Kimkim Trip Reviews

I’ve just wrapped up a 6-day trip to the Dominican Republic, and I wanted to take a moment to share my feedback.
First of all, a big thank you to Isabella and Francis Garcia for organizing and coordinating the entire tour. Everything went according to plan – and in the rare moments when it didn’t, it somehow still did. Any small hiccups were handled quickly and smoothly, almost before you had time to notice them.
A special shout-out to Francis. I’m still not entirely convinced this was a human and not some kind of AI-powered super-agent. It felt like he was available 24/7, replying within seconds at any time of day or night. I’ve never seen response times like that – honestly, even my own thoughts take longer to process.
Overall, a very well-organized experience. Thank you again for making the trip so easy and enjoyable.

From planning to ensure the perfect itinerary in Japan for our family to Japan to continued amazing assistance during our trip, we are grateful to Angel and Kimkim for a trip of a lifetime!

Activity Reviews

Ninja Training in Kyoto: Ninja Experience

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi Tour with Hakone Tozan Railway

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sushi Making Tokyo！Cooking class in Japan！

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spot Early-Blooming Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Heracles, the guide for cycling and hiking based in Nafplio, showed us some very unique and off-the-beaten-track places. The Avgou monastery hike was probably the highlight of the trip, but there was some smaller old hidden monasteries that weren't on the agenda that he showed us as well.
Manos, the foodie tour guide in Chania, was entertaining and knowledgeable. He made sure we had no room in us for any more food.
The guide in Mystras was also good, although the hike did not include a lunch as indicated on our itinerary.

Hotel Reviews

SanSal Boutique Hotel

Chania

Modern. Great location. Good breakfast. A gym would have been nice

DOM Boutique Hotel

Heraklion

Nice room. Terrible wifi. No view. Good location for walking to waterfront, museum and restaurants.

A for Athens

Athens

great location and view

Mystras Grand Palace

Sparta

beautiful spacious buildings and location (near mountains and ruins). Not great if you want urban setting

Carpe Diem Boutique Hotel

Nafplio

Breakfast was quite good but this was the smallest hotel room we have ever stayed in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

in old town

Staff

The lady who seemed to run the place was great but there was seldom anyone at the desk. The young woman was sometimes at the desk in the daytime was aloof.

Cleanliness & Comfort

clean but room was tiny

Activity Reviews

Sacred Paths of Taygetos: The Faneromeni Hike

Greece

Nice hiking trails and location.

Quality of Experience

Food

There was no food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking Among the Olive Groves with Lunch in Monemvasia

Greece

Interesting young guide who taught us everything we wanted to know about olives. Really nice lunch too

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking to Avgou Monastery through Wildlife Refuge

Nafplio

Highlight of the trip. A nice 12km walk. Very interesting monastery and location.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

They detoured a bit to let us buy some fantastic oranges from a roadside stall

Nafplio Cycling Adventure

Nafplio

The ride was a bit short but at least we had a couple hikes to interesting locations added in.

Private transfer from {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} with stop in Corinth

Greece

Corinth museum and ruins were closed. Driver was great. Canal was interesting to see

Quality of Experience

Private Delphi Day Trip

Athens

Driver was great. Guide was pedantic and uninspiring but knowledgeable.

Ancient Athens Acropolis & Mythology Walk

Athens

very good guide. Acropolis was very busy especially considering the time of year.

The trip that Paola put together for me and my two kids (ages 16, 13) was great! The trip was exactly as promised, and yet also exceeded my expectations. Paola was easy to communicate with, efficient and responsive. She listened and we had productive exchanges during planning and in the lead up to the holiday. She even visited our hotel in Quito to introduce herself.

We spent a week in Quito, Banos and Cotopaxi. Paola arranged for Jose from Authentic Ecuador to be our guide for the week and he was fantastic! He is knowledgeable about all things Ecuador, from where to eat to how many meters tall rise each volcano (I tested him for fun at one point and he was accurate within 10m for every volcano!) and he could identify flora and fauna. He was on time, friendly and we felt completely cared for. When we had a hiccup (e.g. morning canyoning postponed from rain), Jose seamlessly helped to pivot our day. Thank you!

Our days were long, but had only a week - old town tour/chocolate tasting/cooking class in Quito, hiking/biking/canyoning in Banos, and hiking/riding horses in Cotopaxi. I will absolutely use this service again, and I will be recommending Paola and Jose to all my friends.

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn Quito Airport, an IHG Hotel

Tababela

This hotel is fine. It's clean and newish, and is what I would expect from a hotel by the airport. It served its purpose well (a place to stay before catching a flight). They also had an airport shuttle, which was appreciated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A 5-minute shuttle ride to the airport. (It's about 40 minutes from downtown Quito)

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

We stayed here one night and it was not enough. Everything about this place was wonderful! Our room was cozy and well-appointed. There were fires being tended in every room, the staff was incredibly friendly and the food was delicious. I went on one of the self-guided walks and it took my breath away (I don't mean the altitude). The paths are easy to follow and the views are stunning. I absolutely loved everything about Hacienda El Porvenir.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just outside Cotopaxi National Park, which was also my favorite destination of our trip.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Samari Spa Hotel

Baños

The grounds are beautiful, and the pool was great. Our room was comfortable - it was not modern, but we weren't expecting that. But, the hotel was a 5-minute drive from downtown Banos on a busy road - next time, I would prefer lodging downtown because it's a walkable place. The restaurant was not great. The food was okay, at best. Also, the entire restaurant staff was wearing clear plastic masks - I appreciate the effort to by hygienic, but those clear masks get wet from breath/spit and it's unattractive to look at. Also, since they only cover the mouth they aren't actually preventing the spread of germs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Go Quito Hotel

Quito

Stunning hotel, very modern and clean. The restaurant has views of the city, and the breakfast spread was fantastic!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Quito Cooking Class

Ecuador

This was very fun, but it may have been a bit much for us after a very long day of sightseeing (I was with my 2 kids, ages 16, 13). But the food and conversation was nice. I could have used a glass of wine with dinner but was told I couldn't have one - otherwise, all good!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding at Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

This was amazing! They let us gallop, and lent us ponchos and chaps, which greatly improved the experience. Our photos from this activity are amazing - kids and I on horses w/ a view of Cotopaxi in the background.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

The hike on the volcano was amazing. We did not make it all the way to the Refuge b/c it was a very cold and windy day and we were suffering the altitude, but it was SO BEAUTIFUL! I want to go back already. Not to miss.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoning in Baños

Baños

This was very fun, for me and my two teens (16, 13). There wasn't a lot of detail provided going into it, but we felt safe and ready for what was to come. The final descent was INCREDIBLE. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Pailón del Diablo Waterfall, Explore Baños

Baños

Fantastic! This place was great. As advertised. My two teens also loved it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito City Tour - Middle of the World

Quito

Jose took us around the city and it was nonstop fun the whole day. I appreciated Jose's vast knowledge - from the town's history to which vendors we should buy from. He brought his brother to drive the car so that we didn't waste any time looking for parking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking to Pailón del Diablo

Baños

The biking was great insofar as I was sick of being in a car, but we were on the rode with the cars on a busy highway so it was a bit uncomfortable at times. My kids (16, 13) didn't love this.

It was really easy to work with Coraima in planning our trip to Spain. We worked with a team to make sure our trip went smoothly. We are really glad to have worked with KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

Intelier Palacio San Martín

Madrid

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gran Hotel Havana

Barcelona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Retiro Park Walk

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Family-Friendly Royal Palace Visit

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

There is no transport. It was a walking tour.

Self-Guided Local Markets Trip

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Private Day Trip to Costa Brava's Coastal Villages

Barcelona

Our guide was excellent and knowledgeable about the location. We would have been nice to have some time at certain location play on the water and rocks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Gaudí Experience with La Sagrada Família & Park Güell

Barcelona

The app gave two different locations as a meeting spot so it was little confusing. We had to call the tour guide company to clarify the meeting spot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-Guided Walk in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter

Barcelona

The locations on the tour are great. Since it was our first day in Barcelona, a walking map from the hotel to each locations would have been helpful.

Quality of Experience

We just got back from a trip to Andalucía and Madrid that we planned through Kimkim, and overall it was a really good experience.

Before the trip, the communication was super helpful. We had a lot of questions, and they always got back to us with clear answers, which made us feel more comfortable—especially since we’d never used a service like this before.

What stood out was how easy everything felt once we got there. Transfers, day trips, connections—it all just worked without us having to think too much about it. That alone made the trip more relaxing.

They also did a nice job balancing their suggestions with what we wanted. We had input on the itinerary, and they actually listened and adjusted things to fit our interests.

The day trips were comfortable, and the vehicles were great. Our drivers, Carlos and Joan were both friendly and easy to talk to. Joan made the drive from Seville to Granada (with a stop in Ronda) more interesting by sharing music along the way and Carlos added a special-stop in Carmona which added to our day in Cordoba..

All of our guides were great-knowledgeable but also easygoing. The food tours were a highlight. It didn’t feel overly structured, more like spending time with a group of friends and trying different foods together.

Guadalupe made the Seville Cathedral and Alcázar much more engaging, and Matias did a great job at the Alhambra, helping us appreciate the details and history without it feeling overwhelming.

Overall, Kimkim made the trip easier to plan and enjoy. It was a very positive experience, and we’d definitely consider using them again.

We had a fantastic trip to Iceland in April. The weather put a few snags in our plans, but it's part of the adventure of Iceland. The country is absolutely beautiful. We loved the Snæfellsnes Penninsula, the Hotel Budir, the Sky Lagoon and seeing the Northern Lights the best! We also enjoyed self-driving. It gave us the flexibility to stop whenever we wanted and pull over to see something we found interesting. Driving was easy, except for a couple of snow-related issues! Our travel specialist, Guðmundur Óli, did an excellent job. He assisted with the trip planning, making recommendations and adjusting the schedule to include things we wanted to see. He was responsive and helped us navigate some weather issues while in-country. The daily driving maps were amazing and made navigating very easy. All of the arrangements were perfect - no snags whatsoever. Would highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Berg

Keflavík

Hotel was in a perfect location. Our flight wasn't until 5pm and the hotel allowed a late checkout until 2pm for a small fee. This allowed us to do an activity during the day and go back to shower before leaving for the airport. It is 7 minutes from the airport and its in a little town with restaurants close by. The room had everything we needed and the lounge area is nice. The restaurant was fine. It was too rainy and cold to use the roof top hot tub, but it was a nice amenity.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Magma Hotel

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Hotel was nice. The room was great and we enjoyed the lake view. It was very windy and rainy during our stay so we didn't get to enjoy the outside. The breakfast was good. There is no hot tub and no lounge to sit in outside of the room. We didn't spend much time in it, so it was fine. Everything was clean and orderly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Grímsborgir by Keahotels

Ásborgir

I really liked this hotel. The rooms are in clusters of buildings and you can either walk or drive to the main building for the restaurant. We had 2 hot tubs for our building. They were empty upon arrival, but they quickly filled them after a call to the front desk. The breakfast was excellent. Room was one of the largest we stayed in and we appreciated the lounge area with kitchen so we didn't have to sit in the room all evening.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Búðir

Búðir

This was my favorite hotel of the 5 we stayed in. It was beautifully decorated and in an absolutely stunning location. The room was perfect and we had a perfect view of the black church from our window. There's a lovely lounge with fantastic views for having a drink or playing cards at night. The restaurant was fine but we were there for 2 nights and the menu was the same both nights. The chocolates at the front desk are a nice touch!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Reykjavík Saga

Reykjavík

Hotel was great. Breakfast was lovely and it's in a great location to explore the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion

Reykjavík

We only saw one whale and we pretty much followed him around for 2 hours. The weather was very cold, windy and rainy, so the dry suits helped us stay warm and dry. Rough seas were expected due to the weather and the tour operator helpfully offered sea sickness pills for free. The tour did a good job - we just didn't see much and returned to the marina an hour early.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

The weather was very rainy and our van got stuck in the snow/slush 3 times on the way to the glacier. Other vehicles had to tow us out. The driver worked very hard and ended up shoveling tires out several times, but didn't provide us with much in the way of updates on what was going on. This turned the trip out to the ice cave into 2 1/2 hours. There was no bathroom available and the entire trip took 5 hours. By the time we got back to the parking area, it was 9pm and all of the restaurants were closed and we still had an hour drive to our hotel. Thankfully, the lovely people at Kronen (the grocery store), allowed us to dash in and quickly buy something right as they were closing. The ice cave was also very small. The guide said that it was usually longer, but the recent snow had closed part of it off. I honestly don't think it was worth it under the conditions, but the hike on the glacier and being inside the ice cave was cool and a unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Laugarás Lagoon - Lerki

Iceland

We really enjoyed the lagoon. We went to 3 different ones during our trip and this one was unique in that it's in a forest-like setting. The locker area was clean and the process was very organized. Unfortunately, lightening cut our visit short. They offered us a return visit the next day, but we were getting back on the road and could not take them up on it.

Quality of Experience

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

The tour was interesting and the guide was very knowledgeable and gave a great tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

KimKim made our trip to Chile seamless and truly unforgettable. Francisco planned everything beautifully, and it was such a relief not to worry about logistics, transportation, or what came next. The team was highly responsive throughout the trip.
In Santiago, we stayed at a beautiful hotel and enjoyed a fantastic food tour with Angel, who took us to hidden local spots we never would have found on our own. Our day trip to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar was also excellent. When I mentioned at the last minute that I had hoped to visit a vineyard, Francisco quickly arranged a special gin tasting for us in Puerto Natales, which was so much fun and a real highlight.
KimKim was also incredibly flexible. When I decided I did not want to spend all day on a bus for the Torres del Paine panoramic tour, they were able to switch us last minute to a private guided nature tour with Nacho, who was extremely knowledgeable about Patagonia. I also did the Mirador Base Torres hike with guides Paulo and Christian, and it was an unforgettable experience with breathtaking views.
Special thanks to Jose in Puerto Natales for handling so many details so smoothly. Overall, I highly recommend KimKim.

Stephen Long was an excellent tour advisor for our two-week trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. He put together a wonderful itinerary tailored to our preferences — food, art, history, and nature — and truly paid attention to what we wanted. When I asked him to build in a relaxation day mid-trip, he planned for us to be in beautiful Hoi An, where our hotel had a pool and the beach was just a short trip away.
Stephen did an amazing job staying in contact with us via WhatsApp throughout the entire trip. All of our transportation, hotels, inter-trip flights, and activities were booked for us, and communication about where and when we needed to be was always clear. We were also able to make slight adjustments to the itinerary as needed, which we really appreciated. The local tour guides Stephen arranged in each city were excellent as well.
We had an incredible time visiting Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, and Siem Reap. We highly recommend Stephen for planning your next trip to Vietnam and Cambodia!

We just got back from our vacation to Morocco and we cannot be happier with our experience. Everything we asked for
From the moment we were picked up at the airport by Mohamed, to the moment we were dropped off at the airport everything was so well taken care of and organized!
We want to make sure to mention Mohamed, our driver and the main guide during the trip, he made the whole experience so stress-free and pleasant that we cannot thank him enough. If you planning a trip, request Mohamed and you will be in great hands.
All the riads that we stayed in were great, very clean, and pleasant. Each one took care of our family like we were relatives visiting and not just some tourists stopping by for a night.
Guides - all the guides we interacted with were knowledgeable and accommodating to our family needs. We might have overdone with walking tours, as by the end of the trip kids were just done with those. The other added benefit of having guides in the medians, was that they kept too pushy salespeople away from us, letting us enjoy the tour without being forced to buy anything. You will go through some merchants that show you their craft but don’t feel pressured to buy anything directly from them as those prices are very inflated.
Sahara stay was absolutely the highlight of the trip and I highly recommend staying there for at least 2 nights so soak in the experience. We did 4x4 tour and although exhausting, it was super fun and drive around the dunes and see small villages in the Sahara, our guide Ibrahim was very attentive and friendly during our tour. Thank you, Ibrahim! Horseback riding in the afternoon in Sahara was another highlight - not as much for the kids as they were slowly led by the guides across the desert and it was hot and boring for them but for adults, we got to gallop and explore the lake, highly recommend for adults who aren’t too new to horseback riding. The camp that we stayed in, Riad Madu was like something from a movie - tents are comfortable and have all the necessities, food was in abundance, late night music and dancing.
The other riad that was an absolute highlight for our family was in Marrakech - Palais Sebban. The place is like a palace (hence the name) or a museum. We enjoyed hammam and dinner right in the hotel.

My family of six traveled to Chilean Patagonia in early March 2026. We have four children from 14 > 24. Erin and her team at Dittmar Adventures were exceptional in planning and organizing our trip. Her communication was prompt and clear throughout the process. We were a bit challenging because my family is very active and we wanted to take advantage of every opportunity to fit in another adventure. Erin was super patient with multiple changes and variations. The trip itself was fantastic. The guides Dittmar selected were top-notch; friendly and accommodating. The activities were well chosen and met our expectations. We had a few weather complications and Dittmar was very responsive in addressing these bumps. We just wished we had more time there! Huge thanks to Erin!!

Our daily guide Hera was fantastic! She kept us on track and served as an incredible host for her country. Additionally, our travel agent Christine was so detailed and flexible. Such an incredible team!

Hotel Review

Lotte City Hotel Myeongdong

Seoul

We did not stay here

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Petite France and Nami Island Tour

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Seoul Highlights

Seoul

Hera was incredible. She had incredible insights and was a lovely host!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hera was the best!!!!

Transport

Our guide for the first excursion in Tokyo was Haiyan. She was very helpful and knowledgeable. We saw the Imperial Palace, as close as we could get, since entry was not allowed. The we went to the Senso-ji temple, very impressive. She also helped us get to a location that I wanted to see, The Samurai Store. We never would have found it if it was not for Haiyan.

The following day we took the Shinkansen to Odawara where we were met by Yasuhiro, called Moshi. He is an English professor and spoke perfect English and also Spanish, as does my wife Norma. He took us to Hakone, and unfortunately it rained all day so we did not get to see Mt. Fuji. He took us up the Hakone Ropeway to the top where we had lunch and toured the shop. When we came down we took a tour boat around the lake. He dropped us at our Honten for the evening. We really enjoyed the traditional accommodations, including the private natural hot spring onsen.

Our guide for the first excursion in Tokyo was Haiyan. She was very helpful and knowledgeable. We saw the Imperial Palace, as close as we could get, since entry was not allowed. The we went to the Senso-ji temple, very impressive. She also helped us get to a location that I wanted to see, The Samurai Store. We never would have found it if it was not for Haiyan.

The following day we took the Shinkansen to Odawara where we were met by Yasuhiro, called Moshi. He is an English professor and spoke perfect English and also Spanish, as does my wife Norma. He took us to Hakone, and unfortunately it rained all day so we did not get to see Mt. Fuji. He took us up the Hakone Ropeway to the top where we had lunch and toured the shop. When we came down we took a tour boat around the lake. He dropped us at our Honten for the evening. We really enjoyed the traditional accommodations, including the private natural hot spring onsen.

The next morning came early as we had a 7:45 Bullet traln to Nagoya. There we did a self guided tour to Nagoya Castle and then to the Tokugawa museum and gardens, which I was most interested in seeing. Also seen was a Shinto Shrine.

Next day we took the Shinkansen to Kyoto. Our first excursion was to the Tea Ceremony Experience. We dressed in Kimonos and were shown the intricacies of the tea ceremony. it was fantastic. After that we went to the Samurai and Ninja Musem. This was one of my special choices and it did not disappoint.

The next day we were met by our guide for the day, Ichiro. We went to the Kinkakuji and Nijo Castle Tour which was fascinating. We had a very full day visiting shrines and ending up at Fushiminari. Fantastic!

On Day 7 we were met by our guide Naoko who was wonderful. We enjoyed her very much. We spent the day in Nara, so fascinating.

On our final tour day our guide once again was Ichiro. We went to Osak for another of my desired destinations, Himeji Castle with the cherry blossoms in full bloom. The castle tour and gardens were amazing. We finished up with the ropeway to Mount Shosha, another of my must see destinations. It was amazing. And Ichiro was so very knowlegeable.

The next morning our driver met us for an early morning drive to Osaka airport in the rain. Goodbye Japan.

Hotel Review

Matsuzakaya Honten

Kanagawa

We loved this traditional hotel and onsen. We highly recommend it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

World Heritage Himeji Castle Visiting & Mount Shosha visit

Osaka

Our final tour was to Himeji Castle with the cherry blossoms in full bloom. The castle tour and gardens were amazing. We finished up with the ropeway to Mount Shosha, another of my must see destinations. It was amazing.

Quality of Experience

We were so lucky to get to this beautiful place when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, Ichiro was so knowledgeable!

Full Day Nara City Tour with Public transportation

Japan

On Day 7 we were met by our guide Naoko who was wonderful. We enjoyed her very much. We spent the day in Nara, so fascinating.

Quality of Experience

So much beauty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved Naoko!

Transport

Kari, the driver was great.

Half Day Kinkakuji and Nijo Castle Tour

Kyoto

We went to the Kinkakuji and Nijo Castle Tour which was fascinating. We had a very full day visiting shrines and ending up at Fushiminari. Fascinating!

Quality of Experience

Seeing so much beauty and culture

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ichiro is so knowledgeable

Samurai Ninja Museum & Tea Ceremony Experience

Kyoto

We took the Shinkansen to Kyoto. Our first excursion was to the Tea Ceremony Experience. We dressed in Kimonos and were shown the intricacies of the tea ceremony. it was fantastic. After that we went to the Samurai and Ninja Musem. This was one of my special choices and it did not disappoint.

Quality of Experience

Private Hakone’s natural beauty Tour

Hakone

Yasuhiro, called Moshi. He is an English professor and spoke perfect English and also Spanish, as does my wife Norma. He took us to Hakone, and unfortunately it rained all day so we did not get to see Mt. Fuji. He took us up the Hakone Ropeway to the top where we had lunch and toured the shop. When we came down we took a tour boat around the lake. He dropped us at our Honten for the evening. We really enjoyed the traditional accommodations, including the private natural hot spring onsen.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We arrived safe and sound

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Senso-ji Temple

Tokyo

Our guide for the first excursion in Tokyo was Haiyan. She was very helpful and knowledgeable. We saw the Imperial Palace, as close as we could get, since entry was not allowed. The we went to the Senso-ji temple, very impressive. She also helped us get to a location that I wanted to see, The Samurai Store. We never would have found it if it was not for Haiyan.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and very knowledgeable

Transport

Driver Ray and guide Francisco were superb, could not ask for better.

Yuliana was prompt & easy to work with. Her trip recommendations and guidance were a perfect fit for our family. We enjoyed every moment our trip!

For us, this was a long trip but the folks at KimKim and their local specialist Monica at Once Upon a Trip took great care of us. Every day was filled with a new adventure. The weather was perfect for all but the last day of our trip making it even better. I will say that even though people say that New Zealand does not have mosquitos - they do! Along with sandflies. Bring some deet repellent and you should be ok.

Was truly a memorable experience! Enjoyed seeing the vast differences between the different regions of India.

Goa, Agra, and Mumbai were must sees for anyone planning a trip to India

Hotel Reviews

The Lalit Hotel, New Delhi

Delhi

The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai

Mumbai

Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa

Goa

The Oberoi Amarvilas

Agra

Samode Haveli

Jaipur

Activity Review

Explore the marvelous and historic monument : Agra Fort

Agra

We had a wonderful time in Brazil. Booking with Bruno via Kimkim was very easy. We provided a couple rounds of feedback on the itinerary until it was how we wanted. The trip itself went pretty seamlessly except for a couple of minor issues (our driver was in the wrong place at the airport, some of the group activities were a little disorganized). But overall we loved Brazil and we had a fantastic diversity of experiences - cities, rural areas, islands, hands-on activities, and free time. It's such a beautiful country and we can't wait to go back.

Hotel Reviews

Miramar Hotel by Windsor

Rio de Janeiro

Amazing location on Copacabana beach, very comfortable beds, large room, good breakfast (but very crowded/busy), incredible rooftop pool with very attentive bar service and beautiful views

Authenticity & Character

Not a lot of "character" as it's a high rise tourist hotel, but we didn't mind

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada Naturália

Angra dos Reis

I recognize this is probably the best option on an island like Isla Grande, but for the price it wasn't quite up to the normal standards - our room was too small for us to fit our suitcases (and we couldn't open them) and there were ants in the bathroom. The view from the rooms is amazing, but we couldn't enjoy the balcony as much as we would have liked because the hotel allows smoking on the balconies and the person in the room next to us smoked constantly, ruining the experience for us. The hotel is also a long walk from the pier and the main part of town which was tough with our daughter especially since it rained on us the first day. Overall it was okay, and maybe the best option available, but it was our least favorite hotel that we stayed in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful setting but a long walk from town, including up a steep hill

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ants in the bathroom and smoking allowed on balconies

Sandi Hotel

Paraty

Absolutely loved this place! A ton of historic character, amazing location in the old part of Paraty, very nice swimming pool and bar, the rooms were large and comfortable, and the staff were so nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Laghetto Stilo São Paulo

Sao Paulo

Very comfortable, good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Not a ton of "character" - it's a business hotel - but it's very nice

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Samba Class

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sugarloaf Mountain & Old Town Tour

Rio de Janeiro

Marcelo was a wonderful guide again on this day. We loved visiting Sugarloaf. We ended up skipping the old town part of the tour because I wasn't feeling well, but we were grateful to have a private tour so we could be flexible on our plans and adapt as needed. Marcelo helped make sure everything ran smoothly and took care of everything, and recommended a great restaurant for lunch that everybody loved.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Tour in Rio 6h

Rio de Janeiro

We had an amazing time with Marcelo. He was so nice and informative. We loved seeing Christ the Redeemer and many beautiful beaches in Rio. Marcelo showed us a great place to try acai and watch people hang gliding off the mountains. We loved having him as our private guide so we could be flexible and stop where we wanted. Definitely recommend Marcelo to any travelers visiting Rio!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

The people running the class were so nice and made my daughter feel included. All the food and drinks were delicious and we loved the explanation of the ingredients and Brazilian culture/history. There were just a couple of issues. The class started extremely late because one of the other parties in the group was running late, and also because no one had informed the instructors that I was vegetarian, so one of them had to go to the store to buy more ingredients. Even if the class had started on time it still would have been late at night for my daughter, but with the delay, I had to take her back to the hotel before we even got a chance to eat the main dish. It was disappointing that the disorganization affected our enjoyment of the class. I wish we had been able to book something earlier in the day.

Quality of Experience

Class started very late because of miscommunication/delays and I didn't get to stay till the end

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half island tour by speedboat to Ilha Grande from Vila do Abraão

Ilha Grande - Rio de Janeiro

We loved the island, the boat ride, the nature - but wished a private tour had been available. There was a lot of waiting around for the group, and we were at the swimming/snorkeling areas at the same times as all the other groups, so it was very crowded. Also there was no kids snorkeling equipment available so my daughter was very disappointed by that. We also received a couple of mixed messages about the meeting time, and no one told us in advance that we would have to pay extra for snorkeling equipment, so communication could have been better. None of the guides spoke English and we relied on other people on the boat to translate for us because we had no idea what was going on.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Waterfalls and Cachaça Distilleries - Landmark of the Gold Trail 4×4 Jeep tour

Paraty

We really enjoyed the waterfalls and distillery tour. The restaurant where they took us for lunch wasn't very good, but it was okay. We wish we had booked a private tour because being part of a group made the experience less enjoyable - there was a lot of standing around waiting for other people in the group, and the guide had to repeat all the information in multiple languages.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Tour Paraty

Paraty

We had a great time walking around and exploring with our guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Tour São Paulo

São Paulo

We were tired after our overnight flight, but we enjoyed the tour and our guide was very nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was fine but the van was too large for our group and had a row of seats across the front blocking the view so we had a hard time seeing out the front window.

My wife and I signed up to go on a transatlantic cruise from Spain to the US. Since we had to fly to Spain we thought we would take advantage and spend a week in Spain prior to boarding the cruise in Barcelona. I did an internet search of travel agencies that specialized in Spain and Kimkim was one of the ones that popped up. I sent the request and a short time later I was contacted by one of their representatives by the name of Coraima. She was one of their Spain specialists. We discussed the things we would like to do, see and experience while on our trip. She took the information and said she would get back to us with some options. The next day she sent us various options and suggestions to review. After we reviewed them, we discussed with her which ones we preferred and which hotels we were interested in reviewing. Shortly thereafter she sent us a revised itinerary to review. After a couple of tweaks we finalized the trip details. She also made sure that our passports were current and other such details. This was about a month prior to the departure date, As the date became closer she and another agent named Summer would keep in contact to make sure that everything was proceeding according to plan. They were also very responsive in answering any questions that we may have thought of during the period leading up to the departure date.
In one instance the tour company we had booked a tour with had to cancel our scheduled tour at the last minute due to the venue having to close on the day we were to tour. Summer quickly notified us and shuffled our itinerary so that we could still do the tour we desired.

There is always concern when you select a travel agency “in the blind” without a recommendation from someone that you trust. In this case we could not be more pleased with the results. Both Coraima and Summer demonstrated a complete knowledge and understanding of the areas we wanted to visit. They perfectly balanced a professional attitude with a very friendly demeanor. They were always responsive in a timely manner and very patient with our numerous questions. During the trip they contacted us through the Kimkim app to make sure everything was going per plan and that we didn’t run into any problems. We can’t praise and thank them enough for their efforts which resulted in the perfect trip we hoped for when we first planned it. We would not hesitate to use them again should the opportunity arise nor hesitate to recommend them to anyone who asked our opinion of Kimkim.

Hotel Reviews

Gran Hotel Havana

Barcelona

Great hotel. Breakfast offered many different options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located. Taxi stand right outside

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room Mate Alba

Madrid

Room was nice . Breakfast was ok but nothing unique. We would satay here again

Authenticity & Character

Location

Conveniently located

Staff

Very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Park Güell & La Sagrada Família Experience

Barcelona

The La Sagrada tour was very good. Guide was very knowledgeable. It is a 5 for the La Sagrada and less for the Park Guell. We did the park at night and it was very cold so we couldn't enjoy it as much

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport was not part of the tour. However where the Park tour ended there wasn't any taxis or buses available. Tried calling a taxi but I guess he got lost. Finally a taxi showed up and there client never showed so he took us.

Gothic Quarter Tapas Walk

Barcelona

This was one of the best tours we took. Excellent guide who was very knowledgeable not only of the tapas but also the history of the area. Highly recommend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

took taxi so not much to say

Short Prado Museum Visit with Skip-the-Line Ticket

Madrid

Excellent tour. Primarily due to the tour guide (Maria). She was very knowledgeable, professional, friendly, and made this very enjoyable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Took taxi so not much to say

Malasaña Flamenco Experience

Madrid

Excellent show

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Took a taxi so not much to say

Penedès Vineyards, Wines & Tapas Day Trip

Barcelona

Tour was ok, but we went in the spring so there wasn't much to see in the vineyard. Vines were pruned so no activity. This tour would be better later in the year when the grapes were picked and wine being made. The wine tasting and the Tapas were delicious

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Title: The Perfect Balance of Freedom and Support in Iceland

We had an incredible experience working with Gummi for our week-long self-guided driving tour in Iceland. From the very beginning, the planning process was seamless and genuinely enjoyable. Gummi took the time to listen to what we wanted and crafted a flexible itinerary that perfectly matched our travel style.

The materials he provided - detailed itinerary, driving directions, and helpful notes - gave us the confidence to explore independently while still feeling supported in an unfamiliar country. It was exactly the balance we were hoping for.

During the trip, Gummi was always available to answer questions and help us adjust plans when needed - especially when extreme weather forced a couple of changes. His responsiveness and expertise made all the difference.

Our most memorable activity (though it is hard to choose!) was the Ice Cave tour with Siggi.

This truly was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and we are so grateful for Gummi’s guidance and care. We would absolutely work with him again and recommend him without hesitation.

Activity Reviews

Myrdalsjökull Glacier Snowmobiling

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Breiðamerkurjökull Ice Cave Small Group Adventure

Iceland

By far our best activity. We had never experienced anything like the ice caves. And the quality of the tour with Siggi was so special. Would highly recommend adding this to your trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Siggi was an amazing guide - so knowledgeable and kind. He created a special day for us!

Transport