Kimkim Trip Reviews

Ashley provided us with a dream vacation with continuous contact and assistance, quality guides and drivers enhancing our experience, excellent hotels, and attention to details that demonstrate why she is a top rated specialist.

From start to finish, we really enjoyed our Australia trip planned and put together by the experts at KimKim…

Every transfer was easy… Our hotels were great… And we had so many wonderful guides to help us enjoy the beautiful country of Australia…

Vickie gave us a detailed tour of The Rocks area of Sydney and was such a lovely person…

Guy took us on a fantastic food tour of the city, including the fish market, spice Alley, and we even had a tiger pie! He was very knowledgeable and made the afternoon really fun…

Karen went out of her way to give us a very special tour of the blue Mountain area… We met a number of Australian animals and birds… We saw beautiful views of the Grand Canyon of Australia… She is very knowledgeable and a lot of fun… Now we want to go back to the blue Mountains!

Our stay at Ayers Rock Resort and our visits to Kata Tjuṯan and Uluru were the highlight of our trip… Graham was both driver and guide for our private sunrise and sunset excursions… Super down to earth with so much knowledge and experience…

Overall, it was a wonderful first taste of Australia… We will definitely return so we can see more of this beautiful country…

Hotel Reviews

Capella Sydney

Sydney

An elegant oasis close to the many activities of Sydney

Authenticity & Character

Elegant facilities and super comfortable room

Location

A couple of blocks from the circular Quay…

Staff

Everyone was helpful from the reception team to the restaurant personnel…

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was absolutely spotless and beautiful… We loved the thick robes and big towels

Sails In The Desert

Yulara

Very friendly and helpful team… Comfortable accommodations with a nice view

Authenticity & Character

The hotel is full of aboriginal, artworks, and design

Location

Very close to the amazing sites

Staff

The staff at the front desk and the restaurants were so helpful and made our visit

Cleanliness & Comfort

We love the bath robes and the tea kettle in our room!

Four Seasons Sydney

Sydney

Super comfortable room… Great view… Extremely helpful staff… Excellent restaurant… Perfect location from which to explore Sydney…

Authenticity & Character

The view from my room of the harbor was spectacular

Location

Very near the circular Quay and many local attractions

Staff

Super friendly team

Cleanliness & Comfort

We love the bathrobes and tea kettle in our room

Activity Reviews

Private Uluru Sunset Experience

Uluru

Although we had spent the morning watching the sunrise at the rock, the sunset was even more amazing

Quality of Experience

Watching the colors of the rock change minute by minute was the experience of a lifetime… A place we have always wanted to visit… Totally worth it…

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Graham is the best… Super knowledgeable… Always prepared… Loves his work…

Transport

Private Uluru Sunrise with Breakfast

Uluru

To watch the sun come up in such an amazing place is something we will never forget… Truly, one of the most unique places in the whole world

Quality of Experience

It was a cool morning, and the light was just perfect…Uluru is an incredible experience

Food

Graham had delicious food prepared… a great place to have a sunrise breakfast

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Graham was the best… Driver and Truf guide all in one! Very knowledgeable… He really enjoys his work and he shares it with everyone…

Transport

Afternoon Kata Tjuta Domes Visit

Uluru

Although it was a very hot day, the area is dramatically beautiful, and the colors were amazing… Almost out of this world…

Quality of Experience

An amazing place… Stunningly, beautiful and dramatic

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Matias was a very knowledgeable guide— very enthusiastic about the beauty of this area

Transport

Private Blue Mountains Day Trip

Sydney

We had a fabulous day on our tour of the blue Mountains… Karen took us to meet Australian animals, then she took us to view the beautiful Grand Canyon of the blue Mountains… Absolutely stunning… It was a misty day, which made it even more magical…

Quality of Experience

We had no idea that such a green and jungle like area existed so close to Sydney! We will plan a future trip to come back to this area and really spend some more time…

Food

We had a delicious lunch at a local restaurant with a beautiful view…

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Karen was both driver and guide… Super knowledgeable… So much fun… she gave us a detailed, personalized tour of the area…

Transport

Private Taste of Sydney Experience

Sydney

From the fish market to the spice Alley to the tiger pie, it was a super fun afternoon… And we were very full!😊

Quality of Experience

We really saw so many different areas of the city… And tasted so many different foods

Food

We enjoyed so many different flavors throughout the afternoon… Quite a variety

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guy was a lot of fun and was very knowledgeable… He’s been in the food and hotel industry for many years and he is an expert on the tastes of Sydney, for sure!

Transport

Guy was driver tour guide… Very safe… We got lots of good parking, too😊

Private Rocks Walking Tour

Sydney

Vickie gave us a very personalized tour… She took extra time to show us the little details and back Allyz of the rocks… She loves the history of the area and it shows! A beautiful person!

Quality of Experience

Vickie really customized the tour for us… she spent extra time giving us lots of unique details of the area

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vickie was the best!

Transport

Wonderful Eight Days in Panama! Emily handled all the logistics superbly, we never felt out of touch. Isla Palenque was a lovely contrast to Boquete and Panama City.

Every single activity was amazing. We created incredible memories together. Everyone was so professional and accommodating. Thank you so much!

Hotel Reviews

Nova Skyland Hotel

Rovaniemi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kurula's Resort

Pyhätunturi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Northern Lights Village Pyhä

Pyhä

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Group Reindeer Safari and Farm Visit

Rovaniemi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ski Lesson and Experience in Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flexible Northern Lights Hunting

Finland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Electric - Fatbike Tour to Amethyst Mine

Finland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Long Husky Safari and Farm Visit

Finland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snowmobile Safari

Pyhä

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We would like to say a huge thank you to Hoa, our local specialist, for planning such an incredible holiday for us. Everything was perfectly organised from start to finish, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

A special mention to the guides at every location — they were absolutely amazing. Their knowledge, passion, and friendliness made every visit interesting and enjoyable. They shared so much useful information about the history, culture, and local life, which made the trip much more meaningful and memorable.

Some of our most memorable places included the stunning islands, beautiful temples, vibrant cities, and incredible landscapes we visited along the way. Every destination felt unique and special, and it was clear a lot of thought went into the itinerary.

Thanks to Hoa and the fantastic local guides, this trip was not just a holiday but an amazing experience we will remember for a long time. We would highly recommend Hoa to anyone planning a trip — truly outstanding service and organisation.

Activity Reviews

Chiang Mai from a Different Perspective by Bike

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Elephant Rendezvous & Bamboo Rafting in Mae Tang

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Encounter oriental gastronomy in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Loop

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 11 day trip to Finland started out with both my husband and myself very sick and we had to cancel some of our activities for the first day. Lilla was very accommodating in getting the cancellations done.

We arrived in Helsinki and took the overnight train to Kolari where our driver picked us up and took us to the Levin Iglut Glass Igloos in Levi where we spent two nights. Unfortunately, it was very foggy both days and we were unable to see the Northern Lights which was a huge disappointment.

We went on a reindeer adventure with Eanan company. The guides were very informative and we got to feed the reindeer and take a short reindeer sled ride.

The next day a driver picked us up from the hotel and drove us to Rovaniemi. We spent the day at the Arktikum Museum because ice skating was canceled at the Winter Leisure Park due to warm weather. In the evening we took the bus to the Snow Hotel where we had a guided tour and a lovely 3-course dinner. Afterwards, our driver took us to the train station where we boarded the overnight train to Tampere.

In Tampere we stayed at the lovely Solo Sokos hotel which had a sumptuous breakfast buffetwe. In the afternoon we visited the Moomin Museum which was fantastic.

The next day we took the train to the city of Turku, the oldest city in Finland and also the first capital of Finland. We had a very informative private walking tour with our lovely guide Laura from the Magni Mundi company.

Then we took the train to Helsinki where we stayed at the grand Home Hotel Jugend for four nights, which is a former castle built in 1903. We had a lively and informative private tour of Helsinki with our guide Ruylan from GreenCap tours which included some delicious Finnish food tastings. We then took a short ferry ride to Suomenlinna Island. We spent the next couple of days exploring Helsinki by tram and visiting their new modern library.

Our final day was a day trip to Tallinn, Estonia, starting with a 2-hour ferry boat ride. We had a very informative private tour of the old city with our guide from EstAdventures. The next day our driver picked us up from the hotel and drove us to the airport.

All of the hotels we stayed at were lovely. Each of our drivers was very friendly, polite, professionaland punctual. And our tour guides were genuinely interested in relaying the history and facts of the towns they were representing.

We want to compliment Emerson for the very careful and detailed planning of our trip, and for answering my endless questions. And special thanks to Lilla who helped to implement all of the activities of the trip and rearranged our itinerary as needed, and also answered my endless questions. We had a very memorable trip.

I would highly recommend KimKim for any of your future travel plans!

Doris was easy to coordinate with, very responsive to our changes to the trip before and even during our vacation.

We had the trip of a lifetime and Elenora made sure every detail was perfect! The travel between Milan to Lake Como to Venice was seamless. We will definitely be using KimKim to plan future vacations!

He was punctual and had a lot of interesting information about the cities we visited. The other tour guides were also very nice, and the driver was helpful and cheerful.

Activity Reviews

Navigation Excursion - Serrano Glacier and Patagonic Lunch

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Valparaiso, Viña del Mar and San Alfonso del Mar- Private Tour

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Torres del Paine National Park - Private Panoramic Tour

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking Glaciers and Hotsprings - Morado Glacier Hike

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A very enjoyable trip. The right balance of free time and scheduled activities. Germany is a beautiful country.

Hotel Reviews

Leonardo Hotel Mainz

Mainz

Pros: Good location. A short walk from the train station. Town is easily accessible through a nearby parking garage elevator next door to the property. Cons: Staff when we arrived was less than friendly. We arrived prior to check in and assisting us felt like an annoyance. Room was warm. Air conditioning did not work. Breakfast was included but underwhelming - cold cuts a bit discolored (as though they had been out the day prior).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Heidelberg

Heidelberg

Great central location to train and Aldstadt. Clean, Great Service and incredible breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central location, very walkable but also near train and Aldstadt.

Staff

Staff was above and beyond. Really friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Haus im Tal

München

Overall, a good experience. Pros: Great Location, Clean & Good Service Cons: 1 trash can in room, no tissues, dimly lit bathroom, room states Alexa is available but there is none

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial

Munich

An extremely moving experience. Our guide was very knowledgeable and kind.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

BMW Museum (entrance tickets + guided tour)

Munich

Outstanding job by Greg in planning our 3 week trip to Japan! He developed a well thought out itinerary, arranged travel within Japan seamlessly, and was extremely responsive throughout both the planning and during the trip. Recommend most highly.

Activity Reviews

Imperial Palace East Garden and Heritage of Edo Castle Tour

Tokyo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and good English

Izakaya food tour in Shinjuku (14 small tastings)

Tokyo

Outstanding - the guide (Hawaii Joe) knew his stuff and was entertaining

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Mouad was professional, kind, fun and knowledgeable. We visited during Ramadan which made his efforts and positive energy even more appreciated. He was familiar with each of the locations we visited (and most of the staff at those locations) so we felt comfortable and connected. Best of all, he was flexible with our agenda and accommodating to our needs and preferences (ie, let's skip lunch today, or can we stop at this new location, etc). On one of our day trips, Mouad suggested we pair with another family he thought we would like---which we did---and then organized for us to have dinner with them on our last night several days and cities later!

Our accommodations were great---comfortable, small, personal, and well-appointed. Hands down our favorite was Dar Rihanna in the Dades Valley, a family-run boutique hotel. One of the brothers is the chef and our meals there were absolutely fantastic.

Majid (our KimKim specialist) was so helpful when a family situation caused us to change our trip significantly just a few days before we left, and was on call when I left my phone in Mouad's car one night.

The drives in Morocco are very long, so I would recommend spreading out the trip with activities each day (for example, we had a day of hiking and extended our time in the desert). Otherwise each day could be driving with small stops on the way, which can be tiring.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

We booked this hotel at the last minute when we had to change our plans. Perfectly adequate but more of a tourist hotel, with an American-type breakfast, many rooms, etc. High-end, clean, luxurious, great staff, but not as charming as some of the smaller boutiques we stayed in (we prefer that but some might prefer the "known" aspects of this property).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

This small camp was unique and fun---our meals were excellent, the staff friendly, and our tent was warm and comfortable. Definitely a glamping-like experience but that's what we wanted.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Keeping the sand at bay is hard work!!! The staff did a great job.

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

By far our favorite spot in the entire trip, this family-run boutique hotel is beautifully and uniquely appointed, luxurious, and charming. We loved getting to know the family who runs this property and the food was absolutely amazing---our best meals hands-down. Can't say enough about the experience and service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Stunning scenery and close to the hiking we selected

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

Excellent service, beautiful rooms, central location, comfortable luxury.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central and within walking distance to all main locations we wanted to see

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

the Monkey Fingers Canyon loop Hike.

Boumalne Dades

Our guide was knowledgeable and experienced, we went off the beaten path (literally saw no one else except a sheep herder!) and hosted us in his home for an exceptional meal.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner at Dar Salam Marrakech

Marrakesh

This is very tourist-y and the food was mediocre. We did our best to be good sports and had fun, but there are definitely much better restaurants and experiences to be had.

Quality of Experience

Food

Cooking Class La Maison Arabe Marrakech 3 pm session.

Marrakesh

So fun, we learned a lot and the staff was fun and professional.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Air Balloon Ride

Marrakesh

Start to finish, a perfect morning. Competent staff, a focus on safety and professionalism, a beautiful moment of reflection, and a delicious breakfast. Wow!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Walking tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

This experience said it included a meal but actually did not (which was fine for the day, just FYI)

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Working with Angel via kimkim was fantastic! She was very patient with my many questions, requests, and concerns. She was very responsive as well. She planned a fantastic, kid-friendly trip to Japan. I wouldn't have changed anything! I would definitely use kimkim again, and I would recommend Angel if planning a trip to Japan!

Activity Reviews

Kyoto's Cultural Treasures: Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji

Japan

Yoshiko was a fantastic tour guide! She was very patient with us and with the kids, despite our slow moving pace. She was kind, knowledgeable, and explained everything so well!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kanazawa Full Day Walking Tour

Kanazawa

Our full day tour with Ai from Kanazawa Tours was fantastic! She is very knowledgeable and passionate about the history and culture of Kanazawa. The entire tour was interesting and educational, and she explained everything so it was easy for the kids to understand. Speaking of the kids, she interacted with them so well! It's clear that she loves children and went out of her way to make sure they were having a good time. I would absolutely recommend requesting Ai for this tour, especially if traveling with children!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I liked the preplanning and the zoom call before departure.
Car rental- there is no longer a shuttle to Blue Car Rental. We were told the airport management discontinued all shuttles to car rentals in January. Blue Car also has no signs in airport to follow while other car rentals do. Thank you for telling us to be sure to get WiFi before we left- we did have to ask to receive.
Reykjavík Marina- Berjaya Hotel- the staff was wonderful and very helpful to give guidance and to assist with city parking.
Northern Lights- the tour was not what we expected but we feel very lucky that we had a spectacular display! The guide shared very little information about the lights, constellations or how to take good pictures. The concept is great but was not the best experience.
Dog sledding and Sky Lagoon- fabulous!
We were upgraded for Sky Lagoon and suggest for others in the future. It was nice to have a private changing area.
Hot springs- it does not compare to the Sky Lagoon spa experience.
Loved the cliff walk and black beaches!
We were sorry whale watching was cancelled but certainly understood and you were very quick to offer alternatives and refund our money.
Geothermal Bread experience- It was touristy.
National Park- crazy windy weather. Sorry we did not get to explore more.
Super jeep experience- fantastic! Carlos was terrific, very knowledgeable and even added a cave to the day. Highly recommend!
Hotel Budir, Hotel Rangá and Panorama Glass Lodge- all great!
Hotel Ranga- Their evening observatory cabin with telescopes was a fun experience and guide very knowledgeable.
The Glass Lodge- a unique experience!
Vic- a long ride and not sure worth the travel. The weather was rainy so perhaps would have found more charming on a sunny day!
We had multiple days of snowy weather, white outs, rain, road closures- you did warn us and had us prepared- thank you! But I don’t think you can stress enough.
Your general suggestions on tipping, currency, what to pack, etc- very helpful and accurate.
KimKim and Noga did an excellent job, and it was an amazing trip. Thank you so much! I will recommend you to others.

Hotel Reviews

Panorama Glass Lodge West Iceland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very unique location

Hotel Rangá

Hella

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

My favorite hotel for our trip

Hótel Búðir

Búðir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms very quaint

Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

The staff

Location

Great location

Staff

Informative and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Gerðuberg Basalt Cliffs

Iceland

Very snowy day- unable to really experience.

Hvammsvík Hot Springs Experience

Iceland

Raw outdoor experience!

Sky Lagoon Experience - Saman

Reykjavík

Northern Lights & Stargazing

Reykjavík

We were very lucky and saw a spectacular display!

Explore Reykjavík

Reykjavík

We accomplished on our own- a great walking city!

Icelandic Dog Sledding

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoyed the question and answer time in zoom - very informative.

Blue car rental no longer has shuttle service. It is a short walk and not a problem but you may want to change instructions on how to pick up your car. The airport discontinued all rental car shuttles is my understanding.

Hotels - I liked them all - in great locations, clean and very nice people. My favorite was Angel Rangá but they were all nice and The Glass house was a wonderful experience but one night is plenty for travelers not carrying food, etc.

Activities - Our evening to see the Northern Lights (I think the guides’s name was Ines) was successful . We definitely saw a beautiful display! The guide was not great. We basically drove out of town and stopped at the side of a road and got out and looked up w our phones. There was no instruction or hot chocolate and pastries. We just stood in the road. I thought the guide was a bit rude. A few times we had to move away from oncoming cars. But we did see the northern lights.

The dogsledding day was fun! Very nice and informative people.

I loved the SkyLagoin experience - they upgraded our passes so we had private dressing rooms . Just a really nice experience.

I loved walking the the Cliffs - gorgeous! I was a bit concerned as I do not like heights but the path is plenty far from the edge and it was a great hike.

I could pass on the geothermal bakery but that is probably just a personal choice. The people did a great job and it was nice gathering to eat the bread at the end.

The jeep day (Rangár Ding) was the overall best experience for me. Riding to remote places with Carlos giving information while driving in creeks over sand bars and lava rocks and just getting to see the gorgeous views without a lot of people was great. Lunch was good, and Carlos did an exceptional job.

Our trip ended with a canceled flight due to bad weather. We ended up staying in the Exeter hotel which is also a very nice place if you want another hotel to add to your list.

We had several days of really bad weather where driving was a challenge for us southern folks! You did a good job preparing us but you can not stress it enough. We hated missing the whale watching and really did not get to see much of the National Park due to the weather.

The overall experience was definitely 5⭐️ Your instructions were clear and accurate, you always answered our texts quickly and were helpful. The choices you guided Becky and Rosie through were great. It was a lovely week -

Hotel Review

Hotel Rangá

Hella

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Geysir Geothermal Area

Golden Circle

Quality of Experience

Kirkjufellsfoss

Kirkjufellsfoss

Quality of Experience

Explore Vík

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Thórsmörk Super Jeep Experience

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Geothermal Bakery Experience

Golden Circle

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Djúpalónssandur Black Sand Beach

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Quality of Experience

Cliff Walk from Arnarstapi to Hellnar

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Quality of Experience

Búðir Church

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Quality of Experience

Gerðuberg Basalt Cliffs

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Hvammsvík Hot Springs Experience

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Sky Lagoon Experience - Saman

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Northern Lights & Stargazing

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Icelandic Dog Sledding

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Japan included four cities and 7 people arriving from different parts of the world. There were a lot of moving parts, and Shona was tasked with all of the transfers which was a monumental task on its own. The drivers all communicated with us and arrived on time so there was no stress. We were able to get in touch with Shona every day that we needed to.

We developed a nice mix of planned tours and time on our own. The tour guides were excellent and prompt. We did some touristy things like the Sumo wrestling club and the Cup of Noodles museum, but they were more fun than expected.

Very pleased overall. Two points of feedback: during the planning stages, it would be helpful if the travel agent was clear about how much time it would take to get from one location to another. We had one day planned on our own with a driver that was too rushed due to the distance from our hotel, the later pick up time, and operating hours of the spots we were visiting. The second issue was that the Kim Kim website wasn't updated with our final itinerary, so when we went into it we would see older itineraries and it all got very confusing. Part of the issue is that until you are actually in the country, it is hard to understand what you don't understand about the requirements of the day.

Hotel Review

Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga

Nagano

Highly recommend this hotel. It is at the end of the bus line, so it is about a hour to take the bus back to things like Shibu Onsen or the snow monkeys. However, it is slopeside for the skiing. Ski rentals were in-house. If you are looking for a vibrant apres-ski scene, this is not it, but for a family gathering it was perfect. There was a full lap pool that I had all to myself. On an upper floor there are the public baths that overlook the slopes. There was a lounge with a real fire for post-skiing drinks or for lunch. They offered an in-room massage therapist who accommodated our schedule. The two restaurants were amazing. Our large group got a private room in the Japanese restaurant. The Italian restaurant had a fixed meal menu that changed each night. We had two pescatarians that they accommodated on the spot, and then remembered who they were the next time we ate there. All the food was exceptionally delicious. Service was flawless. After checkout when we drove away, the front desk person ran outside, bowed, and waved us off!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Osaka Discovery with Cup Noodles Museum

Osaka

Cup of Noodles Museum is mostly for children, but the inventor was a rock star in Japan and the history was very interesting. Glad we did it.

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

Guide was prompt, knowlegeable and friendly. Would not want to miss the golden pavillion, for sure. The tea ceremony was about an hour and very informative relative to the culture.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple in Nagano

Nagano

We visited these sites with a private driver and no guide. There is nothing wrong with doing it this way, but the issue we had was that from our hotel, it was over an hour to the temple and we didn't leave until 11:00AM. So we were rushed the whole time. The town around the temple is nice to explore but we barely had an hour. The walk into where the snow monkeys are is over 30 minutes and the park closes at 4pm.

Tokyo: Sumo Show Experience with Chicken Hot Pot and a Photo

Tokyo

We had some sceptics on the trip, but this turned out to be a lot of fun, plus we learned about the sport. It is a tourist experience, and the food was meh, but the host and the wrestlers were such fun. Glad we included it on the trip.

Our guide Mohammed was amazing as well as our guide thru the monkey finger hike

This was our fifth trip trip booked through Kimkim, and once again, it did not disappoint! Kimkim has done a fabulous job coordinating trips around the world with well-qualified local tour companies. For Norway, we worked with NORD DMC. Jacob, Ethel, Riccardo and the whole team were fantastic in planning out a tailored itinerary that met our travel needs and interests. They also made themselves readily available when we had questions along the way, ensuring that our trip to Norway was a memorable one and went as smoothly as possible.

Our trip entailed seven nights in the northern region of Norway. The first night was spent in Bodo where we went on a late night small-group tour in a van up into the mountains to see the Northern Lights which were magical (as it was our first time seeing them). The next three nights were spent in Svolvaer in the center of the Lofoten Islands. What a beautiful place! We did another small-group van tour through the snow covered islands, taking many pictures along the way. The highlight was stopping in Reine which was picturesque! We definitely recommend lunch at Anita'sd Seafood. Best fish soup ever! Svolvaer where we stayed was also a very walkable charming town. Our two go-to restaurants were Nordis and Bacalao. Great selections of quality food! Afterwards, a couple of Norwegian beers at the Telegrafen Pub were enjoyable while we chatted with locals and tourists. During the day, we did a couple of easy hikes outside of town, taking in the beautiful countryside, and ending the day doing the floating sauna and jumping into the harbor to cool off! The final day in Svolvaer was spent in a zodiak-style boat jetting around the fjords and enjoying the sights while the captain threw fish to the eagles that flew aroud us! A great experience!

We then flew to Alta where we spent the next three nights. We stayed in a cabin at the Flatmoen Natur Lodge where we had a glass ceiling to watch the Northern Lights from our bed! We visited the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel (great for taking photos at, but too cold to sleep there -- glad we were at Flatmoen!). In addition to a side excursion one day to go cross-country skiing (which was a lot of fun!), the highlights in Alta were doing an evening dog-sledding excursion from the Trasti & Trine lodge (where we had delicious elk stew for dinner) and then a reindeer sledding excursion and Sami experience at the Sami Siida Restaurant where we enjoyed the local delicious salmon!

All along the way, the NORD DMC team were readily available to address all our logistical questions (it took some coordination to make sure we made the flight connections with the small planes between cities). As with our prior trips through Kimkim, my wife and I were very comfortable that we were always in good hands!

Norway is a beautiful country for both its scenery and its people! We really enjoyed experiencing it and the many outdoor adventures in the wintertime. My wife and I both agreed that we will be back another time during the summer to experience it once again in warmer weather!

We have nothing but good things to say about our experience with Kimkim Travel and our trip to Japan. From the moment we started planning the trip with Bella, we were treated very well. Bella arranged everything and even helped with some super last minute changes.

We arrived in Tokyo and were greeted by Mr Tang who loaded us up and got us to our hotel. He was great and helped us feel at ease right away.

We then were met by Mr Hiroyuki Kinoshita (Roy) at our hotel to start our adventure. Mr Roy treated us like family. He made sure we understood the culture and history behind each place we visited. We loved our time at the fish market and the different shrines. Mr Roy was amazing! Mr Roy accompanied us, along with Mr Tang, to Hinote to see Mt Fuji and experience some of the ropeways (gondola). We had an incredible time experience Japanese culture and food. We dressed up in Kimonos and ate traditional meals.

Next was our bullet train right to Kyoto. Wow! 500 km in 2 hours! Made it to our hotel and had a great night's rest. Next, Mr Eiichi Shirakawa met us in the morning and showed us around Kyoto. Over the next three days, he guided us to see Shrines, Temples, Osaka, modern buildings, castles, and all around amazing sites of the area. Mr H was very knowledgeable and did his research of the various places we visited. He took us around like a pro.

Our time overall was great and we felt like we got to see and experience Japan with the 10 days we had. All of our accommodations were top notch. The hotel staff was great.

Hotel Reviews

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Kiyomizu Gojo

kyoto

Staff was incredible. Got several recommendations for local foods and even got help ordering in one night. Breakfast was great and amenities were great. Two connecting rooms made it great for our family of four.

Location

Staff

Very helpful. Helped with local food and delivery.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

Traditional experience was great! Dressing up in Kimonos for dinner and breakfast is a must. Onsen was great.

Authenticity & Character

karaksa hotel TOKYO STATION

Two connected rooms was great for our family of four. Staff was very nice. Breakfast was great! Clean!

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day trip to Osaka Exploration from Kyoto : Castle, Cuisine, and Sky-high Views (full day tour by public transport) without meals

Kyoto

Mr H did an amazing job getting us around the castle and the sky skraper. He even took some extra time to experience some detours along the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer from Tokyo to Hakone via Mt. Fuji

Japan

Mr Tang was a great driver. Mr Roy was a great guide. We had a comfortable ride to Hakone with several stops on the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Tokyo Tour by Public Transport：Tsukiji Outer Market, Sumo Show , Akihabara & Concert!

Tokyo

Mr Roy was an incredible guide. The sumo show was fun. Akihabara was intense. The concert was an added bonus.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hidden Paths of Arashiyama: River Journey, Moss Temples & Bamboo Whispers（Private Guide, Public Transportation）

Kyoto

Fun river adventure. The possibility of getting wet is there. The bamboo forest is beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour by public transport in Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nikishi Market , Samurai and Ninja Museum and Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

Mr H navigated us to each location with expertise. The experiences were a must for our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was great! Mr H all the way!

Transport

We worked with Angel for 12 months. She knocked it out of the park. It was the perfect trip from start to finish. She answered all our questions that came up through out the entire process. She was so thorough and very prompt to respond. All tour experiences were 10/10. They were exactly what my husband and I asked to experience. We only wished we had spent one less day in Kyoto and one more day exploring Miyajima Island. Other than that we have zero complaints. Angel took the time to hear our wish list, find the perfect accommodations, and make traveling between cities and tours seamless!! Thank you Angel and team. It was the trip of a lifetime for us!