Trail Travel

Berat, the local specialist for my tour masterfully customized an itinerary to fit my requests. He arranged and coordinated the guides, drivers, hotels and domestic flights for what turned out to be a flawless tour. I appreciated the reminders I received almost daily to inform me of the schedule and any action needed on my part.
In Istanbul, Mr. Volkan Akoluk was my terrific guide for two days. He quickly brought me up to speed on the history of the region and prepared me for the sights we were to visit. The two days never felt rushed yet we covered a lot of the historic sites.
In Ankara, Hattusa, and Cappadocia , Mr. Irfan did a wonderful job as we visited so many sites in four days. I especially enjoyed the fact that he had grown up in the area of Uchisar and with that he had personal stories of what life was like these last couple generations. My favorite experience was driving in at night my jaw dropping at the site of Cappodocia and my Kale Konak hotel bathed in a rosy glow.
In Izmir, with just one day left, I had the pleasure to enjoy Ephesus and Priene with Mr. Ozan Tokcan. As with the previous two guides, Mr. Ozan had incredible knowledge of the sites we visited as well as the history of the area.
And because I had just a taste of the beautiful area around Izmir, I will need to return.
Thank you for an amazing experience!

Hotel Reviews

Park Inn by Radisson Izmir

Izmir

Wonderful location with views of the harbor. Close proximity to the old section of the city and the piers.

Kale Konak Hotel

Simply magical

Authenticity & Character

Renovated to reflect a “cave” character

Location

Adjacent to the Castle

Staff

Professional

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel

Istanbul

Located in the old town. Very nice hotel with a lovely breakfast.

Eyuboglu Hotel

Ankara

Very comfortable with a good location

Activity Reviews

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

I

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

I

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Visit the Anatolian Civilizations Museum and Panoramic City Tour

Ankara

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit the Ancient city of Hattusa (Hattuşaş)

Turkey

Quality of Experience

I

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover the Volcanic Valleys of Cappadocia: Zelve, Pasabag, and Avcılar

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover Priene: A beautiful ancient Ionian town

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This was our first time using KimKim and I had my fingers crossed that everything would run smoothly. Our trip to Türkiye was amazing! It started off wonderfully with Yigit waiting for us at the Istanbul airport after our 13 1/2 hour flight. He was so friendly and welcoming and we were driven to The Bank Hotel. A great first impression! Exhausted from our travels, they invited us inside and handled all of our luggage and immediately served us a drink of our choice in the lobby while they finished readying our room and ushered our bags up stairs. This level of service continued throughout the entire trip.

Our guide, Volkan, met us in the hotel lobby the next morning and while we sat he gave us a 45 minute brief historical introduction to Türkiye. We loved this! We really wanted to learn on this trip, and I wish we could have had Volkan as our guide for the entire trip. Not only was he knowledgeable, but he did a beautiful job of balancing guiding and directing us and talking with also giving us some time to wander and explore the sites at our own pace. When it came to the food, we would have been lost without him. He gave suggestions and there were many opportunities to try the various foods. We weren't quite prepared for the amount of hills and walking we would be doing in the city, but in hindsight it would be challenging to tour Istanbul by car, and we are so glad to have done it this way. Volkan also was familiar for good picture spots and invited our family to pose while he took several pictures of us with our camera. We really enjoyed him teaching us while we toured Topkapi palace so we could learn about the life of the sultans. The mosques were incredible and beautiful. Be prepared for motorcycles driving on sidewalks! :-D Volkan was very aware of his surroundings and did a great job guiding us through the busy places. We also bypassed the long lines because we had a guide with us. Super!

Berat and Murat communicated with us daily on our trip. This was so reassuring. The day before they would provide us with driver names, vehicle license, phone number, and times for each pickup. I was impressed at how everyone was on time and we were not left waiting. When we had a small bit of trouble at one hotel, Murat contacted them and smoothed things over, and the hotel even had wine and snacks waiting for us that day!

Our favorite place to visit was Cappadocia. After the masses of people in Istanbul, it was refreshing to see those views, and lunch at The Dream Spot took my breath away. What a way to start off Cappadicia! When we visited the Underground City, Volkan asked us if we had claustrophobia, and I told him I was mildly affected, and I didn't want to be trapped in the tunnels. He did a great job of making sure the tunnels ahead were cleared of people before having us walk through, and that made it very enjoyable with no moments of panic bent over in a passage waiting for people ahead to move. The hot air balloon ride was unlike anything we have ever done, and we were so glad the weather cooperated.

The only place we could have skipped was Izmir... it's a modern city. We think it was probably a necessary connection point for our travel day where we flew from Cappadocia back to the west coast. We met Ozan as our guide for Izmir, Ephasus, and Sirence. He was knowledgeable and friendly. We loved the mussels stuffed with rice that we sampled from a street vendor! I honestly didn't think I would like them, but I'm willing to try just about anything. When he found out we ran a math learning center, he took us to a summer camp/school/univercity in Sirence! This was an unexpected surprise, and it was the first time Ozan had been there as well. My only wish is that Ozan gave us a bit of time to explore on our own. At the museums he was excited to have us see certain things, but I would have liked a little unstructured time to view things at our own pace as well without being overly directed.

Our private boat tour in Bodrum was beautiful! I thought 6 hours might be too long, but with four stops for swimming (we were only promised three) and lunch served, it was a relaxing day towards the end of our trip. Bodrum was also wonderful for walking in the evenings.

A few notes below on our lodgings:

The Bank Hotel - amazing. Gorgeous architecture and this family loved the complimentary chocolates! The breakfast was so good. No complaints.
Hotel Taskonaklar Cappadocia - How exciting to have a hotel built into ancient ruins! Gorgeous accommodations. Our daughter's mattress had springs pushing into her and she ended up sleeping on the couch. When I found out, I flipped her mattress and all was well the second night. Be prepared for quite a few stairs outside. Again, the breakfast was amazing.
Mövenpick Izmir - nothing of note. Nice modern hotel.
Nisanyan Houses - This was a visual treat. The hospitality was wonderful and the food was so good, as was the view. The artistry in the rooms was lovely. All that said, we were glad we only spent one night here. The large bed had an uncomfortable, flat mattress, and my husband had to climb over me to get into and out of bed with the way it was framed and oriented against the wall. It was lacking in linens and only had a flat quilt (not a duvet) to cover us. The second bedroom had two beds. Our daughter had the larger bed and she said it was comfortable, but the other bed was only big enough for a child. Our 6 foot tall son and to sleep on the couch downstairs. The spiral staircase was treacherous without a handrail, and I was worried I'd accidentally fall into the sunken shower when using the bathroom during the night, so I left that light on. I attempted to make coffee, but when I turned the dial for the counter-top plug-in stove, I got an electric shock. The toilet ran non-stop, and we switched the water off between uses. (There was no phone to contact the lobby, and I didn't feel like navigating the walk up the stairs to tell them, so we waited until we left to report it. ) The stairs on the grounds were also very challenging with rough-hewn stone and no hand rails. It was a hike to get to the pool. It was a beautiful place for photos, visually delightful, and the owner was so nice I hate to say anything critical, but not somewhere I'd stay again. They could improve it by taking care of some of these issues, such as adding handrails.
Divan Bodrum Palmira - Very comfortable hotel! We ran into a few minor issues, but they were taken care of.

We would definitely use KimKim again for planning a trip like this to an unfamiliar country!

Hotel Reviews

The Bank Hotel

Istanbul

The Bank Hotel - amazing. Gorgeous architecture and this family loved the complimentary chocolates! The breakfast was so good with many selections. No complaints. Great location for walking tours of the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Taskonaklar Cappadocia

Nevsehir

How exciting to have a hotel built into ancient ruins! Gorgeous accommodations. Our daughter's mattress had springs pushing into her and she ended up sleeping on the couch. When I found out, I flipped her mattress and all was well the second night. Be prepared for quite a few stairs outside. Again, the breakfast was amazing. Incredible views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had to flip a mattress, and there were also two different leaks we reported. It took a while to get the AC to cool everything down and dehumidfy everything.

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

This was a visual treat, and I want to give it a higher rating, as I think some people would love it here. The hospitality was wonderful and the food was so good, as was the view... the view was truly unmatched. The artistry in the rooms was lovely. All that said, we were glad we only spent one night here. The large bed had an uncomfortable, flat mattress, and my husband had to climb over me to get into and out of bed with the way it was framed and oriented against the wall. It was lacking in linens and only had a flat quilt (not a duvet) to cover us. The second bedroom had two beds. Our daughter had the larger bed and she said it was comfortable, but the other bed was only big enough for a child. Our 6 foot tall son and to sleep on the couch downstairs, and there were no extra linens. The spiral staircase was treacherous without a handrail, and I was worried I'd accidentally fall into the sunken shower when using the bathroom during the night, so I left that light on. I attempted to make coffee, but when I turned the dial for the counter-top plug-in stove, I got an electric shock. The toilet ran non-stop, and we switched the water off between uses. (There was no phone to contact the lobby, and I didn't feel like navigating the walk up the stairs to tell them, so we waited until we left to report it. ) The stairs on the grounds were also very challenging with rough-hewn stone and no hand rails. It was a hike to get to the pool. It was a beautiful place for photos, visually delightful, and the owner was so nice I hate to say anything critical, but not somewhere I'd stay again. We did not have a chance to enjoy the wonderful bread and jams they put in the fridge for us, but that was a lovely added touch. They could improve it by taking care of some of these issues, such as adding handrails and putting in a new mattress and enough linens. With handrails and a more comfortable bed and a safety barrier rail added to the shower, I would love to visit again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Uncomfortable beds and treacherous stairs. It was very clean, but not comfortable or safe.

Activity Reviews

Food Tour in Istanbul

İstanbul

We can't really fit a food tour all in one day, because you can only eat so much! Volkan did a wonderful job of spreading this out and including it during our three full days in Istanbul.

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Another world! So much character and history. Just hearing the calls to prayer was so different for an American. The palace was fascinating, and the mosques were beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Volkan was the best! We couldn't have imagined a better guide. He really does a wonderful job of ensuring we had a full experience, but also gave us time to explore on our own and meet back up with him.

Transport

Istanbul Archaeological Museum Tour

İstanbul

How was this museum not packed with people! So much to see an learn.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

This was a lovely change of pace after some tough walking tours of Istanbul. Just the right length boat tour.

Thank you Berat for planning a wonderful trip. We enjoyed our stay in Istanbul. Everything went smoothly. We had an excellent guide and a nice hotel.

Hotel Review

Armada Hotel

Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore the Dolmabahçe Palace

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Crossing between Continents: Explore Kadıköy and Moda

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

I’m

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

all of our guides were great - very knowledgeable and on time and respectful and the transportation arranged was ideal!

Hotel Reviews

Pera Palace

Istanbul

great location history and a very accommodating and friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

the breakfast included was excellent - very authentic and over the top in selections and quality of food

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the rooms were great and the common areas lovely in every way.

Hotel Taskonaklar Cappadocia

Nevsehir

great location - great views and super fun to be in this cave hotel

Activity Reviews

Cappadocia E-Bike Tour - Full Day

Cappadocia

Guides were great - bikes were great- super fun day!

Wine Pairing Dinner at Revithia Cappadocia

Cappadocia

this restaurant had a great view and the staff was super friendly but the food didn't feel super authentic and was a bit fussy. that said, the plates, bowls and the serve ware was very artsy and amazing!

This review is from Corinne. I did not receive the email asking for a review so Susan forwarded it to me.

It was an amazing trip. Turkey is such a beautiful country, so much history and some of the most hospitable people I have ever met. For a two week trip, Berat set up a schedule that allowed us to see so many places and enjoy many experiences. I got a taste of Turkey, and want to go back eventually to see the places that time just did not allow.

Our three guides, Volkan, Alp and Ozan were incredibly knowledgeable and were able to answer all of our questions. While they had very individual styles, it was clear that they loved their country and were happy to share their knowledge and impressions with us. They were very attentive and helpful. And the drivers also deserve praise--they drove some very long distances, maintained good attitudes and were quite helpful.

In summary, Berat planned a wonderful trip and everything went very smoothly. Thanks for a great time!

The two weeks I just spent in Turkey was immersive in the country’s rich history and culture as well as its modern day life. Berat provided an excellent itinerary that exposed me to some of the best Turkey has to offer. She booked us into boutique hotels, many of which had a rich history of its own, and the service and locations of each one was exceptional . At several, we were the only American guests, which was refreshing. As for our guides, my friend and I were lucky enough to have 3 diverse yet terrific guides. In Istanbul and Cappadocia we were beyond lucky to have Volkan Akoluk as our guide. He shared his passion for and knowledge of his country’s history and culture in a way that was more like telling us a story than merely reciting facts. He never rushed us through any site and was very astute to when we needed a break or a cup of coffee or tea or ice cream. It was more like walking with a good friend and not a tour guide. Alp was more stoic and reserved but always had his hand out to help maneuver a climb up or big step down when climbing to see the ancient fires and walking among the ruins of Myra.. He did at times tell us more history than one can absorb in a day or two. Ozan, on the other hand, was so excited about each day and each site we visited that it was hard not to be excited as well. He was like a kid seeing the sites for the first time, be it Ephesus or the blue pools in travertine of Heliapolis, and his enthusiasm was contagious making the heat, crowds and humidity bearable. He too shows such passion for his host country. Seeing Turkey through the eyes of 3 different guides with 3 distinct personalties and approaches, and the people we met through them, made this trip overall one of my best travel experiences.

Hotel Review

Gül Konaklari Sinasos (Rose Mansions Sinasos)

Nevsehir

This was a lovely hotel located in a small village, a bit remote from the hubbub of Cappedocia. It had lovely grounds and the rooms were clean, spacious. However, my one complaint is that having arrived in the dark there was no light on in the room nor was I escorted into my room nor advised there was a platform once you step into the room. Thus, I fell into the room while trying to find a light switch. Having just had hip replacement surgery several months prior, this could have ended badly. Luckily, only my ego got bruised.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Explore the Basilica Cistern

İstanbul

Incredibly fascinating the engineering involved to create this water system. Beautiful art installed as well which creates a juxtaposition between history and modern times.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I cannot express how much of a good time I had in Turkey. Although I did get a bad cold half way through it proved even MORE how great the arrangement with KIMKIM was. My guide and driver took exceptional care of me for which I am so thankful. My guide was so knowledgeable, personable, patient, helpful. I asked his several arcane questions and he had a very good answer ever time. His level of knowledge was as remarkable as his hospitality. In case you cannot gather from my review I had a WONDERFUL TIME. KIMKIM has been EXTRAORDINARY in planning and execution of my Turkey vacation. The profile picture shows my guide: Mr. Yigit, me: Nolan Warner and the driver: Mr. Cumali

We had a wonderful 9-day trip to Turkey thanks to the efforts of Berat at Kimkim travel, and the knowledgeable guides she arranged, Volkan and Ozan, in Istanbul and Izmir.

My son and I wanted to do a history focused tour for this first trip to Turkey and with just that high level guidance, Berat produced an itinerary that covered successive periods all the way from Ancient Greek and Roman sites (Pirene, Ephesus) to Istanbul’s layers of empires (Roman to the Ottoman) and the after effects of the Turkish-Greek population exchange in Cyprus in 1923. We saw the main sights (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque etc), but also some unexpected gems with interesting side stories (observed Sunday mass at the seat of the Orthodox Church near Balat).

(It turns out tour-guiding is a major in college in Turkey, combining history, geography, art history, communication, archaeology and more. It totally makes sense: the serious focus produces high quality guides who lead tours for visitors to Turkey as well as Turkish groups visiting other countries.)

Towards the end of our trip, we wanted to see more modern art and our guide helped us fit in the Istanbul Modern, various artsy places in Kadikoy (Asian side) and art galleries back on the European side.

Hotels, planes, taxis and even metro rides were included in the trip cost, but lunch/dinner and guide tips were not paid ahead.

The trip was on the expensive side, but this was a solid introduction to Turkey and we left wanting to come back soon.

Thank you Berat for this memorable trip.