LINK EXPERIENCES

The only "custom" things we asked for - diving and a pick up - that we were told were possible once we were on the island we were informed we not. So that went any see service/benefit.

For the boat review:
Legend Feedback

Day 1- Guide kept talking into the wind instead of to the group. No one knew what he was saying, even after informing him they could not hear. Guide miscounted people.

Day 2- Lack of towels in the swimming area, expected to return after snorkeling wet. Again, no towel provided. Guide still had not informed guests of the safest way to get on and off the Pangas- this is standard on other boats. Was told on day 2 not to drink the tap water in the room , luckily we knew that from previous boats. A little late for some.

Day 3- waiter still can’t remember food allergies. Again, standard on day 1 to go over guest allergies and confirm. None of this happened, I have to at each meal.

Day 4- partner developed a food borne travelers stomach. Atleast the doctor had meds, even if she kept trying to prescribe advil.

Day 5- clearly can’t manage time. Guide was 20 mins late for morning excursion. Afternoon they scheduled 1 hr - which ended up being much less due to island closure time - for a beach walk and snorkel. Most guests couldn’t complete the beach walk in that time. Multiple guest commented with the boat at half capacity they can’t imagine anything happening at full capacity. Crew forgot gas in the dingy, had to refill in the open water. Crew wasn’t ready to help off board, had to wait and call them. Guide again miscounted guests and almost left someone at the turtle ranch. On the beach a new guest thought I was crew because I was the only one stopping to help her. This happened a few times when I notice wildlife our guide wasn’t pointing out to the other people in our group.

Day 6 - guide miscounted again leaving the boat and left passengers because they claimed the notification was clear. We agree it’s been inconsistent the “get ready”, “and “up next” ad “leaving”. Sometimes they’ll say “up next” and never the other ones. Multiple people have missed their disembarkments.

Day 7 - people in our group requested to change guides and were approved to do so. People cleaning the room continue to not empty full garbage. after a week waiter remembered our drink order of water, guide still doesn't know the 8 people in his group.

Day 8 - hot tub temperature control breaks. Again I stopped to assist a guest struggling on the walk. No guide or crew stayed - they just left.

Overall. The boat was out dated, and the rooms couldn’t regulate temperate. There are ant traps in the room you have to avoid. They couldn’t go 1 hour without trying to sell something, to the point I got tired of being asked and started staying in my room. The wet room for snorkeling needs a fan like any other sane boat to try equipment if it's below deck. A small port window is not "airflow" - everything was musty and we took our stuff to the front to lay it out. No one on the boat had a tour so no one knew there was a front deck to sit on.

My “non luxury” Galapagos cruises had refreshments, and either warm towels after water or cold towels to clean your hands after an excursion, in addition to a substantial snack. They all also included at some level juice, wine and beer. This one had a single flavored water station and a small bite that was usually not there only on returning to the boat. It was pathetic- you had to wait in line for a single grape and glass of water freezing after snorkeling, and hope there was some left. The food was okay, if there was any left.

In general the communication leading up to the trip was lacking, and confusing. We were told one thing and then another thing on the boat.

I would never pay or recommend this boat ever again. I’m glad it was the itinerary I wanted.

Hotel Review

Boutique Expedition Legend

Legend Feedback Day 1- Guide kept talking into the wind instead of to the group. No one knew what he was saying, even after informing him they could not hear. Guide miscounted people. Day 2- Lack of towels in the swimming area, expected to return after snorkeling wet. Again, no towel provided. Guide still had not informed guests of the safest way to get on and off the Pangas- this is standard on other boats. Was told on day 2 not to drink the tap water in the room , luckily we knew that from previous boats. A little late for some. Day 3- waiter still can’t remember food allergies. Again, standard on day 1 to go over guest allergies and confirm. None of this happened, I have to at each meal. Day 4- partner developed a food borne travelers stomach. Atleast the doctor had meds, even if she kept trying to prescribe advil. Day 5- clearly can’t manage time. Guide was 20 mins late for morning excursion. Afternoon they scheduled 1 hr - which ended up being much less due to island closure time - for a beach walk and snorkel. Most guests couldn’t complete the beach walk in that time. Multiple guest commented with the boat at half capacity they can’t imagine anything happening at full capacity. Crew forgot gas in the dingy, had to refill in the open water. Crew wasn’t ready to help off board, had to wait and call them. Guide again miscounted guests and almost left someone at the turtle ranch. On the beach a new guest thought I was crew because I was the only one stopping to help her. This happened a few times when I notice wildlife our guide wasn’t pointing out to the other people in our group. Day 6 - guide miscounted again leaving the boat and left passengers because they claimed the notification was clear. We agree it’s been inconsistent the “get ready”, “and “up next” ad “leaving”. Sometimes they’ll say “up next” and never the other ones. Multiple people have missed their disembarkments. Day 7 - people in our group requested to change guides and were approved to do so. People cleaning the room continue to not empty full garbage. after a week waiter remembered our drink order of water, guide still doesn't know the 8 people in his group. Day 8 - hot tub temperature control breaks. Again I stopped to assist a guest struggling on the walk. No guide or crew stayed - they just left. Overall. The boat was out dated, and the rooms couldn’t regulate temperate. There are ant traps in the room you have to avoid. They couldn’t go 1 hour without trying to sell something, to the point I got tired of being asked and started staying in my room. The wet room for snorkeling needs a fan like any other sane boat to try equipment if it's below deck. A small port window is not "airflow" - everything was musty and we took our stuff to the front to lay it out. No one on the boat had a tour so no one knew there was a front deck to sit on. My “non luxury” Galapagos cruises had refreshments, and either warm towels after water or cold towels to clean your hands after an excursion, in addition to a substantial snack. They all also included at some level juice, wine and beer. This one had a single flavored water station and a small bite that was usually not there only on returning to the boat. It was pathetic- you had to wait in line for a single grape and glass of water freezing after snorkeling, and hope there was some left. The food was okay, if there was any left. In general the communication leading up to the trip was lacking, and confusing. We were told one thing and then another thing on the boat. I would never pay or recommend this boat ever again. I’m glad it was the itinerary I wanted.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Boat, guides, service

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

AM: Espinoza Point (Fernandina Island)

Cruise Ship

PM – Tagus Cove (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

PM – Punta Vicente Roca (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

AM: Twin craters and the Highlands of Santa Cruz- Departure to Baltra´s Airport

Cruise Ship

AM – Highlands Tortoise Reserve (Santa Cruz Island) and departure

Cruise Ship

We arrived at the airport hours before it opened and sat instead of enjoy ing an excursion Seems about right for this company

AM – Urbina Bay (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

PM – Rabida Island

Cruise Ship

AM: Egas Port (Santiago Island)

Galapagos Islands

PM: Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach

Cruise Ship

AM – Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz Island)

Cruise Ship

Our guide was incapable of knowing how to read a clock and we all waited for him

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

PM – Santa Fe Island

Cruise Ship

AM South Plaza Island

Cruise Ship

PM – Darwin Bay (Genovesa Island)

Cruise Ship

AM – El Barranco, Prince Philip’s Steps (Genovesa Island)

Cruise Ship

PM – Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz Island)

Cruise Ship

Morning Arrival & Transition to Galápagos Legend

Cruise Ship

Miscommunication and we had to double back to the airport to sit there for 3 hrs instead of the promised pick up.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Legend Cruise Itineraries

Cruise Ship

Quality of Experience

Stop selling everythingn

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Ecuador was very good. Guide and driver were excellent. Our only criticism is that there was a lot of driving in heavy traffic to and from Quito. It would have been better for northern trips to spend a night out of Quito.

We will also provide a review for our Costa Rica trip organised by KIm Kim. We were not happy with that trip which is why we would not recommend Kim Kim to friends.

Overall the experience was positive although the logistics associated with 4 nights in Quito proved to be a problem with much time wasted getting in and out of the city. Two nights in Quito would have been plenty. Two extra nights out of Quito would have allowed more time to explore areas out of the city.

Kimkim and Link Experiences planed a trip to the Galapagos for is in May 2025. Everything about their service was top notch. They planned our air from Quito to Santa Cruz, all our transfers, ferries, hotels and excursions. When our US flight was delayed by a day due to weather they immediately changed our Quito flight, all transfers, hotels and excursions. They made everything so painless for us. They had a representative waiting for us any time we traveled or did an excursion. They even helped us through the complexity of checking in at the Quito airport. We stayed on Santa Cruz for two nights and Isabella for three nights. On Santa Cruz we had a private guide (Reuben) who was so knowledgeable and friendly. He took us to a local ranch to see the giant tortoises and have a nice lunch then to the lava tunnels. It was fantastic. The next day we snorkeled and swam at Tortuga Bay. There were iguanas everywhere. It was beautiful. Then again a nice lunch at a local restaurant then the Charles Darwin research station and more snorkeling nearby. We stayed at the Blu Galapagos hotel which was very nice. Then in Isabella we stayed at the Iguana Crossing hotel which was also very nice. We did a shared group Tintoreras tour with some nice snorkeling. Then the next day a shared group Los Tuneles tour which was unbelievable. We saw two blue footed boobies doing their mating dance not more than 3 feet from us. We snorkeled with penguins and lots of sea turtles, also saw some sharks and sea horses. Then on our last day we had another amazing guide (Julio). We did a very informative nature walk to the giant tortoise breeding center. We also saw flamingos in their natural environment. Our only regret is that we didn't stay longer. Travel from San Diego was two days on either end of the trip and with the weather delays in Dallas our travel days were almost as many as our vacation days. In all our future trips we will always look for kimkim, they just made everything so hassle free. And they planned all our excursions, I just vaguely gave advice that we wanted to see wildlife and do some snorkeling and they made sure we hit all the best spots. They even checked us in to our hotels to make sure all was in order. And on days we were traveling or doing an excursion early they made sure we had a box breakfast at the front desk. We LOVE kimkim and Link Experiences.

Las Tintoreras near Isabela Island was the highlight of the trip where we saw a large number of penguins, blue footed boobies, and a large shark all at the same time. The number of iguanas, sea lions, and pelicans on the way to the boat was amazing and the marine life from there was also spectacular.

In general, the Galapagos is a natural wonder that offers a unique experience in both the variety and abundance of animals in their natural habitat. It was a great trip and your team helped us make the connections to put it all together.

There was quite a bit of moving about from place to place. I don't know if a live-in boat would have been better to reduce that part of it.

Hotel Reviews

Iguana Crossing Boutique Hotel

Galápagos

Amazing view of the ocean. Steps to the beach. Comfortable bed. Excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Good location, walking distance to town and pier.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Quito Airport, an IHG Hotel

Tababela

Nothing special. Airport hotel, meh.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discovering Bartolome a full day yacht experience

Isla Santa Cruz

Wonderful snorkeling around the island of Bartolome

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santa Cruz Highlands, Lava Tunels and Charles Darwin Research Station

Isla Santa Cruz

Enjoyed our guide Ruben, the giant tortoises and definitely the Darwin Center

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tintoreras and highlands

Isla Isabela

The best part of the trip, loved it!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tunnels & Cabo Rosa

Isla Isabela

good

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This is our second time using KimKim to plan a big international trip for a couple or small group. We appreciate the individualized care and service given right from the start by agents online. It is easy to customize your itinerary based on budget, activities, and timing. During the course of this trip, we encountered a third party guide who did not meet our expectations in the service or interactions provided. When we provided feedback about this experience, our KimKim agent was quick to respond and help to make changes so that the remainder of our trip was not negatively impacted. We appreciated the time and effort this took. The rest of our trip, activities, and guides were superb, allowing us to enjoy the wonder and beauty of the Galapagos while feeling truly listened to and taken care of. We continue to hold KimKim in high regard and would use their services again in the future to help in planning a memorable trip.

This trip to Ecuador and Galapagos Islands was now my third trip planned with Kim Kim and they did not disappoint! The recommendation to cruise on the Legend rather than stay on one Island was great. We were able to see multiple Islands and a ton of wild life (Sea lions, tortoise, sea turtles, blue footed booby, red footed booby, nazca booby, flamingo and land and marine Iguana. Since Quito was our landing point, we used it as an opportunity to tour attractions near the city including the Center of Earth Musuem and various churches in the city. Javier was a great guide and very knowledgeable. We ended our trip with an excursion outside of Quito to Cayambe to a Rose Plantation (Rosadex) / Hacienda, which was beautiful. A great Trip!

Hotel Reviews

Le Parc Hotel, Beyond Stars

Irlanda

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location! Safe area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Expedition Legend

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were not conditioned well.

Activity Review

PM – Highlands Tortoise Reserve and “Fausto Llerena” Tortoise Breeding Center

Cruise Ship