Kimkim Trip Reviews

We decided to use Kimkim to organise our holiday for us. Having just completed our tour of Norway, we are delighted with the smooth planning of our trip. Our specialist Kimkim guide Mar had been in contact to check everything was going to plan which certainly gave us a lot of confidence. The local knowledge provided by Kimkim has been great, we really would not have been able to have done all this planning ourselves.
We especially loved the chosen accommodation which was always central to where we needed to be. Suggestions for activities while exploring Oslo, Flam and Bergen has been outstanding.
We will always recommend Kimkim to our friends and will be using Kimkim again ourselves.
We love to get around and explore different countries on our own. But Kimkim took away the stress of finding the right accommodation, train schedules, which enabled us to concentrate on simply planning our sightseeing.

Hotel Review

Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz

Bergen

Great location and top breakfast. Staff were very helpful. We had a very enjoyable stay.

Authenticity & Character

Modern hotel

Location

Short walk to the waterfront and the Bergen houses.

Staff

Staff assisted us to find a great restaurant for dinner close by.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We were very pleased with our room

Activity Review

Round Trip Fjord Cruise & Bus Transfer via Gudvangen

Norway

This was our top pick of our activities while exploring Norway. The scenery was stunning. It was great to be able to step inside to warm up, then to go up to the top deck for those once in a lifetime photograph's. The return bus was waiting and we found the activity ran smoothly. We were pleased everything ran to time, as we had a train to catch later in the day.

Quality of Experience

The gorgeous scenery was simply breathtaking

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff were always helpful and answered any questions

Transport

Kimkim had expert experience in providing information regarding our transport needs

We had only 5 days in Costa Rica and the trip planned by kimkim was excellent. We arrived in San Jose late and were picked up for a van ride to La Fortuna. The hotel was very nice and had an excellent restaurant, great masseuses, and several thermal pools. We visited the Arenal Volcano and walked up the 1968 Lava Tube trail. This trail was rocky, slippery and difficult, especially for older people or people not in good shape. This was not mentioned or discussed in planning or by the guides. That being said, the guides were helpful and knowledgeable. The noctural frog excursion with traditional dinner was our favorite part of the trip. The hosts were gracious, the food excellent, and the guides found lots of creatures to point out. We then went by van to Manuel Antonio National Park. The hotel was beautiful with stunning views. Our guide through the park was excellent. We were in a van for many hours getting to La Fortuna and then to Quepos then to San Jose. We often shared with others and 1-2 times were picked up first and drove around picking up others for 1.5. hours instead of moving on to our destination. The trip went on schedule and everything was on time until the last day of our trip. We were supposed to visit a spice farm outside Quepos but the tour never showed up. The number provided to contact the spice farm tour never connected. Our van to San Jose wasn't to pick us up for many hours and we had already checked out of the hotel. We did not want to sit in the heat for many hours so we asked kimkim to get us transport back to San Jose as soon as possible. We did this via their app (we did not have a phone number for direct contact). Kimkim could get transport but not for hours and the hotel told us they could arrange transport earlier which they did. We asked kimkim to reimburse the cost of the transport and refund the spice tour, which they did within 3-5 days after our trip. Our flight was very early in the am and our transport was late. There were celebrations in the city and traffic was horrible at 10 pm at night. Still, the transport van should have accounted for these delays. Overall, the trip was well planned, but we did not enjoy the long van rides or the gaffs with transport. An option would be to rent a car and drive yourself between sights.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Incredible views and service. This hotel limits towels which I have never experienced before. If your towel was wet and you wanted a clean one, you had to turn in the wet one to get the clean towel. The views were stunning from the room which was spacious and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Water Resort

La Fortuna

This was a very nice hotel and all the staff were helpful and courteous. The thermal pools were either warm or really hot (so hot none of us could get in).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Presidente

San José

Lovely hotel with good restaurants. We never spent time off the property except in a van because we were only in San Jose at night or early morning and were told not to walk around at night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Guide was very good and we saw lots of things in the park.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nocturnal Frog Excursion & Traditional Costa Rican Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Terrific experience all round.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We cannot say enough amazing things about our travel agent, Adeline, for coordinating what was truly the vacation of a lifetime. We have traveled to many places around the world, but this was by far the best vacation we have ever taken. From start to finish, we took full advantage of every single moment of this trip.

The itinerary was perfectly designed, starting in Fukuoka and ending in Tokyo, with every destination, hotel, and experience thoughtfully planned. Everything was meticulously mapped out—from what to see, to how to get there, and even where and what to eat. The balance between culture, food, sightseeing, and free time was absolutely spot-on. We experienced Japan in a way we never could have planned on our own.

While we could have selected the places we wanted to visit, thanks to Adeline, the logistics were flawless. We never wasted time figuring things out, moving inefficiently, or missing opportunities. Her planning ensured we were always in the right place at the right time, giving us more time to see, do, and truly enjoy Japan.

We provided a list of key things we wanted to see and took advice from Adeline (who has lived in Japan) to ensure the entire trip was perfectly customized to our interests and travel style.

We also had full support throughout the trip. For example, when unforeseen circumstances required us to change the following day’s plans, Adeline adjusted the entire itinerary within hours and sent us a complete, updated plan without any disruption to our experience.

Every detail was handled with care—transportation, accommodations, timing, and recommendations were completely seamless. We felt supported the entire time while still having the freedom to enjoy the adventure stress-free.

This was hands-down the best vacation of our lives, and it’s 100% thanks to the expertise, planning, and passion Adeline put into making this dream trip a reality. If you’re considering traveling to Japan, or anywhere… do yourself a favor and book with her. You will not be disappointed.

Highly recommended!

Hotel Reviews

Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu

Hakone

A little disappointed couldn't use the onsen due to tattoos so couldn't give full review as we couldn't experience the main point of this hotel. Besides that the room and location is very authentic and gives nice experience

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Hotel Tokyo

Tokyo

Great experience at this hotel from the location to the staff. They made the experience special

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Sightseeing in Arashiyama

Kyoto

Very nice nature spot but be prepared for allot of people. Recommend getting the guys that run you around on a carriage tour for more vip experience. The monkey park was cool but you need to climb to the top of the mountain to get there. The area in general is beautiful and su much to do

Quality of Experience

Transport

Onsen, Ryokan, and Mt. Fuji Experience in Hakone

Hakone

Couldn't use the onsen because of tattoos and is main selling point of the hotel. Was able to use private onsen in the room which was ok. The room is meant to be traditional which was nice experience. Cable cars were shut down most the day due to wind. Pirate ship was nice. Pay the vip to get more private experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Difficult to move around this area. Used taxi allot not to waste time

Sumo Morning Practice

Tokyo

The Google address to the location is wrong so when you get there they have a sign to go to the right address which made us arrive late to the event which was disappointing since being 30 min late to an event that was only 1 hour we lost allot of time. Besides that was great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Google address provided was incorrect causing delay

Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

The tea ceremony was very nice to dress up and be explained how the tea ceremony works. The samurai Ninja experience was a bit anticlimactic and more tailored to children. We could have skipped the samurai part and only don't the tea ceremony

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tea ceremony staff was great. Samurai guide not so much

Transport

Easy to find

What a wonderful experience! We traveled to Germany in December 2025 and started planning around March. Lucie, our advisor, was incredible from the start. She listened to what we wanted the trip to be like, suggested itineraries and adjustments to help us make the trip our own. She guided us through logistics including how much we wanted to spend, type of transport (trains, bus, etc), type of hotel, group vs private tours, etc.

Lucie took care of all the logistics and made sure we had all information needed. It was truly a concierge experience where we showed up without worrying about any of the details and made the trip much more enjoyable.

The selections for hotel, guides, etc were perfect based on the information we provided. Every tour experience was educational and enjoyable and Lucie made sure to leave us free time in the evenings, which we requested. I have family members using KimKim for their upcoming trips based on our experience and we will definitely use KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

Haus im Tal

München

This is a club pretending to be a hotel. Rooms are more to make a statement than be functional. Comfortable beds but minimal storage. Noisy. Great location for access to old town, but not restorative. No lobby, check in is in the bar.

Authenticity & Character

It had character, just not one we enjoyed

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Showers smelled, carpets were old

Scandic Nürnberg Central

Nürnberg

Amazing hotel. Truly 5 stars.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dorint Hotel Dresden

Dresden

A little out of date

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

25hours Hotel HafenCity

Hamburg

Amazing character!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Solid, nothing extraordinary

Cleanliness & Comfort

Garner Berlin - Mitte, an IHG Hotel

Berlin

A very simple hotel; one where the difference between American and European ratings was more prominent. The bathroom was basically in the bedroom.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near checkpoint charlie

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Munich WWII Combo: Third Reich & Dachau Tour

Munich

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nuremberg Combo Tour WW2 + Old Town

Nuremberg

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dresden Old Town Walking Tour

Dresden

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Tour With Licensed Guide

Berlin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explore Berlin Highlights & History Tour

Berlin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

UNESCO Warehouse District Tour

Hamburg

Incredible tour with local knowledgeable guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

In general, the platform is very good for information, reserving and paying.
There was however, the issue that the information always referred to 6 persons, so it was unclear even after opening the link that indeed there were 7 of us taking for example, the group walking tour in Nürnberg. There was also a delay in your responses before and during the trip.

I only joined the group from Munich to Nürnberg. Normally, I would have never paid 1000,00 Euro + for a weekend in Nürnberg - since the price only included train from Munich to Nürnberg (price is about 30 Euro), the hotel which included breakfast for 2 nights and a short walking tour. I went thru your platform so that I could be with the group, but the price performance was poor.

The group was disappointed that there was no transfer service from the Nürnberg train station to the hotel. It was not a long distance, but with luggage, and walking thru cobble streets and a crowd one day after the majority landed from the USA was to tiring for them.

Your proposal for the 1 Michelin star restaurant was not appropriate. Apparently the group was not familiar with Michelin restaurants. We ended up eating at a restaurant very close to the hotel where we made the reservation, and we were all very happy with the service, and the food.

Hope my constructive criticism is helpful.

Wishing you all a Happy Holidays,
Susan

The Local guide, Natasha(?), in Nuremberg was excellent.
The local guide, (?), in Lucerne was excellent.

Hotels were all nice and staff were friendly.

Tickets issues with train from Basel to Lucerne, boat ride in Lucerne, and maybe others. Kathleen has details. KimKim staff helped to address issues.

The cities we visited were wonderful and the Christmas markets were beautiful.

Hola
Este viaje fue increible , muchas experiencia juntas y toda la familia las disfruto mucho, especialmente nuestra nieta Olivia, para ella fue especial , no esperabamos estan ta cerca de la fauna de galapagos, y Quito muy bonito y muy limpio , Los guias fueron muy atentos a nosotros y nos llevaron a nuestro paso. Gracias por compartir su bello pais con nosotros , se los agradezco , esperamos volver.

Gracias

Hotel Reviews

Ilatoa Lodge

Quito

Unas cabañas bien Lindas, y comodas , una vista preciosa

Authenticity & Character

Lo sencilla y bonita que esta presentada

Location

La belleza y originalidad

Staff

Son super amables con nosotros

Cleanliness & Comfort

No, todo con un detalle especial , y muy tranquilo

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Un lugar muy bonito y cerca de todo

Authenticity & Character

un lugar muy especial y original

Location

cerca de todo, caminando llegas a todos lados

Staff

muy amables

Cleanliness & Comfort

lo recomendaria a otras personas , exelente hotel

El Barranco

Santa Cruz

Cercano, comodo, justo al lado de la Iglesia, muelle, y de todo nos encanto

Authenticity & Character

muy comodo, y centrio

Location

en el centro de todo

Staff

muy amables

Cleanliness & Comfort

todo muy limpio y ordenado

Mercure Alameda Quito

Quito

exelente Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

super centrico

Staff

super

Cleanliness & Comfort

perfect

Activity Reviews

Explore Tortuga Bay & Charles Darwin Station

Puerto Ayora

Fue un lugar hermoso y lleno de vida, mucha vida marina , increible

Quality of Experience

Lo Hermoso que es esa Isla

Food

todo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Muy atentos a nosotros

Transport

El personal muy amables y atentos

Embracing Nature's Giants: Exploring Santa Cruz Island's Highlands

Galapagos Islands

Fue algo muy especial para nosotros

Quality of Experience

nunca habiamos visto algo asi

Guides, Drivers and Staff

el trato, muy especial

Transport

muy atentos

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Private Transfer to Puerto Ayora

Puerto Ayora

Todo exelente

Quality of Experience

lo diferente que es el lugr

Guides, Drivers and Staff

exelente y pacientes

Transport

muy amables

Family Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo - Middle of the World

Quito

fue increible y facinante

Quality of Experience

Es un lugar bien organizado y hermoso

Food

De las mejores comidas de sur America

Guides, Drivers and Staff

exelentes

Transport

fue exelente

Welcome to Ecuador: Let Your Adventure Begin! (Transportation Service)

Galapagos Islands

Grandiosa , No me imaginaba que seria así.

Quality of Experience

Quito y Galapos son hermosos y la gente muy amable

Guides, Drivers and Staff

nuestro guia , Fue muy amable y gentil

Transport

muy comodo y complaciente

This was our first trip to Japan and my wife and I were looking for an active and immersive cultural experience in addition to exploring the traditional tourist destinations such as Tokyo and Kyoto. I had read about the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail network in the Kii Peninsula and thought that would be the perfect choice combination of a challenging activity within a more rural area of Japan. It was quickly apparent that I would need a travel specialist to help me understand the options, logistics and booking of accommodations while on the Kumano Kodo. I heard about Kimkim through a Condé Naste article no thought to give them a try. What a great decision to contact Kimkim! I was connected to Stefaan in their Kyoto office and it was an easy and enjoyable experience to plan and book the trip from that point on. We were on the trail for six nights and Stefaan booked a selection of small hotels/onsen ryokans and guesthouses which were each an amazing experience in Japanese hospitality and cuisine. Kimkim partnered with Oku Japan to book and organize the hiking trail maps, transportation logistics and accommodations and everything was exactly as promised and exceeded our expectations. We hiked a total of 72 km and 3,600 m of vertical elevation gain over five days on the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo and it was a fantastic experience. I unreservedly recommend Kimkim and Oku Japan to as travel specialists to explore this unique and special part of the world!

We started to plan our trip to Pagaonia in April, 2024. We had been to this area before, and I thought it was one of the most beautiful places we had ever been. Having used Kimkim to plan our 2023 trip to South America and other trips, I wanted to use their services again. Having Riwal as our advisor was a wonderful experience. His communication was stellar! He responded quickly and was sensitive to our needs and requests. When our son, Justin, decided to go with us muh later inthe process. we were able to add him to the tours, and Riwal was absolutely wonderful in helping with his hotels and transfers. When a tour was cancelled, Riwal immediately gave us other options and then processed a refund when we decided to spend the afternoon on our own.

We had a fantastic local coordinator named Jose Luis who was so instrumental in making things work. When our morning tour to Magdalena Island to see the penguins was cancelled and then commenced without prior notice(except for a 7am knock on our door when we were sound asleep), Jose arranged for us to join the afternoon tour and to take the 8:00 pm bus to Puerto Natales. It all worked out perfectly-actually better than the original plans.

Probably one of the most determining factor of our trip enjoyment was our private guide and driver, "Nacho". Late in the planning process, Riwal suggested having a private guide on our full day tour of Torres del Paine. This is what I wanted to begin with, so I was happy to do so. Nacho was so good, that we continued to forego the group tours and have us as our private guide and driver the next two days. He was knowledgeable, personable and flexible with our needs and requests. He and our son Justin forged a tight bond and lasting friendship. We absolutely loved our trip to Punta Arenas and to Puerto Natales. Thank you Kimkim, Riwal, Jose Luis and Nacho for making this happen.

Hotel Review

Best Western Patagonia / Hotel Borde Glaciar

Puerto Natales

Our room was beautiful with a stunning view. It is out of town a bit, so a taxi was needed each time we decided to go into Puerto Natales. The cost is only around 5000 pesos($5 USD)

Authenticity & Character

T

Location

The view is beautiful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Torres del Paine National Park - Panoramic Tour

Chile

The most beautiful place on this earth! Get Nacho as your guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nacho is wonderful!

Transport

Magdalena Island - Penguin Encounter Half Day Tour

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tierra del Fuego - King Penguin

Punta Arenas

Absolutely worth your while to go see the King penguins.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was spectacular. Jesse did an amazing job shepherding us through each step of our adventure. She accommodated a number of last minute requests for documents promptly and she made a series of changes to our itinerary as the trip was unfolding with a great "can do" attitude. There is no way we could have coordinated all of the connections on our own. Thank you Jesse!

Can you do it by yourself? Maybe, but if you work with kimkim, you KNOW they'll get it right.

This was my second assisted trip. I didn't have the time to plan my own itinerary, and having gotten myself to the other side of the world, I knew I didn't want to mess around bumbling around and going to beaches that weren't the right vibe. Bella put together the perfect itinerary for me, combining some excursions for snorkeling, rock climbing and sea kayaking with some planned downtime. Without Bella, I never would have known about Koh Yao Noi as a possibility. She was able to troubleshoot minor issues as they arose during the trip and was always there to make sure I got to my next stop safely.

I consider myself a fairly competent and confident traveler and still, it was really comforting to know that Bella was there to backstop me if I needed help with last minute arrangements (like when my solo climbing excursion turned into a two- then three-person outing) and that the people they're connected with are reliable and reputable. As a solo woman traveler, it was reassuring to know that I wouldn't end up with some untried guide.

I think there was a lack of communication once our trip plan was transferred to Emmanuelle.

Hotel Reviews

Cascada Boutique Hotel

Lucerne

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Tandem Strasbourg

Strasbourg

Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was very small. It seems it might have been the smallest room in the hotel.

Karl August - a Neighborhood Hotel

Nürnberg

Wonderful Hotel. Great Staff. Excellent location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Size if the rooms were good. Separate toilet room was a plus!

Activity Reviews

Private transfer to Airport

Lucerne

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

History Walking Tour w/ Chocolate & Cheese Tastings

Lucerne

What a wonderful experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private day tour of Alsace

France

This was a disappointment. I don't think it was the guide's fault. I think there was miscommunication between what was originally told to us by Fanny and the tour that was excecuted. We thought we would be touring a Vineyard Estate and instead ended up in yet another town with a Christmas Market. The castle tour was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour of Strasbourg

Strasbourg

Very knowledgeable guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Walking Tour of Nuremberg

Nuremberg

Our guide was very knowledgeable and showed us interesting things in Nuremburg.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing time visiting Japan. Cory was fully present and extremely helpful from start to finish of our trip. I appreciate her organization of paperwork, bullet train tickets, chronological order of documents, and specific instructions on using each. This made getting around easy. We loved our guides, especially Pam. She is generous and kind and took us to places not on our itinerary. All the food tours were unique and enjoyable. Cory tweaked our itinerary based on our requests and offered unique experiences. I will recommend her services to friends. I appreciate having to ways to see Mt Fuji since Hakone gave us a foggy day when the ropeway wasn’t running. Along our journey people we met often asked about our favorite experience, a question I could not answer because each moment offered something special. That’s a credit to Cory. I do think it would be helpful to tweak itineraries a bit based on seasons as December days are shorter than spring and summer.

Hotel Reviews

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Love the library decor and display of paper products.

Location

An easy walk to a station to catch the train.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Suiun

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Hiroshima-ekimae

Authenticity & Character

This hotel is part of a high rise and has exceptional views but is very modern.

Location

Great location in relation to Hiroshima Station but a ways from attractions.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

KAYA Kyoto Nijo Castle

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

A bit off the beaten path.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kanazawa

Kanazawa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to walk to major attractions.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Miyako City Tokyo Takanawa

Even though the room was small, it was organized well and offered a good view and seating. Love the wet room and efficient use of space.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A good place to start given the Gateway across the street.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

We were the only ones in this tour, and it felt as though the guide was going through the motions. The entire experience was rushed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nishiki Market Brunch Walking Food Tour

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Nara Day Trip with Half Day Walking Tour (Lunch included)

Japan

The deer are aggressive!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony with Kimono Wearing (Higashiyama)

Japan

Quality of Experience

You might discover you like matcha tea.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our host was fascinated by the size of my husband’s hands. 🤣

Private Kyoto Temples & Gion Tour

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pam is an amazing guide. She knows all the best photo spots.

Transport

Discover the secret gems of Kanazawa - Private Walking Tour

Kanazawa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Izakaya food tour in Shinjuku (14 small tastings)

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Max was very knowledgeable and personable.

Meiji Jingu Shrine with Private Guide

Tokyo

Our guide knows a lot about the Shinto religion and made it possible for us to attend a service offered only a few times a year. This was a special day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sumo Show with special, sumo nabe lunch included

Tokyo

Tons of fun and laughs w/ excellent audience participation. Very good food and service, too. They give you a photo and a gift bag.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Asakusa, Senso-ji Temple, Nakamise Dori with Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

Tokyo

Loved visiting the temple but felt a bit rushed by our guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide needs to know the exchange rate. I think he gave me the Euro or British pound rate when I asked. I should have checked the rate myself.

Transport

It’s hard to know where to start about the wonderful time we had on our trip to Costa Rica. First it was a pleasure working with Olman to plan our itinerary. We listed the top attractions we wanted to see with lodging and transportation at a reasonable price and Olman really delivered.

The weather was mostly sunny and the landscape was lush and green from the previous wet season. On our well organized tours we saw a wide variety of wildlife and our guides were informative and helped us take amazing pictures we could not have gotten on our own. Our accommodations were clean and comfortable with pools and easy access to townsites and beaches. Transportation to all areas of the country was mostly on time and fairly pleasant. We also had ample down time where we could plan our own activities or just relax. Any issues we had with scheduling were not disruptive or affect our itinerary negatively.

Overall it was a fantastic experience and I would recommend this service to everyone.

Hotel Reviews

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton

San José

The hotel itself was very modern and clean with a nice restaurant

Authenticity & Character

Location

Where we were was OK but would not recommend walking around at night in some areas of the downtown

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Playa Espadilla

Manuel Antonio

Best hotel we stayed in. Wonderful pool and cabanas plus very nice bar area and restaurant. We were also within easy walking distance to the beach and national park

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dreams Lodge Monteverde

Santa Elena

Hotel was very clean and comfortable and the staff was very friendly,helpful and easy to talk to.

Authenticity & Character

Location

K

Staff

Very nice staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham

Tamarindo

Fantastic hotel with amazing views of the beach and ocean plus an infinity pool

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good shuttle service

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Arenal Montechiari

La Fortuna

Nice location with amazing landscaping. Would have liked wifi in the rooms not just at the restaurant

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Auténtico Hotel

San José

Limited stay for only 1 night

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

San José City Tour

San José

Our guide took us to many parts of the city explaining the different buildings and history of San Jose. We also learned about the political development of Costa Rica.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Damas Island Boat Excursion

Manuel Antonio

Quiet boat ride though the mangroves learning about the different types and how they live in salty water. Also saw many species of birds that the guide pointed out and explained.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

This was probably the best guided hike we took as we saw and with our guide, took amazing pictures including a male, female and baby 3 toed sloths. Our guide took us back on a different path back to the entrance were we saw more beaches and flora and fauna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

We saw and took incredible photos of insects and wildlife plus a toucan. I am amazing how the guide found the animals in the dark with a small flashlight

Quality of Experience

Guide helped take amazing photos

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

Very tranquil walk though the forest with scenic views of flora and fauna with our guide getting us amazing pictures. We even saw a quetzal which we understand is a rare sight

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

I was a bit apprehensive about doing the zip lining but it turned out to be quite thrilling. Guides were very helpful. Very tranquil walk though the forest with scenic views of flora though the mist and hanging bridges were amazing. Some rain on the walk but did not affect the views

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

Our guide was excellent in his explanation of coffee, chocolate and sugarcane processing and was also had a good sense of humour

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Catamaran Sailing Excursion

Costa Rica

Beautiful and scenic catamaran ride with good drink and service plus very good staff

Quality of Experience

Views during snorkeling were not good area to murky water

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a very exciting and fun experience. Our guide was very good and described different plants and wildlife

Quality of Experience

Food

Excellent pineapple and watermelon

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Silencio Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Hike up to the volcano was nice and our guide was very informative but we could not see the volcano due to cloud. The waterfall was spectacular though the hike back up the steps was tiring for some. Have a bit of rain on both trips

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Sitting in the hot springs was very relaxing with good drink service

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Emanuela was extremely helpful - we had multiple tours cancelled because of bad weather but she managed to reschedule everything without disrupting our trip and we ended up seeing everything that we wanted to. Thank you so much Emanuela for helping us plan an unforgettable trip and making sure we had the best time!

I had a wonderful experience with Omar, our guide. We are a family of four with two young children and he accommodated all of our needs. While there were some long drives so that we could see as much of the country as possible in a short period of time, Omar made us completely comfortable, was an incredibly safe driver, and provided us with incredible context for all that we saw. Our kids had a wonderful time and we really enjoyed our time in the country. Really incredible country and worth the effort. Highly recommend this tour group and experience.

My trip to Chile was a blast! Every tour guide I met was so friendly and helpful. They really made my day trips exciting and educational.
My coordinator, Jesse, in Santiago was very knowledgeable and patient. She listened well to my needs and questions; together we worked out this fantastic 14 day itinerary in Chile from north to south, from land to island, from desert to ocean,… I had a great time! Thank you, Jesse and Kimkim, for making my trip fun and productive!

What a great trip! All of the logistics were seamless and made our travel simpler. Kathrin is fantastic. We didn’t have to focus on the little details (like how will I get from the airport to the hotel or from the hotel to town), that was especially great in the moments when we were the most tired and disoriented. Poof! You’re settled in your hotel room and you have time to get your bearings, figure out what you’d like to see and do, maybe even take a moment to relax and enjoy the view. I’ve never had a vacation like that before. All of our activities were curated based on our interests, with tweaks in the planning phase to be sure we made the most of our time in this new place.

Things weren’t perfect, I don’t think that’s possible. Some locations or activities didn’t match our expectations and some events were cancelled due to weather. In retrospect, it’s easy to see where some details were lost in communication—on both ends—but this was a brand-new experience for everyone. We’ve never been to New Zealand and we’ve never travelled like this, meaning we’ve always managed all of our plans and arrangements. There’s a lot of information and preferences in my head that I didn’t think to communicate. And, even though you do this for a living, you’ve never done it for us before. You don’t know us or what we like, but you sure tried really hard to figure us out and accommodate our requests. We’re very grateful for that.

Even when things went wrong or were mildly disappointing, it was still an amazing adventure. How could it be otherwise? We were exploring a new place that is absolutely stunning and is home to really kind and friendly people. Rainy day? Cancelled hike? Time to go for a drive and enjoy the scenery, maybe get a cup of coffee and people watch.

We really appreciate everything you did for us. You were so thorough and thoughtful. Thank you!

Some highlights:

Doubtful Sound. The sound is gorgeous but we also enjoyed the bus ride there. There were so many rainbows!

TranzAlpine Train. Every bit of that day was outstanding. We were booked at the Scenic Plus fare which meant our own table with lots of delicious local food and drinks. The attendants were delightful. After a couple of hours of luxury travel we got off the train and hiked around Arthur’s Pass, then more food and drink on the ride back to Christchurch.

Waiheke Island. The hop-on/hop-off bus was good. We chose to go to a winery that was off the main route so we had to use a local bus and walk for a bit. It was totally worth it. We were the only people there. We sat on a deck with a beautiful view (including highland cows!) and enjoyed yummy wine and cheese.

Glowworm cave and kayak trip. Tom was our guide. He was really personable and patient, he had to deal with three inexperienced kayakers and it was pretty windy. He cooked for us, told us stories and kept the conversation going. We were treated to an enormous, orange moonrise. Spectacular! And the stars. Then we got to see the glowworms, so cool. We were soaked to the bone and really tired, but we loved it.

Lupines. They’re beautiful. It’s a shame they’re an introduced species.

Driving. There are views everywhere! It was nice taking it all in.

Hotel Reviews

M Social

Auckland

Super modern and clean. Very attentive staff. But everyone was very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was too attentive for our tastes. We realize they were doing their jobs the way they've been told to, but we don't like being asked by everyone we pass--every meter or so--if we're okay.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Regal Palms Resort

Rotorua

Decor and some of the amenities (no USB outlets) are dated, but everything is spotlessly clean and the staff are really helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina Heritage Christchurch

Christchurch

Decor and some of the amenities (no USB outlets) are dated, but everything is spotlessly clean and the staff are really helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Peppers Bluewater Resort

Lake Tekapo

Decor and some of the amenities (no USB outlets) are dated, but everything is spotlessly clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heritage Queenstown

Queenstown

Decor and some of the amenities (no USB outlets) are dated, but everything is spotlessly clean and the staff are really helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Waiheke Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

New Zealand

The ferry to Waiheke was relaxing with pretty views. The hop-on hop-off tour was cute and allowed many opportunities to explore the island.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Zipline Canopy Tour (Ultimate)

Rotorua

Terrifying and fun all at once.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Starlight Gourmet Kayak Tour - Glowworm Caves

Rotorua

Really beautiful nighttime adventure. The glowworms were cool, but just a small part of it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Hell's Gate Experience (Geothermal site and Mud Bath and Sulphur Spa)

Rotorua

The mud baths were soothing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We didn't really interact with staff, it was mostly self-guided

Transport

I drove myself

Te Pā Tū - Maori Cultural Experience

Rotorua

We had a nice time and we enjoyed learning about the Maori culture. The entire experience felt a little exploitative to us. We were glad to support the Maori.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christchurch - Scenic train to Arthur's Pass return (TranzAlpine) in Scenic Plus class cabin

Christchurch

Great! Luxurious. Really lovely attendants and absolutely delicious food.

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Tekapo Springs - StarGazing

Lake Tekapo

Hard to rate the experience because it was cloudy, which is obviously not their fault. They provided a VR experience instead of stargazing, it wasn't very interesting to me.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I drove myself

Dart River Funyak Safari

New Zealand

Fun, but a little too long. The boats were fun and so was the rafting, but taking an extended lunch break wasn't necessary. Maybe it would have been more enjoyable if the weather was nicer, but it was raining and I think most people would have preferred to end the trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Doubtful Sound Day Cruise from Queenstown

New Zealand

Staff and guides were super communicative. We knew exactly what to expect and where to go and they provided a lot of information about NZ history and culture

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was so easy. All of my transportation was arranged. Every guide I met in each location was helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable. They went out of their way to help me get plenty of pictures on our tours. When I ran into a flight delay due to weather, Bella immediately helped rearrange my ground transportation and room accommodations and really helped turn it all into a minor inconvenience rather than a major travel setback. The location choices and excursions were thoughtful. I had a wonderful trip and it couldn't have been easier to arrange all of it.

I would like to thank the Kim Kim team and Responsible travel, especially Riwal, Angel, Eduardo and Jenny. We just spent 10 days in Santiago, Valparaiso, and Cascada de las Animas and had a wonderful experience. The wine experiences were fabulous especially Aconcagua Farms. Santiago is a modern and vibrant city and our City tours with Angel and Jenny were great. The empanada, ceviche and Churro cooking class that Jenny did for us was really well done. We felt as though we had been invited into their home. The street art tour that Angel did for us in Valparaiso was one of my favorite experiences. Angel's knowledge of the artists and the history was inspiring. We finished our week at Cascada de las Animas, in the Andean foothills, Horseback riding and ziplining. The place was beautiful the food was great and the people so warm and helpful. I highly recommend the Kim Kim team for anyone considering international travel.

Hotel Reviews

Cascada de las Animas

San Alfonso

What a fun stay, the staff and experiences were great. Some of the best food we had in Chile, Highly recommended

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Higueras Hotel

Valparaiso

Fabulous hotel, the staff and food were great. Highly recommended

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Quintero Coastal Experience + Visit to Aconcagua Farms

Chile

Swimming in the Pacific, visiting the local fish market and having the best Clams ever this was a great day, it was topped off with a visit to Aconcagua Farms, which has to be one of my favorite winery experiences ever and we live in California.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Chilean Food Tour & Picnic with a View of Santiago

Santiago

I really love visiting local markets like this and Angel was an excellent guide and very knowledgable.

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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