Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our visit to Ecuador exceeded our expectations. Alvaro was detailed in his planning and offered options when booking accommodations and activities. Overall, his recommendations were excellent like the Lodge in the Yasuni National Park. I would go back there to visit again. Adres and Mariano, our guides there were very knowledgeable about the Amazonian animals and plants which made the trip exciting and rich.
We would highly recommend visiting Hacienda Zuletta, a beautiful hotel in the Andes. It is set in the mountains with hiking, biking and horseback riding. Also, they make cheese on site which is served with every meal - quite delicious!
The Galapagos surprisingly, while beautiful, were a bit touristy for our taste. However, we enjoyed the Finch Bay Hotel - a luxury hotel on a snorkeling beach.
Alvaro met us at the end of the trip in Quito for a debrief. He is extremely professional and knows the country quite well. I'd recommend him strongly.

Lucy was fabulous. Very attentive and helpful and created a wonderful bespoke trip for us! Would thoroughly recommend

The trip was awesome! Joseph did a great job of creating an itinerary that worked for myself and my 70 year old father. We were overjoyed with the trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Review

Ashnil Mara Camp

Maasai Mara

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Maji Moto Maasai "Olpul" Bush Camp

Maji Moto

This was our favorite activity! Camping out at the Bush Camp after slaughtering a goat was an incredible cultural experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago, Chile and Argentina’s Patagonia region is beautiful and we had a wonderful time, but KimKim’s support overall did not meet our expectations for the trip.

Major issues
– Detailed itinerary was not provided to us until we were already at the airport for the trip preventing us from reviewing and possibly identifying issues.
– The car rental was an open pickup truck. While it met the needs of having 4x4 drive and room for 5 adults, having a vehicle where luggage is in an unsecured area opened to the elements should not be offered or explicitly disclosed upfront. We discussed this with Flor at the beginning of the planning and told her we were not interested in having a truck. When we landed in Punta Arenas, with a long drive in front of us and it raining outside, we had to drive 30 minutes the opposite direction into town to find trash bags, which we had to use every time we changed locations throughout the trip.

Minor issues
- We were prepared for travel and had a car rented, but each activity included us to get picked up by a new vendor to drive us to a nearby site which we could have easily done (Repeated in Calafate for the Glacier boat, Chalten for the white water rafting, boat trip in Ushuaia, Penguin visit in Porvenir). We could of easily driven ourselves to these activities and two time these pickups potentially negatively impacted the experience (see below) and probably increased our cost.
- Pickup to Glacier boat ride in Calafate was almost 30 minutes late and as a result we were one of the last people boarding onto the boat and were sat in the worst seats possible (we were facing a wall where most had a window). We could of easily driven ourselves to the activity.
- Penguino National Park visit in Tierra del Fuego: KimKim was aware we were staying in Porvenir the night prior and Ushuaia the next night, and with the penguin exhibit approximately 1.5 hours on the way to Ushuaia, why did we hire a guide that didn’t even go into the exhibit, and was contracted to drive us back in the opposite direction of our day’s itinerary? BTW, the guide was good at sharing history about the region

We enjoyed our time in Chile.
Starting off in Rapa Nui was a great side trip. Particularly going to the volcano where the statues are carved. Valparaiso was another great side trip where we met several artists and purchased their work.
Our self drive though the south and Patagonia was excellent with too many beautiful views and places to mention. Driving was very easy and safe.
Pucon and the area was good but beware of the traffic, it can really slow you down.
San Pedro Atacama was a real highlight and we had a great guide for our stargazing and our mountain tours.
All in all our 3 weeks in Chile was a wonderful trip. All the places in planned by Kim Kim were worth the time and exploration.

We had another wonderful vacation with the help of Kim Kim. We were greeted by Neng for our first tour in Bangkok, and spent the next couple of days with him exploring temples, the floating market, the train market, China Town, and more. Neng shared so much information with us and was so hospitable. He made sure that we were well taken care of!
In Chiang Mai we visited the elephant sanctuary, which was such a fun day! The sanctuary was well organized, clean, and did a great job educating us on the elephants. They also took a to.n of fun pictures for us. We got to make medicine balls for them, feed them, play in the water with them, and give them a mid bath. We then finished the day with a buffet style lunch that was very good. I would highly recommend this elephant sanctuary.
Last we were off to Krabi. Our travel specialist was able to make a last minute change to our itinerary and add in a cooking class. We had so much fun and ate so much food!
Our Thailand vacation was amazing, and I am so grateful for the help of Ashley from Kim Kim for her work on all of the logistics to make sure that everything went seamlessly. She was quick to respond if issues arose, and made sure that the team handled things quickly.

Hotel Reviews

Panan Krabi Resort

Krabi

This hotel was amazing! It was extremely clean, we had a beautiful view of the ocean from our balcony, a great pool area (multiple pools), a delicious and very large breakfast buffet, and was in the perfect location. The staff were also extremely kind and welcoming. I would highly recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Not a lot of character, but it’s a resort and beautiful.

Location

Close to the beach and all the shops/restaurants, but tucked back down a short alley so it was quiet.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rimping Village Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Staff were extremely friendly. They had a very nice pool area, and it was nice that they provided welcome drinks and daily afternoon snacks. The location was a bit off the beaten path so it was quiet, but a short 10 minute walk across the bridge to a more touristy area with tons of shops and restaurants. We got to enjoy local street food which was delicious. The beds were quite firm, but not horrible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Silom Serene Hotel

Bangkok

Staff were extremely friendly. The hotel was very clean and was located in a very safe area close to a lot of shopping and food. The breakfast was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

One-hour Aromatherapy Hot Oil Massage at Oasis Spa Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

The spa was very nice and the massage was relaxing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Chiang Mai Elephant Jungle Sanctuary - Join tour

Chiang Mai

One of my favorite days in Thailand! The sanctuary was well organized, clean, and the guides were engaging, funny, and knowledgeable. We were able to interact with the elephants so much, creating amazing memories. Would highly recommend this activity!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Wat Umong Temple and Chiang Mai City by night

Chiang Mai

This was our least favorite tour. Our guide didn’t do a great job explaining things to us. It was beautiful, but wouldn’t do it again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maeklong Railway Market and Damnoen Saduak floating market - Half-day

Bangkok

Such a unique and fun experience to do both of the markets. Many made sure we got time to fully experience both markets and we had time to shop and snack on delicious food/smoothies.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok evening street food tour

Bangkok

Neng took us to a variety of places and was able to suggest things that we had never heard of. Was such a fun evening, and loved that we ended it with a tuk tuk ride back to the hotel.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day combined Grand Palace Temples city tour

Bangkok

We learned so much. Was a great way to start our trip in Thailand.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On time, safe, water available.

Tamer with KimKim planned an amazing trip to Quito, Mindo Rainforest, Amazon Basin and Galapagos !! It was a trip of a lifetime! He was so helpful planning the trip and answering all our questions. Everything went smoothly from beginning to end and he kept in touch the whole time we were there.
The guides for each part of our trip, Sebastion in Quito and Mindo, Pedro in at Napo Wildlife Center in Yasuni NP, and Carlos in the Galapagos were incredible and added so much to our experience. They had so much knowledge about the country, culture, and areas we visited.
The amount of wildlife and plants we saw were amazing! Caymans, giant river otters, monkeys, sloth, so many birds everywhere, bats, sea lions, penguins, sharks, rays, turtles, tortoises, frigate birds, iguanas and red and blue footed boobies...
The food, accommodations, and people on the Galapagos Endemic ship were awesome!
We highly recommend KimKim! Thank you for helping us create such beautiful memories!

This trip with my sister was the exact balance of structure and freedom. I am in the process of booking another trip with KimKim because of the professionalism and ability to treat me/my sister as human beings and not just business partners.

I would highly recommend this company and specifically Sienna who helped my sister and I enjoy one of the most unforgettable vacations in Greece.

Next up is Normandy France.

Hotel Review

Chania Inn

Chania

Authenticity & Character

I still cannot believe how awesome this was and for the price

Location

Awesome

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Imbros Gorge Hiking Day Trip

Chania

The Gorge was great. The bus ride and pickup process was weird

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the South Beaches of Crete from Chania

Chania

Self-Guided Chania Old Town Walk

Chania

Winery Dinner Under the Stars Experience

Chania

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I’m

Transport

Ancient Athens Acropolis & Mythology Walk

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Neighborhoods Walk

Athens

Quality of Experience

We went to Costa Rica for a combination of chill time along with wildlife.

Holden and team did a nice job with that balance, planned activities with enough 'chill' time so we never felt especially rushed.

I really appreciated that they assigned a person, Wilman, that we were in contact with on a almost daily basis via what's app. He helped us a number of times (including my wife got sick and we thought she might need to see someone. . It turns out she was fine but Wilman was useful in researching our options if we had needed it), he also checked in every day or so to make sure we knew what was next (and in a few cases alerting us to a change in plans due to weather).

Overall our trip was great. We really enjoyed good weather, had fun beach time and saw a ton of animals.

Hotel Reviews

Tirimbina Rainforest Lodge

Sarapiquí

It's a pretty basic place in the middle of the rainforest (which, I guess makes it sort of exceptional in a lot of ways). This is a less touristy area and your choices are more limited. We rather enjoyed our stay with a patio outside and howler monkeys screaming in the morning. The rooms are, I guess you would say "Functional", and the restaurant area is sort of basic but you don't come here for the 5 start accommodations so it's fine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

This place is a resort style -- they have really nice grounds and that are well managed with plenty of tropical plants and a pretty active bird population who live there. Our unit had a private plunge pool heated by the thermal activity which was super nice -- we used it twice a day to relax (it was a really nice upgrade)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

Amazing location that is right on the beach. Rooms were spacious but they kind of looked into each other (Our balcony was sort of looking into someones bedroom) -- Not a problem as such but just worth noting. The beach access is amazing though, don't bother with the breakfast ($60 per person for a buffet!?) -- we went to a local place or just up to the market to get some staples. The bar was nice for lunch/dinner though and reasonable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Great views, nice rooms, nice restaurant & bar area with amazing sunsets over the pacific ocean (or, depending on the weather you can watch clouds envelop the forest below) It's a bit of adventure to get here (windy roads that with lots of potholes) but it's worth it once you arrive!

Poas Volcano Lodge

Vara Blanca

This is a cool, kind of funky place. We were only there one night (which is probably about as much time as you'll want to spend.. it was cold!) but enjoyed it. If you go read the history of this place... it's pretty interesting.

Aguas Claras

Puerto Viejo

Oh my god -- It is a bit of Heavanin an otherwise busy area with a semi-private beach and amazing service. Huge rooms with outdoor showers, yes!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Night Excursion in Rainforest and Wild Frog Sanctuary

Arenal/La Fortuna

I love night walks and this was no exception - -- Pretty much all we saw were frogs but that is OK since there are a lot of fun frogs to spot.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

The reserve only let's in a limited number of people (200?) but we were in the guided group so we got in easily. We had to get there early to check in and they bus you to the reserved (maybe a 5 minute drive). The guide did is good job of describing the wildlife and was good at showing us flora and fauna.

Privately Guided Naturalist Hike at La Selva Biological Station

Sarapiquí

This is an all day session with guides who are experienced. We had a private tour and the guide had an apprentice who was in training so four of us total. He really had a good understanding of the wildlife and was great at finding them with his monucular.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Horseback Riding to the Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

we enjoyed the riding and the horses and gear were well cared for. The hike down to the waterfall is steep (but doable) -- I would suggest you bring a pair of water shoes if you want to cross the river.

Morning Sailing and Snorkeling Adventure

Costa Rica

A super chill day on a boat with some swimming and cave exploring.

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

There are a lot of coffee/chocalte tours and I thought it would be sort of forumalic but our tour guide was really good energy and it was fun to do the tour (even though it's a bit touresty it didn't feel like it) The place had an amazing set of wild birds who were flying around which was also a lot of fun. We were two adults and had a blast but you could bring even young kids and I think they would enjoy themselves.

Countryside Horseback Ride

Monteverde

This is a real farm -- you drive up and there are dogs, random chickens and donkeys walking around and the folks who work there are basically the farmers -- only a few spoke English but it was a really fun experience. The day we went was spectacular as we tromped through the cloud forest with the dogs running with us and we even got to see them manage some cattle (with the dogs) at one point as they were blocking the way. Yummy snack at the end for a really authentic experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kayak Adventure & Rainforest Hike in Punta Uva

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Amazing kayak on the river.. It's a super slow river (almost a lake!) so it doesn't take much effort to Kayak either direction - It is also popular for kayaking so there were other people but it really wansn't too crowded. We saw sloths, alligators, a lot of turtles, bats, birds. After the Kayak the guide took us on a short hike (probably about 45 minutes) -- I was initially thinking we could probably skip the walk but I'm glad I didn't -- a ton more wildlife and some really nice views so well worth it.

Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Of all of this things we did on our two week trip this was, by far, the most disappointing. You go up to an area and walk among the old lava flow but it's not really that remarkable(?) -- it's a rocky terrain with plants that are growing back (to the extent that it's hard to notice it was a lava flow in 1968 -- that is sort of interesting in how fast the plants have come back) then you walk back around a somewhat unremarkable lake. This was also the largest group thing we did (maybe 30 people -- they had two guides so maybe ~15 people per guide) but even if it had been private it would have been pretty unremarkable. The guide told us he's only seen the volcano clearly twice -- He's probably been doing it for at least 1 year (probably 2) so.. yea.....

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim did an incredible job planning our trip. Their communication was excellent. When we wanted to change something at the last minute, they got it done. Fast! I will absolutely use their services again and will tell others to use them too. Shout out to Jacquie and Alvaro! Thank you both so much for showing us the best parts of the Galapagos!! ❤️

I had an amazing experience with all the touring. Our tour guides are very accommodating and most are on time. They respected our time and they made sure to take a photo of us, I’m guessing this is a proof that we got picked up and dropped off 😊
The only comment and recommendation I have for the tour is to let the travelers know that there are shops in the tour area and that cash must to have as there is no ATM machine or use of credit cards available in the tour area/ destination.
Overall the tour is phenomenally beautiful.

Through no fault of our planner, Paula, planning with three tavlers can be unweildly at times and arduous at best. She did well to manage the circus but spotty miscommunication had its challenges on both sides.

Once arriving at each location, mind you we had 5 intracontinental flights, pick up for hotel transport was easy, flawless, classy and often filled with city tips and history by our drivers.

Hotels were all amazing. 4.5-5 star. Great views of lakes, oceans or harbours, and amazing included breakfast buffets. Locales allowed for dining and shopping ease.

The itinerary was chalk full of each locations showcased must sees.

All our guides were professional, articulate and experts at their craft. Their delivery, authentic and genuine. A couple, also validated our next activities, going forward, saying that they were choice selections.

We found enough spare time to chill or create our own town, cultural or shopping experience.

The Intercontinental Sydney provided stunning views of the Harbour Bridge (whuch I climbed),and Opera House, ( which we attended La Traviata). Both were personally pre arranged by us.

The trip was so amazing and super memorable. A couple of things were weather deterred, cancelled or unviewable
but it did not dampen our efforts to see, alter or be flexible to a shift or just enjoy the moments and places we were visiting.

Each city,... not a bad meal or glass of wine.
Thank Paula, Mahalo for the great guidance and high level of activies. We appreciate the private transport, small group activities and the activities that were of high quality.

Hotel Reviews

Crystalbrook Flynn

Cairns

Ocean view. Great rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

InterContinental Sydney by IHG

Sydney

Amazing 5 star hotel. You felt it in every aspect. Service, view food and rooms. I'd stay there again fir sure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to opera house, botanical garden and Harbour Bridge.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scenic Suites Queenstown

Queenstown

Little quirky layout. One area for 4 elevators and long walk to our room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could do laundry. That was a plus

M Social

Auckland

Great location and view. Very modern

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to ferry and restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Silverswift Cruise - Snorkel Great Barrier Reef From Terminal

Australia

Unfortunately it was cancelled due to weather. The 1 start rating is in no way indicative of the experience. We had none, but we were refunded. All good. We went to the Aquarium, lunch and shopped instead.

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

So educational and worth an easy hour of your time. Behind the scenes of the structure and it's history

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Wilderness Safari - Jetboat

Queenstown (NZ)

Exhilarating. Great joyride with outstanding views. Should not be missed

Quality of Experience

9th

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The ride out and back let's you see more of the lake and countryside

Full Day Milford Sound Glass Roof Van/CruiseVan

Queenstown (NZ)

Epic. Our bus driver was flawless. Beautiful country. We opted, on our own, to fly back to Queenstown. Best choice. The experience in the 10 seater cessna was priceless.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skyline Gondola Ride

Queenstown (NZ)

Great vistas but we had to buy three luge tickets minumum when only I wanted to do it in my group. We ended up not doing the luge

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Flavours of Our City (Shared Small Group Walking Tour)

Auckland

Our guide was authentic and entertaining. The foods were perfect. We enjoyed ourselves. Great set up.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Michael Gold with KimKim organized a very personalized itinerary for us. He was always available on Whats App when we had questions. We experienced a nice variety of experiences in Columbia and had quick and easy transfers between the activities. We felt very safe and welcome in the country. The guides all spoke English and were knowledgeable and helpful at all times.

Hotel Reviews

GHL Hotel Armería Real

Cartagena

Nice location where we could walk through the Getsemani area and also the old historical district. The staff was very helpful. Pool on roof was refreshing and had a great view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chiniuu

When we arrived we didn't like our room and the staff upgraded us to nice room on the second story with a beautiful room with a view of the beach and two swim pools. The hotel was advertised as 4 star but we felt it was more like a 3 star. The wifi didn't work unless we walked over to the restaurant. At one point we were locked in the room for over an hour because of old locks. The staff was kind and did their best and actually changed out the lock that same day and even provided us with a free dinner which was one of the best dinners we had on the whole trip. The restaurant was slow but the food was amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Senda Koguiwa

Santa Marta

A beautiful hotel with very nice landscaping and swim pool. Big clean room. Nice restaurant next to the pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Movich Casa del Alferez

Cali

Modern hotel with nice restaurant. It was a nice retreat in the middle of our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Homestay in Silvia

An interesting stay with a local couple in their home. Clean and comfortable room. Hostess Vivi was super kind and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Camino Real

The staff was helpful in moving us to an inside courtyard room which was quieter. Great old building right next to the downtown plaza.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Finca El Maco

San Agustin

We stayed in the Tiki hut which was fun. Outdoor shower with tropical flowers and bird sounds was fun. Restaurant on sight was good. Not close to town though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel De La Opera

Bogotá

Great location! Nice rooms in historical building. Friendly and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Social Dinner-Experience: Colombian Food

Bogotá

A highlight of the trip. We were a little concerned about what was going on the drive and the arrival at an apartment building. Once we got into the apartment we were treated to a very special dinner made by two cooks and a kind hostess. It was fun getting to see a modern apartment in Bogota suburbs. The hostess was very helpful and told us about the local fruit and vegetable market which we visited the next day on our own.

Quality of Experience

Food

Excellent!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bogotá Walking Tour

Bogotá

There was confusion and miscommunication several times on the tour where we didn't understand what was included and what we really wanted and expected. At the end we felt disappointed we didn't get more history of Bogota and Columbia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira

Colombia

We wished we had skipped this activity because it took so much time to drive their and back.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The KimKim team was on top of it all from the get go. They very much listened to what we wanted and we got a great itinerary. Besides the beauty of the Greek landscape, the sights we saw were sublime. What made it all even better were the wonderful guides we had. Special shout outs to our hiking guide Helen who provided us with a country lunch of home made goat cheese, olives and bread, Maria who shared her incredible knowledge during our 6 hour tour of Athens and the Acropolis, and Ekaterina who was an enthusiastic fountain of knowledge for our tours of Mycenae and Epidaurus. Our drivers were great and very service oriented. And the hotels were well located and well appointed. KimKim was with us every step of the way. We will definitely use the service again.

Activity Reviews

Private Mycenae & Epidaurus Day Trip

Nafplio

Ekaterina was a stellar guide. Deeply knowledgeable, very enthusiastic and a lot of fun. She was incredibly dedicated and we learned so much from her about the architecture and how the Greeks did it (or how we still often do not know how they did it). We appreciated the time allotted to tour the ruins on our own, armed with the thorough overview. It was a good way to do the tours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Acropolis & Highlights Walk with Food Tastings

Athens

Our guide Maria was terrific. She had a degree in the Classics so was incredibly knowledgeable. Her explanations were so great that they served us well when we came back to Athens for our last evening and went to the Acropolis museum. She was an excellent guide who spends her free time going on other tours so she can learn and grow in her job. The dedication paid off for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Olive Grove Hike to Chrisso Village

Delphi

The guide was amazing and we had a wonderful day absorbing the countryside. It was a terrific counterpoint to the afternoon that we spent at Delphi. One of the best days we have ever had on any vacation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved the Trip, the activities were really cool. the glamping in the coffee region was fantastic. Only drawback sometimes was commute to / from activities. Would like to waste less time in the car if possible.

Stig was an excellent guide in Oslo. We learned a lot on our tour.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Grand Tromsø

Tromsø

Location was great. One elevator and very small. Room was comfortable. Breakfast was just ok.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardemoen

Gardemoen

Great hotel right next to the airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Central location. Good food. Helpful staff. Comfortable room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Short walk from the train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Our guide, Stig, was awesome.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 3-week trip to Peru in January (rainy season!) was spectacular from beginning to end because of the care and attention from Ann Godoy at Peruvian Soul.

We found Ann on the kimkim.com platform for the complexity of trip planning because we wanted to visit so many places. She worked closely with John to tailor the trip to what we wanted to do. She gathered a lot of info about our choice of a daily schedule, hotel types/levels, and much more.

The itinerary was perfect for us!

-2 days in Lima (met by Ann and Andres) with 1 full day of touring with Blanca who was a great guide.

-Abraham took us back to Lima airport for our flight to Puerto Maldonado.

-Met at the airport by Oscar (guide from River Expeditions) who helped us shift our luggage for the boat trip to Tambopata (Amazon basin) for 4 days at the Posada Amazonas. Oscar was an excellent guide and John, a birder, was thrilled to see so many new bird species. We did have one full day of heavy rainstorms, but other days were short rain showers that didn’t affect our expedition plans. [Note that the lodge’s website isn’t updated to state that it now has electricity 24/7 in the guest rooms, and its internet (in the common area) was quite good but occasionally went off because of storms.]

From Puerto Maldonado airport, we flew to Cusco and were met by Miguel and driver, Ronald who took us to the Sacred Valley and the first of the 3 Casa Andina hotels (excellent) we stayed in. We had very good weather and not much rain. Miguel was an excellent guide and easily sensed what level of activities we could do as we were adjusting to altitude. And gave us history and cultural info on the Inca and Spanish eras in small chunks, which was helpful and made it easier to absorb.

After 3 days in the Sacred Valley, we spent an overnight in Machu Picchu (taking the train with Miguel who was our guide there too) with bright sunshine (despite predictions of rainstorms) for our 1600-step climb up to MP and the tour there. And then back to Cusco (and Casa Andina hotel in an historic building) for 3 days of touring with Miguel. Ronald’s driving was masterful, and he was very attentive to us.

We then flew from Cusco to Arequipa, met by Gerber and driver Diego. Our 3rd Casa Andina hotel was in the old mint (historic) building. Just lovely. We had a walking tour of Arequipa with Gerber, and it gave us so much perspective on why Arequipa is known for its architecture and is considered to be a European city.

Sergio and river Benigno collected us from the hotel for a drive to Colca Canyon with amazing tours stops along the way. (John got to see even more birds and we saw vicuna and guanacos in the wild.) We stayed 2 nights and mostly had no rain and quite a bit of sun. The highlight was driving to the lookout point for the condors – and arriving to see 7 condors soaring over the space of an hour (rare for the rainy season).

From there, we made our return to Lima and back to the US.

Ann gave us individual care and attention before we left the USA. And the in-country service was what we needed. We were met at every location (primarily flights) by the guide (and often, a driver), and they also delivered us to the airports when we were departing

We set up a Whatsapp group before we departed the US connecting us to Ann and Jesus (our emergency contact) who answered our weekend questions. That was invaluable as we needed boarding passes and guide contact info.

The full trip details were on the kimkim platform which was pretty easy to use and had most of the details we needed.

An amazing trip that exceeded our expectations!

Hotel Reviews

Colca Lodge

Cercado, Yanque

Colca Lodge was delightful with its natural surroundings and the rushing river. We really enjoyed the onsite hot springs and the tranquility of having them mostly to ourselves. It was a serene and rejuvenating part of our trip.

Casa Andina Premium Arequipa

Arequipa

Casa Andina Premium Arequipa was conveniently located in the middle of the city but provided a unique rooftop view of snow-capped volcanoes. The city setting was central for sightseeing, and discovering the rooftop views was an unexpected highlight.

Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado

Urubamba

Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado was perfect for bird lovers like us. The expansive property offered plenty of space for bird watching and exploring, and we enjoyed the serene environment. It was a great retreat away from the hustle of travel, and the setting was simply beautiful.

Posada Amazonas Lodge

Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios

Posada Amazonas Lodge offered a truly authentic Amazon experience. Our room had one wall completely open to the jungle, allowing us to hear monkeys and birds while being surrounded by nature. We loved the natural setting, but be careful about water consumption!

Activity Review

Andean Textiles with Parobamba Community

Peru

The visit to the Parobamba Community for the Andean textiles experience was fantastic. We got to see a demonstration of how textiles are made, and enjoyed interacting with the local community. The villagers even performed a traditional dance for us, which was a delightful surprise. It was a fantastic way to connect with the culture and meet locals.

The best and greatest tour guide is Vicky of VIO and KImKim.
Vicky was always quick to provide assistance when we needed it.
We were happy with Vicky's selection of Hotels and Activities.
Please let her know how we feel about her services,
Sincerely,
Karey Hobbs and the Travel Crew

Hotel Reviews

QT Auckland

Auckland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

SKYE Suites Sydney

Sydney

Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street

Melbourne

The best part of our stay was the Daily Buffet Breakfast. Thank you!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Reef House Adults Retreat

Palm Cove

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Great Ocean Road Scenic Tour Private Car

Melbourne

The Drive was very long and therefore, very tiring, however, we really liked our driver and guide. The vehicle was small and uncomfortable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was absolutely amazing! The cooking class in Quito with Denis was delicious and fun. We enjoyed visiting the markets with Denis and he is so knowledgeable and fun.
Once aboard My Angel, the service was incredible ( as were all the smooth transfers). I loved the hot chocolate and towels when we got back from snorkeling.
The amount of wild life we saw was amazing! Sea lions, penguins, sharks, rays, turtles, tortoises, frigate birds, iguanas and blue footed boobies!!!!
Andre our guide was incredible. So funny, knowledge and just a pleasure to be around!
Paula did a fabulous job with dining room, bar etc. Housekeeping was fabulous. You take a nap, come back to room and beds been made again! So clean.
The food was very delicious! The entire staff was so responsive and helpful.
My only suggestion would be to organize the bar tab in a better way than writing down in paper and handing you the bill right before departing. Luckily I noticed that we were charged for 3 bottles of champagne instead of 2 and adjustments were made.

Otherwise, it was an incredible trip of life time. Thanks so much

We had an incredible adventure in Cambodia and Vietnam! KimKim paired us with Hien at Realistic Asia, who organized a fantastic six day, five night customized adventure for us. In each country, we were paired with fantastic guides and drivers who took care of us from arrival to departure, and everything in between.

In Cambodia, our amazing guide, Mr. Lon Vong, walked us through Angkor Wat, Ta Phrom, Angkor Thom and the floating village on Tonle Sap Lake. His knowledge about the ruins, the Cambodian people and history of this country was incredible. He was friendly, flexible, wonderful to be with and always had a smile on his face. Highly recommend him and these stops to anyone coming to this wonderful country.

In Vietnam, we were paired with Jimmy, another fantastic guide. Jimmy taught us so much about Vietnam, as we toured sites in Hanoi, Ninh Banh and Ha Long Bay. He taught us so much about the history of Vietnam and how the Vietnamese people have adapted to the present day. He was friendly, personable and a joy to be with. He even took us to one of his favorite street food restaurants in Hanoi. We are proud to now be part of the“Jimmy Family!”

Looking back, Hien at Realistic Asia put together the incredible trip for us. Hotels, Cruise, Sites and Guides were wonderful. They spent a lot of time working with us to put together the perfect itinerary. They communicated to us frequently before the trip to make sure we were prepared and all of our paperwork was in order. They even stepped in to expedite a visa as the Vietnamese government was shutting down for the Lunar New Year and we might have had issues getting into Vietnam. They also checked in with us frequently during our tour to make sure everything was going well. If you are traveling anywhere in SE Asia, I’d recommend this group to anyone. Thank you KimKim for pairing us with Realiatic Asia!

Activity Reviews

Explore Dark & Bright Cave - Disembarking Ambassador Cruise

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Iconic of Hanoi- Temple of Literature

Hanoi

Discover Lan Ha Bay - Viet Hai Village - Onboarding Ambassador Signature cruise

Ha Long Bay

Fantastic cruise. Great room, food and views!!!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Hang Mua - Tam Coc Boat Riding - Mua Cave Full Day

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Great meal, food was fantastic.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jimmy was a fantastic guide. Fun to be with and he taught us so much about Vietnamese history.

Transport

Comfortable vehicle, great driver

Explore the Complex of Angkor

Siem Reap

The ruins at Angkor are incredible. Recommend getting up early to see sunrise over Angkor Wat. Ta Phrom and Angkor Thom are also must visits! A fantastic tour!

Quality of Experience

Aww

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our Guide, Mr. Lon Vong was amazing. Friendly, knowledgeable and taught us so much about Cambodian history. He was fantastic!

Transport