Booking with KimKim was the right decision. T...
Peru | Nov 20 - Dec 1, 2025

Celeste
Celeste G.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Dec 09, 2025

Booking with KimKim was the right decision. This is one of the most stress-free trips we have ever taken. All the annoying logistics, lodging, drivers, guides, and excursions were handled by KimKim and transitions were seamless. We simply provided our budget and a rough idea of what we wanted to see. This saved me hours and hours of planning time which I definitely did not have.
Our two main guides were Julio and Willy. Both were friendly, knowledgeable, professional and willing to take on the burden of working out a few kinks in our itinerary (I changed my mind about an excursion and Julio handled it perfectly).
We especially loved the walking food tour in Barranca, the wonderful breakfasts at the hotels, all our lodgings (in Cuzco, Sacred Valley, and Puno) were top notch, the Moray salt ponds and archaeological park, Ollantaytambo, the floating reed island (clearly geared toward tourists but the family was so sweet I’ll cut the experience some slack), visiting with Lupe and her home stay on the Lake Titicaca’s Laquina Peninsula and of course the Inca Trail and Macchu Picchu were life changing.

A few suggestions:
1. Warn clients in advance that the customs line arriving in Lima can be very long and do not stop at the bathroom for several minutes upon arrival while 100’s of other travelers stream by. We probably added an hour to our 2 hour wait because we had no clue the customs cue came before baggage claim.
2. A 1-week heads up that 2nd payment is due. Even the most organized people need a warning. I was caught off guard.
3. I wish there was an option to pay tips in advance?
4. Not sure about the camelid farm. It was great to see and learn about all the various Andean camelids but afterwards we felt uncomfortable and pressured being the only two people ushered into the high end store with 5 employees hovering and watching our every move. It was obvious they expected us to purchase goods, but this is one time I wish there had been more tourists.

Hotel Reviews
Casa Andina Standard Miraflores Benavides
Lima

Great breakfast! Great overall value, room was spacious and clean

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa San Blas Boutique
Cusco

Loved this place, tucked away down an alley off of an alley, so quaint! Our room had a beautiful view of Cusco and opened to a nice outdoor patio.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Just a few blocks up the hill from Cusco’s main square, but still quiet. Perfect!
Staff
They met our van in the alley and immediately got our bags and made us feel well taken care of when we arrived tired and later at night.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tierra Viva Valle Sagrado Urubamba
Urubamba

Don’t let the dirt roads leading you here fool you, this was a beautiful place, especially in the evening hours when the garden lights come on. They have a spa too. Great breakfast, beautiful room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
A bit far from town, but you can take a taxi in for dinner if so compelled.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Intiqa
Puno

My husband loved the huge bathroom, I loved the great view from the 6th floor breakfast room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Just a few blocks from Lima St, the main drag
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Walking Food Tour in Barranco (Group tour)
Walking Food Tour in Barranco (Group tour)
Lima

This was a favorite activity, a great “first excursion” and introduction to Peru. All the food was substantial and delicious. Our guide Valeria was exceptional and we visited street art and an art gallery also,

Quality of Experience
Food
Pisco sours, fruits, lomos soltados
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Pass by Pisac Market & an Andean camelid Farms
Pass by Pisac Market & an Andean camelid Farms
Sacred Valley

Please see review on first page

Quality of Experience
We enjoyed the market in Pisac
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Lunch at a local restaurant
Lunch at a local restaurant
Sacred Valley

We ate at Ama, a great experience with its peaceful outdoor garden, philanthropic mission to help single mothers, and delicious food and dessert.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Morning Visit to Ollantaytambo
Morning Visit to Ollantaytambo
Peru

The terraced temple of Ollantaytambo was awesome. The stairs to the top are challenging at altitude but worth the hard work!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Julio knew so much about the construction of the temple. Fascinating visit.
Chimu Floating Island and Luquina Community Homestay
Chimu Floating Island and Luquina Community Homestay
Peru

The floating reef island experience clearly catered to tourists but it was such an unusual place to call home and the family so sweet and willing to welcome us that I deem this experience worthwhile. We loved meeting Lupe and her little niece and daughter. She works so hard, we were happy to help chop vegetables in the kitchen for meals. We also helped till part of a potatoe field and bring the sheep down to graze, and we helped bring lunch to the kindergarten class. A truly immersive, slice of life experience for us.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
We had the entire boat to ourselves.
Local specialist: Anne Godoy
Anne
Anne Godoy
Local specialist in Lima | Replied on Dec 10, 2025
Hello Celeste! Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a thoughtful and detailed review. It truly means a lot to our team — and we’re thrilled to hear that your trip felt seamless and stress-free. That’s exactly the kind of experience we want every traveler to have. We’re also very happy to hear that Julio and Willy made such a positive impact on your journey. They’re both exceptional guides, and we’ll make sure they receive your kind words. It sounds like you embraced the best... Read more

Hello Celeste!

Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a thoughtful and detailed review. It truly means a lot to our team — and we’re thrilled to hear that your trip felt seamless and stress-free. That’s exactly the kind of experience we want every traveler to have.

We’re also very happy to hear that Julio and Willy made such a positive impact on your journey. They’re both exceptional guides, and we’ll make sure they receive your kind words. It sounds like you embraced the best that Peru has to offer — from the food in Barranco to the Sacred Valley, the floating islands, Laquina, the Inca Trail, and Machu Picchu. What a journey!

Thank you as well for your suggestions. They’re extremely valuable. We'll work on adding clearer pre-arrival notes and reviewing alternative camelid stops that maintain the cultural value

We’re truly grateful you trusted us with your Peru adventure, and as Kimkim, we hope to welcome you again whenever you’re ready for your next journey.

Warm regards,
Anne - Peruvian Soul & Kimkim