Although I have always lived in beautiful Wales, I am passionate about travel. As a child I spent family holidays in Britain, touring the west coast of Scotland and the south coast of England, walking in the Lake District, and visiting Pembrokeshire where I chose to settle after graduating. You will probably find me walking, cycling or sea kayaking in my free time. I have worked in education for over 28 years, as a teacher and then school leader. I feel fortunate, with my husband, to have brought up our two children, in Pembrokeshire, where access to such a fantastic area has been on our doorstep. Looking back, competing in the Blenheim Palace Triathlons, cycling from London to Paris and studying howler monkeys in Argentina have been enriching experiences.
I think it is fair to say I have the travel bug, and if I can help you satisfy yours, I’ll be even happier.
For me, it’s not only about seeing the next fantastic view but also about embracing new cultures and communities along the way. There is always something to take away. Travel has the knack of taking us out of our normal lives and thoughts and opening our minds to new possibilities.
I’ve travelled extensively in Europe, there’s an amazing variety of landscapes, people, and history and a million and one ways to experience them. My journeys have expanded from my first tentative forays to France, to working in Spain. Whether it’s been skiing in Norway or Italy, travelling through Turkey by bus, or cycling the Mountains of Northern Spain there has always been pleasure in experiences shared and something new learned.
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"We strive to provide an unmatched tailored service delivering an authentic luxury travel experience with a true sense of place in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. I offer expert advice with knowledgeable insights to tailor a unique journey to remember. Whether you are looking to experience a culinary adventure along our extraordinary coastline, escape to a remote Scottish island, or learn more about these magnificent country’s long history of legends and castles, then I can arrange everything for you."
How did you get involved in travel?
"I've always loved to travel, perhaps it was coming from a small village in Wales that gave me the urge to get out and see what else was out there! Since my early journeys in Britain and Europe I've been fortunate enough to extend my adventures across the globe. There is something particularly rewarding about planning your travel experiences - this really is part of the fun of it all for me, finding the most authentic way to get under the skin of a place. I think this must be why my friends have always told me I should be doing this for a living ... and here I am!"
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"To experience something unique it's universally true that you can't plan it! You've just got to get out there often enough and positive things will happen! The experience I'd like to share with you is this. It was a short conversation, not one that I expected when simply buying a ferry ticket! We had spent the day on Skye and were bound for the small island community of Raasay, on my favourite method of transport in the Uk, a Caledonian MacBrayne ferry (this always means you are somewhere pretty cool!). It was a short crossing, just 20 minutes, but in that short period I learned so much from my impromptu guide, that I was on the newest most hybrid ferry in the Calmac fleet, the Clyde shipyard where it was built - the real community of Raasay and the role tourism plays in the fragile way of life on the edge, how he had returned home to raise his family. What's so amazing about this you may ask? And in that I agree this could have been one of hundreds of conversations over the years but this was with me, with the sun setting behind the Cuillin mountain range as we crossed the sound of Raasay, I didn't want to be anywhere else.
"
Rachel's favorite itineraries and travel advice
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Luxury itineraries
Road trip itineraries
Recent trip reviews for Rachel
Valuable advice from someone who knows!
England
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Dec 24 - Jan 6, 2024
Lora D.
Coney Island, NY
| Reviewed on Jan 07, 2024
Rachel designed an incredible trip for me, my husband, and my 6 year old son. She provided great advice on what to do and what to avoid. (For example, she told us not to take the train from Edinburgh to London, as it wasn’t the experience we thought it would be.) I would certainly use her again to plan another trip.
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Rachel designed an incredible trip for me, my husband, and my 6 year old son. She provided great advice on what to do and what to avoid. (For example, she told us not to take the train from Edinburgh to London, as it wasn’t the experience we thought it would be.) I would certainly use her again to plan another trip.
Hotel Reviews
Absolutely perfect- sets the bar high for all other hotels. The Cameron House helped create magical Christmas memories for me and my family.
Authenticity & Character
Friendly staff, beautiful facilities.
Staff
Incredibly helpful.
Hotel du Vin & Bistro Edinburgh
Edinburgh
The Hoxton, Southwark
London
Kingsmills Hotel
Inverness
This hotel was okay, but clearly overwhelmed for the holidays. Also, the “heated” pool was not heated and was very cold. Don’t think I’d stay here again.
Activity Review
Didn’t love this- the guide seemed to be in a rush to be done with us. The scenery wasn’t that great and we didn’t see any animals, so we would skip this next time
Local specialist: Rachel Long
Rachel did a terrific job!
Scotland
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Jun 6 - Jun 12, 2023
Mark M.
Jefferson City, MO
| Reviewed on Jun 13, 2023
Rachel did a terrific job making our trip purposeful and enjoyable! We can’t say enough about how good of a job she did! She had a few days to figure things out and did marvelous! Trip highlights include boat ride in Isle of Skye for wildlife watching, the Cameron House in Loch Lomond, The Old Mill Inn at Pitlochery and finally playing golf at Royal Troon! We’ll put together for convenience and so many personal touches. Thank you for the support and assistance!
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Rachel did a terrific job making our trip purposeful and enjoyable! We can’t say enough about how good of a job she did! She had a few days to figure things out and did marvelous! Trip highlights include boat ride in Isle of Skye for wildlife watching, the Cameron House in Loch Lomond, The Old Mill Inn at Pitlochery and finally playing golf at Royal Troon! We’ll put together for convenience and so many personal touches. Thank you for the support and assistance!
Hotel Reviews
The Old Mill Inn
Pitlochry
Local specialist: Rachel Long
Our flight to Ireland was delayed by a day. R...
Ireland
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May 1 - May 9, 2023
Karen S.
Westfield, NJ
| Reviewed on May 16, 2023
Our flight to Ireland was delayed by a day. Rachel rearranged everything for us so that although of course we were more rushed, we didn’t miss a thing. She was always available in country. Excellent service
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Our flight to Ireland was delayed by a day. Rachel rearranged everything for us so that although of course we were more rushed, we didn’t miss a thing. She was always available in country. Excellent service
Hotel Reviews
very nice staff, good room, very pretty atmosphere! Breakfast was great. Good location
Authenticity & Character
Very pretty lobby and exterior
Staff
Gave great recommendations and were very accomodating
Beautiful views. Nicely appointed rooms
Location
This is for people who want to be away with nice views. Fairly close to giants causeway
Ballyseede Castle
Co. Kerry
I think this is a great place for a wedding or if you want to get away and do nothing and sit on the lawn but not in the best shape
Authenticity & Character
It is a castle
Staff
They weren’t very visible. Food staff was nice
Monks Inn & Famous Restaurant
Beautiful room with lovely room. Even had a washing machine which we took advantage of
Staff
Just a bit of confusion at check
Great location. Nice rooms staff couldn’t have been more helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room was nice but I hate separate hot and cold water taps
Activity Reviews
Joe was friendly, charming and extremely knowledgeable. A must do
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Dublin Walking Tour
Dublin
Sam was a great guide. Highly recommend him
Local specialist: Rachel Long
Family friendly Ireland trip
Ireland
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Apr 1 - Apr 6, 2023
Mareen T.
Richmond, VA
| Reviewed on Apr 13, 2023
Rachel took the time to talk with me several times in last minute plans and accommodate several child friendly activity requests. She gave helpful advice about each location and didn’t overschedule us. We had a fantastic trip!
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Rachel took the time to talk with me several times in last minute plans and accommodate several child friendly activity requests. She gave helpful advice about each location and didn’t overschedule us. We had a fantastic trip!
Activity Reviews
Watch a Sheep Dog Demonstration at Glenshane Country Park
Ireland
Guides, Drivers and Staff
National Trust Causeway Coast Visitor Experience
Ireland
Local specialist: Rachel Long
An amazing experience from beginning to end. ...
Ireland
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Dec 31 - Jan 8, 2023
Quoc-Dien T.
Brookline, MA
| Reviewed on Jan 09, 2023
An amazing experience from beginning to end. Rachel put together a perfect itinerary adapted to our needs in a very short period of time.
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An amazing experience from beginning to end. Rachel put together a perfect itinerary adapted to our needs in a very short period of time.
Hotel Reviews
Cliff at Lyons
Co. Kildare
The Ardilaun Hotel
Galway
Very good value for the money
Clontarf Castle Hotel
Dublin
Local specialist: Rachel Long
Adventures in London and Paris
United Kingdom
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Oct 27 - Nov 10, 2022
Joan D.
Chicago, IL
| Reviewed on Nov 11, 2022
I chose to work with KimKim travel based on a recommendation from my sister-in-law. Rachel and her team have been wonderful to work with, and helped me to plan a fantastic holiday for my son and mom, who was celebrating her 80th birthday. We loved the choices and locations of our accommodations - it was so easy to get around and explore the various areas in each city we visited. The attention to detail and quick response to our questions and last minute change of plans were handled so...
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I chose to work with KimKim travel based on a recommendation from my sister-in-law. Rachel and her team have been wonderful to work with, and helped me to plan a fantastic holiday for my son and mom, who was celebrating her 80th birthday. We loved the choices and locations of our accommodations - it was so easy to get around and explore the various areas in each city we visited. The attention to detail and quick response to our questions and last minute change of plans were handled so smoothly! Thank you, Rachel, for making our first trip to London and Paris unforgettable! We will definitely use KimKim again!
Local specialist: Rachel Long
Trip of a Lifetime
Scotland
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Sep 21 - Oct 5, 2022
CIndy B.
Pinehurst, NC
| Reviewed on Nov 07, 2022
Our trip to Scotland planned by Rachel exceeded our expectations and became the trip of a lifetime for us! With very little lead time, she planned a two week trip filled with wonderful experiences and excellent accommodations. We were fortunate to have excellent guides to drive us from one location to another. Their commentary and insights helped us to appreciate what we were seeing. We especially enjoyed Neil McLeod, who did a fantastic job of finding interesting sights and stops for us, and...
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Our trip to Scotland planned by Rachel exceeded our expectations and became the trip of a lifetime for us! With very little lead time, she planned a two week trip filled with wonderful experiences and excellent accommodations. We were fortunate to have excellent guides to drive us from one location to another. Their commentary and insights helped us to appreciate what we were seeing. We especially enjoyed Neil McLeod, who did a fantastic job of finding interesting sights and stops for us, and we loved his stories! We had such a good time together and he made our trip filled with special moments.
We asked Rachel for some quiet times to sit by the fire or read, and we loved being able to do that at The Haven Guest House and Monachle Mohr. The DunstaneHouse was also memorable and in a great location.
Hotel Reviews
The Roseate (ex: The Dunstane Houses)
Edinburgh
We had a comfortable room and loved the location. The food was amazing and the staff went out of their way to be friendly and provide excellent service.
Cleanliness & Comfort
the biscuits provided, modern luxurious bathrooms
Monachyle Mhor
Lochearnhead
This is a dream come true kind of place! In a gorgeous setting. Our room was super clean and comfortable. The staff was outstanding and the food was the best we had on our trip. Don't miss staying is this unique and wonderful place.
Activity Reviews
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh
This was not the ordinary walking tour! Our private guide took us to several places in the city that were off the beaten path and so interesting! She had a wonderful presentation!
Visit Inverarary Castle
Scotland
Local specialist: Rachel Long
Best Anniversary Trip Ever.
United Kingdom
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Sep 11 - Sep 19, 2022
Christy L.
Indian Trail, NC
| Reviewed on Sep 26, 2022
This was a last minute decision made for us to go to the UK for the first time. Rachel put together an amazing 9 day trip for us. Especially on such short notice. Then HM the Queen died and Rachel was on vacation. Emily had to reschedule so many of our activities. While we were on our trip Rachel was able to fix a couple of snafus we had. We did not have to stress about anything. They treated us like royalty. We loved every place we went. We cannot thank Rachel and Emily enough for the...
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This was a last minute decision made for us to go to the UK for the first time. Rachel put together an amazing 9 day trip for us. Especially on such short notice. Then HM the Queen died and Rachel was on vacation. Emily had to reschedule so many of our activities. While we were on our trip Rachel was able to fix a couple of snafus we had. We did not have to stress about anything. They treated us like royalty. We loved every place we went. We cannot thank Rachel and Emily enough for the wonderful 30th anniversary. Absolutely will use again.
Hotel Reviews
Linthwaite House
Windermere
The hotel was clean and nice. The staff was not friendly or welcoming. It was hard to find. Just not a good experience.
Georgian House Hotel
Pimlico
This hotel was spectacular from the food, staff and room!! Location was fantastic. Room was spacious and luxurious. The staff was so helpful and nice. We arrive at the hotel about 10 AM after flying all night. The staff was amazing and got us to a room after we had breakfast. They will never know how much that meant to us. They were helpful with activities and reservations. So friendly and welcoming.
Location
Location was perfect to walk to almost everywhere you needed to go.
Staff
See above they were amazing!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room was so perfect. I hated to leave.
Hotel du Vin & Bistro Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Great location. Room was amazing and comfortable. Staff was really nice
Staff
Staff was friendly but not really above and beyond.
Cannot say enough wonderful things about this place
Location
Perfect in every way.
Staff
Very welcoming, friendly and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room was so comfortable and beautiful
What a unique experience to stay here. Such a historic place. I would absolutely come and stay here again for a length of time next time.
Authenticity & Character
So much history and well preserved place.
Location
Such a great location to so many different sites and hikes.
Hotel du Vin Henley-Upon-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
This is a unique place. It was built as a brewery 300 years ago. Staff was not very knowledgeable or organized. They seemed new and not well trained.
Location
Not really close to anything. Everything closes down on Sunday evening early.
Staff
Everyone was nice, just new and unorganized. Amanda was really amazing and the gentleman working the restaurant was very personable.
Activity Reviews
Glengoyne Distillery
Scotland
We learned a lot and it was a really great experience.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Exploring London on a Hop On Hop Off Bus
London
It was ok. We really did not learn a lot. So many of the stops were closed due to the Queens death.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Shard Viewing Platform
London
I was not sure how I would like this, but it turned out to be really fun. The drinks are amazing.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Unable to view because closed. It was beautiful from the outside.
London Eye Fast Track Tickets
London
This was fun. I thought it might be scary but it was air conditioned, thank goodness!! We could see all over London.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private tour of The Trossachs National Park
Edinburgh
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Lake Windermere Scenic Cruise
Lake District National Park
I would have like to have more time to explore the docking points. The boat ride was great. Sit inside.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private Walking Tour of Oxford
Oxford
George was knowledgeable and engaging. He had so much to tell us about Oxford. We could have probably had a longer tour and not have noticed how fast the time went.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Rachel Long
Despite a very short notice we managed to org...
Scotland
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Jul 8 - Jul 19, 2022
Alexandre G.
Hong Kong SAR China
| Reviewed on Jul 22, 2022
Despite a very short notice we managed to organise our tour to Scotland in the best conditions. Rachel has been very helpful and professional. Thank you!
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Despite a very short notice we managed to organise our tour to Scotland in the best conditions. Rachel has been very helpful and professional. Thank you!
Hotel Reviews
Staff rude and not respectful of the clients.
Authenticity & Character
Impersonal. It could be in any city in the world. Skye deserves better.
Staff
Service is rude and absolutely non professional. I have been called after 10 PM when sleeping for asking me what time I wanted to have breakfast. Staff is not trained and disfunctional.
Dream Variations
Edinburgh
Staff
The owner is very kind
Kingsmills Hotel
Inverness
Very nice restaurant and food
Good hotel but the service at the breakfast was disfunctional and not very professional.
Wonderful location but a little artificial.
Activity Reviews
Sightseeing Hop On, Hop Off Bus Tour
Edinburgh
Portree Boat Trip
Scotland
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Edinburgh Castle Entry
Edinburgh
The Potter Trail Private Tour
Edinburgh
Visit Scone Palace
Scotland
Sheep Dog Demonstration
Inverness
Very interesting for kids and adults
Loch Ness Freedom Cruise
Scotland
Local specialist: Rachel Long
