Peruvian Soul

Trip of a lifetime!
The organization was very good, the activities were well planned and Jesus' daily updates including with boarding passes for internal flights were excellent. It did not seem to me that Jesus went to sleep.
I thought the guides were very well chosen - Fernando in Quito was an amazing fount of information about Quito, its history and the area. Our guides in the Galapagos, Justin in Santa Cruz and Oswaldo in San Cristobal, were very well-informed and good hike guides, though they was not with us all the time owing to boat trips and island changes. I would like to mention our transport driver (Arturo?) in San Cristobal - he was very courteous and prompt.
In the Galapagos, I would only change our hotel - the Golden Galapagos. It did not meet the standards of our other hotels.
The Indigo seemed much more organized.

In Lima, Nancy was an excellent guide with lots of historical details that we learned from her. However, our guide in Cusco was exceptionally way above the guides we had on this trip (Julio and the driver Robert) were above and beyond. Partly it was due to the elevation and related issues, but they also had really detailed knowledge and insights that were very interesting to hear.

We had a great time!

What could you improve - ditch the Golden Galapagos. Also, I noticed that the company always picked the cheapest room in the hotels. Can you manage to upgrade it a bit, to the second lowest level? At least ask the question!

This trip was a dream every step of the way. I had a lot of questions which were always answered quickly in detail, and with patience. Peru has so many amazing locations and experiences but we were able to narrow them down to a perfect trip, customized to our exact preferences, budget and interests.

Once we got there Anne sent thoughtful notes to our room and checked in periodically to make sure everything was going well.

Everyone we met in Peru was so kind, accommodating and friendly. We spent time with several guides who were very knowledgeable and personable, but I’d give a special shout-out to our Cusco guide, EJ. His background in archaeology made every historical site even more interesting. We saw so many amazing things but wouldn’t have fully appreciated them without EJ’s insights and his photography skills left us with so many great photos and memories to take home with us.

The organization of the trip and constant monitoring of location and help by Jimena and Jesus was quite amazing. Someone was always there to help, offer advice, and make suggestions while en route. My husband, 80 years, was not feeling well at 12,000 feet altitude and they were quick to offer help and solutions. We were very grateful.

Our guides were exceptional with their knowledge, especially our guide the second day in Lima. I can’t remember his name, maybe Jose. We had Martin in Sacred Valley and Cusco who not only was extremely well informed but full of fun , knowledge, and personal information. He was outstanding!

Eddy was able to get us into Machu Picchu when the tickets were sold out for the day and he kindly helped my husband navigate the terrain. Luis, in Puno, was also very helpful in assisting my husband through the climbing.

The guides were all excellent and helpful.

Lake Titicaca at the island of Uros was absolutely amazing and my favorite area.

For us being near or at 80 years and coming from sea level, we found the schedules very tiring with early departures and constant activity at difficult altitudes. However, we enjoyed the trip very much . If I went again, I would go at a slower pace.

All in all, Kim Kim, Peruvian Soul, did a great job.

We had a great experience in Peru with KimKim and the local tour company Peruvian Soul. Jimena worked with our preferences in setting up our trip, made great suggestions, and patiently helped us to make changes and add ons as we finalized our plans. She helpfully answered many questions that we had prior to our trip.
We did a city tour in Lima with Nancy as our guide. She was great and was willing to tailor the tour to our interests
After Lima, we flew to Cusco and won the lottery with our amazing guide Julio who we were fortunate to be with for the next 8 days. I would give Julio a 15 rating out of 5 if that was possible. Super knowledgeable about every area that we toured and able to answer our numerous questions but also amazingly patient, kind and friendly. KimKim is lucky to have Peruvian Soul as their local travel company (maybe they contract with others as well?) and Peruvian Soul has a gem in Julio as their customer facing employee. Julio went the extra mile daily and we couldn't be more grateful for the time that we had with him.
Guido was our driver and was also great; friendly and kind with a great smile and also able to handle many narrow roads, switchbacks, and hairpin turns in our travels with ease. We were returning from the Rainbow Mountains and came to an area that was under construction: Guido got out and helped to shovel so that we could continue on our way back to Cusco.
We had such a good experience with Julio and Guido that all six of us (including my 20 something kids and their significant others) had tears when we had to say goodbye at the airport.

Hotel Reviews

Innside Lima Miraflores by Melia Hotels International

Miraflores

Nice location in Miraflores. We got to our hotel around 6:30 in the morning and allowed all of us to check into our rooms immediately which was very much appreciated after a long night of travel. I'ms sure this is based on availability. Rooms were clean and the breakfast included a great selection of foods. The rooftop bar is cute and a free welcome drink was included.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casona de Yucay

Ollantaytambo Urubamba

We overall loved this hotel; beautiful setting with an amazing green space surrounded by mountains. We read somewhere else that the rooms were dated, but the place was built in 1810, so I'm not sure why people would expect a modern look. The hotel was clean and staff was gracious. We had several hours free one afternoon and were able to enjoy some relaxation time by the pool with the mountain views

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hatun Inti Boutique Machupicchu

Machu Picchu

This hotel is right on the river and we were lucky to get rooms on the riverside. Very spacious rooms with a lot of character. A window in our shower opened up to the river which was fun and unique. We only spent one night here and all felt it would have been nice to have a second night as it was such a great location with fun rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Peru and Lima

Peru

Basically, this was the pick up at the airport which was seamless. Our daughter and her boyfriend arrived late the night before and four of us arrived at 5AM. We appreciated that someone was there for two different transports at odd hours

Must sees in Lima

Peru

We started the Lima tour with a visit to the Huaca Pucllana archaeological site and were surprised that we didn't go in. We just stood outside for some information. We should have asked about it, but just assumed that it was not allowed. We looked it up later, and you are able to go in with a guide. We then went to the Larco Museum which was super interesting This was followed by a visit to the El Centro district with historical buildings and churches as well as a visit to Chinatown with lunch at a Chifa restaurant Nancy was our guide and was great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Traditional Farming in the Andes: Amaru & Pisac arqueological site

Peru

We started the day with a hike around the archaeological site of Pisac; another amazingly beautiful setting with Inca ruins and so much interesting information shared by Julio. We were also lucky to have some of the local llamas and alpacas on the trail so were able to get some great photos next to them. We then headed to Amaru to have lunch with a local family. They were all kind and welcoming. They taught us about their farming and we were able to cut down some of our food and also able to help prepare the food a bit. We saw how the women made some of their crafts; it was a group of highly talented people and the food was delicious

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As stated in the trip summary, Julio and Guido were both such great people. We so appreciated both of them

Transport

Lunch at the Shores of Piuray Lake

Peru

Absolutely gorgeous setting with amazing food. We all agreed that this was some of our favorite food on the entire trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Everything!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Visit to Ollantaytambo

Peru

Very interesting Inca site that we were not aware of until planning this trip. Another beautiful area with so much history. The town was also very cute.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Julio had restaurant suggestions for us throughout the trip and we can honestly day that everywhere we ate had excellent food

Transport

Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: Ollantaytambo - Km 104 - Aguas Calientes

Peru

We had to start at marker 106 instead of 104 as part of the Inca trail was washed out which meant we missed the first archeological site of Chachabamba which was a bummer but also could not be helped. It also meant that we had to use the very steep switchback trail that is used by the porters. This was a touch trail, but we are so glad that we experienced it and were quite impressed with the fitness level of the porters running up and down the steep trail with heavy packs. We had a nice lunch at the mid point and visited the site of Winay Wayna which was an amazing site on a very steep hillside The second half of the hike was less grueling but still physical. Getting to the Sun Gate to our first view of Machu Picchu was spectacular. An emotional and somewhat spiritual moment as this is a trip that we haven't wanted to take for several years. The mountains and ruins of Machu Picchu are everything but also much more than what was expected. It is hard to describe the beauty of the site in words. Completing the difficult hike first, made getting to the site so much more rewarding

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We can't thank Julio enough for his patience and kindness on this hike. Breathing was difficult for a couple of us and he always stayed behind with whoever was struggling a bit. He is full of great Peru facts and legends and this was definitely appreciated for the information as well as for the distraction as we climbed. He was so encouraging the entire time. We also appreciate all the pictures he patiently took of all of us.

Transport

Guido had a lot to do today with driving us to the train, getting out overnight packs on the train and then getting our main luggage to our next hotel in Cusco which was in San Blas on the hill of which he could not drive fully to the door meaning, he had to carry luggage for 6 people up a long steep set of stairs and then down a street to get our luggage in storage until the next day. He is also such a nice and kind man. And obviously very strong.

Maras & Moray

Peru

Both of these areas are a must see. We were at the salt flats of Maras near sunset which made for a beautiful setting. Julio also took us to a nice shop where we were able to buy some of the salts. The chocolate at the same shop was amazing The "experimental laboratory" of Moray was also a great experience. Amazing the knowledge that people had so many years ago and the setting was gorgeous

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Short Inca Trail: Morning at Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Today, we returned to the Machu Picchu site by bus and toured the actual site (rather than the overview following the hike the day before). Again, so much history here and in Peru in general. We felt lucky to get a second day at the site with good weather on both days. What an incredible experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Cusco & Sacsayhuaman

Cusco

Fun tour of historical Cusco including Sacsayhuaman, Cristi Blanco, the San Francisco Convent and the San Pedro Market as well as the main square

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour

Cusco

Beautiful hike in the Rainbow Mountains followed by a delicious lunch near a river. Another remarkable experience on our last full day in Peru. This area has been another bucket list item for us and we are glad we were able to experience it

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Julio and Guido picked us up a little after 4 in the morning to get us to the trail before the crowds. They had pillows and blankets in the van for us so that we could nap on the way; this was much appreciated. We were the first people there which made this even more of a special hike. We again are so thankful for the dedication of both Julio and Guido as well as for their selflessness and kindness.

Transport

We could not have been happier with our trip to Peru. We worked with Anne and Jesus in planning the perfect trip which included multiple hikes and interesting tours. We loved Blanca who took us on a walking food and art tour in the Barranco district in Lima that was incredible. The best ceviche we have ever tasted. And we can't say enough about our guide Edwar who guided us through Cusco's history, the Sacred Valley, the short Inca trail and Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain. He was knowledgeable, upbeat and took great care of us. He felt like family by the end of our 8 days touring with him. Peru was so beautiful and we hope to make it back.

We had such a fantastic time. Jimena carefully curated the itineraries, hotels and restaurants that all surpassed our expectations. Our guide Guido was excellent - he was always attentive and had an incredible breadth of knowledge about the Incas, the sites we visited and all local customs and foods. We had a lot of fun with him! I can’t stress enough how perfect the hotels were - beautiful spots we would not have found on our own.

Hotel Review

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Nestled in the Cuzco downtown - this hotel was had a beautiful lush courtyard, lovely breakfast, and we loved the hot water bottles tucked I your beds and the nighttime tea! The staff was excellent and very accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Modern but rustic

Location

Right in the downtown

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Really nice showers!

Activity Reviews

Lunch at Hacienda Huayoccari

Sacred Valley

What a stunning property and the food was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Visit to Machu Picchu: The Royal Design

Peru

Words cannot do justice to seeing the sunrise over Machu Picchu!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guido knew exactly where to go to get the best photos and how to avoid the crowds.

Transport

Moray circular terraces and soft hike to Maras salt mines

Peru

This is a fascinating site. We strongly recommend seeing it and buying the pink salt!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had an absolutely outstanding experience with Kimkim Travels. From start to finish, every detail of our trip to Peru was thoughtfully planned and perfectly organized. Everything ran on time, transportation was smooth, and the entire itinerary felt seamless.

One thing that really impressed us was how attentive they were to our vegetarian diet. They selected fantastic restaurants throughout Peru where we could enjoy authentic food without worrying about our dietary needs. Every recommendation was spot-on.

Our tour guide was truly exceptional — a 10 out of 10. His passion for his country was obvious in everything he shared with us. You could feel how much he loved Peru, and that made the experience even more special. From the cooking class to the Rainbow Mountain tour and of course Machu Picchu, he took such great care of us the entire time.

At every step we felt safe, comfortable, and well looked after. Traveling in a new country can sometimes feel overwhelming, but with Kimkim everything was handled so professionally that we could simply relax and enjoy the experience.

This trip was truly perfect, and I’m incredibly grateful to Kimkim Travels for making it such a memorable journey. I would highly recommend them to anyone planning a trip to Peru.