Ecuador Galapagos Travels

Majo was excellent to work with! She helped us create our own private itinerary of Peru and Ecuador and was available all the time throughout the trip - she even helped us book an uber from her home one evening when my family were out for dinner without cell service. She stayed on the line with the driver until we got to our destination. That is just an example of her exceptional service and care she puts into her clients and their experience. Our guides each day were similarly helpful and knowledgeable.
We had an unforgettable trip to Peru and Ecuador thanks to the careful planning and continued support throughout from Majo!

Hotel Reviews

Mamasara

Cusco

Lovely, clean hotel with spacious room close to the historic central part of Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vieja Cuba

Quito

This a charming and beautiful hotel. Nikki at the front desk was so helpful and pleasant to work with!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not very close to the historic centre but a good area and easy enough to get to other areas

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cuello de Luna Mountain Lodge

El Chasqui - Pastocalle

Charming hotel with lovely staff and the friendliest dogs around

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isla de Baños Hosteria y Spa

Baños

Beautiful rooms! Lots of space for families!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Suchipakari Jungle Lodge

Puerto Misahuallí, Tena Napo

A beautiful hotel in the jungle!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful and secluded for a memorable Amazon experience

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Princesa Toa

Quilotoa

Clean and comfortable with attentive staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lava House Galapagos

Puerto Ayora

A great hotel with large comfortable rooms, excellent breakfast and just minutes to the main downtown

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ilatoa Lodge

Quito

Absolutely beautiful hotel with incredibly caring staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Excellent for a close location to the airport!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to the Jungle: Hike, River Adventure, and Wildlife

Archidona

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Uncover the Rich History and Vibrancy of Cusco

Cusco

We learned so much about Cusco and the Inca during this trip. Our guide Adriel was exceptional

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Adriel was so vibrant, knowledgeable and passionate!

Transport

Pisaq Market & Ollantaytambo Adventure

Ecuador

A wonderful tour with lots to see and do.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Raul was an excellent guide and took extra time to teach my daughter to play her new flutes she bought. He was very knowledgeable about the history and local areas.

Transport

Exploring The Salt Mines of Maras & The Ruins of Moray

Cusco

Adriel our guide took us for another amazing tour day! The mines literally made me say ‘wow’ when we first saw them. Morray was so impressive to see.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Superb and friendly! Adriel is excellent

Transport

Crown Jewel of Peru: Machu Picchu Sanctuary

Ecuador

Truly a must see! As good as everyone says it is… and more!

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the restaurant over looking the river

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Richard was fantastic - very knowledgeable and a talented phoyographer as an added bonus! We got wonderful pictures and videos of our visit from him!

Transport

Quito Tour Bus: City Highlights, Teleférico, Panecillo & Middle of the World in One Day

Quito

The tour we went on, the City tour hop-on-hop off was good but we never actually went to the Middle of the World or the Teleferico as described.

Quality of Experience

Alpaca Encounter & Kayaking at Quilotoa Lagoon

Ecuador

We loved it here. We enjoyed the kayaking and the breathtaking views both from the beauty and the altitude!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Francisco was so fantastic to travel with!

Transport

Swing at the End of the World & Waterfall Route in Baños

Baños

So much fun!!! Loved it

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Food

The restaurant Francisco took us too was delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Francisco was awesome! So much fun, informative and took care of us like we were old friends.

Transport

Otavalo Day Trip by Tour Bus: Markets, Waterfalls, and More

Otavalo

This had to be canceled due to the protests in Otavalo

Horseback Adventure Through Cotopaxi National Park

Cotopaxi

We were caught in a huge thunderstorm with rain, hail and lightning. We decided to keep our ride short because we were getting cold but the ponchos provided by the riding centre were very appreciated

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazon River Adventure: Wildlife, Kichwa Culture, and Traditional Crafts

Archidona

So busy! It’s a long day but very interesting and worthwhile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Klever was a great and enthusiastic guide 👍

Transport

Chocolate Workshop and Farewell: A Sweet Ending to Your Amazon Adventure

Archidona

A cool learning experience to understand the chocolate making process

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazonian Adventure: Exploring Mystical Caves, Waterfalls, and Kichwa Culture

Archidona

Due to communication confusion, we were just driven from our lodge in the Amazon to Quito. We inquired before leaving about seeing the waterfalls and caves but were told we were only being driven to Quito. Thankfully we reached out to Majo at lunch and still managed to go to the Thermals at least.

Quality of Experience

Food

Gina’s restaurant was delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was nice and helpful where he could be but he was not told of the urinary we were supposed to have

Transport

Discover Mindo: Full-Day Tour Bus with Hummingbird Reserve, Waterfalls & Chocolate Tasting

Mindo

Very cool to see so many hummingbirds so closely!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Josh was excellent!

Transport

Arrival to Santa Cruz Island & Afternoon at Leisure

Puerto Ayora

We had a great first day just exploring the town ourselves

Embracing Nature's Giants: Exploring Santa Cruz Island's Highlands

Ecuador

So cool to see these creatures up close in their natural habitat

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring The Charles Darwin Research Station

Ecuador

Loved being here to see all the research and projects going on to protect this amazing archipelago

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Bay Tour & Afternoon at leisure in Santa Cruz

Puerto Ayora

We got to see nesting Blue footed Boobies! Definitely the highlight of the day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Pinzon Island & La Fé

Puerto Ayora

Our tour didn’t actually end up following the itinerary. It was amazing nonetheless! We started snorkeling at Daphne island then went to Pinzon after lunch. There was no fishing experience. Other guests were able to request their meal for lunch but we were not invited to do so or it was not mentioned ahead of time to us. It was a bit of a problem for me but the staff improvised on the boat and got me a meal that was safe for me to eat due to a medical condition. That was appreciated!

Quality of Experience

Food

Ensuring all participants are given the chance to pre-order meals

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Morning Until Departure

Ecuador

Transfer to the airport for your flight back home (Departure)

Ecuador

Our driver and guide, Christian, is so helpful and attentive. He got us to the airport on 2 occasions and each time in a way that was stress or worry free. The day we spent at the middle of the world was so fun as well!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Christian is great!

Transport

This vacation was wonderful from start to finish. Alvaro was fantastic to work with - he was incredibly responsive and designed a trip that was perfect for our family (2 adults and two rambunctious 4 and 9 year old boys). He even ensured that we would have a car seat for our 4-year old. Jacquie, who was our point person once we arrived in Ecuador, was also great. She met us at the hotel to make sure we were settled and was very responsive our entire trip. She even helped us plan a last-minute trip to see an Ecuadorian soccer match in Quito, which was a highlight for us. Our guide in Quito, Marco Herrera, was incredibly knowledgeable and patient with our kids, answering all of our (many) questions. He worked with us on the best times to visit each attraction to make the most of our visit, made sure our kids could handle all of the planned activities, and recommended some great restaurants. Our visit to Sacha Lodge in the Amazon is an experience we will never forget. From the minute we arrived at the Quito airport, Sacha made sure we were perfectly taken care of. The lodge itself is absolutely stunning. We had two cabins connected by a short walkway - one for us and one for our kids. We were even able to see monkeys from the deck outside our cabins. The food at Sacha was wonderful, and the staff was able to accommodate our picky eaters. Jose, our guide, was fantastic. He also was incredibly knowledgeable and answered all of the kids' questions. He was able to spot so many species and let the kids look through his telescope from the canopy and treehouse. He helped our older son to catch a piranha while fishing, something he was incredibly excited about.

Until now, we had not ever used a travel agent when traveling as a family, but KimKim made everything so easy. There were a lot of logistics involved in this trip for us, and we were incredibly impressed that everything went off without a hitch. Our kids are already asking to return to Ecuador and saying how this was the best trip ever. We would definitely recommend traveling through KimKim!

Alvaro made the planning process very easy and quickly answered all our questions. We had an amazing trip and absolutely loved all the hiking, snorkeling, boating, and great food! We took hundreds of photos and made lots of great memories. We especially loved our hotel in Santa Cruz and hearing the story of the owner and her family- she greeted us with iced tea and cold towels to cool off and we had a delicious breakfast on the rooftop with views of the harbor each day of our stay.

Hotel Reviews

Plaza Luna Suites

Puerto Ayora

Amazing hotel! Owner was super sweet and told us all about her family history. We lived the breakfast in the roof, the little garden, and the great staff! Would recommend to anyone going to Santa Cruz!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isamar Hotel

Puerto Villamil, Isla Isabela

Helpful staff and great location right in beach

San Jose de Puembo Quito Airport, an Ascend Hotel Collection

Puembo, Quito

Beautiful hotel and delicious food at restaurant

Activity Reviews

Snorkeling at Tortuga Bay

Puerto Ayora

Loved the hike and kayaking in the bay- saw lots of sea turtles! Bring cash to rent your own kayak

Welcome to Ecuador: Let Your Adventure Begin!

Galapagos Islands

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

Puerto Ayora

Loved the lava cave tour and the tortoise ranch. Had a delicious meal and lots of great photos

Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano (AM) & Speedboat to Santa Cruz Island (PM)

Galapagos Islands

Beautiful hike- challenging if you aren’t in shape though. It is 10 miles in rough terrain. Recommend bring own meal as meal is not as good as food in rest of trip (missed my vegetarian note so I only had oranges to eat). We love hiking and this had great views and a fun climb so would reccomend!

Afternoon Bay Tour in Santa Cruz

Puerto Ayora

We lived the boat ride and animals we saw- lots of baby blue footed boobies! We enjoyed snorkeling as well.

Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity

Puerto Villamil

Great wildlife in this tour- recommend renting your own wetsuit in town ahead of time

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

Puerto Ayora

Best way to end the trip- peaceful and scenic boat ride to North Seymour with lunch, free wine, fresh fruit and great views. We loved seeing all the wildlife including flamingos! Had a great time snorkeling as well! Reccomend renting wetsuit day before

Welcome Back to Quito

Galapagos Islands

Our 6-day Galápagos trip with kimkim, visiting San Cristobal, Isabela, and Santa Cruz, was outstanding in every aspect. Organization was seamless—transfers, ferries, and daily excursions all went flawlessly, and every detail was coordinated in advance, making the experience truly worry-free. The hotels were comfortable, clean, and charming, with attentive staff at each location.
Excursions and guides were a highlight: we explored iconic wildlife sites, went snorkeling with turtles and penguins, and enjoyed insightful guided tours to giant tortoise reserves and the Charles Darwin Research Station. The guides were exceptionally knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and engaging, making each activity both fun and educational. Special thanks to Viviana in Santa Cruz!!!
In Quito, the service quality continued at the same high standard. Special mention goes to Matteo, who was especially helpful—offering insightful guidance, arranging smooth logistics, and enhancing our city experience with his expertise and friendliness.
We highly recommend kimkim for a Galápagos and Quito adventure—well organized, reliable, with excellent guides, great service, and memorable experiences from start to finish

Our 6-day Galápagos trip with kimkim, visiting San Cristobal, Isabela, and Santa Cruz, was outstanding in every aspect. Organization was seamless—transfers, ferries, and daily excursions all went flawlessly, and every detail was coordinated in advance, making the experience truly worry-free. The hotels were comfortable, clean, and charming, with attentive staff at each location.
Excursions and guides were a highlight: we explored iconic wildlife sites, went snorkeling with turtles and sharks, and enjoyed insightful guided tours to giant tortoise reserves and the Charles Darwin Research Station. The guides were exceptionally knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and engaging, making each activity both fun and educational (special thanks to Viviana in Santa Cruz).
In Quito, the service quality continued at the same high standard. Special mention goes to Matteo, who was especially helpful—offering insightful guidance, arranging smooth logistics, and enhancing our city experience with his expertise and friendliness.
We highly recommend kimkim for a Galápagos and Quito adventure—well organized, reliable, with excellent guides, great service, and memorable experiences from start to finish

Ms. Jacquie Granda, you are God sent. We thank you so much for arranging our amazing trip to Ecuador/ Galápagos. We had an absolutely incredible time and everything went so smoothly. The airport transfers were seamless. The hotels you recommended were extraordinary. The activities and restaurants you suggested were perfect! The guides (especially David, Ruben and James) provided great service, knowledge and guidance. The whole itinerary you created for us was spot on! For all your hard work and precise attention to details, THANK YOU, you rock! 🤘🏼 YOU will definitely hear from us on our future south america travels/trips. #highlyrecommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a wonderful trip. Thanks to kimkim for working with Responsible Travel of Ecuador, to Sebastian, our outstanding guide in Quito, to Sani Lodge in the rainforest, and to Raul, our excellent guide during our stay at Sani Lodge.
Sebastian met us at the airport in Quito and drove us to our hotel (La Casona de la Ronda – excellent, recommended) in the city. The next day he took us to the Middle of the World where we toured the museum and visited the actual equator line. This was fun and informative and the museum tour guide was very good. Afterwards, we drove back to the city and Sebastian led us on a fascinating and informative walking tour, stopping for lunch in the afternoon.
Next day Sebastian drove us out to Otavalo, stopping at a rose farm on the way. We participated in a cooking class in Claudia’s house. She was very hospitable and it was great fun picking herbs and vegetables in her garden and preparing a traditional Ecuadorian lunch. Then we drove back to the city, stopping to visit the market in Otavalo and, briefly, for traditional bizcocha cookies.
Next morning we took a short flight to Coca and a three-hour boat trip along the Napo River and tributaries to Sani Lodge. Our guide for this portion of the trip, Raul, met us at the Coca Airport. The boat ride was fascinating and we began to feel as if we were in an entirely different universe. Sani Lodge is owned and operated by the Kichwa Indigenous People. Everyone working there made as feel so welcome and seemed to be incredibly proud of their heritage and their accomplishments.
We traveled with Raul, assistant guide Pato, and two other guests on several trips in a small canoe during the next three days observing the lush and dense rainforest and spotting innumerable birds, monkeys and other creatures. Sometimes we hiked on muddy trails, sometimes we went out after dark to experience the night time sounds of the rainforest, and sometimes it rained quite heavily. On one trip we visited a small Kichwa settlement. The inhabitants were very gracious, sharing knowledge about their simple and humble lives and teaching us some traditional cooking skills. Raul’s knowledge of the ecosystem and it’s plants and animals was remarkable and he was ably assisted by Pato. Accommodations at the lodge were excellent and the food was very good. The entire experience was wonderful and truly exceeded our expectations.
After our three-day stay, we returned by boat to Coca, then flew to Quito to await our flight home. We enjoyed this trip greatly and learned so much. Very highly recommended.

We worked with Majo and Steven to plan our Ecuadorian adventure, which included the Napo Cultural Center in the Amazon, Chilcabamba in the Andean region, and Casa Aliso to close out the trip in Quito. Majo was patient and thoughtful as we went back and forth about the details of our itinerary. She adapted to our wants/needs and the result was a well-planned and executed trip with a lot of moving parts. Our tour guide, Luis, in the Amazon was a 10/10. Incredible wealth of knowledge and really made our time in the jungle special. Chilcabamba was a modern, rustic lodge surrounded by wildflowers and beautiful views of several volcanoes. The food prepared by the staff was fresh, local and delicious. Casa Aliso in Quito was perfectly situated for those that enjoy exploring the city on their own as it was very safe, and centrally located to dining hot spots, shops and local attractions. Taking the metro to the old city was a breeze and felt totally safe (also an incredible engineering feat). Majo & Steven went above and beyond to ensure everything was going according to plan and that we were happy. They checked in on us regularly on the what’s app thread and were highly responsive when we had questions. We also enjoyed meeting them at a local brewery to share insights from the trip. They were sweet, sincere and full of knowledge about what makes Ecuador special. Overall, we feel like we stumbled upon a gem with KimKim and we have been recommending to friends & family since. Thank you for an unforgettable adventure. We’ll be back!