Kimkim Trip Reviews

Federico was wonderful. Excellent advice and an amazing journey. Carlos and Alex were both great guides in Rio. The Rio Othon Reveillon beyond compare. Marcelinho in Amazonas was knowledgeable, great fun and very accommodating.

Our trip to Guatemala was exceptionally well planned and thoughtfully executed. The itinerary struck a perfect balance between culture, nature, and pace, allowing us to experience the country deeply without feeling rushed.

Highlights included Antigua, Lake Atitlán, and the incredible historical sites, all supported by knowledgeable local guides and smooth logistics throughout the journey.

A special thank you to our local specialist, Alex, who was attentive, responsive, and flexible from the planning stage through the trip itself. Even when small adjustments were needed, everything was handled quickly and professionally, which made the experience stress-free.

Overall, this was a memorable and very well-organized trip, and we would happily use Kimkim again for future travel.

Bucket list trip to see the Northern Lights was amazing with Eemil. We tracked this elusive spectacle for two nights and were able to see and photograph them briefly both nights. Reindeer Sleigh rides, Husky Sledding, Snowmobiling and Snowshoeing were also a blast! Bitter cold though at 19F below the normal cold (-21F on the coldest day) so rented clothes really helped!
Great family trip to a cute ski town!

Hotel Review

Break Sokos Hotel Levi

Levi

Nice large room and bathroom and great breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to ski slope and restaurants and shops

Staff

Helpful for any needs

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Reindeer Adventure

Levi

Being able to feed the Reindeer and walk among them was super cool. The sleigh rides was nice but super short.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides gave us the basics on how to behave near the animals and were a bit more personable at the end in the cabin but not really interactive or informative

Transport

Small van

Overall the trip was great. We had a ton of help from Ashley and she was very responsive during the trip when we wanted to change some plans or had questions. The places to stay she helped us choose were lovely. The private rides she set up for us were very timely. My only complaint is a couple of the guided trips were not what we expected. We did an all day private Phi Phi Island trip, our guide took us to 3 Islands and did a stop at another Island. The guide was pleasant as was the crew but the places we went (except for the snorkeling) were incredibly crowded. I understand the time of year is very busy but I hoped with a private trip we would have been offered options to go somewhere away from the crowds since we didn't have specific places we wanted to see. Our Bangkok food tour was similar. We went to China town which was incredibly crowded. Again our guide was great and found us excellent food but it was so busy there were few places to sit and we could barely walk through the crowds. As it was also a private trip, we would have been happy to be told that the usual places were very busy and been given the option to go somewhere less popular. In general we were happy but, when paying extra for private excursions, we would have appreciated more flexibility and been happy to not join the biggest possible crowds in order to go the most popular places. We didn't love Ao Nang, it was pretty but super busy with people, loud music and clubs, we wished we'd stayed at Railay Bay instead. We really loved the quiet of the jungle and lake stay at Khao Sok as well as the hiking in Chiang Mai to visit the Karin people's village. We bought the most beautiful handmade scarves there for souvenirs. Our favorite meal was the one we cooked at Ya's cooking school out of Krabi!

My son and I just returned from an 8 day trip in New Zealand. We had a wonderful time and Nats did an amazing job with preparing our itinerary. He arranged all of our activities, transportation, and accommodations. When the weather intervened and a couple of activities were cancelled, Nats was quick to communicate with us and suggest alternative options. New Zealand is a wonderful country to visit if you enjoy an active trip in beautiful surroundings. I highly recommend working with Nats if you plan to visit there.

All of the guides arranged by the agency were local experts, able to provide considerable information on the native flora and fauna of the national parks we visited, but I have to give a special shoutout to our guide in Patagonia, Nacho, who was just wonderful. He made our family feel like we were his most important clients, did great photography for us, and entertained us all day. HIGHLY recommend a full day private tour with him if it can be arranged.

I also must give a shout out to Riwal. We had a few hiccups on our trip, none of which was the agency's fault, but he took care of us all along the way. He went to bat for us with the hotel when they lacked hot water for over a full day, and arranged a partial refund for the inconvenience. He was kind and generous with his time. The full team at KimKim was great.

Hotel Reviews

Iorana Hotel

Hanga Roa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Little bit of a walk to downtown and taxis weren't always available. For food (dinner/lunch), you either have to make a reservation before noon that day or they won't have food available and you might have to walk (~15 mins) to closest restaurants on main street.

Staff

All the staff were genuinely welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were clean, but basic.

45 by Director

Santiago

Authenticity & Character

More of a "western" style hotel vs. any Chilean character.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lady Florence Dixie

Puerto Natales

Hotel was undergoing renovation, which is much needed. However, they lied to the agency about hot water not being available. Said it was a "sector" issue. There was clearly construction going on and, after escalating to our agency after over 24hrs of no hot water, the agency sent a representative by in-person who confirmed not a sector issue. Because we escalated, they did have workers working on regaining hot water to our room until 2AM on Christmas Eve. In addition to the hot water issue, the ceiling of our room had clear water damage, the carpet was disgusting, beds were basic, and there was almost a 1" gap between the bottom of the room door and the floor. Patagonia is a very windy place so the wind would come through and move the shades around all night long. This "hotel" is more like a run down motel. I only hope the renovations are done properly as it could have potential, but lying to hotel guests is a complete NON-starter for me. Would never stay there again. Only positive I can give is the staff that ran the breakfast room downstairs was always welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bellavista

Puerto Varas

Quaint German-style hotel, right on the water. Easy walk to downtown for restaurants or shopping. Solid breakfast options in the morning. Decent WiFi.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Only complaint is the toilet in the main bedroom was right up against the towel warmer. Bit cramped.

Activity Reviews

Half Day tour - The Seven Explorers

Easter Island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wished the van's A/C was a bit stronger. It was a warm day and the bus got very hot.

Rano Raraku Volcano & Anakena White Sand Beach

Easter Island

Sebastian did a great job sharing his knowledge of the history of the islands and the statues!

Good Bye Easter Island - Transfer to the Airport for your flight to Santiago.

Chile

Our driver was so sweet! She knew our luggage was too big for her car, so she arranged for a cousin to come help from across the island. Both were very welcoming and gave us a parting gift. Far more than I could expect from a transport experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kari Kari Cultural Show and Dinner

Easter Island

We had a great time at the show and dinner afterwards was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Grey Glacier Round Trip Navigation

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Estancia La Península Full Day

Puerto Natales

High winds cancelled the activity

Torres del Paine National Park - Private Panoramic Tour

Chile

Torres del Paine is absolutely stunning! Even when dealing with what felt like hurricane-force winds, we just couldn't help but stand there are stare at the gorgeous surroundings.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nacho is the BEST!

Transport

Visit the Saltos del Petrohue - Todos Los Santos Lake & Osorno Volcano

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiloe Fauna: Ancud, Caulin & Penguins of Puñihuil

Chile

Quality of Experience

Weather cancelled seeing the penguins

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This experience was excellent. Leo and coworkers made sure everything was taken care of once we got there. Excursions were already planned, hotel staff already informed, on ground transportation prearranged.

Hotel Reviews

Isla Amara Boutique Resort

El Nido

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The District Boracay

Boracay Island

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belmont Hotel Manila

Pasay City

Incredible food. The best food we had all trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A walk away from the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

El Nido via ferrata

El Nido

This was my personal favorite as I enjoy climbing more than most things. Great trek to a vista overlooking El Nido and the bay. My dad and I did both routes in 20 minutes so that was the only downside, but we were hustling because of the rain making all the metal walkways a bit dangerous. But it was great if you’re fit and up for a challenge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Island hopping in El Nido - Tour A

El Nido

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Island hopping in Boracay

Boracay

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Sailing in Boracay

Boracay

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family of four (including two teenagers, ages 17 and 19) had the most incredible Christmas vacation in Spain. Over nine days, we traveled through Madrid, Córdoba, Seville, and Granada, and every detail of the trip was flawlessly coordinated by Coraima and her team.

From carefully selected hotels and outstanding guided tours to seamless train tickets and transfers between cities, the itinerary was truly perfect. Communication was always fast, clear, and efficient, and any questions, changes, or services needed were handled quickly and without issue.

The tour guides and activities exceeded our expectations. One standout experience was the rooftop paella cooking class in Seville—an absolute must-do and a highlight of our entire trip.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this dream vacation everything we hoped for and more. We will cherish these memories forever.
- Jeanette Wolfson

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Morisca

Granada

Probably our favorite hotel of the trip, again the location was perfect, the inner courtyard was beautiful, the staff was helpful, and the rooms were always clean. The views of the Alhambra from our balcony were particularly amazing!

Authenticity & Character

We loved hanging out with our kids on the balcony overlooking the Alhambra

Location

Within walking distance of Alhambra, shops and dining options

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Joya del Casco Boutique Hotel

Seville

Hotel was in a great location, beautifully decorated, and the staff are all so friendly

Authenticity & Character

Loved the balconies in the rooms

Location

Just minutes from the Alcazar and cathedral

Staff

So sweet and friendly upon check in

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Las Casas de la Judería

Córdoba

Loved the authentic charm of the hotel, and again the location was perfect!

Authenticity & Character

Such a pretty courtyard and rustic charm

Location

Just minutes from the Roman Bridge and Mosque Cathedral

Staff

Very helpful and accomodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were very comfortable

Room Mate Alba

Madrid

The location was perfect, the rooms were cozy and beautiful and the staff was particularly friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the rooms, so pretty

Location

We loved being just minutes away from the city center

Staff

So friendly and helpful, getting us our rooms before check in time

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were cleaned every day

Activity Reviews

Evening Flamenco Show

Granada

Perfect way to end the trip. We had great seats in the upper balcony and the music and dancing were beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Alhambra & Generalife Visit

Granada

Beautiful tour of the Alhambra! Very informative and we saw all of the highlights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-Guided Walk in Albaicín District

Granada

Self-Guided Granada Walk

Granada

Quality of Experience

Rooftop Paella Cooking Class

Seville

Highlight of the trip!!! Fernando was amazing! The views from the balcony were incredible, we learned how to cook paella in a hands on way and it was so much fun. Music was playing and we drank sangria and the heater was on to keep up warm and the paella we made was delicious!! The kids loved this activity!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alcázar Palaces & Gardens Experience

Seville

Great tour of the Alcazar. We learned so much history of the region which tied in nicely from what we learned in Cordoba.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-Guided Retiro Park Walk

Madrid

Beautiful park, helpful itinerary to see it all.

Quality of Experience

Short Prado Museum Visit with Skip-the-Line Ticket

Madrid

Our guide made the artwork come to life, she helped us see things in the paintings that we never would have seen on our own. It was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Royal Palace Visit

Madrid

The guide was at the meeting point on time, gave us the history of the palace in a fun and informative way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-Guided Walk around the Historic Center

Madrid

We followed the suggestions in the itinerary and it was very helpful.

Quality of Experience

Really enjoyed this trip! The sights, food, and activities were amazing and we want to go again! Pretty much everything went off without a hitch from arrival to departure. Monica was even able to adjust the plan halfway through to accommodate a sailboat trip.

There was a good variety of activities and the pacing was just right too. We felt like we did as much as we could while also not rushing between everything. The tour options Monika suggested felt like the best of the best, and we were provided a good selection of solo adventure options when we wanted to branch out on our own. 5 star visit for sure.

Activity Reviews

Glowworm Kayak Tour

Rotorua

This was a totally unique experience for me, I had seen the pictures of the glow worms online but that does not compare to the experience of actually seeing them in person. This tour takes you into some small caves where you get up close and personal, I think I was within inches of the glow worms at one point, and it was so cool!!! The guides were really wonderful and they all knew their stuff. Plus, the kayaking itself was pretty easy. Overall a fantastic time!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Milford Sound - Coach, Cruise and FLY

New Zealand

Everyone said the Milford Sound was a must-see destination, and I completely agree. Our tour guide was funny and informative, and the small group size was perfect for us. The "Fly" portion was cancelled due to the wind, but being out on the boat in those same winds was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced, so it all worked out perfectly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Progressive Māori Dinner Tour (kai safari)

Christchurch

This was one of the coolest things we did on our whole trip. Our guide Ash was friendly, knowledgeable, and had impeccable taste. I've already recommended this tour to strangers on their way to Christchurch and to friends who aren't even planning a trip yet, it's just that good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a memorable and exciting trip overall. Our guide, Hasan, was exceptionally knowledgeable; his deep dive into the history and facts of the monuments and Pharaohs truly brought the experience to life. While the cruise was enjoyable, we found the food options to be quite repetitive and limited, especially for those who don't eat beef. However, the hot air balloon ride was a major highlight that the kids absolutely loved. It was a wonderful educational journey for the whole family.

Hotel Reviews

Baron Hotel Cairo

Cairo

Beautiful hotel with great views. Breakfast options were amazing and the service of the hotel staff was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nile Paradise

Cairo

Overall nice cruise with comfortable rooms and amenitites. Food options were very limited and repetitive for no nbeef eating. Wifi was very unsable. There were very few entertainment options on board.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Coptic Cairo - Salah El Deen Citadel - Mohamed Ali Mosque

Cairo

Citadel and the Coptic Cairo visit was good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alexandria

Cairo

The drive was comfortable, but the locations we visited were underwhelming. The museum was good but the trip to library was time wasted.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Grand Egyptian Museum tour

Cairo

We had limited time but really enjoyed looking at the artifacts collected by archeologists

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour to visit Pyramids and Sphinx

Cairo

Pyramids view was amazing, would have been great if we could visit the Sphynx close by instead of just walking down the path.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Abu Simbel Tour

Aswan

Amazing architecture and beautiful location

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aswan

Aswan

Beautiful temples and locations. Boat ride to the Philae temple was very beautiful

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Edfou temple and Kom Ombo temple

Edfu

Temple and the architecture was beautiful. but it was very crowded

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

West Bank of Luxor (Valley of the Kings , Hatshepsut Temple - Colossi of Memnon) Sailing to Edfu

Egypt

View of the valley of kings from the hot air balloon was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Attend Sound and Light Show at Karnak Temple

Egypt

Beautiful light show

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Karnak Temple and Luxor temple

Egypt

Our first experience with the ancient Egyptian monument and we were awestruck with the magnitude and the architecture skills. Light show was amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the best experience working with Isabel to plan our trip to Puerto Rico. As a busy working mom, the idea of researching, planning, and coordinating everything felt overwhelming—and Isabel made it completely effortless.

She really took the time to understand what we were looking for, from activities that would actually excite our teens to healthy dinner options and fun, memorable adventures. Every detail felt thoughtful and aligned with our family’s needs, and it allowed us to truly relax and enjoy the trip instead of stressing over logistics.

I can’t recommend Isabel enough—especially if you love to travel but feel overwhelmed by planning it all yourself. Using kimkim and working with Isabel made the entire process easy, personalized, and enjoyable. We’re so grateful for her help and would absolutely work with her again for future trips.

Overall ... good but not great.

Booked through kimkim but local planning through Mater Travel. I am not sure exactly how the information flow goes between the two but some thoughts.

1. Our local contact Justo from Mater Travel was great. Very attentive and prompt. Great energy. Always willing to help.

2. Some gaps in our bookings which we were surprised about. I had assumed using a travel agent would have made this seamless. I think I could have organized some of this equally well just using google.

a. We happened to stumble (11 days before the trip) that an evisa was needed for Brazil part of Iguazu Falls. I would have thought our agent through kimkim would have been more proactive to tell us this. Thankfully my wife looked this up and then we feverishly submitted our documents. We would have wasted 1 day in Iguazu otherwise.

b. Our plane arrived at 10:40am after overnight flight from US to Buenos Aires. Pick up was arranged at 10:50am. Lunch experience scheduled for 12:30pm. Of course, clearing immigration and deplaning does not take 10 minutes. And we were late to our lunch by 30 min. Again ... we noticed this and not kimkim.

c. Hotel Hunidad Obelisco is a nice hotel in a very ok (being generous) street. Even our local contact Justo said that he would have to talk to the company about booking there again. Why was this a surprise for everyone? I feel like I could have booked a better location myself.

d. One of our excursions changed ... and it was never mentioned to us. Again, I guess we should have checked ... but assumed a travel agency would have proactively mentioned.

3. Iguazu was great.

4. Buenos Aires as well

5. Tigre Delta good for 24 hrs for our family.

The local lead guides in each location were amazing. They took lead in everything from the moment we arrived and recommended additional things to do, restaurants and went out of their way to be readily available for any questions we had. The best was when each of them walked us into the airport for our transfer flights and helped us navigate through the check in process, which saved us a lot of messy chaos and lost time.

The itinerary was perfect and the transportation between locations was perfect and the communication with Elena from Kim Kim was excellent!!!

We will definitely return to Kim Kim on our future travels

Hotel Review

Anjali by Syphon

What a beautiful and unique hotel! The service was amazing, the food was beautiful and tasty and the staff so kind and accommodating. I will be recommending this hotel to everyone I know traveling to Siem Reap

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Lanna Lifestyle & Cooking Experience with A Local Family with dinner

Chiang Mai

This was a lovely and authentic experience as you were invited into the home of a family. The introduction of the culture and the food we made was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Just returned from a fantastic 8 day trip to Croatia and Slovenia starting in Zagreb, then Bled and ending with Ljubljana for the holiday season. Thank so much to the expertise and planning by Nikola. We visited the three locations each with its own beauty and were able to participate in multiple walking tours, a private cooking class and an amazing hike through the Alipine wonders of Bled. Nikola was amazing we had been planning for nearly two years and made 4 different itineraries before finalizing. Nikola was patient and kind and offered sound advice. We even had a rough start to our trip due to flight delays and missed connections but Nikola was always there ready to assist. From the hotels to the activities which were all beautiful, comfortable and in prime locations Nikola planned every thing even dinner reservations and took all the stress away from trying to navigate two countries. He placed in heart of every city which allowed us to walk around and explore with ease. We had such a wonderful time, and captured so many memories. I can't sing enough good praises for Nikola. He was wonderful and we appreciate all the work he did planning this excellent vacation for us. What a beautiful way to enter 2026!

My husband and I had the best time on our trip to Norway and much of it had to do with Nick, Alex, and their team from kimkim. They not only helped us plans and reserve all the fun activities on our trip, but were also available while we were in Norway. They really listen to our interests, goals, and budget for the trip and planned the best activities. We had a few cancelled and rescheduled activities due to the weather while we were there and they kept us informed and helped us process rescheduling and refunds. It was so comforting to know that they were available should we have any questions while we were on our trip. They were responsive, helpful, and overall so friendly and wonderful through the whole process. Some of our favorite memories from the trip are seeing the northern lights ( my husband's bucket list item and the reason for the trip) , and the visit to see, feed, and ride reindeer sleds as well as learn about the Sami people who herd them and share a tradition meal with them. We highly recommend kimkim and will definitely use them again on future trips!

We have just came back from our Costa Rica adventure. We have contacted kimkim because last year they helped us plan an amazing New Zealand trip. We love traveling but taking 2 little kids makes it hard for me to plan by myself and kimkim always comes through! We also had my dad join us for this trip
So we looked for something fun for all ages, literally.
We had our specialist Elena and the whole team at Serendipity Adventures make sure everything goes as smoothly as it possibly can.
Starting with planning, Elena was always available for questions or comments and made sure I’m happy every step of the way. She modified our itinerary 10 times until I felt it was the right one, location and budget combined. We also had Nancy in charge of booking our adventures and had Adria text us a few days before we left the US to introduce himself and let us know he will be available for anything we need and he was!
For the actual trip, every tour we booked came to pick us up on time, there were no hiccups.
We started at Arenal with volcanoe views and the nicest ppl. The hanging bridge was our favorite tour there, it was amazing and we all enjoyed it so so much.
We also did a sloth tour and a coffee tour (that was amazing as well)
Then we drove to the beach in Guanacaste stopping at La Leona on the way, this track was hard but the waterfall was worth it.
We arrived at Guanacaste for 4 days of resting by the pool in a beautiful resort. We had 2 scuba diving planned which was also really fun.
All in all, we all loved Costa Rica. Thank you, Serendipity Adventures for an unforgettable experience!

We had a wonderful 8-day trip through Morocco, led by Noureddine and Yassine from Original Travels. We started off in Tangier and spent the next week on a tour through Chefchaouen, Fes, Merzouga, Ait Benhaddou, Marrakech, and Casablanca. Along the way, we explored the Instagram-worthy sites of the blue city, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the thousands of alleys—and dead ends—in the Medina of Fes, the towering sand dunes of the Sahara, picturesque hillside kasbahs overlooking green oases below, the snow-covered heights of the Atlas Mountains, the contrast of the lively markets and peaceful gardens of Marrakech, and the enormous scale and beauty of the Hassan II Mosque.

The KimKim team worked with me on crafting a customized itinerary that incorporated all of the sites and activities we wanted and none of what we didn’t. They very graciously worked with me on changes to our travel plans and also were able to work around the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament being hosted at the same time in Morocco as that necessitated adjustments to hotel bookings. I’ve never used a travel agency before and I have to say that it was so nice not to have to worry about researching locations, figuring out transportation, working out agendas, etc. It was all taken care of for me.

We met our guide, Nourredine, and our driver, Yassine, at the train station in Tangier and they really were a part of what made the trip work so well. Our mini tour bus provided ample space for all our bags in addition to 4 rows of seats to accommodate 5 people! Needless to say, it was a comfortable ride. I’ve never liked the idea of going on tours as I preferred to avoid the big crowds, so this was a perfect way to get the convenience of the tour with the private feeling of traveling on your own. Nourredine did an amazing job of ensuring our activities went smoothly and were set up to be ready to go as soon as we arrived at each location. We would pull up to a location and a guide would be waiting to escort us on our tour or we’d pull up at the next hotel or riad only to be ushered to a seating area to enjoy mint tea and cookies while our bags and check in process were taken care of for us. Nourredine handled curve balls without ever indicating that there was any problem, including a reschedule of our guided walk through Chefchaouen from the afternoon of our first day to the morning of our second when we told him we were simply too tired. Same thing for the next day as our tour of Volubilis was pushed back when we stayed longer than planned in Chefchaouen. Nourredine would make calls on our drive to the next location and ensure that the timing was worked out. We didn’t even have to worry about getting a table at the restaurants we stopped at on the road; Nourredine would walk in and arrange for our table, then we’d be escorted in to be seated. Definitely royal treatment that I could get used to having!

As for Yassine, it was a pleasure to not have to worry about getting to our various stops safely. I’m usually pretty adventurous when it comes to driving in other countries, but road conditions in some of the more remote areas were not great, and it was comforting to have the confidence that we were being driven by an expert. When going through one small town at the edge of the desert, we encountered a flooded main road and had to navigate through the back alleys of the town to make it past and let me just say that Yassine really knew the dimensions of the vehicle quite well as there was not much room to spare to get through a couple of spots. Nature also threw us a wrinkle of heavy snow in the Atlas Mountains and Yassine had already taken this into account and planned an alternate route. Finally, when my daughter woke up not feeling well the morning before the last pass through the Atlas Mountains, Yassine was absolutely wonderful to her, taking a seat out of the bus so she could sit and admire the view at one of the roadside stops and then driving at a slower-than-usual speed in the mountain switchbacks to keep her comfortable. The driver is often forgotten on these sorts of trips, but our experience showed that having a good one can be quite critical.

Overall, I will sum up by saying that from booking to execution, this experience was a wonderful one and I wholeheartedly recommend KimKim, Original Travels, Nourredine, and Yassine to anyone who is considering a trip to Morocco.

The trip was great. We planned our trip to Japan during a very busy season of life when we didn't have time to do the research we'd normally like to do. Sandy connected us with all the important sites and was accommodating to our requests. She booked all our train reservations and knew what needed to be booked ahead of time in terms of trains and museums. Her suggestions about what to do in our free time were very helpful. Highlights were the Ghibli museum and Food tour in Tokyo and the bike tour in Kyoto. Our tour guides in every city were knowledgeable and kind. The hotels she chose for us were very nice, and all throughout the trip she shared updates of what was coming up next and info on using the transportation in that city. The only thing that was disappointing was finding out the Peace Museum was closed while we were there for the new year holiday. We would have scheduled our itinerary differently had we known that ahead of time and put Hiroshima earlier in the trip. So double check those types of details if you are traveling during the new year, or other major holiday. For a family of 5 it's also much easier to eat if you have a reservation, so plan ahead for that. Overall it was a fantastic trip and the experience with KimKim both before the trip, and while we were there, was very good.

Hotel Reviews

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Great location, nice lobby, good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

THE KNOT HIROSHIMA

Hiroshima

Loved having the bar area on the 14th floor to hang out with views of the city. Great proximity to the bus that takes you to the train station! Breakfast was decent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

Hakone

Fun to have bathtubs on balcony to have hot springs baths not in the onsen. Buffet was huge but got old after 2 days. Shuttle available to take you to the Open Air museum, but it doesn't pick you back up so need to acquaint yourself with public transportation. Staff was nice, had great massage at their spa.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

This hotel is clean and had rooms with 3 beds if you are traveling with kids/a group. The breakfast was good with a good coffee option in the morning. Location is near the Senso-Ji temple and markets around there. Nice friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good for visiting Senso-ji temple and markets but far from some other parts of town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Hakone and Lake Ashi Tour with Hakone Tozan Railway

Japan

Tour guide was great but this just wasn't our favorite part of the trip. The hike we did on our own, Mt. Kintoki, was wonderful. A little steep so a bit of a challenge but we were rewarded with amazing views of Mt. Fuji!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Miyajima Island and Memorial Park Tour

Hiroshima

Our guide Mayumi was excellent, telling us a lot of history about Hiroshima and the impact of the bomb there. She took us somewhere yummy for lunch, then onto Miyajima. It was a great day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto: Guided E-Bike Tour

Kyoto

Our family of 5 (2 teens + a 20 year old, plus parents) loved this. Our guide Philippe took us to off-the-beaten-path locations in east Kyoto which was great after having seen all the crowded main sites. Our kids ranked this high on the list. We had electric bikes so it was easy!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive to Hakone with Mt. Fuji Tour

Japan

Had a great guide who shared a lot of history as we drove. We ended up with a freezing cold day which made it a little less comfortable than it would normally be!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

This was campy fun. Glad we did it but felt very touristy! Food was pretty good.

Quality of Experience

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

One of our family's favorite things we did! Jun was our guide and he was fantastic and had great energy.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Akihabara district

Tokyo

Good overview of the city. Our tour guide was flexible and accommodating to what we wanted to see. nice to have a driver to take us around on our first day in the country, helped us get our bearings!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, we found the experience to be very good. While the itinerary was somewhat fast-paced, it was ultimately very satisfying and offered a nice balance between cultural activities and experiences specifically enjoyable for the girls. We truly appreciated the effort and care that went into designing the program.

That said, we would like to share a few recommendations that we believe could help strengthen future trips:

First, in some cities we arrived in the late afternoon and were directed to places that were already closed or about to close. This happened in Kanazawa, where despite rushing, we were unable to access the gardens, which closed at 5:00 pm. It might be helpful to adjust recommendations or arrival times in these cases.

Second, several of the guides did not speak English well. While we fully understand that the general population is not expected to speak English, we were told that we would have support from guides with at least an intermediate level of English. Unfortunately, this was not always the case. We prefer not to mention names, as we feel that would be inappropriate, but we believe this is an important point to take into account.

Third, the last day in Osaka felt too short. It may have been more beneficial to spend less time in another city in order to make time for Osaka or possibly skip Osaka altogether.

Finally, we suggest taking into account the situation we shared regarding the museum in Hiroshima, in order to be especially careful with schedules during public holidays.

We share these comments with appreciation and in a constructive spirit, as we truly value the experience and the work behind it.

A big hug and congratulations on such a well-organized trip.

Warm regards,

Great guide, deeply knowledgeable and attentive. Driver was good too.
They assist with the itinerary flow and flexible to changes.

Activity Reviews

Aqaba - Madaba - Mount Nebo - Dead Sea

Jordan

The history of these places.

Petra - Little Petra visit - Wadi rum 02 hrs Jeep tour 4x4

Jordan

First experience of the desert and beauty of it.

Petra Visit

Petra

Amazing site.

Amman - Kerak – shobak – Petra

Jordan

The history of these places.

Quality of Experience

Same as before

Amman - Um Qais - Pella - Ajloun - Amman

Jordan

The history of the places. Pella was not great. Would skip this.

Amman City Tour followed by Local Food tasting and treats Experience at Hashem restaurant downtown

Amman

Informative on history of old town and the surrounding. Good local restaurant to taste Jordanian food. Also savour the best kunafe at one of the famous place.

Quality of Experience

Food

Local flavour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Personal.

Transport

Good car and driver