MonMon Travel

Moonika planned a wonderful Finland trip for my mother and I. She took the time to understand our goals and and created a perfect itinerary.

We rented a car and traveled to 5 different cities. All of the travel was smooth and well-curated. Our hotels were comfortable and in good locations. At each stop we had activities and tours booked, and we enjoyed them all. The local guides were all professional and friendly. The Sauna experience in Tampere was a highlight of the trip.

The whole experience exceeded expectations and we made many lifelong memories. Thank you Moonika!

Activity Review

Sauna Tour

Tampere

This experience was the highlight of our Finland trip! Matti was so professional and kind as he helped my mother and I navigate our first Finnish Sauna experience. We had so much fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We asked for an authentic Finland experiences and We had just that. It’s an amazingly beautiful country.
We really loved all the places we visited in Southern Finland and the Lakeland area.
Our guides in Turku, Tempère, and Rantasalmi were so accommodating and knowledgeable.
We especially enjoyed our Sauna experience with Matti.
The only snag was our rental car experience with Finn- Rent with pickup and drop off. Poor communication and difficult/ confusing drop off experience.
They could improve their customer service.
The car itself etc. was comfortable and reliable.
Our agent Moonika gets 5 stars for her communication with us and for planning what we wanted to do!
Thank you Moonika!

Hotel Reviews

Home Hotel Jugend

Helsinki

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Hotel Turku

Turku

Location great! Staff was lovely. Bedding good- all very clean Mattresses need replacement .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lillan Boutique Hotel & Kök

Tampere

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel & Spa Resort Järvisydän

Rantasalmi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

RUNO Hotel Porvoo

Porvoo

Amazing breakfast! Had local Finnish musicians playing on Saturday night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in Old Porvoo- charming.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Especially comfortable with amazing bedding and views outside.

Activity Reviews

Guided Hike in the Archipelago Sea

Helsinki

Alex was so accommodating, knowledgeable and fun-Easy to talk to and be with as well. It was our 1st full day and we went out to this beautiful area with the freshest air. Alex pointed out many things along our trek and put together a fabulous lunch for us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Turku City Walking Tour

Turku

Anna Marie is so knowledgeable about Finnish history and her strong connection to Turku. It was a rainy morning but we had a full tour. The hotel has well made umbrellas and the rain was not an issue. The tour does take more than 1.5 hours - realistically 2-2.5 hours and we walked fairly quickly with some inclines. Wear supportive sneakers!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On foot only-

Sauna Tour

Tampere

Matti was a fabulous guide- full of information and guidance given in a thoughtful way. He to us to a mixed public sauna on a gorgeous clean lake. I can’t say enough about our experience. It was an enlivening experience!! Bring your sauna shoes( flip flops are fine) and don’t eat only a small meal or snack, if needed, before heading out.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seal Watching Trip

Rantasalmi

This was a lovely boat ride even though we didn’t see any seals. Our guide was very knowledgeable and did his best. It became a bit rainy and the seals don’t like the rain! The lake is beautiful and did see ospreys. Lots of binoculars available on the boat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the best experience planning our trip with Moonika. She was helpful and even when we had to push out the trip by 6 weeks because of passport delays it was seamless. During our trip the guides and activities booked were perfect. We enjoyed our northern light tour, dog sledding with bear hill, reindeer sleigh ride with beyond arctic and ice fishing/orienteering with Nordic odyssey. Our accommodations were super nice, at great locations to city center for restaurants and shopping. I am thankful for the lifetime of memories that were made. Thank you KimKim for a memorable adventure. Will definitely use this company on our next adventure!

Hotel Reviews

Arctic Light Hotel

Rovaniemi

Lovely hotel, fabulous location and great rooms!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nova Skyland Hotel

Rovaniemi

Lovely hotel, great accommodation and great location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Family Husky Safari

Rovaniemi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flexible Northern Lights Hunting

Rovaniemi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reindeer Safari in the Nature of Lapland

Rovaniemi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snowshoeing and Ice Fishing Adventure

Rovaniemi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We did several things during our time in Finland. Just enough to keep busy but not burn out First, our trip organizer, Emerson is 10 stars. His attention to detail and organization ensured a stress free trip. THANK YOU!!

Of the 4 organized tours, two really stood out: the northern lights tour and visiting Tallinn. The northern lights tour with Beyond Arctic in Rovaniemi was excellent. Our guide (Leevi) was great and the gear provided was very much needed for the cold elements of the arctic. We were fortunate to see a great show!
The tour of old town in Tallinn with guide, Christopher, was AMAZING! Full of knowledge and funny! We did a day trip to Tallinn, but it deserves a couple of days to explore both old town and the new town! We grabbed a quick bite from The Third Dragon Medieval Tavern that is located in the old courtroom of Tallinn Town Hall. It was fun, the staff in character and the Elk soup broth was the perfect belly warmer on a cold day. Be sure to wonder off on side streets to find crafts off the beaten path. We visited Puupank. They have beautiful wood crafts.
I highly recommend using KimKim and will again in the future. Thank you!

What an incredible adventure we had in Lapland with kimkim! From the start, dealing with kimkim was responsive, pleasant, informative and uncomplicated. We were grateful to have Emerson assigned to us for our Aurora Borealis adventure. We wanted luxury accommodations, private transfers, private/small group activities, and plenty of opportunities for daily exercise, including swimming, gyms, and lots of cross-country skiing. The website portal made it simple to stay in touch with chats and virtual calls. Emerson went above and beyond to provide support and was always available for insights or to smooth out any snags throughout the trip.

While Hotel Kamp was under renovation, they put us in an incredible suite! The hotel is terrifically located, and we loved the access to the community outdoor pool which was just a few blocks away. Our tour guides in Helsinki and Tallinn were great!

The overnight train to Rovaniemi was less than ideal but certainly memorable. We suggest future guests consider renting an extra cabin for personal belongings, as carrying baggage up to the crowded second floor was very difficult and room very cramped. Quite unexpectedly, all the bathrooms in our train car were malfunctioning for the entire train ride, which was very unfortunate. We believe it was just that the train company provided us with a 50% refund.

Emerson’s excellent transfers once again were on time and super friendly once off in Rovaniemi. We met our tour guide with Johka who picked us up at the station and brought us straight to Jaakkola Reindeer Farm. We had such a delightful, unique, and private experience! The third-generation farm and its history added a fascinating charm for us. Our story – Jaakkolan Porotila

Next, the Arctic Treehouse provided superior and truly breathtaking accommodations, kind staff and great restaurant. Tired from the day, we pushed on. Quickly we were jump started by witnessing a rare red Aurora during our Arctic Tree Float. It was truly spectacular and a once in a lifetime experience!

The next day, we had a playful adventure with the huskies. We returned to the Arctic Treehouse for another fabulous dinner with the entire restaurant lit by candles for Earth Day, creating a magical atmosphere.

Emerson again book us the top igloo at the Levin Iglut Glass Igloos. Our snow house offered spectacular vistas and the restaurant had fantastic and truly artistic food. All the staff there are so lovely and kind!

Kinos Safaris provided us a great snowmobiling experience, but what was memorable was the rest stop for salmon soup and possibly the best blueberry dessert that I have ever had at this small outpost with the most delightful overseer.
That evening, James from Green Track Wooden Shoe Adventures led a special and private hike on fresh snow,. He is well versed and delightful sharing his vast knowledge for nature and the environment.

Next day we spent an afternoon in town, exploring the Sami Cultural Heritage Museum, petting reindeer, and dining at the King Crab Restaurant - all that we recommend highly.

Switching gears as our witnessing no more auroras, but amazing snowfall that night allowed for a wonderful hike at Saana the next day, and Cahkal Hotel was really super; staff and guide great and has a terrific restaurant!

Our journey then took us to Tromsø. Emerson, once again research extensively to find us this time accommodations that had a pool and found Saint Elizabeth Suites. Unfortunately, access to the pool wasn't always available (and not even open before 9AM?!?), but they did have a well-equipped health club. Please note that the front desk staff were not very accommodating or friendly. (Our Wondering Owl guide mentioned that the tourism industry in Norway isn't particularly welcoming, and we found this to be true, especially when compared to the more hospitable atmosphere in Finland.)

BTW, there was a mix-up with Wandering Owl's booking communication. We were picked up at 9:10 AM and dropped off at the Scandic Ishavshotel. At 9:30, we received a call from Wondering Owl informing us that due to recent flooding, they would be delayed picking us up at Brescia Harbor. We clarified that we were not at the harbor, but at the hotel. Thankfully, the tour did not begin till 10AM and they then confirmed that we would then be picked up on schedule at 9:50AM as there are other guests there waiting there. The tour went well, and the fresh snow made it beautiful.

Overall, our trip was brimming with unique experiences and unforgettable moments! We are deeply grateful for the adventure Emerson crafted for us – he is truly a tremendous asset to kimkim!

With appreciation and regards,
J & J

Our KimKim Guide, Emerson did a great our vacation plans. We gave him the general guidelines, and he put it all together. The people he selected were all top-notch. The drivers for the various events all arrived on time and were unfailingly professional. The Aurora Hunting guide from Beyond Artic did a wonderful job and found what seemed to be the only clear patch of sky in Levi, allowing us to see a wonderful view of the Aurora and take many wonderful pictures that will last a lifetime. Highest Recommendations