Kimkim Trip Reviews

Liz, Diliana, and the whole team helped us plan the perfect trip. We felt heard, supported, and in safe care from the beginning planning stages all the way to our arrival back home. It was so incredibly nice to have our trip organized by day, tickets available in one place, and clear instructions/directions on where to meet for different experiences we had planned. The team really provided a stress-free experience! I cannot say enough how valuable that is to me! In the rare instance that I needed to reach out to them, they were responsive and helpful. This is my third trip planned with KimKim and I'll be planning more. A++ service and professionalism.

Hotel Review

Hotel Brighton

Paris

Beautiful hotel, delicious breakfast, enchanting, friendly staff. Wonderfully located!

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the first district - short walk to the Luvre - generally centrally located.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self Guided NIGHT Experience of the Louvre Museum (Entrance Tickets Included)

Paris

Moulin Rouge Evening Performance with Dinner

Paris

So entertaining - iconic experience! We had a wonderful evening.

Food

Eiffel Tower Stair Climb with Optional Summit Access

Paris

Great guide - personable and informative. We learned so much! We are so glad we did this - it's a breathtaking experience to be at the top! Crazy views of Paris. Great excercise climbing up the steps the 2nd level! We earned our croissants. :)

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was our first time in Paris, so having the guide with us talking about the history of France and specifically all the interesting facts about the Tower was wonderful.

Ultimate wine & Cheese Tasting - The Caves du Louvre

Paris

Such a fun experience! Pierre was the best sommelier for us. He was kind, informative, and fun! We had great conversation and learned so much. We were with just one other couple so our experience was intimate - delightful!

Quality of Experience

Orsay Museum: Entrance Tickets & Audioguide

Paris

Palace of Versailles Day Trip with Priority Access – Half-Day Tour

Paris

Hello, my daughter and I spent 10 days in Australia, and with only that amount of time , we got a very good taste of what Australia is all about, so if you are ever uncertain about 10 days being enough time, the answer is absolutely. Vicky, our specialist, is exceptional, and if planning a trip I would highly recommend using her. She put together a trip that was truly some of Australia's highlights. We spent time in Sydney, the outback, particularly Uluru, and the Great Barrier Reef. Each area had something different to offer. The beaches in Sydney were beautiful, with great shopping. We stayed at Ayers Rock Resort, with great tours to Uluru, and again, lots of local shopping. We visited a huge cattle ranch which was very interesting and saw plenty of sunsets with amazing clear nighttime skies. And finally, we went snorkling in the Great Barrier Reef, which I feel was the best part of our entire time. It was truly a wonderful trip.

Activity Reviews

Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Sail & Snorkel with Lunch

Port Douglas

The Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Sail & Snorkel was the highlight of my trip. The catamaran took us out into the Barrier Reef for a full day of snorkeling. The coral was stunning, and the water was warm. The wet suits provided kept us safe from jellyfish. It was an incredible experience to be out at sea and see such beautiful marine life up close.

Southern Daintree Tour + Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas

Port Douglas

The Southern Daintree Tour and Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas were delightful, especially getting to interact closely with kangaroos, which was a dream come true for me. We also saw a koala, although it was a bit hidden in the trees. The tour felt a little packed as we also did a river cruise for crocodile spotting, which we felt we could have traded for more time in the rainforest. Still, the rainforest landscapes and the wildlife habitat were absolutely beautiful.

Mount Conner 4WD Small Group Tour from Ayers Rock including Dinner

Uluru

The Mount Conner 4WD Small Group Tour was superb. It was fascinating to visit such a vast cattle ranch. We experienced a rare sight of the desert being lush and green thanks to recent rain, which we were told is a once in a lifetime event. Dinner with the local family managing the farm added to the authenticity and warmth of the experience. Seeing the salt lake and learning about the local environment was truly extraordinary.

Uluru Sacred Site & Sunset

Uluru

The Uluru Sacred Site & Sunset was wonderful. We got to see both the sunset and the sunrise, with champagne in the evening and breakfast in the morning, which was such a fun experience. Our guide was excellent, and we really enjoyed the activities despite the flies, which were quite something, but not detrimental to our enjoyment.

Panoramic Sydney with Lunch cruise

Sydney

The Panoramic Sydney with Lunch cruise was a bit disappointing. We felt quite rushed during the bus tour part, and my daughter even got motion sickness from the winding roads. There just wasn't enough time at stops, like Bondi Beach, to fully enjoy the sights and shops. We ended up skipping the lunch cruise and explored Sydney on our own, shopping and enjoying the markets, which turned out to be a much better experience.

My husband and I just returned from 10 days in Finland - primarily based in Helsinki with a few days in the Finnish Lapland.

What an amazing trip!

Emerson and Lilla helped us plan the perfect adventure. Walking day tours in Helsinki, Porvoo, and Estonia, husky sledding, snow shoeing, Northern Lights hunting (and despite a cloudy evening - success in seeing them), a wilderness day in the beautiful snow. Comfortable accommodations in Helsinki (great locations!) Plus, it was a dream come true staying at the Northern Lights Ranch near Levi.

Emerson and Lilla thought of everything - making it one of the best vacations we have ever had!

Activity Reviews

Tallinn Day Trip

Helsinki

Took the Tallink ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn. Stassi was a fun tour guide - she gave us great tour of Olde Town and was very informative of Estonian history and culture!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wilderness Day

Finland

We spent a lovely morning walking in the snowy forest with Taru! Perfect way to see the area!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aurora Tour by Van

Levi

Despite a cloudy night with low percentage of seeing the Northern Lights, Jan found us some and they were magical! It was unforgettable experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Husky Safari (10km)

Levi

Pauline and her team were great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Snowshoeing Adventure

Finland

Loved that this was a private excursion! Kasper was great! Patient and kind, and a lot of fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helsinki City Walking Tour (2h)

Helsinki

Despite a rainy morning for the tour, Jola was fun and shared so much about Helsinki and the Finnish culture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porvoo Private Day Tour

Helsinki

Filipe was a delightful tour guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

In the summer of 2025, we decided to make a trip to Scotland to experience the culture, visit historical sites, and explore the country. After seeing a review for KimKim trip planning service, I messaged them about assistance with our planning, and I was soon contacted by Tatiana. Tatiana worked with me over the months that followed to build a plan that we felt would touch upon all our key desires for the trip. I can’t offer enough praise and gratitude for all the wonderful help we received from Tatiana; especially including when we requested her help to make changes in the middle of the trip.

Our trip then was from 6-16 March 2026, and we began our visit in Edinburgh, which included tours of Edinburgh castle, Rosslyn chapel, St Giles cathedral, and Old Town. We also included Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral and a side trip to Kircaldy for a Fife Flyers hockey game (for several years we have been acquainted with an American player on the team). All these activities were truly wonderful and memorable. Stuart was our Old Town guide and he was excellent. Especially memorable though was our tour to Rosslyn chapel with Rafal, who was a truly amazing guide.

We next went to Stirling and visited Stirling castle. We took the tour with the castle guide, and that was fascinating and wonderful. Then after visiting the castle we moved on to Loch Lomond for a night at the Cameron House. Due to a satnav (GPS) miscue on my part, we didn’t drive through as much of the Trossachs National Park as I had planned, but the views we did see were marvelous. Also, the Cameron House is a fantastic property and superb place to visit, with some local sites and sights to explore as well, and we would probably want to stay there again (and a bit longer) if we ever returned.

Our next adventure was to travel north along Loch Lomond and then head west to Oban. The A82 roadway along Loch Lomond is truly an experience, with breath taking views and also sometimes some heart stopping sections of narrow, winding roadway. Turning west onto the A85 roadway to Oban featured more spectacular views, and a very scenic and peaceful drive without the occasional frights of the A82. Our arrival in Oban was just in time for a walking tour, and our guide David was excellent, sharing the history of the town and taking us to several sites of special interest.

We stayed several days in Oban, and this was truly the highlight of our time in Scotland. As we visited in mid-March, there were no crowds and so the town was very peaceful and calm. We ended up with a room looking out on the bay, and we actually spent quite a bit of time just relaxing and enjoying the beautiful view. We did miss our planned Isle of Mull tour, but we made up for it with a tour of the Oban distillery, home of Oban whisky, and as well visiting some other local castle and scenic viewpoints. Additionally, the No17 Promenade hotel we stayed at was truly a gem, including simply outstanding personal connections with the staff and a superb restaurant. We didn’t want to leave.

We decided to modify the final days of our journey, for a variety of reasons, so we didn’t visit Glasgow or Kirkcudbright as we had originally planned. Instead, we ended our journey in Edinburgh and caught up on a few of the things we didn’t see at the outset of the trip, including some sites and sights around Old Town and Victoria Street; the latter being the area said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series by author JK Rowling.

We are very grateful for everything we experienced and for all the opportunities to meet wonderful people in Scotland. Likewise, all the help and support from Tatiana and KimKim. This was a tremendously fulfilling experience and we have lifelong memories of our wonderful adventures in Scotland.

Hotel Reviews

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

Edinburgh

This hotel offers a more modern vibe, despite its location practically in the heart of Old Town. The exterior retains the historic look of 100-200 year old architecture, but the inside is generally done in a well-appointed and modern look. The rooms took a bit of getting used to, as they are organized a little differently from other hotels, but the design actually works extremely well. The rooms are all white, which seemed a bit sterile in appearance, but that didn't ruin what was otherwise a very comfortable room. The staff was superb, and extremely friendly, professional, and responsive to guest needs.

Authenticity & Character

The exterior retains the Old Town character, while the inside blends old and new without becoming garish or awkward.

Location

If you want to be in the heart of Old Town Edinburgh, this hotel is the perfect location. A relatively easy walk to the train station as well as most of the big attractions.

Staff

The staff were just wonderful. My wife was not feeling well, and the staff helped us without exception. They even remembered me well enough to ask me how she was doing whenever they saw me, and they asked her directly as soon as she was moving around again. Very personal attention that is hard to beat.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel is kept very clean, and the accommodations were very comfortable. Our room did not have a good lounge chair however. There was something of a lounger extending off the side of the bed, but it was a little awkward and not especially comfortable. It was very comfortable to just sit on the bed however, due to a large, padded backboard on the wall.

No17 The Promenade Hotel

Oban

This hotel was the highlight of our accommodations in Scotland. Initially we were in a smaller room toward the back of the property, but as fortune would have it, we were able to move to one of the largest rooms in the front, with spectacular views. The staff here is simply amazing; very personal, attentive, and capable. We didn't want to leave this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

They have done a superb job with setting a cozy, comfortable, yet stylish, perhaps even a little quirky, character to this property. We found it incredibly charming, calming and peaceful.

Location

The hotel is just outside of the town center, along the boardwalk of the bay. This makes it within walking distance of the town but still away from the hustle and bustle of even this smaller town. The views of the bay from the property were simply marvelous.

Staff

5+ stars for this staff. They were simply the friendliest, most personal, attentive, and capable staff we encountered. It was just a pleasure to even stop by and chat with them for a moment or two each day.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The property is exceptionally well maintained, and accommodations are very clean and comfortable. Our first room was quite cramped unfortunately, but more fortunately we were able to upgrade to perhaps the best room in the hotel. That room was simply oustanding; a mix of old and new style that harmonized perfectly, extremely comfortable, and with a bay view that was perfect.

Cameron house

This is a gorgeous property in a very scenic setting. The staff are simply marvelous and were above and beyond any expectations.

Authenticity & Character

The original areas of the property have the old, grand feeling of being in almost a palace like setting. Very beautiful in every aspect. The rooms were simply amazing.

Location

This is a very beautiful property, and it is situated in a very scenic area. It may be better suited for golf enthusiasts, due to what I was given to understand is the fine golfing nearby. Nevertheless, the local scenery is plenty good enough reason to want to stay here.

Staff

The staff were extremely friendly, professional and helpful. They offered plenty of good insight into the area and sites or sights that were worthwhile. Simple excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was kept impeccably clean, and everything was extremely comfortable. The room was very luxurious.

Apex Waterloo Place

Edinburgh

We liked this hotel quite a lot. It was in a good location to walk around the center of Edinburgh. It's a short walk to the train station, for those that use the railways. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and they take excellent care of guests and the facility itself. We were also very grateful for the wonderful morning breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

It retains the charm of being in a historic area of Edinburgh, with updates that keep it fresh but without ruining the authenticity.

Location

The hotel is very well located for walking around to many of the major attractions in the Old Town and New Town areas of Edinburgh.

Staff

The staff were friendly, personal and professional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness was superb. Overall comfort was excellent. I regret I have to say that the bed was too hard, and it made for uncomfortable sleeping for my wife.

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

The Old Town private tour by Stuart was excellent. He was extremely knowledgeable and expertly guided us through the area to be sure we saw little details we never would have experienced on our own. Stuart was very personable and his commentaries ensured we learned so much more about this historic part of Edinburgh.

Oban Guided Town Walking Tour

Oban

Our guide David did a wonderful job walking us through the small town and taking us to a few sites of special interest. We enjoyed learning more about this little port town. Overall, Oban was the highlight of our trip to Scotland due to the peaceful environment. We were told it's extremely busy and crowded in the summer however, so that might be a planning consideration.

Private Tour to Rosslyn Chapel and Castle

Edinburgh

This site is wonderful, and our tour guide Rafal was amazing. He picked us up and drove us to the site, and then walked us through all the important sights, with tremendously good commentaries on it all. 5+ stars. He also took us to a couple spots along the way that weren't originally planned. The Rosslyn chapel and castle is a wonderful bit of history, and with the amusing connection to the movie the DaVinci Code.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Rafal was amazing. We would have been pleased to have him with us for every tour.

Transport

It was simply nice to have the guide drive us, rather than try to drive, park, etc, on our own.

Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Private Tour

Edinburgh

The Edinburgh castle is a wonderful historic site. Unfortunately, we did this tour almost immediately after we arrived in Scotland, and we were very tired from traveling. We probably didn't get as much out of the visit as we could have. Because of a flight delay we didn't arrive in time for our scheduled Old Town private tour; however, we made it up later in our trip (and it is reviewed separately).

The trip was enjoyable because the main details were taken care of and we could thoroughly enjoy oursevles! Alfonso was responsive to our interests and suggestions as we planned the trip resulting in accomplishing our main goals while traveling. Once we arrived in Spain, we had all the details and tickets needed and an instant contact for any questions or concerns that came up during the week. I would highly recommend!

Activity Reviews

Private City Highlights Walk

Madrid

A wonderful overview of the history of the city and the ability to learn the area as we walked around.

Cooking Class in Seville

Seville

Included a tour of the market as well as cooking main Spainish dishes. It included a large meal!

We did not see the Northern Lights, but had wonderful experiences.unfortunately I do not remember all the names but will just reference the experiences.The Ranua Zoo,
The Husky ride,the Reindeer farm,the Amethyst mine,the Snow Hotel,the Arkticum
Museum were all worthwhile.
The accommodations were excellent.
We enjoyed Helinsku as well and the island we visited which was previously a fort.
Lilla was our main contact and was very helpful, answering all our questions.

Activity Reviews

SnowHotel & Ice Dinner Experience

Rovaniemi

The SnowHotel & Ice Dinner Experience was not what I expected. While the hotel itself was fascinating, the meal did not feel special. The food was mediocre, and even one of the drivers mentioned the same about the chef. Offering something like a drink, appetizer, or dessert might be a better option than dinner if improvement can't be made.

Amethyst Mine Tour with the Pendolino - Snow Train

Pyhä

The Amethyst Mine Tour with the Pendolino - Snow Train was not the most impressive activity for us. Despite this, the journey was made worthwhile by the stunning scenery at the top of the mountain, and our driver was fantastic, going out of his way to ensure our comfort. The snow train was less significant compared to the beautiful views and history of the area.

Family Husky Safari

Finland

The Family Husky Safari was such an amazing experience, even though it had some hiccups. I handled the huskies myself, and it was quite an adventure. Weather conditions made it a bit challenging as the bus got delayed, and we were rushed through dressing and briefing, but overall, it was great. There was a little disorganization due to delays, which affected the experience slightly. I'd recommend considering private transport for a smoother experience.

Reindeer Herder Day Experience

Rovaniemi

The Reindeer Herder Day Experience was absolutely lovely. The homemade reindeer soup was wonderful. The private tour was well worth it and I highly recommend it. The interaction with the reindeer and the kindness of the people made for a memorable day.

My daughter and I had an amazing time traveling from Osaka to Kyoto to Hakone and Tokyo. Marii was incredibly thoughtful in suggesting activities based on our interests and worked with the tour operators to accommodate her food allergy. The kimkim team was so helpful in sending daily reminders for activities, answering our questions while traveling and preparing tickets ahead of time. It made the trip much more relaxing while allowing us to fit in several cities over 8 days.

The time of year was lovely- pre cherry blossoms so fewer crowds- but we did see plum trees in bloom! The group tours were small and very personalized. It was nice to have time to ask questions. Our favorite activity was traveling from the Hakone hot spring (lovely!) to Tokyo with such a friendly driver who took us to several spots to view Mount Fugi, including by cable car and boat. We were fortunate with a clear, sunny day. It is a special site to see! Also highly recommended any tours to see the temples and Gion district in Kyoto and Osaka dotonbori district at night for the lights and food!

Activity Reviews

Hakone to Tokyo Private Transfer: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Driver

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No

Transport

Transfer from Odawara Train Station to Hakone Hotel

Hakone

Quality of Experience

M

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Casual Pontocho Evening Food Tour

Kyoto

Talk was an incredible guide a delightful to spend an evening with trying loc as l food and sake. He was particularly helpful quite navigating a food allergy. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima by bullet train from Osaka

Osaka

Efficient way to see Hiroshima and Miyajima in one day but it did not felt rush. Incredible tour guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

O

Transport

The whole travel team treat us like family, JJ our tour guy was amazing answer all our questions we had.

5 stars for an Australian vacation amazingly planned by Samantha, Alejandra, and Lea!

Quick back story, our son decided last minute to study abroad in Sydney. As the saying goes, “fruit doesn’t fall from the tree”, so we too decided last minute to visit. I began researching and quickly became overwhelmed. As a referral from a friend, we tried kimkim. I went online, set a budget and filled out a questionnaire. The actual next day, I had a call with Samantha. Soon after, we had an itinerary including airport transports, hotels, activities, flights, rental cars- you name it.

Once we arrived in Sydney, we were randomly selected for customs and were running behind- I had a missed call (had my phone on silent) and message from Alejandra that our driver was waiting for us. Because we went to Australia right after the busy season, a couple tours we had booked were canceled. Alejandra immediately had solutions and took care of the details for us. This service and care is priceless!

We toured Sydney, climbed the harbor bridge and had a delightful sunset cruise. The itinerary had built in time to meet up with our kids and see what life as a student in Sydney looks like.

My husband and I flew to Cairns, transferred to Port Douglas to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef and visit the Daintree rainforest. The tours Samantha and Alejandra set up for us were out of this world and so memorable.

After Cairns, we flew to Brisbane and drove to Byron Bay to meet up with our kids for some much needed beaching (cocktails and wondering too).

If you are on the fence or overwhelmed like I was, reach out to kimkim. They will tailor your trip to you and will handle all of the little glitches that come along with great adventures. 5 stars- absolutely recommend!

Vicky put together a busy and well-tailored two-week tour of Australian places for us. Small-group and private tours were first-rate, and her very detailed itinerary (59 pages!) offered many options for free time and dining.
The guidance we provided about preferences meant that our tour was geared to our interests very well. Any problems were due to miscalculation on our part: there was a LOT of walking on the tour and my husband had greater mobility limitations than we had expected. Generally, guides were extremely helpful in working around this and there was only one scheduled event that we had to cancel. We also tended to look for dining closer to hotels (and these were excellent).
Great guides included Helder in the Blue Mountains, Andy at Uluru, Errol on the Ocean Road from Melbourne and Jennifer in Hobart. Sue Ann at the Sydney Opera House was also wonderful. All the guides and tour companies showed good planning and a lot of expertise about their local areas and their history and wildlife.
Overall, our tour went very well and was extremely enjoyable.

Ruth did a great job planning our trip, meeting all our expectations of excursions, hotels, tours etc. Byron Bay was an eco friendly special place to enjoy the beach, surfers, and the downtown area and the penguin excursion was definitely a favorite. Great job Ruth, thank you again!!!

I appreciated that the questions I posted were answered by Olman in a detailed and clear manner.

Hotel Reviews

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton

San José

Well, it's a Hilton. So nice to see carpeting!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

The views of this hotel are amazing! The hotel, I would rate as 3 stars. The showers are nice, the corner room again with an amazing view. The previous two hotels had friendly, accomodating staff, so we expected the same. Unfortunately, we found the staff to be indifferent, though we were friendly towards them. We thought they did the minimal, answered questions quickly without much feeling, and didn't seem to want to be there. I think this is more of a reflection on management. The dinner took two hours, as the server seemed preoccupied. The swimming pool was nice.

Authenticity & Character

Renovate the rooms.

Location

The view was amazing as previously stated.

Staff

See comments above. Wondering if there is a morale issue.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Renovate the rooms.

Hotel Belmar

Monteverde

This was rated as a 4 star hotel, though the simple accommodations (no TV, room needing more modern renovations) would rate is more like a 3.5 star hotel. The complimentary breakfast was great, the dinner was fair. The staff was accommodating and mostly friendly. The grounds were very pretty, though the green lake did not look swimmable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

Fortuna

The hot springs in the back of the hotel were amazing. Lots of fun and the resort makes it very convenient to hop in a resort shuttle to travel to the springs, which is a very short ride away. The room is nice, though hotel renovations are needed. The restaurants for dinner at Ave and Tucanes were great. The complimentary breakfast was fair, wishing there was more variety.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Finally! I got to see the white-faced monkeys. I also saw bats, a snake, iguanas, and birds. This was more exciting as I finally can see a lot more animals without squinting all the time. This tour is why I came to Costa Rica, and it did not disappoint.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

My husband's high point was the ziplining. This is the second time I ziplined, and I felt much safer because we are harnassed to the cables after landing. The tour guide gave me the harness used by workers when I shared my health history, which made me feel more secure. I think the photos were on the expensive side though.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

This was fun even if it was raining. The tour guide was very informative, the group only consisted of six people, and the animals were motionless mainly, which made them easier to spot and photograph.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

I think we wanted more activity other than sitting on a boat and squinting up at trees. There weren't enough animals to make it exciting enough for us, and perhaps we aren't great bird watchers. The monkeys were fun! But soooooo far away!

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved loved loved the chocolate.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide was very detailed oriented and provided good information about the animals.

Transport

El Silencio Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

A nice, professional and friendly tour guide gave us the volcano's history. I appreciated her enthusiasm.

Quality of Experience

Food

Casado was yummy. This was the best casado of the whole trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Donna and I had a wonderful trip to Vietnam with special thanks to Alex (for support on building a great itinerary, and also supporting us when we had eVisa support issues), and Bo for his solid driving skills getting us to and from our destinations, and Mr Binh for his outstanding guide assistance and local knowledge of Northern Vietnam!

Hotel Reviews

GRAND HOTEL du LAC Hanoi

Nice hotel, a bit small but clean and lovely location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradise Elegance Cruise

Very nice boat and accomodations

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jiva Hoa Lu Retreat

Perhaps the best resort of the trip. would have been great to spend and extra day!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Crazy beautiful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel de la Coupole - MGallery

Beautiful hotel and great staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meliá Hanoi

Hanoi

Excellent location and Accommodations

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi By Night Food Tour - Vespa Tour

Hanoi

We did not take this tour during our visit. We chose to relax before heading back to states

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Halong Bay - Hanoi

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ninh Binh - Halong Bay Cruise - Overnight on boat

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hoa Lu, Ancient Capital - Mua Cave - Tam Coc Boat Trip

Ninh Binh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sapa, Visit Cat Cat village - Transfer Back to Hanoi

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sapa - Mường Hoa Mountain Train - Fansipan Peak - Conquer the Roof of Indochina - Free afternoon

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sapa - Hike to Explore Local Villages: Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai & Ta Van

Sapa

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Sapa – Tram Ton Pass – Love Waterfall - Sapa

Sapa

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Randall was superb with planning from beginning to end, answering every question all along the way!

Couldn't have asked for a better family trip to Costa Rica, and so grateful for all the help, responsiveness, and attention from Serendipity Adventures. Elena really helped narrow down our itinerary providing multiple updates based on our specific needs accounting for two couples, three seniors (66, 69, 77) and one person with mobility issues.

Our accommodations were perfect, and exceptionally nice facilities. The activities were the perfect balance of seeing a lot and not overdoing it for the older couple.

Our favorite guide was Roy who was with us for the arenal volcano hike and Arenal Hanging Bridges tour over two days. Such a resource of knowledge, passion, attention, and friendliness! All guides were excellent and the parks were all great to visit exceeding expectations.

Adrián was also very helpful during the trip getting back to me very quickly and willing to check on last minute adjustments and requests.

Hoping to be able to enjoy Corcovado next time around and will certainly work with Serendipity Adventures again and recommend them to anyone traveling to gorgeous Costa Rica. Pura Vida!

Everything went great. Sofitel hotel was very nice.

A great experience with my guide Efe and driver Musa.
I liked how flexible they were—we sometimes switched the order of our stops so we could avoid rain/tour buses, etc and also added stops when time became available. All being previously discussed, of course.
Thank you to both Efe and Musa!

Hotel Review

Kelebek Special Cave Hotel

Nevsehir

The perfect location to see the hot air balloons early in the morning. I ran out in a coat and my pajamas so I could take pictures!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect location to see hot air balloons

Staff

Everyone was friendly and cordial

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Caravansarai

Turkey

Visit Beautiful Red Valley + Çavuşin

Cappadocia

Ceramic Tradition in Avanos + Light Hiking in the Love Valley

Cappadocia

Discovering the Ihlara Valley and Light Hiking Along the Melendiz River

Cappadocia

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Our guide Karla was wonderful. I really appreciated how when we asked questions ahead of time she was very responsive and when I sent some flight information she noticed that I had sent the wrong date which helped me fix my reservations which somehow had gotten off. She set up a wonderful experience and given the global news that happened right before our trip (war in middle east, US joint military in Ecuador), it was wonderful she had a set up with someone to meet us at the airport everywhere and make sure everything went smoothly and that. My only complaint would be that we never new the name of the tour operators that we were going on which would have helped us plan for what to pack and what we should be taking with us on a trip. For instance, one day we had a tour that listed a hike, a museum, and something else and said there might be time we would do an additional activity. We weren't sure exactly what to pack or wear for the day so having links to what the activities were would have made things a little easier. I don't know if that is a policy so that we can't see what the prices are or not but I would have preferred to have those details. Otherwise, it was wonderful.

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Near the airport with an easy shuttle. Gym, sauna, pool were great. Dinner was nice. Nothing to complain about for an airport hotel at all.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

The original part of the hotel didn't look wonderful and the pools look a little dated but they worked great and the new part where all 3 of our rooms were was beautiful and comfortable. Breakfast overlooking the water was wonderful as well. Staff was extremely friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

Good value. There are quite a few bugs in the evening and the rooms are fairly small but breakfast was nice, staff was nice, and pool was nice (though pool furniture a little worn). Also, kind of on the edge of town so a longer walk to some things.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Go Quito Hotel

Quito

This hotel is beautiful, the breakfast is amazing, the area is beautiful. Could not recommend more!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

This was good but we didn't spend anywhere near 6 hours on activities. We did the interpretation center but it wasn't a long thing to do. The hike was great but not all that long. I don't know what La Loberia was. I think there was some talk of snorkeling but were told the visibility was poor. I think we spent a total of 3 hours on activities so while we enjoyed what we did, it was not as good as most of the rest of our activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encountering at Lobos Island

Galapagos Islands

This was our favorite activity. It was amazing to have an island and snorkel and beach all to ourselves in our 7 person group. The guides and boat team were wonderful. The animals, views, activities were perfect.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

This was beautiful. The only downside is the over 2 hours on the boat to get there and then another over 2 hours to get back. This is on top of 40 minute bus ride to get to the boat and another 40 min bus ride on teh way back so tons of time spent traveling for really 2 hours of beautiful things.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

Wonderful to see sharks, sea turtles swimming underneath your kayak, tons of lizards, beautiful beach.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands (Plant a Tree) & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

The plant a tree part was hokey and not really special. Everything else was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colonial Quito City Tour & the Middle of the World

Quito

This was fun though somewhat touristy. Still worthwhile to see the main points.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Ecuador: Let Your Adventure Begin! (Transportation Service)

Ecuador

Appreciated meeting us at airport to make sure we got settled in.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jorge and Alejandro made our trip unforgettable. Ana Sofia and Luz Maria were very helpful and attentive. Great experience!

Our driver, Odik, was just a delight. He was always early, which meant we were never running behind schedule. He answered our questions, and provided commentary from time to time, especially when the Guide wasn't with us. He was very alert to my desire to take a photo from inside the car and would stop or slow down as traffic permitted. And speaking of traffic, it's a little crazy navigating the roads. There were a few times when I closed my eyes because I thought something bad was about to happen, but it never did.

Our guide, Badi, was likewise very engaging and informative. He provided lots of great historical and background information on the places we visited. He dealt with our on-the-fly requests to find an ATM we could use, and to buy some liquor to take home with us.

All of our outings were much better than the descriptions. We were particularly happy with the cooking classes at Rumah Desa and Paon Bali were excellent! Well-organized, efficiently delivered, and informative. The Monkey Forest was a delight as well, getting to be up close and personal with the animals.

One tiny downside...it would have been helpful to have a level-of-effort rating on some of the walks. I was able to do pretty much everything, but my traveling companion had to forgo some of the walks, or sections of walks, because they were just a little too strenuous.

In the end, though, I will be happy to recommend Kimkim and our consultant, Marc Urban to anyone who asks!

Hotel Review

Tejaprana Resort & Spa

Bali

We felt like we sat down in the lap of luxury when we arrived at Tejaprana. Once you turn off the very busy street, you descend (literally) into an island paradise of quiet and green and luxury. Frankly, we were happy to spend all of our free time at the resort, partly because we'd been traveling for a long time, and partly because it's just so damn nice. Similarly, Aruna Restaurant is excellent! We ate our way through most of the Balinese offerings they had on the menu, sometimes more than once. Staff is very friendly and welcoming, from the top management to the people cleaning the resort.

Authenticity & Character

I can't speak to the authenticity of the establishment, since I've had little exposure to the culture. But the character was very much in line with what I expected.

Location

It was relatively central to all that we wanted to see. It took us a while to understand that you can't move very fast in Bali, particularly in congested areas. But all was great.

Staff

From top to bottom the staff was excellent! Pandi, the restaurant manager, was particularly helpful and welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

When your hotel is in the middle of nature, as is Tejaprana, you can't expect it to look 100% pristine at all times. So there were times that there were leaves and other natural debris scattered about. But it wasn't in the least offensive. Cleanliness was top-notch.

Activity Reviews

Visit a local market & enjoy a cooking class

Indonesia

The market walk was interesting, because it gave us such a good glimpse into daily life. The cooking class was exceptional, start to finish!.

Quality of Experience

well-run and delightful from start to finish!

Food

OMIGOD! SO GOOD!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff was really great! It seemed like they very much enjoy what they do!

Transport

Cultural Immersion and traditions at Rumah Desa

Indonesia

It was absolutely fascinating to step into the world of a Balinese family, if only for part of a day. Our guide (I wish I could remember his name, but he was 6'5" tall, so very distinctive among Balinese men) did a great job introducing us to religious traditions and other aspects of daily life. I enjoyed learning about their 18-character alphabet, and getting a memento of my name written in Balinese. It was also interesting to see the amount of labor that goes in to producing coconut oil, coconut milk, and grated coconut.

Quality of Experience

Nope. Start to finish, it was excellent.

Food

The meal we helped to prepare was excellent!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I've talked about our driver elsewhere. The staff was uniformly warm and welcoming.

Transport

Discussed elsewhere.