Kimkim Trip Reviews

Most of the trip was wonderful. Our driver Ayoub was amazing. A friend by end of the trip. Our Fes guide Sharif was also very knowledgeable, as was Siad in Marrakesh. We enjoyed and learned from them both.

However the accommodations were mostly unacceptable. Our first one in Chefchaouen was good, but Fes and Marrakesh were very disappointing. My thoughts? Deluxe hotels were indeed selected, yet our rooms appeared to be the worst available at both locations, Fes and Marrakesh. We peaked in to other rooms to see what they were like and they were so much nicer. We felt exploited. After spending so much money to go deluxe, and then be given 2nd rate rooms, was a slap in the face. Our room in Fes even had someone’s sheets on the bed. When we pulled down the bed to go to sleep, hair was all over the sheets the sheets, and some stains to boot. It took an hour to get someone up to change them which ended up being a waiter and desk girl…not their jobs. The shower door didn’t close, and the toilet wasn’t bolted to the floor so teetered when used. I do not consider this deluxe accommodations. It seems there are so many parts to KimKim getting pieces of the pie, that the intermediary people take advantage of us vacationers by selecting cheap rooms so they can pocket more profit.

Hotel Reviews

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Beautiful room and wonderful people who worked there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Pros: Very nice staff and beautiful ajoining Riads, and rooms when I peeked into other rooms. Very good location. Con’s: Dirty room. Hair on sheets when we pulled bed down to get into, plus some stains. Shower door that didn’t close. Toilet not well bolted to floor. We were given the cheapest room in the Riad after paying deluxe prices. Small and dark. Filthy rugs. Awkward to get to room, with lots of stairs. Not enough tables to accommodate diners so had to eat by ourselves outside. It was cold.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Beautiful riad, well situated, fabulous staff and restaurant. Our room was one of the least comfortable, very awkward layout, with steep stairs going from front door (after climbing about 3 flights already) down to the actual room. It did have two wonderful terraces, but the room was strange, with a shower and sink opened up into the bedroom, and a tiny bathroom cabinet. It was very narrow, like a wide corridor. Friday nights are enchanting with a trio of musicians and a belly dancer, plus unique meals served just that night. I was sick so the staff prepared a concoction every night of honey and lemon and ginger to help me sleep.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Barceló Casablanca

Casablanca

Good place to stop on the way from airport. Room was okay. A nice dinner buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided tour of Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Private Journey from Casablanca to Chefchaouen

Morocco

Enjoyed Ayoub our driver. Very personable and knowledgeable. Saw interesting things we couldn’t have witnessed by plane or train.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Give clients paying for deluxe accommodations deluxe accommodations. You can’t put us in a deluxe hotel and give us the cheapest room. Not good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Fes to Marrakech

Morocco

Nice riad, but we seemed to have the cheapest room, again, in the deluxe accommodations after paying deluxe prices. The breakfasts were great and generous, the restaurant delicious, and the staff fabulous.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

We loved Siad our guide. Very knowledge and accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Three Hour Cooking Workshop at La Maison Arabe

Marrakesh

Totally fabulous! The teacher was very well prepared and patient with us all. The meal? Wow!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quick Tour of Casablanca with your Driver-guide

Morocco

Nice mosque. Interesting tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing trip! Our driver Ismael was a jewel. He was fun to spend time with, provided music, laughs, a wealth of information, gave great recommendations for restaurants, etc.. and was extremely attentive to details. For example, we casually mentioned that it would be nice to have a glass of wine with dinner. Miraculously one showed up at our table at the desert camp as a totally unexpected treat. The local guides in Rabat and Fes were exceptionally good, both personable and knowledgable.

As often is the case, in my experience, some of the highlights of the trip were unplanned, lucky happenings: First, in Fes, we were told about restaurant Nur. Traveling in the shoulder season, we got a table and after a 2 hour, 8 course meal, the chef ( world famous Najat Kaanache) came and sat with us, talking for over an hour! Then, in the desert, it rained! While we are used to rain home in Seattle, it was a total surprise in Erg Chebbi, but it made for a fabulous night singing around the campfire, talking to Ahmed about life and the upcoming birth of his second child, and eating Fatima's delicious food.

The home visit was a pleasure and something I was glad we did. And to end at Riad Elegancia in Marrakech was perfect! Winding down with that luxury, the hamam and cooking class day, was a perfect ending to the trip.

Hotel Reviews

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

Elegant and luxurious rooms, rooftop dining with the best breakfasts we had in Morocco! The staff was so kind. When I contracted COVID, we had extra bedding brought to our room so my wife and I could separate. We also had a meal from La Maison Arabe carried over so we didn't have to go out.

Authenticity & Character

Moroccan architecture with French culinary flair.

Location

Down a quiet alley, this was away from the hustle and bustle of the medina.

Staff

Everyone was kind, friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The shower was inviting. Bathrobes were cozy. A rooftop pool was a special treat.

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Glamping like it should be done ... with an eco-friendly ethic. The owner of this family business spent the evening in camp with us. There was music, wonderful food prepared on-site by Fatima, and time to relax and talk with staff. The tents were remarkably comfortable, spacious, warm with well thought out lighting, bathroom facilities, etc..

Authenticity & Character

Great character

Location

Erg Chebbi was magical in the rain. The camel ride to camp was just long enough to set the mood without making you too saddle sore!

Staff

Welcoming and open to just sitting and talking with guests

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit the Hassan II Mosque & Museum of Moroccan Judaism

Casablanca

The mosque was astounding and well worth the visit. I would suggest seeing the jewish museum in Fes instead of this one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ismael, our driver, was amazing. The guide at the mosque was quite good also

Transport

The transportation was comfortable and everyone was very punctual.

Casablanca – Rabat ( 1 Hour Drive).*Driving Times Don’t Include The Various Stops Along The Way

Morocco

Transfer to Chefchaouen from Rabat via Ouazzane 4 Hours Drive

Morocco

Rabat and the visits to the Kasbah, Hassan Tower, Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Chellah and Andalusian Gardens were all must dos. Our guide was great. Seeing hundreds of storks was an added plus.

Quality of Experience

The beauty of the gardens and the storks

Food

Had our first dinner at the Dhow. It was okay food, but had the virtue of being scenic and a good place to walk to and see some of the city's nightlife.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was very knowledgable and a great communicator

Transport

As usual, Ismael was a rock star

Explore the Blue City

Chefchaouen

A beautiful city nestled in hill country

Quality of Experience

Good experience, but not sure that the time to get there was really the best use of time

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hammam Spa & Massage in La Masion Arabe at 3 pm

Marrakesh

Great way to wind down the trip

Cooking Class La Maison Arabe Marrakech 10 AM session.

Marrakesh

I love to cook... and eat. Fun experience.

Quality of Experience

The event was well organized. The chef was a good teacher and you get to eat the tasty food you cook.

Visit Majorelle gardens

Marrakesh

Beautiful gardens and a chance to see the Berber Museum which was interesting

Marrakech Food Tour

Marrakesh

Eating with locals at delicious Harira and Sfenj spots was awesome. Tanjia good. We skipped the spicy snails, but I think next time they would be worth a try. The pastries/cookies were good but not unusual.

Explore Chefchaouen with your local guide

Chefchaouen

A small taste of rural life in a mountain town. If you go to Chefchaouen, it is worth walking around with a guide

Ait Benhaddou to Marrakech via Tizi N'Tichka pass

Morocco

Time with Ismael was always good.

Dine with a local family

Morocco

We had a nice, relaxing evening with a young family. We celebrated their 1 yr old's birthday, listened to their friend play the oud and enjoyed grandma's cooking in a typical home in the Medina.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guided Tour of Aït Benhaddou

Morocco

Transported back in time to the 11th Century in this magical place

Guided Tour of Fes' Jewish Quarter and Medina

Fes

We had a wonderful guide and learning the history of this community was important

Camel trek to your luxury camp

Merzouga

Just the right amount of time on a camel!

Quality of Experience

Transfer from Merzouga to Aït Benhaddou via Draa Valley

Morocco

Many date palms were damaged by a fire, but even so this is an inspiring place.

Exploring Marrakech's Wonders: A Private Guided Tour

Marrakesh

I'm not sure we could have navigated all the souks without our guide. Marrakech is a must be experienced city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My husband and I had a wonderful time in Morocco. Our main guide, Omar, was so friendly and took care of all our needs. He took videos and photos of our adventures that we will treasure. Our transportation was always clean and comfortable during the entire journey. 

While in Chefchaouen, we took a private cooking class where we went grocery shopping and made traditional tajine. Our hosts were absolutely amazing and treated us like royalty. While our dish cooked, we were taken on the roof top to admire the beautiful city which was definitely a trip highlight. 

Fez was a city beyond my wildest imagination and we had the perfect tour guide, Said, to show us around. I can not say enough about how wonderful and knowledgeable Said was during our walking tour. We explored the ceramic factory, tannery, and silk weaver. While weaving through the streets we tasted many local foods. 
We had such an amazing experience and Kimkim was a big part of making that happen. 

Hotel Reviews

Riad El Palacio

Chefchaouen

The rooms are comfortable enough. however, the bathrooms could use some updating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

During breakfast, the woman was rushing around attending to all tables while the men did not help her.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The toilet was off balance and requires fixing

Riad Farouzi Fes

Fes

This hotel is absolutely stunning. The staff are wonderful and helpful. Breakfast is everything you could want. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Absoultely stunning! Everything was so beautiful and perfect

Location

Walking distance to restaurants

Staff

They are all so friendly and helpful! They treated us like royalty

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room and indoor courtyard are stunning. So peaceful and beautiful

Hotel des Oudaias

Rabat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Cooking Class w/ Souk Tour

Morocco

This was the highlight of our trip! Our hosts were absolutely amazing and treated us like royalty. While our dish cooked we were taken on the roof top to admire the beautiful city which was definitely a trip highlight.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Fez was a city beyond my wildest imagination and we had the perfect tour guide, Said, to show us the city. I can not say enough about how wonderful and knowledgeable Said was during our walking tour. We explored the ceramic factory, tannery, and silk weaver. While weaving through the streets we tasted many local foods. 

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Guided Tour of Rabat

Rabat

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Orientation Walk & Free Afternoon in Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip totally over delivered in every department , every aspect was covered to a fantastic level and all we requested was accomplished, the 2 guides were amazing including Michael who accompanied us on the 3 day Nile Cruise his knowledge was exceptional , none of our request to any one of the guides or operators was too much and everyone was totally amazing , this was a bucket list trip and I cant thank everyone enough for making it extra special

Hotel Reviews

Mariott Mena House

Giza

Amazing hotel everything was fabulous

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blue Shadow Nile Cruise

Karnak, Luxor

Staff were fantastic in every respect

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day tour to visit Pyramids& Sphinx and Old Egyptian Museum

Cairo

The day tour to visit the Pyramids and Sphinx and the Old Egyptian Museum was great overall. We started in the morning, but had the option to begin earlier. The place gets very busy quickly, and starting earlier would have made the experience better. Despite the crowds, we had an amazing time, and the activity was well-organized.

Visit Abu Simbel temple and Kom Ombo temple

Aswan

Our visit to the Abu Simbel and Kom Ombo temples was absolutely brilliant. Originally planned to take the bus, we decided to change to a flight at the last minute, and the team handled it seamlessly. Everything was reorganized without any issues, with new guides greeting us, making the experience at Abu Simbel a dream come true. This flexibility and perfect execution made this part of the trip truly outstanding.

Visit Edfu temple & Luxor temple and Karnak temple

Egypt

The trip to Edfu, Luxor, and Karnak temples was very nice. Though Karnak was busy by the afternoon, the size of the temple complex made it manageable. Although the crowding wasn't a major issue at Luxor and Karnak, we would have preferred smaller crowds for better photos, but by the time we reached Luxor, the setting sun created a very atmospheric experience, which our guide also appreciated for its perfect timing.

We had an incredible private tour of Vietnam arranged by kimkim. Long, our travel coordinator/local specialist, was exceptionally helpful and responsive from start to finish. He happily accommodated all our requests for changes, and he went above and beyond to help me retrieve a personal item I accidentally left behind at one of the hotels =). The tour guide at Ho Chi Minh city, Johnny, along with the driver, Phuc, were outstanding! They were so patient, helpful and fun. The hotels included in the tour were all excellent; they were beautiful, conveniently located, and very comfortable. Lastly, the 3D/2N Ha Long Bay cruise was amazing and enjoyable, and we loved everything about this part of the tour, from the boat and its crews to our room, the food, the excursion activities and of course, the stunning scenery.

Thank you, team kimkim, for making this trip so memorable for us. We loved it!

The KimKim team helped make planning our Costa Rica honeymoon amazing! We gave them our budget and what all we wanted to do and they made it happen! It was so easy and so nice to have every detail planned out for you. It was so helpful to have a point of contact during our trip as well. Will be using KimKim for all our trips from here on out!

On the front end of this trip, Esther did a great job of responding to our questions and concerns and suggesting solutions to potential problems. In country Charlie was a great guide. He was responsive, concerned, knowledgeable, connected. Our best experiences with KimKim connected trips are when the local guide is plugged in and knowledgeable. Our marginal experiences were when the local guide was not directly connected to the community we were touring. Charlie was connected throughout Madagascar and it made a big difference.

Some general observations: There were more meals provided to us during the trip than we were expecting. Not sure why there were discrepancies between our itinerary and our experiences, but it happened several times. On a personal note, sandwiches and snacks would be preferred to a big more formal lunch. Breakfast, light lunch, and nice dinner would be our preferred model.

We very much appreciated having the charter flight arranged for us to successfully complete our tour. Perhaps this should be offered during the planning of the trip as a more reliable way of transportation. We had "padded" a day on the end of the trip to make sure we were back in time for our international flight, but the charter was a better option. The flight itself was enjoyable, smooth, high wing enabling great views. Good option for people who are willing to fly single engine charter.

Being able to do a late checkout on our last day in Antananarivo made a huge difference in our comfort. It should be built into the itinerary. We were able to have a last large dinner (more revenue for the hotel) relax, get a shower before heading for 28 hours of continuous travel. Build this into all or your customers travel plans who are leaving around midnight.

This was my second time planning a trip with KimKim, and it easily matched the stellar experience I had the first time. Christine truly did listen to my individual preferences in planning a trip to South Korea and Beijing that felt very bespoke in the end.

I personally find 5-star hotels very isolating but adore private tours, which is probably an odd combination. Nevertheless, Christine listened and accommodated my wishes. She was also the first to suggest China as a secondary destination. It was a segment that turned out to be the highlight of the trip - although everything was pretty much perfect from beginning to end.

What I failed to fully appreciate my first time with KimKim was how comforting and luxurious it is to have someone checking in on a routine basis as the tour progresses. As a solo traveler, it’s nice to know someone is there looking over my shoulder in case I run into trouble.

During this trip, I did encounter a couple of minor hiccups involving daily tours. I was able to reach out to Christine both times, and she quickly resolved the situations, leaving me free to enjoy myself. If I’d planned everything myself, I would have had to set aside a portion of my vacation to make alternate arrangements on the fly while in unfamiliar lands.

I’m sure this is only the start of a long relationship with KimKim, and I can’t wait to begin scoping out other destinations.

Hotel Review

Imperial Palace Botique hotel itaewo

The Imperial Palace Boutique Hotel Itaewon was fine. It's not luxurious, but I don't seek that when I travel. It had character and was a decent place to stay. Plus, it was in a great location.

Activity Reviews

MBC DRAMA STUDIO One Day Tour from Seoul

Seoul

The MBC Drama Studio One Day Tour was a pleasant surprise and ended up being much more interesting than expected. Initially, it was a substitution for a K-pop tour, which got canceled, but I found it fascinating to see the depth of production they manage. Even though it turned out to be a large group tour, contrary to what was scheduled, it was still enjoyable.

Small Group Korean DMZ Tour

Seoul

The Small Group Korean DMZ Tour was disappointing due to the size of the group. It was larger than what I consider a small group, and it ended up with guides spending too much time tracking people down rather than providing in-depth information.

Our driver Samir was fantastic. An excellent navigator of Moroccan roads, mountain curves and city traffic. He was responsive to requests to stop for pictures, full of information about Morocco and good company for 10 days. Our guides in Fez - Sharif, in Marrakech- Hannan and in Essaouira - Rashid were all excellent - knowledgeable and provided a wonderful day of exploring the Medinas.

Sallam was our driver and guide for 4 days. He was not only a superb guide but an intelligent conversationalist.
Getting to know him somewhat added to getting a feeling for Morocco.
The fact that he is a well recognized social media personality demonstrates his superior appealing communicating skills.
The on site guides were also very good. In Fez, Moha was very very good.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Club Val d'Anfa Casablanca

Casablanca

With only one night in Casablanca, this was a good choice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Loudaya and Spa

Fes

The facility was a of a bit lower level than I thought that I had booked, but the people , especially Ebram, were superb.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Marrakech to Fes

Morocco

The drive was long and it was raining, but Sallam's conversation and shared perspective was afforded time. Stopping in Ifrane was special and so was a restaurant known to Sallam. Experiencing the geographical changes from Marrakesh to Fez was an experience unto itself.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Moha was great. I have mixed feelings about the pottery and tannery stops. They were interesting but the pressure to buy experience has its pluses and minuses.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes to Casablanca via Meknes, Volubilis & Rabat

Morocco

Menkes, Volubilis, Rabat were all good. Sallam was a great driver and companion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sarah was an invaluable resource when planning our trip to Croatia. She had great recommendations and was a pleasure to work with. She always responded to my many questions promptly and with her ideas. This was our third time using Kimkim for our family vacations and I will not hesitate to sue them in the future as well.

The trip was amazing. The local guides were great -- except for the guy who was supposed to pick us up in Bangkok and didn't. After we grabbed a cab we learned we were to meet the pickup at Gate 6 -- the issue is, no one told us this.

This would be one of example of challenging communications between Kelly and us. There were may back and forth conversations about inter-Thailand flights and this example of not communicating to us where we needed to get picked up.

I am a very type A person who likes to be in control so I was hesitant to use an agency to plan a trip for me. I have to say Kimkim far exceeded my expectations! Ana helped plan and then fine-tune the trip based on our interests and was very knowledgeable with her recommendations. We went from Oslo to Bergen to Tromso. When she was out for vacation someone else stepped in to make sure I knew they were here to help me and everyone as so communicative and transparent (shoutout to Tom and Tricia). They were on top of things even when it was too early to book something they had alarms on when new dates were released to make sure we got to do everything we wanted to do. The way the itinerary , booking confirmations, and tickets were delivered to us was so organized. it came with a lot of extras like how to use public transportation and an ethical travel guide. One thing I didn't realize before the trip that all of the excursions that were booked were with ethical and sustainable agencies and a few run by the indigenous Sami people of Norway. I really liked that aspect!

During the trip we did have one part of an excursion get canceled because of the lack of snow and Tom messaged us 2 days before to let us know and gave us options to rectify the situation. There was another time where there was an issue with one of our excursions when we got there and we messaged and Tom jumped on it right away and figured out the issue so we didn't have to waste any time of our trip figuring out logistics.

Overall I would definitely recommend Kimkim's services!

Hotel Reviews

Amerikalinjen

Oslo

This hotel was so easy to get to from the train station and was super cute! The architecture and décor was great and the breakfast had a lot of variety and was very good. Of the 3 hotels we stayed in on our trip this was our favorite one. It was the nicest as well. This was the only hotel of the 3 that acknowledged our honeymoon and had laid out a cute fruit and chocolate plate with a very nice note!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the bathroom was great and the bed was nice.

Hotel Norge by Scandic

Bergen

This hotel was centrally located and walkable from the train station which was a big plus! Staff was helpful with our questions and the breakfast was very good with lots of variety. The room itself I would describe as fine. It wasn't bad by any means but it was also nothing to write home about. It was comfortable for our 2 night stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

The location of this hotel is the selling point for me. The bus to and from the airport stops right in front of it and multiple excursions use this hotel as a meeting point. If you have a room facing the correct side you would have a great view. We unfortunately did not have a nice view in our room. The staff were very nice and helpful but the room left a little something to be desired. I liked that they are sustainable so there was little notes around about how to conserve water, and you need to use keycard to work the electricity so you aren't wasting it while you aren't in the room. They also don't clean your room unless you sign up for it which I think is a good system. However, our room didn't seem like it was cleaned well before we got there because we found numerous pieces of trash around the room including a candy wrapper and empty water bottle. The first time I tried to shower the drain was so clogged the water immediately started overflowing. I had to get re-dressed and go downstairs. To their credit someone came immediately up and cleaned the drain out but it was an inconvenience. This hotel was the only one of 3 that we stayed in that didn't provide body lotion and had only a 2in1 shampoo/conditioner combo which is terrible for my hair. This hotel is located in a place that had the harshest weather so not having lotion was horrible on my skin. I didn't pack any because I was traveling from out of the country trying to pack light with little liquids. It didn't seem worth it to go out any buy lotion either since we stayed here at the tail end of our trip and would have had to throw it aw which would have been wasteful. Of the 3 hotels we stayed at this was my least favorite. Maybe I wouldn't have been so critical if I didn't have the other two recent comparisons because it was a fine stay but that is my honest review. This hotel did have the biggest breakfast of any of the 3 and it was good!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Brunch on the Fjord

Oslo

This was our favorite thing we did in Oslo. Views were amazing! The food was good and the bar on board was nice as well. It was nice to relax in a warm boat while still because able to see the scenery.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Bergen from the Fjord

Bergen

We showed up early and the captain never showed up so we wasted about an hour of time just standing around in the rain. That being said, when we got in touch with the captain he was very apologetic and said our booking had slipped through the cracks and offered to immediately rig up the boat but we declined because by then we had already ventured on to do something else. We got a full refund for this excursion. We did see the boat and it looked nice and like it would be afun time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Silent Whale Watching

Tromsø

This was our favorite excursion of the whole trip. Not only was it incredible to travel next to a pod of orcas for a little over and hour but the views to and from port are incredible! The staff are very knowledgeable about the sea life and they even put on some presentation via slide shows on the tvs and verbal audio over the loudspeaker about whales, orcas, birds, etc. That was a fun extra. The snacks on board were great too. Boat was warm and comfortable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reindeer Sledding & Northern Lights Experience

Tromsø

Unfortunately we didn't get to do the sledding part of this activity because of a lack of snow but the rest of it was great! Feeding the reindeer was so fun and I loved learning about the Sami culture. The transportation was great and so easy with clear meeting points in town.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Adventure in Tromsø

Tromsø

The owner/tour guide really went above and beyond driving all the way to Finland to find clear skies to see the northern lights! The excursion went longer than expected to make sure we all got a chance to see the lights and take pictures with them. Guide was very knowledgeable and a talent photographer. Bus was brand new and cozy as well. The guide also shared cultural stories on the ride too and is a Sami indigenous person herself. She was very funny and entertaining as well. Meeting place was easy and convenient.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Ravi and Active India produced a wonderfully memorable adventure - highly recommend!

Pramod BEST driver, guide, teacher - EVER.
Sethu and Kavita - Spice Tour - outstanding.
Nandu and Liji at Marari Beach CGH - magnificent.

Kerala is beautiful GO!

Too many iterations that required repeated checking and input on my part. Most private guides did not speak English well enough, the only one that was fluent as well as knowledgeable was Hector (our guide in Kyoto). Several mid day train’s bookings needed to be changed to earlier in the day, as the original timing didn’t make sense. While planning was less than perfect, Sandy’s execution and daily follow up was excellent.

Activity Review

Mt. Koya and Temple Stay Experience

Mount Koya

Amazing visit to the open cemetery and shrine; very enjoyable (including meals) and educational experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

They were not informing us of cancelations in Tromso and they were not helpful in plannng The Blue Lagoon and didn't advise us of darkness. Hotels were excellent that bthey booked for us. The 24 hour emergency line person in Tromso was completely useless and seemed annoyed when we called.

Marcela organized a very fun itinerary for me - I had a great time on every day, really enjoyed seeing the different regions of Chile and especially the mountain biking private outings were amazing and unique experiences I could not have found on my own. The hotels I stayed in were lovely also and I am looking forward to coming back and doing more!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Pucon Indomito

Pucón

Lovely new hotel, very modern, good breakfast in the morning and tea making facilities available throughout the day. Very central and clean

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Weisserhaus

Puerto Varas

Quaint hotel with a lot of character located very centrally downtown. Good breakfast and very clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Huerquehue Hiking

Pucón

Very personal hike just me and the lovely guide Juan. Beautiful area - I just wished we could have gone further!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting Adventure on the Trancura River in Pucon

Pucón

Really fun group nice white water and lots of photos after

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bike Tour Adventure descending the Villarrica Volcano

Pucón

This was amazing - lots of fun trails on the mountain and unlike North shore where I live we had them all to ourselves! William was a great guide and I really enjoyed this

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trekking in Alerce Andino National Park

Puerto Varas

Great guide, nice walk although it was from my perspective quite easy and low key. Nice group of people and some beautiful water falls to see. Louis the guide was hilarious. I just wish I could have done a more challenging hike with him.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mountain bike Osorno Volcano

Puerto Varas

My favourite experience of the trip. A proper challenge and well worth it for stunning views and fun descent over the side of the volcano to the lake. Jorge was a fabulous guide and the food we had for lunch was so delicious and beautifully laid out. I wish I had done this twice!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting on the Petrohué River

Chile

Super fun white water experience - lots of big rapids and fun guides.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking on Reloncaví Fjord

Puerto Varas

This was something I would not have chosen for myself but I’m so glad I did it. Stunning day out with so many sights - sea lions up close, birds nearby, a lovely little lamb gamboling up to us at the lunch stop and an (optional) cold plunge at the end

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are just back from a fabulous two weeks in Sweden and Norway , of which 9 days in Norway were planned and booked with KIMKIM.

I am happy to award more than full marks to KIMKIM for understanding what we wanted from our trip, and designing a custom itinerary perfectly tailored to our special interests, needs and preferences.
Thereafter, they were prompt and always available for several months for queries and consultations about details of how-tos, inclusions, alternatives available etc.

We started Kimkim's tour planned for us in Narvik, went from there to Lofoten and stayed 3 nights at a charming Rorbu - as 2 couples sharing the 2- bedroom fishermen's cottage. The nightly tours to see and photograph Northern Lights were highly successful - largely due to the quality of the local guides KIMKIM arranged for us.
A brilliant idea from KIMKIM thereafter was to take the Hurtigruten overnight sail to Tromso , affording an out-of-this-world experience of auroras over the sea as the ship sailed through fjords.

To satisfy our desire for nature with un-touristy private accomodation KIMKIM booked us a 2- bedroom sea cabin right on the fjord in Lyngen Alps, where we had the mountains, sea and the gulls pretty much to ourselves for 3 days, while the restaurant served up delicious Norwegian seafood at breakfasts and dinners. Two whales paid a visit in our cabin- front sea at lunchtime - NOT organised by Kimkim, but WONDERFUL!
Thank you Sondre , Fenne , Rufo - and anyone else at Kimkim or Nord DMC who served our planned trip - you were top class operators, and a LOT more than well worth our money

We'll love to come back to you for future trips.
Cheers
Nilanjana Mukherjee
INDIA

Date of experience: November 14, 2024

Friend and I decided to book a trip to New Zealand somewhat last minute (roughly 2 or 3 months prior to the trip) and Monika was so accommodating and easy to work with throughout the planning phase. She made adjustments as we suggested them and informed us of any accomodations changing due to us waiting to book etc.

We truly had an amazing experience in New Zealand and Monika made the planning and travel portion easy and simple, plus she was always responsive and helpful during the trip when we had questions etc. Truly a stress free, easy, and amazing trip!

We had a fantastic time in Japan and owe it all to Shona and the KimKim team. KimKim found the perfect balance for us. The hotels, guides, transportation, and sights were exactly what we wanted. We didn't have a good idea of how to tackle this ourselves since it was our first trip to Japan, and Shona guided us through the options of sights and activities, hotel service levels, guides and time on our own, and everything else. We were able to select options and hotels based on our budget, and the choices she helped us make turned out to be exactly what we were looking for. Everything ran perfectly, and we felt completely covered in every respect. We literally would not change a thing about the trip, and came away loving Japan.

Hotel Reviews

UNO HOTEL

Okayama, Tamano

Great alternative for those unable to stay on Naoshima island. Excellent facilities, and across the street from the ferry. Wonderful, friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

It is a great modern hotel, with all the amenities.

Location

across the street from the ferry

Staff

super helpful and friendly. Everyone spoke English

Cleanliness & Comfort

great modern rooms, super clean and well equipped.

Hotel New Otani Osaka

Osaka

Beautiful larger hotel. Very convenient for the Osaka Castle, and easy access for the city.

Authenticity & Character

nice and well appointed. Room got hot at night though.

Location

very close to the castle

Staff

very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mikasa Ryokan

nara

Great hotel if you want the true Ryokan experience with public bath, futon sleeping and full Japanese meals.

Authenticity & Character

totally authentic in every way.

Location

easy access from Nara city

Staff

very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean. you have to be ready to sleep on futons

THE SCREEN - Boutique & Luxury Design Collection -

Kyoto

Super cool designer hotel.

Authenticity & Character

unique designs, large rooms, well appointed.

Location

across from the castle, but off the busy street so it is quiet.

Staff

very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean and comfortable, though seating in the room was very close to the floor, so not great for older people.

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

great location, very attractive hotel, great service, great all around.

Authenticity & Character

Cool vibe, modern amenities, great mix of design and comfort.

Location

convenient, close to temples and activity, but super quiet on a side street.

Staff

unbelievably kind and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

the rooms are smaller, but are very comfortable and well appointed. very clean and cool feel to it.

Activity Reviews

Gion District and Nishiki Market

Japan

this was our favorite day in Japan. The Market is awesome to experience, and the Gion district has the most authentic Japanese feel of anywhere we went.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Miyama Village Tour From Kyoto

Japan

Very interesting area to visit, but not worth the driving time unless you have time to spare. Just not enough to it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy a Full Day Tour in Nara

Nara

Nara is an exceptionally unique place. The Buddhist temple is enormous and amazing, and the Shinto shrine is incredibly beautiful. All the while you are sharing the space with deer who roam about town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Osaka

You have to do this if you are in the Osaka area. It is an amazing experience of sights, sounds, people and food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ika was a fantastic guide.

Transport

Full day Tokyo city tour with Rikugien Garden

Tokyo

Our itinerary of the Rikugien Garden, the Ginza district and the sky tower was perfect. Great launch into the Tokyo experience and fascinating to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day City Tour with Osaka Castle

Japan

Wonderful last day in Japan. The Castle is a fascinating history lesson and magnificent to see. The Peace memorial is moving and interesting. Walking the streets and shops was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport