Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our Japan tour had something for everyone. We especially enjoyed the smaller places- Hakone, Koyasan and Nara. Food was excellent, kids stayed interested and we decided before we had even left that we will need to go back!

Hotel Reviews

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

Great location and big breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near station , shrine and restaurants in Asakusa

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MIMARU Osaka Shinsaibashi West

Good for families, otherwise quite basic

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mimaru Kyoto Station

Kyoto

Close to Kyoto station. Fairly basic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not near many sights, but close to station.

Staff

Lo

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mt. Koya temple stay

Koyasan

Authentic Japanese temple stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the center of town

Staff

Friendly and explained everything well

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku

Tokyo

Gritty neighborhood, only dirty place we encountered in Japan. Inside the rooms were quite small, even by Japan standards. Didn’t find the novelty of the Godzilla to outweigh the vibe of the neighborhood that was not at all family friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good if you want that specific scene, but not our vibe.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tokyo Discovery: From Traditional Landmarks to Akihabara’s Anime Haven

Tokyo

Samurai and Ninja Museum with Experience

Kyoto

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Excellent way to enjoy kimonos and participate in a tea ceremony

Quality of Experience

Full Day Osaka Discovery with Cup Noodles Museum

Osaka

The Cup Noodles museum was fun, but we didn’t need a guide here and she didn’t even help us by translating despite participating in the activity herself. She was hard to hear and kids thought she was mean

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka-Nara Day Trip

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was excellent and gave us some personalized tips.

Transport

A Hands-on Cooking Experience: Nigiri Sushi and More

Tokyo

A bit long for our group- more geared toward adults

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I had an absolutely outstanding experience with Kimkim Travels. From start to finish, every detail of our trip to Peru was thoughtfully planned and perfectly organized. Everything ran on time, transportation was smooth, and the entire itinerary felt seamless.

One thing that really impressed us was how attentive they were to our vegetarian diet. They selected fantastic restaurants throughout Peru where we could enjoy authentic food without worrying about our dietary needs. Every recommendation was spot-on.

Our tour guide was truly exceptional — a 10 out of 10. His passion for his country was obvious in everything he shared with us. You could feel how much he loved Peru, and that made the experience even more special. From the cooking class to the Rainbow Mountain tour and of course Machu Picchu, he took such great care of us the entire time.

At every step we felt safe, comfortable, and well looked after. Traveling in a new country can sometimes feel overwhelming, but with Kimkim everything was handled so professionally that we could simply relax and enjoy the experience.

This trip was truly perfect, and I’m incredibly grateful to Kimkim Travels for making it such a memorable journey. I would highly recommend them to anyone planning a trip to Peru.

I am so grateful to all of our guides and drivers, especially Alvaro Galdos in Lima and Guido Pereira (guide) and driver Joel. They were timely and welcoming and accommodating and flexible which made all the difference in providing the best, unique and meaningful experience. Of all my travels, this trip rose to one of the top vacations.

Hotel Reviews

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Beautiful hotel with friendly staff. Would have given 5 stars but the room was too hot. For 2 people, 5 stars. For 3 people, it was a bit crowded.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Had to request enough towels. Boxed breakfast was not very good. Requested coffee to go before our tour and never received.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa del Sol

Machu Picchu

Quaint. Didn’t have all the amenities. The bathrooms were small. We had the street side and it was very noisy. Would have been nice to have a river view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tambo del Inka Luxury Collection Resort & Spa

Urubamba

Croissants were wonderful! Lovely rooms. Friendly and accommodating staff. Sauna quite small.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort

Paracas

Gorgeous hotel and setting. Good food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Souma Hotel, Vignette Collection by IHG

Lima

Good location. Lovely hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cocalmayo Hotsprings & Coffee Experience

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Again, the setting and experiences were delightful. The hot springs were so relaxing. The coffee experience was enlightening, insightful, purposeful and enriching. The family was warm and fun.

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

Exploring Machu Picchu aboard the Hiram Bingham Train

Peru

What an exceptional experience. The train is gorgeous. Staff friendly and helpful. The scenery divine.

Quality of Experience

Food

I was surprised with my corn allergy that they served corn ceviche. However, there was plenty of food to consume.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Visit to Ollantaytambo

Peru

Charming UNESCO city. A must see. The people are so warm and friendly; learning about some of the history of Peru adds to the overall experience. Good exercise as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Perolniyoq Hike

Sacred Valley

This was a challenging hike as far as altitude and terrain. Having said that, it was a perfect hike with captivating views. Again, our driver and Guido we’re simply the best!!!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We can not say enough about how fantastic our driver and guide were!!!!!

Transport

Lunch at Hacienda Huayoccari

Sacred Valley

Stunning atmosphere! Interesting collection of artifacts. Lunch was good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pass by Pisac Market & an Andean camelid Farms

Peru

Pisac Market was ok, but overwhelming. The camels farms was perfect! The retail store offered wonderful products. The staff were kind yet l didn’t feel l had enough space to think about a purchase so l didn’t purchase anything.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ballestas Islands from a private hotel pier

Paracas

Perfect day for this tour. Alvaro kindly walked us to the dock and the drivers were knowledgeable and entertaining.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Huacachina Adventure & Ica Wineyards Exploration

Peru

Beautiful and unique setting. Interesting artifacts.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience the cuisine of Peru & its cultural history

Lima

Bianca provided an interesting ands educational tour. The food was exquisite. I was disappointed that she hasn’t shared the pictures she took.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisa was very quick to answer any questions that we had. Our trip was very well rounded and afforded us the opportunity to see many places that we wanted to see. I would highly recommend kimkim to anyone that are planning to travel.

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Not knowing where to begin when planning our trip to Finland, I started by searching online for travel specialists who focus on the Lapland region—and that’s how I came across kimkim. After completing a quick questionnaire about the type of trip we were hoping for, we were connected with Emerson, who took care of every detail from that point on.

We scheduled a Zoom call to go over our wish list and discuss the level of accommodations we had in mind. Emerson’s personal experience in the Lapland region really stood out—he offered thoughtful suggestions on where to go, what to do, and even shared valuable insight on some of the stops we were considering. We truly appreciated his honest input.

Following our call, Emerson provided a detailed itinerary that outlined everything—from accommodations to excursions to transfers. We were able to adjust it several times to better suit our schedule and interests, and he was always responsive and helpful in answering our questions leading up to the trip. During the trip itself, he remained quick to respond whenever needed.

Everything unfolded exactly as planned. The accommodations met our expectations, and the tours and excursions were led by knowledgeable, professional guides. One guide was also a professional photographer who led us through a national park and sent us home with beautiful photos of our day!
The day-by-day itinerary made everything seamless and stress-free. A couple of our northern lights tours were unfortunately canceled due to cloudy weather, but we were pleasantly surprised to receive refunds for those experiences.

We’re already looking forward to planning our next adventure and would absolutely work with kimkim again. We can’t recommend Emerson and the company highly enough—thank you for an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime trip!

We can't say enough on how perfect and wonderful our trip was. Everything from the Hotels to the excursions and tours/classes were perfect. Melanie helped up start and plan our journey back last year, she transitioned to another role and we were put into the lovely hands of Clothide and Nathalie for the final touches and our trip. We we so happy with everything! Every hotel they picked for us was perfect for each leg and environment each with fantastic views and each hotel team knowing it was our honeymoon and set up sweet welcome surprises at each check in. We already cant wait to circle back and plan on Paris, Florence and Rome trip! Thank you again to our Kimkim team!

April 2026 Trip to The Netherlands

So there are travel guides, and then there is Bas. He has completely redefined the concept of a travel guide for me. From our initial contact, I could tell he had a personal interest in getting our trip just right. Delving into our specific interests, accommodating for necessary flexibilities, and making the whole experience so personalized that I felt I was communicating with a friend, Bas left no stone unturned in crafting the perfect trip for us through Eastern Holland on our seven day bike trip.

His attention to detail, his flexibility on making changes, and his overall enthusiasm make him the best tour guide that we have ever used. He fully engaged in our subject matter (visiting World War II sites and museums), he ensured that we had the best cycling routes through the most beautiful parks and reserves, and he changed his personal schedule in order to get us to the station in time for a very early train ride home at the end of the journey.

There is no one else that I would ever consider using for a trip in Holland or the Himalayas or wherever else he may be able to work his magic. Thank you, Bas for everything and for sharing your personal interests and favorite sites with us. We look forward to sharing a beer with you upon our return!

Hotel Reviews

Blue inspired by Manna

Nijmegen

Efficient room in old mansion; slightly cold modern design; bathroom overwhelms rest of room; good breakfast; business-like relationship with staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel Westerburcht

Westerbork

Modern, efficient room but warm design; good breakfast; business-like relationship with staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Church Boutiquehotel

Arnhem

Unique & creative redesign of old space; fantastic breakfast: great location in town; no real connection to staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Gaia

Diepenveen

Gorgeous old estate on large grounds: really huge, uniquely theme-decorated rooms and multiple windows with old glass; fair breakfast; nice location near Ijssel River outside but close to town; good honor system for late night drinks; no real connection to staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel the Stamp

's Hertogenbosch

Very unique, fun, and quirky property; quite friendly staff; good breakfast; great location in town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Dames Van De Jonge

Giethoorn

Very personal touch; outstanding hospitality; exquisite food prep with extreme care & pure local ingredients; room small but door opens directly on to canal; fell asleep & awoke to birds doing the same; great relationship with locals, including builders, farmers, & artisans.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Groesbeek - Freedom Museum and Canadian War Cemetery

The Netherlands

Everyone should take their children to this site. Emotionally powerful. Seeing the graves of 19 and 20 -year-olds who died for freedom is a reminder for everyone that nothing is truly free in life.

Quality of Experience

Our experience with KimKim—and with Lisa specifically—could not have gone better on the planning side. We worked through four versions of our itinerary until it was exactly what we were looking for. Having Lisa based in the Netherlands was a real advantage; she brought local insight and helped guide us through the process in a way that gave us confidence we’d get the experience we wanted. She never pressured us or steered us in a direction we didn’t want to go, and she was always willing to adjust things as we explored different options. She also made herself available to talk, which made the process feel easy and personal.

The final itinerary was fairly priced, and after completing the trip, we felt it was very appropriate for the quality of the experience. KimKim’s app was also a strong asset—we had all of our reservations, tickets, itinerary details, and dining recommendations in one place. When we ran into an issue with our tickets to the Keukenhof, we were able to connect with Lisa via WhatsApp and resolve it quickly without impacting our day.

While in the Netherlands, Maarten served as our guide and driver. He was approachable, knowledgeable, and clearly invested in making the experience both authentic and memorable.

Overall, we couldn’t have asked for a better trip. We’ll absolutely be booking future travel with KimKim and would confidently recommend their services to others.

This is the second time I've used kimkim for international travel and they did not disappoint! Nathalie was very understanding and created the perfect itinerary for our girl's trip to Switzerland. She was even able to accommodate me when I added my son and his girlfriend to a portion of our trip. We visited Geneva, Lausanne, Interlaken & Zurich and each place had it's own beauty and charm. Switzerland is a beautiful country and all of our tours were fabulous. They included city tours, a wine tour, and one rainy day in Interlaken, our guide improvised and showed us some great places that were different from what we expected. All of the hotels were also wonderful and at the Victoria Jungfrau in Interlaken, they gave us connecting rooms so we could all hang out together at the end of each day. Kimkim also provided all of our transfers to and from each hotel so we didn't have to worry about finding our own way. They provide truly exceptional service and I will definitely be using them again!

Activity Reviews

Zurich sunset tour and Cheese Fondue

Zürich

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bern - Swiss Capital & Countryside!

Switzerland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen & Mürren tour

Switzerland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Swiss Food and Culture Tour in Interlaken!

Switzerland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local wine tasting session in Montreux / Lavaux!

Switzerland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of Geneva: Unveiling the Charms of Switzerland's Cultural Hub

Geneva

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This trip was amazing. Esteban created an awesome itinerary for us. We felt like we did the most important things with the days we had. As a company, KimKim was easy to deal with and very communicative. We would definitely use them again!

Hotel Reviews

Island Magic Beach Resort Ltd

Caye Caulker

We ended up moving to island Magic Villas which was a better fit for us

Hidden Valley Wilderness Lodge

Mountain Pine Ridge

What an amazing surprise this turned out to be. The room was comfortable and well-furnished. We had a screened in patio. The staff was super nice and always helpful. I would definitely stay here again! And the onsite restaurant, Sap & Slate was incredible. Totally exceeded our expectations!

Authenticity & Character

It was comfortable. The pool and hot tub were nice after a day out touring

Location

The hiking trails around the hotel were numerous and led to waterfalls and hidden pools.

Staff

All of the staff were so friendly and eager to please. Very well trained and passionate about their work to make us happy.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Caracol Mayan Site

Belize

Learning about the Mayan culture by visiting this city was a great experience. Our guide, Baudilio, was so passionate about sharing his knowledge with us. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

ATM Cave | Actun Tunichil Muknal

Belize

Absolutely amazing. The entire day was awesome. Rafael was so full of information, we all learned so much about the Mayan culture. Hiking in was fun and swimming in the cave was super cool!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide was amazing - he spent 12 days with us, showing us the beauty of his country. He was flexible to our requirements, a torrent of knowledge, humble and a fabulous driver!

Hotel Reviews

Goldi Sands Hotel

Negombo

Lovely rooms and two great pools. Right I. The beach but we were disappointed by the cleanliness of the beach. It was a quick stop so didn’t affect us too much.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Granbell Hotel Colombo

Colombo

Nice hotel but seemed to appeal to the young crowd rather than have a family feel. We struggled to find anywhere to sit by the pool and get towels. Right on the coast. Was good to see the commuter train roll in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Smallest room as we would expect in Colombo. Loved the toilet seat!

Ella Flower Garden Resort

Ella

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to zip line/ and Little Adam’s Peak walk.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Huge room with the most breathtaking view!

Galway Heights

Nuwara Eliya

This was our favourite place to stay! Staff were lovely ( although there were a lot of them) Hotel had a lovely feel to it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was a little isolated but in fabulous surroundings with nice walks.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fox Kandy by Fox Resorts

Heerassagala, Kandy

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was quite a long way out of town but we loved the isolation and views!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Athena Lake

Dambulla

We had a huge room. Small scale hotel - it was nice to have very personalized service. Amazing waiter.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Turtle Hatchery Visit

Sri Lanka

I question the ethics of this sanctuary. It’s hard to know really. It was interesting but some if the turtles looked sad.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Yala National Park Jeep Safari

Sri Lanka

We were lucky and saw leopards, a sloth bear and a wild pig! We were a little concerned about the number of jeeps gathered around the bear and how long they managed to get in his way for. We still enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrive in Negombo

Negombo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Ella

Sri Lanka

Kids did the zip line and pistol shooting . The morning walk was also fabulous. It was also great to be able to walk to the bridge from the hotel. Ella is a lovely little town to explore on foot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Train Ride in Sri Lanka's Hill Country (Kandy/Nuwara Eliya/ Ella)

Sri Lanka

It was a bit touch and go about whether we had tickets or not but it was a great experience sitting in 3rd class with the samosa man! Our guide went to great efforts to make sure we had seats.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour a Sri Lankan Tea Plantation

Sri Lanka

Touristy but we were the only ones there. Was fun dressing up and picking tea and walking through the factory.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Li

Transport

Discover Kandy: Temple of the Sacred Tooth visit

Kandy

Interesting - didn’t realize we couldn’t actually see the tooth! Loved hearing about the elephants!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Spice gardens, wood carving centers & gem museums in Kandy

Sri Lanka

Quite touristy but it was really interesting and we loved the ‘free’ massage.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Sri Lanka

Awesome! We left early and went back to the hotel for breakfast after. Avoided huge crowds and the heat. Beautiful views and experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Ancient Polonnaruwa

Sri Lanka

Too hot for us to enjoy really!!!! Interesting but we cut it short.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Dambulla Cave Temple Complex

Sri Lanka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

RITIGALA SANCTUARY AND ANCIENT BUDDHIST MONASTERY

Sri Lanka

Great first spot to stop. We were the only ones there which made it very special and our local guide was great. Again, it was unbearably hot!!! The guide actually invited us to his place and his wife made us cold drinks!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wilpattu National Park Wildlife Safari

Sri Lanka

Great go skiing experience bug it was SO hot. We ended up altering staying at the Yala equivalent. Loved the campfire and dinner experience. The optional bush walk wasn’t too exciting. We did ask for a reconfiguration of the room and an extra fan and both were sorted promptly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rural Village Trail in Habarana (Cycling, Boat Trip & Lunch)

Sri Lanka

We didn’t do the cycling - not sure why. We took a tractor instead of the bullock cart. This was due to time constraints I think but would have preferred the cart. The boat was lovely. The whole thing was a Bit touristy but it was fun and everyone enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, the service provided by the local tour team was good. They were helpful and responsive in accommodating our requests and offering recommendations or adjustments during the trip.

However, prior to our arrival, while arranging the trip through Kimkim, we did not receive the level of support we expected. The responsiveness and service mindset did not meet our expectations.

In addition, the hotels selected were not worth with the price we paid. In some cases, the hotel staff informed us that they do not have room types suitable for three people, even though the booking was made for three. As a result, the space was insufficient, particularly for our luggage.
For certain hotels, the locations were quite far from the town center, making it inconvenient to access restaurants on foot, despite there being many better-located hotels available.

Overall, we are not satisfied with the service experience and would prefer to arrange our own bookings in the future.

Activity Review

Full-day Trekking Laguna de los Tres

El Chaltén

The guide is super support. The local team is also support and check everthing for our new request.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had a wonderful time on our Northern Lights trip in Norway and Finland. Some of our planned activities were cancelled due to the warm weather and lack of snow. Moonika took care of rebooking cancelled activities like snow shoeing, dog sledding and snowmobiling to other locations that still had snow. We were able to see the Northern lights in several locations and enjoy the culture and history of the area. Overall, a very enjoyable vacation and would highly recommend Moonika in coordinating travel plans.

This was a private guided tour. Jessica was great in answering our questions and providing details on the itinerary. She also checked on us at the end of the day which was really appreciated.

Our 2 guides did a great job. They were on time and flexible.

My husband & I booked a catamaran trip in the north island of New Zealand for March 2026 and decided to stay a couple of weeks extra to see more of the country. A friend told us about kimkim and we decided to give it a try. So glad we did!!! We had a fabulous trip!!! Monika, the local specialist we worked with, did a wonderful job helping us plan where to go and what to see in the north island before the boat trip and the south island for the two weeks remaining on our stay in New Zealand. She made sure we saw and experienced as much as we possibly could in our timeframe. We stayed in nice hotels (some with free laundry facilities which we needed), went on great tours to beautiful places (some included food &/or wine), and was provided transportation in several locations (when we didn't have a rental car). Monika also gave us recommendations on other things to see and do in every place we stayed and as we traveled around the country. She even gave us driving tips . Her attention to detail was amazing!! She took great care of us before, during and after our trip. We had a couple of issues with vendors that were no fault of ours or hers. She intervened on our behalf and made sure we got reimbursed.
We will definitely use kimkim on our next adventure and we highly recommend Monika if you are going to New Zealand!

Hotel Reviews

Distinction Christchurch Hotel

Christchurch

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M Social

Auckland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Vicarage Geraldine

Geraldine

Beautiful restoration of an old vicarage!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Millennium Hotel Rotorua

Rotorua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hidden Gems - City Cultural Walk

Christchurch

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Safari of the scenes Glenorchy (LOTR)

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skyline Gondola Ride

Queenstown

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Queenstown Wine Sampler tour (half day)

Queenstown

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Milford Sound - return coach and cruise from Queenstown (Real NZ)

Queenstown

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ahi Restaurant - 4 snacks and 4 courses

Auckland

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hobbiton Movie Set 'Signature Tour' from the Shire’s Rest™

Matamata

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Te Puia - Thermal valley guided experience with Haka performance and Hangi lunch

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nocturnal Adventure Glow-worm Tour

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The prospect of planning a trip to Japan with my two young kids was so overwhelming that we turned to KimKim for help and I’m very glad we did. They had a basic outline for a family trip to Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto that we were able to tweak to suit our preferences. There was a great mix of fun for the kids (Disney, Universal) and sightseeing for the adults (Meiji Shrine, Mt. Fuji, etc.) for the adults. All of the transportation was booked beforehand and seamless. Eleanor (our local specialist) always answered my questions quickly and she checked in throughout our trip to make sure everything was going well. A special thanks to our tour guides Machiko, Nick, and Sunny who were so knowledgeable and patient.

First time I used kimkim platform to connect with a local specialist. Esteban, Sylvia and the entire team was very patient as they put together an itinerary for us. Throughout the trip, they are always accessible and checking in on us. We made a couple of requested changes and all were handled efficiently with a great service attitude.

Hotel Review

Hidden Valley Wilderness Lodge

Mountain Pine Ridge

Immersed in nature, on a vast area of private ground within the Mountain Pine Ridge. Many trails and walks and waterfalls within their grounds. Perfect if you are looking for a retreat/quiet/nature environment. Chef Sean and the onsite restaurant team cook up delicious menu with all local sourced ingredients -- 5 stars amazing! All the staff here are helpful and friendly, always a smile!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Wonderful environment in the valley. However, if you want access "to town" then this will feel a bit remote.

Staff

Great service, always a smile, makes you feel right at home. They truly take pride in providing the guests with a memorable experience.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Caracol Mayan Site

Belize

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

ATM Cave | Actun Tunichil Muknal

Belize

Must do! Archeology in situ. Our guide Raphael is very knowledgable and experienced.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The trip into the Amazonia was really an eye-opener and very enjoyable a great place at the Napo nature Center.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Laguna

Puerto Villamil

Puerto vida meal is comparatively small and not a lot going on so this is probably one of the premier hotels there it was clean comfortable the staff was accommodating

Authenticity & Character

It's near the ocean near the port and not too far from the few restaurants that exist there

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Las Plazas

Quito

Hotels right in the center of keto and the Old Town so it's very convenient that way it's an old building much like Old Town you would expect the only downside that I had was there's a lot to gate to get out in caseville fire could have been problematic

Authenticity & Character

Very real old building

Location

Right in the center of Old Town quito

Staff

Staff was always super accommodating ready to help always open the door when you ring the bell breakfast was good and well served generally very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean very comfortable no questions in that area

Hotel Galapagos Suites

Puerto Ayora

The owner of the hotel was super accommodating worried about us making all of the connections and whatnot call people just super helpful

Authenticity & Character

A nice courtyard very well camped Hotel

Location

Just off the main street close to the restaurants but not loud

Staff

Can't say enough about how helpful the order was the woman was super duper

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean very comfortable

Casa Playa Mann

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

The service is great the hotel is a lovely location and the owners are super friendly they go out of their way to make you feel comfortable

Authenticity & Character

It's authentic clearly built with some thought

Location

Close enough to the downtown area but without the crowds really close to a beach that's beautiful and a very comfortable location very comfortable Hotel

Staff

The owners were tremendous in service

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just excellent

Napo Cultural Center

Quito

I guess it's a hotel The cottages are really very nice when we were there was not a high concentration of people so it was very quiet also something I really appreciate they're very authentic they're in the rainforest but easy enough to walk to the pads are well done the food is great the service was very good and it was just a fun place to be

Authenticity & Character

The cabins are clean easy to get to up off the ground and it is the rainforest

Location

In the rainforest what more is to be said

Staff

Super service at the meals everything was very well done

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean comfortable cabins

Courtyard by Marriott Quito Airport

Quito

Authenticity & Character

He'll tell us at the airport so arrivals and departures are made super simple highly recommended if you got wait times involved

Location

Staff

Staff are very helpful courteous and very businesslike

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean Hotel easy to use

Activity Reviews

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Ecuador

I'd pretty much give it up snorkeling by the time we got here my partner was much into it but I did talk to a nice young German guy who had eardrum problems and couldn't snorkel so that part was really worthwhile. You get a whole different perspective no

Quality of Experience

Walking on the lava was impossible for me I have no balance so that was torture

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I thought the guys did a great job and the boat driver was very good an old fisherman knew how to get amongst the rocks

Transport

He retired fisherman who knew the rocks in the passages and went places that I thought were pretty darn narrow

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Ecuador

I would have to characterize this is a low quality adventure essentially a paddle around the narrow Bay or a small Bay there are things to be seen lots of turtles some penguins but all in all you're out in the hot sun and open Kayak it wasn't my favorite

Quality of Experience

Less than an hour paddle and an open Kayak not my favorite

Guided Hike to Tortuga Bay

Ecuador

A great Beach although some of the locals did refer to it as torture Beach the water was very nice at the equator hot hot hot sun very little shade on the trail but still very nice trail as a person who passed us commented Camino del Diablo

Quality of Experience

Enjoyed standing in the water after the hike

Food

Stopped at a local restaurant $7 lunches very good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was good got taxis and introduced us to a local restaurant when we got back that was $7 lunch very good something I would not have tried on my own

Transport

A typical taxi ride in a pickup truck

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Ecuador

Probably could have avoided this activity a Long Walk 3% up to the top end when you get there there's civista but not much in the Vista but it is hot

Quality of Experience

Long walk up a a ton of stairs with not a huge amount of scenery at the top

Transport

A long slow boat ride however the yucca puffs were good

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Ecuador

Lots of huge tortoises the one right at the entrance at likes the bananas that are hanging up will follow you around if you're wearing bright yellow shoes he's pretty sure that those are bananas so that was a good time lots of tortoises they're just doing tortoise like things

Quality of Experience

Food

Ate at the restaurant as part of this event and it was very good food your typical chicken or fish well done tasty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

A strangely compelling place it's very out of the ordinary not what I expected at all and I really enjoyed it

Quality of Experience

It was hot as it is at the equator but there's quite a bit of shade which I found to be useful and the museum Center part is air conditioned so it gave you a little bit of relief

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Good guide

Bike Ride & Visit La Lobería

Ecuador

A lot of sea lions everywhere but they had decent restaurants and certainly an experience of different types of people's and whatever bingo game on a Friday night sea lion in the middle of the plaza experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff was truly amazing our guide and driver was it really interesting guy

Snorkel at Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)

Ecuador

Water clarity was not particularly good the day we were there so it was kind of disappointing I'm not a huge fan of snorkeling but you didn't really get to see very much because of the water clarity issues

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff and the drivers did what they could but you only can work with what you got

Transport

Visit the "Middle of the World"

Ecuador

So much more at the equator than you could ever even consider second time I've been there and they have added the actual equator center not just the monument that was apparently a bit off .

Quality of Experience

When you're right down the equator things really happen differently balances completely different water does not have a Coriolis effect who knew

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thought they were all very good

Last rainforest activities, Transfer to Coca & Flight to Quito

Ecuador

Another two and a half hour boat ride back up the river it had rain so there was quite a bit of log and debris floating in the river luckily the captain of the boat was able to avoid at all

Quality of Experience

Another long boat ride

Urban Bike Tour

Quito

Given the altitude changes in keto and the steepness of the hills we were somewhat concerned about the bike trip it turned out to be kind of a highlight actually we went to the serpent house in the park and an open air fruit market that was truly great the guides were both very good and it turns out they had the pretty flat route

Quality of Experience

Really enjoyed the Open Air market and the fruit

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very good guiding experience they didn't push us too hard to and traffic was not that bad

Arrival to Coca, transfer to rainforest lodge, rainforest hike

Ecuador

Two and a half hours up the river a clay Bank to unload on and a muddy trail to get to the lodge it was an adventure the little electric carts that they use have no suspension but it was all just really worthwhile

Quality of Experience

Second time in the Amazonian rainforest and it just an amazing place to be

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were all really good at what they did

Transport

Long boat rides long paddles the paddles up the Blackwater River a lot of animals out there monkeys jumping across the waterway Caymans birds huge blue butterflies that are so iconic

Community projects - Paddling excursion - Traditional dinner - Night walk (NCC)

Yasuni National Park

I enjoyed the women's Center and the experience that we had there the way that the fires were built the cooking the food bits it was all very interesting the night walk was dark and wet the day we were there but that's kind of what the rainforest is about

Quality of Experience

Definitely something you need to experience

Food

Excellent food including the jungle bacon

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It's a long ways up there for a couple of hours so comfortable seats help

Parrot clay lick - Intercultural interpretation center - Observation tower - Ancestral catamaran ride (NCC)

Yasuni National Park

The clay elixir something everybody should probably experience at least once the parrots are truly showing their their own behaviors

Quality of Experience

It's a very popular place so they're typically will be several boats in the river at the same time

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was excellent pointed out things that we might not have seen on our own

Transport

A boat ride like all the others on the river

I traveled with my 15 years old daughter and we had an amazing time in Thailand.

Food tour with Keng - a must! Thank you for all your interesting informations about the culture.

Kanchanaburi with Ao - such a passionate person! Erawan Waterfalls 🎉.

Ayutthaya with Bom visiting the ruins of the temple - and thanks for the stop in a 7-eleven where you knew about the best ramen 😂 my daughter loved it!

Chiang Rai visiting the golden triangle - a historical fact and interesting history.

Chiang Mai - I loved the trekking including seeing the snake on the tree 😬

And at the end 4 beautiful days in Phuket at Kata Noi Beach.

Jeab organized everything for us and - it was a great trip! We appreciated it a lot!

Hotel Reviews

Katathani Phuket Beach Resort

Phuket

Lots of pools and restaurants, staff is very friendly

Authenticity & Character

Location

Quiet area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amata Lanna Village

Chiang Mai

Lovely hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Legend Chiang Rai Boutique River Resort & Spa

Chieng Rai

U Inchantree Kanchanaburi Hotel

Kanchanaburi

A lovely place and great service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Bangkok Hotel G

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Phuket Island Hopping by Luxury Long-tail (Private)

Phuket

The description of the tour sounds nicer than it is. No inflatable mattress or others, boats are very old and not very clean, they had to look for life jackets as most of them were broken. After we wanted to leave the first island earlier (beach was full of waste) we had to wait 30 minutes as our boat was gone (maybe for other passengers?) Pictures of this trip look amazing but in reality it’s different.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Doi Inthanon National Park Trekking

Chiang Mai

Great tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elephant Day Care at Patara Elephant Farm

Chiang Mai

Unfortunately they didn’t tell us a lot about this place and the elephants. If you want a lot of pictures with elephants, it’s the tour you have to make.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Doi Suthep Temple Tour

Chiang Mai

Khantoke Dinner

Chiang Mai

The dancers are from a dance school. A nice evening. Very touristy

Chiang Rai - Chiang Mai via Wat Rong Khun (v.v)

Thailand

We loved the white temple as it is a modern version of a temple

Golden Triangle and Mekong River Boat (Private)

Chiang Rai

Kanchanaburi - Ayutthaya and drop at Don Muang Airport (Private)

Thailand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Erawan Waterfall, Hellfire Pass (Private)

Kanchanaburi

Great tour! And refreshing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maeklong Railway & Damnoen Saduak Floating Markets

Bangkok

Would absolutely recommend the Floating Market.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Bangkok City Safari with lunch (Private)

Bangkok

Michelin Guide Street Food by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

A must! Great food tour try and places where I never would have been.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They knew exactly where to go - we had a food-lover-guide! Great!

Transport

The trip was good. We didn't visit all the planned events for various reasons. Those we did visit were mixed in reviews. Some were quite good - examples; Rembrandt House, all three walking tours. The guides were excellent, particularly Dany in Ghent. The hotels selected were all wonderful.

Issues. We planned too many things for each day. And as older people we were not willing to go late into the night. So due to tiredness and not being able to locate some of the places, we skipped some things. Example - we NEVER found the Anne Frank House. We rode trams, walked and walked and walked and rode another tram and walked some more. Google Maps led us astray. And in general, more and better directions from Beat The KimKim would have helped. Another example of this is when we arrived in Amsterdam we could not decipher the instructions to find our hotel from the train station. Of course now we know it's quite simple and easy. But after an overnight flight and exhaustion we walked 45 minutes and finally stumbled into the Hotel.

Also, the Choco Story event was not very interesting to us. The Montessori house was great - Patty is a retired teacher so this was Mecca for her. And the lace museum was good. The highlight was the tulip gardens! Super beautiful! We didn't even try to reach the windmills since the directions to find a bus then fins another bus seemed too tiring for old people.

Thank you for asking!