Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our driver was excellent and made the trip most enjoyable. It would not have been the same without him. He was kind, considerate and went out of his way to make the trip most pleasurable for us. Lela will provide a more detailed review after we return home.

All of our arrangements were done well. We enjoyed both the provided tours and exploring on our own. Our guides were very knowledgeable and great people to talk with as well. The drivers for our transfers were also wonderful. I think one thing that will always stay with me is the feeling I got as I climbed the steps at Monte Alban, knowing that those same steps were once walked upon by the Zapotec people very long ago.

Hotel Reviews

El Sueño Hotel & Spa

Puebla

The room was clean and nice, but we noticed that the lamps by the bed kept flickering and upon inspection the wiring for them was scary. The restaurant was kind of spendy with a limited offering. The breakfast that came with the room was okay at best, and also very limited.

Authenticity & Character

A bit too much spa like for our taste.

Location

The location was good, near most of what you will want to see in Puebla.

Staff

The staff were wonderful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was clean and comfortable.

Majagua

Oaxaca

It felt like some of the staff was exhausted and overworked. The bar was supposed to be a restaurant too but all we saw was a rudimentary breakfast. Most of the staff were pleasant and helpful, but others, not so much. The facility was quite pleasant looking and most things worked well.

Authenticity & Character

New and modern but I prefer traditional.

Location

Adjacent to a great park with lots going on and one of the best Italian restaurants I’ve been to - Arte Italia.

Staff

Mostly fine.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa González

Mexico City

We have stayed at this hotel twice now, it is always clean, the gardens are beautiful and a pleasure to sit and relax in after a day of exploring. The breakfast they offer is as good as you will find in any of the restaurants nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Like the city itself, it is a mix of newer amenities but, with that old world look and charm.

Location

It is located in an area that is very walkable to many sites in Mexico City.

Staff

The staff is warm and friendly, as well as always being ready to help, rather you need something in your room or a recommendation.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This is. Very clean hotel, they also offer laundry service for a reasonable fee.

Activity Reviews

Explore the history and crafts of Oaxaca through Monte Alban, Arrazola, Cuilapam and Coyotepec.

Oaxaca

Fabulous!

Puebla City Tour & Talavera Workshop

Puebla

Bottom line - I’d do it again.

Clemens and crew did an amazing job of putting together a fantastic itinerary on short notice! All plans worked well as we made our way through to countries and over 1000 miles of travel. All accommodations were excellent, trips and tours were interesting and exciting. I endorse using Clemens and his team on any European adventure!

Michael from Chaska Tours set up the perfect itinerary for our family’s vacation. We had fascinating cultural experiences, delicious food, exciting adventures and peaceful relaxation. Knowing that everyday was meticulously planned, including all the drivers and the guides and even most of the meals allowed us to truly enjoy everyday and not have to worry about any logistics. Everyone of our guides (Froi, Sebastian, Joi, Nancy, Thomas, Carlos, Gloria, Mary) was knowledgeable, helpful and kind. Experiencing Colombia with Colombians by our side allowed us to learn so much more about this wonderful country and its people. By the end of our time with them, our guides felt like our friends. I would highly recommend kimkim and Chaska Tours in Columbia if you are interested in an active, immersive, and adventurous trip and don’t have or want to spend the time to organize every little detail.

Hotel Reviews

Ermita, Cartagena, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

El Cabrero, Cartagena

Villa Maria Tayrona, a Kali Hotels

Los Naranjos

Dann Carlton Medellin Hotel

Medellin

Activity Reviews

Rosario Island Beach Day (Coralina Island)

Colombia

The staff at Coralina Island was very accommodating and helpful. The water was spectacular. They have a boat and a kayak available to use for no additional cost. It was the perfect way to end an active and busy holiday.

Boquilla Mangrove Tour

Cartagena

Peaceful and beautiful tour led by a local. Very authentic and another opportunity to see the real Cartagena. A great tour for bird lovers and watchers. A demonstration of how the locals catfish and an opportunity to do it yourself.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Market Visit & Cooking Class

Cartagena

Visiting Bazurto market was one of the highlights of my time in Colombia. I am pretty sure we were the only tourists there. I felt like I was experiencing the true Cartagena. The sight of all the colorful fruits and vegetables; the sounds of a community coming together, playing music and doing business; the smell of the food, the heat from the oil and coals, all added up to an unforgettable sensory treat. Our cooking instructor, Gloria, led us through the creation of a truly memorable and delectable meal.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Tour & Street Food

Cartagena

My whole family loved trying the street food of Cartagena as well as all of the tropical fruits and juices that we are not familiar with in North America. Our guide Nancy’s love for her country, food, and culture was infectious and rubbed off on us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a walking tour and I like walking

Full Day Trek on the Bunkuany Trail

Colombia

Joi led us on a fun-filled, challenging and rewarding trek through the beautiful Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains to a beautiful and fascinating ruin of an indigenous village. The lunch prepared by the family living on the mountain was delicious. The refreshing and cool swim in the river was rejuvenating and exhilarating.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day: Urban Art & E-Bike Experience

Medellín

It was a pleasure to spend time with our guide Thomas and immerse ourselves in the energy of Medellín.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Serendipity did a fantastic job organising our trip in Costa Rica- plenty of planning discussion on the hotels, schedule and wildlife experiences.. Elena and Nancy were extremely helpful and had lots of useful suggestions to make sure we had plenty of bird watching, nature tours, and visits to Guayabo monument and Turrialba volcano. The trip was amazing and we had great fun managing to dodge between the rain showers even in Tortuguera which provided excellent photographic opportunities on the boats to get close to wildlife, including sloths! Adrian was on hand via the WhatsApp link and was extremely helpful in suggesting additional trips and making sure our pick-ups went to plan. All accommodation was spot on - clean, spacious with great restaurants - lots of rice and beans! All our guides were really knowledgeable and highly motivated. All in all a wonderful holiday, thank you KimKim and Serendipity!

Hotel Reviews

Rancho Naturalista

Cartago

A wonderful place for bird watching and knowledgeable guides ! Meals at set times on shared tables, so plenty of opportunity to talk with other guests

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Turire

Turrialba

Wonderful hotel full of character and with fabulous gardens. Huge room and great service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Cameleon Boutique Hotel

Puerto Viejo

Fabulous jungle setting, restaurant and beach across the road but very easy access.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to get access to Cahuita and Manzanillo parks. Try Nenas restaurant close by for rice and beans!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tortuga Lodge & Gardens

Tortuguero

Superb room overlooking the river, excellent food and great guides (Manuel and Bernardo). Fantastic boat trips getting close to wildlife.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

Close to airport and welcoming, frequent shuttle. Special Valentine's breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Birding at Rancho Naturalista

Turrialba

Thoroughly enjoyed the bird watching- from the early morning feeding of the birds in the garden to the walk around the estate.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fabian was an excellent guide - spotted lots of birds we would have missed.

Transport

Archaeological Tour of Guayabo National Monument

Turrialba

Interesting - you do need a guide to understand the history and what remains of the structures.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Roseta was especially enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the archaeology and birds. Sergio was a great and safe driver and took us to an authentic Soda cafe for lunch.

Transport

Private Hike Turrialba Volcano

Costa Rica

Once the cloud cleared (luckily) great views and an interesting hike around the side of the volcano seeing the dead forest and new agriculture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Cahuita National Park Excursion + Group Snorkeling

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

The Park was good and the guide excellent - saw 10 sloths and 2 snakes but relatively few birds, great path by the sea. Part of the track was closed due to wet weather. Our snorkeling was cancelled due to poor visibility following turbulent sea.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals

Tortuguero

Boat trips allowed you to get close to wildlife and great opportunities for photography

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This is our third experience with KimKim planning an adventure for us. It was just spectacular. Our original concept was seeing the Olympics, which was an adventure unto itself.

Planning began months ago. But it’s hard to understand everything in advance. Our contacts in Italy, Sonia and Lucrezia, worked around the events we had purchased tickets for perfectly. They were also very patient with our silly questions.

It always starts for us with hotel selection, and once again they were stellar. The location of our Milan hotel was perfect, a very short walk to the Duomo and Central hub for transportation. They introduced us to Larissa our private guide for visiting the last supper and other amazing sites around Milan. We are amazed at our local advisors ability to again identify private guides that speak excellent English and are able to give us the special flavor of the city where they live. The guides themselves become an additional set of advisors for us during our stays.

In Verona, the hotel was not only perfect, but it had a history. Our guide in that city was CECILIA. Amazing, lovely, information packed, and personal. We totally see the value of private guides and all recommendations from Kim Kim have been perfect perfect.

Off to Lake Como and another amazing location with a room facing the lake. We enjoyed our calm time there and our boat guide taking us around the lake, pointing out villas and their histories, and a lovely walk around Bellagio. We also met Max for a bike tour that took us up into the mountains around Lake Como. We were on E bikes, while our guide was on a regular road bike. Pretty impressive thing. He also gave us restaurant recommendations locally of his favorite places, and they were delicious.

Cannot forget the car rental. Seems like a simple effort. We like driving in a nice car when we are in another country. Kim Kim saw to it that our selected vehicle perfectly met our standard again and also met the anecdotal requirement of not being too large. If you’ve ever gone to an Italian parking lot, you will know what I am talking about!

Finally, our local concierge Roberta picked us up at the airport and was available to us all throughout our stay. She checked in regularly and in advance for pre-scheduled activities. Always providing Detail on pick up or meet up location, the name of our guide and the expectation. It was in retrospect, very comforting.

I know that in 2026 people fancy using social media to identify ways to visit foreign cities and find unique experiences. From our perspective, Kim Kim is a very unique one stop shop. They anticipate the details and make our experiences into adventures. We are not the type of people who want to travel on a bus or with a group. We are looking to plan our next adventure to bring our children and their mates so they can experience what we have.

Thank you, Kim Kim, again!

—
Paul and Lynn Essner

Our trip to Morocco was fantastic thanks to Kim Kim! We had 3 kids ages 3-11 and were nervous about traveling with them but the whole experience was smooth, comfortable, exciting and fun! We loved Fez, Marrakesh and especially Essouria. Our driver Mustafa was so skilled, gracious and thoughtful. He did things like making sure that all of our rest stops during long drives playgrounds! The fantastic local guides were knowledgeable, flexible and made sure we spent our money in places that would be high quality and truly support the local people - for example we visited worker cooperatives to learn about everything from ceramics to aragan oil. They are so kind to children generally as a society in Morocco. It was beautiful to experience and made the trip that much easier and more welcoming. Kim Kim and the guides were also good about making some adjustments to the trip as we went along and adjusted to the reality of travel. For example we had over planned and not factored in a day of two for kids to just hang out and play at the pool!

Hotel Reviews

Riad Atrium & Spa

Marrakesh

Authenticity & Character

Charming road. Staff was so nice! The breakfast every morning was a highlight of the trip!

Location

Great location in the median in a quieter area. Away from the major hustle and bustle. Was a bit of a walk from where drivers could pick us up but we quickly got used to it.

Staff

The manager was so sweet as were the chef and the main server/bellman. The manager gave our kids little gifts at the end!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Mimouna

Essaouira

Location and views could not be beat! Lovely staff. Clean historic hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Right in the middle of the medina. Historic building. Very Moroccan decor and style.

Location

Right on the ocean. Fantastic dramatic views

Staff

They answered lots of questions and helped us with what we needed

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Family Cooking Class at Amal Non-Profit Center: Cooking with Purpose in Marrakech

Marrakesh

This was such a unique experience and great for the whole family. We learned how to make traditional Moroccan dishes like chicken and lamb tagine, as well as things like how to prepare a proper Moroccan mint tea, which is way more intricate than I had ever thought. It was wonderful to do this with a local non-profit supporting local young women.

Quality of Experience

Food

I think this might have been the best, or one of the best meals we had in Morocco!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakech Family Food Tour

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family pottery and mosaic workshop

Morocco

This was a fun way to learn about ceramics. I thought there was going to be more pottery making by us/kids based on the description but it was really more of a quick fun few minutes for each of the kids. We loved it though. Great unique opportunity to see experienced artisans and work and understand how it all comes together.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Family's Guided tour of Fez

Fes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First, we can tell you that our overall experience was excellent and the job you did was also great. We would like to break down each category and give you our feedback this way.

Flights: All flights within Australia were fine. There were no problems checking in and they all left and landed on time. Virgin Australia is a very basic airline. We had to ask for water on our flight from Cairns to Melbourne.

Accommodations:
The nicest place we stayed in was the Maq01 in Hobart. The room was spacious and very comfortable. Breakfast was excellent and the location was perfect. Our second best was the hotel we chose in Brisbane, the Treasury. That room was also spacious and we liked the old world charm. Location was ideal there too. The Floriana in Cairns was ok. It was north of town and we should have chosen the alternative that Siena mentioned in our video conference. However, everything worked out ok. The two hotels in Melbourne were inadequate. The rooms were small, especially the Standard X. There was barely enough room to open our suitcases and the locations were not great. 13 years ago, we stayed close to the river within walking distance of the tennis center and that was much better.

Transportation:
That was excellent. All of the pickups at airports and hotels were great and on time. There was water in the vehicles for us and the cars were all comfortable. The one exception was a confusion in Cairns on the 12th, the day we did the Michaelmas Cay Cruise. The instructions for pickup were confusing because it said hotel, then on the next line, 181 Esplanade. Our interpretation was that the pickup point was at our hotel because its address is 181 Esplanade but what it really meant was that the pickup was at the Hotel 181 Esplanade which was on the next street. We didn't know that that hotel even existed. We got it sorted out with a telephone call and we got to the boat on time. It was just a bit nerve wracking. There was no reason that the pickup couldn't have been in front of our hotel.

Tours and guides:
Overall, we felt that our private tours were far superior to the group tours. In Brisbane, our first tour was up to the Sunshine coast with Rashid. That was excellent and very enjoyable. Rashid was very pleasant and we interacted with him very well. The second tour was the Daintree Adventure from Cairns. It was a group tour and our guide was James Unfortunately, that was not as good. First, it was a large van not a 4wd vehicle, There were about 10 of us and James talked the whole way there and back, was hard to understand because of the speaker system on the van, and he repeated himself several times. The walk we did on the walkway to see Cassowaries (we didn't see any) was a bit disappointing. We felt that it was difficult to interact with the guide to appreciate the beauty of the sites.. The third tour to the Great Barrier reef was ok. We expected a lot of people on the boat so that was no surprise but the boat was overcrowded. They took us to an atoll where we started our snorkeling. The site was crowded with other boats and we had to swim out to the reefs which were about 100 meters from shore. The corals were beautiful but the fish viewing was disappointing. 13 years ago, we went on a ship and snorkeled from the ship not from shore and that was much better. The fish diversity then was also much better- the difference was probably the places they took us to. You should consider another boat option. The following private tour with Sean in Melbourne was good. We did a hike in Dandenong and went to the Yarra valley to do some wine tastings. It was a beautiful day and very enjoyable. In Hobart, we did three tours. The first to Freycinet and Wineglass bay with Alex was just ok. The walks we did there were very crowded and we hardly saw any wildlife. We felt that we were taken to all the sites that tourists are taken to and so it was far from ideal. The next tour on the boat for the gourmet seafood lunch cruise was outstanding. It was literally a seafood orgy and extremely enjoyable. The two guys on the boat (Jordy and Lawrence) were great. The food was exquisite and we loved it. The final day, we were picked up by Dave who took us to the Tasmanian wilderness where we did a 4 mile hike and saw three waterfalls. He then took us to an animal sanctuary where we saw Roos, devils, echidnas, an emu and other animals. We had a great time there as well. Finally, we should mention the Q train experience even though it was not part of the package with you. We first took a ferry across the bay and then boarded the Q train for a leisurely 3 hour ride and lunch. We enjoyed that as well and you should consider including it in your packages.

Thank you for organizing this wonderful trip.
Sue and Dan Simmons

My feedback regarding the Egypt tour from Jan. 16 to Jan. 23, 2026 (3 nights in Cairo + 4 nights on the Nile cruise) is as follows:

Egypt tour: Overall, we enjoyed our first trip to Egypt, organized by Nader Hussein, the local agent of KimKim Travel.
1. What I liked:
- As local agent, Nader was very helpful and responded quickly to my questions; I would recommend Nader to my friends in their future quest for travel to Egypt
- Omar was a top notch guide during our Nile cruise trip; he was very knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and effective coordinating our shore visits with the cruise ship; we felt very safe and comfortable traveling with Omar and I certainly would recommend Omar to my friends in their future travel to Egypt
- Our visits to the Giza Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, and the sites in Luxor, Edfu, Kem Ombo and Aswan, and the hot air balloon ride in Luxor
- Staff on board the Nile cruise ship, the Semiramis III, is friendly and helpful, and the meals are good and well prepared
2. What I wish can be improved:
- The travel rep who met with us at Cairo airport upon arrival showed up late; this created some apprehension
after a very long flight and arriving at night in an unfamiliar, crowded and seemingly chaotic airport
- On the second day in Cairo, a Sunday, the visit to Al-Muizz Street & Khan el Khalili bazaar took barely an hour and was not a good way to spend our time in Cairo, because Al-Muizz St. was closed, and empty on Sundays
- The travel rep who met with us at Luxor airport came in very late, and left us stranded at the empty airport, long after all passengers from the incoming flights to Luxor left with their tour buses
- The selected hot air balloon company (named Excellent Air Balloon, I believe) picked us at 4:15 AM in a big bus, which went around Luxor to many other hotels to gather many more riders, and made us wait in the cold and in the dark in the fields until one of their (apparently few) balloons was available and ready for us to board (we saw passengers picked up in smaller minivans by other operators, and loaded more quickly onto balloon gondolas because these operators seemed to have more balloons available)
- For a better experience travelling on the Nile, I would not choose the Semiramis III cruise ship again:
a. the docking (together with ships apparently belonging to the same company) was very noisy during the arrival at the very early hours in Edfu when staff responsible for the docking shouted loudly to each other and waking up passengers; also, this ship came in Edfu at the place where a large number of ships docked and where most of the horse drawn carriages assembled, at a very chaotic, dusty, dirty and smelly place (we saw a few other ships docking a little further away where the transfer to the horse drawn carriages was a more orderly and peaceful) and this left us a not so good impression of the landing in Efdu
b. this ship arrived in Kem Ombo very late in the evening, and forced our guide to rush us thru a very short visit to the temple visit before the closure time, thus taking away the enjoyment of this site visit, the last one on our itinerary

Thank you to the entire KimKim team for making our trip run so smoothly. They took care of us from the second we reached out until we touched down back home. Will absolutely be using them again in the future ❤️

This truly was the trip of a lifetime. My friend and I spent 8 days experiencing the southeast region of Iceland by car.

We benefited enormously from the knowledge, planning skills and affable manner of our trip planner, Gummi (Guomundur Oli). He was able to take our broad goals and ideas of what kind of trip we wanted and planned it for us perfectly. He was responsive throughout the trip and gave us really good ideas as questions arose as we made our way through this almost other worldly experience.

We drove the perimeter of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and then made our way around the Golden Circle. The northern lights, waterfalls, canyons, tectonic plates, volcanic landscape, black sand beaches, a glacier, ice caves, horseback riding, lava tunnels, amazing food, the city of Reykjavik, thermal lagoons, and more.

The one person we met who really stood out was the fellow who took us on the ice cave tour. His name is Siggi and his company’s name is CrystalCave.is. He takes small groups (there were 4 of us that day) out on the glacier and down to the ice caves. In addition to his knowledge of the glacier and the ice caves, he offered us a view into his world, the respect the other guides clearly have for him, his sense of humor, his wisdom, and how he came to do this work that he loves (I won’t spoil it by telling you here). He truly inspired us, made us laugh, and left a lasting impression on both of us.

I am riding high after this trip.

Our guide Marino was amazing. He added so many details that we would have walked right by. He was flexible to our needs.

Activity Review

Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Weather was very bad which hampered the experience.

Our 5-Day Puerto Rico Adventure

We recently used KimKim to help us plan a 5-day trip to Puerto Rico, and the experience was exceptional. While we handled our own flights, accommodations, and car rentals, we turned to KimKim specifically to curate the "what to do" portion of our trip—and they delivered exactly what we needed.

Expert Itinerary Design with Harry
The process started with Harry, who did a fantastic job crafting a customized itinerary. He really listened to what we were looking for and managed to pack the perfect amount of activity into a 5-day window without it feeling rushed. His knowledge of the island ensured that we saw the best of Puerto Rico while focusing on high-quality experiences that matched our interests.

Flawless Execution with Isabel
Once the itinerary was finalized, Isabel took over the project management side of things, and she was a total pro. She ensured every booking and activity went smoothly, providing us with peace of mind throughout the trip.
Beyond just managing the logistics, Isabel’s restaurant recommendations were absolutely spot-on. Every meal she suggested was a highlight, giving us a true taste of the local culinary scene. Her attention to detail and responsiveness made the entire process stress-free.

Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a way to elevate your travel experience with local expertise and reliable project management, I highly recommend this team. Even if you prefer to book your own logistics like we did, having Harry’s vision for the itinerary and Isabel’s execution on the ground made our Puerto Rican getaway truly memorable.

My husband & I just returned from an AMAZING 3 week trip to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Truly, the trip of a lifetime! Our local specialist , Tina, left the company literally weeks before our trip and I was concerned about the impact it would have on our experience. There was nothing to worry about! Bella, picked up the ball and was there to help us every step of the way. Drivers and guides met us as scheduled. We had 5 flights within our trip and 7 different hotels. There were lots of moving parts and KimKim did an incredible job! We felt safe and well taken care of. We saw beautiful temples, visited busy markets, ate delicious food, sea kayaked, and went on multiple boat trips including a mini cruise. It was a very comprehensive trip. The only challenge we encountered was a couple of times the room description/pictures did not match what we received. Also, I would say the floating village in Cambodia is not worth visiting. Our guide said that things have changed a lot there since COVID. If you have an opportunity to visit this part of the world, please do. You will not be disappointed!

Please thank your whole team, US and Costa Rica, for taking such good care of our group of four when we had car trouble. Everything about the trip was FANTASTIC. Our favorites by far were the Manuel Antonio National Park tour and the Selvatura Hanging Bridges. The hotels were fabulous, esp. Issimo Suites, in the treetops! We plan to use KimKim for every trip out of the country! Thank you again!

Our trip to Bangkok and Phuket was a wonderful introduction to Thailand, and the KimKim team did a great job accommodating our timelines and preferences, while ensuring that we hit the highlights in both of those places. The guides we had in both places were energetic, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to spend time with. We spent several days with Monica in Bangkok, and she not only showed us the sights, but made sure to introduce us to a wealth of great, local Thai food. In both Bangkok and Phuket we were always in good hands. Minah was very responsive as the overall coordinator of the trip, and followed up with us right back to the airport on the way out. This is our second KimKim trip, and we're big fans!

Activity Reviews

Bangkok: Ayutthaya’s Glorious Ruins & Bang Pa-In Summer Palace

Bangkok

Another amazing day, highlighted by the summer palace. We also really enjoyed spending some time with some monks at one of the temples later in the day. Monica led us through another great day with great food.

Bangkok Spiritual Encounter

Bangkok

Amazing and serene temples, and mind-blowing palace grounds make this a must-do excursion. We loved the food as much as the sights.

Quality of Experience

Food

Our driver was an absolute wizard with the van, in spite of the lack of parking and tight roads in Bangkok

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The trip was incredible! A wonderful experience. The KIMKIM team were always there to answer any of our questions. We particularly enjoyed the Panorama glass lodge and were fortunate enough to see the Northern lights. The App is easy to use and a welcome addition. We highly recommend using them to plan unique one of a kind adventures.

Hotel Reviews

Silica Hotel

Grindavík

Extremely helpful and friendly staff.

Location

A unique site

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Panorama Glass Lodge West Iceland

Authenticity & Character

well thought out. beautiful setting

Cleanliness & Comfort

They thought of everything! Loved the heated floors

Activity Review

Reykjavík City Walk

Reykjavík

Lots of insight and friendly guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great job planning and putting together this very challenging trip. We had a lot of ‘moving parts’ to this journey and Erin, Samantha, and crew did a GREAT job putting all the pieces together. This was a long 4+ week trip with two people traveling on different schedules. Great experiences - I’d recommend this trip and this company to anybody really interested in exploring this area of the world!

Throughout our family's experience planning our trip to Portugal and Spain, Raquel our travel agent, and the teams at both Espiritu Travel and KimKim were so attentive and helpful! We first contacted KimKim in September, and even though we were slow to finalize plans due to the busyness of our personal lives, Raquel especially did a phenomenal job routinely checking in, updating our sample itinerary, and seeing if we had any remaining questions.

In terms of planning our itinerary they were incredibly receptive of our input regarding the types of activities people in our family enjoyed. Be it cultural excursions, museums, food recommendations, hotels and more, they were responsive and asked pertinent follow up questions to guarantee we got the most out of our trip. We highly encourage anyone booking to follow the travel agent's recommendations/bookings to guided tours. The walking tour in Madrid and guided excursion to Toledo were some of the best experiences my family talked about. The main reason my family planned this trip was to visit me in Galicia, and although I personally planned the itinerary on those days as someone that currently lives in the north even I found Raquel's restaurant recommendations in Santiago de Compostela incredibly helpful. If anyone stays in the city we also heartily recommend the Hostal de Reyes Catolico Paradores---it was the best hotel of the trip according to my family.

During the trip, the travel agency was also responsive to cancellations/last minute changes on our end to the itinerary. This was especially helpful because of the transport that they arranged for us. Additionally, they advised us on the appropriate travel insurance before the trip was booked and because of this my Mom was able to get some much needed medication from a doctor when she unexpectedly became sick. Overall we simply cannot recommend this service enough! They made our trip so much easier to enjoy, and relax. Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Dear Hotel Madrid

Madrid

The staff was very attentive at this hotel and the rooms were pristine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parador de Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela

This was our family's favorite hotel! Between the comfort of the rooms, the quality of breakfast, and the history behind the building's construction it was an incredibly special stay. It is also conveniently located diagonally from the Cathedral of St. James---we loved hearing the pilgrims finish their walk in the square, especially with singing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Riazor

A Coruña

The rooms were a bit small, but they had a gorgeous view of the beach and ocean! The staff of the hotel was attentive, and the laundry service was swift. We had a poor experience eating in the hotel restaurant (the meal took hours, and everyone in the restaurant went large portions of the night unattended). I believe this was because of low staffing, and we took it in stride in the moment, but something for the management to consider moving forward.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

BessaHotel Liberdade

Lisbon

This was a beautiful hotel, with spacious rooms and an incredibly welcoming, helpful staff. The breakfast selection was wonderful. The only frustration was the slow elevator, but we don't think that could be helped.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fátima: A Spiritual Pilgrimage

Portugal

Our guide to Fatima was so eloquent, respectful of the spirituality of the experience and knowledgeable. Transport to and from Lisbon was also incredibly smooth.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Soul of Lisbon: Fado Dinner Experience

Portugal

The food was delicious, and came with very generous portions. There was also plenty of variety on the menu, and the waiter was attentive. The musicians were absolute showstoppers, and we felt like everyone who visits Lisbon must experience fado live.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Toledo Highlights Day Excursion

Madrid

The train journey to Toledo was easy, especially with the transport arranged by the team. The guide was again very knowledgeable and enjoyable to listen to.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Madrid’s Old Town

Madrid

The guide Geza was phenomenal! The tour was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the history of Madrid, as well as information about current life in the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were already happy with the excellent communication w/ActiveIndia before our trip to India Jan.-Feb. 2026. Our confidence was reinforced when we met our local guide in Mumbai, Mr. Suraj and driver, Mr. Sunder and checked into the Suba Palace hotel. Our half day tour of Mumbai, which included seeing the Gate of India, the Victoria Terminus Rail Station, the Gandhi Memorial Museum (Mani Bhavan) on Laburnam Rd. and beautiful city parks, was just enough for us. The Suba Palace hotel was comfortable and accommodating. The next day we were taken to the airport on time & efficiently for the next leg of our India trip, in Delhi. Our IndiGo flight (arranged by ActiveIndia) was also comfortable and efficient. At the Delhi airport we were met by the Delhi ActiveIndia office representative, Adarsh, and our driver for the next week, Mr. Rajesh. Both were friendly and accommodating. We met our local Delhi guide, Nadim Akhtar, at our Delhi hotel, The Colonel’s Retreat, for a quick tour of the Lodi Gardens. Due to the very heavy traffic & our limited time, it appeared we did not see all the planned Delhi highlights, but we did see the most impressive Mahatma Gandhi memorial. As a gardener, I was most touched by the beautiful pollinator gardens and the thousands of bees and butterflies as much as the monuments!
We liked that all our hotels provided a delicious breakfast and most had a restaurant on site. The Colonel’s Retreat was able to accommodate our request for dinner even tho’ we returned from sightseeing after 8 pm.
The next day we got to know our driver Mr. Rajesh, as the trip to Agra was long. We appreciated his skilled driving and he and ActiveIndia selected the perfect places for refreshing rest stops (often with fun shopping opportunities!) In fact, we appreciated the quality and atmosphere of all the places our ActiveIndia guides took us to shop.
In Agra we met our local guide, Mr. Ajay Gupta, there at the hotel, Da Bungalow. Da Bungalow was a quiet and relaxing place to stay, even tho’ we stayed only one night. Mr. Gupta took us to the impressive Agra Fort first, from which we got our first breathtaking glimpse of the Taj Mahal. Mr. Gupta was a premier guide, showing us the detail of the artwork & craftsmanship with local pride and insight. Thanks to him we got lovely “sunset” photos at the Taj to send home to friends & family.
After breakfast the next morning we left Agra for The Abhaneri Stepwell. There, Mr. Rajesh handed us off to a cheerful and knowledgeable local guide for about an hour and we were mesmerized by both the well and the Harshat Mata temple a few steps away. The well, also called the Chand Baori, it was truly a wonder to behold. Then we continued on to Jaipur! In Jaipur we stayed for 2 nights at the most charming Traditional Haveli, but as soon as wee checked in, our Jaipur guide, Mr. Sanjay Safaya, whisked us away to the Laxmi Narayan temple to witness the Aarti ceremony. It was well worth the the rush! In fact, everything Mr. Safaya showed us and introduced us to was marvelous. We especially loved the Jaipur Flower and Vegetable Market in the old part of Jaipur, as well as the City Palace and the Jantar Mantar solar observatory. At the end of a marvelous day of incredible sightseeing, we said a fond “good-by” to Mr. Safaya. We ended our day with a cooking class & dinner with Usha & IV Inder Vigi Singh, a local family. It was really special to learn about their family history and current life in Jaipur.
Our drive to Jodhpur was long, but Mr. Rajesh was very capable and guided us to a good place for lunch! In Jodhpur we enjoyed the lovely Pal Haveli even if only for one night. Our guide there, Mr. Raghunath, was also personable, knowledgeable and easy to communicate with.
The next day we set off for Udaipur and another day & a half of wonderful sightseeing. We stayed 2 nights at the beautiful Karohi Haveli near Lake Pichola, and met our Udaipur guide, Mr. Gajraj there late Sunday afternoon. He & Mr. Rajesh were able to get us to the 6pm show of the Dharohar Dance company at another haveli, Bagore Ki Haveli. That was colorful, but I would have liked to see more of the dancers & marionettes and less of tourists dancing with them! The highlight of our next day in Udaipur was their City Palace & Museum, plus the Courtyard of the Maidens garden . We also liked the Jagdish Temple, where we could take photos & record a short segment of the worship service.
Finishing off our 2nd day in Udaipur, we took a boat ride on beautiful Lake Pichola. It was wonderful to view the city’s skyline from the water.
All in all, we really appreciated all our guides and ESPECIALLY our driver Mr. Rajesh from Delhi to Udaipur (Mon. Feb. 2 through Tues. Feb. 17). We thought all our hotels were a very good value and the personnel at each place were kind and super-hospitable. I appreciated having the written materials ActiveIndia provided. The only negatives we experienced were the heavy traffic and VERY long distances between Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Jodhpur-Udaipur. But that was our ignorance of India, not your agency’s fault. In fact, ActiveIndia provided us with a well-curated and sanitized journey overall. Please convey our appreciation to all your staff and participating businesses. We will refer our friends and family to ActiveIndia and hope to return to India someday, ourselves.

Activity Reviews

Explore Agra Fort in the afternoon and see sunset at the Taj Mahal.

Agra

We really loved seeing the Taj Mahal with a local guide who could take us to good spots for fantastic photos. His knowledge and pride in the workmanship was inspiring.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

AC & USB charging capacity.

New Delhi Sightseeing

India

I really liked the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial. The pollinator gardens there were a moving tribute to Gandhi’s work with rural honey production.

Quality of Experience

Getting to spend thoughtful time at the memorials.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ac & USB charging capacity.

Old Delhi Sightseeing

Delhi

We only wish we had more time to view monuments and less rime in traffic!

Cooking Class, and Dinner with Local Family

Jaipur

Very gracious welcome by a local family who shared both their home and family lore/history in Jaipur.

Quality of Experience

Listing to IV’s family stories!

Food

Really enjoyed watching Usha in her kitchen and asking her questions about the ingredients and cooking methods.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Half Day Tour of Mumbai

Mumbai

Standing on the balcony where Mahatma Gandhi stood, at his friend’s house on Laburnum Rd., was quite profound.

Quality of Experience

Great local guide. Very knowledgeable and fun.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was skilled and made us comfortable.

Transport

Good AC!

Jaipur Sightseeing Tour

Jaipur

Really enjoyed the Jaipur Flower (& Vegetable) Market.

Quality of Experience

Local guide’s perspective, knowledge & warm enthusiasm.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very patient with heavy traffic. Selected great places for rest stops.

Transport

Comfortable car w/ AC and USB for charging our phones!