Kimkim Trip Reviews

The trip was amazing, we saw all the things we wanted to and everything was so well planned out for us. We loved the Ring of Kerry drive most, do not miss Valentina Island and the Kerry Cliffs.. wow! The one thing we might have changed was staying in Killarney for 3 nights instead of 2, you can spend a whole day just in the national park, so much to see!

Coraima planned an amazing honeymoon trip for us in Portugal. Our guides Frederico and Alex gave us all the beauty of Sintra and ended each day with great local authentic restaurant recommendations. Sintra Marmòis Camelia is beautiful hotel that also gave us access to free live music and wine tastings at their sister hotel within walking distance.
Our time at Casa de São Domingos in Regua was wonderful. This is a beautiful place with breathtaking views everywhere you look. Vasco gave us a great tour of his family winery Quinta Barqueiros. It felt more like we were hanging out with a friend in their home who was explaining their passion and career to us than paying an overtired guide just trying to get through the day.
Lagos is beautiful and we will hopefully be able to spend more time in Algarve in the future. MN56 has it all and is right in the heart of all the action. We questioned whether we should do both the kayak and boat tour on back to back days. Do them both! Our walking food tour with Sophia was potentially the highlight of the trip. She was friendly, funny, and showed us some of the best food we have ever had.
Our cooking class with Chef Angela at Cooking Lisbon which included a trip to the market together was an unforgettable experience. I only wish we had more time to spend in Lisbon. If you’re visiting Portugal you MUST go see Fado. We had a delicious dinner accompanied by live Fado at a rustic family run restaurant called Senhora do Fado.
My wife and I are very busy and planning a trip like this isn’t something that falls in our wheelhouse. Coraima and KimKim made it so easy to take this trip. Our hotels, transfers, and daily activities were all planned and everything happened seamlessly every step of the way. The KimKim app gave us our itinerary at our fingertips and made contacting any guides, drivers, hotels, etc. foolproof.

I absolutely 10/10 recommend Coraima and KimKim for planning any travel/vacations and can guarantee we will be repeat customers.

Philip was an amazing tour guide. He took us to Sintra and Cascais and was fabulous in imparting his knowledge on history and culture. He made the trip richer with his insights. We looooooved the wine tour in the Algarve. Our hotels were great and the entire trip went off absolutely seamlessly. Our trip planners and guides communicated impeccably. Everything ran like clockwork. We loved Lisbon and Lagos. The food was fantastic and we were able to work some of it off climbing many hills!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisbon

Hotel was well located near the Avenida da Liberdade and the Principe Real neighborhoods. The hotel is beautiful and historic. We had to leave too early for the breakfast but they have an afternoon happy hour and the staff is lovely. We were upgraded to a spacious junior suite.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The MN56 Hotel

Lagos

Hotel is located right in the middle of the historic part of town. It was a great location for exploring the city, accessing the marina on foot and accessing the Ponta da Piedade with a short walk. The pool was nice to have and there is a nice area to sit outside of your room. Room had ample space.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

AlmaLusa Baixa & Chiado

Lisbon

We loved the location of this hotel. The staff were extremely accommodating and left us a lovely gift every day. The only downside is that there is no common space to sit outside of your room. The breakfast was perfect and the room was small but comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Benagil Cave Visit by RIB

Lagos (Algarve)

The cave was slightly disappointing. It's small and crowded with other boats inside. It was also a 30 minute speedboat ride down the coast each way and it was chilly on the ride. We enjoyed seeing other towns on the return trip as the boat went a little closer to the shore. Pretty coastal views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ponta da Piedade by Boat Excursion

Lagos (Algarve)

This was a nice morning boat trip. The guides were great and it's a lovely cruise at a relaxed pace and the views are gorgeous. Learned a lot about the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Where the Sea Meets the Vines - Winery Hopping

Lagos (Algarve)

This was our favorite day. We went to a small winery in an old convent. The guide was extremely knowledgeable and drove us around the property and amongst the vines to see the grapes and learn about the topography. We went to the production facility and learned about how the wine is made. The tasting room was beautiful and they had great wines and a lovely cheese plate for us. We then went to a second and larger winery with a gorgeous patio where we did the tasting outside. We tasted a number of wines and had tapas with it. The scenery is beautiful and we loved learning about wines we were unfamiliar with.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

🥾 Self-Guided Coastal Hike: Lagos Old Town to Ponta da Piedade

Lagos (Algarve)

Cannot say enough good things about this hike. We LOVED it. We had a lovely lunch at O Camilo - make a reservation as it was crowded and there was a long wait! The path has gorgeous views. It's also great for running and we went another night for a spectacular sunset, which was a very popular time there. The stairs to Praia de Camilo were unfortunately closed, and we read that's the best place to walk down to a beach. There is another set of stairs further down the path but they do not lead to a beach. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Traditional Portuguese Food Walk

Lisbon

This was a great food tour. It was less walking than I had expected and didn't include any hills! The tour description said we would have 16 tastes, but we had 12. The tour also lasted 30 minutes longer than noted, but this wasn't a problem for us. Our guide was great and we saw some new areas of the city on the walk. They also accommodated non meat-eaters and non-alcohol drinkers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Palaces to the Edge of Europe – Sintra & Cabo da Roca

Lisbon

This was a great day. Unfortunately, we were not aware of how windy and chilly Sintra can be in May. We were freezing cold at Pena Palace, all of which is either outdoors or in the open. It was very different weather in Sintra than Lisbon. The town of Sintra is adorable and our tour guide, Philip, treated us to amazing pastries. We really enjoyed Quinta da Regaleira. It was warmer there and a beautiful day to walk around. We stopped at Cabo da Roca to take a quick picture, but didn't stay long as it was extremely windy. We had a nice afternoon in Cascais.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Booking with Active India Holidays was the best decision I could have made for this trip to India. Everything was so well handled from the airport pick-up and drop-offs to the hotel check-ins. We stayed in 5 different cities, and in each we had beautiful and comfortable hotels, amazing tour guides, and excellent drivers. Our favorite driver throughout the whole trip was Mr. Brijesh- he was with us for 3 of the 5 cities, and he made the journey smoother. He drove very safely, was always punctual, and always polite. He also had everything we needed in his trunk, such as cold water and umbrellas for the hot days. Mr. Ganesh, our airport representative, was amazing. He took his time to explain everything to us, made us feel welcome in India, and was very helpful during our first city transfer. We really liked all of our tour guides: They were all very punctual, helpful, informative, and polite. All of our guides were so kind to take many of our photos. Mr. Dharmender in Delhi was so patient with us- keeping up with our pace, answering all of our questions, and even thought of giving us quick history lessons in the shaded areas. He took us to a place where we got gorgeous and reasonably priced indian wear. Mr. Mohan in Varanasi was very amenable - we had to rearrange our tours due to a medical issue, and Mr. Mohan was very nice to work with us, but also made sure we still could visit everywhere we had planned to. In Agra, Mr. Ronit was very thoughtful when it came to visiting the Taj Mahal and making sure we were aware of the tourist traps. He took lovely pictures and had all the perfect angles. He also made sure that nobody was directly in our photos. Mr. Surya from Jaipur was ultimately one of our favorites. He made my mother's birthday so special by thinking of the perfect location for her to be surprised with her birthday cakes and allowed her to have beautiful pics. While we are on the topic of my mother's birthday, we want to give Active India Holiday a very special thank you for making her day so exceptional and memorable. Mr. Suyra was a great conversationalist and made our time in Jaipur very pleasant. Additionally, he made us aware of tourist traps and took us to affordable places to buy anything we needed. Mr. Suraj in Mumbai was very helpful and flexible with us. He allowed us to do as much as we could before leaving for the airport. Furthermore, he took some amazing videos( with our permission, of course) and made some wonderful videos for us.
Overall, this trip was unforgettable, and it was all thanks to this company.

Activity Review

Taj Mahal Sunrise Visit

Agra

A Must! Not only is the weather cool at sunrise, but there aren't so many people there. It allows for great pictures and lets you take your time to marvel at this phenomenal, gorgeous building.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angel was absolutely wonderful to work with while planning my trip to Japan. Traveling through several cities can be overwhelming, but she made the entire process seamless from start to finish.

Having every detail organized and a clear plan in place allowed me to relax and truly enjoy the experience. With accommodations, transportation, and tours were carefully coordinated, and everything went smoothly throughout the trip.

What I appreciated most was that Angel checked in along the way and reminders of the next days activities. She was always available if I had any questions.

I highly recommend Kim Kim to anyone planning a trip, especially a more complex itinerary. Kim kim took the stress out of travel planning and helped make my Japan adventure an unforgettable experience

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Tokyo Hotel

Tokyo

Great location and shuttle service to Shinjuku. Rooms were spacious and clean

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu

Hakone

property is beautiful, peaceful and surrounded by stunning mountain scenery. The onsen facilities were a highlight of my stay. The staff was AMAZING !!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma

Kyoto

Clean and comfortable hotel. Rooms were great size and laundry on site and location was great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Tokyo Haneda Airport

Tokyo

clean and quite and close to Hotel

Authenticity & Character

clean

Location

Haneda airport location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kamakura Historical Walking Tour with the Great Buddha

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Onsen, Ryokan, and Mt. Fuji Experience in Hakone

Hakone

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nara Half Day Trip Walking Tour

Japan

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kyoto Arashiyama Rickshaw Tour

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Zen Meditation & Garden Tour at a Zen Temple with traditional Sho-jin lunch

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Geisha (Maiko) Tea Ceremony & Show

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Glimpse into Shinto Religion: Fushimi Inari Taisha Visit

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We worked with Lucie for a custom vacation in France. During the planning process, we split the trip adding additional days in England. Lucie was very patient, figuring out how to incorporate our varied requests. Our 9 day, 8 night trip was split between Paris and London with custom add-ons at each location. Lucie added transfers to/from each hotel and also coordinated train tickets between Paris and London. In Paris, we started off with an authentic sidecar tour with Retro Tour Paris. Though the weather didn't fully cooperate, the experience was amazing and something we would have never thought of. They asked us what we've seen and what we wanted to see and crafted a custom tour route based on our feedback--fantastic. We ended the day with an awesome dinner Seine River cruise with Bateau-Pariseans. My family agrees that the river cruise was a major highlight. Day 2 we had a long trip out to Mont Saint-Michel with Blue Fox Tours. Was well worth the long ride there and back (~3.5 hour) if you haven't been before. Day 3 we had a gourmet food tour in Saint Germain des Pres which was pretty cool. It was in the same neighborhood as our really cool hotel (Hotel Baume) so we really enjoyed the sights (and tastes). Speaking of the Hotel Baume=winner! Boutique hotel in great location. Day 4 we had another long day taking a tour of the D-Day beaches in Normandy. Again, with Blue Fox Tours. Both day tours with Blue Fox were great and would highly recommend them. Day 5 we travelled the Eurostar (premium) from Paris to London and hit the ground running with a visit to the Bukingham Palace Kings Gallery exhibit of Elizabeth II's wardrobe-was really interesting though geared toward those with a love of fashion. On day 6 we had a 1/2 day trip out to Windsor Castle with Anderson's Tours--was really well done and worth doing. We had free time in the afternoon so we added on a visit to the Tower of London. We scheduled that on our own and Anderson Tours dropped us off there right after returning from Windsor. Day 7 started off with a visit to Churchill War Rooms and Westminster Abbey. Since we had an evening free, we added a Soho viewing of The Devil Wears Prada. Again, we coordinated that on our own but a great addition to our trip. On day 8 we wanted to take a day trip out to see Clarkson's Farm but turn out there were not specific tours to get there and would have to get there on our own, not necessarily easy from London. So, we turned to Viator and booked a Cotswold Day tour going to three separate quintessential English villages conducted by Evans & Evans Tours---well worth it and would recommend it. Regarding out hotel in London, it was at the Park Plaza Victoria--a great hotel at great location. Both hotels were excellent and both in convenient locations with transportation, food, and shopping nearby. What I am not reviewing in any detail are the gaps in our schedule--filled with visits to shops and cafes which was as much of a highlight as any of the formal tours. Taking the metro in Paris and Tube in London is part of the experience. Lucie was available anytime we needed her to answer any questions and was great from start to finish.

All our tours and guides (Joris, Cecilia, Ferit, Roxane, and Dimitri) were wonderful. Extremely pleasant, knowledgeable, and easy to understand. They made us feel welcomed and provided many useful tips and recommendations. Our driver to/from the Loire Valley, Nicholas, was wonderful.

Hotels were in great locations and all clean and comfortable. In addition, the staff at each one was helpful and accommodating. The rooms at Chateau Artigny, Grand Hotel du Luxembourg, and Le Relais Saint Michel could use some minor upgrades.

We enjoyed several outstanding meals in all the cities we visited especially Paris. Chateau de Belle Fountaine in Bayeux, the house restaurant in Le Relais Saint Michel and Colere in Paris were especially memorable. The dinner cruise on the Seine was also excellent. Also want to give an extra shout out to La Guingette de Montbazon for a great casual meal and complimentary ride back to Chateau Artigny.

Just got back from an amazing trip to Morocco. Hakim did great job with the itinerary and picked hotels that were amazing. We really enjoyed our driver, Adil, who was with us for the 10 days. The guides were also fantastic. Especially Abdul in Rabat and the food tour with Hynan in Marrakech. For the food tour, go hungry. As Hynan said, it’s not a tasting tour, it’s an eating tour.

It was all such a great experience. I will definitely be using KimKim again.

Activity Review

Food Tour & Local Gastronomy

Morocco

Go hungry. It’s not a tasting tour, it’s an eating tour. We couldn’t even make it to all of the stops we were so full. Hynan was great and a lot of fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip that we booked through KimKim with our agent Erika was better than we even dreamed it could be! From the very beginning we were amazed at how perfectly Erika had matched the tours to our distinct likes and wants. The food tour in Athens with Alternative Athens was so fascinating to be able to understand the story behind why this food and the way it is prepared is important and what to look for when buying these items. Sitting around the tables with others as conversations erupted and enjoying the food was a highlight. Naxos was our favorite island and one we know we would choose to return to. The Adriana hotel was so convenient and beautiful with the ability to walk to everything within 10 minutes, and we loved eating our lovely breakfast outside every morning. The countryside walk with Naxos Cultural Tours was absolutely amazing and our guide Elizabeth was fantastic. Her knowledge and just overall kindness and joy about everything and everyone we encountered was intoxicating. The Gerofinikas Hotel on Sifnos though was the ultimate highlight of our trip. It was like walking into a dream world of luxury that we didn't know existed! Everything is geared around being outside and all your needs were met with such quiet kindness. The staff truly made you believe they existed only to make your trip magnificent. From delicious food eaten outside with the most stunning landscape, to handcrafted drinks from the bar to the on demand coffee shop we felt so pampered. We truly did not want to leave that magical place. The experience we will never forget though was the cooking class at Narlis Farms. Cooking with George in his farmhouse, walking his farm as he educated us on farming without water, and then eating the dishes we made around his large kitchen table will be what we will continue to daydream about for many years. Milos was full of beautiful beaches that continued to take your breath away, and the catamaran adventure would've been much more enjoyable if it hadn't been 65 and cloudy, but no one can control the weather! We loved our food and wine tour though with Micheal from Travel Me to Milos! We felt like we were hanging out with an old friend who truly wanted us to love his home and we could've stayed with him all day. All in all, the trip was way more than we had hoped to experience, and we truly didn't have one low point or regret. I've never been able to say that about an international trip, so we are extremely grateful to KimKim and have told all our friends about the great value of your travel agency. Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Adriani Hotel

Naxos Town

We loved the ability to walk to anything we desired in town. Everything was within a 10 minute walk. The morning breakfast were such a highlight as well as the food was a wide range of delicious authentic Greek food and we always chose the option of eating outside on the covered patio amongst the beautiful flowers and weather. The owners were so helpful and we even rented a car through them that gave us the ability to travel all across the island. Our room was spacious and very comfortable with a large shared sundeck and view of the city. A great experience!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gerofinikas Boutique Hotel

Sifnos

The Gerofinikas Hotel was like stepping into a magical land of luxury from the first moment we walked through the entrance in the hedge. We both seriously gasped! The extraordinary view that you receive from anywhere that you're outside in the resort is worth the stay alone, but the experience doesn't end there. They pamper you with a private small scale restaurant only available to guests that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, where you can either eat inside or on the covered patio with that incredible view. A full service coffee bar and bar open all day where they will serve you by the pool or lounging area. Each room has a secluded patio with that once again incredible view where you can lounge away. The staff was so calming and kind and truly made you feel that they existed to make your stay the best it could possibly be. It is only a 10-15 min walk from two nearby towns with many restaurant offerings as well if you choose to go out. Our stay at the Gerofinikas Boutique Hotel will forever be the highlight or our trip to Greece, and I will go so far to say that you should go to Sifnos, if only to experience this hotel. We will never forget it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Their kindness and desire to make your stay as wonderful as possible.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Food & Wine Discovery Drive

Milos

Taking this tour with Michael was like hanging out with an old friend from the moment we got in the car. He was so fun, knowledgeable and real about growing up on this island, the good and the bad. We had so many great conversations and his love and passion for Milos is so evident. We would've hung out with him all day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The car was a brand new Mercedes SUV, so it was definitely luxurious.

Traditional Cooking Class at Country Farm

Sifnos

This experience was hands down the highlight of our trip. Getting to spend this time with George around his table, in his kitchen and as he walked us through his fields explaining how to grow produce without water will be an experience we will never forget. His knowledge and love for preserving these ancient ways enchanted us and helped us realize what life on this island was truly like and what is being lost. Plus when do you get to sit around a table with a celebrity chef getting to eat food that he lovingly prepared? It was like being invited over for a family dinner but with a loving education provided as well. This is definitely a not to be missed experience for foodies and nature lovers alike!

Quality of Experience

Food

FANTASTICALLY DELICIOUS!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were able to walk there in under 10 minutes from our hotel the Gerofinikas.

Private Countryside Walk: Naxian Villages & Local Food

Naxos

We had the most amazing time with our wonderful guide Elizabeth who was so kind and truly joyful with everyone and animal we encountered. Her love and knowledge of Naxos completely shown through, and she led us on the most charming walking tour through several villages. When she learned of my love for Greek mythology, she immediately begin weaving her great knowledge of the local area with so many of the stories. This is something I will not forget! To be able to connect so many of this iconic stories with actual real places was amazing. The food, wine, liquor and people we became acquainted with through her were definitely a highlight of our trip to Greece. You don't want to miss this tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

It was all so fresh and absolutely delicious. Plus there was so much of it, that we couldn't finish half of what we were given!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Elizabeth and our driver were wonderful hostsQ!

Transport

The car was very luxurious and seemed brand new.

This trip was a 'bucket list' adventure for my mother-in-law, who is in her late 70s and very active and engaged with the world. Adam worked with us to see and experience as much as we could in 9 days, 4 different areas, and a variety of activities. I can say without hesitation that the trip exceeded our expectations, not only because Portugal is a welcoming country with a rich and long history, but because all of our drivers, guides and accommodations were exceptional. There were 2 instances when plans needed to shift or an activity was cancelled due to weather or operator reasons. The KimKim team helped us to pivot easily and refunds for cancelled activities were processed quickly and without hassle. We landed in Lisbon and trained to Porto the first day, which really helped manage jetlag and made a lot of sense for flow of travel. In Porto we had a fabulous driver (Miguel) who arranged for us to go to a fado dinner in Gaia, a little more off the beaten track. It was incredibly memorable and evocative. Our accommodation at Quinta do Vallado in the Duoro Valley was exceptional and the private wine tour with Vasco from Quinta Barquieros D'Ouro felt like the perfect way to see and learn about the wine making in this region. My favourite activity was the 2-hour cycling through vineyards. It was beautiful with stops to pick cherries from the trees. My mother-in-law was in awe of the Joanina Library in Coimbra and that experience was 100% her favourite memory. Also, it was nearing the annual party for the students of the University of Coimbra so we got to experience a small taste of their academic and social traditions. Finally, the bustle of Lisbon was a great finish, as was the day trip to Sintra and Cascais. Thanks to all the folks at KimKim and their excellent choices of guides and drivers, we had the best trip to Portugal we could imagine!

Hotel Review

Quinta do Vallado

Peso da Regua

Stunning hotel. I was expecting something traditional from the outside but it was modern and elegant on the inside. The fountains and the birdsong added to the ambiance on the balcony. The breakfasts were lovely and relaxed. A true escape in a beautiful setting.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Gaia Port Tasting Walk

Portugal

I didn't think I would really like Port wine, but after learning about it, I came home with 3 bottles. Our guide was enthusiastic and I appreciated the structure of a large, small and micro approach to port making. Definitely a must-do!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip to Normandy was wonderful. The car rental upon arrival was difficult but finally was resolved, with attentive help from Emilie. Thank you. We were just very tired from an overnight flight so the difficulty was worse. Anyway once on our way we had a good trip. Accommodations were beautiful, comfortable and friendly. Michael and Gil were great! Bayeux was a nice town. Wish we had stayed one more day. Both guides we had for our tours were great. So informative and interesting. We had two really nice dinners and some good wine. Overall, really glad we added this short trip to our cruise.

Hotel Review

Hotel particulier le clos de la croix

Bayeux

Michael and Gil are great hosts! Room comfortable and beautiful. Beautiful garden as well!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Giverny House & Gardens of Claude Monet (Entrance Tickets)

France

Beautiful gardens! House was interesting. Very crowded. Need better instructions as to parking and entrance

Quality of Experience

Omaha & Utah Beach War History Day Trip

Bayeux

Nice overview. If want to delve in more and visit museums need to take a second day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Mont-Saint-Michel Day Trip with Entrance Tickets (Rental Car)

France

Beautiful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

24/7 assistance in case of emergency

France

Very helpful when car reservation had been cancelled

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I had always wanted to travel to Turkey, but we were unsure how to navigate the country and fit so much into a 10-day trip. We booked through KimKim, and Berat, Murat, and Hulya took care of all the details for us. We spent four days in Istanbul, three days in Cappadocia, one day in Ephesus, and two days in Bodrum. It was wonderful not to worry about the logistics; everything from domestic flights and private transfers to hotel accommodations was arranged for us.

All three of our guides were amazing. Zekiye showed us around Istanbul for two days, providing interesting historical and local context along the way while being incredibly personable. From historic sites like the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace to a trip across the Bosphorus to Kadikoy, we were able to experience many different sides of Istanbul. Efe spent two days with us in Cappadocia and took great care of us, facilitating fun and engaging visits to Kaymakli Underground City, Goreme Open Air Museum, and a local pottery shop in Avanos. Finally, Ozan took us to Ephesus for the day and even showed us around a bit of Izmir near our hotel. He brought great energy to the Ephesus tour and was very knowledgeable about the site's history.

We would definitely recommend the KimKim team to anyone traveling to Turkey! Turkey is a beautiful county, and we are already discussing when we can return for another visit.

Our trip to Ireland and Scotland was absolutely amazing.
We began in Dublin and stayed at the Kilronan House, a quaint place with a bed and breakfast feel. The rooms were extremely comfortable. The musical pub crawl was fun, also. A perfect introduction to Ireland! Then, we picked up our rental car (super easy process) and drove to Cashel to see the Rock of Cashel. We had pre-purchased vouchers for all of our planned stops, which I highly recommend b/c we were able to bypass several lines for ticket purchasing. We even took a random exit advertising Cahir Castle, which happened to have free admission on Wednesdays! In Killarney, we stayed at the Killaran House for 2 nights. Breda and her staff were exceptional! Our private guided tour of the Ring of Kerry was one of our trip highlights. Martin O'Riordan with M.O.R. Executive Travel IS THE BEST TOUR GUIDE. We all loved him. We took a horse & carriage tour of Killarney National Park & Castle (which was within walking distance of the Killaran House). Then, we drove to Doolin and toured the Cliffs of Moher, which were breath-taking. Our last top of the day was Galway (Hyde Hotel). The next day we drove to Belfast and dropped off the rental car. (I'm so glad we had a rental car - it gave us much more freedom.) A private transfer driver was waiting on us. (Cathy did a great job arranging all of our transportation needs!) We checked in to the Leonardo Hotel and then visited the Titanic experience. We had another private tour of the Antrim Coast and the Giant's Causeway. (We all agreed that we liked the private tours much better than the guided bus tour.) Cathy booked our flight to Inverness, Scotland from Belfast and arranged our transportation to/from the airports. She also booked our Loch Ness boat tour, our day trip to the Isle of Skye, and our train tickets from Inverness to Stirling to Edinburgh. Traveling by train was very easy and our lodging at the Redcliffe Hotel in Inverness included a wonderful view of Inverness Castle. Our lodging in Edinburgh (Apex Grassmarket Hotel) also included an incredible view of Edinburgh Castle. We felt really spoiled by Cathy. My family was very grateful for Cathy's expertise and knowledge in planning our trip to Ireland and Scotland. She made our vacation easy to navigate, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Ireland and Scotland.

Hotel Reviews

Apex Grassmarket Hotel

Edinburgh

Our view of Edinburgh Castle was amazing. Location was super convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Redcliffe Hotel

Inverness

The view from our window of the Inverness Castle was great. Within walking distance of downtown. They did a load of laundry for us and when we told them we were leaving too early to enjoy breakfast after our first night there, they prepared a lunch packet for each of us, including a sandwich, chips, fruit, a cereal bar, and a juice box. (We didn't ask for that.)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leonardo Hotel Belfast

Belfast

Loved the breakfast buffet

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hyde Hotel

Galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Killaran House

killarney

We all loved Killaran House. Breda and her staff were excellent. The room was comfortable and we loved the coffee/hot chocolate bar right outside of our room. Breakfast was excellent, as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Breda is very accommodating and so very nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kilronan House

Dublin 2

Our rooms were very clean and comfortable. The Kilronan House was very charming and my family would recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

Chris was a very knowledgeable tour guide. He was very accommodating as one of our members had knee issues and he was able to help us avoid many of the stairs on our route.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle is awesome. We saw the Scottish Crown Jewels here.

Quality of Experience

National Wallace Monument visit

Ireland

We climbed all 246 stairs to get to the top! This was an interesting place to visit.

Quality of Experience

Stirling Castle Tickets

Ireland

This castle was fun to tour.

Quality of Experience

Isle of Skye Daytrip from Inverness

Inverness

This tour was a guided bus tour and lasted all day. I would have enjoyed this better as a private tour. The scenery was beautiful and we got to experience 4 seasons in one day (it was sunny, it rained, sleeted, hailed and snowed.)

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Two hour cruise on the Canal and Loch - Loch Ness

Inverness

We didn't see Nessie but enjoyed this tour nonetheless.

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Private Tour Giant's Causeway and Antrim Coast

Belfast

James was our driver. He was great. He added a specific stop that we asked about (a filming location in Game of Thrones).

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Titanic experience

Belfast

Self-Guided

Quality of Experience

Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center tickets

Ireland

Breath-taking. You just have to see this. Pictures can't quite capture the awesomeness.

Quality of Experience

Killarney National Park Jaunt - From Park to Castle

Ireland

Picturesque. Loved the horse-drawn carriage.

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Private Guided Tour of The Ring of Kerry

Ireland

This was perhaps our favorite excursion. Our tour guide, Martin, was fabulous. We wanted to take him with us everywhere. Martin O'Riordan of M.O.R. Executive Travel.

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Rock of Cashel

Ireland

We enjoyed this tour. The setting was unique and we visited some shops in the town below.

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Musical Pub Crawl in Dublin

Dublin

We enjoyed this very much! Nice introduction to Ireland.

Quality of Experience

This trip was more amazing than I could ever imagine! Every facet of this trip was well thought out and carried out in a highly professional manner. Every interaction with staff, drivers, security was pleasurable and in some way rewarding. Our contact at Kim Kim, Anna-marie', was able to give us information on the fly whenever we reached out to her. SO MUCH behind the scenes work was done in order to make this trip a smooth vacation of a lifetime!

Everything from the planning stages until flying home at the end of our trip was seamless and well executed by kimkim. I started working with Hoa during the planning and booking but then Phuong stepped in before the trip and they were both wonderful. We had a great time with our guide Ron and driver Cow in Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. The excursions to the Elephant sanctuary and pig island/snorkeling was also great. Thank you so much!

Firstly, a heartful thanks to Paul - the trip wouldn’t have been as amazing without Paul’s help especially with us being 15+6 hours of flights away. You made the trip so much easier and end-to-end smoothly, so everyone could relax and enjoy the vacation, knowing everything was taken care of.

Also, a special thank you to Jeannin, our guide in Quito and the Amazon Rainforest. She shared rich local insights and historical background with real passion and experience, helping us understand Ecuador and its culture in the best possible way, rather than just simply a tour in lecture style. We had a good time spending time together like sisters and this would be one of our unforgettable moments of the trip <3

For anyone planning a trip to Ecuador, highly recommend Authentic Ecuador. Just share the attractions you would like to see (if you already have a few in mind), they will take care of the rest and everything’s set up for you!!

My 21 year-old daughter and I had an exciting and memorable trip to Bangkok and northern Thailand. Bella was very responsive to our requests to see the beautiful temples, eat delicious street food and explore nature. Our tour guides and drivers in Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Pai and Chiang Mai were kind and knowledgeable.

Hotel Reviews

The Park Nine Suvarnabhumi

Bangkok

Conveniently located near airport but very comfortable.

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The Quarter Pai hotel

I really liked how this hotel was surrounded by nature but was walking distance to the center of town. Pretty hotel grounds with big trees and chirping birds.

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Buri Sriping Riverside Resort & Spa

Chiang Mai

Beautifully decorated lobby and rooms. The staff is very kind and helpful.

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Mora Boutique Hotel

Great location. Walking distance to night market and town center. Beautiful and spacious rooms.

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Nysa Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 11

Bangkok

Great location and very clean. Nice pool.

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Activity Reviews

Chiang Mai Night Market visit with local guide

Chiang Mai

A lot of fun! Tried new dishes. Our tour guide was terrific.

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Famous Golden Triangle Exploration

Thailand

Thus wasn’t on my radar but was do happily surprised by the history I learned about the region and neighboring countries.

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Welcome to Chiang Rai and highlights visit

Chiang Rai

An unforgettable experience exploring the white and blue temples and black house. Also loved the tour of the Golden Triangle. I learned so much history!

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Yaowarat Street Food Tour (Chinatown)

Bangkok

Our tour guide was great but it was a little too crowded for my daughter and I. The food was delicious.

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Food

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Bangkok Highlights Exploration

Bangkok

The tour guide was wonderful - very knowledgeable and kind.

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Both Pitt and Hideo were wonderful guides to the beautiful country of Japan, five stars for both. The trip was well organized and went very smooth thanks to the planning assistance. We just had to show up every day ready to roll and the guides took care of the rest! Would do it again!

Our guides were some of the most memorable parts of this trip:
Pitt was incredibly enthusiastic, professional and knowledgeable. He made every day super fun and was so kind. He also takes amazing photos!
Hideo was calm, knowledgeable and made us feel so comfortable while navigating the cities of Kyoto and Osaka. He always had great suggestions for places to eat and shop

Fantastic trip to Spain with our young boys. We can not have chosen better accommodations ourselves. The Palacio solecio and Casa de las Artes were amazing and we would happily stay there again. The day trips to Granada and Ronda were incredible and made more so by our guides Ruth and Carlos.
We would have liked to have had the visits to the palace and cathedral in Sevilla organised for us. We were told by everyone in Sevilla it is a must visit so we were surprised these were not included. But the walking tour was fantastic. We enjoyed exploring the old city and learning about the quirks and stories of this beautiful city. Our accommodation in Sevilla was lovely and Ana looked after us very well. We were however swamped by crowds and noise outside of the apartment by a Netflix premiere which was being set up across the road from our apartment which made getting in and out a bit tricky and kept us up at night.
We organised our own additional jamon excursion to Jabugo which we loved. Such an amazing day in the countryside tasting very high quality jamon.
Overall, a fantastic trip and we would love to return to Spain soon!