Kimkim Trip Reviews

I was sick along with the majority of our family- the long bus ride from the airport was very crowded and uncomfortable for a few family members- we ended up renting 2 buses for the remaining transfers - if it hadn’t been so crowded it’s possible that many of us would not have gotten sick - The one excursion I did get to do was the coffee and chocolate factory- we had several excursions that we had to cancel or only a portion of the group were able to go - overall - not a great experience

This was a really large trip with 12 people over 12 days. Over $40,000 was paid for this trip not including the price of the airline tickets to get to the Philippines. The planning of this trip spanned around 9 months. The bulk of the planning I needed help with was coordination of transport between hotels, inter island domestic flights, and a few excursions. The core of this was achieved with Sarah. However a few major issues occurred during our trip which could have been better laid out to me or planned differently. One was the ferry from Cebu to Bohol. We wanted to go from Boracay to Bohol so Sarah booked us a flight from Boracay to Cebu then a ferry from Cebu to Bohol. OMG what a waste of a day and an experience I never want to have again. The airport in Bohol was 5 minutes away from our resort, but we ended up spending 12 hours commuting from Boracay to Bohol rather then just taking a flight. If Sarah had pointed out options I would have never taken that ferry. Then a bucket list item of a whale shark tour was completely botched. Our group woke up at 4am to be ready for our whale shark tour but the operator never arrived. I tried to get ahold of the tour operator, Sarah, and her assistant. By the time someone returned a call it was too late to do the excursion. I never heard back from Sarah which left a sour taste in my mouth. A big mess up like that I should hear from the person whom I trusted to make this dream vacation work. I did hear back from Sarah’s assistant with some excuse about dates being mixed up and we would be refunded for the excursion. However missing out on a bucket list item like this feels like only a refund misses the mark on fixing the wrong. Overall the trip was successful and we will have memories of a life time. The transportation companies Sarah provided us with were very nice and punctual. Also our accommodations during our entire stay were excellent. However with the issues we did have, those cannot be overlooked or forgotten.

We used kimkim to help plan our itinerary for Singapore and Malaysia. This was our second time using kimkim as last year we used it for China and had a wonderful experience.

Our overall experience was positive working with Nick. We used kimkim for everything within Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi. However, we had a few issues during the trip that I wanted to be transparent with. Nick was stellar assisting and navigating but a few local vendors missed the mark.

1- Singapore - we had requested a booking for a 4 person suite but when we arrive we were assigned a 3 person room. Nick immediately worked with his local contacts and got us upgraded (at no cost to us) to a 4 person but it took 2+ hrs after an already long flight of 24 hrs from nyc. Nick proactively also offered a half day tour / driver for our 3rd leg in Langkawi. That was thoughtful and what we had come to expect from kimkim as their service does charge a premium, which is likely for situations like this. We had a nice cultural city tour which we’d recommend for first timers. All the local agencies contracted were professional and on-time.

2. Kuala Lumpur - flights to KL were arranged for us. We stayed at an amazing hotel, Ruma, which we highly recommend for the rooms and location. We had an amazing time as a family with the fireflies/blue tears tour, elephant sanctuary, and cultural city tour. The only thing that missed the mark was the foodie tour. We walked through Chinatown and went to a beef roti stall and hawker station for chicken & rice. Other tours we went to the food was all ready with vendors and we had a large sampling of stellar food. This one was extremely mediocre; we had very little portions, we had to order and pay for extra food at the hawker ourselves (because we were told it wasn’t covered) and we even had to go out to eat again after because we were still hungry and the family didn’t love the food options on the tour. I wouldn’t suggest the foodie tour at all for those considering if this was not an anomaly.

3. Langkawi - the flight to Berjaya was arranged on firefly. The planes were extremely older and subpar compared to batik and Malaysia air. The hotel stay at Berjaya was amazing and we highly recommend the mangrove boat tour and local guide Kent. He took us to the Atv tour through the jungles and to the mountain top as well as a local beach. The only issue aside from the flight the local transport to the airport. Nick was able to schedule with the local vendor 4 rides, but the first two rides experienced accidents. The first one was driving grandpa to the airport and the driver passed out and drove into a storefront. Luckily there was no oncoming traffic and grandpa escaped with only whiplash. The driver randomly got someone at the scene to drive him to the airport, but never notified the agency (ITT or kimkim) of the incident and they had to find out from me. Not cool. It tarnished an otherwise wonderful stay as it would have cost grandpa his life.

Overall, things that were in kimkim and Nicks control were fantastic. Our issue with the hotel was rectified immediately, and maybe the foodie tour negative experience was an anomaly. But the transport situation really was a surprise and although we received an apology from the local vendor, it still tainted an otherwise wonderful stay there as grandpa is 80 and that could have been the last time we saw him.

Hotel Reviews

Berjaya Langkawi Resort

Langkawi Island

Lovely hotel. A bit dated but would recommend the seaview or ocean suites and not rainforest. The new years gala was a wonderful experience. The staff and food was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

RuMa Hotel

Best hotel of the entire stay. Wonderful facilities and staff as well as location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Orchard Hotel Singapore

Singapore

Location is central, service is great. The rooms were a bit dated and our room situation was mixed up when we first arrived. Overall, would recommend though for the location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Langkawi Island (Free at Leisure)

Langkawi Island

Had the driver take us to do an atv jungle tour, go to the peak of a lookout, and also tanjing ruh beach.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mangrove Boat Cruise

Langkawi Island

Amazing experience. Wish we could have walked where the fireflies were but unique nonetheless

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kuala Lumpur Foodie Tour (Evening)

Kuala Lumpur

This wasn’t really a foodie tour for real foodies. Went to a beef roti stall and subpar hawker market.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary

Kuala Lumpur

Unique and amazing experience to get up close with elephants. Highly recommend

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kuala Selangor Fireflies Cruise & Dinner

Kuala Lumpur

The fireflies are more at a distance and look like Christmas tree lights, but the blue tears was really cool. We also ended on a thunder storm so that added to the overall fun of the experience actually.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kuala Lumpur City Tour & Batu Caves

Kuala Lumpur

Guide Andrew really knowledgeable. Great guide for a cultural tour. City tour was a great overview.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Singapore River Cruise with return transfers

Singapore

The evening boat tour is low key (slow and limited guide) and if you’re a bit jet lagged you might want to skip this. You do get a great view of waterfront and MBS but if you’re tired it’ll be a drag for the kids max

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Singapore Half Day City Tour

Singapore

Great to get a feel for the local neighborhoods and cultures in Singapore. We had friends locally that took us to Sentosa but also their neighborhood outside the city center at Joo Chiat rd which is really cool. Had a more hipster feel to it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wery nice and smoothly planned trip by Liz. We had an option to see Amazonas, hghlands, the desert and ocean during the same trip. It was amayzing. We had many planned tours on the road and all the guides were very professional and it was easy to interact with them. The guides in Cuso, Machiu Piccu and Pisac were just outstanding!

Hotel Reviews

Qalasaya Hotel

Puno

Average hotel in very good location in Puno. The selection during the breakfast was a bit limited. Rooms were chilly and during the night turned to be cold.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pucara Machu Picchu Hotel

Average hotel in Machu Picchu. Rooms were a bit chilly, breakfast selection rather moderate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tika Wasi Casa Boutique

Cusco

Nice boutique hotel in Cusvo in very good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A bit cold in the rooms! Heaters were helping a lot!

Eco Amazonia Lodge

Las Piedras

Very authentic and well equiped Lodge! Everything needed was there. Very good food and drinking water always available!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was hot in the lodge - some cooler would have been good to have in the room.

Dazzler Miraflores by Wyndham

Lima

Very nice hotel - good breakfast (wide selection), nice rooms. Pool on the roof available but a bit small :)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Shared Ballestas Islands & Paracas Nature Reserve

Paracas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Uros & Taquile Floating Islands tour

Puno

Well packed trip on the lake of Titicaca. Floating islands is very different and worth to visit. Nice walking and lunch in Taquile island.

Quality of Experience

Food

Very good soup and fish was served!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, the guide was nice and professional

Transport

The Route of The Sun: {{start_location}} - {{end_location}}

Peru

Interesting and comfortable trip by the bus

Quality of Experience

Food

Good food included in the restaurant by the road to Puno

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very comfortable transportation - toilet and drinks included.

Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)

Peru

Stunning views, exciting walking in Machu Picchu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was professional and very nice, taking us through the MP, showing us the best details of the area.

Transport

Shared tour to Pisac, Ollantaytambo & Train to Machu Picchu town

Peru

One of the most interesting tours covering different temples built by Inka`s

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch breal in the nice open air resturant was positive surprise!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Led by the guide who has very wide knowladge about the history of Inka`s and Peru in general

Transport

Shared tour to Moray Terraces & Maras Salt Mines Tour

Cusco

Very well planned and interesting tour throughthe Inka`s built Terraces and Salt Mines

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very professional guide

Transport

Private Half-Day Walking Tour: Sacsayhuaman, Cusco City & San Pedro Market

Cusco

Nice walking along the Ika road from Sacsayhuaman temple to Cusco city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very professional guide leading the tour

Transport

EcoLogic 3/3: Flight to {{end_location}}

Peru

The logistics from Amazonas to Puerto Maldonado was nice and safe. All well planned!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ecologic 2/3

Puerto Maldonado

Amazonas tour was very well organized!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amayzing guide in Amazonas

Transport

Flight to Puerto Maldonado: EcoLogic 1/3

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Larco Museum

Lima

Interesting tour through the history of Pery based on the collection of the art.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was running the exhibition through quite fast :)

Transport

I had an excellent experience with this travel company during my trip to Chile.
They truly understand what tourists are looking for and plan the trip accordingly, with great attention to detail.

They were always available and in constant contact with me 24/7, which made the whole journey smooth and stress-free.
They were also very flexible, accommodating changes and requests without any issues.

Thanks to their professionalism and support, the trip was perfectly organized and enjoyable from start to finish.
I highly recommend them to anyone planning to visit Chile.

The tour guide for the first 2 days was good. The rest was a disorganized mess. This was my third international kimkim trip in 2025 but this one was the opposite of the first two. I emailed Alison at Kimkim to try to help out as I had spoken with her in the planning phase. (When she assured me the contact they set me up with would be good). No one from kimkim got back to me. The tour was poorly run, disorganized, and lastly (though honestly least of my concerns) was a terrible value for the price paid. One of the events booked was cancelled - without informing us and we were only refunded $130 for that. I’m pretty sure we were charged 10x that amount. But again, money aside, we were not told of this cancellation even though the company finalized our itinerary the day before. They weren’t able to communicate the cancellation to us despite having the kimkim chat and WhatsApp and my active cell service as options. Our family was disappointed with this one. From Egypt we went to Athens and Rome and black tomato provided stellar service.

Hotel Review

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL CAIRO AT NILE PLAZA

Amazing hotel, location, cleanliness, and service. 5 star luxury with a concierge that was able to set us up with trips and excursions when Kimkim left us hanging. The hotel concierge facilitated our trip better than Kimkim.

Authenticity & Character

Four seasons class!

Location

Cairo is a hectic city. This location was a sanctuary in the middle of the city.

Staff

The concierge, the wait staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Housekeeping did great and came 2x day.

Activity Reviews

Female-Led Cooking & Countryside Farm Tour in Rural Egypt.

Egypt

Not really that interesting. Small farm tour with the owners (very nice family). Took about 15 minutes. Then a preparation of an Egyptian lunch which wasn’t more than 20 minutes. We got to make bread in the oven which was fun. after that it was eating the lunch and driving back to Cairo. The whole experience was about an hour and though it was nice to see the countryside not really worth it. They didn’t book anything else for us for the day but luckily the hotel concierge was able to find activities for our free time. (Our rep from kimkim was useless)

Quality of Experience

Food

Cleanliness

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Giza Pyramids with a camel ride & the Grand Egyptian Museum

Cairo

A must do obviously while in Egypt. The camel ride was adventurous, kids loved it!

Quality of Experience

The grand Egyptian museum!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids

Cairo

They cancelled this on us

Cairo Day Tour to Egyptian Museum, Citadel and Khan Khalili Bazaar

Cairo

Was great and worth it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Kind of dirty for western standards. I saw them taking the unused food from a table that left and serving it to a new table

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Brazil was unforgettable, thanks to Bruno and kimkim. Bruno helped us with our custom itinerary and was always available to answer any questions before and during the trip. The guides were very professional, knowledgeable and friendly and made our trip memorable and worthwhile. Marcelo at Rio, John at Foz do Iguacu, Carlos at The Amazon and Luiz at Salvador were our amazing guides.
Our trip highlights - seeing Christ the Redeemer at Rio on a cloudy day and catching a glimpse for a few moments, Sugar loaf mountain at Rio (saw marmosets and vultures), Iguacu falls (Argentine side was our highlight) and the boat tour under the waterfalls at the Argentine side (we got soaked thrice), Bird Park near Iguacu falls, Brazil, amazing Amazon experience (canoeing, fishing, sunrise and sunset tours, forest walks), Salvador city tour. We saw exotic wildlife everywhere and endangered birds at the bird park.
The hotels were all very good but with the Salvador hotel being our favorite as it was a boutique hotel located in a historic center surrounded by chapels and shops.
We were able to get vegan food in all places with the Amazon Tapuna lodge being our highlight as several vegan options were available with breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had difficulty in finding vegan food in small airports. Latitude at Rio international airport was a great place for vegan food.

Hotel Reviews

Pousada Solar Dos Deuses

Salvador

This boutique-hotel was in a perfect spot, surrounded by chapels, attractions and shops. The room itself was breathtaking, with lovely decor, tables, mirrors, sofas, a table for the custom breakfast served in the room. We stayed only 1-1/2 nights though. The staff did not speak much English but were extremely friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amazon Tupana Lodge

Manaus

The Amazon Tupana Lodge was the perfect place to enjoy our Amazon jungle adventure. The rooms on stilts, a common area with hammocks and comfortable chairs and of course, the buffet area and the steps leading to the port dock were all so beautiful. We saw wildlife right at the port deck - dolphins, herons, vultures, tepir and several birds. The stray dogs were too friendly and almost bit my hubby as we walked up the deck stairs. The stray cat was very cute though. The room was quite good and the fan really helped. Opening the curtains a little at the night helps cool air enter. The buffet meals were all amazing especially as they had several vegan options. They also took care to not contaminate vegetarian food with the meat - this was our highlight during the camping dinner at the forest. All the staff and guides were very friendly. The activities were all exceptional. Night or forest walks require us to wear long sleeves and pants. So, packing thin kurtis with long sleeves or thin slacks/leggings will help prevent mosquito bites.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Carlos, our guide took special pains to let us know what was vegan and what wasn't. He spoke excellent English.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was overall very clean. The bathroom was slimy and we got it cleaned. But the slime came back the next day. The tiles were falling off the bathroom shower. No hot water though. So probably a good idea to take your shower during mid day instead of early morning and/or night.

Hotel Intercity Manaus

Manaus

We had a stay for a few hours in the night as we landed around midnight on Christmas. The staff was very friendly. However, we did not get any hot water in the morning. Seems like instructions to get hot water should be handy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We did not get hot water in the early morning for our shower

Viale Tower Hotel

Foz do Iguacu

The room was very clean and we had ample room to open our suitcases. The staff at the hotel was exceptional as they answered all our questions and directed us to laundry service/laundromats close to the hotel. We didn't have enough time for the laundry service but the automated laundromat near the hotel saved our day.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Windsor Plaza Copacabana

Rio de Janeiro

The hotel room was very clean but the bed was so large that we had trouble opening our large suitcases on the floor. Enjoyed the breakfast with coffee, fruits, salad, cereal, hot milk and yogurt. The staff was not very friendly compared to the other places that we stayed at. It took us more than a day to figure out how to get room service or call the front desk. A paper with the key services would have helped as the icons on the phone were not very intuitive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Excellent location as we were very close to the beaches

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit to the Argentine side

Foz do Iguaçu

Our visit to the Argentine side of the Iguacu falls (called Igauzu in Argentina) was a wonderful experience with expert guidance from John, right from crossing the border to touring the falls in the Park. The hikes to the Devil's throat and Upper falls were amazing as we saw the falls from closeup. The boat tour by Gran Aventura (an additional trip) which took us under the waterfalls was an exhilarating experience. John gave us all the necessary instructions in advance and so we were prepared with an extra set of dry clothes. We also enjoyed an extra tour of the bridges across the 3 countries (Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil) and downtown.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

John was awesome. We loved the 10k walk in the Park

Transport

John made the transportation seamless for us. Crossing the border was very quick as we had tickets for the priority queues

Welcome to Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Our trip to Brazil was unforgettable, thanks to Bruno and kimkim. Bruno helped us with our custom itinerary and was always available to answer any questions before and during the trip. The guides were very professional, knowledgeable and friendly and made our trip memorable and worthwhile. Marcelo at Rio, John at Foz do Iguacu, Carlos at The Amazon and Luiz at Salvador were our amazing guides. Our trip highlights - seeing Christ the Redeemer at Rio on a cloudy day and catching a glimpse for a few moments, Sugar loaf mountain at Rio (saw marmosets and vultures), Iguacu falls (Argentine side was our highlight) and the boat tour under the waterfalls at the Argentine side (we got soaked thrice), Bird Park near Iguacu falls, Brazil, amazing Amazon experience (canoeing, fishing, sunrise and sunset tours, forest walks), Salvador city tour. We saw exotic wildlife everywhere and endangered birds at the bird park. The hotels were all very good but with the Salvador hotel being our favorite as it was a boutique hotel located in a historic center surrounded by chapels and shops. We were able to get vegan food in all places with the Amazon Tapuna lodge being our highlight as several vegan options were available with breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had difficulty in finding vegan food in small airports. Latitude at Rio international airport was a great place for vegan food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver José Eduardo was ready and waiting for a while as it took 1.5 hrs. or so for immigration at Rio. The flight was delayed by an hour as well. Jose helped us with our luggage and was extremely courteous.

Amazon Jungle Day 1

The Amazon

The most interesting part was reaching the Amazon Tapuna lodge from Manaus via 2 motorized boats and a 4*4 - a total of 4+ hrs. None of the staff or drivers spoke English and we didn't have internet coverage en route so Google translate didn't work (key takeway is to download the language package before your trip). When aboard the first small motorized boat, we feared we would be in this boat for 4 hours and so quickly wore the life jackets. Thankfully, it was only for 40 minutes or so. The driver stopped in the middle of the river and showed us flags of Peru, Columbia and Brazil. We saw that the color of the water had changed at that point too - apparently it was the meeting point of two rivers moving in different directions. We then went on the 4*4 trip for 2.5+ hrs. with one truck stop/toilet break. The final hop was a 1/2 hr. boat ride to the Amazon Tapuna lodge. The beautiful view of the lodge on stilts, the steps from the port deck and the hammocks, etc. were indeed breathtaking. We had arrived in the jungle.!!! We were greeted with a welcome drink by Carlos, our awesome guide who spoke perfect English in addition to Portuguese and Spanish. We were thrilled to learn that we would be getting vegan food for all our meals - our Brazil trip highlight. We loved doing the tours with a Japanese Brazil family and a British woman. Since we left at 7am or so from Manaus, we were at the lodge by 11:15am. We had lunch at 12:30p (the lunch time at the lodge) and had 2 tours that day. The 4pm tour on the boat was to meet a local family, learn about their hard life and taste their awesome farina/farofa (the toasted cassava flour used on all salads, rice and beans, etc). We got a demo of making farina and tapioca. After our awesome dinner at 7:30p, we left on a boat tour to see alligators. It was awesome to see a baby alligator from up-close.

Quality of Experience

Food

All the meals at the lodge were awesome and prepared so well. Loved the various vegan options, fruit (pineapple was my favorite). Loved adding farina on top of my rice and beans. The vegetable rice and soy based dish were very delicious. Various pastas were available with lunch and dinner.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone in the lodge - guide and staff were very friendly and helpful. Hats off to Carlos, our wonderful guide.

Transport

Loved the thrill of not knowing what entailed us in the 4 hour ride to the jungle.

My guides and driver in Medellin were truly lovely so personable and a true pleasure to meet. The same could be said for my guide in tayrona - I had a great time with him for two days in the park

Good organization and very quick responses whenever we need it . Definitely would recommend, it’s gonna make your trip much easier

Activity Review

Welcome to Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hien and the Realistic Asia team are amazing! Hien was a superb planner, very attentive, detail oriented and responsive. The local team, esp Abe, were awesome as well!

Michael helped us plan a wonderful trip for our family. We spent 12 days travelling throughout Colombia. The amount of days spent in each city that were planned was perfect and our hotel accommodations were all excellent. One of our favourites was Casa Lola in Cartagena. We had an unbelievable room. All the guides and drivers were timely, knowledgeable and helped us enjoy our experiences in the country. The recommended excursions were fantastic and we enjoyed seeing as much of the country and learning as much about the history of the country and people as we could in just under two weeks.

I would definitely recommend Chaska Tours for your next adventure in Colombia.

Heidi & Daniel

Overall, we had a great time and the trip was well organized. For the most part, everything went off without a problem.
The restaurant recommendations were very much appreciated. The recommended hikes were good and we enjoyed them as well. Some tour operators provided prior night updates which we found very helpful as we knew what to expect. Our favorites from this trip were - Laguna de los Tres, Perito Moreno Glacier, Glacier Vinciguerra & Laguna de los Tempanos.

Some areas for improvement / recommendations:
1. Tours should be in English not bilingual as otherwise most time spent in Spanish
2. Clearly specify which ones are private vs group tours
3. Detailed itinerary details varied from actual - zip lining at El Chalten / street food at Buenos Aires/ warm gourmet lunch in Vinciguerra
4. Tour pickups in El Chalten and El Calafate were quite late without any communications - would be helpful to know as some were 30 mins late.
5. Private transfer FTE to El Chalten & El Chalten to El Calafate could be replaced with a rented car and us driving - may have been cheaper as the start/end point is FTE airport.
6. Hotel in El Chalten - Lunajuim was not good - definitely not 3 stars. It was very basic/old, the room not well kept up, there was no refrigerator, the soaps were subpar, walls/doors were very thin and we could hear everything from neighbors and hallway, the towel rack was coming off the wall, no headboard for bed. A positive note is that the staff were very friendly and helpful.
7. Generally speaking, the breakfasts at the hotel were lacking. Ushuaia had the best one at Alto Andino.
8. For the Laguna de Los Tres trail, I strongly recommend the alternate route of taking a bus to Rio Electrico, trek to Laguna de Los Tres from north to south, and then return via Laguna Capri to El Chalten. It makes for a less strenous hike.

Activity Reviews

Perito Moreno Boat & Walking Tour

El Calafate

Absolutely spectacular view of this glacier! The enormity is mind blowing and seeing calving in real life is a once in a lifetime experience! No matter how many times we viewed the glacier from various lookout points, it took our breath away.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide spoke a great deal in Spanish. She didn’t seem to translate everything into English and it was much more abbreviated.

Transport

Trekking to Glacier Vinciguerra & Laguna de los Tempanos

Ushuaia

One of our favorite hikes! Our guide made sure that everyone’s needs were taken into account and that all of us felt comfortable on the muddy and steep hike at the end. We were able to get up close to the glacier and the view was breathtaking. Highly recommend this one to all who can make it! FYI, this hike is rated Medium difficulty but it was quite tough at the end.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wonderful Trip! Michelle did amazing and we ccouldn't recommend her more! Every event that we did we would highly recommend, and many of the accommodations were very unique and cool as well.

Thanks again!

Hotel Reviews

Sudima Auckland City

Auckland

Good hotel close to downtown; it has everything you need.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PurePod Waitomo (Matu)

Wonderful! This definitely felt the most unique and most special of the whole trip. The owners put a lot of care into making sure everything was perfect upon arrival. Only complaint would be to have the addition of a fan for the summer; it gets quite hot in there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to downtown Otorohanga but very private.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Regal Palms Resort

Rotorua

Totally fine! Would have been great for kids/families; they had mini golf and games that we didn't use.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The River Lodge Ohakune

Ohakune

This was wonderful - please use this place in the future! Daniel the owner was so nice, and it was one of the more unique accommodations that we stayed in! Also: "The Cyprus Tree" restaurant in Okahune was one of the better restaurants that we ate at all trip. Really good!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close drive to the national park. I think something in Waimarino would have worked as well, we ended up hiking over closer to there.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Naumi Hotel Wellington

6141

Great! Very unique hotel character.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ramada Suites Queenstown

Queenstown

Everything you could want; clean and friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Pretty normal hotel but not bad at all!

Location

Just off the main strip, only a ~10 minute walk to the main streets.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Black Abyss - Abseiling, ziplining and black-water tubing

New Zealand

Wonderful! Guides were great and it was the most unique experience we had. Definitely do the longer "Black Abyss" one if you have the time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were wonderful!

Transport

Skyline Gondola transport Including 3 rides on the Luge

Queenstown (NZ)

Great views and the activities at the top are fun! The luge was the highlight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting Kaituna River, grade 5

Rotorua

Amazing and highly recommend! It was more intense than I thought but the guides did a great job!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jet Boat the Shotover River

Queenstown (NZ)

Super fun! I was not expecting it to be as fast or as close to the canyon walls as they were.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly Cruise Fly – Queenstown to Milford Sound by scenic flight

Queenstown (NZ)

Best views and I'm very glad that we did this first; it helped get a lay of the land. Pilot was great as well!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We just returned from an unforgettable 8-day private tour in Morocco, and we couldn’t be happier with the experience! Traveling as a family of six, including teenagers and grandparents, we were a bit nervous about how everything would go, but it was absolutely great.
Planning with Said:
Before the trip even began, Imane was great to work with. After the plan was set, we were transferred to Said. I had a lot of questions during the planning process, and Said and Imane were always patient, responsive, and helpful. Said resolved every concern quickly, which gave me a lot of confidence.
Our Driver – Abdelghani:
Abdelghani was a great driver—extremely careful, professional, and thoughtful throughout the entire trip. We always felt safe on the road, which is so important, especially when we drove through challenging roads in sometimes snowy weather (I was super nervous and had probably reached out to Said about the snowy weather at least 3 times :). He was punctual, patient, and made sure we were comfortable at all times. Always a great person to interact with.
Our Guide – Omar:
Omar was a great this trip! Young, energetic, and he made every moment engaging and fun. He connected with our teens, keeping them interested and involved. At the same time, he was incredibly helpful to our grandparents. One moment that really stood out was during a hike that turned out to be more challenging than expected—Omar went above and beyond, helping the grandparents to ensure they are safe. That level of care and dedication is truly appreciated by us. He was new to this route, but was trying hard to make the trip educational for us.
Local Guides - in different cities (Fez, Dades, Marrakech):
We had local guides in different cities and they have various level of knowledge and some spent more time sending us to shopping. We are okay with them because they were all new experiences and we got to learn how things work, but it may not be for everyone.
Overall Experience:
The itinerary was well-planned, and every detail was taken care of. We wholeheartedly recommend Omar and Abdelghani. They made our trip a memorable adventure. Thank you!

Activity Reviews

A Family's Guided tour of Fez

Fes

Marrakech Family Food Tour

Marrakesh

I’m so thankful for all of the transportation that was prearranged. This made our adventures seemless. The whale shark and waterfall tour was our favorite!

Bella was amazing and designed a trip that you knew you were making core memories. Everyday things just kept getting better and more beautiful. She made a large effort on my son's birthday so he's have a special day. Bella was so helpful and there wasn't a problem she couldn't find a solution for.

Hotel Reviews

RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort

Chiang Mai

This hotel was so charming and authentically Thai feeling. The rooms were beautiful and the staff were kind and attentive.

Authenticity & Character

It felt like being in an original Thai home with all the teak.

Location

The only drawback was not being closer to the old city.

Staff

There were always helpful staff around to help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

500 Rai Floating Resort

Surat Thani

This hotel was like hitting the pause button and enjoying time as a family. You can really disconnect and reconnect with your family. The excursions were so fun and the food was amazing.

Authenticity & Character

They had a clear goal of disconnecting from the internet and connecting as people.

Location

It's so beautiful that you feel like you're in a dream.

Staff

The staff was attentive and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and the beds were so comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Elephant Nature Park Visit

Chiang Mai

You can really feel how much this park cares for their animals. At first you think you'll be disappointed because you can't touch or feed the elephants. The guide explains why they run their park the way you do and then you understand. You're so close to the elephants on the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

4 Islands Sunset Cocktail Cruise + Bioluminescent Night Snorkel

Thailand

I can't rave about this boat trip enough. The staff were so fun and attentive. It felt like we were with Thai pirates. The boat took us to less crowded areas and we got to connect as a group on the boat. By the end of the trip we had made vacation friends.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We have a great experience using Kimkim travel. Our travel guide, Guðmundur Óli was excellent and went above and beyond to ensure that we had a good trip. This was a once in a lifetime trip for my family. We will remember this forever. Thank you for all of your help.

We had an absolutely wonderful time in Finland, everything was planned perfectly by Moonika! We loved staying at the wilderness resort, where all meals were included: a buffet breakfast and lunch, followed by a delicious three-course dinner each evening. The glass ceiling was incredible, looking up at the sky through the glass was such a fun and unique experience, and the hut was so cozy.

We also stayed at the Scandic Pohjanhovi in the city, which was a perfect stay as well, with a great breakfast buffet included. Every activity was enjoyable, and we truly loved the entire experience. We did so much, including a reindeer sleigh ride, dog sledding, a Northern Lights tour, a photoshoot at Santa’s Village, and a full day at Santa Park.

Emilia was our photographer and did an amazing job—she was wonderful with our kids and captured beautiful family photos. Nico went above and beyond searching for the Northern Lights, and even though we didn’t see them, the experience was still fun and memorable. All transportation was private, the drivers were punctual and excellent, and everything ran smoothly. We didn't have to worry about anything! Moonika truly put together a seamless and unforgettable vacation for us.

Hotel Review

Vaattunki Wilderness Resort

Rovaniemi

The Wilderness Resort was truly fantastic. The glass roof igloos were a standout feature, allowing us to gaze at the stars in comfort. It was an unforgettable experience, and my kids absolutely loved it.

Activity Reviews

Husky Tour With Musher (5km)

Finland

The Husky Tour was amazing. Our guide was fantastic and made the experience really special. The highlight was when we emerged from the forest onto a frozen lake — it felt magical and my daughter thought it was the coolest part of the entire ride.

SantaPark VEP Experience

Rovaniemi

The SantaPark VEP Experience was a highlight of our trip. Being indoors meant we didn't have to bundle up as much, which was a relief. My kids loved the shows, and they were so entertaining we ended up watching them twice. The craft activities and cookie-making were also a big hit!

We really enjoyed our week long trip to Morocco! Maryem did a great job with planning ahead of time and was easy to communicate with. Our driver Zaid was amazing and made every day fun including a spontaneous hike into the Atlas Mountains. The Marrakesh walking tour with Hamid was excellent - he is so knowledgeable and engaging. The cooking class at La Maison Arabe was so fun and informative - we really learned a lot from Wafa and Hayat.

The chosen hotels were all excellent - clean, comfortable and with great amenities. We had an unforgettable night in Agafay desert at the Orion Dome and a camel ride. Salut Maroc in Essaouira was by far one of the most beautiful hotel rooms we have ever seen.

When we wanted to take the culture back home with us, Hamid and Zaid took us to very reputable stores for our interests. We felt very safe and engaged the whole time. We are so grateful for the immense kindness we experienced on our journey and will definitely be back!

Hotel Reviews

Salut Maroc Boutique Hotel

Essaouira

Hotel room was the most beautiful we have ever seen. Great hammam spa and in room massage services as well. Restaurant was convenient and delicious.

THE ORION DOME AGAFAY MARRAKACH

Marrakech

Very comfortable accommodations to give a camping feel but with heating and great running water. The staff were so helpful and they created a fantastic dinner, dancing, entertainment experience. Camel ride was also really fun

Savoy Le Grand Hotel

Marrakech

Beautiful hotel with really great gym, breakfast, and restaurant options. Good location. However, the air conditioning was not working in our room and was never fixed after multiple requests.

Activity Reviews

Free Day in Essaouira

Essaouira

Very Windy City and it was forecasted to rain the whole day but it really cleared up and we felt comfortable to navigate this cute city after our walking tour.

Guided Tour of Essaouira

Essaouira

We got a good idea of the town of Essaouira through this experience.

Agafay Desert Camp overnight

Agafay

The dinner with live music, dancing, fire show, and just really well done food was a highlight

Private Camel Ride in Agafay Desert

Morocco

Isham was a friendly guide who made this new experience really fun

Day trip to Ourika Valley

Marrakesh

Atlas Mountains were beautiful! Just be careful of how far you go on the hike - it gets challenging quickly! Argan cooperative was also a nice touch

Hammam Spa & Massage in Marrakech 3 PM Session

Marrakesh

Very relaxing and the staff made the experience very comfortable.

Cooking Class La Maison Arabe Marrakech 10 AM session.

Marrakesh

So enlightening and the staff were excellent - Wafa and Hayat especially. Our booking time was incorrect from the scheduled drop off time but they were so flexible to accommodate us and we really appreciated it!

Walking tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Hamid was so incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. 10/10!

João and his team planned the perfect trip for us through KimKim. We came to him with some ideas of things we wanted to do and see in Portugal, explained to him the family dynamics of the trip and we would need accommodations and activities for three generations of our family. And finally, we complicated everything by scheduling this vacation over the Christmas holidays, knowing that some locations might be closed for the holiday as well, but those dates worked best for us, as that was when the kids were out of school.

João did an awesome job of planning everything for us. The hotels were wonderful. He managed to schedule all the activities that we asked to see (Sintra, Coimbra, Fatima, etc) and also planned a bunch of others for us that were perfect can’t miss events in Portugal that we hadn’t thought of ourselves – such as a Fado dinner. He kept us busy every day, which is just what we wanted, and all three generations in the family had an incredible time. All our drivers were great, but Ricardo and Pepe were really incredible. Super patient with the kids and answered every question from the adults as well as pointing out all kinds of interesting details along the way. I liked that we had the same driver for an entire region, and not just a different random person every day – we really got to know our drivers better, and they got to know us.