Rachel Vita

We had a very good experience working with Rachel (Brazil specialist located in São Paulo) from the Kimkim team. She worked with us to tailor our trip and patiently answered my many questions throughout the process. All the drivers we had were punctual, professional and very nice. Our English speaking local guides were all outstanding: Reginia in São Paulo, sat down with us before we began to get to know our preferences and customized our day tour to suit our style. Marcos in Foz do Iguacu was excellent, making sure we never felt rushed, knew the best spots to take photos, ensured we started early enough to avoid the biggest crowds and the heat of the afternoon. He was equally friendly and professional. In Rio we enjoyed our driver and guide Alessandro (Alex). He showed us as much of Rio as one can see in two days. He is a knowledgeable and fun guide. Finally our guide in Jericoacoara, Jonathan was a very nice fellow who enjoys his job. We were never rushed. The vibe was definitely chill and fun and we had a blast. We really found the Meu Agente app to be helpful (it’s not perfect) but we referred to it frequently. WhatsApp was available to us to contact Rachel or her colleagues while we were travelling. I would recommend downloading the Latham and Gol apps prior to your travels to help get informed of last minute gate or schedule changes in real time. This is our first trip to Brazil and booking through the Kimkim team was a real pleasure and really made our trip stress free.

I booked this trip to Brazil to get rid of all my worries, so I REALLY wanted a trip with zero headaches whatsoever. Rachel delivered on every front! I had two amazing weeks. Rio, Paraty and Ilha Grande were the perfect cocktail (or should I say, caipirinha) for distraction of the relaxed kind. She listened to all my requests, was very reasonable in discussing the price point. I ended up not needing her while I was away because everything went so smoothly! Would 100% recommend visiting Brazil and I'm sure Rachel will be of great help!

Hotel Reviews

Pousada Rubi

Ilha Grande

Authenticity & Character

It feels like a mini village.

Location

A bit far for people who can't walk well, no problem whatsoever for anyone else.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

I'll just put the WiFi under here, which is the only thing that could have been better.

Windsor Martinique Copacabana

Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro

Nothing mind-blowing, but everything was simply good.

Authenticity & Character

Not really their fault; just a very standard hotel.

Location

Copacabana & metro nearby

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada Corsario Paraty

Paraty

One of the best accommodations I have ever stayed at! 10/10 in every category; WiFi, staff, breakfast, rooms, beds, sanitary facilities, pool, location, surroundings.

Authenticity & Character

Not a paradise, but very beautiful nonetheless.

Location

Close to all the necessities

Staff

No complaints.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Not a dusty nook in sight.

Activity Reviews

Hike to Lopes Mendes Beach

Ilha Grande

Rashan was the best guide!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Just a perfectly fine lunch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The fast boats were a bit disorganised.

Tijuca Forest Hike with Natural Waterfalls

Rio de Janeiro

I had a lot of freedom picking where to go, which was great! My guide was a very sweet man with great knowledge! Bit of a talker - I like that, but some people might not.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bit too talkative at times, very nice man overal

Transport

Hike to Pico do Pão de Açúcar

Paraty

Everything was super beautiful! The hike was pretty heavy though, with all the humidity.

Quality of Experience

The views and the speedboat trip

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Speedboats are just awesome okay

Half-Day Tour of Two Brothers Peak & Vidigal Favela

Rio de Janeiro

Deceptively doable hike! And the favela itself is beautiful too. The views are the highlight, though. Absolutely amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Adonai (?) was a great talker!

Transport

To be fair, I did this to myself; I insisted on getting the bus instead of going on a motorcycle. The bus took a while.

We had a great experience traveling in Brazil! Rachel was helpful in planning our trip, always adapting the itinerary based on our feedback. Once we arrived, the local guides were very knowledgeable, and we truly enjoyed every part of the journey. Communication on-site was also smooth — the agency provided us with a WhatsApp number, and any time we had a question, they responded quickly and helpfully.

The only area for improvement is that we would have appreciated a bit more proactivity. For example, it would have been helpful to receive the names and contact details of our drivers or guides in advance without us asking for it, as well as a little more proactive communication with additional information before departure.

Rachel was the person who organized our trip.
She was very prompt in replying to our questions and was able to make some good suggestions. She was able to pivot quickly when some of our other plans changed.
We were amazed at the thoroughness of the planning from picking us up at the hotel and getting us to a boat or a van or the airport in good time. The other people involved were helpful and respectful. It made the trip very pleasant and made us feel like some care had been taken in the planning. We were surprised at how personal trip the trip was. Three hotels in Rio and Manaus were excellent and the lodge in the Amazon jungle was perfect.

Hotel Review

Amazon Tupana Lodge

Manaus

As we rounded the corner in the motorized canoe, we saw buildings up on stilts, thatched roofs and a screened amenity room. The dock was there to received boats. It was perfect! Just what we hoped for in a remote jungle experience.

Authenticity & Character

The staff, the meals, and the activities were what makes this place special. There are knowledgeable guides to take us on jungle walks and people who know the compacted waterways. We learned alot about the Amazon River and the jungle.

Location

Remote. Just like your expect in the jungle. Perfect!

Staff

They were pleasant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The cabins were as clean as a jungle cabin could be. The linens were good. Each cabin had a fan which I’d necessary to keep cool!

Activity Review

Discovering the Amazon

The Amazon

The sunset motorized canoe rises were a highlight. Learning about the changes in this river over the year was fascinating. We also really enjoyed swimming - right by the dock - with the pink dolphin. It was refreshing after the heat of the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone was friendly ands always in time.

Transport

From vans to motorized canoes, it was an authentic expense.

My wife and I took a 13-day custom tour of Brazil, organized by Rachel at Kimkim. We visited Rio, Salvador, Manaus, the Amazon, and São Paulo. It took nearly two months of back-and-forth communication before we finalized our itinerary. Throughout the process, Rachel was incredibly attentive, patient, and courteous. Additionally, during our trip, she stayed in constant contact with us to ensure everything was going as planned. All the hotels and guides she selected for us were excellent. A special shout-out to Alex in Rio and Carlos in Sao Paulo, who made our trip truly memorable.

We will always cherish our experience at the Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge in the Amazon. This beautiful lodge, set in the heart of the rainforest, offers modern amenities while maintaining a deep connection to nature. The guides were highly professional, extremely knowledgeable, and courteous, and the restaurant was simply exceptional.

Overall, we had an unforgettable vacation. Thank you, Rachel, for all your help!

Hotel Review

Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge

Novo Airão

We will always cherish our experience at the Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge in the Amazon. This beautiful lodge, set in the heart of the rainforest, offers modern amenities while maintaining a deep connection to nature. The guides were highly professional, extremely knowledgeable, and courteous, and the restaurant was simply exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Christ the Redeemer & Sugar Loaf Mountain

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were very disappointed with the service we received from Rachel. She was very non responsive and didnt properly plan the trip or ask the correct questions. We had confusion at the airport, confusion on 2 out of 3 trips. The only part of the trip that was worthwhile was the food tour.

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Tour of Two Brothers Peak & Vidigal Favela

Rio de Janeiro

it was not half day. We were picked up 45 min late as they went to wrong hotel. Driver did not speak a word of english. We didnt know that we were going on motorcycles or hiking for 4 hours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christ the Redeemer & Sugar Loaf Mountain

Rio de Janeiro

Guide was nice but his english wasnt that good and we saw Christ took a picture and moved on. He provided little to no history .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour in Rio

Rio de Janeiro

The guide was incredible

Quality of Experience

he spoke english and was very informed

Guides, Drivers and Staff

very knowledgeable

Transport

easy

Rachel did an amazing job planning our trip. Everything went very smoothly. All of our guides were on time and provided us outstanding service. She was able to pivot when we needed to make changes. Leo, our Guide in Rio, was incredible! I highly recommend him to any of your travelers.

Amazing trip! Rachel did a wonderful job helping us plan an extraordinary trip to Brazil, including Rio, Salvador and the Pantanal. The logistics were perfect -- everything went as planned. In Rio, we had to make some changes because of weather (rain and lack of visibility) and Rachel helped us adjust our trip plan and guides so that we had the Sugarloaf and Christ the Redeemer on the sunny, clear day. All of our hotels were well-located and very nice.

The highlight of the trip was the Pantanal with incredible jaguar sitings every day and extraordinary birds. Our guide in the Pantanal, Julio, was wonderful.

Thank you!