Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our driver and trip manager, Khalid, was awesome. He provided superior service for 10 days and always had a smile. We enjoyed all of our guides but our favorites were Mohammed at Ait Ben-Haddou and Jamal in Fes.

Disclosure: My wife did most of the planning interactions with the KimKim team. The bottom line for me is that KimKim put together an itinerary for our Costa Rica trip with minimal guidance in a short amount of time that met our schedule requirements and resulted in a very memorable and enjoyable family experience. They were responsive before and during our travel with very short response times. Every item on our itinerary was described accurately, and most importantly, went off on time with no unpleasant surprises.

We had much less time available to plan this trip compared to other vacations we have taken in the recent past, and KimKim was able to provide a reliable solution for us this time. I would consider them again for planning trips to unfamiliar places, or if we are unable to spend enough time planning our own adventures.

Activity Reviews

Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our family can rarely agree on anything, but we all agreed that this was our favorite adventure in Costa Rica. Even though it never stopped raining, we all enjoyed the excitement and scenery of the river environment. Our guide kept us safe but made sure we got an exciting ride. One of our children was having a panic attack as we were getting geared up, but was smiling by the time we cleared the first rapids.

Quality of Experience

The scenery was amazing and we got to see a lot of wildlife on the river. We don’t have any previous rafting experience, but we found it to be very exciting.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide did a really good job of communicating with us so we knew what to do and when to do it, which was important to us as novice white water rafters. He really kept us together and functioning well in somewhat challenging conditions. He made us feel safe while providing an exciting experience for our family, which included my 86-year old dad.

Transport

Warm, clean bus was a great place to store gear safely while on the river

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

I really didn’t know if I would like zip lining because I do not love heights, but this was truly a special experience. Not surprisingly, we went on a very rainy day, but the first zip lines at the top of the mountain felt like flying into nothingness…we went right through the clouds. Lower on the mountain, one of the last zip lines passes through a tunnel of rain forest trees. We felt safe throughout our experience.

Quality of Experience

Tamarindo Mangrove & Estuary Boat Tour

Costa Rica

This was our first time seeing a mangrove habitat, so we did not really know what to expect. We saw a wide range of wildlife: fish, birds, crocodiles, and monkeys. One thing that made it a truly unique experience is that it rained harder than I have ever seen the sky rain. I did not know that rain could look, sound, and feel like that until this tour.

Quality of Experience

We were lucky to see and hear the howler monkeys in the forest. Our guide also provided a fresh pineapple snack, which was nice.

Tamarindo Turtle Nesting Tour (Seasonal)

Costa Rica

The first thing to know is that there really are no guarantees that you are going to see a turtle on this experience. We sat on the beach in the dark at our first site while our guide searched up and down the beach for nesting turtles. Some member of our group seemed unhappy about this part of the trip, but we didn’t mind (probably because it did not rain on us). We had to relocate quickly to a second site that required an 800 meter hike down a muddy road to a remote beach because our guide had heard about a nesting turtles from another guide. However, our effort and patience were rewarded when we got to see one large turtle in the act of concealing her nest, which we were truly lucky to witness.

Quality of Experience

Just know that you might not get to see a turtle at all. We got lucky. We enjoyed passing time on the beach at night in the dark, but not everyone did.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guides worked so hard to find a nesting turtles for us to see, and to help our group quickly and safely relocate to a different beach in the dark. They were in constant communication with other guides. Our guide also helped secure a ride back to the bus for my senior dad who had trouble walking in the dark on the rough road.

Transport

Lucky 13 Sunset Cruise

Costa Rica

The crew took care of everything. They made sure we were safe and comfortable throughout, and fed us really well. Cocktails on the boat at sunset was also really nice. The snorkeling was not great because of the murky water, but our guide still managed to find wildlife to show us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Discovery Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Before this trip to Costa Rica, I had never experienced tropical rain forest first hand, so I was lucky to experience it throughout our vacation. However, walking through the forest at night is truly a special experience. We were fortunate to see both two and three-toed sloths as well as a variety of frogs, insects, and birds.

Quality of Experience

We got lucky: we saw plenty of sloths, but there are no guarantees

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guides were so friendly, and helped us capture amazing wildlife photographs. They had amazing eyes and spotted tiny animals in the dark.

Transport

Lake Bass Fishing in Arenal

Arenal/La Fortuna

I had a fun day on Lake Arenal with my guide, Salomon. He taught me about different techniques to target two species of fish - machaca and rainbow bass - along the shores of the lake.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Salomon introduced me to a bait casting lures on and below the surface and had me casting in tight quarters with accuracy by the end of the morning.

Transport

The boat was comfortable and able to put me in position to target fish close to trees, downed branches, weeds, etc.

Kayaking on Lake Arenal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Viktor was an extremely knowledgeable guide for our kayak tour educating us about the plants and animals (big and small) found along the shores of Lake Arenal. Water Sports Arenal ran a tight ship and really made the entire process smooth and efficient.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

EGYPT Trip
Our cordinator was Mohamed. He helped us create and modify the trip itinerary.
Our trip to Egypt was 8 days. Spent 3 days in Cairo, 1 day in Alexandria and 3 days on the Aswan - Luxor cruise.
Our guides were great. Very informed and took us around without any delays and all the sites visited as per schedule.

The service was punctual and we were well informed f the timings and contact person. Vehicles used for our tours were up to great standard.

Overall very enjoyable trip.
Thanks Sun Pyramids Tours!

We visited 4 different cities in Australia and NZ in 2 weeks, and Liz could not have planned a more perfect itinerary for our family of 5. She immediately understood our family's needs and priorities and suggested activities that were interesting and age appropriate for all. Highlights included a bike tour across Sydney, hiking the Blue Mountains, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, jetboating in Queenstown and seeing Hobbiton in Auckland. Each tour and transport operator was very professional and of high quality. Liz answered our (many) questions throughout the process with ultra fast response time and went over and beyond our expectations. Liz sent us all the information in a concise and clear format, so it was very easy to keep track of what we needed (itinerary, pickup times, packing info, visas etc). During our trip we even made a last minute request to add a sold-out tour during peak holiday time, and she was able to make it happen!

Hotel Reviews

Nesuto Stadium Auckland

Auckland

Great location, clean rooms. We had 3 tiny bedrooms (door couldn't close) and 1 bathroom and kitchen, and the living room was huge. Right next to harbor and town area, and many restaurants right downstairs or a few min walk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Swiss-Belsuites Pounamu

Queenstown

Very comfortable hotel with a gorgeous view. Easy walk into town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

heated beds, good laundry machines

Villa San Michele

Port Douglas

Location is perfect - right in the heart of town so everything (including beach) is a 0-5 min walk. Rooms are quite tight and one room had a bit of stench. Bathrooms looked renovated and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The York, by Swiss-Belhotel

Sydney

Great location, spacious rooms, but very basic/dated interior.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Hobbiton Tour - Return to Auckland

Auckland

Hobbiton is so beautiful and you don't even need to be a LOTR fan to enjoy. The village is very well created and the new Hobbit houses are adorable (my 9 yo wanted to move in there!) Tour is well organized and staff is very enthusiastic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Wilderness Safari - Jetboat

Queenstown (NZ)

My kids were wild for this one! Super fun and adventurous. Well organized, proper equipment, and professional staff.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Best of Queenstown

Queenstown (NZ)

Loved the views, walks, wine tasting, seeing the town, getting some free time to shop. Our guide Beth was awesome.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hartley's Crocodile Farm with Koala Breakfast

Port Douglas

Loved this more than I thought we would. Each group gets a few minutes with the koala away from the others, so it feels private. Guides are knowledgable and friendly. The crocodile demonstrations were incredible and you see so much wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Kuranda Railway, Skyrail & Palm Cove Adventure

Port Douglas

Train ride was ok but gondola was lovely. Spent a lot of time assembling with group and guide, getting in and out of the van and listening to him talk so we barely got 10 min to explore the village.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide talked way too much, was late, wasted a lot of our time so we barely had time to explore the village.

Transport

too many pickups, it took way too long

Welcome to Port Douglas

Port Douglas

Very professional transport guide. Van was amazing with reclining seats.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Barrier Reef & Coral Cays Boat Tour

Port Douglas

Excellent staff, well equipped, lunch was surprisingly good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Half Day Sydney Classic Tour (Bike)

Sydney

Guide (Andre) was very knowledgable and ensured nobody got left behind in our group of 13.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Blue Mountains Hike the World Heritage

Sydney

Kids loved the animal conservatory and being able to pet and feed to koalas and wallabys.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our interaction with Olman from the very beginning has been great. He was very helpful in helping us put together the trip and his suggestions were also great. He made sure we were able to fit in all the things we wanted to see and do. The communication was also awesome and we received timely information and updates as our dates came closer.
From the time we landed - to the moment they saw us off , everything worked like clockwork and all the people and guides we met were amazing.
We had a great time and would recommend you all to everyone we know.
Thanks so much for making our trip so good.

Our recent trip to New Zealand, planned by Michelle from KimKim, was an incredible journey filled with stunning landscapes, unique experiences, and some memorable accommodations. While most of the trip met and/or exceeded our expectations, there were a few areas for improvement. Here's a detailed review:

Christchurch – The Mayfair Hotel
The Mayfair Hotel was a perfect start to our adventure. The modern and stylish rooms were a delight, and the on-site restaurant stood out with its creative breakfast menu and delicious smoothies. Its central location made it easy to explore Christchurch, and we truly appreciated the thoughtfulness behind this choice of accommodation.

Matai Peak
Staying at Matai Peak was an absolute highlight. Perched on a remote summit, this quirky and rugged accommodation offered spectacular views of the mountains and the sea. The outdoor bathroom with its breathtaking views was unlike anything we’ve experienced before. Our host was wonderful, providing thoughtful provisions that made our stay comfortable and enjoyable. Matai Peak was truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

Marlborough Sounds
The Marlborough Sounds were stunning, and hiking through the area was an adventure we’ll never forget. That said, the hike we undertook was much longer than we expected, and we felt rushed to reach the pickup point on time. We would have appreciated more detailed information about the hike’s length and difficulty. In hindsight, an overnight stay along the track would have allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the beauty of the Sounds and return to Picton more comfortably.

Wellington
We absolutely loved Wellington and wished we had spent more time there! The vibrant city offered a wonderful mix of culture, food, and scenic views. In retrospect, we would have preferred to allocate more time here, or enjoy an overnight on Lake Taupo instead of spending two nights in Rotorua, which, while interesting, didn’t leave as strong an impression on us.

Rotorua and Hobbiton
Rotorua was enjoyable, but the highlight in this region was undoubtedly Hobbiton. The tour through the movie set was magical and a must-visit for any fan of The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit. It’s beautifully maintained, and the experience truly brought the fantasy world to life - and we had not even seen the movies (but will do so now).

Castaways Resort
Unfortunately, the last accommodation of our trip at Castaways Resort was disappointing. While the property was very clean and overlooked a beach and the ocean, neither was truly accessible. Additionally, there was little to do in the area, making it an underwhelming end to an otherwise spectacular trip. We wouldn’t recommend ending a trip here. Staying in downtown Auckland would have been a far better choice, offering more activities, dining, and a livelier atmosphere to wrap up the adventure on a high note.

Final Thoughts
Overall, this trip was an extraordinary experience, with many standout moments like Matai Peak, Marlborough Sounds, and Wellington. While there were some missteps in the itinerary, such as the super long drive from Wellington to Rotorua and the accommodation at Castaways Resort or the rushed hike in the Marlborough Sounds, the majority of the trip was well-planned and thoughtfully tailored to our preferences.

We had a great time with our driver Rashid from the time he picked us up at the airport to the time he dropped us off, as he was always there for us.

We enjoyed the personal attention that he gave us. He was flexible, accommodating to our needs, and also guided us when needed.

Our guide, Miriam in Fez did an amazing job with her all day tour with us.

The glamping stay we had in the Sahara desert was definitely a highlight.

Hotel Reviews

Kech Boutique Hotel & Spa

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Medina & Spa

Fès

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Orient Desert Camp

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sahara Stars Dades

Boumalen Dades

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Maison Arabe

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer from Fes to Marrakech via Meknes and Volubilis

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Family's Guided tour of Fez

Fes

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer From Merzouga to Fez

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

ATV Ride in the Dunes of Merzouga

Merzouga

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morocco Last Nomads Experience: Tea, Tales & Desert Adventures

Merzouga

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Dades to Merzouga via Todra Gorges & Erfoud

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride in Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was something that I had been planning to do, a history trip with my son to Greece and the kimkim team brought to reality. Our trip starter in Athens- as we booked Ancient Athens Acropolis & Mythology walk that explained the history of The Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Parthenon, Temple of Olympian Zeus. Proceeded on a day trip to Delphi, driving through the mainland to visit the Temple of Apollo and Mount Parnassus. Our driver and G-guide were fantastic and we had long conversations on the history as we drove. After it was Nafplio to visit the Palamidi Fortress- Venetian’s fort and then off to Mycenae and the Lion Gate along with the Cyclopean Walls, just awesome the history the land. Then it was Epidaurus and the 4th century BCE amphitheater still used for concerts and festivals along with the Healing Center, The Temple of Asklipeos. From there off to Sparta for the Sparta History Walk, the Tomb of Leonidas and the museum of the Olive & Greek Olive Oil. I would like to press my appreciation to Ntina our local guide in Sparta from Latonia Travel, her knowledge and enthusiasm for her native town and history that made our trip just that much better. The kimkim team were fantastic with Siena bring our vision to reality and Lea the in country support that was there for anything we may need.

We worked with Flor for our trip and she was amazing to say the least. Our plans changed multiple times and our final itinerary was very different from our first draft but she was extremely patient throughout the process and crafted an itinerary that was super fun and accommodated all our requests.

Activity Review

HD City Tour in Sao Paulo - with time for Lunch

São Paulo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thanks to Angel, my family had the most wonderful trip to Japan. It was a 10 day whirlwind tour from the US to Tokyo to Okinawa to Osaka to Kyoto to Hiroshima and back to Tokyo and a final return to the US. Angel arranged every step (hotels, tours, trains & drivers), listening to my concerns and fixing every detail. She offered tours for our consideration. When we were on the trip, she was very responsive & helpful which we truly appreciated as we had not been to Japan before. I highly recommend her for your travel plans!

Dean and the team were amazing. They were super helpful in planning and during our trip with local recommendations. The itinerary suggestions help guide our stops along the way in combination with our own research. The hotel accommodations were fantastic. Looking forward to coming back soon.

My daughter and I took a 10-day trip to Morocco during the winter holidays 2024. We had the most amazing experience of lifetime with Reda, who was our driver and a guide all through our stay. Reda was very reliable, trustworthy, friendly, flexible, patient and hard-working. He took care of every small details for us from the time we landed in Casablanca and all the way through our entire trip which included Marrakesh, Ait Binhoddouch, Marguza desert, Fes, Chefchaouen, Tangier, Rabat and then back to Casablanca.

He was very punctual, flexible and went out of his way to take care of us - show us the best places around for shopping, eating and sight seeing. He stopped at every panoramic view points along the way. He escorted us all through the 10-days to a point where I did not even have to open the door of the car myself to get on and off. He even got me an extra bag to pack all my extra shopping items and even helped with packing.

He is very knowlMy daughter and I took a 10-day trip to Morocco during the winter holidays 2024. We had the most amazing experience of lifetime with Reda, who was our driver and a guide all through our stay. Reda was very reliable, trustworthy, friendly, flexible, patient and hard-working. He took care of every small details for us from the time we landed in Casablanca and all the way through our entire trip which included Marrakesh, Ait Binhoddouch, Marguza desert, Fes, Chefchaouen, Tangier, Rabat and then back to Casablanca.

He was very punctual, flexible and went out of his way to take care of us - show us the best places around for shopping, eating and sight seeing. He stopped at every panoramic view points along the way. He escorted us all through the 10-days to a point where I did not even have to open the door of the car myself to get on and off. He even got me an extra bag to pack all my extra shopping items and even helped with packing.

He is very knowledgeable about the history, culture and is an expert in showing around. I enjoyed him sharing valuable information aboout the country and places even while on the road. He is a very kind, honest and friendly driver and a guide who became our good friend over the course of the tour. I highly recommend him as your guide, driver. Kimkim booked the tour for me. Hamza was very helpful and I thank him for assigning Reda to my tour. He is very knowledgeable about the history, culture and is an expert in showing around. I enjoyed him sharing valuable information about the country and places even while on the road. He is a very kind, honest and friendly driver and a guide who became our good friend over the course of the tour. I highly recommend him as your guide, driver. Kimkim booked the tour for me. Hamza was very helpful and I thank him for assigning Reda to my tour.

Overall we had a fair/good time. But let me break it down.

Great: all the guides and drivers were awesome. We always felt safe. The guides were incredibly knowledgeable. There was always good updates from serendipity.
The best excursions were the night hike in Monteverde the day hike in Manuel Antonio, horseback riding on the beach, and the ATV that we insisted on for the last day, and the zip lines.
Good: each hotel had something good but honestly they were all subpar at best. There were much nicer hotels via Travelocity etc that would have had better value.
Fair: a lot of the guided trips were redundant. Example the hanging bridge tour in monteverde was terrible. We were also lead to believe that the La Fortuna hotel would have access to the hot springs; it did not.
We also expected more help in restaurants; we got little help here.
Bad: we still have not received our refund. And that refund should be more. Every time we got picked up we were asked if we were 5 people. Obviously, someone did not update the drivers and we paid for more than 4 people.
Also the hotel rooms were big enough for 4 people yet you never changed them. I said I would keep the 2 rooms if we had to, or I would apply that credit to upgrade the hotels. This never happened.

Before we booked there was so much communication back and forth. But after the communication was much less. Including us still waiting for the refund.
I’m expecting a bigger refund than what was promised. If not then I will likely consider another travel agency for future vacations.

Hotel Reviews

Sunset Del Mar Resort

Esterillos Este

This place is a “tail of two cities.” Let’s start with the good: the actual hotel rooms are beautiful. They must have been recently updated. The manager Roberto is fabulous and you can tell he really cares. The rest of the staff tries really hard but it’s obvious they are very understaffed. The bad: with the exception of the rooms, the place is a bit of a “sh… hole””. The owner is absent and it shows. This place has so much potential and I hope It reaches that potential. It needs paint and landscaping, and better amenities. The pool furniture is a tetanus shot away from dangerous. The beach is public but the hotel doesn’t really have any chairs or umbrellas etc. It’s so close to being a hidden gem; but unless the owner shows up or someone with deep pockets comes and invests in the property; it will eventually fail.

Authenticity & Character

See my written review

Location

It’s near nothing. But if you love isolation then it will be ok.

Staff

So nice and they work hard.

Cleanliness & Comfort

5 for the rooms; 1 for the grounds.

Hotel Villabosque

Manuel Antonio, Quepos

This hotel is a 2 minute walk to Manuel Antonio National park. The hotel also feels very authentic. Almost like a bed and breakfast. Unfortunately, the bedrooms are small and old. And the breakfast is meh. It’s a small walk to the beach, but because it’s so close to the national park entrance, the beach here is very crowded. The staff is fabulous. I also Loved the monkeys running all over the premises. The pool is not good. You will need a car or taxi for most restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

There is a certain charm here. I wish the rooms were nicer.

Location

4 star for proximity to national park; 2 stars for not near most restaurants.

Staff

Nicest staff we met along our journey.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean yea, comfort no.

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

The rooms are pretty good. They have a minimalist feel with very large windows to look into the cloud forest. The hotel is close enough to the center of town but the hotel and town have very large hills. So if you can’t manage the hills you will need help or a car. The rest of the hotel is dated. There is no air conditioning at all. We were there in December so it was manageable but if it was warmer; it would have been awful. The breakfast buffet was good.

Authenticity & Character

It’s old and dated

Location

Near town

Staff

Staff is nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

AC or fans would be helpful

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Grounds are very nice and you feel like you are in the jungle. The rooms are very old and filled with bugs. If your expectations are that of an old camp lodge then you will be ok. The pool area was nice and the restaurant was decent. The staff was very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Activity Reviews

Horseback Riding on Esterillos Este Beach

Costa Rica

The horses don’t run or maybe it would have been a 5. Make sure to go near sunset. Pacific sunsets while horseback riding thru the water is a slice of heaven.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Introduction to Esterillos

Esterillos Este

There is no introduction. Honestly, you are better off going up about another 30 minutes toward Jaco.

Catamaran Adventure with Barbecue

Manuel Antonio

This was pretty good. Lots of fun. Drinking and BBQ.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

These guides just know where to look. This is an easy hike to as most of the trails are paved. Know that no food is allowed in the park and the one snack bar has a line of almost 45 minutes. This was our best view of the sloths.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

TreeTram & Hanging Bridges Adventure

Monteverde

The hanging bridges would have been great but we honestly did the one in La Fortuna 2 days before. This was a waste of time and old and needs updating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was knowledge but there was very little animals to see.

Transport

Private Cloud Forest Night Walk

Monteverde

Wow! Incredible. Our guide was amazing. Your hair will stand up on your neck as you walk with flashlights past venomous snakes and spiders.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andy was knowledgeable and fun.

Transport

Private Arenal Volcano & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

We didn’t see as much animals but our guide was so knowledgeable about the plants. The waterfall is literally 500 stairs down and then up. Be ready to make that hike!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mariano was awesome. The lunch was great too.

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Who doesn’t like chocolate and coffee. We made our own chocolate and drank as much coffee and hot chocolate as we liked.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Amazing and so much fun. The zip lines and the guided walk were fabulous.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide knew were the snakes were and the monkeys too.

Transport

Had a really great time on my trip to Patagonia! In particular, I enjoyed my time in Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine National Park, El Chalten, and Tierra del Fuego National Park. It was also a lot of fun to see some huge glaciers and beautiful wildlife (especially penguins in Beagle Channel). My hike to Cuernos del Paine with Daniel and Sebastian as guides was amazing, as was my kayaking experience with Jorge in Eberhard Fjord. Weskar Lodge in Puerto Natales and Los Acebos Hotel in Ushuaia were amazing places to stay, in particular. Overall I think the trip was quite expensive, and would have been a lot cheaper if I had taken care of the arrangements on my own - I would've appreciated more transparency into what items in particular were driving the price of the experiences and had more of this in my past Kimkim trips. That being said, I really appreciated very much having the help from Marcela and Kimkim overall in arranging things so I didn't have to think about logistics. Would highly recommend Patagonia to anyone who enjoys outdoor trekking and adventures, one of my favorite trips.

Activity Reviews

Outdoor Adventures in El Chalten

El Chaltén

El Chalten was perhaps my favorite location on the entire trip - doing the hikes solo of Laguna Torre and Laguna de los Tres was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Perito Moreno Glacier Mini-trekking

El Calafate

Hiking on the glaciers was surreal - really wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Trekking Torres del Paine Active

Patagonia

Had a really fantastic experience with Daniel and Sebastian, being taken around Torres del Paine national park, with the Cuernos del Paine hike in particular

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Base Torres Hike

Patagonia

Amazing hike. Very intense, over a period of 10 hours with lots of ups and downs and temperature changes, but really lovely.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kayaking in Eberhard Fjord

Puerto Natales

Fantastic experience with Jorge. He's a great guide, and the private kayaking tour and hike were amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Finland was a lifetime dream of mine. I dreamed of seeing the aurora perform and for my 2 kids to experience the “real” Santa Claus and where he lives and everything that are associated with Christmas the Arctic way. This company fulfilled all our dreams and more. Everything was well organized, the drivers for our transport and transfers were ALWAYS on time, and the accomodations were cute and perfect which gave us a real intimate family time for 10 days. We went to different cities and had an excursion every single day where each ran 3-4 hours which was just enough to not exhaust everyone for we love to ski and go out and explore the cities by ourselves as well. The companies who facilitated the excutions were very nice, polite and professional. I cried so many times just being overjoyed of the experience and seeing my kids having a great great great time without their devices and we did not even watch TV for everytime we got home we fondly talk about how our excursions went. I LOVED every bit of the experience. Because of this company Finland did not disappoint us! Everything was well thought.. I realized that on our last day where we had our accomodation in the glass igloo at Levi where it had the coldest weather where we had frost on our eyebrows, lashes and hair everytime we made that walk from our igloo to the Elves village— coming from Florida this was even so much fun and funny for us!!’. We had the aurora dancing around us all night from 9:30 pm to 4:30 am on our last night!!!!…

Monika personally greeted us at the hotel on our very first night and this was a huge relief, just having a face to the voice and the goody bag was really thoughtful. She gave us a gnome which is now sitting on our souvenir console at home.

If we had to change something, it would have been combining the reindeer and husky sledding in one day. Then we could have had one more day to ski that had good amount of light. By the time we got home from our excurions about 1:30-2pm the sun has already set and the resorts close by 6pm (not enough time) and skiing can be a challenge especially during those days that the sun does not even show up and worse the temps go down and the winds are get strong later the day to a point that lifts are closed down. Though we had a couple of night excursions and this really gave us a good amount of time to skiunder some natural light and great conditions!

Overall, we genuinelt had an EPIC experience. It was worth every penny; gave my hubby and I convenience; travelling with family of small kid and young adult can be a challenge. Having a company organize everything takes away so much stress.

Thank you for this unforgettable experience!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Ylläsrinne

Ylläsjärvi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lapland Hotels Riekonlinna

Saariselkä

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pyhä Igloos

Pyhä

Cute and did not disappoint our aurora experience

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

super friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lapland Hotels Ounasvaara Chalets

Rovaniemi

accommodation was great… Breakfast was really good… The room was spacious enough for a family of 4 but there was no way to control the heating system… We understand that the weather outside was really cold, but the room was super heated to a point where we had to open a window because it got really hot and sweaty for us and unfortunately, no window can be opened on the first floor…I literally was on my undies and mu hubby shirtless the entire time we were in the chalet.. There was no help in carrying our luggage from reception to our chalets on very thick snow. Thiugh the sign sats 200 meters, I know its not just 200 meters… having a sauna was a good feature.. wall was sound proof

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ice Fishing Experience

Finland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aurora Snowshoeing Adventure

Finland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reindeer Experience with Lunch

Saariselkä

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Authentic Siberian Husky Experience

Saariselkä

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aurora Hunt by Car

Finland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

SnowHotel & Ice Dinner Experience

Rovaniemi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful 8-day family trip to Colombia in December 2024- Jan 2025. Highlights for us and the kids (aged 6 and 10) were hiking and wildlife sighting in Tayrona National Park with Joi, submersion in Totumo Mud Volcano, and enjoying the beach at Islabela, one of the Islas del Rosario. We also enjoyed visiting the coffee reserve, Comuna 13 in Medellin with Andres and La Boquilla Mangrove tour outside Cartagena with Gabo. Our transfers were punctual, our guides informative and professional, and the kids never wanted to return home!

Hotel Review

Villa Maria Tayrona, a Kali Hotels

Los Naranjos

Kids enjoyed all the wildlife and hotel pool. Outstanding service and food!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close access to Tayrona NP.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had a small issues with water going out but it was fixed promptly.

Activity Reviews

Rosario Islands Day Trip

Cartagena

A beautiful way to spend our last day in Colombia. We were taken care of by our Guide, Gabo, until we got on the boat, and had a lovely day in the sand and sun.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking tour in Cartagena's Historic Center

Cartagena

We enjoyed the walking tour of the city center. It was a bit shorter (2h) than advertised, but hit the high points. There was a 4-hour break in the middle of this day which we were a bit surprised about-- in hindsight, we may have wanted to include another activity in our last full day in the city. We loved seeing the sloths in Parque del Centenario.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boquilla Mangrove Tour

Cartagena

A unique way to view birds and fish via canoe.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Salt Pans of Galerazamba

Cartagena

We didn't know that tourism to the salinas was restricted. We enjoyed Cristina's hospitality and tour, even a visit to her backyard, in this experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour to Totumo Volcano

Cartagena

Our son (10) really enjoyed it! It was a bit confusing and we felt a bit pressured by the locals for paying extra for services, but our guide (Gabo) handled it for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Tayrona National Park

Colombia

This park was a highlight of our trip to Colombia! We loved hiking through the forest with Joi, spotting wildlife, enjoying the beach and views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The fishing village of Taganga

Colombia

We didn't have a much of a "tour"-- we were picked up from the airport by a driver and guide (Eduardo), were taken to a lunch spot (to pay on our own), and then taken to Tayrona NP hotel. This day was mostly a travel day but seemed advertised as a bit more interesting with some sightseeting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip: Comuna 13, Botanical Garden & Coffee Tour

Medellín

We enjoyed the Coffee Tour and Comuna 13 with escalator ride.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Peñol Boulder & Guatapé Boat Trip

Medellín

The kids really enjoyed the Piedra hike and scenic tour of El Peñol.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great trip & visited York, Bath, Castle Comb & Oxford. Our travel specialist did a great job with a very short notice on putting the trip together! We had done some planning, but were not able to give the go ahead until a week or so before departure. Katerina worked very hard getting it all put together for us. All of the tours & drivers worked out well. We had some private drivers to see Stonehenge, Wells, Blenheim Palace, Warwick Castle, Windsor Castle & Stratford Upon Avon. Our favorite place was The Manor hotel in Castle Comb! What a great property! We also really enjoyed the Gainsborough Bath Spa hotel in Bath. All of the places we stayed were unique & enjoyable. We would definitely use KimKim again & highly recommend Kateryna!

We had an excellent experience in Mexico. All the drivers and guides were excellent, very knowledgeable and friendly: Daniela, Montserrat, Suzy, Pablo.

We missed Rene because he disappeared and Mariana was the one coordinating our trip while in Mexico.

Hotel Review

Casa Decu

Mexico City

Great hotel, very well located, all the staff very friendly and helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Be amazed by the pre-hispanic beauty of the chinampas in Xochimilco

Mexico City

This is an unforgettable experience, really unexpected. Very interesting to see how they work the Chinampas and all the work it takes, and above all keeping it as a family tradition

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The overall trip was great. We really enjoyed allan our guide in tokyo. He was very instructive, and gave us great information as well as being so fun and helpful.
Our guide slash in kyoto and osaka was very helpful with coordinating our trip and helping us get around and making dinner reservations for us.
Alisa did fine. It would have helped if she had put the correct people together in hotel rooms to save us about an hour on the first check-in when they had completely random rooms assigned. She obviously doesn't know anything about hokkaido. We didn't need to spend one night in sapporo. We easily could have gotten up early and gone straight to the airport. It was a waste of a whole day since we didn't actually have time to see sapporo. The hilton niseko is not very good and I think another part of the mountain like hirafu would have been better to stay. It would be better to ask for help from other guides who are familiar with the ski culture.

Our experience in Morocco was exceptional. Hakim did an amazing job finding us the right hotels and sites to visit. His driver/guide was so flexible and helpful throughout the trip, finding the right stops along the long drive. Everything was perfect - one more time kuddos to Kimkim and the local travel agency!