Kimkim Trip Reviews

My sister-in-law, Mindy, and I recently returned from an amazing trip to New Zealand. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, filled with adventures, new experiences, and unparalleled beauty. I believe it was all of that because Uma from KimKim helped us every step of the way, from ideas, to planning, to reservations, to support while we were there.

Mindy and I started talking about going to New Zealand about a year ago. We knew where it was, and had heard lots of rave reviews about how gorgeous it is, but not much else. When we got more serious about making it happen, we didn’t know where to start.

While searching online for some ideas, I came across the website for KimKim. I liked that the person who would be helping us actually lives in New Zealand. I decided to give them a try.

We communicated with Uma via messages on their site. She gathered lots of information from us via a detailed questionnaire – length of stay, whether or not we wanted to drive, how strenuous we wanted the activities to be, and our interest in many things, such as tours, hiking, biking, bungee jumping, city vs. nature, budget vs. average vs. luxury accommodations, and so much more.

With that information, Uma suggested that we would enjoy touring the beauty on the southern island. Two islands? Who knew?! She sent us a preliminary itinerary including lots of details and asked for feedback. Over the next couple of weeks, communicating back and forth, we had our plan in place. Uma set everything up for us – booked all the hotels, transfers, tours, and activities.

Uma stayed in touch with us as the date of our trip approached, making sure we had the correct documentation and travel visas in place, correct clothing for the weather and sun protection, travel vouchers, and anything else we needed.

Every day of the trip was filled with fun and adventurous activities. The most memorable was Mount Cook National Park. We spent an hour and a half hiking up Mount Cook on well-kept gravel paths and steps and across a long, moving (& scary for me) suspension bridge. The area was absolutely stunning! The bridge spanned over a small river of runoff from a glacier at the base of the mountain. Mindy and I couldn’t believe how lucky we were to be experiencing this!

Another favorite was taking a cruise from Queenstown across Lake Whakatipu on the TSS Earnslaw steamship. The scenery on the cruise was amazing! It took us to the gorgeous Walter Peak Farm, which is a real working farm. They served us a bountiful, delicious meal and then taught us about sheep shearing and sheepdogs. Afterward, we cruised back to Queenstown. A most enjoyable experience!

Another highlight was the drive from Queenstown to remote Milford Sound and the cruise around the sound. This was another amazing experience with sights so breathtaking, I had to pinch myself to make sure it was real. We decided to take a small plane back to Queenstown – another first for us, and it was worth the price being able to see the beauty from above.

We had many more memorable experiences on our trip to New Zealand. There were only a couple of “hiccups” in transfers, and Uma was just a text or phone call away to take care of it. I truly believe we couldn’t have fit in so much wonderfulness if we had planned it ourselves. We highly recommend visiting New Zealand and using KimKim to expertly craft the perfect itinerary for you.

Hotel Reviews

Te Waonui Forest Retreat

Franz Josef Westland

Loved the foresty setting and vibe. Upscale and beautiful, great restaurant!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We were treated like royalty!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Couldn't have been better!

Millennium Hotel Queenstown

Queenstown

Beautiful and upscale. Had everything we needed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful and accommodating!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rydges Latimer Christchurch

Christchurch

Not fancy, but a nice hotel and very clean. Their restaurant, Bloody Mary's, has fabulous food and service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very conveniently located for our tour.

Staff

We were very well taken care of!

Cleanliness & Comfort

We were pleased with the comfort and cleanliness.

Activity Reviews

Milford Sound Coach - Cruise from Queenstown

Queenstown (NZ)

The Milford Sound tour was incredibly beautiful and impeccably organized. It was a smooth experience with no issues, and the stunning landscape was like something out of a dream.

TSS Earnslaw Cruise to Walter Peak, BBQ Dinner, Farm Tour

Queenstown (NZ)

The TSS Earnslaw Cruise to Walter Peak was remarkable! The cruise itself was excellent, and the visit to the farm was surprisingly wonderful. We had a delightful meal and really enjoyed the sheep farming demonstration. It was a unique and memorable experience.

Christchurch to Queenstown Via Mt Cook & Tekapo Small-Group Tour (One Way)

Christchurch

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The only part of this trip I didn't like was not being in Costa Rica longer! What a beautiful country and the wildlife lives up to all the hype without question!
Randall was extremely helpful and responsive in planning this trip for us and all of our guides were fantastic, especially Alan at Manuel Antonio. Our accomodations were beautiful and we saw just about all the animals we had hoped to, including 2 momma sloths with their babies- talk about cuteness overload! Besides the animals, the landscape is epic and Baldi hot springs was hands down the most incredible facility of that type I imagine there is in the world! Definitely will be returning and hopefully will have even more time for my next trip. Big thanks to all our drivers, guides and to Randall for the wonderful experience! Pura vida 😊

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Costa Verde

Manuel Antonio

This facility is very large with many different parts to it. It was perfectly inlaid in to the jungle and seeing all the converted planes was surreal feeling. We also wound up seeing just as much if not more wildlife on the property than we did at any of the parks we visited, which was amazing! The food was great, rooms were clean and beds were comfy. The views from the pool and restaurants can't be beat either- definitely a great place to stay!

Authenticity & Character

I mean, all the converted planes... If that doesn't scream unique/character I don't know what does!

Location

Very close to Manuel Antonio park with stunning views and tons of wildlife everywhere you look

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Arenal Montechiari

La Fortuna

This hotel was absolutely beautiful! The landscaping and all the birds and sloths on the property were so incredibly captivating and the food for breakfast was delicious as well. Highly recommend staying here 100%

Authenticity & Character

Adorable wood cabins with some of the most beautiful tropical landscaping on the grounds I have ever seen!

Location

Walking distance to the town plaza yet removed enough to be able to see a ton of wildlife all around the grounds of the property

Staff

Very kind and personable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio - Jungle Night Walk

Manuel Antonio

This was a small group and we saw quite a variety of animals in a relatively short time span. It was really neat as we all took turns finding then sharing with the others in our group the animals we discovered.

Quality of Experience

It was awesome seeing the different animals in the night time jungle!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very good and showed us a lot of things we would not have seen without him.

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

I loved our experience in the park! The park is incredibly beautiful with a wide range of different views/animals/flora & fauna. Our guide was not only kind and knowledgeable but also had a great sense of humor + tried his best to give us space from other groups so that we could see more wildlife. The only feedback/suggestion I have (which may really be the park's policy so I'm not sure if anything can be done) is that it seems silly and not ideal having all of the guided group tours arriving at the same time i the morning as it makes a big line to get in and then it is harder to experience the park without being surrounded by a large crowd (though again, kudos to our guide Alan for doing his best in mitigating this for us).

Quality of Experience

The animals and location are unbeatable

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our drive was not very long and our guide was very nice, funny and not only pointed things out we never would have seen on our own but also was a great advocate for the wildlife (he had to scold some people that were getting too close to some animals and intimidating them)

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

I absolutely loved this experience and it was quite the full day! The volcano was beautiful and the hot springs were absolutely epic!!

Quality of Experience

The nature of Costa Rica alone makes any experience like this amazing but add on friendly, knowledgeable guides and good, safe drives = perfection!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very kind and amazing qt providing information and pointing things out to us.

Transport

Our driver was very nice and I felt comfortable and safe

Hiking Waterfalls & River Swimming in La Fortuna

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was the rainiest day of our trip so the waterfall was a little chilly BUT so worth it! Not only was it extremely beautiful but our guide was amazing at pointing out things the entire time (I was so impressed he even saw some things like the toucans in a tree on the drive there when he suddenly told the driver to pull over).

Quality of Experience

It was about as much activity as you could possibly ask for in a relatively short excursion and every bit of it was enjoyable!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both our driver and guide were very kind and our guide was very knowledgeable and fantastic at spotting and pointing things out to us from the moment we met him until the moment we parted ways.

Transport

Relatively short drive with no issues and a kind, safe driver.

We found the guides such as Indran and Nantha very helpful, personable and open to our questions and queries. Overall the trip met our expectations. The Oriental Village in Langkawi wasn't interesting though and some of the historical sites were only 100 years old which weren't that interesting. Kuala Lumpur was interesting, Penang was nice, the Cameron Highlands was good although our hotel could do with a revamp (the swimming pool was less than inviting). Langkawi was great especially the islands trip and cooking class, which was great fun. Pia, the chef from the cooking class, is a great character.

Hotel Review

Strawberry Park Resort

The Strawberry Park Resort in Cameron Highlands was okay, but it definitely showed its age. The indoor swimming pool looked rundown and in need of a makeover, which wasn't very inviting. The hotel was located at a higher altitude, so it was a bit chilly, especially since there was no heating in the rooms. Despite that, the food at the hotel was very good, and we enjoyed our meals there.

Activity Review

Half Day Langkawi Island Hopping

Langkawi Island

The Half Day Langkawi Island Hopping tour was really nice. The guide we had was very friendly and informative, sharing a lot of history with us. We were pleased with the experience overall, aside from minor scheduling confusion.

Working with Angel to plan our trip to Chile ( Patagonia, Santiago/Valparaiso, Easter Island, Atacama) was a smooth experience, Angel was very flexible, reactive and helpful to plan a trip with plenty of extra ideas and wishes which turned out into a fantastic trip making outstanding memories.

We fell in love with Costa Rica after joining a G Adventures tour in 2024. We wanted to return, but wanted to visit different areas, with the focus on wildlife, birds and experiencing the forests/jungles/wetlands/national parks. We did not want 5*, all inclusive or private travel where shared travel options were available.
Olman understood our requirements and crafted a wonderful 2 week itinerary for us, and we enjoyed every second of every day - wishing we had arranged a longer visit as our time to depart arrived all too soon.
Our pick up at the airport was perfect, and our overnight accommodation at the Park Inn Hotel was comfortable. Shared transport to Tortuguero was fine, and we thoroughly enjoyed our 2 nights at Pachira Lodge, including the wonderful early morning boat tour. (We would not have wanted to stay in Anhinga lodge, the sister to Pachira). The buffet breakfasts, lunch and dinner were all very tasty with plenty of choices. Lunches at El Ceibo were fine.
The transfer to Sarapiqui Rainforest Lodge was very comfortable, in shared transport (often we were the only 2 passengers when using shared transport). The Lodge was particularly beautiful with a very picturesque 'wild' pool. The location was perfect for our trip to La Selva Biological Station and, of all our drivers and transport, the lady who collected and drove us was absolutely wonderful. She was full of knowledge, information and very charming and so kind and helpful, she was the best, I am just sorry that I don't recall her name. La Selva is a fascinating place - we barely scratched the surface of all there is is to see and do there. Whilst staying at The Sarapiquis Rainforest Lodge we were able to walk to 'Dave and Dave's' to watch birdlife very close up in a perfect natural setting. Highlights included the hundreds of hummingbirds feeding on Heliconia flowers, within feet of us. Dave Jnr, the host is a fountain of knowledge and no more than 6 people can visit at a time (pre-booking essential) so a very individual experience. We would definitely revisit this place. We were also able to walk to the Tirimbina Biological reserve and enjoy a night frog hike which was another amazing experience, seeing night birds and so many frogs with our knowledgeable guide. We loved how accessible Sarapiquis Rainforest Lodge was to all these experiences - perfect for us.
Our transport to Hotel Lavas Tacotal in La Fortuna was excellent and we were blessed with good views of Arenal. Our stay here was fine - as we were out most of the time. Our day trip to Rio Celeste and Tenorio Volcano National Park was fabulous. En route we stopped to rescue a sloth that was trying to cross the busy highway - our guide picked it up and carried it to safety, placing it on a tree on the other side of the road. We ended up with a bonus visit to a chocolate/coffee farm and a sloth farm where we came across a tapir. We also came across 3 eyelash pit vipers - our guide was able to share the importance of safe distance.
The drive to Natural Canon Negro Lodge was private transport, and very comfortable. The lodge itself is in a lovely location and we ended up doing a second boat trip in the afternoon to a different section of the wetlands - what a treat. We would love to return to explore more of the wetlands at Cano Negro, as the map indicates the wetlands cover a very large area.
Our trip to Rincon, again private, took longer as the more direct road was impassable and we were advised to go via La Fortuna, making it a long drive. Buena Vista Lodge was excellent, and again the location of our room with unspoilt views over the valley was perfect. There were many trails we could walk ourselves and we thoroughly enjoyed with hot springs. Again birds, wildlife, sunrises and sunsets could not be beaten. The buffet breakfasts were excellent.
Our drive to Tamarindo was on time, and comfortable, as was the hotel. The Wyndham Hotel had wonderful sunrise and sunset views with a regular shuttle bus to and from town, though we discovered a dusty track through the dry forest down to town where we could enjoy the amazing bird life, monkeys and even a Grey Fox. We enjoyed a roof top meal in Tamorindo as the sun went down and another on the beach where we were treated to a fire show. The Sunset catamaran tour was great, though snorkelling was curtailed by our guide due to an excess of jelly fish in the sea at that time - however we enjoyed spectacular views of a jumping hump back whale and calf, on both the sail out and return. Quite unbelievable.
We were glad to have had an extra day in Tamarindo, and could have had 3 nights in all our locations (except La Fortuna)!
Our hotels were excellent and all transport was comfortable and reliable (one of our unfounded worries!).
The flight down from Tamarindo to San Jose was perfect, and an interesting experience.

Thank you Olman, we are already planning a return visit in March 2026!!

This was our first trip to Costa Rica and we wanted to sample both the volcanic/rainforest interior and Pacific coastline on a self-drive family vacation. Kimkim were impressive - responsive, knowledgeable and well-connected. Serendipity Adventures were also responsive and deeply knowledgeable. The combination of the two saved us many hours of internet research to jump straight to the best accommodation (that we would likely never have found), what to spend time on and setting up a wonderful, tailored itinerary.
Our 'small group' adventure day in the Arenal volcano area turned out to be a private tour for just our family with a superb guide, Mariano, who was full of information and insights that really enhanced our experience.
What made the experience really special is that we didn't just get an itinerary with vehicle, activity and accommodations, we got one on one support throughout our trip. Our advisor, Elena, was incredibly responsive and followed up to make sure that everything was going well. This personal support took a lot of potential stress and uncertainty away. We stayed in three different resort-style hotels that were all fantastic, allowing us to sample different areas, but also to relax and spend quality time together as a family.
For anyone not looking for package tours, but also not wanting to go it completely alone, with some local guidance and expertise, Kimkim and Serendipity are great.

This trip to Ecuador and Galapagos Islands was now my third trip planned with Kim Kim and they did not disappoint! The recommendation to cruise on the Legend rather than stay on one Island was great. We were able to see multiple Islands and a ton of wild life (Sea lions, tortoise, sea turtles, blue footed booby, red footed booby, nazca booby, flamingo and land and marine Iguana. Since Quito was our landing point, we used it as an opportunity to tour attractions near the city including the Center of Earth Musuem and various churches in the city. Javier was a great guide and very knowledgeable. We ended our trip with an excursion outside of Quito to Cayambe to a Rose Plantation (Rosadex) / Hacienda, which was beautiful. A great Trip!

Hotel Reviews

Le Parc Hotel, Beyond Stars

Irlanda

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location! Safe area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Expedition Legend

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were not conditioned well.

Activity Review

PM – Highlands Tortoise Reserve and “Fausto Llerena” Tortoise Breeding Center

Cruise Ship

Having traveled to Norway and Sweden in winter, I was looking for a winter excursion this year in Finland, hoping to see the Northern Lights. I often plan my own travel itineraries, but I was intrigued by the Kim Kim approach to planning a bespoke itinerary. My local specialist, Emerson, presented me with an itinerary proposal that was detailed and tailored to what I wanted to see and do. So, I let him do the work for me! It was a good investment.

Flying into Kittilä, I was met by a driver (all my transfers to hotels and activities were included) and taken to The Northern Lights Ranch about 10 KM north of Levi. This was my favorite hotel (though all accommodations were great), with a glass cabin to myself and amazing dinners and a breakfast buffet with real scrambled eggs (other hotels "scrambled" eggs were powdered eggs). The hotel also features a reindeer corral, a skating rink, and a snowshoe trail (with free skates and snowshoes to use). Because the forecast was for clouds on the second night, when I was scheduled to go for an aurora hunt, the excursion was changed to my first night. No time for jet lag! And we did see the lights! I was the only one on the excursion, which was nice and appreciated . . . and atypical. As a solo traveler, I was at the mercy of having enough other folks sign up in order for the other excursions to take place. Fortunately, with one exception, that happened. You have to be flexible when traveling alone!

A couple nights in another glass cabin outside of Äkäslompolo at the Arctic Skylight Lodge gave me a chance to see a bit of the Northern Lights again from the comfort of my bed. Other highlights: Snowmobiling to a cabin beside a frozen lake, a reindeer sleigh ride (alas, no flying), an evening snowshoeing through a forest to Bear Stone followed by a traditional Finnish dinner (reindeer stew and squeaky cheese) prepared in a lavuu by our guide, Susanne.

Then on to the big city of the north, Rovaniemi, where I spent two nights at the Arctic Light Hotel and had the chance to drive a husky team, look for the aurora again (unsuccessfully), float in a frozen lake, and tromp through the snow at Riisitunturi National Park.

To finish my trip, I took the overnight train to Helsinki (the private sleeper car was nice!). I had a good tour of the city with a private guide, which got me oriented and helped me plan for my own wandering around the city time. Emerson arranged for a day trip to Tallinn the following day, which was a real high point! The "ferry" from/to Helsinki is essentially a cruise ship . . . it just cruises for 2 hours at a time. Another private tour guide introduced me to the history of Tallinn and then an unexpected but much appreciated bonus was getting to meet Emerson and his wife for coffee and conversation.

Emerson did a great job filling up my agenda with activities that I enjoyed. Again, it was an investment well worthwhile to have a plan built by someone who knows the territory. It was also nice to know that Emerson was available if needed during the trip. If you're thinking of visiting Finland (and/or Estonia), I encourage you to let Emerson help make your trip as memorable as mine!

Hotel Review

Arctic Skylight Lodge

Äkäslompolo

I stayed at the Arctic Skylight Hotel for a couple of nights. The room was nice and comfortable, though the facility wasn't quite as upscale as another hotel I stayed at initially. However, the food was good, and the staff was very accommodating and helpful. Overall, it was a pleasant experience.

Activity Review

Evening Snowmobile Tour to Wilderness Hut

Finland

I was scheduled for an Evening Snowmobile Tour to a Wilderness Hut, but due to lack of participants, it was changed to a daytime trip. Despite this change, I had a great time. It was an enjoyable day with nice activities, and I appreciated the flexibility offered by the organizers to make sure I could still enjoy the snowmobiling experience.

From start to finish, we had a good experience. I don't know if we saved any money using KimKim, but we definitely were more organized and less stress and we didn't have to spend hours and hours doing the planning ourselves. So, that was a huge benefit. We learned about a Puma refuge while we were visiting Chile that I would have liked to have visited (but didn't because we didn't know about it), but otherwise I felt that our trip covered all the "must-do" sights. Francisco managed questions and interactions with vendors along the way, so we felt we were well informed.

Everything was made super simple with kimkim. Truly a relaxing experience! Would definitely consider usingthese services again.

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham

Tamarindo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Ruben the supervisor was awesome!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The coffee was meh, no espresso options and if you want drip coffee outside of breakfast hours it’s very expensive.

Amor Arenal

La Fortuna, San Carlos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very private, lots of lush jungle

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunset Catamaran Tour

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer for Passenger Leaving Early

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoning in Arenal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

The chicken was excellent!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helena and the Kimkim team helped us plan a trip to Barcelona and the Pyrenees! It was spectacular! They were friendly and helpful and there to support us every step of the way as needed. I would definitely recommend them to anyone planning a trip to Spain.

Activity Reviews

Visit Montserrat and Hiking

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Serendipity Adventures in Costa Rica were wonderful! They texted us daily with reminders of the schedule, gave personal recommendations for restaurants, and handled all our questions that came up. The team of Holden, Wilman, and Nancy were excellent.

All tours through the parks were fantastic. We were guided by Oscar, Bernie, and others who were so knowledgable. The accommodations were spectacular. We highly recommend Hotel Lomas del Volcan, Cloud Forest Lodge (with a 5 star restaurant), and La Mariposa with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean.

All local guides and drivers did a wonderful job. They work out of their way to help us. Especial Mr. Vibol in Siem Reap and Mr. Cuong in Hanoi were very accommodating.

Hotel Reviews

Caravelle Saigon

This is not a five star hotel. We have seen better hotels around.

Authenticity & Character

Not a lot of character that the hotel offers.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tam Coc Garden Resort

Ninh Binh

This place has a lot of characters. It’s a retreat and we love to spend more time here. The only thing missing is outlets by the coffee/tea makers. It’s a little inconvenience, but we worked with it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi

Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Almanity Hoi An Wellness Resort

Hoi An

This is the worse hotel of the whole trip. The rooms we got were at the very end of the building. They were a bit outdated and with the construction next door, and the dust around, we are happy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was clean but I would not say super comfy.

Shinta Mani Angkor

Siem Reap

I would give it a 5 star if it has an elevator. The floor was not very smooth and easily tripped if not paying attention. The shower door is not enclosed and it’s easily get the whole bathroom wet. We had issues with the air condition, but the problem was fixed pretty fast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Given that it does not have an elevator and the bathroom door needs to be replaced.

Activity Reviews

Dining at Michelin-star restaurant - Gia Restaurant

Hanoi

Dinner takes way too long, food was not what we expected. We wanted upscale Vietnamese food, that are simple and healthy. We didn’t choose this restaurant, we went because KimKim recommended this and we thought was included in our tour. The schedule says on the last day, breakfast and dinner were included, but we had to pay for this dinner, which was too expensive and the kind of food we did not enjoy. The table next to us were loud, the music the played was not songs from the 90’s. No class!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Poor driver had to come after 3 plus hours to pick us up.

Transport

Ho Chi Minh City Half-Day Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Time is never enough. Wish we could have more time to see the museums.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Authentic Mekong Delta Tour By Luxury Speedboat

Ho Chi Minh City

It was good that we can see the Mekong river and the delta area, good experience visiting someone’s home and eat a home cooked meal. Visiting to the orphanage was wonderful and the small temple and the wet market we all enjoyed.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

VIP Fast Track Service

Vietnam

I do not understand why we had this. It was good that we didn’t have to stand in line and got out of the airport in no time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Apsara show with dinner

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus Show

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Complex of Angkor

Siem Reap

This is what we came to see, beautiful, serene. Wished we could spend more time here.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vibol is very knowledgeable about the history and culture of Cambodia.

Transport

Driver was very attentive. Besides cold water and cold wet towels, he cleans the van every time we were sight seeing.

Steve was a pleasure to work with. He kept us informed and was always very responsive. We loved the program he put together for us. The guides and drivers we had in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap added immensely to our enjoyment of the trip. Would 100% recommend this trip to anyone!

Hotel Reviews

The Aviary Hotel

Siem Reap

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

iRoHa Garden Hotel & Resort

Phnom Penh

The staff was so welcoming and helpful. Loved the breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very welcoming and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Exceptionally clean

Activity Reviews

Koh Ker & Beng Mealea temples

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Very interesting and unique

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angkor Thom & Ta Phrom by remork with lunch

Siem Reap

Phare, the Cambodian Circus (Seat B - open seating in the rear half of the middle seating area)

Siem Reap

Ox cart ride, Village Activities & Sunset drinks in the rice fields

Siem Reap

HAVEN Restaurant

Siem Reap

Angkor Wat morning visit

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Really enjoyed Mr. Arn

Transport

Always nearby when we were done. Always had a cold water when we needed it

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Cambodia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Len and Mr. Ya were great!

Transport

Tuol Sleng, Central Market & Killing Fields in the afternoon

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Royal Palace

Phnom Penh

Short cyclo tour to Wat Phnom

Phnom Penh

We were wonderfully taken care of throughout our trip, particularly by Toto in Bangkok and Bamie who travelled with us through Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

We were amazed by the many markets we visited and our day with elephants in Chiang Mai and on the waters near Phuket stand out as highlights.

Hotel Review

Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel

Bangkok

The Avani truly impresses with its remarkable rooftop infinity pool, impressive modern rooms, and mutating daily breakfast.

Activity Reviews

Bangkok Symbolic Temples

Bangkok

Nothing can prepare you for the grandeur of Bangkok’s Royal Palace and Temple. You hardly know where to look as the site becomes more impressive from each new angle.

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

A visit through the throngs of Thai street markets really drives home just how unique Thailand is from any other travel experience you may have had. Particularly surprising were the flower market and our daytime visit to the incredible Icon Siam mall whose entire ground floor is an astounding street market mimicking the streets of geographic regions across Thailand.

Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai - Half day exploring the temples

Thailand

Just when you think you’ve seen everything Thai temples have to offer, the White Temple and Blue Temple remind you that Thailand can always still surprise and delight.

Baan Chang Elephant Park - Elephant Day Care

Chiang Mai

A magical day spent learning and interacting very closely with these amazing animals.

With our significant input, Coraima and Kim Kim came through on their promise of a great 6 vacation in Portugal
Here are pics of some of our great guides and experiences

We booked a 3 week trip to Ecuador with KimKim. The agency made the trip very easy for us, for the most part. The three weeks included time in the Andes for a Cotopaxi expedition, the Galapagos, and the Amazon.

The booking and planning process was simple and convenient as well.

As far as the trip itself goes, the Galapagos and the Amazon went seamlessly, and we were grateful to have gone with KimKim. Outside of that, our tour guide, Marco, was fantastic - taking us to Mindo, Otavalo/Cotacachi, Riobamba, Cuenca, Cajas, Guayaquil, and Antisana. Not to mention, multiple trips to the airport and back. He went above and beyond to keep us comfortable and happy.

For the Andes portion of our trip, we realized it might have been better to go with a company specialized in mountaineering to ensure we got the experience we wanted—proper acclimatization and ultimately summiting Cotopaxi. We had to make last-minute itinerary changes in Ecuador, and we felt some of the acclimatization days at the start could have been used more effectively. Additionally, we had some confusing experiences with our mountain guide. The most stressful part for me was that the itinerary we were given and following had us staying an extra night at Chilcabamba lodge (the night we were to summit Cotopaxi), and I believed we could safely leave our luggage there while we summited Cotopaxi. However, when I asked about it, we were told we'd need to check out before the climb and that a driver would watch our luggage while we climbed—this was not the case. In the end, our mountain guide arranged for our luggage to be left at the ranger station at Cotopaxi National Park. This aspect of the plan felt poorly executed, and I was stressed about our luggage being left behind in such an uncertain manner.

The other thing I would have liked is to have an idea of how many guides we would have to tip and how much cash would be required- we arrived in Ecuador with far less cash than we should have brought with us. Luckily, the agency was able to get more cash to us so we could appropriately tip.

For the Galapagos and the Amazon, we had several domestic flights, which all went rather smoothly. KimKim booked us a cruise for the Galapagos, which was fantastic, and a wonderful Amazon lodge where we had some great experiences. I would definitely recommend KimKim for vacationing in Ecuador, as long as mountaineering is not involved.

From the moment I decided to plan a trip to Argentina, Agustina was by my side (via texts and email) Yes, we could even have spoken on the phone, but each step of the way, she was there to offer ideas, guide and facilitate everything we wanted in our adventure. This was a different way for us to plan and travel as we generally self-drive, cater, and explore independently. However, will all lodgings, transfers, shuttle, excursions planned for us, it was easier to relax and enjoy. Meeting fellow travelers and seeing large groups with touring guides and sometimes hassled fatigued travelers, we were ecstatic that we weren't one of them. At each location, we were met with local companies for our shuttles and transfers and confirmation of tours. Very responsive companies under the umbrella of Agustina and Mater. We had a road book that was updated and confirmed each day.

Our trip included Buenos Aires, Ushuaia (end of the world), El Calafate (Patagonia), and Puerto Iguazu.

Hotel Reviews

La Reserva Virgin Lodge de Selva by DON

Puerto Iguazú

We were truly in a rainforest, complete with birdlife, and amazing trees. We had a screened porch with table and chairs and hammock to complete the rainforest appeal. Other hotels were in town center and while close to restaurants and shops did not seem to offer the appeal of rainforest.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Welcoming after our 2 AM arrival. Johann assisted with cart to our room especially since we were on second level.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blanca Patagonia Boutique Inn and Cabins

El Calafate, Santa Cruz

Although a taxi ride away from town center, this was a spectacular location for view. The main lobby was like being in an elaborate lodge or private home. The restaurant upstairs was small and intimate. The breakfast service was also upstairs and was abundant. We stored our luggage on our last day and relaxed in the environment before our airport shuttle arrived. There was an outdoor spa that we didn't use, but again, a glass enclosure with a spectacular view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

So friendly, helpful, engaging.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alto Andino Hotel

Ushuaia

Uphill from town center with magnificent views over the water. Easy walk to the pier for excursions.

Authenticity & Character

Breakfast was served on the 4th floor with spectacular views. Midday coffee and tea with cookies was available.

Location

Although hilly, broken sidewalks, you could reach restaurants and shops easily.

Staff

Welcoming! The hotel was connected to our tours and would inform us of our activities.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Awwa Suites & Spa

Buenos Aires

In a peaceful and safe place in Buenos Aires. Accustomed to English speaking travelers to some extent. No restaurant, but morning delivery of breakfast to your room. While we didn't use, there was a pool, spa, sauna, availability of massage, robes and kitchen set.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Away from bussle of centro - walking distance to many cafes and restaurants, green parks closeby, and the Japanese Rose Garden.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Milonga night

Buenos Aires

While we skipped the Tango lesson, we enjoyed going to a local Milonga with our guide Martene. While a late night, it was a wonderful experience and enjoyed our last night in Buenos Aires.

Quality of Experience

Welcomed to Milonga by owner and seated at a reserved table where we could enjoy our drink without participating, but could appreciate the evening.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Martene made us comfortable and explained so much about a Milonga answering all my questions. He joined in the dance on several occasions allowing us to take photos although generally frowned upon

Transport

Prompt pickup, arranged our travel by Uber both to the Milonga and home again to our hotel.

Walking tour: Palermo & Recoleta

Buenos Aires

Wonderful to reconnect with Jessica who first met us at airport and then was our guide to Buenos Aires in our early days of our visit. We visited yet another area full of information. So comfortable to travel with her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jessica was attentive to both our needs and questions. Flexible, caring, organized, friendly, knowledgeable.

Transport

Jessica was on time, organized our rides

Half day tour to the Iguazú Falls (Brazilian side)

Argentina

Slightly confusing for us travelers as we picked up at hotels and then many stops to facilitate border crossing. Our apprehension was due to our inexperience. We were a large group that made visiting the Falls together hard to manage. Getting lost was a slight concern in the crowds. However, the trip to BOTH sides of the Falls is not to be missed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bruno tried his best, but there could have been an easier way to keep us together at various meeting points. A lot of time was wasted at each check point as our group reconnected. Simply giving us a time and location meet would have sufficed.

Transport

While the group crossed the border, 4 of us remained in Brazil to visit Bird Park. Separate arrangements were made for our safe, prompt return with taxi to cross the border and return to our lodge.

Bird's Park

Argentina

Such a calm experience (1 1/2 hours) after the crowds of the Falls. Interpretive signage in 3 languages. Extensive areas in protected aviaries so you could experience close hand all the birds.

Quality of Experience

Our guide got us our prepaid tickets and arranged for our taxi pickup to both cross the border and return us to hotel seamlessly.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bruno was soft spoken and spoke clearly to each traveler always keeping us informed of what we were going to do and how to keep us together

Transport

Boat trip along the Iguazu River

Puerto Iguazú

Fun experience down a calm river with 18 people. We didn't have to paddle, just enjoy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pamela arranged tickets for park entrance, train ride, boat experience and met us each time to keep the tour moving w/o hesitation or interruption - seamless!

Transport

Private tour to the Argentinian side of the falls

Argentina

The most spectacular waterfalls we've ever experienced. We had a private guide that added to both our knowledge and fun experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pamela was amazing. So attentive. Easily kept track of time and us. Paced activities well

Transport

Discovery Estancia Cristina

El Calafate

From a ride by coach to a boat to a long boat ride to 4x4 transport to return, it was a full day of so many experiences. Luch at the restaurant was wonderful! Full service again complete with wine.

Quality of Experience

Ease of transfer from one activity to another

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We were divided into English and Spanish groups which made it easier for guides to explain w/o having to repeat twice.

Transport

Coach always there, boat always ready, activities at the Estancia ready and organized for us upon our arrival

Full day at Glaciares National Park: Perito Moreno

El Calafate

From start to finish, we were guided, transferred and informed about the best way to explore the glacier walkways.

Quality of Experience

Well planned - ample time to explore views of this spectacular glacier

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explained our schedule, showed us overall map of walkways along with helpful advice.

Transport

well connected from hotel pickup by coach to boat and back

Family dinner in Calafate

El Calafate

How special to be greeted by your host in his home. Gabriel prepared his specialties using his mother's recipes. Lively group that melded well.

Quality of Experience

Wonderful food in cozy surroundings

Food

everything from start to finish. Gabriel explained his food and ingredients and allowed the opportunity to share dishes.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Picked up from our hotel and returned seamlessly after dinner.

Transport

Trekking & Canoeing in Tierra del Fuego National Park

Ushuaia

Quality of Experience

small group experience

Food

Lunch served in a heated geodeisic dome complete with starter, soup, lunch, dessert and WINE!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Valentine created a team. We bonded and we enjoyed ourselves in the national park. Valentine was always aware of his group, attended to our needs and shared his knowledge of the forest.

Transport

From our first pick-up Valentine was friendly and engaging. Made you eager for a day together

Estancia Harberton & walk with penguins

Ushuaia

Great experience with penguins for an hour on their island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide did his best to keep us together as we explored the island paths.

Transport

Well timed, but since you could only travel to island by boat for 20-30 people, you had to wait til they returned from their one hour penguin island tour. The tour could have been shorter with less folks booked.

Navigation through the Beagle Channel 2.30 hs

Ushuaia

There was confusion about the time of this tour and our expected arrival. You had to get yourself to the port to check in. We arrived too early, and had to wait too long for an average tour. It was informative to be on the channel that separates Argentina and Chile. Guide spoke in English and Spanish but w/o much enthusiasm,

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

no hotel pick-up; unclear about arrival time and check in was crowded and haphazard

Palermo Food Tour

Buenos Aires

We had to get ourselves to the meeting place (1st restaurant) Walked with a group of 10. We certainly got the flavor of many dishes and different outdoor cafes. We were expected at each location which was welcoming. The one serving steak and sausage was touch and the food dry. Perhaps change this stop.

Quality of Experience

Food

Variety of food choices at each locale. Ending with gelato and dessert was a treat.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tango & cena show at El Viejo Almacen

Buenos Aires

Having never attended a Tango show, we were warmly greeted and seated. The service was excellent and the show fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Food

Argentine steak! Malbec wine!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Always felt like we had a guardian angel with us that kept track of times and our location

Transport

Buenos Aires Walking tour, La Boca & City centre

Buenos Aires

Jessica was the guide that first met us at the airport as we checked into our hotel. We were with her for this walking tour and again when we returned to BA two weeks later. She was super accommodating with some help that we needed and handled everything about our first view of the city so easily - moving from walking, to Uber, to local bus.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Katie was great to work with. She was very responsive and knowledgeable about our destination, Norway. We had a number of requests to customize the trip and she was able to accommodate those requests. One of the biggest benefits we realized was when our original destination (Tromso) was booked up and she was able to pivot to another location (Alta) while still fulfilling our requests. We also enjoyed the daily check-in’s and follow through during the trip and after. We highly recommend Katie for your travel needs!

Hotel Reviews

Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge

Alta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel

alta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bjørnfjell Mountain Lodge

Alta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardemoen

Gardemoen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sami Culture Experience with Reindeer Sledding

Alta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ice Sculpting Experience

Alta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trasti og Trine Dog Sledding

Alta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arctic Light Snowmobile Experience

Alta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Snowshoe Tour

Alta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Polar Night Bonfire Trip

Alta

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing itinerary for a 10 day vacation to Costa Rica put together by Holden on the serendipity adventures team! They were very prompt with replies to all of our itinerary change requests, and ensured we were 100% satisfied prior to booking. We loved the activities they booked for us and the shuttle services were always on time and very convenient!