Kimkim Trip Reviews

About a year ago, I began planning a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for my family (my wife and myself, my son and daughter-in-law, and our two grandchildren, ages 10 and 13). After looking at options with a number of different tour companies, I discovered KimKim. I had never heard of them before, but all of the reviews I found online were excellent. I soon got in touch with Maria Jose, and after explaining what we were interested in doing, she put together an amazing 10-day itinerary at a remarkably affordable price. The six of us just got back from the trip none of us will ever forget. We spent two days sightseeing in and around Quito and stayed at the beautiful JW Marriott hotel. We then flew off to the islands where we spent four nights aboard the Legend cruise ship. We visited four islands and enjoyed spectacular hikes and snorkeling every day. The accommodations were lovely and the food was great. The ship can have up to 100 passengers but for our trip there were only 58. We then spent two nights at the lovely Hotel Ikala in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. From there we enjoyed a wonderful day trip to Bartolome Island where we took the accompanying photo and snorkeled with the sharks and sea lions. The Galapagos Islands are a truly magical place and Ecuador has done a remarkable job protecting them for now and the future. The iguanas, sea lions, tortoises, and birds have all been protected for over a hundred years and as a result are totally unafraid of humans. All of the KimKim team members and all of the local guides we met were fantastic. If you are interested in an extraordinary custom made trip anywhere in the world I would strongly recommend checking out KimKim

Very well done - would definitely use KimKim and Sara and team again!

Great choice for hotel in Oslo. During the whole trip we had a perfect mixture of good things to do for young and old. Both our guides were delightful. Kim Kim was very quick to helpfully respond to every question or issue raised during the trip. I would not recommend the Viking experience diner in Flam for kids. The restaurant at the top of the tram was world class in Bergin. For kids, Zip line in Oslo and rib boat in Flam were highlights.

Sandi helped plan the most amazing trip. She listened to our ideas and adjusted things to make everything perfect. Our guides, Miss Leena in Bangkok, Mr. Q in Chiang Mai were wonderful. They made the experience better than we’d imagined. We learned so much and grew and even greater respect for the country and people of Thailand. We can’t wait to plan our next trip.

Hotel Reviews

Baan Samui Resort

Surat Thani

Quiet, peaceful, restful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

U Chiang Mai Hotel

Chiang Mai

Such a peaceful place in the very center of the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nysa Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 11

Bangkok

Friendly staff, clean rooms, delicious breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Doi Suthep Temple Tour

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Return Trip to Khao Yai National Park

Thailand

Monkeys! Amazing! We had a great time exploring

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A day trip to Koh Tao & Koh Nang Yuan

Thailand

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience as a local farmer - Half day experience

Chiang Mai

Em and Uncle Sherd were the best. We really enjoyed learning.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

1 Day Trek Mae Tang with Elephant Sanctuary by Local Truck

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok city tour, Chatuchak Market and food tasting at Chinatown!

Thailand

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The "Foodie" tour in Zagreb was fun, and provided some interesting information about the city as well as introduction to some local foods.
We especially liked the visit to the lakes and falls at Plitvice. It was a 5 hour walk but most of it was level and where the trail might have been wet or steep, it was "paved" with logs, bridges and where steep, with steps. There were 4 ferries crossing the lake, but with a 1 hour wait in the July sun, we opted to walk around the lakes instead, which was in retrospect a good choice.
The boat trip from Hvar harbor around the islands, with several stops for swimming & snorkeling (mask and snorkels provided). We got to swim into a couple of huge ( 50-100 meters high/wide and 200-300 meters deep) sea-caves that were not boat accessible. I wished we had our underwater camera to capture the views. Many Swifts lived in and flew about the caves.
Dubrovnik is lovely, historic and in high season (July & August) very crowded. A Dubrovnik Pass is helpful so that you don't have to keep paying admissions to different historic buildings. Unfortunately if you want to walk the city walls, you need to know that admission fees including the Pass only allow one trip (we accidentally used that up looking for our guide, so missed that walk).
Our guide (Dubrovna was her name...easy to remember). was well educated and provided much information on the city. We aren't "Game of Thrones" fans, so she didn't dwell on the details of the filming there.

Activity Reviews

Private Day Trip to Cavtat & Family Farm Day for Traditional Lunch or Dinner

Croatia

We were very pleasantly surprised that this visit to the Family Farm included a cooking class. We were served two locally made cheeses and bread, almonds, dried figs with some iced cherry juice (we don't drink alcohol, so didn't try the local wine). We then began our cooking class. We made a family recipe for chicken cooked with olive oil peaches, plums, onions, garlic, cherry juice, salt, pepper, rosemary and bay leaves. We toured their garden and picked up rosemary, bay laurel leaves, tomatoes, cucumbers, arugula, parsley and fennel. They grow their own limes and grapefruits, pomegranates, almonds, figs, olives and much more. Back in the kitchen, we learned to make a twirly pasta by hand, and a peach & plum topped cake. After that we ate the dinner we had prepared. It was truly delicious (including a chicken soup with carrots and farina dumplings).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to the Caves & Beaches of Vis Island by boat

Hvar

Swimming in the Adriatic, especially the caves we swam into, was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zagreb - walking food tour!

Zagreb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Melvin was incredibly knowledgeable and accommodating during the process of developing our ideal itinerary from the start. We did everything we wanted to and nothing we didn't!

Overall, our trip was incredible. I wouldn't change a thing about it from the activities to the lodging to the individuals on the ground that made everything happen. The whole experience just exceeded my wildest dreams!

Hotel Reviews

Sarova Mara Game Camp

Wow Wow Wow!!! Absolutely the best stay of our trip. I would highly encourage anyone to stay here!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sarova Lion Hill Hotel

Nairobi

Was under construction when we were there. Our room was pretty small but we still had a great stay. I believe the new lodges will be larger.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Naivasha Sopa Lodge

Nairobi

The rooms seemed slightly dated but the experience with the animals up close more than made up for it. I would gladly stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skynest Residences by CityBlue

Nairobi

Would gladly stay here again. It was clean, check-in was easy, and the suites were huge. There was some noise from the nearby city but the hotel offered earplugs. Also very nice to have a washing machine in the suite!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Crescent Island Animal Walk

Kenya

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Game Drive at Lake Nakuru National Park

Kenya

This was my favorite game drive of the whole trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking / Biking at Hell's Gate National Park

Kenya

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joseph, our guide in Hell's Gate, was not my favorite. Kind of pushy with reviews/sales at his private shop.

Transport

Full Day Safari at the Maasai Mara

Kenya

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Game Drive at the Maasai Mara

Kenya

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Game Drive at Lake Nakuru National Park

Kenya

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust - Elephant Orphanage Visit

Nairobi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Relax at leisure

Nairobi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Nairobi to Naivasha via the Rift Valley View Point

Kenya

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

2nd Day Full Day Safari at the Maasai Mara

Kenya

Just amazing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot-air Balloon Safari above the Mara

Kenya

Wow! I'm so glad we did this. Absolutely a highlight of the trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise Boat Cruise on Lake Nakuru

Nakuru

This ended up not as sunrise but midday with lunch. Regardless, it was amazing! The food was incredible, the staff fantastic, and the drinks were flowing. It was a really relaxing experience nestled between game drives.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Game drive in Nairobi National Park

Nairobi

This was such a fun way to kick off our trip. Our guide, John, was incredible and we saw many animals due to his knowledge and skill.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What an amazing trip, all made possible by the Kimkim team, starting with Hamza who helped organise the trip. He was very flexible with our choices of itinerary stops and hotel selections. We looked at several other tour companies before deciding on KimKim, due to flexibility , range of options and price point, which gave great value without compromising on quality.
We did a 9 day trip, that started in Casablanca and included Rabat, Fez, the desert, Ouarzazate and Marrakech. Everything went so smoothly.
Our driver, Reda, who was with us for the whole trip, was unbelievably kind, helpful and entertaining. Even after driving all day, he was happy to drive us to dinner when asked. He was the icing on the cake for the trip.
The individual tour guides in each city were very good. The hotels were of high quality, in particular our Riad in Fez (Karawan Riad), Anamar Hotel in Ouarzazate and Les Jardin de la Koutoubia in Marrakesh.
The only critique we have is that the desert camp (Saraha Sky Luxury Camp) didn't quite match it's luxury description. The staff there were very nice but a little young and "green". Our camel ride in was spectacular.
If planning a trip to Morocco, would strongly recommend Kimkim as your tour organiser.

Activity Reviews

Fine dining at Riad Fez Relais & Châteaux

Fes

Beautiful Riad in upscale and tranquil setting for dinner. Great service and good food. Was skeptical beforehand but was happy to have done it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer from Casablanca Airport to Rabat via Casablanca City

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive from Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Aït Ben Haddou

Morocco

You have to include Ait Ben Haddou in your trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

AMAZING. Make sure you buy a proper Moroccan desert scarf for practical reasons and to feel the authenticity of the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Nice guide and shared lunch with in authentic setting in the Souk which was nice. However we felt like there was too much focus on taking us to different shops.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Guided Exploration of Rabat

Rabat

Wonderful guide. Very informative and pleasant pers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

ATV Ride in the Dunes of Merzouga

Merzouga

Quality of Experience

Experience was great, but unfortunately had to wait hrs beyond our original reservation time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ashley did an incredible job. I would highly recommend her.

Activity Review

Tropikal Trekking & Jumbo Wash by Mason Adventure (Updated by Maison Adventure)

Bali

Well worth the trip. I would highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was planned perfectly- there is no way we would have seen or done as much as we did without Rita and Manuela!
The trip was perfectly tailored to my children’s age and I would not hesitate to use this service again!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Politeama

Palermo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Taormina Panoramic Hotel

Taormina

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Piazza Bellini & Apartments

Naples

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Be Mate Apartments

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Clark Hotel

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Giafra Sicilian Luxury Rooms

Agrigento

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Pompeii with an Archaeologist

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A Family Day in Ancient Rome: Colosseum & Forum Experience

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Taste Palermo: Market & Street Food Experience

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Neapolitan Pizza Making Class

Naples

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Vatican Unveiled: From Vatican Museum to Sistine Chapel

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Big Mama was the best with the kids!

The trip to Iceland was a dream come true! It was so wonderful to have all the suggestions, ideas, details and logistics provided by Gummi, the local KimKim guide. There is absolutely no way I could have done everything that Gummi did with the level of professionalism and perfection. The trip was packed with memorable experiences which is exactly what we wanted. Highly recommend the kayaking on the Glacier Lagoon/Diamond Beach, snorkeling at Silfra, hiking in Thorsmork, and the hot springs at Reyjadalur. The entire trip was memorable. Thank you to Gummi and KimKim for the trip of a lifetime.

Hotel Reviews

Black Beach Suites

Vik I Myrdal

This hotel appears to be very chic and swanky. The rooms are very updated and feature a kitchen. Unfortunately, you could not lock the doors once in the room. I ended up putting our suitcases in front of the door to keep someone from coming in. They gave crazy directions about how to use an Icelandic lock but we stayed in several places that had plain old deadbolts. Would not recommend or stay there

Authenticity & Character

Fix the locks - all the fancy in the world does not make you safe. Also no breakfast provided

Location

Close to things we were seeing

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and spacious but the door thing is a no go on comfort

Fosshotel Stykkishólmur

Stykkishólmur

This is a great hotel - best breakfast we had in Iceland too! Nice people and very comfortable room.

Authenticity & Character

Felt homey and intimate but not pretentious

Location

Easy to walk into town

Staff

Professional and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, and good room darkening shades here!

Activity Reviews

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

The ice cave was smaller than I thought but still cool to see.

Quality of Experience

The ice caves are cool and interesting

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide did OK - did lots of picture taking. I listened to another group guide and she gave more info and details about the ice caves. I like those details and info rather than always lining people up for a photo op.

Transport

The modified cargo van we took to the locations was absolutely awful. It was not a super jeep and they stuffed 13 people into it including 4 of us on the very back bench seat that could have fit 4 children but not four adults. It was hot and no air circulation - so if you get carsick this is not the ride for you. The car bounced around so much that our heads hit the ceiling WITH seatbelts on. It was dangerous, uncomfortable, and terrible. It felt like they were more interested in making money and stuffing as many people into a vehicle as they could rather than providing safe, fun transport.

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

Great fun to see the cave carved by lava!

Quality of Experience

Unique thing to see. Used to seeing caves in the US. This is very different

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was awesome. She knew a ton about the cave, formations and geology of the lava cave/tube

Transport

Short walk with stairs to descend. Safety protocols were very good. Everyone had headlamps to see

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Excursion

Iceland

Great kayaking experience - fun to get a little closer to the icebergs.

Quality of Experience

Nice to get on the water and kayak amongst the icebergs

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were fantastic.

Transport

Silfra Snorkeling Adventure

Golden Circle

This experience is truly one of a kind in the world. If you like snorkeling, then you should definitely try this experience. There is no wildlife but the water, rock and depth of sight is amazing

Quality of Experience

Great location and interesting snorkel.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide in the water was awesome. Explained everything very well. They move a lot of people in and out of Silfra, and they've got it down. You'll take more time than you think at the busiest times of the year. The entire staff is hustling to get people dressed and ready.

Transport

Good job providing vans and seating to help people change.

Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion

Reykjavík

We did see whales so that was the main goal. The person telling us about the things we were seeing was very good. The whales were pretty far away so it would not be an experience for someone who wanted to see whales closer up.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Michelle came up with some great suggestions for our time in Fiji. She certainly heard our desires and made recommendations that were well suited for our group. It was no small feat coordinating logistics for 3 sets of travelers with various arrival and departure times and dealing with the slew of changes that resulted from flight cancelations and reschedules.

We absolutely loved the Sigatoka River Safari! Definite highlight of the trip. I'm also really glad she recommended going to 2 other islands to experience the beaches and I cannot express how much we loved our experience at Tokoriki Resort. Highly recommend a visit to anyone traveling to Fiji.

Even when Michelle was out, her backup was prompt and communicative to our group. We did have a small issue with one of the bookings with the first hotel made on our behalf. They were able to resolve it but it did dampen the start of the trip slightly for a couple in our group.

Overall, really pleased.

KimKim planned an incredible 12-day trip for our family, spanning ages 4 to 75, and they nailed it. Lucie spent over a year helping us perfect the itinerary, and when she went on maternity leave, Audrey stepped in seamlessly - rebooking trains after a weather cancellation, getting us onto a new boat in Marseille within the hour after a hiccup with our original cruise, and even helping us troubleshoot a power outage at our Paris apartment on a Saturday night. We always felt taken care of.

Our villa in Orgon was stunning: gorgeous grounds with a spectacular pool, which was a major perk given the heatwave during our stay. Our Montmartre apartment was equally lovely and perfectly located for exploring with kids. Activity highlights were everywhere: a day trip to visit Les Baux de Provence and the Carrières de Lumière was magical (and a cool escape from the summer heat), the Jardin d'Acclimatation was a huge hit with the kids, and the Ducasse sur Seine dinner cruise was a lovely evening adventure for me and my husband with great food and sunset views. The guides for our walking tours were exceptional across the board: Séverine brought Marseille to life, Sonali turned the Louvre into an engaging treasure hunt for the kids, and Sophie gave us a totally fresh, local take on Montmartre.

High-end accommodations, thoughtful planning, and a team that was always just a message away - we'd book with KimKim again in a heartbeat!

Hotel Reviews

Elegant Montmartre Retreat – 4 bedrooms

Paris

This apartment was beautiful and well-suited to our group, in a wonderfully family-friendly location with a park nearby and even a double-decker carousel at the base of the hill. Easy access to public transportation and plenty of amenities, yet secluded and private feeling with very little city noise.

Authenticity & Character

Beautifully renovated with high-end appliances and finishes, charming decor, and lovely building courtyard.

Location

Easy access to public transportation and plenty of amenities, yet secluded and private feeling with very little city noise.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable beds and furniture, very clean and well-maintained interiors.

Beautifull Family Villa in the Alpilles region

Orgon

This villa was stunning — immaculate landscaping, a spacious and well-kept interior, and hands-down the nicest private pool I've ever seen. We spent hours in it every day, which was a lifesaver during the heatwave. The location was ideal, close to charming villages, all the essentials (supermarket, boulangeries, pharmacies), and our planned activities. Karine, the villa manager, was excellent — responsive, warm, and easy to work with.

Authenticity & Character

Gorgeous landscaping with local plants and a uniquely designed home with modern conveniences.

Location

Close to amenities and activities, but still very private and calm.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, with a crew coming mid-week to freshen up.

Activity Review

Guided visit, wine and olive oil tasting at Chateau Romanin

France

Chateau Romanin's tasting room is situated high up a hill with stunning views across the valley, making for a beautiful setting for a wine tasting. Our guide for the tour was engaging and knowledgeable about the chateau's history and winemaking program, and the surrounding region. The wines were delicious - we bought a few to bring home and enjoy on the rest of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our local specialist Olman, was great from beginning to end. He was perceptive from our initial requests and needs for our group of 13. I truly appreciated the hotel selection and Olman, nailed it by booking hotels that catered not only to our large group but also the age ranges for the children on the trip ages (4-13). He recommended the daily excursions and activities and ultimately they were all a success.

I would definately receommend the Kim Kim team to anyone traveling to Costa Rica for the first time.

They booked us with A+ transportation, hotels, and excursion companies.

Hotel Reviews

Margaritaville Beach Resort Playa Flamingo

Guanacaste

Staff was friendly and accommodating. Our air conditioner did not drop down to what I would consider cold, so we slept without a blanket. No big deal. Food was just ok, nothing to rave about. Had one issue with bar tender where he charged the gin and tonic separately.....After confirming with front desk that a gin and tonic is one drink and not two separate ones, they credited me back the difference. So no complaints. All and all it was a good hotel that was on the beach and a lovely staff. My only suggestion is that they get some more shade umbrellas around the pool lounge chairs. Shade from the sun is limited if you want to lounge around the pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Great hotel for families with old or young children, or couples. You can be social or private. This hotel caters to both. Its location is a true Costa Rican gem. Nestled at the base of the volcano, the views are amazing. It is just a short taxi ride to downtown Fortuna. The breakfast was a great mix of local cuisine with also tourist friendly options. My only negatrive comment was that that restaurant prices were slightly higher than i would like and the overall dinner was nothing extraoridinary.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sky Tram & Ziplines Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was A great experience, would definately recommend it to anyone looking for the adventure

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Nature Walk at Danaus Ecological Park

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Peñas Blancas River Floating Safari Adventure by Raft

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Iceland is phenomenal! I encourage a visit to see the unique environment for sure!!! Gummie did a very good job planning our trip.
Constructive advice: If self touring(driving), encourage your traveler to rent a 4 wheel drive. Increases the ability to drive on all roads safely and also explore other options not included in the travel itinerary.
Also, write the final itinerary in order:
1-Date
2-Day of travel
3-Google link
4-Step by step instructions for the day and description of sights to be seen that day
5-Hotel accommodation
6-Restaurants recommended for that day where the travel plans are

Gummie
Your plans were awesome but a bit confusing to follow. Your recommendations were spot on and appreciated.
Thanks for your help!! Your country was awesome!!!

Jerri Hall Tuxbury

Hotel Review

Hótel Kría

Vík

Clean and comfortable

Location

Nice city on Golden Circle tour

Staff

Helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything

Activity Reviews

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Zodiac Boat

Iceland

Horseback Riding Below the Mountains

Iceland

Well done , but my daughter and I are experienced riders. Would have preferred a more scenic and different type of tour.

Geothermal Helicopter Experience

Reykjavík

Our guides, Elena and Jenny, were absolutely wonderful and our experience with Kim Kim was perfect. We highly recommend and will definitely use them again!!

We visited Egypt as a family of 4 this summer and had an amazing, highly personalized experience thanks to the incredible support team of Kimkim. From the moment we landed to the moment we arrived, everything was stress-free. We were in constant communication with Mohammed our travel specialist who organized everything for us ahead of time and he provided quick responses throughout. Our private, local tour guides that he arranged for us were excellent, all very hospitable, engaging, and knowledgeable Egyptologists. Highly recommend them, they were: Hend (pyramids), Mahmoud (Luxor/Aswan), Omar (Cairo). They took such good care of us that we felt like they were family! We especially enjoyed visiting the Valley of the Kings and Queens, Karnak temple, Khan el-Khalil market, The Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids, and relaxing on the Nile Cruise. We had one minor problem when we checked into our hotel in Hurghada as they asked for our hotel reservation confirm number which they could not locate nor were we ever given one, however it was resolved quickly after contacting Mohamed and Omar at kimkim. The rich history of Egyptian civilization is not something to be missed if you have this unique opportunity to explore in depth. Our family will forever be grateful for these amazing and unsurpassable memories thanks to Kimkim! We would definitely use them again with no hesitation!

Ben was amazing to work with and provided excellent service in planning and while in country. This was a trip to remember thanks to his help.

This was our fourth trip planned through Kimkim and our friends’ first experience with the service. Unfortunately, based on this trip alone, our friends would not use Kimkim again, and we are now hesitant to use the service for future travel as well.

The attention to detail from our local specialist was lacking compared with our previous experiences. After receiving our final itinerary, we identified several discrepancies that we had to proactively point out and have corrected. Once in Greece, we also experienced transportation issues and found ourselves having to track down information and details rather than being proactively notified or assisted by the local agency.

While we ultimately enjoyed our trip and had many wonderful experiences, there are several things we would have done differently had we been given more thorough information and guidance during the planning process. One of the primary reasons we have used Kimkim in the past is for the expertise, attention to detail, and local insight that come with using a travel specialist. Unfortunately, we did not feel we received that same level of service on this trip.

Hotel Reviews

Seasabelle Hotel

Spata-Artemida

Basic human star hotel. Clean and comfortable for a nights stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasimatis by La Perla

Santorini

Quiet area of the island. Superb staff. Beautiful views, pools and rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Melidron Hotel & Suites

Naxos

Very basic. Hard uncomfortable beds

Authenticity & Character

Basic

Location

Near a beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds very uncomfortable

The George Hotel

Mykonos

Beautiful views. Comfortable rooms. Great pool. Access to sister property with beach front.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Plaka Hotel

Athens

Great location. Very walkable. Comfortable room. A lot of street noise heard in the rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Old Town Food Walk

Naxos

Sampling of many different local items and tour of Naxos. Sit down meal was a bit crowded but food was good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sunset Caldera Catamaran Cruise

Santorini

A little chaotic when checking in for the cruise as several boats go out at once. Plus you have to wait in the hot sun. But once on the boat everything was great. Staff was friendly, view and sail were lovely. Sunset spectacular. Food was good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naxian Family Farm Experience & Wood-Fire Cooking Lesson

Naxos

This was probably one of the best experiences we had. Small farm operation up in the mountains. Friendly staff and fun experience with great food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family-Run Vineyard & Olive Grove Visit with Private Transfers

Mykonos

Small family run operation. Quick tour of the grounds and then a tasting. It is a farm to table lunch on a beautiful grove/vineyard. .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Outstanding experience and without doubt the best vacation we’ve ever had.
Sandy at KimKim provided an itenary for our trip to Japan that matched exactly with what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go. The cost of the trip was in line with our previously established budget. Hotels were superb and centrally located to what we wished to do. All arrangements with regards to hotels, excursions, transportation, etc were planned and confirmed and we had zero issues with any of these items.
Our guides for the tours were superb and went above and beyond. Yukio was fantastic showing us Osaka, Hiroshima, and Kyoto and made our whole experience visiting these places stress free and enjoyable. Yuna took us to the best places in Tokyo and navigated us superbly through the city.
Drivers for pick ups were always on time and very helpful.
This was our first experience using KimKim and visiting pacific Asia. We loved it and wished the vacation had never ended! Thank you!

Hotel Review

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Fantastic location in Kyoto. Very friendly and helpful staff and room was lovely. Breakfast buffet had everything and whole hotel very clean and had a great vibe about it.

Authenticity & Character

Very clean. Staff professional, helpful and friendly.

Location

Very central and close to all the shops, restaurants and train stations but also off the Main Street and very quiet.

Staff

They made every effort to make sure our stay was enjoyable and answered all our questions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was spacious and clean. Whole hotel was clearly well maintained and cleaned.

Activity Reviews

Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Great combination of activities and my wife is still smiling from the experience of wearing a kimono!

Quality of Experience

Great combination of activities

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff at each location were very friendly and helpful

Tokyo Highlights: A Day of Tradional & Modern Culture with Local Life

Tokyo

A great blend of activities/sights that gave us a great overview of this wonderful city. From visiting fantastic food markets to majestic shrines and spacious parks this day tour was a perfect way to.enjoy Tokyo.

Quality of Experience

A huge city and the day was spent visiting a variety of locations stress free

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Yuna, took care of us superbly and spent the correct amount of time at each site explaining everything and answering all our questions.

Transport

Spending a day using the Tokyo metro was quite an experience but made stress free by our guide

Enjoy Temples & Bamboo Grove in Kyoto

Kyoto

This day took us to some of the main highlights in Kyoto and was superb. Our guide, Yukio, took care of us and we spent the right amount of time at each location and he explained all the attractions. Fantastic day!

Quality of Experience

Seeing so many of the main attractions in one day stress free

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide could not have been better

Transport

A combination of trains, cars, and buses very well planned

We had an excellent time. It met all my expectations. The tour guides were great, knowledgeable and frequently entertaining. We loved not having to worry about getting to and from airports and trains. The hotels selected were all very good. We enjoyed every adventure we went on especially the food tours. I think this is the best way to travel. I used to do all the planning. This was a breeze. We did four cities and each one was so easy to manage.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Morisca

Granada

Super cute. Nice courtyard. Comfortable room. Some street noise because it was at street level, but mostly quiet. Easy access to where we wanted to.

Authenticity & Character

Lots of character. Felt like we were staying in someone’s home.

Location

Seemed like more walking needed to get around. First place we used taxis.

Staff

Friendly and helpful in calling for taxis

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

H10 Palacio Colomera

Córdoba

Probably the nicest hotel we stayed at. The breakfast was very good. Very central. Easy walking wherever we wanted to go. It was 105 degrees so very happy to have good AC. Beds comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

It was quite fancy for us. We did not use the pool, it was just too hot out. We did hang out in the atrium mostly because there was no place to sit in the room other than the beds.

Location

Very central, easy to get around

Staff

Very helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and comfortable.

B&B Madrid Centro Puerta del Sol

Madrid

Very centrally located, metro 1/2 block away. Madrid is really walkable. We only did public transport once. Beds comfortable. The glass bathroom walls were interesting and not especially private. Coffee, fruit and snack food available 24 hours.

Authenticity & Character

Not much character, fairly modern. In between two restaurants.

Location

Staff

Friendly and helpful staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Place was clean and comfortable. Window into an air shaft.

Hotel Suizo Barcelona

Barcelona

This hotel was well located. It was comfortable and had excellent AC which was a pleasant surprise. My only complaint was the only window was on the ceiling so nothing to look at.

Authenticity & Character

We did not ask for luxury, so I expected it to be basic. I was disappointed in the only window on the ceiling.

Location

Staff

Easy to check in

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Park Güell & La Sagrada Família Experience

Barcelona

The tour guide was knowledgeable about both spaces. Sagrada Família is exceptional. I could easily have spent more time there. Park Guell also fascinating. My only complaint was not going inside any of the houses. The group was the largest we were in. After some of the smaller tour groups we did later, I would have enjoyed a smaller group more. Despite all that we really enjoyed these spaces.

Quality of Experience

Knowledge of the tour guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and knowledgeable

Transport

We bussed to the meeting point. From there a private bus to Sagrada. Took the metro back to the hotel. Public transport is good.