Kimkim Trip Reviews

A wonderful trip to Mexico was brought to life by the stellar organisational efforts of Javier and the team at Rutopia. Javier was the chief planning architect of our trip and spent a lot of time on watsapp calls and messages curating the ideal itinerary for us. His passion and enthusiasm for sharing the sights of his country rubbed off on us and we were able to maximise our time and enjoyment during our stay. Eduardo was our go-to contact person and very prompt in checking in with us daily to see how were going and if we needed help with anything.
The chief highlights for us were seeing Chichenitza and the pyramid at Uxmal, up close and personal. We loved visiting the Xcaret theme park and enjoyed the show immensely. Snorkelling off Isla Mujeres, strolling down Quinta Avenida in Playa del Carmen , drinking Margaritas in Tulum and relishing Marquesitas in Bacalar were other standouts for us. We also enjoyed the culinary experiences in Yalcoba with a Mayan family and the cooking class courtesy of Lina's Mexican Kitchen.
We had a memorable time in the Yucatan peninsula and hopefully we can visit again in future and see the other parts of Mexico.
Muchas Gracias :)

Liz Neal was absolutely amazing to work with. Her organization, expertise & detail created the opportunity for a trip of a lifetime!

Highlights included:
- Waiheke Island Hop on Hop Off Bus
- Rotorua Glow Work Kayak
- Mt Tarawera Crater Walk
- Maori Dining Experience
- Pohue Purepod
- Lake Tekapo
- Cass Valley 4WD Tour
- Mt Cook; Glacier Boat Trip & Helicopter
- Queenstown; Funyak River Safari
- Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise

Hotel Reviews

InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, an IHG Hotel

Natadola, Fiji

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Rees Hotel

Queenstown

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hermitage Hotel

Mount Cook Village

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Suites

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PurePod

Pohue

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Regent of Rotorua

Rotorua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M Social

Auckland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Skyline Gondola Ride

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Navigator Overnight Cruise Return ex Zqn - Private Cabin. Includes Dinner & Full Breakfast

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Garden Onsen Outdoor Soak (From 5pm) 1 hour -

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Jet-Boat Adventure & Funyak River Safari

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mt Cook & The Glaciers

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glacier Boat Trip -

Aoraki / Mount Cook Village

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Cass Valley 4WD Backcountry tour

Lake Tekapo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spend the night at your offgrid glass cabin

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tu Te Ra - Maori Cultural Dining Experience

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Mt Tarawera Crater Walk Experience Morning

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Twilight Glow Worm Kayak Experience - 3 hour guided

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Auckland to Rotorua visiting Hobbiton with lunch

Auckland

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire trip was great. It was well planned an well executed. We enjoyed every activity. We also had great service. Every pickup was on time. We will definitely use Kim Kim again. Great job by Cami to set it up and Ana for making it happen.

The Trips were well organized. I just don’t know why all the entrance fees were not inclusive. The Tour Guide Alex has a great Knowledge
and has Done a good Job.
The Radisson Hotel is in a very loud area.

Hotel Review

Hotel Casa Sakiwa

Machachi

I have made a Review on Trip Advisor

Location

Activity Review

Hotsprings in Termas de Papallacta

Ecuador

We had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica, and Gustavo was knowledgeable and patient as we worked out an itinerary to work with teens, parents and grandma. Kimkim was quick to respond when we had in country questions about booked activities and any issue was resolved quickly.

We enjoyed the guided nature tours we took in all locations, having a guide really ensured you got to see the animals, birds and insects.

We spent on afternoon ziplining and walking on hanging bridges. If people in your party are doing the ziplining I would recommend that you not also book the gondola ride too, as you take it up to get to the start of the pipeline, had we known this we would not have booked separately the gondola ride.

We choose pretty basic accommodations which met our needs. We had one issue with stinging insects in Monte Verde getting into the cabin and had to prompt the staff twice to deal with the matter. We also had a issue with a rodent in our hotel in Manuel Antonio, built of shipping containers, and the hotel did move us to another room. The location however was excellent, right at the entrance to the National Park!

All our drivers between locations were excellent!

We had a memorable trip and would love to visit Costa Rica again. We have recommended KimKim to several friends and colleagues who are considering upcoming trip in different locations around the world. We will certainly be using KimKim services in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Presidente

San José

Great location for exploring the city. Comfortable rooms and good breakfast. They have a restaurant on the roof too which has a nice view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Faro Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

The hotel is up a very steep hill! The views out over the ocean are amazing. The location is great, on the edge of the National Park and 5 minutes to the beach and 1-2 minutes walk to several restaurants. Rooms are small and basic, and the Beds were not comfortable, and the AC unit drips water on your head at night. You have to watch for the monkeys that will try and get in your room, have no food unattended outside.

Authenticity & Character

Lots of character being built from shipping containers.

Location

One of the best locations for view and proximity to things

Staff

Were polite. There are no phones in rooms so you have to use an app to contact them if you have any issues

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds are not comfortable, and we had a rodent in one of our rooms that was eating the creamer packets behind the mini fridge in the night. We had thought it was a lizard but discovered after a few days it was a rodent...

Los Pinos - Cabañas & Jardines

Monteverde Costa Rica

The cabins are cute and located in the forest. We had some issues communicating with the staff over stinging insects entering the cabin from the roof. It was eventually sorted. They have greenhouses on site which apparently you can purchase salad items from. However, after hiking up to the greenhouses we could find no one to help us and it did not look like you could help yourself in anyway, certainly not any direction for guests. The hotel is in a good location and you can walk the 15 minutes to town. There is a steep hill on the walk.

Authenticity & Character

Plenty of character, nice cabins in a lovely location. They are self catering.

Location

Staff

Friendliness and prompt attention to issues raised by guests

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport

San Jose

Staff were friendly and helpful. We arrived into the country late due to a delayed flight and they got us into our rooms quickly. Breakfast the next morning was a good choice for a buffet. The staff observed that I was interested in some of the fresh fruit that had not been cut up (mangos etc) so I did not select the items. However, the staff came to our table with a plate of cut up prepared mango for us along with other fruits we had never tasted.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing, it is perfect for a hotel close to an airport

Location

Super close to the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Great Breakfast buffet and lovely cabins, we had ones at the back of the hotel, perfect for us as they were looking out into the jungle where we saw howler monkeys and other wildlife. The free hot spring pools on the grounds were nice to relax in. The hotel also has options for activities on site and they were able to accommodate our last minute request to zipline and horse ride. The horse riding ended up being a private session and we were taken to a river and waterfalls with a very knowledge guide.

Authenticity & Character

Cabins were clean and quiet

Location

Has own activites and hot springs

Staff

Very accommodating, especially when we booked last minute activites late one evening for the next morning.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Walking Tour of Downtown San José

San José

We enjoyed our day in San Jose and visited the national museum, which has a butterfly room and national history including indigenous history. We also visited the market, it is pretty crowded with narrow walk ways between stalls which can be overwhelming. I would not spend any more than 2 days max in the city, unless you want to see all the museums

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Manuel Antonio Beaches

Manuel Antonio

The beaches in the park are beautiful, plenty of iguanas and monkeys.

Quality of Experience

Private Chocolate & Night Hike Experience

Monteverde

We had a private tour and the guide was engaging for all of us. He explained the chocolate making process and we got to sample some of the best hot chocolate I have ever had. The night hike to see the wildlife was fun even in the rain! We got to see the release of a baby snake.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

The hanging bridges and trails make you feel you are in the canopy of the jungle. The guide was knowledgeable and pointed out things of interest. The zip lining staff were fun and engaged my teen with his little Spanish and taught him a few new phrases. I was nervous of hights and the staff put me at ease with the very easy to use system.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We loved the experience with Kim
Kim. I do think we had a few too many stops and would have preferred more days in Raja Ampat and Ubud. The diving was fantastic and Ubud had so many things to do. I would definitely suggest including how long the travel days are and mention the traffic. It’s hard to have a 7 or 8am start time the day after a long travel day. That means being up at 5 or 6 to get dressed and have breakfast. I say this about our travel day from Raja Ampat to Yogyakarta. We left at 7am and got to our hotel at almost 10pm. I do believe that Yogyakarta should have been cut out of my itinerary but our drivers and tour guides were amazing. In fact all of our tour guides, drivers and hotels were fantastic! Amazing, actually. I am so very pleased and will highly recommend Kim Kim to friends. Pricilla was exceptional and so was Kaisa. Thanks for making our holiday amazing.

Hotel Reviews

Renaissance Bali Nusa Dua Resort

Nusa Dua

This hotel was very American. Lots of restaurants to choose from and they offer free shuttles to the mall and beach. Very clean and spacious rooms, the breakfast buffet was huge and the food was delicious. We spent NYE here and they had a DJ with dancing and champagne toast at midnight. I do have to give a shout out to the bar staff and entertainment staff, they all went above and beyond Excellent customer service all the way around

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta - MGallery Collection

Yogyakarta

Very charming hotel and great staff. We were here for Christmas and it was decorated so beautiful. The breakfast buffets were impressive and delicious. The bar staff were awesome and the Spa services were exceptional. Loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Kalyana Ubud

Ubud

Gorgeous resort and friendly staff. They were out of wine and champs that was the only thing missing

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Papua Paradise Eco Resort

Papua Barat

This resort was our favorite place we stayed during our Indonesia trip. The service was 5 star. The welcome song, the food, bartender and drinks, housekeeping, dive shop and the owners made this such a special holiday for my son and I.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Spa at Taksu Spa Ubud

Indonesia

This was a beautiful spa and we loved our services here. They also have a restaurant but we did not go. We opted for a little bar in the corner to people watch and enjoy a martini. Highly recommend spa treatment here

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

Indonesia

Cool place

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Tegallalang Rice Terrace

Indonesia

Gorgeous place We really enjoyed the activities

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Go on an ATV Ride

Indonesia

We have been on a lot of ATV excursions and this by far was our favorite Must do!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Cooking Class

Indonesia

10/10 highly recommend Great excursion We loved the farm and our cooking experience Definitely a must

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner at Rama Shinta Garden Resto

Yogyakarta

Beautiful dinner Food was just average but the view was amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Time in Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta

This was a 14 hour travel day We chose to skip the rappel which was the whole reason to go to Yogyakarta. It requires an early pick up and we just needed to rest. There should have been a flight that took us from Sorong to Yogyakarta but instead we had a layover back in Jakarta which someone should have taken into account.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Diving in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat

Great dive shop Excellent customer service Great dive locations

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Time in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat

Loved the resort

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jakarta City Tour

Indonesia

We had a little too much jet lag to really enjoy this tour. The market was a bit narrow and scared me but with a lot of people. I chose it to do the monument tour due to the crowds as well. The temple we went to was very small and in a not so nice part of town. We’ve been to temples and this one was not impressive at all. The restaurant for lunch was nice. We chose not to sit through the puppet show. Our favorite part was New China Town and Golf Island We ended up spending our last day on Golf Island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our second trip to Costa Rica with KimKim, and it didn’t disappoint! The first time, a few years ago, was just me and my husband. When we decided to take a family trip last year, Costa Rica was the obvious choice, and everyone was on board.

We traveled over Christmas with our four adult kids, my mom, and her friend, ranging in age from 21 to 75. Our travel agent, Holden at KimKim, and Wilman at Serendipity were amazing! They planned and booked everything perfectly, and even helped us with a few changes while we were there.

Amazing Hotels
The hotels were incredible. Hotel Bosque del Mar was right on the beach, but it felt like we were in the jungle. We watched monkeys swinging from the trees right outside our balcony. The rooms were beautiful—like treehouses in the jungle.

Our second hotel, Hacienda Guachipelin, was more remote and surrounded by nature, right next to Rincon de la Vieja National Park. It had an adventure center on-site, which made it easy to book activities like ziplining, horseback riding, hiking, and river tubing.

Unforgettable Activities
We had a blast on every excursion! Some highlights:

Wetlands Boat Ride and Rum Tasting at Hacienda El Viejo: We saw so many crocodiles on the boat ride, and the ranch was gorgeous. Lunch there was the perfect break before rum tasting.
Fishing Charter with Patron Ocean Experience: This was everyone’s favorite. The girls won the fishing contest with a 55–60 pound roosterfish! We also caught enough Spanish mackerel for lunch, and a beachside restaurant cooked it for us. We had so much fun we did it again on Christmas Day!
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving: We split up for this one, and everything went smoothly.
The Perfect Family Christmas
This was the perfect first family Christmas trip. We loved the mix of activities and downtime to just enjoy nature and each other.

We can’t wait to go back to Costa Rica!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín

Liberia

Loved this hotel for a variety of reasons. It was remote and in the jungle away from everything. Since we brought adult kids with us it gave us lots of down time to connect. They got to enjoy the happy hour at the bar every evening and we enjoyed all the activities we did as a group through their adventure center, including zip lining, hiking, tubing in class III and IV rapids, and horseback riding.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A little more remote than we expected, but then again that brought a lot of additional benefits.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

This hotel exceed our expectations. Great location right on the beach, but the hotel was in the jungle and the rooms felt like treehouses.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Staff was always friendly and helpful. The food was delicious.

Activity Review

Half Day - Fishing Charter

Costa Rica

Our favorite activity of the trip. So much fun we booked it again later in the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First time using a service to plan our family trip and serendipity travel in Costa Rica did not disappoint! I found them through KIMKIM and the team was awesome. They helped meet all our needs and helped make adjustments along the way as our needs changed. Highly recommend.

We were very pleased with the arrangements in the end, although it took longer than expected to finalise the itinerary given that I'd already gone through it in detail with someone from KimKim. Eduardo was extremely helpful and went beyond the call of duty when we needed to change the itinerary after we'd started the trip. He arranged a couple of tours for us in Guatemala including a trip to villages near Antigua which was really enjoyable and the Acatenango volcano hike. We found that less enjoyable as we weren't sufficiently acclimatised and I've already suggested a night at higher altitude beforehand would have helped. When one of our crossborder transfers didn't go according to plan because the drivers couldn't contact each other Eduardo apologised and made sure we were compensated. The few problems that arose were, I think, largely due to the agency in El Salvador not communicating fully with him. Most of the drivers (and vehicles) were very good although we did have issues with the guy who took us from Lanquin to Antigua, overtaking on blind bends in zero visibility due to the mist. Most of the hotels were very nice and comfortable. Hotel Guayaha in Lanquin was a bit odd - lots of potential in a vast but empty room with nowhere to even dry towels! The staff at Hotel San Buenaventura were pretty miserable, unlike everywhere else, and there was no breakfast before 8am but the hotel itself was nicely located on the lake. Finca Tatin Hotel would have been much nicer if we'd had decent weather as it is all open air.

Everything was on brief! We really enjoyed our trip to Australia and New Zealand! The hotels, tours, communications with contacts, flights was perfect! Vicky was the best Specialist! Always in contact and answering every question! We will be happy to do other trip with kimkim!

Hotel Review

Fable Auckland

Auckland

The room was without windows and the next door was a storage room, very noisy. The gym was a mini mini gym too…. Not to comfortable / nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Laneways of Melbourne

Melbourne

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was ooutstandinggg! She knows every single córner!!

My trip was to Norway from the US. I was completely overwhelmed with work when I decided to try out Kim Kim as a worry free option to book my travel. When I received my itinerary and paid, I was still overwhelmed and basically just accepted all the pieces. It was not exactly what I had in mind when I mentioned I was pretty active and enjoyed outdoor activities and animals, but it was an intriguing itinerary so I went with it. As I got closer I realized some of the activities were impossible to get to due to flight timing. I was able to cancel one activity. I also looked up the rooms they booked me. Given how much I paid, I assumed I would be in great rooms. They were closets. I paid more to get some of them upgraded. As the days got closer I realized all the bookings were pretty standard activities that everyone does. So I started collecting the prices and the hotel room prices. I paid about twice what the cost of the activities and hotels would have been. And there was no "local flair" in anything.
I did enjoy the activities and the company was responsive as weather cancelled several activities and I was able to get some refunds. I realized 4 days in advance that no train was early enough to get me to the airport from my booked hotel and asked about canceling the room. I was told by the local company this should be fine and re-booked in a hotel closer to the airport, but when I asked about a refund I was advised that it was too short notice. So, there was some disconnect either within the local company or between them and Kimkim.
I would overall not recommend Kimkim unless you are okay with paying way above standard travel agent fees (typically 10-15%). The activities booked were all enjoyable, but I really could have booked it all myself and would not have had any trouble getting any of them even after I arrived.

Hien and the local team in Vietnam were outstanding : reactive, proactive, adapting to and solving last-minute requests, ensuring great experiences. Especially for a family of six. First time we use Kimkim, we will use again. And Hien and the local Vietnam team and their itinerary made us fall in love with the country. We will come back in the future !

We had an incredible stay in Morocco. From the early planning stages with the Kimkim team and Saïd to our arrival in the airport when we were greeted by our personal driver for the week Soufiane. He was a very kind, friendly, knowledgeable and respectful person who we felt instantly comfortable with. He seemed to know everyone wherever we stopped and had great relationships. Our tour guide in Marrakesh on the first day was very knowledgeable and friendly I can’t remember his name.
During our trip to the desert Soufiane stopped in several locations along the way to May our drive more comfortable. The guys at the Luxury Camp were so nice, the food was very good and their service outstanding. We will never forget this vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Ouarzazate

Ouarzazate

This was our least favorite Riad. The staff were very friendly and kind however the food was not good. This is in the middle of nowhere so there isn’t much to do here it was just an overnight stay on our way back from the desert.

Authenticity & Character

Quality of the food

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

T

Authenticity & Character

Location

Luxury camp located in the middle of the desert. Nice view of sunrise from the sand dunes.

Staff

The guys were very friendly, food was good, music and entertainment at night was very nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice touch with the heated blankets to warm you up in the cold desert nights. Heater also was very helpful and the extra blankets.

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Nice place to stay. Was really cold but heat finally kicked in. Breakfast was nice and dinner was also very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Run by two brothers. They were very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were very firm and heat takes a while to warm up but otherwise a nice stay

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

We loved staying at this Riad. It was wonderful. On our first day we had a really large room with views of the inner courtyard. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner that night with a Belly dancer show and singers. An unexpected experience. Everyone at the Riad was super friendly and kind. Even one of the waiters remembered that my husbands stomach was not feeling so good and offered to make him a special tea. On our return from the desert we stayed here again for one night and stayed in a smaller room above the pool area. This one was not as glamorous but everything worked well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Well located at a close entry to the Medina

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Moroccan Hammam at Les Bains De Marrakech

Marrakesh

I had a reservation for this Hammam however at the last minute our driver took us to a different one without telling us. I felt a little uneasy about this change. It decided to just give it a chance. The Hammam we went to was Les Bains de Alhambra and it turned out to be very good service. I’m still not sure why the change was done when I had clearly requested that one.

Quality of Experience

Great massage and Hammam

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was nice that our drivers

Transport

A Journey from Ouarzazate to Marrakech

Morocco

Uneventful ride back to Marrakesh. Our driver stopped for us in several looking points and for lunch.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Merzouga to Ouarzazate via Draa Valley

Morocco

Parts of this journey were long and boring. The stops in some of these towns were in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food in the last Riad we stayed at before leaving for Marrakesh was not very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sand-Boarding in Erg Chebbi

Merzouga

We never got to do this. We arrived too late at the luxury camp and were never offered to do this activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Dades to Merzouga via Todra Gorges & Erfoud

Morocco

This is a long day overall. Our driver did his best to make it more manageable by making frequent stops for bathroom, looking points, lunch, coffee etc.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Marrakech to Boumalne Dades: Through Atlas Mountains, Aït Benhaddou & Rose Valley

Morocco

Soufiane was an excellent driver during the entire trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip from Marrakech to Amizmiz Valley

Marrakesh

This day trip to the Amizmiz Valley was nice. We hiked for about 3 hours and then had lunch at a Berber home. People were all very humble and kind everywhere we went. Our guide was very nice and the meal at lunch was good!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Our guide for the half day tour of Marrakesh was great. He was timely, professional, friendly and very flexible to our needs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Organizing this trip was very easy. Vicky responded quick when we had questions or wanted to adjust the itinerary.
We loved the Great Barrier reef tour and spending New Year's eve in Sydney.
Brisbane has a nice relaxed vibe which we loved, whereas Sydney is energizing and vibrant.

Hotel Reviews

Alamanda at Palm Cove by Lancemore

Palm Cove

Big rooms, suitable for family, be aware that there are only stairs going to higher level. You need to carry your own suitcases up. Reception seems not to be always attended. Rooms spacious, but not very cozy.

Authenticity & Character

Rooms are not very cozy. It's like getting an apartment and then it's up to you (reception unattended)

Location

Close to the beach

Staff

Handing over keys but that's it

Cleanliness & Comfort

No daily cleaning or making beds

Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane

Brisbane

Lovely hotel, perfect for family with a nice view. Close to South bank. The room has a cozy feel and a nice, playful layout.

Authenticity & Character

Loads of character and cozy rooms

Location

Close to Southbank

Staff

Very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was cleaned daily

Activity Reviews

Blue Mountains Full Day - Private Tour

Sydney

Impressive to see the nature reserve and especially if you go on a trail to Wentworth waterfall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Premium Daintree & Cape Tribulation Day Tour

Australia

We were a bit disappointed only seeing 1 crocodile on the Daintree river cruise and we expected to see more about the indigenous people in Cape Tribulation. Be aware this trip involves a lot of traveling by van. We loved the place where we had lunch, very good food and lovely place.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunlover Reef Cruises Cairns Great Barrier Reef Experience (departs Cairns)

Australia

Wow! Definitely worth doing this cruise. Clear waters, loads of activities, also for people who don't want to go snorkeling. Food was okay. We just loved it!! Highlight of our trip!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dolphin Feeding Day Cruise to Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island

Brisbane

This trip didn't meet our expectations. The snorkeling around the wrecks was nice. But there is not sufficient time on the island to do other activities (like atv, sand tobogganing etc). And then there was no dolphin feeding at all, while that's in the title of this cruise.

Classic Kuranda

Palm Cove

We loved the sky way!!! Very impressive! Wish we had taken the sky way both ways!! Train is fun, but less view.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Brisbane River Cruise

Brisbane

Lovely place to go and see koala's and feed kangaroos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide on the boat had lots of stories

Transport

We went by boat

Our family had an amazing time in Colombia. The four of us have some different interests, but Margarita was able to tailor the tours such that we all had a great time whilst learning about the country along with its history and culture. Margarita was very patient and attentive to our requests, and always responsive from the planning stage until the end of the trip. All the tour guides (Majo, Luis, Jessica, Sofia, Carolina) and drivers selected for us were very dedicated, passionate, kind, helpful and fun! They all definitely went above and beyond our expectations. A special shout out to Jessica, our guide in Medellin - despite running into a personal challenge, she put her focus to take care of us first and maintained a positive atmosphere. This trip definitely left us with nice memories, and we are deeply impressed by how Colombia has evolved from its troubled past into a thriving, beautiful, and enjoyable country.

We have just returned home from our 2 week trip to Costa Rica and we can't say enough positive things about our experiences as well as the expert planning and support from KimKim and Serendipity Adventures. KimKim and local specialists Serendipity Adventures helped plan, organize, and manage our trip every step of the way- Holden, Nancy, Wilman and Mariano among others, worked diligently to make sure everything ran smoothly to ensure we had the trip of a lifetime.

Holden's expertise and knowledge of his beautiful country was invaluable to us for maximizing everyday of our adventure. He planned out a trip for us that was a perfect mix of adventure and relaxation, customized an itinerary specially designed for our family of 4 (2 teenage kids) and used our input to curate an experience that we would all enjoy. Everything from the accommodations Holden chose (ecolodge, beach stay, rain forest bungalow and a treehouse) were perfect as well as all the adventure activities planned out for us (kayaking, hiking, hanging bridges, zip lining, chocolate making, waterfall swim etc). Every transfer from one location to the next was taken care of which meant zero headaches and stress from when we arrived in San José to when we left. A bit of unpredicted rainy weather meant a few of our activities were cancelled but Holden and Wilman were on it instantly to alter our day with new plans to ensure we didn't have any wasted time.

Trip Highlights: Tortuguero / Mawamba Lodge. This was our families favourite stop of the trip. So much wildlife to see and our experience kayaking though the rainforest canals (tons of monkeys and caimans) was a trip highlight. Mawamba Lodge was top notch in terms of service and amenities and the whole family really enjoyed rustic bungalow living. We all agreed this is a spot we would love to return to on a future visit to Costa Rica.

Best Food: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. The bustling little surf town of Puerto Viejo has great food with a ton of Jamaican influence which made every meal super flavourful with just the right amount of spice. Loved the rice and beans down south!

A must do: chocolate making and waterfall swim outside Bribri with Tirza (of Life Culture & Travel). Our visit with an indigenous family to learn about how they grow and process cacao was super interesting followed by a dip in a beautiful waterfall.....great day that we all enjoyed.

Most unique stay: Treehouse @ Maquenque Ecolodge. It takes a lot to impress teenagers and this was it. Like something out of a dream, our treehouse stay will be talked about for years to come. We never thought we'd be sleeping up in the trees amongst the monkeys (very vocal howlers), our treehouse was incredible and even offered a 2 person jacuzzi....we never wanted to leave!

Best wildlife encounter: a sloth wandering though our resort at Puerto Viejo gave us an up close and personal greeting- beautiful (and very slow moving) creatures.

Best relaxation: The hot springs at Arenal Spring Resort and Spa in Arenal/La Fortuna. This portion of our trip ended up falling at the end of our 2 weeks (we were ready for some slower days) and the hot springs was just what we needed. We also got hit by a few days of heavy rain so again, the hot springs were exactly where we wanted to be. The swim up drinks/ sushi bar was well utilized during our last few days!

If we were to do it all again I don't think there would be anything we would change. We certainly wouldn't hesitate to call of KimKim and Serendipity Adventures to plan a future trip for us and we have been telling everyone back home of our incredibly positive experience. Thank-you so much to everyone involved for making this 2 week Costa Rica trip an experience of a lifetime for our family- it was one we won't forget!

Hotel Reviews

Mawamba Lodge

Tortuguero

Loved our stay at Mawamba Lodge. This was our families favourite stop of the entire trip. So much wildlife to see and our experience kayaking though the rainforest canals (tons of monkeys and caimans) was a trip highlight. Mawamba Lodge was top notch in terms of service and amenities and the whole family really enjoyed rustic bungalow living. The staff were excellent and accommodating with anything we needed during our stay. We all agreed this is a spot we would love to return to on a future visit to Costa Rica.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful pool and lounge area that was comfortable for afternoon relaxing. Not loud or crowded so a really peaceful spot to spend a lazy afternoon post adventures.

Location

Loved that it was boat in only and set in the middle of the rainforest. Made for a once in a lifetime experience.

Staff

Staff (especially dining staff) were excellent and super attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great little rustic bungalow that was well maintained.

Maquenque Eco Lodge

Boca Tapada

The deluxe treehouse suite featuring a 2 person jacuzzi was unbelievable. Super well maintained and solidly build, we never wanted to leave this beautiful treehouse. More than enough space for a family of 4 (2 teenage kids). Don't expect super great sleeps however as the rain and howler monkeys on the metal roofs comes though in stereo at night (which we really didn't mind).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rainforest Hiking in Boca Tapada

Boca Tapada

So many Toucans!

Cahuita National Park: Snorkeling & Rainforest Hike

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Super fun day of snorkelling (even though the visibility was poor) and guided walk though Cahuita National Park. Our guide was great and we got to experience and interact with a ton of monkeys, racoons, and birds. Even saw an eyelash viper

Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals

Tortuguero

A top experience during our 2 weeks in Costa Rica. We especially loved our guided kayak though these canals where we saw more animals and birds than we could have ever imagined (so many caimans!).

Quality of Experience

super knowledgeable guides

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A fabulous trip to Morocco made possible by Said and his team at Original travels.
The accommodation was of a high standard and we particularly enjoyed the stay at the Riads, Riad Al Rimal in Marrakech and Riad Dar Rihanna Dades. The highlight for us was the camel safari and glamping in the desert and being introduced to the Berber culture. Another bucket list tick was our visit to the charming blue city of Chefchouen. Shout out to our guides, Hanan in Marrakech and Azzdine in Fes for introducing us to their beautiful cities and for their patience in guiding us through the wonderful sights. A huge thank you to our wonderful driver Oussama for our safe and smooth journey across Morocco. He was an exceptional driver and very professional, courteous and attentive to our needs including being flexible with start times. His driving skills, knowledge of the land and local people was exemplary. Oussama is a real asset to the company and I am happy to recommend him for future travellers to Morocco.
Shukran!!!

Hotel Reviews

Barceló Casablanca

Casablanca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Puerta Azul

Chefchaouen

Charming and quaint hotel painted in shades of blue, walking distance to Medina and the blue streets.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Medina & Spa

Fès

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfy beds and great breakfast buffet

Orient Desert Camp

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Loved the Berber cultural experience

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The chef whipped up some amazing gourmet food that was delicious and visually appealing as well :)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad al Rimal

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the heart of the Medina

Staff

Mohammed (Night and Day) were very attentive to all our needs :)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Marrakech Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the Lamb Tangia

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hanan was a wonderful guide, introducing us to the variety of foods and drinks.

We’ve traveled to many locations around the world and had many different travel groups set things up. No one even compares to the Kim Kim team and the Serendipity group from Costa Rica. Everything was perfect. Did everything we requested plus added many things that were a real bonus. Accommodations were all well above what we were expecting. I couldn’t give a higher rating to this group 10 for 10. Thanks again Kim Kim for your constant correspondence and professionalism.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Incredible hotel room overlooking the ocean 180° view all glass windows, beautiful pool credible restaurant. Truly a five star setting.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Koora Hotel

Monteverde

Incredible room, large two full bedrooms separate unit close to the pool spa. Very secluded beautiful five star.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff here couldn’t have been more helpful. And their system to communicate by WhatsApp was very easy to use. Marco, the manager was very helpful as well as Raquel

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mountain Paradise

Fortuna

Had our own separate conceited with two full bedrooms and our own pool. Also a beautiful view of the volcano. Excellent hotel five star.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Private location just outside of town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day at Selvatura including Hanging Bridges and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Sailing Cruise on the Brisa Elegante

Costa Rica

Wow, what a great experience to go out off the coast and such a beautiful boat. Crew was super helpful and enjoyable, friendly.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Very knowledgeable guide with a great personality. Did a wonderful job.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

Learned a lot about coffee and chocolate. Very enjoyable tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Rafting Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very calm and peaceful float. Saw a crocodile bats monkeys. The guide was very informative and helpful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal ATV Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great terrain from large mud holes through the rivers and also seen sloths and monkeys. Great guides. Very modern machines.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

We are senior citizens and enjoyed this tremendously. It was supposed to be a 2/3 class ended up a class 3/4 but Carlos was incredible and was very helpful.. Carlos was the best river guide we’ve ever had around the world

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was our first time traveling to Asia, and my husband, 14 year old daughter and I couldn't have had a better time. I cannot overstate how amazing our trip was and it was all because of Kimkim!
Before our trip, our planner, Lacey, made it easy. It was like choose your own adventure where every option was the best!
All of our local guides were friendly and helpful, and always on time. The hotels, the flights, the meals and tours were all wonderful! We had 12 days in Thailand - 4 in Phuket, 4 in Chiang Mai, and 2 in Bangkok (plus travel days). We went on two boat tours, saw islands, kayaked and snorkeled, spent a day with elephants, hiked to a waterfall, white water rafted (with elephants in the river!), toured the floating market, the railway market, night markets, tuktuks, and more. Any question I had was answered promptly by Lacey or a local guide. Absolutely wonderful!!

The local specialist Ravi was amazing. They accommodated every need. They were responsive and planned a vacation that was a once and a lifetime experience. The drivers were amazing. Sheriff in particular was able to give us amazing information and history about each location we were visiting. I don't see how it could have been better.

Hotel Reviews

Oberoi Amarvilas

Agra

It's just special in every way. The pictures don't do it justice, that's how beautiful it is.

Authenticity & Character

Location

You can see the taj mahal from your room, not much else needs to be said

Staff

Just like all Oberai's, they won't say no to any request. Brilliant service

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Oberoi New Delhi

New Delhi

This hotel needs a few extra stars. The restaurant, the modern facilities, the staff. All amazing

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

I don't think they are allowed to say no to any request. They make everything seem simple and easy. Brilliant service

Cleanliness & Comfort

All of it. Bathroom, bed, facilities...

Taj Kumarakom Resort & Spa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spice Village

Everything was amazing. From the Villas to the restaurants. And the space for children just to play. Staff was amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fragrant Nature Munnar

Munnar

View is amazing. Facilities were fantastic. Staff was great, but the hotel had some strange policies. Getting a second card key was much more difficult than it should have been and there was a lot of reluctance to get a key.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Best View

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Taj Malabar Resorts and Spa

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view...

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kumarakom: Sustainable Walk

Kumarakom

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Munnar Sightseeing

Munnar

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the marvelous and historic monument : Agra Fort

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taj Mahal Sunrise Visit

Agra

It's the Taj Mahal...

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening is free to relax at the hotel.

Agra

It's an amazing hotel. One of the best in the world and definitely cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Heritage Walk through Lodhi Garden

Delhi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Cruise Aboard Houseboat with lunch

India

Good break to just relax...

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience a different world at Elephant Junction in Thekkady

India

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Periyar - Half Day Jungle Walk and Boat ride

India

Jungle walk was great, boat ride I personally wasn't a fan of

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A cultural evening of Kalaripayattu (Martial Arts) show

India

Kids will especially love it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Hike to Sevenmalai Hills - Tea Museum Tour

Munnar

The video part of the tea museum can be skipped...rest was amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

New Year's Gala Dinner at your Hotel!

Cochin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kumbalangi Village Walk and Fort Kochi Sightseeing

Cochin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy the views of sunset in a Cruise at Cochin sea - A unique family retreat!

Cochin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport