection and large seating area. Thermostat control in room for heat A/C. Very quick elevators- no long waits.

Authenticity & Character

Convenience to other restaurants and stores, small view of town and the lake

Location

Comfort of rooms, shower, bidet, opening windows to hear the city and feel it cool at night

Staff

Service was wonderful, attentive, friendly and willing to have a conversation. Saved me a great load of problems when my passport was gone.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was splendid in its cleanliness, and the comfort of the room-never heard guests in the hall or other rooms.

Activity Reviews

Private Buenos Aires Sightseeing Tour

Buenos Aires

We enjoyed the tour, the Recoleta and its solar flower was impressive, The different ages and styles of architecture, the antique opulence and the urban liveliness was impressive.

Quality of Experience

Friendly, conversational attitude of Marta, explanations and background offered

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gabriel's driving-manual transmission in traffic never an errant shift, smoother than an automatic.

Transport

Easy visibility and the driver made it convenient for us and the guide when we came back from any site to the car

Perito Moreno Glacier - Los Glaciares National Park

El Calafate

Picked up as scheduled, on time. Friendly and understandable information from the tour guide on what we were seeing, time to return to bus from the park and the viewing of the glacier. timely transport for our scheduled boat tour

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of our drivers and guides were engaging and friendly

Transport

Clean cars and buses, well running vehicles in good shape

Safari Boat - Sailing Rico Branch

El Calafate

Beautiful views , crowded top deck and cooler on the front and sides of the boat. Boat was clean and interior seats were comfortable

Quality of Experience

After safety breifing, they let us enjoy yhe experience on our own instead of feeling like you were studying for a test

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Clean, timely, and comfortable

Patagonian Ranch Day at Nibepo Aike & Cristales Horseback Riding

El Calafate

Great time to walk down to the shore of the lake, see the cattle being moved, and learn about the history of the ranch. Wonderful coffee/tea and snacks on arrival, big lunch before we went on our long ride. If you are used to a western saddle, make certain your stirrups are long enough to keep your legs relaxed during the ride-their saddles are more of a modified English saddle-no pommel, and you are placed more forward than you may be used to.

Quality of Experience

Food

Wonderful Chimichurri for the steak!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly Fishing Half Day Tour in El Calafate

El Calafate

The river is very cloudy with glacial sediment and cold, so you are fishing wets and trying to find the seams in current. Rods provided required an adjustment in my casting stroke, but not bad.

Quality of Experience

Food

didn't get our lunch

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Kayak & Hike Nahuel Huapi Lakes

Bariloche

Our guides put us into our kayak with our lifevests, water skirts- very nicley equipped. The water clarity was spectacular, our tandem kayak was comfortable and easily controlled. The lake is pretty calm in the morning. We opted against the island hike, but had a great break with conversation, snacks and hot tea/coffee. Our guide took pictures for us and emailed them to us to share.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Limay River Fly Fishing

Bariloche

On time, friendly pickup from our guide, informative conversation about the area on the drive to the river. Very comfortable drift, in comfortable seats. Diego was helpful in pointing out good places to cast and also casting instruction for the presentations. Nice rainbows, missed a huge brown. Stopped on shore for a nice lunch; salad, sandwiches, cerveza or wine, coffee/tea, wonderful conversation about the area, fishing and life. A great time

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting Rio Manso a La Frontera

Bariloche

Guide picked us up on time, transported to a nice breakfast and then wet-suited , life-vested, helmeted and taken to the river. Paddling instructions and response practice in a small pool in the river, then we went through the first rapids and continued through trickier ones with opportunities to drop in and enjoy the cool water twice before continuing through more rapids. When we reached the takeout point, our float was shorter than planned as the next rapids were too dangerous. Long climb up a steep trail to drop off wetsuits and gear, dry and get dressed, then taken back to the starting point for a lunch and refreshments, before heading back to our hotel

Quality of Experience

The trip was what you want on a whitewater trip, and the guide took good care of us.

Food

Only hamburger I had in Argentina and it was very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly, helpful, and competent.

Transport

Clean comfortable bus ride

Jason planned an incredible honeymoon for us that exceeded all of our expectations. We had no major hiccups the entire trip (not even a domestic flight delay) and had excellent service for each of our scheduled events. We truly feel we saw all the best things each of our locations in Argentina could offer. We were blown away and would absolutely work with Jason again. Thank you! read more

Jason planned an incredible honeymoon for us that exceeded all of our expectations. We had no major hiccups the entire trip (not even a domestic flight delay) and had excellent service for each of our scheduled events. We truly feel we saw all the best things each of our locations in Argentina could offer. We were blown away and would absolutely work with Jason again. Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Mine Hotel Boutique

Buenos Aires

Park Hyatt Mendoza Hotel

Mendoza

Alma Del Lago Suites & Spa

San Carlos de Bariloche

Palo Santo Hotel

Buenos Aires

Activity Reviews

Private Kayak & Hike Nahuel Huapi Lakes

Bariloche

Wine & Flavours of Maipu

Mendoza

Private Uco Valley Wine Tour - Premium Wineries of Salentein & Andeluna

Mendoza

Private Refugio Frey Ridge Trek

Bariloche

Victoria Island and Arrayanes Forest Navigation

Bariloche

Private Buenos Aires Sightseeing Tour

Buenos Aires

The Argentine Experience - Dinner Experience with Private Transfers

Buenos Aires

Gaucho Full Day Tour at El Ombú de Areco Ranch

Buenos Aires

This was the second time I used Kimkim to plan my South American trip. Jason was excellent in organizing everything from Beunosaires, El Calafate and peuroto natales to Punta Arenas. The day of ESTANCIA CRISTINA was the highlight of our trip!!! Even if there was hiccup he took care of it. Only improvement I might suggest is a packing list before trip might have been helpful. Punta Arenas some of the Penguin tours and transfers were not exactly up-to mark but Jason took care of the... read more

This was the second time I used Kimkim to plan my South American trip. Jason was excellent in organizing everything from Beunosaires, El Calafate and peuroto natales to Punta Arenas. The day of ESTANCIA CRISTINA was the highlight of our trip!!! Even if there was hiccup he took care of it. Only improvement I might suggest is a packing list before trip might have been helpful. Punta Arenas some of the Penguin tours and transfers were not exactly up-to mark but Jason took care of the complaints very well to our satisfaction.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Diego de Almagro Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas

Just disinterested staff overall

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Staff

Some of them not want to bothered to even attempt broken English

Cleanliness & Comfort

They can’t turn the coffee machine on even 5 minutes early. Most of tours start real early there but breakfast starts at 630. So you are going hungry

Lagos Del Calafate

El Calafate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

474 Buenos Aires Hotel

Buenos Aires

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Estancia Cristina - Classic Option

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

DONT MISS THIS ACTIVITY

Private Buenos Aires Sightseeing Tour

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I’m just not that much into big cities. And king lunch place e stopped in had added cheese in the empanadas which caused sickens for my daughter.

Perito Moreno Glacier - Los Glaciares National Park

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Safari Boat - Sailing Rico Branch

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlight of our trip. The iceberg phots incredible

Full Day Torres del Paine National Park (ex. Puerto Natales)

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Looooong day

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trekking Cerro Benitez

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

I’m

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was an excellent and amazing vacation!

Hard to single out one place. I learned a lot about a part of the world that I never really thought about. It was exciting to be in Buenos Aires when they won the soccer championship. We were there at the right time to share their joy. All places we visited were beautiful. The guides were excellent. I can only say that it opened up a whole world I was ignorant of. We have been to Europe several times. This trip gave me a new understanding of... read more

This was an excellent and amazing vacation!

Hard to single out one place. I learned a lot about a part of the world that I never really thought about. It was exciting to be in Buenos Aires when they won the soccer championship. We were there at the right time to share their joy. All places we visited were beautiful. The guides were excellent. I can only say that it opened up a whole world I was ignorant of. We have been to Europe several times. This trip gave me a new understanding of the world.

Thank you Jason for planning such a wonderful trip for Jim and me. All your arrangements worked out perfectly, from pick up at the airport in Santiago to our departure on the last day from Puerto Natales. Felipe, our guide in Santiago, was amazing. He had such a thorough grasp of Santiago’s history, the people and the politics. We learned so much from him as we toured the city. Lunch at Boscanariz was a delicious surprise and gave us an education in Chilean wines. The Atacama Desert was... read more

Thank you Jason for planning such a wonderful trip for Jim and me. All your arrangements worked out perfectly, from pick up at the airport in Santiago to our departure on the last day from Puerto Natales. Felipe, our guide in Santiago, was amazing. He had such a thorough grasp of Santiago’s history, the people and the politics. We learned so much from him as we toured the city. Lunch at Boscanariz was a delicious surprise and gave us an education in Chilean wines. The Atacama Desert was another highlight of our trip. The salt dunes, geysers and lunar vistas were amazing. All of our guides were so knowledgeable and engaging. We liked staying close to town at Noi Casa Atacama and being able to walk into town whenever we wanted. The staff at the hotel was great and the pool and spa were perfect for relaxing after long touring days. And of course staying at Explora Patagonia in Torres del Plaines with its incredible views and vistas was thrilling. The hikes, guides, food, spa, and staff, all surpassed our expectations. We were so impressed with the passion, enthusiasm and love the staff have for Patagonia and Chile. By the end of our trip, we shared that love.

Our trip was fantastic. Every tour guide we had was great. From Evelyn in Santiago who took us around downtown and gave us great insights about Santiago and Valparaiso.
To our guides in Atacama (Pablo, etc).
The hotel cumbres was great!. People were super helpful.
To our tour guides in Patagonia Camp. This hotel was great!!!! What an experience. I would go back in a heart beat. Barbara, Marcelo and Pauline were great!!!. A wealth of knowledge and extremely accommodating. This place is... read more

Our trip was fantastic. Every tour guide we had was great. From Evelyn in Santiago who took us around downtown and gave us great insights about Santiago and Valparaiso.
To our guides in Atacama (Pablo, etc).
The hotel cumbres was great!. People were super helpful.
To our tour guides in Patagonia Camp. This hotel was great!!!! What an experience. I would go back in a heart beat. Barbara, Marcelo and Pauline were great!!!. A wealth of knowledge and extremely accommodating. This place is amazing and the excursions were great.
I have nothing but praises for the whole trip.
Honestly… every hotel and excursion.. fantastic!.
I would book future trips with Kim Kim. This was my first experience with them and would definitely repeat.

We had the most incredible experience from start to finish. Jason was helpful, responsive and planned the most amazing trip! I will never go on a trip again without using kimkim. We felt like VIPs!

Trip planning...

Jason, our travel agent, was very helpful and attentive. He was very receptive to feedback and promptly incorporated my input into a revised travel plan. Jason was very easy to work with, and I would highly recommend his services to anyone looking to travel in Latin America. I think the only way for the trip planning to be easier is if Jason could read my mind, because it was sometimes difficult to describe the types of adventures that would interest me and my family. ... read more

Trip planning...

Jason, our travel agent, was very helpful and attentive. He was very receptive to feedback and promptly incorporated my input into a revised travel plan. Jason was very easy to work with, and I would highly recommend his services to anyone looking to travel in Latin America. I think the only way for the trip planning to be easier is if Jason could read my mind, because it was sometimes difficult to describe the types of adventures that would interest me and my family. I look forward to planning my next vacation with him.

Vacation summary...

Santiago
- Tour guide Felipe – Very nice, personable, helpful, and knowledgeable tour guide. Provided great insight during the tours and provided great suggestions for activities outside of our planned tours.
- Tour description/review: It was a holiday weekend when we visited Santiago, which our tour guide said was why many locals left the city. We may not have gotten the real feel of Santiago; however, less people likely simplified our tour of the major tourist attractions and important monuments throughout the city. We saw many, if not all the important monuments and learned a fair amount about the city during our tour.
The day trip to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar was amazing! The mural-like graffiti of Valparaiso was one of the most memorable things from our trip. Even our little kids were interested some of the graffiti and architecture of Valparaiso. In addition to the fascinating tour, Felipe took us to get some of the best empanadas we have ever tasted. Even though the water was too cold for us to get into, the view of the beach at Vina del Mar was beautiful. Santiago and the nearby areas were an excellent start to your vacation!

Puerto Natales
- Tour guide Jonathan – Our tours in Puerto Natales were guided by another great tour guide. Jonathan was very knowledgeable about the area, nice and personable, and very patient and good with our kids.
- Tour description/review: The next phase of our trip was even better than the initial. Our hotel room offered a view of the water and the mountain range, and the tours were just as amazing as Santiago. The tours of Milodon Cave and Grey Lake were even more exciting for the kids than the beach and graffiti of the Santiago area. The tours of the Milodon Cave and Torres Del Paine National Park were very interesting. The pinnacle of the vacation occurred on Grey Lake with an up-close view of Glacier Grey. The entire family was awestruck by the size and beauty of the giant glacier. While leaving the national park, we saw several guanacos in the hills on the side of the road. The kids were entertained by the guanaco calls to one another that sounded like they were laughing. The guanacos will likely be a vivid memory of the vacation for the kids, also.

Puerto Varas
- Tour guide Carlos was the best tour guide during our vacation, and all our guides up to this point were very good.
- Tour description/review: Another good view from our hotel room and good tours. The tours were good, but they followed the glacier tour, so they were unjustly penalized. Whatever the tours lacked in comparison to the glaciers, Carlos, our tour guide, did an excellent job of compensating. The final phase of our vacation included more interesting things for the entire family. The tours included a ski lift to nearly the top of a snowcapped volcano, amazing views of Todos Los Santos Lake and Petrohue, and a ferry ride to Chiloe Island to take a boat around Ancud Island to see penguins, sea lions, and birds. Seeing the glaciers was the climax of the vacation; however, the tours of Puerto Varas were the perfect falling action in the wonderful story of our Chile vacation.

We have numerous pictures of amazing sights that will remind us of our wonderful vacation!

Hotel Reviews

Pullman Santiago El Bosque

Las Condes, Santiago

The hotel staff was very friendly and helpful. The hotel is located in a very good location that allows for a short walk to restaurants and the huge mall.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NOI Indigo Patagonia

Puerto Natales

The view from our hotel room was amazing. The staff was friendly and helpful. The restaurant staff went out of their way to accommodate us when we arrived just before breakfast was finishing. The hotel is located in walking distance to the major attractions of the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cumbres Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

The hotel room was nice with a very good view. The hotel staff was very helpful. The restaurant was okay; however, the menu was limited. The hotel is located in walking distance to the town center, which offers various restaurants, a casino, and other attractions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Torres del Paine National Park & Grey Glacier

Puerto Natales

The views of the glacier were amazing, and the knowledgeable and friendly tour guide was an added bonus. It would have been helpful to prompted to bring snacks for such a long tour. Also, for such a long tour, it would be better to have a more substantial lunch included/offered.

Quality of Experience

Food

It would be good to have options available for the box lunch or the option to eat at the hotel restaurant prior to boarding the boat.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Viña del Mar & Valparaíso

Chile

The tour guide was awesome and the murals/graffiti throughout Valparaiso are unforgettable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip - every detail was considered! It was so nice and relaxing for our first trip to South America to know that all the lodging, travel and transfers were scheduled and taken care of.

Our hotel in Palermo, Be Jardin Escondido by Coppola, was one of the favorite places we have ever stayed. The space and our room with the balcony overlooking the garden was so charming and cozy, but the true highlight were the staff - who were all so so so helpful and accomodating. I... read more

We had a wonderful trip - every detail was considered! It was so nice and relaxing for our first trip to South America to know that all the lodging, travel and transfers were scheduled and taken care of.

Our hotel in Palermo, Be Jardin Escondido by Coppola, was one of the favorite places we have ever stayed. The space and our room with the balcony overlooking the garden was so charming and cozy, but the true highlight were the staff - who were all so so so helpful and accomodating. I couldn't speak highly enough about the staff at Be Jardin. Also the included breakfast was so delicious and generous every time - which we mostly enjoyed from the balcony in our room.

All of our hotels were unique and comfortable. The Lares De Chacras was an absolutely beautiful hotel and property. Our room was large, comfortable and the balcony was so nice. While it wasn't quite warm enough for us to use the pool, the pool and hot tub areas were really beautiful and the patio inviting.

All of our scheduled excursions were as promised or better. The gaucho experience at Estancia El Ombú exceeded our expectations. Our host for the day was so knowledgeable about the history of the region and helped take care of every detail and introduce us to local shop so we could really feel immersed. The group at the ranch was small enough to feel intimate and like were taking part in a family dinner. (and the food was some of our favorite on the trip!)

Other highlights included the speakeasy bar tour - we never could have figured out how to get into such cool cocktail bars on our own! Also the dinner and tango show and Rojo Tango was magical and both of our bike excursions (around Buenos Aires and through Mendoza vineyards) were so much fun and a great way to feel a part of the land and the city.

Thank you for helping us discover Argentina and have a wonderful holiday. We can't wait to go back!

Hotel Review

Be Jardin Escondido by Coppola

Buenos Aires

This was one of the favorite hotels we have ever stayed at. It is absolutely charming and cozy - you really feel like you're visiting someone's gorgeous home in Palermo with your own private garden. The staff were some of the friendliest, most helpful and accommodating hosts we've ever had. Everyone spoke great English and were always willing to help us find great local spots, answer questions or just make us a needed afternoon cappuccino. I cannot say enough wonderful things about the staff. The breakfast was always delicious and generous, it was always such a wonderful way to start our day. I appreciated the flexibility of time and ability to dine in our room - it felt so luxurious! I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone and would love to stay here again. Thank you for an amazing stay.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel had so much character - it felt like you were staying in the luxury garden oasis of the Coppola family. Dreamy.

Location

Easy walking to all of the trendy shops and restaurants in Palermo. Great location.

Staff

Probably the friendliest and most helpful staff I have ever experienced at a hotel!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Speakeasy Cocktail Adventure in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

This was so much fun to have our own private guide and driver to get us access to some of the coolest and most exclusive speakeasys in Buenos Aires. We never would have been able to figure out how to access these spots without our guide, and learning about the cocktail history in the city was super fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved having a private driver - I felt like a star!

Gaucho Full Day Tour at El Ombú de Areco Ranch

Buenos Aires

This trip exceeded my expectations. I expected it to be a large group and feel very "touristy", but it turned out to be a very intimate group for the tour of the town and we got behind the scenes access to local artisans and shops while learning about the region's history. The ranch was also a small enough group that you felt like you were celebrating with friends and family. The horses, food, music and dance were all very magical.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our host in the town and the ranch was lovely. She was so knowledgeable and passionate about the area's history and made our day truly special.

Transport

Bike & Wines Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza

Mendoza

The bike paths around Mendoza are so easy to navigate and give you a unique perspective of the region. What a lovely way to spend the day. Also, the final stop for food and drinks felt very special - like were visiting someone's home.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tango Show & Dinner (Tango Rojo) + Private Transfers

Buenos Aires

This was so cool. What a beautiful venue and talented artists. Being able to enjoy a meal and Malbec and have everything you need while enjoying the show was a very special experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver was so kind and excited that we were going to have this experience. Although it was so close we definitely could have walked from our hotel. :)

Urban Bike Tour Buenos Aires, Heart of the City - South Circuit

Buenos Aires

Our day of riding around Buenos Aires with Jackson was one of the highlights of our trip. We learned so much about the city and it's history while taking in beautiful parks and streets. The bike lanes were plentiful and we always felt safe and comfortable on our ride. We enjoyed Mate by a lake and fresh empanadas for lunch. It was a really magical way to see more of the city than you could easily cover on foot.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great two-week trip around Argentina. The trip includes a good balance of history, culture, scenery, and cuisine in each of the locations we visited. The hotels that we stayed in are either in really good locations or every interesting settings.

The tours themselves were excellent overall and had plenty of photo opportunities, activities, and food. The horseback riding in Mendoza and Iguazú Falls are notable highlights! We didn't visit the salt flats during the rainy season, so... read more

We had a great two-week trip around Argentina. The trip includes a good balance of history, culture, scenery, and cuisine in each of the locations we visited. The hotels that we stayed in are either in really good locations or every interesting settings.

The tours themselves were excellent overall and had plenty of photo opportunities, activities, and food. The horseback riding in Mendoza and Iguazú Falls are notable highlights! We didn't visit the salt flats during the rainy season, so the five hour drive to there from Salta made it underwhelming. Unfortunately, we didn't find many other activities to do during our stays in Salta and Iguazú.

We had four main tour guides throughout this trip: Maria Laura (BA), Gabi (Mendoza), Andres (Salta), and Marcos (Iguazú). Each of them was able to offer interesting insights and commentary on each location. They were very friendly and easy to talk to. We noticed Andres wasn't as talkative as the other guides, but that might be because he was the only guide who also had to drive at the same time.

Overall, we enjoyed the trip and would love to visit again!

the local guides were wonderful!!!! read more

the local guides were wonderful!!!!

Hotel Reviews

Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge

Manaus

very unique setting and experience. A must stay place if in the amazon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belmond Hotel das Cataratas

Foz do Iguaçu

The style was not our favorite so almost didn’t select this location. Extremely glad Jason highly encouraged it! The location was incredible and private time without the crowds at the falls was well worth it! Food and service were fantastic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Janeiro Hotel

Rio de Janeiro

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Walking Tour & Secrets of Old Rio

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Yacht Tour of Cotunduba Island

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Corcovado & Sugar Loaf with BBQ Lunch

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helicopter Overflight Iguazu Falls Brazil

Brazil

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour Brazilian Iguazu Falls

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Argentine Iguazu Falls from Foz do Iguacu

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great Adventure (Argentinian Falls Tour Supplement)

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Final Day Amazon. Flight to Foz do Iguaçu via Rio and Transfers

Brazil

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was truly exceptional. The Amazon is a great adventure for anyone traveling with teenage boys. Our guide Robert was patient and able to help us spot monkeys, sloths, spiders, birds and caimans. The next stop was visiting the Sacred Valley. Our guide Dennis gave us a great foundation in Incan history prior to us heading to Machu Picchu. He made looking at the tiered potato fields interesting by talking about the debunked theories around their existence - such as meteorites and... read more

The trip was truly exceptional. The Amazon is a great adventure for anyone traveling with teenage boys. Our guide Robert was patient and able to help us spot monkeys, sloths, spiders, birds and caimans. The next stop was visiting the Sacred Valley. Our guide Dennis gave us a great foundation in Incan history prior to us heading to Machu Picchu. He made looking at the tiered potato fields interesting by talking about the debunked theories around their existence - such as meteorites and UFOs. We of course went to Machu Picchu with Marcellino - the most patient, fun and informative guide on the planet. And we finished with Arturo and Dennis in Cusco. The chocolate making class is so fun. But ultimately the time I was able to spend connecting with my son was the most valuable part of the trip.