Kimkim Trip Reviews

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

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

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

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

Overall I would definitely recommend Kimkim's services!

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Norge by Scandic

Bergen

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amerikalinjen

Oslo

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the bathroom was great and the bed was nice.

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Adventure in Tromsø

Tromsø

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

Quality of Experience

Transport

Reindeer Sledding & Northern Lights Experience

Tromsø

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Silent Whale Watching

Tromsø

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Bergen from the Fjord

Bergen

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Brunch on the Fjord

Oslo

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

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

Kerala is beautiful GO!

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

Activity Review

Mt. Koya and Temple Stay Experience

Mount Koya

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

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

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Weisserhaus

Puerto Varas

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Pucon Indomito

Pucón

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kayaking on Reloncaví Fjord

Puerto Varas

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting on the Petrohué River

Chile

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mountain bike Osorno Volcano

Puerto Varas

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trekking in Alerce Andino National Park

Puerto Varas

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bike Tour Adventure descending the Villarrica Volcano

Pucón

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting Adventure on the Trancura River in Pucon

Pucón

Really fun group nice white water and lots of photos after

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Huerquehue Hiking

Pucón

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

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

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

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

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

Date of experience: November 14, 2024

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

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

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

Hotel Reviews

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

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

Authenticity & Character

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

Location

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

Staff

unbelievably kind and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

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

THE SCREEN - Boutique & Luxury Design Collection -

Kyoto

Super cool designer hotel.

Authenticity & Character

unique designs, large rooms, well appointed.

Location

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

Staff

very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

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

Mikasa Ryokan

nara

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

Authenticity & Character

totally authentic in every way.

Location

easy access from Nara city

Staff

very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

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

Hotel New Otani Osaka

Osaka

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

Authenticity & Character

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

Location

very close to the castle

Staff

very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

UNO HOTEL

Okayama, Tamano

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

Authenticity & Character

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

Location

across the street from the ferry

Staff

super helpful and friendly. Everyone spoke English

Cleanliness & Comfort

great modern rooms, super clean and well equipped.

Activity Reviews

Full Day City Tour with Osaka Castle

Japan

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day Tokyo city tour with Rikugien Garden

Tokyo

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Osaka

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ika was a fantastic guide.

Transport

Enjoy a Full Day Tour in Nara

Nara

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Miyama Village Tour From Kyoto

Japan

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gion District and Nishiki Market

Japan

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What an amazing trip! We were a group of 3 girlfriends who had lots of expectations about Morocco, expectations that were surpassed! We spent 11 days in this beautiful country, going from Casablanca and the impressive mosque of Hassan II to the capital city, Rabat and then heading to the north to see the beauty of Tangier and Chefchaouen. Then, we started our way south to see the ancient city of Fes and finally made it to the desert in Merzouga. In a single word: astonishing. The desert and its vibes were a highlight in our trip, where we enjoyed a first class camping and other activities like the camel ride and buggy in the dunes. Final destination was Marrakech through Ait Benhaddou to close one of the best trips in our lives.

Thanks a lot to Abdel and Said who were highly responsive during the whole planning and booking process. They always provided the best recommendations and made this trip tailor made for us, with really high quality hotels and gorgeous riads.

Sheriff, our guide in Fes, is impressively knowledgeable in history and knows the Medina by heart! Thanks a lot for taking care of us, showing us the arts and crafts of Fes, and for teaching us several interesting facts about the city. Same for Hanan in Marrakech, our female guide who brought us to the Bahia Palace and through the Jena el-Fnaa square and taught us about the history of this beautiful city.

And last but not least, Tayebb, our driver and friend! Great company. Thanks a lot for taking care of us and having a lot of patience. You really made the trip very easy and fun! You were very supportive and took care of any logistics which allowed us to really enjoy our time there. We’ll miss you!

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Fez to Merzouga Desert

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quick Tour of Casablanca with your Driver-Guide: The Economic Heart of Morocco

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ait Benhaddou to Marrakech via Tizi N'Tichka pass

Morocco

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

Guided Tour of Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Merzouga Desert to Aït Benhaddou

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tiago put together the absolute best trip plan! We got to hit all the best spots on both islands, even if the weather didn't cooperate! He also checked in along the way even though he was also travelling. Highly recommended, if you get a trip planned by Tiago you will most definitely not be disappointed.

From start to finish, our trip to Iceland went off without a hitch. All the transfers were pre-arranged and the #1 Bus Stop was only a 5 minute walk from our hotel in Reykjavik. We loved walking around the city and exploring out of the way areas. There were multiple restaurants to choose from. We enjoyed dining at Apotek, Sumac and Rok. The breakfast buffet at Apotek was exceptional! Unfortunately, our northern lights tour had be cancelled twice due to unfavorable weather conditions.

On our 3rd day, Jói from Arctic Adventures picked us up for the 3 day South Coast tour. We saw several waterfalls and a geyser, hiked on a glacier (our guide was from Dublin) and on our way to Kirkjubaejarklaustur the first night, Jói stopped the bus so that we could get out to see the northern lights. Beautiful!

Our mother/son trip to Barcelona and Girona and the surrounding areas in Catalonia was a terrific experience. Our guides were very knowledgable and thoughtful in the planning of our excursions. We did a variety of things - bike tour, hiking, wine tasting, food tours, and trips to the seaside and castle villages, along with a fantastic day exploring all about Antoni Gaudi where we saw his various projects in Barcelona.
Our hotel room in Barcelona was wonderful, but the hotel itself had an issue with a foul odor in the lobby and in the hallways on our floor. Our hotel room in Girona was excellent, however it lacked a restaurant and room service. Our driver to the train station in Barcelona didn’t show up and we had to call a taxi, but Beatriz did reimburse us and paid for the taxi as well. She kept in touch with us daily and ensured that our tours were going well and we were happy. She worked hard to ensure we had a super trip overall.

Hotel Review

Catalonia Catedral Hotel

Barcelona

Our room was spacious, clean and had a bonus of our own private balcony. Breakfast was included and had a wide variety of delicious items. The location is perfect for sightseeing and convenient to many great tapas places, food markets and historic landmarks. The negative is that there was a horrible smell in the lobby and an even worse one in the hallway on our floor. Thank goodness the smells did not permeate into our room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Costa Brava & Medieval Villages Day Trip

Spain

From start to finish it was a terrific experience. Well thought out time wise and the locations we visited were superb. Excellent guide and driver - very knowledgeable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Empordà Wine & Catalan Breakfast Experience

Spain

The winery we visited was very nice and the wine tasting experience was more than we expected with 12 wines! It did take too much time, however, so we were late to our second tasting and lunch afterwards.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking La Garrotxa: la Fageda d'en Jorda & Santa Margarida Vulcano

Spain

Although it was a rainy day, we absolutely enjoyed our tour and tour guide. We were able to take a little trek into the woods. The other sites we saw were off the beaten path, just what we asked for. Our guide was exceptional and he even found a gluten free bakery with the best bread I have tasted that was gluten free for sandwiches for me for our picnic - very thoughtful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bohemian Neighbourhoods Bike Tour

Barcelona

Super bike guide around the city. It was a lovely way to see parts of the city we might not otherwise have ventured to.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Barcelona tour with Park Güell, La Pedrera and Casa Batllò

Barcelona

Wonderful day, excellent and knowledgeable guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luz Ma did great job of keeping us on task. Only had one problem 2nd day hooking up with trip to Mercado Jamaica but think this was our fault with unfamiliarity with transportation & difficulty/misinformation from Google Maps. Resolved subsequently by using UBER. Pablo Yuchi was fantastic guide/host for Tue 29 Oct/Thu 31 Oct trips to Mexico City/Museum of Anthropology; Xochimilco, Coyoacan, Museum Diego Rivera & Casa Azul (Frida Kahlo) Pablo was very well informed and communicated fabulously. Montserrat was equally fantastic for our visits to Teotihuacan & Basilica of Guadalupe. Very well informed, helpful, accommodating and very easy to talk with. The Chef's table at Tezontle was excellent and a surprise for my wife's birthday (6 Nov). Food was excellent and chefs Jorge Sibaja & Ezequiel Garnica with their great staff were both very enthusiastic, informative and provided an exquisite tasting experience with great enthusiasm and kindness to our questions. The Emporio Hotel was fantastic and an ideal location. Service, food and attention to details was stellar. Only negative experience was the disappointing restaurant Balcon del Zocalo which was way overpriced with poor to mediocre food. My wife and I were very disappointed and felt this was very overrated.

Hotel Review

Emporio Ciudad De México

Great location, excellent service and food. Very thorough and accommodating

Authenticity & Character

Fantastic food and service. Wait staff and maitre d'hotels are very attentive, conscientious and helpful

Location

Best location to get most places in Mexico City

Staff

Excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

very well attended

Activity Reviews

Chef's Table Experiencie

Mexico City

Excellent tasting with multiple dishes proudly offered by Chefs Sibaja & Guanica. Were not hurried and food was great presented with lot of enthusiasm and excellent support staff.

Quality of Experience

Chefs loved their offerings

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great support from everyone. We were not rushed at all. Very casual.

Transport

Really provided our own transport via UBER

Explore the Casa Azul Museum

Mexico City

Very informative tour and display of Frida Kahlo's life. Guide Pablo Yuchi was very essential in bringing out highlights of this extensive museum

Quality of Experience

Very revealing. Recommend seeing move "Frida" with Salma Hyatt before

Guides, Drivers and Staff

excellent. Streamlined our visit of this extensive museum

Transport

Kept us on time. Comfortable transport

Visit the Museum Diego Rivera - Anahuacalli

Mexico City

Great visit much helped by our guide Pablo Yuchi who helped as effectively navigate this massive museum

Quality of Experience

Very informative about Diego Rivera and his life. Guide was essential

Guides, Drivers and Staff

guide and driver very helpful and attentivew

Transport

Driver was readily available and kept us on schedule

Cut your own Cempasúchil flower and enjoy the local gastronomy in Xochimilco

Mexico City

Very interesting with lovely surrounding and breakfast.

Quality of Experience

Very kind and informative farming couple with excellent breakfasr

Food

Very good organic breakfast

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pablo Yuchi was great

Transport

Timely and comfortable

Visit of Teotihuacan and the Basilica of Guadalupe

Mexico City

Monserrat was excellent guide and extremely helpful and informative with both Teotihuacan and Basilica

Quality of Experience

Fantastic at both locations. Teotihuacan is a must see

Guides, Drivers and Staff

guide and driver were superb

Transport

Great. Unfortunately car broke down and had to get UBER from Basilica

Day of the dead Experience at Mercado Jamaica

Mexico City

Cannot assess. Missed this. Group not helpful in helping us get to there location

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the historic center of Mexico City and the Museum of Anthropology

Mexico City

See my review

Quality of Experience

Overwhelming without guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

excellent service all aroung

Transport

timely and as efficient as possible considering Mexico City Traffic

Hilda was amazing in assisting us with our travel planning. She was very quick to respond and to provide details for our itinerary and any requests.

During our visit to Thailand, we went to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket. We were connected with 3 different host guides. Our guide, Amy, in Bangkok, was absolutely fantastic and we cannot pay her enough compliments. She was very knowledgeable and genuinely invested in us as her customers. She went above and beyond to make us feel at home in her City! Our highlight in Chiang Mai was our visit to an elephant sanctuary! We finished our trip with a visit to Phuket. We loved the beaches and had a great visit to some of the nearby National Parks!

First met up with David our guide & driver & headed for Copacabana & Island of the Moon & Sun
Alvero our guide & Arial our driver were waiting patiently for us at the airport in Uyuni. It had been delayed about 2 hours & off we went. We still got to do everything regardless on the first day. We had an incredible lunch & sunset on the salt flats. Alvero always making sure we were ok.
The rest of our trip our guide was Julio with Ariel, driver. Wow we went to some off the beaten tracks. Both very passionate about their Bolivia.
Unfortunately I got sick & Julia changed our plans so I could get medical attention. Thank you for looking after me.
Camila what an amazing trip you organised & we were lucky to meet you in La Paz & have dinner 2gether.

Madagascar is a fascinating country, filled with many "natural world" things to explore from lemurs and chameleons to hiking beautiful forests. It also has a rich cultural heritage which we were able to explore as well.
Our guide, Charlie was one of the best we have encountered on our many Kimkim trips. He drove us many miles on difficult roads safely, he is very knowledgeable about his country and culture and has many contacts throughout the country. He was eager to please us , and he did!
Esther put together a trip that highlighted all we wanted to see and do. We are thankful for her help. As an extra bonus we were actually able to meet her in person as she was traveling in Madagascar the same time we were!

Activity Reviews

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

Andasibe

Roger was an excellent guide in this park. We saw lots of lemurs! It's a busy /popular park.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roger the guide

Transport

Arrival in Antananarivo & Transfer to your accommodation

Antananarivo

Charlie was there waiting despite our flight being delayed 2 hours!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jeab put together a great plan for my trip, and always responded quickly if I had a question. I would absolutely reccomend her to any other travelers.

We had an amazing trip to Portugal. We don't usually do trips like this (booked by a travel agent with guided excursions), but Helena found great local guides who were very knowledgeable, and willing to take us off the beaten path. In many cases, it felt like going on a day trip with an old friend. The drivers who transported us to and from the airport and between cities were also great - punctual, very friendly, and helpful. And the hotels were amazing - very nice and in great locations! It was such a relief to have all of these details planned for us, plus helpful tips provided to us for restaurants, sights, and travelling in Portugal in general. There were a couple of hiccups with the bookings but the folks at Kim Kim were very responsive when we contacted them and it didn't adversely impact our overall experience. It is hard to pick a favourite day, but we'd have to pick our trip to Sintra - our guide recognized we were stronger hikers who liked to get away from the crowds, so he took us to the coast down some more technical hiking trails to a (relatively) quiet beach where we had a picnic and watched the sunset. Absolutely stunning!

Hotel Reviews

Portugal Boutique City Hotel

Lisbon

Beautiful hotel in an amazing location in Lisbon. We were upgraded to an incredible suite with a sitting area where we could enjoy a nice glass of wine and some pastries - so lovely! Staff were very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Évora Olive Hotel

Évora

Great location, staff were very friendly and helpful, great bar/lounge for an after-dinner night cap. The balcony with the room and the hotel pool were a nice touch. We didn't make an appointment but there is a spa where you could book a massage or treatment if you'd like.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mondego

Coimbra

Great location, staff were very friendly and helpful, room had a small balcony which was really nice to have for a sit outside to watch the city go by. Has a rooftop bar which is amazing for a night cap.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Teatro

Porto

Great location, very friendly and helpful staff, clean and modern

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lisbon Fado Dinner Experience

Portugal

The fado singers were absolutely incredible! We had an amazing table, right up front, where we could fully appreciate the musicians and singers. The talent of these artists cannot be understated. The restaurant service was very prompt and friendly, the food was decent, and they were able to accommodate my gluten allergy (celiac).

Quality of Experience

Food

Private Cooking Class with Market Visit

Lisbon

Artur was SO lovely, it was like cooking lunch with an old friend. We visited the market and shopped for fresh ingredients, learning some tips on how to find and store the ingredients properly. We walked back to Artur's house where he has a well-appointed and cozy kitchen and learned some of his techniques, and how to get the best flavour out of fresh, simple dishes. We enjoyed a lunch of roasted tomatoes, sea bass, asparagus, pinto beans, mushrooms, suckling pig ribs, roasted almonds, mango, and queso fresco (and of course vino verdhe!) This was a highlight of our trip for sure!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were told that pickup would be at our hotel, but it turned out transportation had not been booked. We were able to take a taxi to the market but this did result in us being late to meet Artur. Overall, our experience was still amazing and we were grateful that we could still proceed with the cooking class and market visit!

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

This was our favourite day of the trip! We hiked lots, and our guide Felis knew how to get us off the beaten path. We had a wonderful, quiet lunch spot on the trails with a stunning view of the palace. We explored the Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle and the Quinta da Regaleira (including the caves/tunnels). We were able to add on another hike at the end of the day, a trip to the coast to go to Praia da Ursa to drink wine, eat cheese and watch the sunset on the beach. I can't think of a more perfect way to end the day!

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Tomar

Portugal

Pedro, our driver, was very friendly and a great companion for the drive. He did not rush us at all as we visited the Convento de Cristo, Castelo de Tomar, and the Castelo de Almourol. We were able to find a lovely little cafe in Tomar for lunch - Insensato cafe and livraria - that made us the perfect lunch and had gluten-free options (I am a celiac).

Quality of Experience

While the convent and the castles were very beautiful and the history very interesting, it did make for a long day and in hindsight it might have been better to have less time in the convent and castles and more time in Evora.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro was very friendly, did not rush us at all, and was a pleasure to go on a long drive with!

Transport

Adventure through the Schist Villages of Lousã (with walking)

Portugal

This is a beautiful region and I highly recommend visiting. Sergio, our guide, was very knowledgeable and friendly, and took us on some great trails and to two beautiful Schist Villages. He was able to find a restaurant in Lousa that could accommodate my gluten allergy (celiac) and offer traditional regional dishes (chanfana and wild boar). It was really fun exploring the mountains in the area in his jeep, and meeting some of the locals who still live in the villages.

Hiking & Cultural Excursion in Peneda-Gerês National Park

Porto

Our guide, Emanuel, was very knowledgeable, friendly, and funny. He knew a lot about the local flora and fauna, and the history of the area we were in. Despite him believing the water was too cold, he was happy to let me go for a swim in some waterfalls :). We had a great visit in a local village and enjoyed some drinks at a small pub to cap off the day.

Douro Valley Excursion with Wine & Olive Oil Tastings & River Cruise

Porto

We saw two great wineries, learned about the history and process of port and wine-making in the area, and had a lovely boat ride on the Duoro. The visit to the first winery also included an olive oil tasting and they had gluten-free bread available for me (I have celiac disease). Our lunch stop was a small unassuming place that made amazing food. Our guide, Pedro, took great care of us and was very patient as we stopped to pet all of the friendly dogs we met :)

We had a wonderful 2 week trip to Vietnam. The KimKim team/Kelly were so easy to work with so there was minimal preparation need to plan the trip…we really just packed and got on a plan! Vietnam was a great country to travel with kids, as it always felt safe, had lots of activities and action to keep them engaged and the people in Vietnam were really nice to the kids. Food was a highlight-really great restaurants were organized and the food tour in Ho Chi Min (Street Food Man tour with Tanya) was, as my kids said ‘10 out of 5 stars’! We loved Hoi Ann and were glad we spent extra time there. Although our beach day rained it was still great to have a day to relax by the ocean and pool mid way. Our only disappointments were 1. Ha Long Bay is way too busy and kayaking in bay of litter was not what we expected-was definitely worth the extra day to get out to the less busy went out to the less busy and more pristine areas. we would not recommend Ha Long Bay unless it is 3 day 2 night and you can get out of actual Ha Long Bay area . 2. A lot of places/activities have lost their authenticity with tourism increasing so much again post covid (good for the country obviously), but does make you feel a bit like a heard of sheep checking off a to do list of tourist activities. Would definitely skip Ba Na (even though that is where the golden bridge is it was way too busy and all fake). Would definitely try to get off the beaten path more if we went back to Vietnam.

Hotel Reviews

Harmony Hotel & Spa

Ho Chi Minh City

Our stay in Ho Chi Minh City at the Harmony Hotel & Spa was excellent. We loved the location and found the hotel amenities and service to be top-notch. It perfectly suited our needs and was one of the highlights of our accommodations.

Lasenta Boutique Hotel Hoi An

Hoi An

We really liked our stay at Lasenta Boutique Hotel Hoi An. It was comfortable and slightly outside the main city, which we enjoyed for a quieter environment. It took about a 25-minute walk to reach the heart of Hoi An, which might not be ideal for everyone, but we were okay with it.

L Heritage Diamond

Hanoi

The location of L Heritage Diamond was great, being in the old city. However, the hotel itself wasn't up to the standard of the other hotels we stayed at. It lacked a pool, and the dining room was quite basic, offering a rather uninspiring environment. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with the hotel, but it didn't compare to the quality of the others on our trip.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Mekong Delta Tour (My Tho)

Ho Chi Minh City

We had a fantastic time on the Private Street Food Evening Walking Tour in Ho Chi Minh City. It was one of the best parts of our trip and offered amazing insights and flavors!

Half day Thanh Ha Pottery Village Tour

Hoi An

The tour of Thanh Ha Pottery Village was underwhelming. It was scheduled for four hours, but we only spent a few minutes at a pottery wheel. The experience seemed more like a brief stop rather than an in-depth activity.

Private Lantern Making Experience in Hoi An

Hoi An

The lantern making experience felt rushed and not as immersive as we had hoped. The process was more like putting fabric over a frame and gluing it, with little hands-on time for us, especially for the kids, which left them a bit disappointed.

Half Day Cooking Class(join in)

Hoi An

The cooking class in Hoi An was fantastic! It was a private, making it special and immersive. Our kids had a great time, enjoying the hands-on activity.

Drive to Da Nang with Visit to the Golden Bridge

Vietnam

The drive to Da Nang and visit to the Golden Bridge was not enjoyable for us. It was extremely crowded, which made the experience less pleasant. It should be noted that the area features an artificial French village, which didn’t match our expectations.