Petru van Zyl

Petru was a great source of knowledge helping us navigate South Africa. Everything was conveniently arranged to free us from any worries. The tourist companies she used were the very best in the business and we felt comfortable. We enjoy our trip to the fullest from Johannesburg to the rustic camps for ours game drives -And from Franschhoek and Cape Town touring the major attractions. We went from experiencing rustic camps to 5 stars hotels. It was an epic experience for mother/son trip. Thanks Petru 🙏🏼😊

My mother, Gigi, and I had a spectacular time on our South African adventure. We were very happy with KimKim as the entire process and planning was made simpler for us. It gave us a peace of mind that everything from accommodations and attractions were taken care of by the planning and execution of the staff at KimKim.

Petru was our superstar planner. We were very happy with her service as she was extremely patient and thorough with us. We were very confused and disoriented with the planning process before hiring KimKim (Petru) as our planner.

The staff at Tangala Safari Camp at Thornybush and Timbavati Game Reserve were delightful. Our accommodations and attractions planned for Franschhoek and Capetown were top notch. We enjoyed every step of the experience. The animals! Wow! Watching anything on the National Geographic channel will never be the same as it'll always come second to our up-close experience with every animal we had encountered.

Our favorite part of our trip was experiencing the amazing and beautiful South African people. Everyone was so genuine, kind, charming and welcoming. A giant thank you goes out to everyone from every step of the way who made our trip that much more enjoyable and memorable. We even learned a few words in Afrikaans.

Thank you, Petru! You made it an exciting trip and we'll always remember how good you were to us.

Until next time!

Joe Gilani

Loved our 10-day trip to South Africa that Petru helped us plan. Highly recommend Franschhoek and the Bush Lodge at Amakhala as the highlights of our trip. Also, loved our guide Zane through Paradise Tours, very knowledgeable and friendly. Zane made us feel safe and added to our overall experience on our honeymoon. We had the trip of a lifetime and would recommend our travel plan to anyone!

Our local South African specialist, Petru, organized a wonderful trip for us to Cape Town and Greater Kruger that ranks amongst our most memorable experiences. Jimmy, our local guide in Cape Town (Paradise Touring), was welcoming and kind, with a warm, energetic, and enthusiastic personality, and had deep knowledge about life and history in Cape Town and South Africa. He made sure that our experience was top-notch, and we recommend him highly to any future travelers to the Cape Town area. We visited the city of Cape Town, went to the the top of Table Mountain via cable car, visited Robben Island, and toured the Cape Peninsula all the way to the Cape of Good Hope. The beautiful scenery that we saw in the city and during our Cape Peninsula tour will always remain in our minds.

We then took a short flight and visited a private reserve (Timbavati) in the Mpumalanga area, just outside of Kruger National Park. Our transfers to and from the reserve were seamless, and the accommodations at the camp impeccable. During our stay, our safari guide Christian and wildlife tracker Temba ensured that we were able to fully experience the breadth of amazing wildlife and the natural environment of the reserve, and made an extra effort to find animals that we were interested in viewing. We were very fortunate to see 4 of the "Big 5" on our trip, in addition to numerous other animals, including a pair of cheetah.

We would highly recommend Petru and the Kimkim service for any travelers wishing to experience the highlights of South Africa. Their ability to create a personalized itinerary for all budget ranges, with convenient communication and payment options, makes them one of the top choices for booking international travel. Based on this experience, we plan to use Kimkim for other future travel plans.

Hotel Reviews

Portswood Hotel V&A

Cape Town

Excellent hotel, conveniently located within walking distance of most shops and restaurants at the V&A Waterfront, with nice views of Table Mountain depending on room. Room accommodations are top-notch, and are on par with other 4-star hotels. Breakfast consists of a variety of hot and continental options, including hash browns, sausage, baked beans, cereals, yogurts, tea, and coffee, and a large variety of fresh fruit. Eggs can be made to order as well. The hotel restaurant is also quite nice, with a wide variety of food options, and dinner meals can be enjoyed in the convenience of one's room or in the dining area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to V&A Waterfront, with amazing views of Table Mountain.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bateleur Safari Camp

Hoedspruit

Travelers looking for an experience that is rustic yet luxurious will enjoy this camp quite a bit. With a commitment to green and sustainable living, the camp is off the electric grid, and generates all its energy through solar panels. A local underground water source ensures a fresh supply of mineral water that is regularly quality tested and safe to drink directly from the tap. While an electric fence keeps out elephants, all other animals regularly visit and walk through the camp (including a resident group of Nyala; hyenas are also common). All meals are provided, with a large variety of fresh options for breakfast, and a 3-course dinner meal each night. Visitors returning from an afternoon game drive can enjoy a warm campfire with beverages prior to dinner. Lodges are well furnished, with luxurious beds and furniture.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day City, Table Mountain & Robben Island Tour (excluding lunch)

South Africa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Cape Peninsula Tour (excluding lunch)

South Africa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Game Drive

South Africa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Timbavati Private Game Reserve Safari Day

Timbavati Game Reserve

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Final Morning Game Drive

South Africa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I’ve traveled with KimKim before; all experiences have been exceptional.

This trip covered Zimbabwe, Botswana, Johannesburg & Soweto.

This trip required lots of work, coordinating & communication with more than one person & at several meeting points ( which wasn’t always smooth). I’m sure KimKim can address this without issues. However, know that coordinators simply want to get it right as they get to know you & your interests. The end of the trip ran smoothly based on my continued communication with Petru, the coordinator.

All lodges, staff & meals were wonderful. One lodge was dated, but staff & meals were exceptional. The camp had lovely staff and exceptional meals, despite frigid temperatures. Early morning departures for game drives could be improved, perhaps a later hour. Do note that it was all inclusive.

I made a stop in Johannesburg to learn about its history. I spent time in the city proper & in Soweto. The guides were exceptional.
A meaningful time spent with community members. This was a walking & tuk tuk tour.

If you love nature this trip may be for you. Prepare for frigid temperatures and remaining sedentary as the day is either spent on a jeep or a boat with bumpy rides. If you are the active type, you’ll need to set up your own routine. There was one Safari walk & another at Victoria Falls, which were greatly desired. Thanks.

Activity Reviews

Johannesburg Private Historic Walking and Tuk Tuk Tour

Zimbabwe

Exceptional!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Johannesburg Departure

Zimbabwe

Ran smoothly. Thanks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Safari

Victoria Falls

Great stories & learning. Nice calm walk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great planned trip. Good use of 7 nights. Liked the split and a break between both major safari (Sabi Sand and Chobe NP). The break covered lookouts and hiking in Blyde Canyon areas, staying in White River, and trip to Victoria Falls. We intentionally added an additional game drive in the Zambezi NP one free morning ourselves. All three places (in Sabi Sands, Victoria Falls and Chobe NP) were great. Chobe NP resort inside the park was very good and definitely 5 stars. Nkorho bush lodge in Sabi Sands was very good with excellent guides. The river Cruise was on Zambezi was excellent. Location for Victoria Falls lodge was excellent. Place was slightly dated. Local tour outfitters / transport (Sable Tours for Sabi Sands & White River, Wild Horizons in Zambezi tours/river cruise, and local Botswana transfer to Chobe) were excellent. Both flights on Airlink Airlines and one flight on FastJet were well planned.