Kimkim Trip Reviews

My partner, and my, 19 day trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe was a trip of a lifetime.
The success of the trip was in no small part due to the excellent work of Lize (Enderstein). Lize took our high level "would like to do's" and turned them into a marvellous adventure. Her communications were at all times clear, timely and responsive to our needs. The itinerary that Lize put together was detailed, with activities, providers, accommodation, transport and times all clearly spelt out. Accordingly, we felt most comfortable in embarking on the trip.
We did the three night ROVOS Rail trip from Pretoria to Cape Town, spent four nights in Cape Town and three nights in each of the Thabamati Luxury Tented Camp, Timbavati Game Reserve, and the Nkorho Bush Lodge, Sabi Sands. In addition, we spent three nights at the Victoria Falls River Lodge. All were excellent.
To call out highlights is doing the others an injustice, but I will. The ROVOS Rail was 5 star travel. The accommodation was first class, the staff super friendly and efficient, and the food delightful. Our guide, Oliver, in Cape Town made our day trips to Table Mountain and Cape Town, the Winelands, and Cape of Good Hope most enjoyable and informative. Courtene and Brett, our hosts at Thabamati, and their staff, made our stay a real luxury experience. The game drives at both Thabamati and Nkorho were something else. We were most fortunate to see an abundance of a diverse range of wildlife in their habitat. Amazing. And then there was the Victoria Falls River Lodge. We were treated like royalty, with our personal butler Reeves going far and beyond. The excursions to Victoria Falls were outstanding. Finally, in Johannesburg we did a guided tuk tuk tour of Soweto, Johannesburg, which was quite an eye opener.
Well, I haven't missed much, but it was such a great trip.
Thanks to all involved, particularly Lize.
I will use KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

Victoria Falls River Lodge

Wow, what an experience. Every need is catered for in style.

Authenticity & Character

Location

What more could you want than a treehouse on an island in the middle 'of the raging Zambezi River

Staff

Excellent in all respects. We offer our gratitude to the services provided by our butler Reeves.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nkorho Bush Lodge

Kruger National Park

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thabamati Luxury Tented Camp

Kruger National Park

Luxury and service at its best

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Welcoming, friendly and service driven

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Manor House

Cape Town

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rovos Rail

Foreshore

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Intercontinental Johannesburg O.R Tambo Airport

Johannesburg

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Johannesburg Private Historic Walking and Tuk Tuk Tour

South Africa

Having approached this experience with some reluctance, our guides, particularly our tuk tuk driver, made the day one of learning in a fun environment.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tuk tuk driver (sorry I've misplaced his name) made this a great excursion, through sharing freely his personal experiences.

Transport

Vic Falls River Lodge Activities

Victoria Falls

Our guides made the experiences special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All our guides and drivers did an outstanding job.

Transport

Helicopter Flight

Victoria Falls

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning and Afternoon Game Drives

Sabi Sands Game Reserve

I perceived that some of the driving to get to the wildlife locations was at times somewhat unsafe.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Timbavati Game Reserve to Sabi Sands Game Reserve

South Africa

Quality of Experience

The transfer was done by road. My rating is no reflection on the provider and our driver who were first class, it is a statement on the condition opf the roads.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Timbavati Private Game Reserve Safari Day

Timbavati Game Reserve

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Days on Safari

South Africa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Game Drive

South Africa

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Winelands Tour (including lunch)

South Africa

Oliver, our guide, made the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highly recommend Oliver our guide.

Transport

Full Day Cape Peninsula Tour (including lunch)

South Africa

Oliver, our guide, was tremendous.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Oliver, our guide, is highly recommended. He was informative and responsive.

Transport

Half Day Private Table Mountain and City Tour

Cape Town

Oliver, our guide, was tremedndous.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Oliver was attentive, informative and responsive.

Transport

Rovos Rail Pretoria to Cape Town Journey

Pretoria

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The disruption caused by the change in "pilots" was quizical

Transport

The change in "pilots" caused unnecessary delays.

STRONG CUSTOMER SERVICE/ EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION

Hien helped us plan our Vietnam/Thailand trip from June 1 to 13. We packed a lot into this 2 week trip which Hien kept tweaking to our preference and satisfaction. Unbelievably organized compared to the last travel agent we used.
Throughout the whole trip, she kept checking on us and reminded us of driver/pick-up times (always punctual) and who our guide will be, etc.

When things didn't go according to original plan, she already had a quick back-up. For instance...Ha Long Bay Paradise Peak Cruise's air condition malfunctioned at last minute so she booked us on sister ship, Paradise Elegance. Although the room was smaller than our room on P.Peak's, she made it right by making sure our room had a large wrap around balcony and my husband got a free 60 minute massage. Additionally, we were supposed to have dinner cruise the following week on Manohra Cruise in Bangkok, but boat caught on fire. Hien was able to get us a refund pretty quickly since back-up dinner cruise ship could not accommodate us at a specific time.

Choice of guides were also great! KC (Kim Cuong), our Hanoi guide, took us on street food tour which included (per our request) a hunt for reasonably priced Kopi Luwak coffee beans (from movie "The Bucket List") and a perfect seat to watch the train's approach on Hanoi's famous Old Train Street.
Tim (Tipparat), our Bangkok guide, also went the extra mile. She picked us up at BKK airport. During our 1 hour drive to our hotel, she helped us make reservation at Michelin Star restaurant, R-Haan. She also got us seating at the famous Jay Fai " street food" restaurant prior to our actual street food tour. Not sure how she did it because Jay Fai does not take reservations. There is usually a long queue.

We went on many excursions, such as a hike in SaPa's rice fields, a trip to Ninh Binh (Mua Cave, Tam Coc), and my favorite, Chai Lai Orchid Elephant Sanctuary. All perfectly planned.

Hotels--Hien will work with your budget. We chose to stay at mid-luxury hotels.

Hanoi: Peridot Boutique Hotel is located in Old Quarter. Great location...we were able to walk to Hoa Lo Prison, the Water Puppet Theatre, Chinatown area, and Train Street. Great breakfast buffet.

Sa Pa: Topas Ecolodge-- we just stayed in a Premium Executive Bungalow and it had a great view. Food at Topas...breakfast buffet and dinner surprised us...actually quite good.

Sa Pa: Hotel de la Coupole -M Gallery --beautiful hotel. Absinthe Bar (Afternoon Tea) offers sweet and savory treats paired with tea and coffee. Chic Restaurant had great breakfast buffet but limited choices for dinner.

Chiang Mai: Tamarind Village-- great location in Old City. The Sunday night market is pretty much right in front of hotel. You can walk to the temples. Breakfast buffet was great.

Bangkok: Anantara Riverside --we had a great room with river view. Restaurants are very mediocre --Trader Vic's, Brio, Benihana--all these restaurants are in the US. Drinks at the bar (alcoholic and non) are very expensive even by US standards. Breakfast and dinner buffet also mediocre. Expected more from a luxury ( or mid-luxury?) resort. At least just about a 10minute Grab (Uber in SE Asia) ride to Iconsiam where you can find "air conditioned street food stalls" at bottom level.

Our tour of Italy was spectacular, expertly managed by our local specialist Giulia. We travelled across the northern half of the country seamlessly, with easy-to-follow instructions for trains, transfers and car hire.
Our hotel in Venice was quiet, despite being just off the main thoroughfare. The hidden Venice private tour was great, with good food and wine. We returned to one of the osterias for a meal another day, our guide Marta giving us some great tips for local eateries.
Bologna was fun, more great food and wine, and the timely chance to participate in some local sporting events.
Late May was an ideal time to drive around Tuscany, some tourist crowds but not yet peak season. We loved our pasta cooking class at a cheese farm, followed by ... more great food and wine. Found several hidden gems of food shops, restaurants, and handmade goods away from the main tourist trodden streets in several of the towns.
Finished in Rome, managed to see the end of the Giro d'Italia, enjoyed many of the busy tourist sites, many of which were free on the first Sunday of the month. Our small group tours of the Vatican and Catacombs ended up being private tours which allowed our guides to customise the itineraries for our interests.

Hotel Review

Ca' Pozzo Inn

Venice

Quiet despite being a stones throw from the main thoroughfare through the city. The staff were helpful and friendly. Breakfasts were great.

Authenticity & Character

Secure courtyard accessed through a covered alleyway (sotoportego).

Location

A moderate walk from many of the sites. A waterbus stop is close by.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hidden Venice and cicchetti experience

Italy

Our guide Marta took us through several streets off the main tourist path and we saw several of the quirkier sites of Venice. Food and wine were sampled at several great osterias. We got some great tips on eateries where the food was delicious and the prices reasonable.

Leo did an amazing job preparing our itinerary and communicating with us. We enjoyed our Alaskan adventure immensely - especially the Kenia Fjords cruise and the dogsledding experience.

Activity Reviews

Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise

Seward, AK

The scenery was Cornelius. Staff was superlative! Food was delivered promptly and it was delicious. We lived the chocolate cookies!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dogsledding experience in Seward

Seward, AK

This was amazing and very educational. We loved the ride with the dog team and the information about the dogs and the competitions they are involved in.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Prince William Sound cruise

Anchorage, AK

This was very enjoyable. Gorgeous scenery!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I can’t praise enough everyone involved with this trip. Everything was planned perfectly. We had no glitches. The guides, transportation drivers, and experiences were all amazing.

The team did a great job especially with the hotels. The hotels were beautiful and always in the perfect part of the city.

The team was also responsive while we were traveling. They took care of the inevitable things that pop up.

Thanks to Manon, Bastien, and the team.

Hotel Reviews

The Mandala Hotel

Berlin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

AMERON Hamburg Hotel Speicherstadt

Hamburg

We loved this hotel. It’s in the perfect part of Hamburg. It was beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easily walkable.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Privately Guided Hamburg City Bike Tour

Hamburg

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Willkommen in Deutschland !

Germany

We never found our driver.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The 10 Tastings of Hamburg!

Hamburg

Sadly, this was a joke. Collin could not have been less knowledgeable and less prepared to teach us anything about Hamburg or its food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Urban Art: Berlin's B-side Tour

Berlin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The History of Berlin: WWII Walking Tour

Berlin

We loved Boyd.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Uma planned an amazing trip to the south island of New Zealand for us. Her suggestion of visiting Stewart Island was great. It was one of our favorite places on our trip. She was also very responsive and made requested changes quickly. She checked in on us during the trip to make sure everything was running smoothly. Uma did a great job!

Hotel Reviews

The Rees Hotel

Queenstown

Spectacular view!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Bay Motel

Oban

Convenient location. Great view. Friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Distinction Te Anau Hotel And Villas

Te Anau

Beautiful room and view. Amazingly warm and helpful staff. Dexter, the cat, was a special added bonus.

Authenticity & Character

Room was beautiful.

Location

Great view! Short walk to town.

Staff

Very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Langlands Hotel

Invercargill

Had construction going on. Very loud in morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scenic Hotel Dunedin City

Dunedin

Convenient location.

Authenticity & Character

Not much character. Standard hotel.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was clean and okay. Nothing special.

Distinction Christchurch Hotel & Conference Centre

Christchurch

Convenient location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

SkyCity Hotel

Auckland

Was in a central location which made it convenient, but had a casino.

Authenticity & Character

Had a casino

Location

Staff

Activity Reviews

Wilderness Cruise at the Remote Doubtful Sound (Self Drive)

New Zealand

Amazing trip. Two boat rides and one bus through amazing scenery. Guides were very knowledgeable and entertaining.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bus driver and Doubtful Sound guide were very knowledgeable and entertaining.

Transport

Wildlife & Penguin Tour

Dunedin

Great experience. Saw hoiho, blue penguins, fur seals. Guide very knowledgeable and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Appreciated the trip set up, but disappointed with ongoing communications, including travel issues. Also, terribly disappointed that they could not adjust my schedule outside of a 400£ additional charge, which according to my calculations should have been minimal as my travel itinerary was right on the way.

Landed in Casablanca and met up with our driver Tarik. First stop the Hassan II mosque. The only reason for our stop in Casablanca was to see the mosque firsthand. Hindsight though, it might be worth a day to explore the city. The tour of Hassan was worth every minute of our time. Absolutely beautiful to say the very least.

After our tour we continued to the city of Rabat. Was not at all what we expected. It is one of the cleanest cities we have ever visited. Quite amazing. Our Riad was also excellent, and the location was perfect. The next morning, we had a private tour of the sights of Rabat with Hassania. The tour was informative, and we received a full array of the important sights with the capital city including the Kings palace. Some of the architecture was very modern as well including the Mohammed IV tower and the Grand Theater. Truly remarkable.

During the afternoon, we trekked onto the next stop of Chefchaouen the blue city. We checked in to our hotel the "Dar Jasmine". This boutique hotel was perched atop a significant hillside, and there were approximately 300 steps to reach the top. A little daunting, although the view of the city was breathtaking and worth the climb. The city itself is very quaint and charming. We explored the small streets and restaurants.

The next day, we had a lovely drive through the Moroccan countryside heading to Fes. The following morning, we had a four-hour private tour with Sharif. Visiting The Royal Palace, Mellah, Al-Qarawiyyin: The World's First University and some local artisans of pottery and the likes. The highlight of course was wandering with Sharif through the tiny alleyways and streets in the souk. Again, an amazing experience seeing what the vendors have to offer. Pretty well everything including the kitchen sink.

That afternoon we were afforded the luxury of a massage and Hammam at our Riad. It was quite the experience. Never had my body exfoliated with coffee grinds. It was exhilarating.

The following day we endured an eight-hour drive form the mountains to the desert. On our way for a camel trek and sunset in the Western Sahara Desert. This was without question one of the highlights of our trip. The camels were amazing. Very well cared for, and exceptionally intelligent. Fortunately, just prior to our arrival it had rained slightly which compacted the sandy desert top layer. It darkened the colour of the sand slightly which made for some incredible photos. After our camel trek to the spot where we watched the sunset, we decided to take the 4X4 to the Tiziri Camp. Quite the exciting drive with our experienced driver.

The camp was pretty cool. The tents were quite large and comfortable. That evening we enjoyed an awesome traditional dinner with tajine's and all. In the morning, we rose at the crack of dawn to catch the sunrise. Again, truly remarkable. Overall, we had two exceptionally long days but worth all the pain by far.

The next leg of our journey took us to Boumalne Dades and Aït Benhaddou. The drive afforded us to see the many Oasis nestled within the valleys of the desert mountains. The sights were amazing. My wife was hoping to see the festival of roses, but by the time we made it was unfortunately over already. We drove through the "valley of a thousand Kasbahs". When you think about this, a Kasbah is a military fortress. Today, these Kasbahs serve as small communities within each area. The very essence of community is quite apparent. Something we found right throughout the country. Especially in the areas away from the big cities.

Next stop, Marrakesh. We spent 4 days in this vibrant city. The first day, we had a morning tour with Hassania enabling us to get a feel for the surroundings. The Souks in the ancient Medina were incredible and a little daunting as we could see how easy it would be to get lost within the alleyways. That evening we embarked on a second tour with the same guide Hassania. This tour was focused on food within the market and souks. We visited several different food vendors - restaurants. What really stood out was how much food was prepared for us. You must bring an appetite to this tour. The range of food consisted of homemade traditional soup, donuts (three generations of ownership), snails in the market and chicken and lamb prepared in an underground smoker - barbecue at Chez Lamine. All so very tasty.

Next morning, once again up well before dawn. We are to embark on a sunrise hot-air balloon ride. Now for someone that is terrified of heights, I thought it may have been an issue. Once we got in and up and away it was no problem whatsoever. Our pilot was a definite expert in his craft of navigating huge balloon. The vistas and scenery were breathtaking. Certainly, a must do for anyone. It was an incredible experience and the photo opportunities endless.

That same afternoon, we were transferred by our trusty driver Tarik to "La Maison L'Arabe. A prestigious hotel where they conduct Moroccan cooking classes. We cooked a tajine dish, learned how to make a rose from the peel of a tomatoe, and prepared a couple of different Moroccan salads. It was so much fun, and I must admit it was all very tasty. With a full belly and new skills, we went back to our riad to rest.

The next morning, off to the airport for final leg of our trip.

In summary, I would highly recommend KimKim to any travellers that want a worry-free experience. The ease of all aspects of our trip can be attested to the professionalism of the staff at KimKim especially including the on-site staff of Original Travels (Said and Mohamed).
All the accommodations, tours and the guides were first rate. One thing I must point out, our driver for the two weeks, Tarik was nothing less than amazing. He took our safety first. He was engaged with our entire group of four. He ensured our itinerary was followed to the letter. He was accommodating when we wanted to make slight changes. He was so engaging and helpful with every aspect of the trip. His communication to us with respect to timing for pick ups and drop offs was excellent. He never pressured us whatsoever. We cannot say enough about the way he treated us. He will be missed.

The only real downside to all of this is we were perhaps a little too ambitious with our itinerary. This was absolutely no fault to KimKim or Original Travels. This is solely on us. Seeing that this was our second trip through KimKim we will take that away as a positive for our next trip.

This was an amazing trip for a family of 5 (Grandma’s bucket list). The travel agents were extremely responsive to requested changes. We loved the hotels, especially the Electra Palace in Athens and the Tanneries Hotel in Chania, ,Crete. The tours they selected for us were simply perfect. The tour operators through Alternative Athens were. superb. We will never forget the Elisavet and the food tour,. The stargazing tour was phenomenal. All the transfers/flights were easy/timely . Our guide in Meteora was engaging and hilarious and our sunset photos are unlike anything. Ending the trip in Crete was perfect for the weather and we loved our cooking class in the villages. Not everyone ventures to Meteora and Crete on a first trip to Greece but i highly recommend it for the food, history and scenery!! Thank you Kimkim!

Hotel Reviews

Ananti City Resort

Trikala

This hotel is spacious with beautiful rooms but is extremely far from the center town. However, we needed an elevator for one member of our party and those are not common in the area. The dinner was average.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

V Hotel Delphi

Delphi

This newer hotel had a great location and an elevator, which we had requested for a grandparent who couldn’t do stairs. the rooms were spacious with beautiful views

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Electra Metropolis

Athens

Spent only a night but was memorable for the rooftop and fun location!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Electra Palace Athens

Athens

Amazing location, rooftop, central to all the sights in Athens and simply gorgeous! it was our favorite breakfast of the entire trip!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

central—easy to walk to sights

Staff

very friendly front desk

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Tanneries Hotel & Spa

Chania

This hotel, although not in the heart of Old Town, was incredible/our favorite. We loved the rooms, the steam showers, views of the water, the restaurant, and most importantly—the staff! They were so personable and kind. I would definitely come back here!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Chania Old Town Walk

Chania

Chania was amazing -beautiful old town charm, amazing food, central to beaches!

Quality of Experience

Private Traditional Cretan Cooking Experience

Chania

This was a lovely experience of cooking in the home of a very welcoming family and visiting the village. We all enjoyed the opportunity to cook a meal together, and my mom couldn’t stayed all day chopping vegetables!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self Guided Trip to the Archeological Site of Delphi

Delphi

A must-see in Greece!

Quality of Experience

Sunset Monasteries & Hermit Caves Excursion

Meteora

This guide and the place was phenomenal!!! i really encourage everyone to venture out from Athens to see this spectacular scenery and the monasteries!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Stargazing in the Heart of Athens

Athens

Extremely knowledgeable guide/a professor. a must do for astronomy buffs!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Authentic Food Walk

Athens

Elisavet was awesome!! The food was incredible!! There were neverending stops: bread, olive oil tastings, souvlaki, loukamades, the fish and meat markets, an entire mezze at a Taverna and it just kept going ….wish i could’ve eaten more! i wasn’t sure initially to keep this in the itinerary but it really was my favorite tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ancient Athens Acropolis & Mythology Walk

Athens

Very kind guide, thoughtful to my mother who needed more time to walk. She was quite encouraging and my mom made it to the top of the Acropolis, which was her lifelong dream!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Irene and the entire team planned and executed a prefect trip! The mix of ancient sites, guide selection, restaurants and and beach outings were perfect!

Hotel Reviews

Malmo Historic Hotel

Chania

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Olive Green Hotel

Heraklion

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Antony Suites

Naxos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kouros Hotel Mykonos

Mikonos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Athens Manor Houses

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

No

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Balos & Falassarna Beach Tour with Lunch

Chania

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I

Transport

Local Transfer in Chania

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling Boat trip in Chania

Chania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Vineyard Picnic Experience

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Knossos & Museum Tour

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naxos E-Bike Tour with Farm visit and Olive Oil Tasting

Naxos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Delos & Rhenia Day Cruise

Mykonos

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local Transfer in Mykonos

Mykonos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Acropolis Hill & Museum Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Lo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mythical Argolis Day trip

Athens

Quality of Experience

Lo

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local Transfer in Athens

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kristy put together a fabulous itinerary taking into account many of the things my family group was looking for. Every pick up was on time, drivers were great and guides were fabulous! Enjoyed a phenomenal food tour in Lima with Carlos and a long but extremely enjoyable full day with our guide Mario, looking at wildlife in the Ballestas Islands, wine touring at the Tacoma Winery and Dune Buggying/SandBoarding at Huacachina.
Edy was our guide for four days in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu and by the end he was another member of our familia! We learned so much about Peru and it's Inca past and thoroughly enjoyed all of the breathtaking scenery of the Andes. As a guide Edy was phenomenal about keeping us on track, and moving us right through each travel destination seamlessly.
This is the fifth tour we've organized with KimKim and all have been excellent!

Hotel Review

Las Qolqas EcoResort Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo

We really loved staying at Las Qolqas EcoResort Ollantaytambo. We're seasoned travelers who've stayed in various permanent tented camps, and this location was fun and beautiful, nestled in the mountains. It was an excellent choice because it felt secluded and peaceful, away from the busyness of the tourist town. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique and serene accommodation experience.

Activity Reviews

Lima Food Tour - (PM Tour)

Peru

The Lima Food Tour was amazing and a highlight of our trip. We did the evening tour, which allowed us to sample some fantastic dishes. We started with the best ceviche we tasted on our trip and continued on to a place near ancient ruins offering amazing tapas. Ending at a bar, we experienced something other than the 'pisco sours', which was refreshing since we'd had plenty by then.

Horseback Riding to Devil's Balcony from Cusco

Cusco

Horseback riding to Devil's Balcony from Cusco was great, and it's something we frequently enjoy on our trips. It's such a wonderful way to explore and enjoy the natural environment while getting some activity into our schedule. Definitely a worthwhile experience.

Paracas, Ballestas Islands, Winery Tour, and Desert Adventure Day Trip from Lima

Peru

The full-day trip from Lima to the Paracas and Ballestas Islands, along with the desert adventure, was quite an enjoyable experience overall. Initially, we were hesitant due to the long drive, but the kids were eager to go. The Ballestas Islands were nice but didn't stand out particularly. Surprisingly, the desert oasis, part of the trip which I was initially less excited about, turned out to be incredibly fun and the highlight of the day.

Short Inca Trail Day 2: Machu Picchu Guided Tour and Return to Cusco

Peru

The Short Inca Trail tour to Machu Picchu was a must-do on our trip. We had heard beforehand that the hike was challenging, and it indeed was, but it was absolutely fabulous. Hiking into Machu Picchu provided a unique and rewarding experience away from the crowds, making it very worthwhile. We were glad to take the bus back, but the hike was a perfect way to immerse ourselves in the environment.

My sisters and I had an amazing experience with your crew! From pick up to drop off it was well organized and planned. We could not have asked for a better experience, your staff in every step of the way were professional and prompt.

We highly recommend anyone who is not sure how to plan a trip to Costa Rica to book with you!!!

Thank you, thank you again. For our next vacation and experience we are already considering your services.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

Great location and quaint hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Great place. The rooms could use a little bit of an upgrade but it was very clean and grounds along with hot springs were super enjoyable!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Sailing Excursion

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Safari Float & Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From the pre-trip planning, to execution, to departure, Robi was amazing. He thoughtfully organized our tour in Croatia according to our needs. He was flexible where necessary (and he had to be because there were a few unpredictable changes due to travel issues), very knowledgeable about Croatian history and current events, an excellent driver, and a great guide. Furthermore, it felt like he really cared about our enjoyment; checking in continuously and making sure that everything was running smoothly. I recommend Kimkim and especially Robi for your next adventure in Croatia.

Activity Review

Explore Split & Diocletian's palace

Split

Peter (Pero) was very knowledgeable, interesting, and engaging. Highly recommend learning about the history of Split from this excellent guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

First time booking with Kim Kim and it went really well. Family of 5, traveling with 3 teens (18, 16, 14.). Bruno was very responsive from the beginning and throughout the trip. Transfers, activities, everything was seamless. We really enjoyed our guides- Hannah in Rio de Janeiro, Edison in Foz do Iguaçu and Antonio at Tupana Lodge. Bruno answered all my questions promptly before and during the trip. The guides were helpful in their respective cities. I think I would have liked maybe a step up in accommodations but I’m also not sure the price difference, etc. All our accommodations were nice but not fancy. And I definitely wasn’t fully prepared for what we were getting into in the Amazon. It was a memorable experience but would not be for everyone! Overall a wonderful family trip through Brazil!

All the guided tours were informative and fun. Andrea (our bike tour guide in Versailles)was entertaining. Raphael took us on two great tours: : Medieval France and the Louvre and d’orsay museums. Sweets tour and The Moulin Rouge were one other highlight of the week.

Hotel Review

Hotel La Bourdonnais - Tour Eiffel

Paris

Walking distance to the tour Eiffel, and the Seine as well as many restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to iconic locations.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleaning staff took care with our room each and every day.

Activity Reviews

Dinner show at the Moulin Rouge

Paris

Loved the acrobatic acts!

Best of Louvre & Orsay Museums

Paris

Raphael was very knowledgeable!

Quality of Experience

Versailles : Food & Palace Bike Tour - Full Day

France

Had so much fun!

Sweet Side Food Tour of Paris

Paris

Yummy!

Quality of Experience

Rodin Museum & Gardens Private Tour

Paris

Tour was educational and visually stimulating.

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

Excellent food and service!

Eiffel Tower Summit Ticket

Paris

Medieval Paris - St Chapelle, Notre Dame & Conciergerie

Paris

2CV Private Tour Paris Highlights

Paris

Our driver was fun and informative!

Meet and greet at your hotel in Paris : step into the shoes of a Parisian local !

Paris

Very helpful. Took us down in the Metro and helped us buy tickets, walked us around the area.

Overall everything was amazing. The hotels they picked were top notch and transportation was seamless. We had one day without a transport which was odd, but not a big deal. I will say I wish they had recommended setting up an ATV or car rental on the islands in order to see more. There is a lot to do a see on Paros and I while the sailing trip was nice, it took the whole day and I wish we had explored the in and instead. We got an ATV for the afternoon but it wasn’t enough. The same could be said of Sifnos - but we rented E Bikes on our own and it was fun. It is hard to know what to do and plan it all and KimKim was great in that aspect. I would definitely use them again as they were great, this was the only one thing and it was minor.

In every location we had great guides and drivers who made it a fun, informative and entertaining adventure. The accommodations , tours, meals and entertainment were above expectations. The high points were staying in a monastery in Alcobaça, the Douro valley tour and Pacheco winery, Porto—it was all wonderful. Great guides Nuno and John and drivers Manuel and Joao (sp?). A wonderful Portugal experience. Thanks, Joao and Kim Kim!

Switzerland was the most amazing country with beauty and interest. From Zurich to Montreux each had its own charm. I found Lucern and Interlaken had a great amount of interest and could of spent more time in each easily. Our guide for the Secrets of the Black Forest went above and beyond showing us villages in France and Germany and then the Black Forest itself. We also toured Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald near Interlaken which was magical. Took a cable car to a mountain top viewing the whole area below, saw the Eiger peak and went to the restaurant at the top. Very beautiful and memorable. Montreux was relaxing and serene and Geneva a very French city scape. A wonderful vacation which I feel fortunate to have experienced. Kim Kim Travel helped make that happen.

Hotel Reviews

Eastwest Hotel

Geneva

Good location in Geneva where you can walk across the lake bridge to the center of town and then into old town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel Wellenberg

Zurich

This was a very clean and well appointed hotel and rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Very charming and comfortable.

Location

The location was great as it was in the center of old town and near enough to walk to other areas of the city.

Staff

Very helpful staff at the front desk

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mona Montreux Hotel

Montreux

This hotel is located in a beautiful area on the promenade with amazing views and centrally located where you can walk easily to things.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff was very helpful in guiding us to restaurants and sites nearby.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Metropole Hotel Interlaken

Interlaken

The room had an amazing view of the Jungfrau Alps Peak, and the overall park below. The room was spacious and clean and very comfortable. Their staff was very helpful also.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located and most interesting sites can be easily walk to.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Hofgarten Luzern

Luzern

Friendly and wonderful staff and excellent food at their restaurant. The buffet breakfast was well appointed and delicious.

Authenticity & Character

The character and charm of the rooms

Location

It is central located.

Staff

Very helpful. The wait staff at the restaurant are excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Free time at Lake Brienz

Switzerland

Quality of Experience

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

At leisure : Lauterbrunnen

Switzerland

Toured the little village of Lauterbrunnen Valley, there is a nice waterfall nearby and there is a train there also for transport. The town is not large so you can walk through it with ease and there are nice little stores and places to eat

Quality of Experience

Lo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-guided day to Mount Rigi, the Queen of Mountains

Switzerland

Was exciting to take the cog wheel train up to the top at Rigi Kulm.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Secrets of the Black Forest (private/approx 10h)

Zürich

This was a private all day tour with a wonderful guide who took time for detail on showing us the most he could during the day without being rushed. He made it very pleasant and exciting.

Quality of Experience

Mo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Swiss Travel Pass

Switzerland

The Swiss travel pass is a must to have as it covers all your transportation, including the golden pass express train. We found it helpful to use for the cable car in Grindenwald and also to get us into the Chillon castle in Montrose with no extra cost. We also used it for the boat on Lake Lucerne and the Rigi Mountain cogwheel train up the mountain.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I enjoyed having kimkim as a partner on our family trip to Norway. From the early planning provided by Anders to the actual booking and logistics provided by Fenne, the operations and support team were excellent. I also appreciated Riccardo's proactive intervention to advise on a dinner reservation in Solvorn. Norway is a beautiful country and kimkim handled all of the legwork and coordination to make this a smooth and delightful experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hotell Utsikten

Geiranger

It gets 4 stars primarily due to location, but other wise I was not real impressed with the hotel. Again we stayed only one night. No elevators and only one e-car charger was working.

Authenticity & Character

This is an older hotel and it exudes a charm all its own.

Location

Proximity to views of Geiranger.

Staff

Everyone was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bathrooms were small but adequate.

Walaker Hotel

Solvorn

Walaker is deep in history and tradition. My family had the pleasure to meet the owner and he took us on a brief tour of the original hotel building. We loved its beautiful location, but unfortunately could not stay long enough to see the historic church that is a ferry ride away. We also experienced a wonderful four-course dinner and the room was relatively secluded and private.

Authenticity & Character

You can feel the history!

Location

Nestled down a hill on the shores of Lustrafjord. Charming community with lots of history. Hiking nearby.

Staff

Everyone was very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quality Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

We only stayed one night and found the hotel to be clean and comfortable. Staff could have been a little more proactive by informing kimkim (or me) in advance that on the day of departure a marathon was being held which would shut down several roads in the city, including the road the hotel is on. Making our way to the airport was a mini-adventure.

Authenticity & Character

Location and layout of the common areas (reception, dining room, sitting rooms, etc.) contributed to the charm of the hotel.

Location

Enjoyed the location on the bay and found it was well positioned within a fun part of the city, close to restaurants and shopping. Would like to point out that in very close walking distance to the hotel there was a Chinese restaurant called HK. My family thought it was the best Chinese restaurant we ever ate in. The food was fresh, excellently prepared and tasted wonderful. This is saying a lot because we have dined in countless Chinese restaurants back home.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel

Bergen

Stayed only one night. Staff are friendly. The elevators did not work properly the day we were there and appeared to be undergoing maintenance, probably not a big deal. However, worth noting is the elevator does not go down to the parking garage so bags needed to be brought in through the 1st floor lobby. Hotel room was clean and comfortable. What we really like about this hotel was its location. Bergen is a beautiful city and we were in walking distance of restaurants, shops, fun stores, and the harbor. We were also close to a funicular train that takes you up a hill for great views of the city.

Authenticity & Character

I think you could learn to love this hotel just based on its location.

Location

Great location with lots to do and see. Bergen is a completely charming city, and like all of Norway, everyone was quite friendly.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Art Nouveau Discovery by E-Bike

Ålesund

Had to cancel due to a misunderstanding on the departure time.

Geraingerfjord Safari by RIB

Geiranger

Great views of Geiranger. Informative and entertaining ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff