Ecuador Galapagos Travels

My trip to Ecuador was wonderful thanks to Kim Kim and their local partners. The guide they assigned to meet me at the designated airport in Quito was amazing, had no problems finding me, and/or need of further clarifications. The customized trip itinerary was seamless , clearly understood, required some last minute changes and easily modified as that took into consideration. The tour guides provided were highly skilled, knowledgeable, and personable in each of the areas of Ecuador I visited. I highly recommend using Kim Kim for all your travel needs/destinations.

Hotel Reviews

Riviera Sucre

Otavalo

Authenticity & Character

Character and charm

Location

Central

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean

Casa Aliso Hotel Boutique

Quito

Hotel was beautiful and charming. The lobby hostess Michelle was amazing and helped me resolving a personal health issue.

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

So beautiful and charming. Highly recommend.

Activity Reviews

Arrival and transfer to hotel in Otavalo

Ecuador

Hiking around Cuicocha Lagoon - Quito

Otavalo

My tour guide knew about local flora and birds. He was amazing and so much fun hike with.

Majo was amazing! She helped us craft a number of experiences that met our budget, answered all of our question promptly and adjusted her recommendations to meet our needs.

The team they work with in Galápagos was so great! From our arrival at Baltra airport, they had everything covered and through mostly different guides and drivers each day, we were always well taken care of.

The experiences were mostly different so hard to pick the best. We spent most time on Santa Cruz and enjoyed the El Chato tortoise preserve and lava tunnel experience. Kayaking on Tortuga Bay was fun and the guide even stayed with us when we chose to snorkel after (bring your own mask/towel). Bay tour was great as well.

For our trip to Isabela, they took us to the pier for the ferry (with all passes ready for us) and met our guide upon arrival. The Tintoreras tour had a little bit of duplication but still great experience.

Majo and the Galapagos lead Rita communicated with us daily via WhatsApp (we had Airalo eSIM that worked great everywhere). We were well cared for and so nice to be able to relax and just enjoy the amazing experiences they curated.

We booked a 3 week trip to Ecuador with KimKim. The agency made the trip very easy for us, for the most part. The three weeks included time in the Andes for a Cotopaxi expedition, the Galapagos, and the Amazon.

The booking and planning process was simple and convenient as well.

As far as the trip itself goes, the Galapagos and the Amazon went seamlessly, and we were grateful to have gone with KimKim. Outside of that, our tour guide, Marco, was fantastic - taking us to Mindo, Otavalo/Cotacachi, Riobamba, Cuenca, Cajas, Guayaquil, and Antisana. Not to mention, multiple trips to the airport and back. He went above and beyond to keep us comfortable and happy.

For the Andes portion of our trip, we realized it might have been better to go with a company specialized in mountaineering to ensure we got the experience we wanted—proper acclimatization and ultimately summiting Cotopaxi. We had to make last-minute itinerary changes in Ecuador, and we felt some of the acclimatization days at the start could have been used more effectively. Additionally, we had some confusing experiences with our mountain guide. The most stressful part for me was that the itinerary we were given and following had us staying an extra night at Chilcabamba lodge (the night we were to summit Cotopaxi), and I believed we could safely leave our luggage there while we summited Cotopaxi. However, when I asked about it, we were told we'd need to check out before the climb and that a driver would watch our luggage while we climbed—this was not the case. In the end, our mountain guide arranged for our luggage to be left at the ranger station at Cotopaxi National Park. This aspect of the plan felt poorly executed, and I was stressed about our luggage being left behind in such an uncertain manner.

The other thing I would have liked is to have an idea of how many guides we would have to tip and how much cash would be required- we arrived in Ecuador with far less cash than we should have brought with us. Luckily, the agency was able to get more cash to us so we could appropriately tip.

For the Galapagos and the Amazon, we had several domestic flights, which all went rather smoothly. KimKim booked us a cruise for the Galapagos, which was fantastic, and a wonderful Amazon lodge where we had some great experiences. I would definitely recommend KimKim for vacationing in Ecuador, as long as mountaineering is not involved.

Alvaro and Jacquie did an excellent job planning our Galapagos trip. On a video call we discussed what we wanted to see, and more importantly, they suggested a number of activities for our consideration. We added a number of these ideas. The itinerary they planned with transportation, guides and accommodations worked seamlessly. The guides were knowledgeable, personally engaging and gave an in depth understanding of the geology, plant, wildlife and human history of the islands. The were resourceful and allowed us to revise the plan for one outing so all of us could more comfortably complete the hike. Highlights were the giant turtles of Santa Cruz, penguins, Sierra Negro volcano hike, and Kicker Rock snorkeling. Jacquie kept in touch during the trip to ensure all was going well.

Our visit to Ecuador exceeded our expectations. Alvaro was detailed in his planning and offered options when booking accommodations and activities. Overall, his recommendations were excellent like the Lodge in the Yasuni National Park. I would go back there to visit again. Adres and Mariano, our guides there were very knowledgeable about the Amazonian animals and plants which made the trip exciting and rich.
We would highly recommend visiting Hacienda Zuletta, a beautiful hotel in the Andes. It is set in the mountains with hiking, biking and horseback riding. Also, they make cheese on site which is served with every meal - quite delicious!
The Galapagos surprisingly, while beautiful, were a bit touristy for our taste. However, we enjoyed the Finch Bay Hotel - a luxury hotel on a snorkeling beach.
Alvaro met us at the end of the trip in Quito for a debrief. He is extremely professional and knows the country quite well. I'd recommend him strongly.

Tamer with KimKim planned an amazing trip to Quito, Mindo Rainforest, Amazon Basin and Galapagos !! It was a trip of a lifetime! He was so helpful planning the trip and answering all our questions. Everything went smoothly from beginning to end and he kept in touch the whole time we were there.
The guides for each part of our trip, Sebastion in Quito and Mindo, Pedro in at Napo Wildlife Center in Yasuni NP, and Carlos in the Galapagos were incredible and added so much to our experience. They had so much knowledge about the country, culture, and areas we visited.
The amount of wildlife and plants we saw were amazing! Caymans, giant river otters, monkeys, sloth, so many birds everywhere, bats, sea lions, penguins, sharks, rays, turtles, tortoises, frigate birds, iguanas and red and blue footed boobies...
The food, accommodations, and people on the Galapagos Endemic ship were awesome!
We highly recommend KimKim! Thank you for helping us create such beautiful memories!

KimKim did an incredible job planning our trip. Their communication was excellent. When we wanted to change something at the last minute, they got it done. Fast! I will absolutely use their services again and will tell others to use them too. Shout out to Jacquie and Alvaro! Thank you both so much for showing us the best parts of the Galapagos!! ❤️

Our Galapagos Islands trip was an absolute dream come true! From the moment we first talked with Alvaro and later Jacquie from Kimkim Travel/Responsible Travel, we knew this was going to be a truly special experience. They handled everything with utmost professionalism, even when we had delay upon our arrival in Quito.

Our guides were nothing short of fantastic—friendly, knowledgeable, and incredibly passionate about the islands. It was challenging to single them out, as each one was exceptional in their own way. They took us to breathtaking locations on land, in the water, and introduced us to a diverse array of wildlife and marine life ecosystems. Their stories were simply incredible and left us in awe.
The accommodations were cozy, clean, and the staff was incredibly welcoming, especially at Ilatoa Lodge, Ninfa Lodge, and Loja Hostel.
I am so grateful for this unforgettable experience. If you’re planning a visit to the Galapagos Islands, I highly recommend Kimkim and their incredible team.
Thank you so much, Jacquie and Alvaro!

Hotel Reviews

Ilatoa Lodge

Quito

Absolutely gorgeous! Staff extremely helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Las Ninfas

Puerto Ayora

Exceptional staff. Accommodations perfect. Close to everything!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Loja Galapagos

Puerto Villamil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa de Nelly

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

I was unable to go on this trip.

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

Loved this trip. Saw iguanas and red bellied frigates.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Ecuador: Let Your Adventure Begin!

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Galapagos Islands

First time I snorkeled. Incredibly supportive staff. I saw sharks, sea turtles, and a sea horse!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands (Plant a Tree) & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

We got to the highlands and spent the afternoon with the tortoises. Never got to the Charles Darwin Center.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

Very rigorous hike. I’m 75 and opted to do the last 3 miles. I finished it but not in time for the rest of the group. They had to catch another tour, so they sent a private escort for me and my friend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Bay Tour in Santa Cruz

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome Back to Quito

Galapagos Islands

Great evening in downtown Quito with Jacqui, our tour administrator. Yummy food and great company. Celebrated Jarkas birthday!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport