Kimkim Trip Reviews

What a memorable trip all around Japan! We honestly couldn’t have done it without Cannon. He went above and beyond from start to finish, helping us plan our trip, answering any questions we had while we were there, and making sure we had great recommendations for places to visit, eat, and explore.

Tokyo was an absolute highlight, especially getting to experience Akihabara and all the amazing things to see and do in Asakusa. Having Cannon’s guidance made the entire trip so much easier and allowed us to enjoy our time without worrying about all the little details.

We had an incredible experience exploring Japan and made memories we’ll never forget. We’re already talking about going back, and we would absolutely recommend Cannon to anyone planning a trip to Japan. His help and dedication truly made a difference in our experience!

Hotel Reviews

the b asakusa

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

So close to a train station and being a easy place to get into festivities

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

A great little coffee shop beside it and also close to a train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Osaka & Nara Day Trip with Osaka Castle and Minoh Park

Japan

The highlight of this trip was definitely getting to check out Osaka Castle. You really need a full day to see everything there but it was still a great time. Nara was great too just have to be careful with the deer because they will check every pocket to see if you have snacks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip to Japan and enjoyed all the hotels and restaurants that were selected by our kimkim travel agent, Ben. All the train arrangements, which were many, were seamless. Communication both during the planning process and during the trip was excellent. We felt well supported. We particularly enjoyed our guide in Kanazawa "Guchi". We originally planned for full day guides because we felt intimidated by the language barrier. In retrospect, we would go with a less arduous 1/2 day guides for a better and more relaxed pacing. The two places in Japan we enjoyed the most were off the beaten track of most Japan tours. Also, exploring "less" touristy areas is where the kimkim services are the most useful. We loved Kanazawa as a mellow and smaller introduction to Japan and we very much enjoyed Naoshima (stay at "the Lodge") and we managed very well without a guide. We were very happy that we decided to travel solo rather than going with a group and feel that kim kim generally, and Ben specifically, made this possible for us.

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kanazawa

Kanazawa

The hotel is centrally located . You can walk from the train station and it is on a main street that has good bus service. The breakfast was five stars.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

You can't walk through the lobby without someone asking you if they can help!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shiraume

If you are going to Kyoto, you must stay at this Ryokan located in a former Geisha house in the Gion district of Kyoto. The accomodations, meals, and level of service was like anything you would experience in a top tier hotel. The experience is unforgettable, worth the cost. and gives great insights into the Japanese culture. Okuda-san, proprietor and host, was very gracious and spoke excellent english. Oh, and there is a couples hot tub to die for.

Authenticity & Character

This is a great way to get introducted to why Japan is so special.

Location

Right in the Geisha district.

Staff

Everyone spoke excellent english, were very attentive, and were able to provide good context about the Japanese culture

Cleanliness & Comfort

Japan is super focused on cleanliness. You will not be disappointed with any place in Japan when it comes to cleanliness. Shiraume provided chairs etc so we didn't have to sit on the floor.

Dhawa Yura Kyoto

Kyoto

This hotel caters to western tastes. They were very accomodating but you are not getting the full Japanese experience. Very good location- right on the river and a five minute walk to Gion.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Onyado Nono Namba Natural Hot Spring

Osaka

Very traditional Japanese experience with a Japanese Onsen in an urban setting. For Osaka, this is a good pick as it right near the main shopping areas. If you are not familiar with the Japanese Onsen bath experience, this is a good place to be initiated. It will be worth it. The breakfast was 5 star.

Authenticity & Character

For a westerner, you first few moments might be a little shocking. Hang in there and enjoy the Japanese experience.

Location

Close to food markets and covered shopping promenade.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MY LODGE Naoshima

This place is a gem. Get to breakfast and dinner plan because there are few easily accessible locations for dinner. Its a short walk to town but not ideal at night time. Super service, food and nice outdoor areas. Rooms are simple but most have if not all have a small seating area. Naoshima is a pretty island with great vistas. We saw the Benessee house, which is where most people like to stay, but we think this is a bette option.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mandarin Oriental

Tokyo

This is a five star bucket list hotel. You pay the prices but you get an astounding level of service in a hotel that caters to westerners. Tokyo is a big place but this hotel was well located for our purposes and near some main subway lines. Good wind down for us at the end of our trip to Japan.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Quiet neighborhood close to two Japanese department stores and a handful of neighborhood restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

One-Day Classic Tokyo Public Transport Itinerary: Sensoji · Kappabashi · Harajuku Meiji Shrine · Japanese Tasting Dinner

Tokyo

Dinner at Otari was a highlight of our trip.

Tokyo Culinary Journey with Private transportation– Sake Brewery Experience

Tokyo

The Sake tour was not in English and they discouraged translating by our guide. The tasting seemed brief and seemed like an after thought. The day did include a lunch at a Tofu focused Japanese restaurant which was one of the highlights of our trip and located on the side of a beautiful rural setting. Consider this if you can do it by public transportation.

Full Day Guided Kanazawa Cultural Tour by Public Transport – Gardens, Historic Districts & Local Market

Kanazawa

It is possible to see the major historical sites in Kanazawa in one long day. Our excellent guide, "Guchi" was well versed in in the history and culture of the area. In addition, she took us to some unique artisan shops. Definately ask for her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a great 8 days in Iceland. The app was perfect. The room selection was excellent. We were a family of 13 including 4 kids under the age of 6. I think I made the right choice picking your service. Luka did a great job putting it all together for us Thank you again for the help

John

Our first trip to China was an unforgettable delight, exceeding every expectation. It felt as though we had discovered a travel secret too good not to share.
Heidi was responsive, flexible, and attentive to our wishes throughout the planning process. Scheduling conflicts and unexpected visa requirements ultimately reduced our travel party to just my sister and me, but what began as a scouting trip became a wonderful adventure.
Each city captivated us with its distinct history, culture, and character. We encountered extraordinary kindness, and our Muslim dietary requirements were thoughtfully accommodated. Everywhere we went left us eager to return and explore more.
Our guides—George, Sue, Iris, and Ren—made the experience especially memorable. George’s relaxed manner and thoughtful perspectives brought Chinese history and contemporary life into focus. In Xi’an, Sue went above and beyond to make us feel at home, becoming more like family than a guide. Iris’s cheerful energy and thoughtful gifts made our visit to Chengdu and its delightful pandas even more special. Ren helped us experience Shanghai’s vibrant character despite our brief stay.
Transfers were seamless, the hotels offered excellent amenities, and we felt safe and well cared for throughout. Heidi quickly resolved the few unexpected hiccups along the way.
We returned deeply impressed and eager to visit again with our extended families to share the wonders of China.

Our driver/guide,Andi, was great. He was very knowledgeable not only about the history of each place we visited but had lots of suggestions for places of interest or places to eat that we’d might like. He took our interests into consideration and tailored his suggestions to fit them. We can’t say enough good things about his professionalism and his facility with English.
We particularly loved Theth ( but not the guesthouse), Gjirokaster (great hotel, our favorite ), and Lazarat ( the community working together to change its reputation was inspiring).

We had a excellent experience with KimKim and our local specialist Eleanor.
Eleanor listened carefully to our ideas and interests. She was also very considerate of our medical needs. Our local guides Yumi, Yasuko, Mayumi, and Natsu were all experts! They were extremely kind, knowledgeable, considerate and time sensitive. They expertly showed us the history and beauty of each location, and kept us on schedule without rushing us.
Eleanor provided excellent suggestions for activities and locations for us to visit on our days without guides
Our whole experience was seamless and well managed. Thank you!

Gustavo was very helpful in guiding our trip planning and suggesting tours. We spent several days in Athens, a couple of days in Meteora, 2 days in Parga, and 4 days in Corfu. All the guides were friendly and informative, making the excursions very enjoyable. The highlight was the Meteora via ferrata scramble with Costas (Visit Meteora) up the Great Saint. Parga was also enjoyable, with its sea views and beach! All the hotel accommodations were very nice, with all but one being within walking distance of local sites and restaurants. Our favorite hotel was Somnus Suites in Parga! However, the staff and accommodations were great at The Dellas Boutique near Meteora. The Dellas, located between Kastraki and Kalambaka, give you a wide variety of options for dining and shopping all within walking distance. We stayed in Eleas outside of Corfu. the hotel is clean, staff were very helpful, and breakfast is delicious. However, you do need to take the bus or taxi everywhere.
The rain in Athens didn't slow us down or change our planned tours. There are plenty of historic sites, museums, and shops to visit on rainy days. We spent a wonderful day with Katarina, (Greek Travel Tellers) touring Petrolona. Athena, (Alternative Athens) also gave us a very detailed and informative tour of the Acropolis. Greece in October provided mild temperatures, rain showers, and cooler evenings. Plan to layer clothes! We had a planned transfer and hike of the Archeon River. The October weather was too cold for this activity. It is probably best in the summer. The river is very cold, so our delightful guide George, from Epirius Adventures, took us on a short hike near the river, taught us about Olive harvesting, and we went to visit the Nekromanteion of Archeron. The stormy weather significantly altered our plans in Corfu. Unfortunately, we had to cancel or scale back outdoor excursions, sailing, and kayaking because of the weather. George (Corfu Outdoor Activities) took us on a short hike when we could not go kayaking. He was very flexible, informative, gave us great restaurant recommendations and information for our next trip. Our final day in Corfu, the sun came out and we went on the Jeep Safari Tour with Yainis (Xadventure Club). Yainis is very entertaining and talented! He took us off-roading through the mountains, to tour or Enotis Olive Groves, and visiting other sites in Northern Corfu.

Just back from an incredible trip to France. Many thanks to Liz and the KimKim team who designed a wonderful itinerary and taking care of all the details hitting the must-sees in Paris, Normandy, Loire Valley and Burgundy. Liz was wonderful to work with sharing creative suggestions and understanding just what we were looking for on our first visit to France. Paris highlights included a visit to the Louvre, Musée d' Orsay, Notre Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg Gardens, Hôtel des Invalides Napoleon's Tomb & War Museum and of course the Eiffel Tower. Montmartre was especially enjoyable with great dining options , street musicians, and an unexpected harvest wine festival on the hilltop steps of the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur. In Normandy, visits to D-Day sites with Malcom as our guide were definitely memorable and impactful. Other trip highlights included a visit to Giverny (Monet's Gardens), coffee in the shadow of the Bayeaux Cathedral, biking the grounds of grand Chateaus in Loire Valley, walking the streets in charming Burgundy village of Beaune with a moving visit to the Hospices of Beaune. We so enjoyed our experience in France.

Paris - Mgallery Echiquier Paris Opera - paid ourselves ~$475 Euro/night)-4 nights. Nice, tiny, but just okay.

Seine River Dinner cruise - excellent first day tour, food was good, singer for entertainment. It would have been better to have had window table for better view.
Louvre - self guided with headphones was great
Versailles - Impressive tour, October was not great time of year for the gardens
Moulin Rouge - did not attend (poor reviews from others); attended Paradis Latin Show - was excellent and food was very good.
Pastry Tour - Fantastic!!
Side Car ride around Paris to Sacre Coeur Montmartre. Excellent.
Wine tasting at Louvre Cellars . Wine was not great for Paris.
Reims, Champagne (2 nights) - B&B Le Clos Corbier - very nice, large room. Lively and quiet. Too isolated and no restaurant/food within walking distance, uber was $60 euro into Reims for dinner! After a day of Champagne tasting, I did not wish to drive.

Champagne wine tour w/Thomas (3 wineries) - 1) Veuve Clicquot 5*, 2) Collard-Milesi w/ lunch 3.5* 3) Lancelot-Royer 4*

Strasbourg, Alsace (2 nights) - Hotel Du Dragon (good hotel, central). Great city! Great spatzle! Nice wine bar (Terres a Vin)

wine tour with Jerome (3 wineries) - 1) Wach winery - good wine, mediocre tour 4*, 2) Gilg- not great wine, poor tasting 3*, 3) Louis Sipp - good wine, good story

Beaune - (5 nights) (Ermitage de Corton, Chorey-Les-Beaune, Bourgogne, France - very nice B&B, large suite. Outskirts of Beaune (10km) and getting a taxi or Uber required a reservation or a potentially long wait. Other than the included breakfast, there was no food service other than full meal dinner and lunch. No coffee machine available in room.

Burgundy Wine Region Tour Operator: ( Emanuel ) France Intense tour company

Wineries: 1) Domaine Comte Senard Aloxe-Corton (8 tastings) 4*; 2) Maillard-Grivot (12 tastings) 5*;
Wine store - (5 tastings)
*** plus shared a bottle of wine at lunch and dinner
Great tour! A daunting number of wines tasted. Excellent quality!

Tours:
Hospices de Beaune - great private tour!
Mustard factory (on own) and could not gain access to the factory, only the store.

Side car tour - this was fun. Rode through the vineyards and had a glass of Kir Royal w/ gougeres!
Burgundy Cooking Experience - Fantastic day of cooking!! Made several dishes, then enjoyed a wonderful lunch. Great class! Highly recommend this class.

Dinner at La Table Du Square… Amazing!
Excellent Wine Bars: Le bout du monde (wine bar), L’arche des vins
Dinner at L’Ecrit Vin Beaune… great dinner.

Lyon (Le Phenix Hotel) 2 nights

Dinner at Le Boeuf d’Argent - great dinner and food presentation!
Beautiful historic centre
Secrets of Lyon’s Gastronomy food walking tour (good tour, just okay charcuterie, but excellent brioche dessert with red candy covered almonds), okay wine pairings

Bordeaux (Hotel Indigo Bordeaux) - 4 nights Oct 13-17
decent hotel, rooftop restaurant; awesome buffet breakfast!!

Discovered 2 great bars - Le Sobre, Bar de Vin

Chartrons, Bordeaux wine walking district food tour (3hrs) - tasted coffee, pastry, and something else; was not a great tour ☹️.
Saint-Emilion wine region tour 7 hr tour small group (incl picnic (mini van tour) - Ended up being a private tour! Went to 3 wineries, and had a lovely picnic lunch in the yard of one winery.
Day trip to Arcachon Bassin and Dune du Pilat. Was not a great tour. Sand dunes were pretty cool though . Went to an oyster restaurant and had disappointing wine ☹️.

River cruise - Would not recommend . Ambiance was rather cold (like a cafeteria), food was lousy, and the wine was just okay. The cruise in Paris was far better!

Madrid (Hotel Emperador) - 3 nights - very nice hotel, great lobby bar, nice rooftop bar/restaurant. Breakfast was included, and very good. A large hotel with some large tour groups which can make for morning elevator access waits and checkout chaos. Clearly they handle large groups frequently as it was very organized chaos at peak times.

Tapas Tour Oct 17 (really good, food was really good and plentiful); wine was just okay.
Private Madrid Winery tour (10-4pm) - Excellent tour, guide was amazing, winery tours were fantastic, and wine and snacks were great!
Royal Palace guided visit - great tour! Guide was excellent!
Flamenco and Tapas night - Great show!, but would not recommend the tapas.

Barcelona (4 nights) - Serras Barcelona Hotel - Magnificent in every way!!! The staff, the food, the bar, the restaurant, the service… all exceeding expectations! Very intimate hotel. The VERY best hotel!!!

Barcelona Market Tapas dinner Tour - Really good tour, food and wine were very good, food was plentiful.
Catamaran sunset dinner cruise - great cruise with live music ( guitar player) and very good food (intimate dinner on board)
Day trip to Montserrat and the Penedes region wine tasting region - Wonderful tour of Montserrat, and very nice winery Llopart Family Estates tour and tasting! Our tour guide was terrific! We were able to have lunch away from the crowds.

Transfers between airports and hotels were much appreciated. Drivers were competent and helpful with our luggage.

Alexia was instrumental in coordinating our travel and was attentive to our concerns and requests.

absolutelly amazing!
especial mención a Nara y Dania, quienes estuvieron super disponibles y pendientes antes y durante todo el viaje! antes del viaje cualquier duda que teniamos nos lo respondian de inmediato, la comunicación ha sido increiblemente fluida. Nara intentó ajustarse a nuestro presupuesto y cambio el planning tantas veces como fueron necesarias, super super amable. Recorrimos con Kimkim todo Patagonia, comenzamos en calafate. Todos los desplazamientos en patagonia argentina los hicimos mediante autobus, y la verdad que estaba super bien. Los autobuses muy cómodos y puntuales. Al estar alojados en el Chalten, todas las caminatas las comenzamos desde el propio pueblo por lo que no necesitamos coche propio. SiN embargo, para la parte patagonia chilena, alquilamos un coche y fue super util porque dentro del propio parque torres del paine, era necesario moverse mucho para cualquier caminata y nos dio mucha libertad. Esto nos aconsejo Nara y fue un absoluto acierto, estamos super contentos. El tour de los pumar lo hicimos con Carlos, Pumagonia, super amable y recomendable, no tuvimos la suerte de ver ningún puma pero el guía lo intento muchísimo y se veía que tenia muchísima experiencia, aprendimos mucho con el mas allá de los pumas. Los alojamientos básicos pero muy cómodos para lo que buscábamos. El viaje no ha sido barato pero nos hemos dado cuenta allá lo caro que era todo, por lo que entiendo que el presupuesto esta ajustado a lo que hemos hecho. Aun asi, con todas las comodidades que nos han dado desde Kimkim sin duda merece la pena tenerlo todo tan bien organizado y con la enorme disponibilidad que tienen. Los volveria a elegir 100%. Gracias por todo Nara y Dania!!!!Patagonia un destino que todos deberiamos visitar!!!

Thank you Winnie for the organization of our nice tour of Seoul and Japan. We had a marvelous time especially that the weather was so perfect all through the trip. a special mention - the hotel in Kyoto- the Yugen Kyoto Shijo, beautiful. and the Hakone Gora Karaku, very special. Our guides were ok , some difficult to understand. worth mentioning a nice lady in Tokyo -Yoshi.
thank you again, Anat

Hotel Reviews

Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel, A Pan Pacific Partner Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Aoyama Grand Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Gora KARAKU

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

yugen kyoto shijo

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

have windows that open

Lotte Hotel Seoul

Seoul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Activity Reviews

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Nijo Castle, Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Full Day Nara Tour from Kyoto

Kyoto

Tokyo City Tour with Culture & Life

Tokyo

Feel the Charm of Old Town Tokyo: Nezu Shrine and Yanaka Disctrict Walking Tour

Tokyo

Explore the Old and New Capital with Insadong

Seoul

Sydney was outstanding at communicating our options and helping us determine which Greek islands best met the style of vacation we were seeking. She’s very knowledgeable, providing details about the hotel options, travel between islands, private and group tours, etc.
The private tours on Santorini, Naxos, and Paros were perfect. Mario did a great job of taking us to less congested parts of Santorini. Dimitri on Paros was thoroughly entertaining, and did a great job of adapting when we were hit by a long downpour. He took us to our favorite restaurant of the whole trip, which had a coveted outdoor patio right on the water.
Overall, I can’t recommend Kimkim more highly!

Hotel Reviews

Anteliz Suites

Fira

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful location and a short walk away from more crowded/busy areas

Staff

Amazingly friendly and helpful staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Outstanding breakfast included with your stay!

Majo Suites Hotel

Naxos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just a block from the beach and outstanding restaurants

Staff

Extremely friendly, family run hotel. Great service

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parion Opus - Adults Only

Paros

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Athens Manor Houses

Athens

Authenticity & Character

We stayed in a room that was not part of the main hotel, about a block away in a separate building.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Mythology Sunset Walk and Wines of Naxos

Naxos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Countryside Walk: Naxian Villages & Local Food

Naxos

Our guide was outstanding! He was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. We loved visiting the old olive oil mill for a tour and tasting. Also had a great lunch and saw beautiful, small villages.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of Villages of Paros

Paros

Dimitri was outstanding! He was so energetic and entertaining! The tour of Lefkes was so enjoyable. Dimitri also did a great job adapting when it rained heavily for a few hours during our tour. He took us to our now favorite restaurant in all of Greece for an amazing lunch!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Villages Exploration with Independent Akrotiri Visit

Santorini

Mario was wonderful! Extremely knowledgeable and accommodating. We really enjoyed visiting the small, less crowded parts of Santorini. The Akrotiri visit was also extremely interesting and enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My 2 sisters and I planned a trip to Turkey through KimKim and worked directly with Berat. We provided some overall criteria (cultural and historical) but left most of the planning up to Berat with a few changes. She did a terrific job meeting our expectations. At one point I had an unexpected surgery and we were able to easily postphone our trip for a year. The trip was 16 days, 6 of it in Istanbul with a guide for two days and the rest was with a guide and a couple of drivers. Communication was excellent, including all detailed information. We were met at airports (twice), drivers were all professional and had very good vehicles (one brand new) and always on time. We had a Hamam visit planned and were dropped off and picked up with no worries. One driver we had for 5 days even brought coffee and tea in thermoses for a long drive. Both guides were exceptional. The guide we had for most of the trip 9/10 days provided many spontaneous extra diversions ie: natural potato storage facility, women cooking down molasses and tomatoes by the side of the road etc and provided excellent overviews before visiting a place . And the ice cream we ate with a knife and fork!! We felt priviledged to have him.
All the places we visited were impressive. and memorable ...there were so many! Probably the most was the 9,000 year old Catalhukuk, the underground caves, Caravanseri on the silk road, Mosques for me.
Our hotels were exactly what we wanted .... lots of character and with comfort as well. Very memorable. The communication via the app was great. Everything was very timely and smooth. We had booked a balloon ride in Cappadocia for the first day but weather cancelled it. We were able to rebook for the day we were leaving but again it was cancelled due to weather. Then we were offered to book at Pamukkale if we wanted, which we did and were able to do. So easy to have it all arranged for us. And any changes fit in easily. A wonderful trip!!!

Hotel Reviews

Armada Hotel

Istanbul

We enjoyed this hotel with views of the Bosphorus and the Blue Mosque. We visited the rooftop garden with herbs and fruit trees every morning and afternoon. The breakfast buffet was large with a great view and open windows. The turtles were also an added interest in the lobby. We were able to walk to places easily. We were there 6 nights and were very satisfied.

Location

We quickly learned our way around.

Kale Konak Hotel

We were looking for unique places with character to stay on our trip. This fit the bill! So many things to look at and every day you saw more. So much character. Lots of cats, as there are everywhere. A beautiful view. Wonderful breakfast and cake in the afternoon.

Hich Hotel Konya

Konya

An excellent location with a view of the Mosques. A focus onbooks. We expected a restaurant for supper but a very small menu so we went out. Easy to find lots of restaurants close by. Lots of character. A good breakafst.

Doğa Thermal Hotel & Spa

Denizli

We had asked for a spa hotel to have a rest day near the end of our trip so this fit the bill. This hotel is used for large tour groups so is very large, has a huge dinner buffet and good size breakfast buffet. Licensed. The simming pool with hot water is nice and not crowded. I did not bother with the cold one which apeared empty. I did use the Hamam for a turkish bath. It was not up to the one in Istanbul which was terrific. The staff were all good. WE didn'tleave thehotel except for our tour,ballon ride so I do not know about the area.

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

Our last hotel. And what a special place. We did have the cooking class in a stone house with openfire/oven. when we arrived which was fun ...and then we ate the food which was great. I stayed in a little stone cottage which was really cool! The stars were very bright ...not something you see anymore. Lots of cats which we enjoyed. A very quaint beautiful spot. And wonderful people/staff. Lots of character but very different from all the other places. Gardens, fuit and olive trees. A really nice place to end our trip.

Activity Reviews

Explore the Basilica Cistern

İstanbul

Hot Air Balloon Tour at Sunrise

Cappadocia

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

This is an amazing place that I don't think you would find elswhere. A definite highlight for me.

Ceramic Tradition in Avanos + Light Hiking in the Love Valley

Cappadocia

This was interesting and the work is impressive. I bought a couple of very small dishes and when I got home I realized how exceptional they are.

Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Pamukkale

I was prepared to be disappointed with the terraces but was not. We were able to put our feet in and walk a bit. So there is still enough of it left to be beautiful and worthwhile. Hierapolis was impressive as well. One could imagine why the Romans settled here.

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

This Ancient City is quite Impressive. As it was the last day of our tour we were getting a bit overloaded. I liked how you could really see what it would have been like . And the library is very impressive.

Explore the Sultanahmet Square, Blue Mosque + Hagia Sophia

İstanbul

Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Caravansarai

Turkey

Private Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Beautiful Cappadocian Valleys: Zelve, Paşabağ and Uçhisar Fortress

Cappadocia

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Esrefoglu: A Unique Wooden Mosque from the 13th Century

Konya

Visit Beautiful Red Valley + Çavuşin

Cappadocia

Cooking Workshop at Nisanyan Houses

Şirince

This was really fun and in such a nice place. The food which you get to eat is good too!

Visit to Ephesus Archaeological Museum + House of Virgin Mary

Turkey

Explore the heritage of the wonderful Topkapi Palace + Harem

İstanbul

Step back in time at Çatalhöyük: The World’s First City!

Konya

This was very interestingand highly recommend .

Konya: Explore the cultural heritage of Rumi

Konya

Visit Eflatunpınar: A hidden gem from the 13th century BC

Konya

Three middle age American women set out on a two week Moroccan adventure and booked through KimKim. KimKim helped us plan our itinerary and then worked with Moroccan Immersion , who was our on the ground tour operator. Everything about the trip was perfect. Nihad was our planning contact at KimKim on the front end and did a stupendous job. Our driver, Ahmed, was with us for over 10 days and he became a friend. We even have a WhatsApp group chat now! We had a few unusual travel complications and cofounders Sharon and Abdou even brought us to their lovely Kasbah to for lunch. From our drivers (Omar was also amazing) to tour guides, the attention to detail and care was so impressive. I can't recommend KimKim enough and their partnership with Morocco Immersion.

Lots of good things to say about our specialist Jimena. She took great care of us.
Our guides were knowledgeable and gave us the history and information we needed as we toured Peru.
Special thanks to our guide Guido and driver Willy.
The sites, the hotels , the transportation were first class.
We learned a lot about Peru!!

Hotel Reviews

Tierra Viva Miraflores Centro

Miraflores

A nice hotel with all the amenities needed. Front desk was helpful and getting a taxi or uber here was no problem. Overall a good stay😁

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the main walking area in the Miraflores district. Safe, lots of shops and restaurants and money exchange

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A nice three star hotel. Close to everything we needed

Los Portales Cusco

Cusco

Only stayed here overnight. Nice enough hotel. Breakfast was fine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Within three blocks of the main square

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ava Valle Sagrado Spot

Urubamba

Stayed here during our trip to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Nice three star hotel. Comfortable, good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleaned every day. Great staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tierra Viva Cusco Saphi

Cusco

Nice three star hotel. Staff was friendly and the breakfast good. Clean rooms, king bed, hot shower, enough space for our luggage.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A couple blocks from the plaza de Armas.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Moray Terraces

Peru

A great outing with our guide Guido. Lots of history, great location. Loved the site. Everyone should come here.

Quality of Experience

K

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Machu Picchu Exploration

Peru

An amazing experience from beginning to end. Wilson our guide was great. Full of knowledge and passionate about the Incan history. We had a great time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Soft hike from Yanahuara to Ollantaytambo

Sacred Valley

A walk through the Sacred Valley! Interesting plants and history as we walked. Guido our guide was knowledgeable and kept to a pace we could handle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lunch at Chuncho Restaurant

Peru

We stopped here for lunch and our expectations were high after having marvelous meals on our previous tours. The waiter told us that we would be served the special of the day. It turned out to be a chicken quarter of breast and wing on the bone. It was not cooked through and impossible to get the meat off the bone. The potatoes tasted like flour and the vegetable was a pepper. A dish of beans and corn were also on the table to be shared but the skins on them were tough and hard to peel. All in all it was an unappealing meal and impossible to eat.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loop

Transport

Lunch at Ama

Peru

An amazing experience here. Great good, quality , variety and great service. Wonderful to hear the work AMA is doing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cusco Walking City Tour

Cusco

A very interesting walk through Cusco city. Lots to see, a lot of history and our guide was terrific

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 2 week trip to Japan was amazing! Our specialist, Adeline, answered all of our questions, booked hotels and activities, made restaurant reservations and (most importantly) booked all of our train travel from place to place.
We especially liked our "off the beaten path" shrine tour in Kyoto. We had a personal guide to show us multiple temples and little neighborhoods. He was a local and felt more like a friend showing us around than a bland umbrella-in-the-air guide.
Adeline both recommended activities and restaurants and then took our "must haves" to make a seamless trip.
About half way through the trip, we knew we needed a relaxed street food night. We had a dinner reservation and one quick message to Adeline, the reservation was cancelled without charge and we were free to eat whatever yummy snacks we could find!
My husband had been to other parts of Japan on a work trip and still had Tokyo Station Anxiety! IYKYK. Having never been to Japan myself, this would have taken me forever to plan!
We will definitely use Kimkim again and have already recommended it to numerous friends.
ありがとうございます

Activity Review

Small Group Food Tour in Local Neighborhood

Tokyo

This was a really cool small group food tour. Our guide Suzy, showed us local places where she ordered and everyone shared/tried multiple items. We learned a lot about what actual Japanese people eat versus what is advertised for tourists. We met some awesome people and had a great time!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I had never used Kimkim before, but I am likely to in the future. From start to finish, everything just went smoothly. Two years ago when we went to Kenya and Tanzania (using another agency), we had a series of disaster after disaster. My wife and I kept looking at each other this time and wondering when everything was going to fall apart. Spoiler alert: It never did. From the initial planning on where in Morocco we wanted to go, to constant communication with Nihad our trip planner in the time leading up to it, everything just worked.

Our driver was amazing, knowledgeable, and got us from place to place safely, and was also a wealth of knowledge about Morocco in general. The city guides were incredible and patient, answering all of our questions.

We told our trip planner that we really didn't want the "tourist experience." In other words, we didn't want to be with 30 other people following a guide holding a flag aloft shuffling us from place to place. We didn't want to see Morocco as Americans. We wanted to understand from Moroccans what made Morocco special to them. And Kimkim delivered.

I would definitely choose Kimkim again.

All our drivers were excellent. Alberto and Pepe stood out from the rest. Our guide at Pompei, JonLuca, was excellent, as was our guide at the Coliseum and Forum. I can’t remember her name.
Gatto Bianca in Capri was my favorite hotel. Did the chair lift in Anacapri, and the Blue Grotto in Capri. Tons of fun.

Coraima & team were professionals. They honored all requests, helped me work through the perfect itinerary while always being available for questions. The trip went exactly as planned. Recommendations for all tours, hotels, attractions, and food were spot on. Enjoyed our trip immensely. I felt well-supported throughout the duration of our trip. Would happily use kimkim again esp Coraima & team if possible.

The people we interacted with were just fine. Since there were only two of us I thought that it would have been better if we were transported in smaller vehicles. The big vans were a bit of an overdo. I should mention that Stefano who drove us to San Marino was especially good.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Porta San Mamolo

Bologna

The room was small and no view. Also somewhat noisy. Did not compare to the other hotels on the itinerary.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Florence

Bellagio

Great room with a very nice veranda overlooking the waterfront.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel la Colonnina

Monterosso

Staff was great and the room was fine. No view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cinque Terre Train Card

Italy

Quality of Experience

Transport

Cinque Terre Sunset Boat Tour

Italy

Loved this tour. Weather was spectacular and the guide was good. Stop for swimming was a real bonus.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Orvieto train station to your hotel

Orvieto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alps Excursion: Bernina Train Tour from Lecco/Varenna/Bellagio

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Good information and was flexible when weather was not good. Also St. Moritz is not to my taste.

Transport