Jimena Pérez

My friend and I just returned from a trip to Chile (Patagonia region). It was an amazing trip and unforgettable experience! We are both very seasoned travelers but decided to use KimKim to help plan as we were very unfamiliar with the area and not sure where to start. From the beginning Jimena and Jessica were very helpful. We changed several days of the trip and they were able to help out and accommodate our requests. The entire trip was done thoughtfully and we were never bored but had some downtime to explore and do some shopping on our own. Jessica was willing to see us several hours early for our local briefing and arranged for us to have hiking poles for all our hikes.

Highlights:
We really enjoyed spending a night in Torres del Paine park. It was a amazing being so close to all the trails and being able to stay at the Refugio Paine Grande was a highlight. Great food and a great place to rest up between hikes.
We absolutely loved the Kayaking tour in Eberhard Fjord. It was a perfect way to adventure while resting our legs. Our guide Vincenzo was so kind and patient. He inspired us to paddle hard and brave the strong winds. Being invited into Alecia's home was also and unexpected but amazing gift. She severed us fresh sopapillas and jam after kayaking. It was such a special day.

There were several minor hiccups with timing. I think it was due to the approaching winter season and tour times seem to change with the later sunrise. Overall, we would highly recommend KimKim. We would also strongly recommend Patagonia as a destination if you love nature, hiking and challenging yourself. Thank you!
Amber

Hotel Reviews

Pristine Patagonia Hotel

Puerto Natales

Clean and close to many restaurants. They provided an extra early breakfast for us when we had to leave at 5am. Rooms are small but comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Interesting decorations.

Location

Located on the edge of the city but within walking distance to restaurants and shopping.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable beds.

Refugio Paine Grande

Puerto Natales, Chile

This was a very pleasant surprise. Our room was ready when we got off the boat. Food was amazing and served up buffet style. They also provide packed lunch for to take hiking for lunch. There are wood burning stoves located through out that offer some much needed dry heat. We got there late so seating by the fires was taken but it seemed like a great place to hang out after a long day hiking. Rooms are small but beds comfortable and clean. There is a shared shower / bathroom that is basic. We also used the Refugio after we checked out while we waited for our boat. They provide bathrooms, a mini mart, hot water and shelter for hikers passing through. A cup of ramen never tasked so good! They give each person 30 minutes of free internet and after that you can purchase more time based on needs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views from this hotel are insanely beautiful.

Staff

Very helpful and accommodating to both guests and day hikers.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and well maintained. Everything was freshly painted.

Hotel Vendaval

Puerto Natales

Very charming hotel. Clean and comfortable rooms. The decorations were modern and well thought out. Staff was very helpful storing our bags and answering questions. We loved the location as it was very close to the city square where there were so many restaurants and shopping. The breakfasts were very good. My favorites were the scrambled eggs, the coffee machine, and the calafate jam with local breads.

Authenticity & Character

Charming and clean.

Location

Very close to restaurants and shopping.

Staff

Helpful and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

We arrived for our briefing early and Jessica was able to adjust to this. We had been traveling for 24 hours straight and wanted to get to bed early that evening. Jessica went through our itinerary and helped to plan through issues like transferring bags from one hotel to the other. She gave tips on the trails and what to expect for the meals.

Quality of Experience

Welcoming and helpful with questions.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our airport transfer was 30 minutes late and we were told the wrong starting time for our Serrano Glacier.

Transport

Condor Watching

Puerto Natales

We really didn't know what to expect for this but were hoping to see some Condors. We saw one but very far away. We were told it was an easy hike which turned out to be an hour hike straight up a mountain side. We climbed 1750 feet in 1.49 miles. It was manageable but we were not prepared for that type of activity. On a positive note, the views from above were stunning and our guide was energetic and fun. Biggest disappointment was not seeing condors!

Quality of Experience

More information about what to expect.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to "Mirador Base Las Torres"

Puerto Natales

This hike! Wow. We were very limited with time for the hike as we needed to be back at trailhead by 16:00 to catch the last boat at 1700 to our Refugio. We had a super early pickup of 5:00. We started the hike by 7:15. It was dark and raining / sleeting. The trail conditions started out quite muddy but improved over the next few hours. The sunrise views were so amazing, even in the rain. We moved at a very good pace with no stops but after arriving at the Chilean Refugio our guide advised us that we should reconsider climbing the final rocks as it was snowing quite hard up there, he talked with others that were there and there was no view of the towers plus the snowy conditions would make the rocks very slippery and also make it so that we would really have to rush through the hike. We agreed to go to the alternative lookout spot and from that point stopped and took lots of pictures and soaked up the beauty of the hike. It is such an amazing hike with so many different perspectives from mountains, to rivers, to forests, to rocky cliffs. We really enjoyed the changing weather from rain to snow then back to sun. We made it down by 1530 and did not feel rushed at all. We missed the last scramble but feel like due to conditions, we made a good choice to slow down and enjoy. We ended up going to the alternative lookout but were not able to see the towers at all.

Quality of Experience

So worth the effort!

Food

Sack lunch from Refugio was nice.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide took many nature bathroom breaks to the point we wondered what he was doing (vaping?). He seemed knowledgable about the trail and suggested alternatives to keep us safe and to make it enjoyable for us.

Transport

Boat Tour to Bernardo O Higgins National Park, Serrano & Balmaceda Glaciers

Puerto Natales

We were told to walk down and be a the office of this tour by 7am. When we arrived it was not open. I tried to call several numbers with no luck. We saw a note on the door that said something about winter hours. We were about to leave when two others arrived. We all waited until someone came to open the office at 7:30. This was our first tour after returning to Puerto Natales the previous evening at 22:30 so having an extra hour to sleep in would have been nice. We eventually were transferred to a boat and waited another hour for the boat to fill with other guests. The journey to the glacier was very beautiful. We saw some smaller glaciers, waterfalls, and sea lions. The hike to the Serrano glacier was easy and scenic. Guides there were helpful and answered questions about park and glacier. On the way back we stopped and and had lunch at a ranch. The food there was good. The boat serves coffee, snacks and whiskey with glacial ice cubes.

Quality of Experience

This is a larger group so things move a bit slower. It is an all day tour but they do a nice job of showing people lot of sights on the way and then offering a unique lunch.

Food

Glacial ice drinks were a nice touch. The lunch was unique and very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Check hours of operation especially in the fall and winter months.

Transport

Views from boat are impressive. There is so much to see.

Kayak the Eberhard Fjord

Puerto Natales

This was one of the highlights of our trip. We were not sure what to expect and were so tired but from the very beginning our guide Vincenzo was amazing. He stopped along our journey out to the fjord to identify birds and let us get some pictures. We arrived at Alecia's home on the Eberhard Fjord and she welcomed us in to get changed. We were given ALL the gear from dry suits, to booties, to gloves for our hands. We were given some quick tips and set out in the sunny but very gusty water adventure. Our guide was so encouraging and patient. He made us feel so empowered and inspired us to kayak around the entire island, only getting snagged up once. We made two stops on the islands to stretch our legs. Vincenzo also took our camera and got some great pictures and videos of us in action. After the kayaking, Alecia invited us in for homemade sopapillas and calafate jam. She talked about her family and home and even took pictures with us. We felt very special and was a great way to end our tour.

Quality of Experience

It was so fun and unique.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vincenzo was amazing! So patient and kind.

Transport

Our trip to Torres del Paine/Puerto Natales was spectacular! It was a VERY active trip, which is what we were looking for! It was fun to see our guides underestimate us (49 and 56 year old nurses!)!

Our planner was very responsive and helpful in picking activities that suited us! Trekking poles were provided for all the hikes which was great not to have to pack any.

We were a little disappointed that our Condor watching involved no Condors. Our guide had let us know that the time of year for them was not unusual to not see them. Such information would have been appreciated ahead of time. Nonetheless it was a beautiful day and our guide took spectacular pictures for us on a very vertical hike! He also brought tea and granola bars for a break at the summit. If your itinerary states that you will be getting a meal, be sure to verify what it will be.

We wanted to do the Torres Base hike and also the ferry on Pehoe Lake, which was a lot to do in one day, but our planners at Kim Kim made sure they worked it out for us. We left our hotel in Puerto Natales at 5am, snoozed during the two hour ride to the park and hiked the first section mostly in the dark with headlamps. The sunrise was a spectacular unexpected benefit of leaving so early. The hike was heart rate raising but very doable. Hiking boots, trekking poles, rain gear, water and layers are essential. We had rain, sleet, snow and sunshine throughout the day. I am dairy free and was glad to pack some dairy free snacks but options are available at the midpoint central Refugio too. Due to cloudy conditions we couldn’t see the peaks clearly so our guide recommended not to hike the last section and we did the alternative lookout instead because of our time crunch, but honestly we could have made it. Which brings us to our guide - he said he was going to the “natures bathroom” often because he was on blood pressure medication which caused this need. We actually figured out he was sneaking off to vape. I suspect he wanted to finish the hike to vape at the end because he was in a huge rush to get back and we had quite a bit of time to spare. He was not nearly as informative nor helpful as the guide we had our first day (Paulo Angel). We mentioned several times we wished he had been with us. Nonetheless, we had a spectacular day and Kim Kim did a great job planning the timing for us.

The ferry to Lake Pehoe provides amazing views, especially on a sunny day. The Refugio Grande was much better than we expected - the meals were buffet style and we had many options that were very well prepared!!

We very much enjoyed the Glacier Grey hike that we did on our own. It allowed for us to speak freely between ourselves, go at our own pace and stop for pictures and lunch (arranged by Kim Kim and provided by the Refugio) when we wanted. Relaxing at the Refugio before going back to PN via the ferry and a bus was easy and comfortable. Information from Kim Kim on the bus departure timing was incorrect, probably because of being the shoulder season, but I feel this could have been anticipated and communicated better. A taxi from the bus terminal to our hotel was $5ish. Kimkim arranged for our luggage to be transferred to our second hotel which was seamless! Hotel Vandaval was fantastic and very responsive.

After two days of active hiking we had a day of a boat ride to Serrano glacier and an estancia for lunch. It was a relaxing day, which was needed but it wasn’t a highlight of the trip.

The last day was THE BEST. As we were pretty tired from all our activity we considered skipping it and were so glad we didn’t!! Vincenzo was a top notch top tier tour guide - friendly, immensely knowledgeable and extremely positive and patient. It was a very gusty and windy day and his tips, attitude and assistance was the difference between a good day and an unforgettable one! To say we had fun would be an extreme understatement! He stopped on the way to Puerto Prat when we wanted to see the birds along the way or to take pictures of the breathtaking scenery. I cannot say enough good things about this young man!!! After our kayaking around the fjords we had lunch with a very sweet woman, Alicia, from Puerto Prat in her home, which we had no idea we were going to do - which was an extremely pleasant surprise! The hospitality of this day well represented Pantagonia hospitality and was the crown jewel of our trip!!!

All in all, our trip was well planned and the execution was great. Travelers to Pantagonia should be aware of the weather, rugged conditions and remoteness of Puerto Natales - which we were. With such an attitude, you are pleasantly surprised with the comforts and hospitality that do pop up.

A note about diet concerns: I have a severe intolerance to milk products and communicated this to KimKim. They did the best they could to communicate this need to all the vendors. I was amazed at the availability of vegan protein bars and food products in the park, at restaurants in town and at stores. Our favorite: Patagonia Dulce, which has amazing chocolate, coffees and pastries, as well as sandwiches. Soy and almond milk was available for all drinks.

We can’t wait to come back with our spouses on another trip!

We recently booked a 10 day trip to Patagonia through kimkim and had a great experience. This was our first time ever utilizing this type of service and I can not recommend it enough.

Jimena was knowledgeable and helped us create the perfect itinerary based on our interests. She provided suggestions and recommendations and made necessary tweaks to fit our needs.
Jessica was extremely helpful and thorough walking us through everything prior to our trip to ensure we felt comfortable with the plan and had all last minute questions answered.

We had private drivers on two separate occasions who were both excellent. They were timely and had clean vehicles. They were also sure to point out local highlights on the drive and restaurant recommendations.

Both of our guides were fantastic as well. They were helpful in sharing tips on the trail including challenging spots coming up and good places to break during our hike.

Overall I highly recommend booking with kimkim!

Hotel Reviews

Pristine Patagonia Hotel

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lago Grey

Torres del Paine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sierra Nevada

El Calafate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lunajuim

El Chalten

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Torres del Paine Full Day Private Tour

Patagonia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Grey Glacier Boat Tour (round-trip)

Patagonia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The boat guide talked a bit longer than expected and others were getting antsy to get out and enjoy the view.

Transport

Perito Moreno Boat & Walking Tour

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to Laguna de los Tres

El Chaltén

It’s a long day to spend with a group and guide and ours was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We have never used a travel agent before but would definitely use KimKim again. Jimena was wonderful to work with as was Jessica at Dittmar Adventures. They were very thorough and responsive whenever we needed them both in the planning phase and during the trip to Patagonia. I can't imagine going without their help.

We had been on a waiting list for Hotel Torres in Chile and they were able to secure a reservation for us which was wonderful. Felipe our driver and wine tour guide was fabulous during our day in the Casablanca wine region outside of Santiago.

It was an overall great experience.

Hotel Review

Hotel Las Torres Patagonia

Torres del Paine

One of the best places we have ever stayed. The staff, attention to detail, food and drinks as well as the location were perfect.

Authenticity & Character

beautiful decor suiting the space

Location

you could walk out the door and be on a trail

Staff

Francisco one of the waiters was especially great

Cleanliness & Comfort

everything

Activity Reviews

Grey Glacier Boat Tour (round-trip)

Patagonia

the staff engagement was the best thing about the trip. Better time than we expected. Mateus and Constanza were especially great.

Casablanca Valley Wine Tour

Patagonia

Felipe was a wonderful driver and wine expert. He was punctual and so knowledgeable and friendly. He made the drive time go by so fast. The two wineries were perfect.

Jimena from KimKim was truly wonderful to work with. She met with us over zoom several times to go over our goals and ideas for the trip, and she helped us work out all logistics. When we were in Chile everything worked perfectly and we felt very taken care-of. Even when one of our excursions was cancelled, KimKim had already rebooked us on a new one before we even knew there was an issue. We will definitely use them again for future travel abroad plans!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Ismael

Santiago

Comfortable stay right in Santiago!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to get to a park and other places.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

Beautiful views of the water and mountains; easy to walk to restaurants and stores.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cabo De Hornos

Punta Arenas

Great location and nice gym. Very well laid out rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Torres del Paine Full Day Private Tour

Chile

Beautiful scenery; lots to learn. Great photo spots!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andres was fantastic!

Transport

Santiago City Tour

Chile

Was a bit long for our first day after a long flight, but great information!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was nice having a air conditioned van!

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

Easy to get to this location and they were able to answer all of our questions!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour to Bernardo O Higgins National Park, Serrano & Balmaceda Glaciers

Puerto Natales

This was 7 hours; a bit too long for us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking at Laguna Sofia & Estancia Rupestre

Puerto Natales

Loved this hike; was a challenge (5 miles) but not too difficult. Views are spectacular. We saw a condor on the path!

Quality of Experience

Guide was great; loved seeing the cave drawings

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Isla Magdalena Penguin Colony

Punta Arenas

This was super cute; it gets cold on this island so be prepared with warm clothes!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Beautiful Patagonia adventure was outstanding from start to finish. The itinerary was thoughtfully designed, perfectly balancing guided excursions with free time to explore. Every destination—Puerto Natales, and El Calafate—offered incredible scenery, excellent accommodations, and smooth logistics throughout. Though we didn't get to complete El Chaltén due to unexpected weather (wind) advisory, I'm sure it would have been just as well thought out.

The guided hikes in Torres del Paine were unforgettable, especially the trek to Mirador Base Las Torres and the French Valley. The Perito Moreno Glacier ice hike was another once-in-a-lifetime highlight. Each guide was knowledgeable, professional, and passionate about sharing Patagonia’s beauty and culture. Our driver was also intregal though out our trip.

Jimena, Rae, Erin and the Dittmar Adventures team were exceptional—responsive, organized, and attentive to every detail. Thanks to them, our group of 13 had a seamless and truly memorable experience. Highly recommend this itinerary for anyone wanting to explore the best of Patagonia with expert local support.