Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had an excellent experience working with KimKim Travel as our travel consultants for our Costa Rica trip. From start to finish, their team was incredibly responsive and flexible, crafting a thoughtful one-week itinerary that was well suited overall for our family of three—traveling with a 24-week pregnant wife and a one-year-old is no small task. All on-the-ground logistics were seamless, including airport transfers and daily tours, which made the trip feel very stress-free. Highlights included the Sloth and Chocolate tours in La Fortuna, where we loved seeing sloths, snakes, butterflies, and frogs, and our time in Monteverde, which was beautiful despite some limitations. As constructive feedback for the future, while certain activities may technically be labeled as infant-friendly, we would caution against recommending experiences like the Hanging Bridges in the Cloud Forest and Treetopia to families with pregnant travelers or babies—weather conditions, lack of stroller-compliant paths, and wind made these activities challenging and, in the case of Treetopia, distressing for our baby. We don’t hold this against KimKim, but hope it’s helpful guidance going forward. We’re especially grateful that they were able to move our trip up by an entire month due to unforeseen circumstances, with special recognition to Bryan and Nancy for their support and flexibility. We also appreciated Adrian from Serendipity Adventures, who proactively reached out via WhatsApp before our arrival and was extremely responsive in managing and adjusting logistics while we were in Costa Rica. Overall, it was an excellent trip, and we would absolutely work with KimKim Travel again.

Monika at Kim Kim did a wonderful job putting together a vacation with the places and experiences we had prioritized. She was available when we had questions. She also placed us in great hotels. The cities we went to included Queenstown, Wanaka, Auckland, Christchurch, and we spent time hiking and boating at the Franz Josef Glacier and hiking in Arthur's Pass. Milford Sound is a must see and flying over it is spectacular. I would recommend time in all of these places. We were only in Auckland 1 day b/c our plane landed there. The countryside in New Zealand is diverse and beautiful. Our outfitters and guides were universally excellent. We also visited the glow worm caves which is a unique and wonderful experience. You need to be able to kayak to do this. Wanaka winery tours gave us a wine tasting experience we will never forget. I would also recommend the Trans Pine train ride across country. Be aware if you want to hike Arthur's Pass the trailheads are between 10-12 kilometers away. We ended up hitching to get there and back. Our visit was 2 weeks and we spent time on both North and South Islands which I would recommend with their unique aspects.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Perfectly Planned, Stress-Free Family Adventure

We just returned from an incredible family trip to the Philippines that Cami planned for us, and it was one of the most seamless travel experiences we’ve ever had.

We’re from the United States, and flying halfway around the world with a 9-year-old and a 21-year-old felt overwhelming at first. But Cami provided clear, step-by-step instructions for the entire trip, which made everything feel easy. All we had to do was follow the plan and enjoy the adventure.

Cami’s communication while building the itinerary over several months was fantastic. She really listened to what we wanted — an action-packed trip — and offered great recommendations that fit our travel style perfectly.

While I handled the international and inter-island flights myself, every other detail was flawlessly arranged. Every airport pickup, hotel transfer, and excursion transport was perfectly timed and waiting for us. We never had to guess what to do or where to go.

Once we arrived, Ana from Uncharted Philippines became our in-country contact and was amazing. She responded quickly anytime I had a question. It truly felt like we had a personal vacation coordinator in our pocket the entire trip.

The itinerary was full of unforgettable experiences that worked wonderfully for both kids despite the age gap. If you want a perfectly planned, stress-free trip where you can just show up and enjoy, I can’t recommend Cami enough.

Activity Review

Canyoneering in Kawasan Falls

Philippines

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing and Safe Family Adventure Canyoneering at Kawasan Falls was unforgettable! We each had our own guide, which made us feel very safe and well taken care of the entire time. They helped us navigate slippery rocks, encouraged us through every jump and swim, and made the whole experience fun and stress-free. A perfect mix of adventure and safety — highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hi Bella,
We often find ourselves saying that this was truly the best trip of our 19 years of enduring friendship. Our group had an absolutely wonderful time, and we can genuinely call it a magical journey.
One of the most memorable experiences was our stay at the Koh Yao Island Paradise Hotel, along with the island hopping excursions. Each day brought new levels of fun and excitement. The train market and floating market experiences were unique, enriching, and unforgettable. Visit to Ayutthaya Temples was also a unique experience.
Your hotel recommendations were excellent, Seashell Krabi and Paradise Hotel exceeded our expectations. The entire trip was thoughtfully curated to match our preferences, and we sincerely appreciate your patience in answering every query and accommodating all our requests.
The transportation arrangements were seamless, and the team was outstanding. Mr. Tee in Krabi took exceptional care of us. The boat transfer to Koh Yao Island and the island hopping crew ensured our comfort and safety at every step. In Bangkok, Mr. Leo (Our guide) was exceptional—he felt like a part of our group and made sure we were comfortable and enjoying every moment. His communication skills were excellent, and we especially appreciated his efforts to speak in our local language on several occasions. He also had a good sense of humor.
All credit goes to you for organizing such a memorable and perfectly executed trip. Thank you once again for giving us memories that we will cherish forever.

This is one of those trips that will forever stay with me. The beauty of the land, the vast differences in experience from one place to the next, the cleanliness and consciousness in environment, and the kindness of the people everywhere is what really made this trip stand out. Our guides, as well as our drivers were fantastic! Highlights: Mulford Sound (beautiful waterfalls, seal and dolphin sightings), and a highly recommended plane ride over the mountains when returning to Queenstown. FYI, -The drive is long (winding roads that could impact a weak stomach), but well worth the trip. Also, Mt. Cook, the Tasman Glacier Cruise, the Glowworm Caves (near Rotorua), Wai-O Tapu’s geothermal activity/mud pool, and the very scenic TranzAlpine train ride from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass, are all well worth seeing. If you like hiking, Arthur’s Pass has some great trails, but beware, the distance from the train station to any of the well known trails is quite a hike in itself (and not too scenic by the main road), so plan on getting a ride to the trail if possible.

Kudos to KimKim (and more specifically, Monika), for customizing this trip in a way that hit all of our specifications and needs. If NZ is on your bucket list, go for it while you can. You won’t be disappointed!

My family said that this trip was a fantastic experience.

Had a wonderful time in Costa Rica. Grateful for the local guides who set us up with seamless transportation to and from every location and exploring some adventures, we wouldn’t have thought of otherwise like Whitewater wrapping for six hours hikes to waterfalls and birdwatching in the cloud for us. Would highly recommend.

I can’t thank Kat, Kate and the rest of the great team at Kimkim enough for the incredible job they did creating our Costa Rica vacation! From the fabulous hotels to creative adventures to all the minute details each day involved, they did the best job imaginable, always available to answer questions, even on weekends and at night! Each location they booked for us was amazing, from La Fortuna (volcano! Frogs!) to Montverde (Santa Elena cloud forest! Coffee, chocolate and sugar cane tour!) to Nosara (swimming in the Pacific! Private kayak tour! Sibu Wildlife Sanctuary!). The hotels were all wonderful, with excellent food, friendly and helpful staff, and lots to do. Every driver was on time, every tour guide friendly and knowledgeable. I could never have created this amazing trip without Kimkim! Thanks to you all!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique Lagarta Lodge

Nosara

We had a lovely suite, with separate bedrooms for my son and me. The view from the main bedroom was of the ocean and the rain forest, and the sound of birds was a delight. There are two infinity pools on the property, and the ocean is a short walk away - swim in the Pacific! They also offer night tours, kayak tours, and other fun adventures. They have two restaurants, both with great menus, even for vegetarians. The front desk staff was always there to help with transportation, to set up a tour, or to answer our questions.

Authenticity & Character

It felt comfortable from the moment we arrived. It is a fun property to explore, and there are hiking trails right there.

Location

Right on the beach, amazing sunsets every night!

Staff

We were treated so well by all the staff, from the front desk to the wait staff to all of the drivers and tour operators.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and so comfortable! They make their own toiletries, so no need to bring shampoo, conditioner or body soap!

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Lovely grounds, great views, a friendly and helpful staff, and our room as comfortable (and large!) Also, the food is gourmet-quality, just fabulous, and the chef deserves kudos for his creativity!

Authenticity & Character

The main building has character, with its indoor, patio and outdoor seating, allowing diners to watch the two hummingbird feeders and the bird feeder, to get great views of lovely tropical birds.

Location

We wanted to explore the cloud forest, and this hotel is perfect for that.

Staff

Everyone went out of their way to be helpful, and the dining room staff were all very attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was large and comfortable, the bathroom too, and all very clean, with toiletries provided - you can leave your shampoo, conditioner and body soap at home! Theirs is made with local products and is terrific.

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Individual, private bungalows were a plus, as well as the friendly and helpful staff. The grounds are gorgeous, and the pool was lovely. We enjoyed the food at both restaurants, as well as the hiking trail on the property. I would stay there again!

Authenticity & Character

The attention to detail was notable - everything is very clean and inviting.

Location

Located in a rain forest, where we could take a night tour to see amazing frogs and other animals.

Staff

A huge thank you to Alejandro and Joseph! You were so helpful, and so friendly! Thank you both! ♥️

Cleanliness & Comfort

The whole place was spotless, the beds were very comfortable and the shower was great!

Activity Reviews

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

What a fun tour! Our guide, Mario, was funny, friendly and very knowledgeable. We got to see first-hand how coffee beans grow, the process for roasting them, and the various kinds of coffee produced (I did not know that espresso has less caffeine than regular coffee! (Well, quantity plays a role.) We got to taste seeds of the cacao pods, watch them turned into paste after roasting, and learned that chocolate is literally the blending of cocoa and milk: choco-latte! Sugar cane was also fun to learn about, and you can help press the cane to express the liquid if you’re strong enough! Getting to see coffee beans, cacao pods and sugar cane as they’re grown on the farm was so educational - and delicious.

Quality of Experience

Couldn’t have had a better guide!

Mangrove Kayak & Standup Paddle Board Adventure

Nosara

What a wonderful kayak adventure! Just us and our guide, David, who was knowledgable, funny and patient. He pointed out gorgeous birds we might have missed, provided us with a snack of ripe pineapple and coconut water during our break on the beach, and made us feel comfortable in our surroundings. Thanks so much for a great kayak tour, David! ♥️

Our local specialist, Gummi, created the most amazing itinerary for our honeymoon. After our initial call, he tailored the trip to be perfect for us. Every stop was organized, timed perfectly, and completely worthwhile to see! We can't even pick the most favorite activity or waterfall or site we saw. He also checked in with us during the trip to make sure we were okay, and gave us heads up for the Northern Lights forecasts. We also overslept one morning and he rearranged our activity to give us some more time. We are unbelievably grateful to him for the trip and had the most amazing time.
10/10 recommend Gummi. 10/10 recommend Iceland.

We had a fantastic time in Morocco! Our itinerary was Tangier-->Chefchauen-->Rabbat-->Casablanca. KimKim and our local contacts (Yassine-planning, Soufiane-driving) put together an excellent trip exactly as we envisioned it. Specifically for us we wanted to have time to explore places and not rush from place to place. Our Riad in Tangier was well located for exploring the medina, and we were less than a 5 minute walk from a well known brochette (kebab) place. The coastal views just outside of town at the Lighthouse and where the Mediterranean/Atlantic come together are great. In Chefchauen - do the Spanish monastery hike at sunset - you can even get great views only walking part of the trail - and then you can save energy for the Akchour Waterfall hike which was probably our favorite day of the trip! Rabbat is a much bigger city and fun to explore - many of the museums are excellent. One favorite was the Musée National de la Photographie.

Altogether it was a great trip, and all of the planning and guidance we received made it happen!

Everything Kimkim touched in preparation for our trip was flawlessly arranged and executed.
Our long standing hotel accommodations, transit connections, and air and rail tickets made for seamless enjoyment and ease of travel flow.
The availability of Shona to assist or answer questions was a given and much appreciated when we received her help managing a luggage transfer between hotels.
The four days of guided excursions were flawlessly executed and so easily accomplished thanks to the expert handling of the local guides and professional drivers. Even our day in Kyoto where we relied on mass transit to visit multiple locations on every side of the city were incredibly easy thanks to the excellent transportation infrastructure of the city, prefecture and country.
Shout out to Ayumi and Sochi for insight into both the history and current lifestyle of Japanese culture. Guide Ian’s perspectives provided a good contrast as a western expat living the dream in Japan.
Lastly, we arranged our ski portion of the trip mostly independently and it went really well thanks to the most excellent service provided by Hokkaido Nomad car rental in Sapporo. The camp car service was flawless. We had engine trouble on New Year’s Eve and Suzuki (our rental lead) delivered a brand new camp car to our location in less than an hour, ON NEW YEARS EVE. Amazing.

Liz created the perfect itinerary for this quick business trip. She helped select a couple of cool experiences on our free day and found us the perfect boutique hotel. If only every business trip was this smooth, easy and fun!

Hotel Review

Hôtel Fior d'Aliza

Paris

Loved this hotel. It's small, has a very cozy and nicely designed lobby and the rooms are comfortable, and spotlessly clean. Location is great, with many small local restaurants and coffee shops within a few minutes walk. Metro is around the corner and you can walk to Montmartre and Opera in about 10 - 20 minutes through nice neighborhoods. The best hotel I've stayed in Paris.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Super friendly and helpful front desk staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Iconic Paris Views from Galeries Lafayette Terrace

Paris

Great views from the top of galleries Lafayette the reason i didn't give this 5* is that it feels a little touristy, and the restaurant is a bit of a food court. That said, great stop of you are nearby.

Quality of Experience

Saint Germain Gourmet Food Walk

Paris

Very cool food tour. It started a bit slow for my taste with a focus on Paris history and layout of the neighborhoods, but it got progressively better and ended with a very good dinner in a small Basque restaurant. We connected really well with our guide Duniya and shared lots of laughs over food and great wines.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Exploration of the Opera Garnier

Paris

Very engaging tour. Our guide Sylvanie took us through the history of the planning, architect selection and other historic context of the Opera house. It's an impressive building with lots of beautiful spaces.

Just returned from 12 days in Costa Rica. I was overwhelmed trying to plan it on my own and KimKiim was fantastic. We had to make some last minute changes in terms of pick up times and Serendipity Tours, the local Costa Rica team, was super-accommodating and always available through WhatsApp, even after hours and on weekends. Everything went seamlessly. We stayed in four spectacular hotels - Tabacon Resort in La Fortuna, Rio Celeste Hideaway, Korea in Monteverde and Capitan Suzan in Tamarindo. Never thought that we would try zip lining but Treetop in Monteverde was fantastic. We felt safe, the team told us what to expect and we spent more than an hour and a half zip lining with an option to Bungee jump afterwards. Fantastic trip.

I cannot say enough good things about Moonika and the trip she planned for us. From the beginning stages, Moonika was engaged and responded quickly to all messages. She really tailored the whole itinerary around the things we wanted to do and see. She also gave great recommendations for activities and accommodations. It was incredibly easy to plan our trip thanks to Moonika. Once we arrived in Tallinn, our first destination, everything ran incredibly smoothly. All of our transfers arrived on time, all our tickets/passes had been pre-loaded in the app and ready to go, it was all so easy. Moonika checked in during our trip to make sure everything was going well and communicated with us about any disruptions or changes. We had such an amazing trip to Tallinn and the Lapland region and Moonika played an integral role in all of it. If you’re thinking of traveling to the Baltics or Lapland, you should definitely work with Moonika. You will not be disappointed and will be rewarded with an awesome trip.

Hotel Reviews

Aurora Village

Ivalo

We really enjoyed our stay at the Aurora Village. The igloo was roomy and comfortable. The staff were all incredibly nice and helpful. They provide you with a set of thick, warm overalls for any activity you might do. The restaurant and bar had great food and service. There is a little lounge area that was perfect for playing games during our down time. The hotel has lots of activities that they are happy to arrange for you. If you want to into town, the hotel has a shuttle available for a small charge or they will call you a taxi. When we were done in town, I called the front desk and they contacted a taxi to pick us up. We will definitely be returning!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Schlössle Hotel

Tallinn

This hotel was incredible! It had a ton of charm and was so nice and cozy. It is conveniently located in the old town and within walking distance to many tourist areas and restaurants. The staff was great, especially Patrick who made us smile every time we saw him. The room was one of the nicest rooms we have ever stayed in, perfectly combined old world charm with modern conveniences. We only ate breakfast at the hotel, but it was very good with lots of options and great service.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the old style combined with modern conveniences

Location

Central to anything you want to do

Staff

Patrick made us smile everyday The entire staff was very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Long Husky Safari

Finland

This is easily one of the coolest things I have ever done! We loved dog sledding! This location actually raises and trains dogs for actual competition sledding so the dogs are very well taken care of and looked after. We received thorough instructions on how to control the sled prior to heading out. The trails go through some really spectacular scenery and it’s actually pretty quiet and smooth on the sled. The tour stopped at a cozy hut where our guide prepared soup and hot beverages. During the excursion, she gave plenty of guidance on difficult areas of the trail, downhills, uphills, sharp turns, etc. the dogs are also really friendly and you have an opportunity to pet them. This is definitely a must-do activity if you go to the Ivalo area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Levi Fell Snowmobile Adventure

Levi

This was such a fun experience! Emmi was our guide and we had a blast with her. We were fortunate in that the schedule worked out so that it was just my wife and I on the adventure. Emmi tailored the whole experience to us and it couldn’t have been more fun. The scenery was stunningly beautiful and the stop at the cafe was a nice, cozy break. Emmi even talked to other guides about the conditions of the trails for the return and picked what she felt would be the safest and most picturesque way back. Thank you Emmi for a great snowmobile adventure.

Quality of Experience

Emmi was great!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, Emmi was great , the driver picked us up from our hotel on time, staff was friendly and made the experience very easy.

Transport

Hoa was amazing at putting things together and was very prompt with everything. We did not provide much time to plan and had a great trip. One thing I would change would be the Thailand party if the trip. It would've been good to spend more time in Bangkok and only a few hours exploring the temples in Ayutthaya before heading through to Khao Yi. This was more our personal preference but realised we didn't provide much when we signed up. But my cousin and I agreed how great Hoa did with everything and we were very happy

Christina was wonderful and planned an amazing experience. We were able to fulfill a bucket list wish and see the northern lights in full splendor. Amazing trip and recommend to anyone wanting to experience Norway and the lights.

Thank you for all the help and making this trip unique for our second trip. Really helped curate a special itinerary.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique Lagarta Lodge

Nosara

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ti-fakara Boutique Hotel

La Fortuna

Amazing location near the waterfall great customer service and very cute boutique hotel room rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunset Party Catamaran Sailing

Nosara

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Isla Chora Private Boat & Snorkeling

Nosara

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure (Class II-III)

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful experience working with Sandy to put together our trip to Japan. We had 3 couples traveling both together and separately which made the trip quite complex. Sandy listened carefully to the parts of the trip where we knew what we wanted and then made excellent suggestions for hotels, tours and transportation where we didn't have specific ideas. We had particularly wonderful tours in Kanazawa for the artisan tour and Michico's Sumo Championship tour through Sunrise. The trip went perfectly every day, every tour, every transfer, every train ride and every hotel. Sandy was very responsive for the year of advance planning and then she was in touch with us every day of the trip. She answered our questions quickly, sent ongoing information on time and made sure everything went smoothly. This was independent travel at its very best. We were so fortunate to have been able to work with KimKim and Sandy to create our incredible trip to Japan.

Very happy overall with our experience. Regarding our trip activities and hotels, the only complaint was that the Chiang Mai hotel was not as we had hoped. Trying to take a shower was rather difficult, as hot water came in waves lasting less than twenty seconds. It was a bit weird and actually seemed like it was a purposeful design to reduce water usage. Normally, once you get hot water, you have it until it runs out, but here it lasted twenty seconds, and then you had to wait like thirty seconds until it came back, very consistent, like there was a pulse timer or some other hot water control measure. Didn't ruin the trip or anything. Just something I thought worth noting. It will make me do more due diligence when selecting hotels, since I had asked about the quality of the hotels and the possibility of upgrading, but was advised otherwise.

Hotel Reviews

VIC 3 Hotel

Bangkok

Nice, efficient hotel with a good staff.

Authenticity & Character

It was a nice hotel

Location

Fine location, don't really know Bangkok enough to comment.

Staff

I found the staff friendly and engaging.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

De Charme Hotel

Amphoe Muang, Si Phum, Chiang Mai

Friendly but indifferent staff that smiled occasionally. The hot water situation was abysmal; I would not stay here again for that reason alone. Good location.

Authenticity & Character

It was fine, but the hot water, per above, was a big negative. It almost had a hostel feel.

Location

Staff

They could be more engaging and friendlier.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was clean and comfortable.

Burasari Phuket

Patong, Phuket, Thailand

Excelent well run hotel

Authenticity & Character

Just a beautiful hotel

Location

Staff

Top notch treatment with a smile

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Day trip to Doi Inthanon National Park!

Chiang Mai

The park was a good time. The highlight of the day for us was the village visit, where our tour guide took us off the beaten track and actually walked us around the village and just went the extra mile. We saw lots of tourists coming to the town and just going to the shop. That would have been disappointing from our perspective. The extra time/effort just made the experience so much better. We really loved of tour guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phuket Half-Day City Tour

Phuket

In retrospect, this was not a particularly good tour. You can't get close to the Big Buddha because it was damaged by a landslide, so it's not really worth the time. The view was nice. The time at the market was nice and fun, but part of the tour was described as a visit to a honey and pearl factory, which turned out to be just a honey and pearl store. After going to the honey store, we asked if the pearl factory was just a store, and they said yes. They were accommodating when we asked to skip it and just go to the market. Stores are fine if that's what you want to do, but that's not how it was initially presented.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Eco Elephant Care!

Chiang Mai

Great experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sandy was in contact with us almost every day and was very responsive. I would recommend her for sure