Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had an amazing time in Quito and the Galapagos this summer. All the arrangements for pick up, drop off tours were planned and executed by the guides and drivers to perfection. We feasted on local seafood fusion delights, went swimming with sea lions and sea turtles and met kind Ecuadorian people at every turn.

Our guides, especially Viviana in Santa Cruz and Ian in San Cristobal were wonderful and gracious. They had all the local knowledge and presented it with enthusiasm!!

Special thanks to Nichole for welcoming, planning and rearranging accommodations when needed.

Hotel Reviews

Casa de Nelly

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We were initially placed in a very small room which was not to our satisfaction, but the hostess very graciously moved us to a room with an ocean view which made all the difference.

Lava House Galapagos

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Alameda Quito

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Galapagos Cooking Class by the Sea

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My KimKim team to Norway was comprised of Taylor (my initial contact and overall trip designer) and Maria and Nick (who promptly addressed my questions, my issues and any changes I needed). It was comforting to know I had such an efficient team.
It's hard for me to say which aspect of the trip was most memorable. Was it seeing in person the World Heritage fjords (something I had on my bucket list) or was it the experience of driving Lofoten where I had no prior vision of how spectacular that actually was. Or, was it the architecture of Alesund and their 148 steps vista. Norway is just one visual gift after another.

Hotel Reviews

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardemoen

Gardemoen

For someone needing to catch an early morning flight, you couldn't have chosen a better hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quality Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

I loved everything about Alesund including this hotel. The rooms were uniquely laid out. Their restaurant was full service. Their staff was both knowledgeable and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

As it turned out, they were exactly where I wanted them to be in relation to resturants and sites.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Tide Rorbuer

Sørvågen

This hotel was a little confusing, as I was assigned a cabin instead of a room. Finding this cabin was not clearly explained, but eventually I did. But this was after a day's drive, so it added a level of frustration to what was an amazing area. The cabin was ok, but I didn't need a kitchenette as I was not planning on making my own meals. I would have requested a change if I had known this was the choice KimKim made. Would recommend KimKim explain the options before booking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

As a solo traveler I am keenly aware of how I am treated by hotels and restaurants. I felt I was not particularly appreciated as a guest - especially in their restaurant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Svolvær

Svolvær

At this point I had a rental car; however, the hotel did not provide parking nor any assistance in explaining how to pay for parking. I managed to figure it out, but that fact tainted my feeling about the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Fine but nothing special.

Location

This was my first exposure to Lofoten and I was so impressed by how nature surrounded the area.

Staff

When you're in a foreign place you want greater assistance regarding unfamilar things ie: paying for parking.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heimly Pensjonat

Flåm

Of all the hotels I stayed in during this trip, I was least impressed by this guesthouse.

Authenticity & Character

I suspect the reason for KimKim chosing this guesthouse was its view of the fjord. However, that view is somewhat blocked by trees.

Location

Getting to it was both confusing and uphill.. both from the dock and then the steep driveway and staircase you needed to climb. With 2 suitcases, this 78 year old was not happy. Given there is a hotel close to where you dock, I would have appreciated that convenience. Also, the hotel provides dinner, but it does not provide choices.

Staff

Having to ring a bell in order to have someone assist or answer questions, is just not classy

Cleanliness & Comfort

I felt like I was in a dormitory room.

Home Hotel Bryggen

Bergen

Ideally located within walking distance of everything you want to see.

Authenticity & Character

While an historic building, it amenities were sufficiently upgraded

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Driving the Lofoten Islands: Nature Stops Along the Way

Norway

Lofoten is one amazing site after another. Even with the summer traffic that gave me more reasons to stop and take in the views.

Quality of Experience

Visit the Gol Stave Church (Norwegian Museum of Cultural History)

Oslo

For me, architecture is important, so this visit may be more personal than necessary for most. However, getting to the church required a short ferry ride which added a pleasant element to the experience.

Quality of Experience

Cultural Walk with a Local

Bergen

The guide was genuine, knowledgeable and flexible. I felt like I was walking around with a friend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a walking tour.

We had a great trip to Norway and the help with knowing where to go and where to stay - was amazing. I took parents in their 80s and my teenagers on a family trip and I am not sure we could have pulled off a trip that was exciting for everyone without KimKim.

Our Norway trip was a magical adventure. KimKim and Tom Christer specifically made sure that every question was answered and every detail meticulously attended to. I recommend this trip highly!

Our Bali trip was absolutely incredible, and so much of that was due to the thoughtful planning and exceptional service of our travel agent, Athaya. She created an itinerary that gave us a wonderful mix of adventure, excitement, relaxation, culture, and luxury, while also allowing us to experience the dramatically different regions and topography of Bali. Every part of the trip felt intentional, and we came away feeling like we had truly experienced the island rather than simply visited it.

One of the absolute highlights was the team Athaya arranged for us. Our driver, Sang, was amazing. Anyone who has experienced Bali traffic knows that getting around the island is an adventure in itself, but Sang maneuvered through it like an expert! We always felt completely safe and comfortable with him, and his skill behind the wheel was truly impressive.

And then there was our wonderful guide, Mr. Oki. I cannot say enough good things about him. He was incredibly kind, patient, attentive, and genuinely cared about making sure we had the best possible experience. He taught us about Balinese customs, traditions, and culture in a way that made everything we were seeing so much more meaningful. He stood in lines to get our admission tickets, handled all the little details so we didn’t have to think about them, and was always looking for ways to make our day easier. He even made sure to take pictures of us throughout our adventures, which means we now have wonderful photographs of our amazing trip.

What impressed me most about the entire trip was the balance. We had exciting adventures, peaceful moments, beautiful accommodations, cultural experiences, and opportunities to see completely different sides of Bali. Each region felt like a new experience, and the itinerary flowed beautifully without ever feeling repetitive.

But perhaps the best example of Athaya’s level of service came when something happened that wasn’t even part of the trip she had planned. Our onward travel arrangements unexpectedly fell through, leaving us in Bali with nowhere to stay and no transportation arranged. Athaya immediately came to our rescue. Within minutes, she had found us a driver and secured a hotel so that we weren’t stranded. There was no hesitation—she simply stepped in and took care of us when we needed help. That kind of responsiveness and genuine concern for her clients is something you don’t forget.

This was the kind of trip that makes you realize how much difference an exceptional travel planner can make. Athaya didn’t simply arrange hotels, transportation, and activities—she created an experience, surrounded us with wonderful people, and made us feel cared for from beginning to end. And when the unexpected happened, she was there for us then, too.

We left Bali with incredible memories, a much deeper appreciation for the island and its culture, and enormous gratitude for Athaya, Sang, and Mr. Oki. They each played a special part in making this an unforgettable experience.

I would recommend Athaya without hesitation to anyone planning a trip to Bali. She is the person you want planning your vacation—and, perhaps even more importantly, the person you want in your corner when your plans don’t go according to plan.

Activity Reviews

Visit Ubud Art Market

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bali Swing at Tegallalang Rice Terrace

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Balinese Massage

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cliffs of Majesty : Visit Uluwatu Temple & Watch Kecak Dance

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

K

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gitgit Waterfall Canyoning Adventure

Indonesia

Canyoning was hands-down one of the most exciting and memorable experiences of our entire trip to Bali! The guides were absolutely fantastic. They were knowledgeable, professional, and extremely safety-conscious, which made us feel completely comfortable even when we were doing something that pushed us outside our comfort zones. They explained everything clearly, told us exactly what to expect, and made sure we knew what to do before every jump, rappel, and challenging section of the canyon. We always felt like we were in very capable hands, which allowed us to relax and actually enjoy the adventure. And then there was one particular guide who was absolutely hilarious. He honestly made the experience! He kept us laughing throughout the entire excursion and somehow managed to make even the more intimidating moments fun. His personality, humor, and enthusiasm turned what was already an incredible adventure into one of those experiences we’ll be talking about for years. The scenery was spectacular, the adventure was exhilarating, and the guides were exceptional. It was the perfect combination of adrenaline, natural beauty, and just plain fun. If you’re considering canyoning in Bali, DO IT! It was one of our favorite experiences of the entire trip, and we would recommend it without hesitation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Penglipuran Village

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bathe the Elephants

Ubud, Bali

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hannie did such a great job planning our tours in Korea and picked the best guides and drivers for our family. She was also always available whenever we had questions, both before and during our trip, which we really appreciated.

For our guided day in Busan, our guide was Ms. Son Eunjeong, and she was absolutely wonderful. She was so good with our kids and made the day fun and interesting for everyone. We explored the market, visited Gamcheon Culture Village, rode the beach train, and learned so much about the history of Busan. She knew all the best photo spots and took lots of family pictures for us throughout the day, which we really appreciated. She also recommended some great ice cream that the kids loved. At the market, she even helped my husband find a pair of shoes he was looking for.

Our driver in Busan was wonderful too. She was a very safe and careful driver, and we really appreciated that she had a car seat ready for our child. We felt very comfortable with her driving us around all day.

In Seoul, Hannie booked a food tour for us with Jay, who was also fantastic. He was flexible, great with the kids, and had so many good recommendations. Our kids still talk about the donuts he got for them and the dried strawberries we found at the market! He even arranged a stop at an art museum for our kids, which was such a thoughtful addition to the day.

We really appreciated how well Hannie matched us with guides and drivers who understood what works for a family traveling with kids. Everything felt personal and well planned, and knowing Hannie was always available if we needed anything made the trip that much easier. We had a great experience in both Busan and Seoul and would definitely recommend her.

Marii did an amazing job planning our family trip to Japan. She planned our time in the Mt. Fuji area, Hakone, Kyoto, and Osaka, and we were really happy with the itinerary.

She chose great hotels throughout the trip, and we especially loved the hotels she picked for us in Hakone. She also found tour guides who were a great fit for our family and our kids, which made such a difference.

Marii also gave us some really good restaurant recommendations in each place we visited. It was so helpful to have places already recommended instead of trying to figure it out on our own.

She was also available throughout our trip whenever we had questions, which we really appreciated. It was nice knowing we could reach out to her if we needed anything.

Marii made planning and traveling on a big family trip so much easier. We would definitely recommend her to anyone planning a trip to Japan!

We had a wonderful family trip to Peru, and the team did a great job making everything run smoothly.

A big thank you to Anne for planning a fantastic itinerary and catering to our family's needs, Jesus for always being available on WhatsApp and keeping everything on track, Blanca for an excellent and engaging walking tour of Barranco, and Julio for being a knowledgeable, caring guide and a great storyteller in Cusco. We would also like to thank all of our drivers for being punctual, professional, and friendly throughout the trip.

We did run into a few unexpected challenges, including train issues to and from Machu Picchu and a family health issue that required us to change plans during our Amazon stay. The team handled everything quickly and efficiently behind the scenes, helping us find solutions with minimal stress.

We really appreciated everyone's support and would happily recommend this team to anyone planning a trip to Peru.

Hotel Reviews

Finca Sachabacayoc

Our stay at Finca Sachabacayoc was unfortunately the least enjoyable part of our Peru trip. We understand that staying in the Amazon comes with certain rustic expectations, but there were several issues that made our stay less comfortable than anticipated. The biggest challenge was that we had no running water for the entire morning of one of our days, which made it difficult to shower or get ready for our activities. Even when water was available, the hot water only lasted a few minutes. It was also often difficult to find staff when we needed assistance. The rooms have metal roofs, which made them extremely hot during the day, and the fans were not sufficient to keep the room comfortable. There were also a significant number of insects on the porch, making it difficult to relax in the hammock or enjoy the outdoor space. The food was adequate but fairly average and did not stand out compared to the rest of our trip. That said, we do want to recognize the staff for their kindness during an unexpected family health issue. They arranged breakfast for us when we had to miss one of the scheduled activities and were helpful in coordinating our unexpected return to Lima. We truly appreciated their support during a stressful situation. Overall, while the staff did their best to help when it mattered most, we feel the facilities, amenities, and overall guest experience could be improved.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Los Portales Cusco

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Innside Lima Miraflores by Melia Hotels International

Miraflores

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lunch at Ama

Peru

Lunch at Ama was one of the most memorable meals of our trip. Beyond the outstanding food, we were inspired by the owner's mission of creating employment opportunities for young people with disabilities and single mothers. It was a meaningful experience to support a local business making such a positive impact on the community. We highly recommend stopping here if you're visiting the Sacred Valley.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maras Salt Ponds

Peru

The Maras Salt Ponds were a fascinating place to visit, and Julio was an excellent guide. He shared interesting stories and local insights that made the visit much more meaningful. A beautiful stop in the Sacred Valley that we would highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Moray Terraces

Peru

Visiting Moray was one of the highlights of our time in the Sacred Valley, and Julio made the experience even more memorable. His storytelling and knowledge brought the history and purpose of the terraces to life, and he took the time to answer all of our questions. We appreciated that he shared not only the historical significance of Moray but also local insights and perspectives that made the visit much more meaningful. We highly recommend this tour, especially with Julio as your guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cusco Walking City Tour with San Francisco Church

Cusco

Julio was an outstanding guide for our Cusco walking tour. Instead of only taking us to the typical tourist attractions, he introduced us to local gems and hidden corners of the city that made the experience feel much more authentic. He is a wonderful storyteller, incredibly knowledgeable, and genuinely caring, making sure everyone in our family was comfortable throughout the tour. We learned so much about Cusco's history, culture, and local life, and would highly recommend this tour with Julio.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking food tour at Barranco

Lima

Blanca was an excellent guide for our Barranco walking tour. She was knowledgeable, engaging, and shared the history and culture of the neighborhood in a way that made it both interesting and enjoyable. She also introduced us to some amazing local restaurants, giving us a wonderful taste of authentic Peruvian cuisine. It was a great experience, and we highly recommend touring Barranco with Blanca!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One visit to Japan was very wonderful. Kimkim the traveling agency was really helpful. Our tour guides were very friendly and helpful. My grandkids boys really enjoyed our visit to most of the places went. The shibuya sky and shibuya crossing in Tokyo the busys cross street in Tokyo it is a.lot of fun to see the volume of people crossing with their camera 📷 talking fotos. I was very worried about traveling to Japan because we were black but I had nothing to worry about, we felt very comfortable . I will encourage tourists to use kimkim for to all their destinations.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Forza Osaka Kitahama

Osaka

This hotel is in the center of the city and it is easy to connect to wherever u want to go

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the center of the city and easy to move around

Staff

Very friendly and easy to communicate with them in English

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel very very clean and delicious breakfast

Park Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Hotel clean and in the center of the city

Authenticity & Character

The food is good the staffs are very friendly

Location

It is easy to get transport and in the center of the city

Staff

The staffs are very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kimkim is a very reliable travel agency to work with

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

The fin part of this hotel is the Japanese style bed and the hot springs

Authenticity & Character

The Japanese style bed room make a lot of difference and a good experience

Location

It is in the center of the city so getting access to the train station 🚉 was easy

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel in very clean

the b asakusa

Tokyo

Amazing in the center of all the activities in Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

The staffs are very helpful

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel in very very clean

Activity Reviews

Tokyo Discovery: From Traditional Landmarks to Akihabara’s Anime Haven

Tokyo

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

Kyoto

Half Day Nara Park & Todai-Ji Temple

Japan

From Hakone to Kyoto

Japan

Enjoy Temples & Bamboo Grove in Kyoto with Your Family

Kyoto

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

Japan

Bea was responsive, easy to communicate with, attentive to detail, and able to create a trip that met the needs of a wide age span - 11 years to 77 years old! She ensure that our requested activites were included, and she added activites that ended up being some of our very favorite! The pinxtos tour and the cooking class in San Sebastian were both so much fun, and our kids stepped outside of their comfort zones to try unfamiliar foods and flavors.

Hotel Reviews

H10 Art Gallery

Barcelona

Clean, compact rooms, with a delicious breakfast buffet

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vincci Zaragoza Zentro

Zaragoza

Clean, comfortable, and walkable to every thing we wanted to do in Zaragoza. The AC worked beautifully despite the extreme heat (105 degrees fahrenheit).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zinema7

San Sebastian (Guipuzcoa)

Clean, quiet, comfortable, and with a delicious breakfast buffet. Walkable to nearly everything we wanted to do in San Sebastian.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

French Basque Coast: Biarritz & Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Spain

The locations were beautiful, but it felt hurried and as if we were in the van for a significant portion of the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loarre Castle: The Last Medieval Stronghold

Zaragoza

We had enough time to actually explore the castle, and it was beautiful. There were minimal other people visiting at the same time, and we never felt hurried.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Barcelona for Kids: Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia & Park Güell

Barcelona

I wish I'd had more time in each location - they were both gorgeous, and I could have spent twice as long in each location!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Culinary Tapestry of Pintxos

San Sebastián

Diego was knowledgeable and friendly, with a sense of humor and way of engaging kids and adults. He chose pintxos that accommodated more selective eaters, but also pushed us outside of our comfort zones. He accommodated our vegetarian daughter easily, as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Market to Table: A Basque Cooking Experience

San Sebastián

Carlos was knowledgable and friendly, with a sense of humor and way of engaging kids and adults. He chose menu items that accommodated more selective eaters, but also pushed us outside of our comfort zones to try local ways of preparing the recipes. He accommodated our vegetarian daughter easily, as well.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything was so easy. We had the best driver when we were in Cairo. Raafat and Mohamed were the best team and took the best care of us. Michael was so much fun and a great tour guide and we had the best lunch with him.
Our stay in Luxor was amazing at a great hotel I enjoyed very much. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun. The food we had for lunch in Luxor was a bit suspect and left us both with food poisoning…we ate there twice too.
Our time at the resort in Marsa Matrouh was excellent. Even for a 3.5 rating hotel, the management and the staff were AMAZING and so accommodating.
I would do it all again…minus the food poisoning lol.

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn City Stars

Cairo

So comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Safir Marsa Matrouh Resort

Marsa Matrouh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Was hoping to be ocean front but it was lagoon front and the beach was a bit dirty.

Staff

Staff were AMAZING and so accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was just okay.

Sonesta St. George Hotel

Luxor

Amazing view, food and staff!!!

Authenticity & Character

So Beautiful

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

10/10

Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile

Cairo

Amazing food, accommodations and views! Really loud at night, but that’s expected on the Nile.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Kindest staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

10/10

Activity Reviews

Arrival Luxor- East Bank tour

Luxor

Quality of Experience

Food

Made me and husband ill

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day in Cairo – City Stars Leisure & Entertainment

Egypt

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Marsa Matruh

Marsa Matruh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival Cairo

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free day at leisure

Marsa Matruh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day at leisure

Marsa Matruh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit The west bank then fly to Cairo

Egypt

Quality of Experience

Food

Made me and husband ill

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traveling to Upper Egypt

Egypt

Quality of Experience

I

Food

Made me and husband ill

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour to visit Pyramids, Sphinx and GEM

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aleksandra planned a trip of a lifetime to London & Scotland for my husband & I. We spent 6 nights in London & 4 nights in Ediburgh. Aleksandra was excellent at communicating with my husband & I. We exchanged many e-mails over the course of several months, planning each day & constantly tweaking what we wanted to do. In addition to that, we had a ton of questions that Aleksandra answered, always within a day or two of sending the e-mails.

When planning this trip we needed the most amount of help with laying out, organizing & optimizing our time in each location so that we could do everything we wanted without running ourselves ragged. Aleksandra accomplished this objective. She planned activities each day that were close to each other or an underground stop or two away so we could move easily & efficiently between locations. Alexsandra fit the days together seamlessly & used every second to the fullest. Her directions to get us from one place to another were a godsend. In both London & Edinburgh we never got lost nor frustrated trying to find a particular location. While planning our vacation, she always provided fabulous choices & presented multiple options so we could select what most excited us. This was true in particular for restaurants & hotels. Aleksandra made us dinner reservations at our selected restaurants & every one of those restaurants worked out beautifully. She was even available to us during the trip, when a small problem or question arose. It was a nice feeling to know that no matter what we needed, she was there for us, both in the planning & while we were on the trip.

There were a few standout tours that Aleksandra booked for us. The first was a private tour while we were in London to see the Changing of the Guard with Delianne. A bucket list item for me. Delianne knew just where to stand for the best viewing in several locations. We did not have to line up hours in advance. All we did was follow her & each time we were exactly where we needed to be at the right time. She had a lot of interesting tidbits to share & we thoroughly enjoyed our morning with her.

The next tour in London that we loved was a small group historical pub tour. Our tour guide, Freddie, was fabulous. We went to 4 interesting pubs, all different from each other. He had a lot of fun information to share & we spent just the right amount of time in each pub. This was our last night in London & it was a perfect way to end our time there before traveling to Edinburgh.

In Scotland, we did two private tours. Both of them were well worth the money. The first was a 3 1/2 hour walking tour of Edinburgh with Zander. He was our introduction to Edinburgh. He took us to so many places & told us so many engaging stories. It was more interesting to us than to just be told a list of facts. The time went by very quickly & we attributed that to his way of telling us information about Edinburgh.

The second private tour was a highlight of our entire trip. We spent the day with Calais, a true gentleman & a delight to have as a tour guide. We went through the East Neuk, even stopping in Calais' hometown & going to his local cafe. We loved seeing where people live & learning a little about why they lived there. St. Andrews golf course was next & it did not disappoint. We could feel the history there & appreciated it all, even though neither of us are golfers. We loved taking our picture on the famous bridge, Swilken Bridge, which made my golf loving brother very jealous. We also toured St. Andrews University. The school is even more beautiful than we had imagined & again we enjoyed learning about the history there. The sad, but true story of the the St. Andrews Castle was very interesting & one we had not heard before.

We are only home a few days & are still talking about all the highlights of this trip. We have fabulous memories & many of them are from the tours outlined above. Both my husband & I highly recommend Aleksandra. Her work in preparing for this trip enhanced our trip & resulted in making our trip extraordinary. Using Aleksandra & her team was well worth it & gave us an unforgettable vacation experience!

Iceland is a treasure! Great scenery, great people, very clean landscapes, bathrooms and superb water. We loved everything scheduled that we tried and couldn’t pick a favorite. As it was peak season we were delayed at customs . Our other setbacks were some unpaved roads and working with the internet/carplay. Still we saw amazing glaciers, lava flows, geysers, thermal hot springs, waterfalls, a lava cave, hiked around a volcanic crater and learned about geologic processes and Iceland’s history in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The food and hotels were above average. We recommend our tour guide Emanuela for your itinerary.

Activity Reviews

Reykjavík Puffin Watching

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the South Coast

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Food

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Geothermal Bakery Experience

Golden Circle

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Back to the mainland

Westman Islands

Loved seeing the puffins! Great food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ferry service efficient.

Transport

Depart Iceland

Iceland

The kiosk at United Airlines wasn’t working to print the luggage strips so we and many other passengers had to wait in the main line even though we had checked luggage online.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive back and more of the South Coast

Iceland

Enjoyed the promontory and more puffin and bird watching.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Not applicable

Transport

We had a great trip to Iceland! Was grateful to have Othman making bookings for us, especially for hotels, and planning the overall route while still leaving flexibility in many of our days. We somehow got great weather, too, which was a bonus. Othman was very responsive to our questions and requests for changes. Would definitely use KimKim (and Othman) again.

Activity Reviews

FlyOver Iceland

Reykjavík

Loved this.

Skaftafell Glacier Hike

Iceland

Well-organized, great guide, cool experience.

Puffin and Volcano Tour

Westman Islands

Ebbi is a great tour guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Every detail was thoughtfully arranged, and the entire experience felt seamless, safe, and beautifully curated.
Arenal was one of the best travel experiences we’ve ever had. We loved our stay at Casa Luna Hotel & Spa, peaceful, lush, and welcoming. The Arenal Volcano short hike was wonderful, offering stunning views and a comfortable pace. The food throughout the region was excellent, and the organic cooking class was a standout: part farming lesson, part cultural immersion, and entirely memorable.
The boat ride across Arenal Lake to Monteverde was serene and scenic, and our stay at Sibū Boutique Hotel was modern, comfortable, and perfectly located. Although the Monteverde night hike didn’t reveal many animals, we still spotted a few rare creatures, and the guide made the experience worthwhile. The Bat Jungle was surprisingly unique and educational. Monteverde itself offered a very special mountain atmosphere, misty, quiet, and full of character.
Overall, the trip was beautifully planned, stress‑free, and full of meaningful experiences. We are grateful for the care and expertise that went into creating this itinerary.

Great trip - definitely recommend visiting places in Australia 🇦🇺 that are in addition to Sydney, Melbourne, and the Great Barrier Reef. Ayers Rock, Darwin and Perth are all wonderful additions if you have time. Lindsey was able to put together the perfect trip for my partner and me. She was very responsive in the pre planning phase and during the trip when an issue arose. This is my second kimkim trip experience and both have been great!

Hotel Reviews

Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel

Mascot, Sydney, NSW

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crowne Plaza Perth

East Perth

Good option in Perth. - friendly staff and nice rooms. Breakfast was enjoyable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel

Jabiru

Unique design but it’s dated. Served it purpose. They know they have a captive audience and treat you as such in the restaurant and bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Friendliness and can do attitude of bar and restaurant staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Gardens Hotel

Yulara

Rustic and nice. Centrally located with easy access to other venues in the immediate area. Bus shuttle was nice to use. Staff friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Novotel Darwin CBD

Darwin

Oh boy this place needs to be taken off the list - 🐜 ants in the room, waited over 15 minutes for someone to check me into the hotel (no staff present at all), when they want to fine you because steam from bathroom might set off fire alarm - then it’s time to leave this place - fortunately I didn’t have this issue but why put it on the hotel guest?!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Perth Private Transfer Fremantle Gaol to Hotel

Australia

Perth Private Transfer Airport to Hotel

Australia

Darwin Private Transfer Airport to Hotel

Darwin

Uluru Shuttle Transfer Airport to Hotel

Uluru

Darwin Private Transfer Hotel to Airport

Darwin

2 Day Kakadu & East Alligator River - Day 2

Australia

This was one of the best excursions on the trip - definitely do!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was awesome here!

Transport

2 Day Kakadu & East Alligator River - Day 1

Australia

AAT Kings messed my reservation up but they got it right at the end of the day. Double check with your contact to make sure the operator has you booked for the right day!! Day 1 was nice but Day 2 was more active and enriching.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bus driver very accommodating given he had to wait for my taxi to catch up!

Transport

Perth Private Transfer Hotel to Airport

Australia

Pinnacle Sunset and Night Time Stargazing Tour

Perth

Sunset over the Indian Ocean, followed by seeing the Pinnacles and then stargazing. Definitely worthy the time and effort.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Darwin City Sights

Darwin

Great way to get your bearings for walking around the town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Uluru Shuttle Transfer Hotel to Airport

Uluru

A Night at Field of Light

Uluru

Wow - even with an overcast night it was a great experience with the sunset, dinner, lecture and tour of the Field of Light.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Uluru Sunrise & Kata Tjuta

Uluru

Early morning but worth the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our second trip to Italy with kimkim. Our local specialist Leslie took our requests and planned our accommodations, tours, and transfers to suit us perfectly. Our tours of the Duomo and the Last Supper with local guides from Liv Tours were wonderful. Our group tour of the villa on Isola del Garda was a nice way to spend a day on the lake. We loved exploring the sights and streets of Verona. Our last stop in Trieste was memorable as it is an Italian city like no other. We were impressed with the architecture, sea views, restaurants and the vibe of the city. Lastly, our tour with a winemaker in Colli Orientali del Friuli was the perfect way to end our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Boutique Hotel Albero Nascosto

Trieste

Loved location, comfort of the room and the friendly, helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Indigo Verona - Grand Hotel Des Arts

Verona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just outside of historic centre.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mattress was very comfortable. Shower stall is a little tight.

Hotel Europa

Desenzano del Garda

Great location and breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, but mattress is thin. Hallways are not air conditioned.

Hotel Milu Milano

Milano

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to subway and shopping

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wine Tasting - A Taste of Friuli’s Hill Country

Trieste

An in depth tour with the winemaker. Great wine and food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A Guided Visit to the Isola del Garda (Garda Island

Sirmione

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Express Milan Duomo Tour with Terrace Access

Italy

Great guide and perfect length.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Express Milan Last Supper Tour

Milan

Perfect length to learn about the painting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The railroad from Flam was one of my favorites! Nice surprise to have Nora come out of the waterfall singing. The transportation and hotel arrangements were well organized.

The trip was well planned from beginning to end. Leslie did an amazing job with selecting hotels that were novel and also in walking distance to the town centers.

We were concerned because of the record heat wave but we should have trusted in the team all the hotels had a good temperature. They either had AC or they were high in altitude and it was cooler or, in one case, the hotel was specifically designed to maintain a low room temperature despite lacking an AC.

Drivers came on time, hotels were unique, the tours were educational. The whole trip just worked like a well oiled machine.

Highly recommend this company, especially if you want to design your own trip.

We just returned from our 10 day trip to Spain and could not be happier with our experience. The Kim Kim team made planning our trip easy. We worked with Coraima and Summer but members of the team jumped in when needed. The response time to questions/concerns was always quick. When our train was going to be cancelled I sent a message and options for new transportation were offered immediately.

Our group loved the tours that were suggested. The tour guides and private chef experiences were some of our best memories. If we had planned on our own this is something we would have missed out on.

We are very happy we chose to work with your team.

Mil gracias!!!