Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had a great time in Peru. The country is beautiful, the people are so friendly and helpful and on top of all of that, it felt very safe. Shawna did a great job getting us set up with excursions, hotels and all of the details including tipping standards (which was very helpful throughout our trip), restaurant suggestions and the kinds of hotels we like to stay at. All the accommodations were perfect for us. Our "on the ground" 24/7 specialist (Jesus) was also the best. We had an issue with one of our daughters coming down with the flu on day 2 in Lima. Jesus worked with the hotel and got us to a clinic where she got tested for the flu and got meds that helped her feel better in about 24 hours. We didn't really think that we would need someone always on call, but there were a couple times we needed him and he was there!

Our main tour guide was Martin. We loved the time we spent with him. He was so knowledgeable and entertaining with all the info he shared in our various tours and excursions. He definitely went above and beyond for us. And his laugh was amazing. We really had the best time because of Martin's energy! He loves his country and it made all the info he shared (both about his own life and experiences in Peru as well as historical and local info) so much more interesting.

I think the only drawback to our trip is that we spent too much time in Cusco. Maybe there were things we should've done there that we didn't know about. But after going to Machu Picchu, Cusco seemed a little anti-climatic. We did a walking tour with Martin that was great and a cooking class that we booked separately. Both of those things were great, but we felt like we just ate out while we were there and there wasn't much to do otherwise. Again, that could just be our experience and having not found the other things to do there! But overall our trip was fantastic, definitely a once-in-a-lifetime trip!

From beginning to end our travel experience was incredible thanks to Hoa and our guides and drivers in Thailand. From our arrival in Chiang Mai to dropping off our son at Semester at Sea at the end of our trip in Bangkok every detail was accounted for and every accommodation made for our unique circumstance. We encountered delays at the beginning of our trip because of weather in San Francisco forcing us to miss our connection and delaying our arrival in Thailand one full day. Within hours of receiving our news, Hoa had rearranged our itinerary to ensure we missed not a single moment we had planned, including changing our in country flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. I just cannot overstate the level of detail and consideration that was put into our travel plan by Hoa and the team. Ying, our guide in Chiang Mai, was knowledgeable and just such a joy to spend time with. It was fun getting to know her city, her cultural and even her personally. Each hotel in Chiang Mai, Krabi, Bangkok and Kanchanaburi captured the vibe of the place we were in and added to our overall experience. Hoa really heard us when we expressed our interests and values and aligned our itinerary perfectly. Our guide in Bangkok, Toto, was so much fun! He just has this infectious energy that added great vibes to our overall experience. When my daughter and I started to plan this trip we tried to do it on our own but became quickly overwhelmed. Finding KimKim and working with Hoa were the key to an incredible experience we will never forget!

Hotel Reviews

River Kwai Resotel

Kanchanaburi

Very cool setting but staff was super helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Loved taking the water taxi to and from

Staff

Language proficiency and attitude -- people were not super friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nysa Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 11

Bangkok

Location was in an area that was maybe not as family friendly. We did like the atmosphere of the hotel itself and staff were excellent. Also in walking distance to shopping and public transit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Varana Krabi Hotel

Great location and amenities. Very peaceful. Food is a little pricey on site (per Thailand standards) but a great experience overall.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Chai The Colonial Hotel & Spa

Chiang Mai

Great location and really nice rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location and room decor

Location

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Railway Market & Floating Market - Travel to Kanchanaburi

Thailand

Both markets are so unique and special. Toto gave us great hints on where to shop for the best deals.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Symbolic Temples

Bangkok

Toto went above and beyond to make sure we visited all the temples and got the best views and pictures!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Araksa Tea Experience & Adventure at Sri Lanna National Park

Chiang Mai

Such a serene and peaceful place. Loved picking the tea and learning the process.

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the homemade rice cakes

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Chiang Mai by tuk tuk

Chiang Mai

Ying was super knowledgeable about Buddhism and Thai customs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We really appreciated Cathy planning our 2nd trip to Ireland this December! She was once again thoughtful in planning to meet our families needs. It's really wonderful to use a service that provides you with local insider information!

Activity Reviews

Family Adventure at Crindle Bespoke - Farm & Equestrian Experiences

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour Giant's Causeway and Antrim Coast

Belfast

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our local specialist Michael was an excellent resource before and during our trip. A few last minute changes needed to be made with transportation & a tour we were booked for and he was very accommodating, and quick to respond. The trip went very smoothly and all of our guides were punctual and polite. The only tour we booked that we were not happy with was the coffee experience in Cartagena, only because the tour was listed to run from 3:30-5pm with walking time, and we did not finish util closer to 7pm, which caused us to miss a dinner reservation. Aside from that we especially loved our guides Eduardo & Juan Jose and would recommend them to anyone coming to Colombia. ALL of the accommodations were excellent!

Hotel Review

Casa Tayrona Los Naranjos

A beautiful location with private beach. We had Casa 1, which had one of the best views we've ever experienced in a hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Private, but not in walking distance to any other restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful room, nice touches, eco friendly

Activity Review

Flavors of Coffee in Getsemaní

Cartagena

Unfortunately, this ran almost two hours longer than expected. We would've loved the one hour version we signed up for, but by the end of this we were uncomfortable in our seats and no longer paying attention.

Quality of Experience

What a beautiful country Chile is and our two week trip was amazing and hassle free primarily due to the assistance of Camila with whom we interacted over a period of few weeks to come up with a perfect itinerary. Without her guidance, knowledge and input, it would have been difficult to plan a two week trip.

Once the trip started, on the ground support team of Riwal and Dayana ensured that we had up to date information of the plan for the day, and if there was any question, they both were available for immediate resolution. We did not encounter any issue at all that needed them to step in, which is a good sign in itself.

Overall, we are very happy with how everything went well for this vacation leaving us with beautiful memories of a lifetime.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Trip- Red Rocks, Lagunas Altiplánicas & Atacama Salt Flats

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Food

They offered wonderful breakfast and lunch, all of which they carried with them in coolers and made a picnic setting. Food was good, tasty and plenty for everyone. No corners were cut.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide Limon was phenomenal, very knowledgeable, helpful. Always smiling and giving us required information at all the stops. Allowing us plenty of opportunity to take pics and many times offering to take family pics for us. What a wonderful guide she is.

Transport

Laguna Cejar, Ojos del Salar y Laguna Tebiquinche

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to "Valle de la Luna " - Morning tour

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Astro Fotografia

Chile

It was a full moon night and the provider knew we would not be able to do any star gazing given the brightness of moon light. So they should have actually canceled the tour and refunded the money. Instead they did take us on the tour to show one planet and share some information about couple constellations, however, this is not what we were hoping to see or what the Atacama night sky tour is famous for.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour to Chiloe - The Island of the Legends

Puerto Varas

The island of Chiloe was a full day trip exploring some of the churches built on the island. However, the trip seemed long and not that interesting. Knowing what I know now, I would have skipped this tour and done something different.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Saltos del Petrohue - Todos Los Santos Lake & Osorno Volcano

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike to Mirador Base Torres del Paine - Full Day Tour

Chile

It was a tough 14 mile one day hike but seemed manageable thanks mainly due to the guides who ensured our safety, provided adequate support, made the long hike enjoyable by sharing information, lot of water breaks. At one particular pass, we were up in the mountain with a steep drop on one side and the wind gusts were really strong. The guides helped us navigate through that pass using ropes, which made it a lot safer for everyone to continue our hike. I appreciated this a lot.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful landscape, lot of scenic spots.

Food

Nutritious food, made sure my wife who is a vegetarian, the food met her needs.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly, knowledgeable guides who ensure we not only enjoyed this long hike but we completed it safely.

Transport

Pick up and drop off was door to door!!!

From start to finish, this was the easiest process of planning an international trip for my family. Alex provided great options and help with deciding the final itinerary based off of our interests and top priorities for what we wanted to see and do. It made our 9 days in Belize absolutely AMAZING!! We were picked up by Cameron at the airport for our almost 2 hour drive to our lodge in San Igancio. He was so nice and informative and made the drive a lot of fun. Alex recommended we stay at Falling Leaves Lodge and I am so glad we did. Paula and Kevin were wonderful and the entire restaurant staff treated us like family. While in San Ignacio , our guide to the Xunantunich ruins could not have been better. Onil made the entire day! He was so full of knowledge and fun facts and made us laugh the entire day. When rain and high water levels in the caves canceled our booked plans, Lilia with BASS tours made it so easy to pivot and find other fun options for our day. She stayed in contact with us during our stay to make sure our tours and excursions were going well. Really can't say enough about how well we were taken care of during our trip. After 9 days, Cameron picked us up at the ferry port in Belize City for the drive back to the airport. It was like greating an old friend and catching up on our trip and how we rang in the New Year. I will definitely use the KimKim team to plan another epic adventure with my family!

Hotel Review

Falling Leaves Lodge

San Ignacio

I am already missing the views of San Ignacio and the staff at Falling Leaves Lodge. From the time we checked in to the time we checked out, it was exceptional service. We felt like family to Paula and Kevin and would love to go back one day.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close enough to walk into town and a great workout coming back up the hill!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer from San Ignacio to Belize City with Zipline and Cave Tubing Tour en Route

Belize

We didn't get to do the cave tubing part of this tour because of high waters from all the rain but we opted to still do the ziplining. We are so glad we did! It was so much fun and absolutely beautiful. Give the guides your phone for the best pictures and videos of your family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Xunantunich Maya Ruins Tour

Belize

You can't go to San Ignacio and not visit the Xunantunich ruins. It was breathtaking and our guide was very knowledgeable with a lot of fun facts.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jimena did an amazing job and was very responsive with all our questions throughout the planning phase. On the ground all our guides were amazing. Of particular mention was Martin in Cusco /Sacred Valley who was probably one of the best guides I have had in all my travels. He was very committed to our comfort and kept us informed of everything. His knowledge and experience was very evident. Thank you! Highly recommended

Activity Reviews

Full Day Machu Picchu Exploration!

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class with Seledonia Mesa

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Activities-a-la-carte at Tambopata Research Center

Tambopata

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reaching the Tambopata Research Center

Tambopata

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome! Reception and transfer to hotel

Lima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Culinary Experience in Lima

Lima

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic ten day holiday in Egypt put together by Amr at Egypt Promotion Travel through Kimkim. We were also supported so well when we were there by all the reps, tour guides and drivers who made us feel like we were in safe hands throughout. We started and ended in Cairo and had an overnight stay in the White Desert and a Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan in between. We saw all the top sights we were hoping to see and so much more. Particular highlights were the pyramids, Karnak Temple, the GEM, a hot air balloon ride over Luxor and our day and overnight camping stay in the White Desert. We learnt so much more and had such an enriching experience by having wonderful private tour guides who were clearly very knowledgeable and friendly too. Having only ten days to see so much was only possible due to the clever itinerary put together for us by Amr which was ably supported by the team when we were there. During our stay, when we made a last minute request for the hot air balloon ride, Amr helped sort this out too and effectively reorganised the day's itinerary for us. He was very helpful and responded promptly to messages during the planning process and throughout our holiday too. It was reassuring to know that we were always supported even when we were there.
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Egypt and would highly recommend kimkim as a way to achieve a great holiday there.

Hotel Reviews

M/S Semiramis III

Aswan

Good size and comfortable twin bed cabin with ensuite bath and shower. Wonderful catering for all meals, a great buffet selection for all tastes. Spacious communal areas and friendly and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Pyramids Golf

Cairo

Loved this hotel as it was spacious and comfortable. It had great buffet breakfasts and the staff were friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A green oasis well situated for the GEM, but other side of the city to the airport.

Staff

Friendly and helpful staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Top class

Activity Reviews

Day tour to visit Grand Egyptian Museum, Citadel of Salah El-Din & Old Cairo

Cairo

The GEM was one of the highlights of our trip to Cairo. We were very ably supported and guided by our private tour guide Yahya throughout the day. His incredible wealth of knowledge and friendly manner added to our enjoyment and learning immensely. We had our friendly driver Abdullah again and he seamlessly transported us from one sight to another. We enjoyed seeing the beautiful Citadel and Old Cairo too including visits to the Jewish synagogue and the Koptic church.

Quality of Experience

Amazing experience and the now fully open and new GEM was a sight to see.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly and knowledgeable guide Yahya and very friendly driver Abdullah who always had a smile on his face.

Transport

Smooth and very comfortable

Cruise Disembarkation in Aswan

Aswan

Our disembarkation of the boat went well and was very smooth.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aswan

Aswan

Philae Temple and Aswan High Dam well worth visiting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable guide

Transport

Visit Abu Simbel temple

Egypt

Not to be missed - well worth our early plane ride to visit it. Great to have a private guide who added to our enjoyment and knowledge.

Quality of Experience

Stunning and we were very impressed to learn about how the site was moved to protect it from the Nile flooding

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helpful and knowledgeable guide

Transport

Smooth transitions to and from airport

Temple of Horus at Edfu & Kom Ombo Temple

Egypt

Our Edfu Temple visit was with guide Mina and Kom Ombo Temple visit was with his equally knowledgeable and friendly brother, Michael. We much appreciated having their expertise during our visits.

Quality of Experience

Great temples to see

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mina and Michael were both great guides.

Transport

Karnak temple

Egypt

An outstanding temple to visit with amazing sights. Our knowledge, ease and enjoyment was added to by having our private guide Jamal throughout.

Quality of Experience

Amazing in its scale and the details that we saw.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

With an expert guide like Jamal the visit is even more enriching.

Transport

Smooth and straightforward

West Bank of Luxor (Valley of the Kings , Hatshepsut Temple - Colossi of Memnon) Sailing to Edfu

Egypt

Valley of the Kings an absolutely wonderful experience. Having our very knowledgeable guide Jamal added to our enjoyment and knowledge immensely.

Quality of Experience

Bucket list sights by the dozen!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jamal was especially good as our guide and his expert knowledge and friendliness added to our trip.

Transport

Smooth and straightforward

Visit Luxor temple

Egypt

We had a great experience here made even more so by our very knowledgeable guide Jamal. He expanded our understanding of the significance of what we were seeing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jamal was a fantastic guide and added to our enjoyment and knowledge.

Transport

Easy and straightforward

Cairo/ White Desert

White Desert

Stunning scenery and amazing experience all round. Particularly will remember camping out in the desert, dancing beneath the stars, sand boarding and sunset in the desert - just magical.

Quality of Experience

Like experiencing another planet at times as the desert formations were so 'other worldly'.

Food

Very welcoming and delicious lunch and dinner

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fantastic people who made the whole experience wonderful

Transport

Long journey but totally worth it to get to such a remote place we wouldn't have seen on our own.

Pyramids, Sphinx, Sakkara, Memphis and camel ride

Cairo

Absolutely wonderful day spent seeing sights we had dreamed of seeing. Loved Sakkara and found it to be a very special place, not as many crowds. The camel ride by the pyramids at Giza was a fantastic experience and we couldn't get enough of seeing the pyramids!

Quality of Experience

Bucket list sights everywhere!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very helpful and kind, we loved having Abdullah as our driver. He remained very calm even in the busy Cairo traffic!

Transport

Very comfortable car with air conditioning and was great to have door to door transport, made everything so much more enjoyable.

We loved Morocco and felt the planning done by Jayway was perfectly suited to our needs. We loved not having to pay for each service and stay and the flow of care provide by our guide and driver Ishmail. The other short term guides were local and e appreciated that. Ishmail and Majid worked well with us to make sure we were comfortable and adjusted for our early arrival and our requests for times for our excursions. We loved loved every place we stayed especially the family owned Dar Riannah. We highly recommend working with this team.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Chergui

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

They cleaned our rooms so nicely. New fresh towels would have been nice touch. Really appreciated the new water on day 2.

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Truly one of the best places we stayed in our month of travel (we went to Europe for 3 weeks before Morocco). The view, the incredible food, and the warm family welcome really made it an incredible impression.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We loved our cozy room with amazing views and the heated floor!

Dunes Luxury Camp Erg Chebbi

Merzouga

So cozy in the dessert! The staff was awesome and the New Year’s party is one we will never forget!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Look

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Fes Nass Zmane

Fes

Loved the welcome, the terrace, the breakfast! Great staff and beautiful road!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hammam Spa in Marrakech before back home

Morocco

This was great. We weren’t sure what to expect and the tourist express service was perfect for us. Maybe someone can tell the guests what to express as when you read about it there is a spectrum of possibility :)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Majorelle gardens

Marrakesh

We did not go here. We liked the secret garden and it was a good choice to skip this because we don’t like crowded spaces and our guide had figured that out and pivoted.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Again Hammid took great care of us and made the walk interesting and relaxed. He amended the time in the 2nd palace when we expressed our desire to spend time in the market. The team should let him know that we are at the end of a week in Morocco so seeing every palace in depth may feel like overkill. But we thought the world of Hammid and really enjoyed his company. He’s a great guide!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakech Food Tour

Marrakesh

Hammond was amazing. He had enthusiasm and expertise for Marrakesh food and history. We got to eat real food from local places.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dades Valley, Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou & Marrakech

Morocco

We know this was a long drive and the movie studio is a reasonable stop but it wasn’t very interesting to us. The Kashab was beautiful from the outside. It was a crowded and touristy place though and we did t get education on how people lived there we only learned about movies so it did t feel authentic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Course Ishmail always took care of us and made sure we got where we needed to be without stress.

Transport

Hike Through Todra Gorges & Oasis for 1 Hour

Morocco

See other review. We loved the walk and rug experience. It was cold so we needed to get going. moha helped us to be comfortable and made us grass animals. It was nice.

Quality of Experience

Food

I got to eat a date but would have loved more!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Merzouga to Boumalne Dades via Tinghir & Todra Gorge

Morocco

We loved this gorge! We went with Mona to the rug co-op and garden. It was beautiful. We had a great experience and Ishmail was always there at the end of the excursion. He made sure we got the bathroom and explained a lot of the history of the place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Camel trek to your luxury camp

Merzouga

We loved this time. The walk and ride with the camels, sitting in the dunes for sunset, dinner and especially the music, fire and new years celebration! The place and staff had character, comforts and really was an unforgettable new years!

Quality of Experience

Food

It wasn’t the best of the trip but that’s not why we weee there.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fez – Ifrane – Azrou – Mildelt – Errachidia – Merzouga ( 7 Hours Drive).

Morocco

We really loved Ishmail and getting to know him. We felt safe, well informed and accommodated with any needs we had (mostly bathrooms). He understood that we didn’t love crowded or Hollywood type attractions and made sure to prioritize time in the spots we cared to spend more time. He was always on time and super pleasant to be with. We wish he was our guide the whole time!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Fes Medina

Fes

We appreciated Ayoub and his knowledge of Fes. Unfortunately we weren’t prepared for a 6 hour tour and lunch at 3:30 pm. We were told we were doing a 3 hour tour so we got a bit tired and then we went to one of the rug sellers which was not a great experience or one we asked for. We missed the most impressive part of the rias the tanneries because it wasn’t told to us that it was coming and we were too tired after the late lunch to continue with Ayoub. This was mostly a communication problem from Majid because we would have been better prepared for a full day tour if it was told to us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrive in Fes

Morocco

We had a safe ride and the driver was easy to find at the airport. We did have to walk with our luggage to find the road which was okay for us but others may not enjoy that. Arriving in ages can be intimidating and Google maps doesn’t work perfectly in the Medina.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic trip! The trip was exactly as advertised. We had wonderful guides and the hotels were great. Valentine is easy to work with and made fabulous recommendations. I can easily recommend working with her.

Hotel Reviews

Mövenpick Hotel Stuttgart Airport

Leinfelden-Echterdingen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Altes Brauhaus Garni

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Le Colombier

Colmar

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Caserne Chanzy Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection

Reims

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Day Trip From Colmar to Eguisheim, Riquewihr & Haut Koenigsbourg Castle

Colmar

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ruinart guided visit with Tastings & UNESCO Champagne caves

Reims

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Instant Gourmet - Taittinger

Reims

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Instant Gourmet - Taittinger

Reims

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Instant Gourmet - Taittinger

Reims

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Veuve Clicquot, family grower & lunch

Reims

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The overall experience was fantastic! The service, planning and recommendations were excellent and the app made booking and adjusting things so easy. Highly recommended!

Michelle and her team planned and executed perhaps our best family vacation. After hearing about our itinerary, more than one local family questioned how we knew to do all the cool things we were doing on our trip! To list our favorite activities over two weeks is to list every activity Michelle lined up for us. Biggest wow factor was the night in Milford Sound, the heli-hike and the Timber trail. Fly fishing was spectacular, wineries were lovely - and we were even surprised how much we valued just a short visit to Great Barrier Island. (local guides on the Mt Luxmore hike, GBI and fishing were top notch) Even the driving was a highlight (and Michelle delivering the rental car to our hotel was an appreciated detail). all our accommodations were just as expected with the exception of our last night which surprised us with is beauty and tranquility - the perfect way to exhale and reflect with the family on what felt like several epic vacations over just two weeks.

Paula did a great job customizing a trip exactly to suit our family's style of travel.
She recommended experiences that were off the beaten track, like hiking to Wineglass Bay and visiting the insane MONA art gallery in Hobart.

Hotel Reviews

PARKROYAL Darling Harbour

Sydney

Authenticity & Character

No charm, nothing Aussie or local about it

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rydges Hobart

Hobart

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Freycinet Resort

Coles Bay

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Hyatt Melbourne

East Melbourne

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Blue Mountains Hike the World Heritage

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Night Visit

Hobart

hard to assess because it was raining hard throughout our visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Tasman Island Cruise with Port Arthur Historic Site

Hobart

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wineglass Bay Cruises Morning Wineglass Bay Cruise - Sky Lounge including Lunch

Freycinet

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Phillip Island & Moonlit + Penguin Plus with Dinner

Australia

way too long, guide took his time taking us to Penguin walk and all seats were taken

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

very uncomfortable van to be in for 10 hours

Afternoon/Evening Moonlight Kayak Tour

Melbourne

very long row, we are fit and were tired by the end, food was disappointing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Best of Melbourne Bike Tour

Melbourne

Guide Darcy was excellent, flexible, knowledgeable, willing to discuss difficult topics facing australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My five days in the Dominican Republic were absolutely amazing, thanks to Isabel and Francis.

Isabel was incredibly patient and kind from the very beginning of the planning process. I changed my destination from Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic, experienced a family emergency, and even switched from traveling with my significant other to traveling with a friend—and none of this ever seemed to bother her. She consistently checked in, showed genuine care by asking if everything was okay, and remained easygoing and supportive throughout.

Isabel truly listened to my interests, planned amazing activities, kept me busy in the best way, and was always responsive. A few days before my trip, she introduced me to Francis, who was just as kind, informative, and attentive. Francis contacted me daily to check in and to provide details about the next day’s activities. While I had a general outline, his communication added clarity and made everything feel seamless and stress-free.

I couldn’t have asked for better people to help plan my trip to the Dominican Republic. Because of them, I truly fell in love with the experience.

Hotel Review

Hodelpa Caribe Colonial

Santo Domingo

Good hotel. Excellent service and location. They are limited on towels.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

El Limon Waterfall, Samana

Puerto Rico

Wow. Just wow. Guide was amazing. Food was incredible

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Los Haitises National Park

Puerto Rico

Beautiful and fun tour.

Food

Wasn’t great

Three eyes National Park

Santo Domingo

Gorgeous place. Guide was a sweetheart Never felt rushed. Great info

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No

Transport

Santo Domingo Cultural Exploration

Santo Domingo

Our guide was polite and pleasant, and he did take us to all of the scheduled locations. However, we felt that the tour itself lacked information and engagement. Much of the walk was done in silence, and when we asked questions, the responses were often very brief or one-word answers. For example, when we asked about the population in Chinatown and about religion in the Dominican Republic, we were hoping for a bit more context or explanation. There were also a few moments that felt awkward for us, such as when the guide stopped to buy himself ice cream at the beginning of the tour and later sat down to eat soup in Chinatown while we waited. Additionally, there were times when he was on his phone, texting, or stopping to greet people he knew, which made the experience feel less focused

Quality of Experience

No

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kimkim was incredibly helpful the whole way through. If we wanted to add something or take something off the itinerary, they did it with ease and were very accommodating. We could reach them at any time of the day and they’d respond within a couple of hours at least. The trip we went on to Norway was so much fun, and the excursions we did were amazing. In country travel was easy and we just had to show up with our documents and go. Would recommend Kimkim to anyone.

We spent about 2 weeks in Peru and it was undoubtably incredible. We felt in love with Peru for its history, its natural beauties and its people. From the planning, Kristy curated every details and gave us some important suggestions. During the trip, she was even more responsive and solved any unforeseen matters quickly. All local guides we met were wonderful, including Simon who showed us Pisac/Moray/Maras and took care of us while hiking to Rainbow mountains; Roily shared wonderful stories and views about Machu Picchu; and Tek & Herbert explained everything about Arequipa… This was one of the best trips we have ever made and we would definitely come back to Peru to explore more.

I had done a trip through KimKim before and had a good experience, so I decided to use them again for traveling to South Africa and Zimbabwe with my daughter. As it turned out, and this was last minute, my daughter couldn't go, so my son went instead. Steph did a nice job of not only organizing our activities and the awesome places we got to stay but she was really good about taking care of my last-minute change. It was also nice that she was available to talk to me live even though it was late in the evening for her.

All of the people helping us spoke excellent English and we never had to worry about missing a flight, etc, being picked up to go from one place to another. In Cape Town we also used Uber which was incredibly easy. In Cape Town and Hermanus, Debbie took care of us and did a great job. She has a nice sense of humor and we got along really well. What stuck out for us especially was the Simbavati Waterside Lodge we stayed at for three days. Very luxurious and everyone did a great job in taking care of us.

In Zimbabwe (we also wanted to see Victoria Falls), we stayed three nights at the Victoria Falls River Lodge, in their Malachite Lodge section. Another luxurious place for us to stay and we were even able to arrange for someone to drive us into town to attend church on New Year's Day.

We always felt safe and everyone seemed so accommodating and wanting to make sure we were having a good time. In Cape Town, make sure to take the Cable Car to the top of Table Mountain. If it's a popular day you probably wat to get a Fast Track pass because they are worth it. You skip the 3-hour long line going up and the one-hour line coming back down. In Victoria Falls take the 25 min Angels Flight. This is the longest flight option and well worth it. You make several passes over the falls, which is a stunning view, and you also take a look at elephant herds.

Can't believe all we did, but we also had a lot of time to relax. Great job, Steph! Hope to use you again soon. :-)

Serendipity gave me an itinerary that was responsive the needs for an intergenerational trip. I was planning for my children and their grandparents. I am used to doing everything on my own and it worked out great to work with pros in-country! the local advice was critical. When one is an outsider there is no way to distinguish who are the best service providers, guides, transfers, etc.

Serendipity booked us the most incredible MASTER guide in Monteverde who was greeted like a celebrity by the other guides. Without Bryan and his team's expertise we would have been rolling the dice. Serendipity also had access to hotels beyond the booking.com options which was critical when we were searching for lodging in peak Christmas season on the beach. Given that this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, it is great to have a local who knows what is good and worth it, depending on the travelers' profile.

I know this when I play host in my favourite cities- guidebooks and reviews are not enough and the options are overwhelming.

in country we had available and super-responsive support via WhatsApp.

This was the first time in a long time I used a travel agent or Kim-Kim but it saved me hours of time and all of their recommendations and timings of the day were great recs and worked out well. When decisions you make from you laptop don't line up it can be a bummer on vacation. My parents were super impressed.

Kimkim put together a fantastic trip to visit the volcano, the cloud forest, and then the beach. We did not have to do a thing! The lodges they selected were terrific especially the Cloud Forest Lodge and the Lagarta Lodge in Nosara. The food at Cloud Forest Lodge was truly gourmet. It was wonderful to watch the bird life on the breakfast patio while eating delicious French toast. The highlights besides the accommodations were the wildlife opportunities. We booked on our own a zip line and hanging bridges experience at Treetopia which was great. We saw a group of howler monkeys: moms, babies, and males. A real highlight. At Nosara we went to the beach where the Olive Ridley turtles hatch one early morning. This was an unexpected treat and the highlight for our 9 year old grandson. It was a magical trip.
We opted out of a planned trip on our last day to take a boat to an island for snorkeling. The setting at Lagarta Lodge was just so spectacular that we did not want to leave that for our last day. Instead we swam in the beautiful infinity pools at the lodge, watched the coatis, and took a boat excursion up the river from the lodge. Kimkim agents Gustavo and Kate
kept in contact with us through the trip and we always felt like they were there to help us in any situation. I am very impressed with Kimkim after this trip. I accidentally found them while searching on the internet and will look into other trips with them in the future. Every meeting point was always met — we never had to wait or worry. Rather than take a group tour with another company this family tour for us worked very well. I highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique Lagarta Lodge

Nosara

The views alone are worth it!! Also, set in a more quiet location from other beach resorts that I have heard about. This was our hope and Gustavo met it. Loved the different pools — none of which were ever crowded. The hotel could offer more options for shuttle rides into town. Somewhat limited but we never even went into town because the hotel was so great. Excellent service at meals — food was also very good. Lovely room — very quiet and private and wonderful view of the coast and the river. From this hotel we booked an excursion to see the baby sea turtles hatching. This was probably the highlight of the whole trip. I have always wanted to witness this phenomenon and for my grandson it was the crown jewel of the whole trip!! When possible this should be offered as part of the trip. Staff always friendly and helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Peaceful and quiet setting; not surrounded by other developments

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Rooms were lovely with big outside deck overlooking the forest. Food was truly gourmet here. 5 star meals. Exceptional staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Montaña de Fuego Mountain Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

This hotel was nice, but the rooms were rather basic. Evidently we got a room upgrade for one of our rooms which worked well for our son and his family because it had two bedrooms. We, the grandparents, stayed in the more basic accommodation. The pool and warm springs were very nice. The night walk was a highlight.

Authenticity & Character

Location

La Fortuna is extremely crowded. Traffic is very bad. The hotel is a bit away from the town center so that was good.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Isla Chora Private Boat & Snorkeling

Nosara

We opted not to do this trip. It was too early in the morning for us knowing we had to get up very early the next day for our departure. I also think this is not a necessary trip for this area. You can rent kayaks or take a boat up the river from the lodge which is fine rather than traveling over the bumpy roads to get to the snorkeling area.

Self-Guided Beach Day in Nosara

Nosara

We did the turtle excursion offered by the hotel which turned out to be the highlight of the trip!! We also hiked down to the beach which is a bit of a trek. We think the hotel should offer better means of accessing the beach — develop a better route and shuttle.

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Day at the Monteverde Hummingbird Garden

Monteverde

We did not do this. Instead we opted to go to Treetopia and do both the zip lining and the hanging bridges. This was amazing!!

Self-Guided Visit to the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens

Monteverde

We did not do this.

Private: Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

This was a good trek through the cloud forest. Our guide was exceptional! Very good and patient. We did not see too much but we enjoyed the experience. Tarantulas and millipedes!

Quality of Experience

Guide was very knowledgeable.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

A good overview of the volcano and surrounding area. Glad there was shade a lot of the way. Beautiful views and we were lucky with the weather.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was good but seemed a bit preoccupied. Perhaps because there was some confusion about the trip. We were not aware that we would be going to hot springs and lunch after the hike. So we needed to get more gear before we headed out and that perhaps distracted him. Otherwise good information about the volcano. Sometimes repetitive.

Transport

Self-Guided Nature Walk in Ecological Park & Butterfly Garden Danaus

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a nice first nature walk. We opted for a guide in training who was very good. The bird life was good. We saw one sloth and lots of butterflies. Otherwise not too much else. Are there other nature walks closer to the hotel that might offer a similar experience?

Quality of Experience

Riwal did a great job, though he faced some challenges due to weather and a hotel situation; he found us options and kept us well-informed. W The entire family enjoyed our trip and will look to book our next family vacation through kimkim.

Hotel Reviews

Iorana Hotel

Hanga Roa

We had the pleasure of staying during New Year's, and the staff was excellent. They were always asking us if we needed anything to make our stay enjoyable. The rooms were nice and clean. The location was away from the town, but we got to explore some hiking trails around the shoreline. We were a minor concern because of the flight path, but there were a few flights each day, most during midday when we were out and about on the island. The pool was a little green and seemed out of order, so we spent more time at the beach than at the pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Further away from town, about a half-mile walk to the main street. We were able to rent a car and enjoy the whole island, which made it even better. There are a few hotels closer to the city center, but they do not offer the views and sunsets available at Iorana.

Staff

the staff was excellent. They were always asking us if we needed anything to make our stay enjoyable

Cleanliness & Comfort

45 by Director

Santiago

Very modern hotel, clean and comfortable. Tranquil rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

where most of the staff we delt with were helpful and accommodating. There was one late night front desk individual who was not helpful and projected a feeling we were not welcome and annoyed we were there for such a late check in.

Cleanliness & Comfort

super clean and modern

Hotel Bellavista

Puerto Varas

Beautiful hotel, excellent staff who were curious about how our stay was going and made sure we had whatever we needed to enjoy it. Breakfast service was fantastic, and the staff were very polite and accommodating. Location was great to walk to restaurants, the shoreline, and the city center for shopping. The view was the best part! WOW!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to get downtown and to the waterfront for restaurants and shops.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

squeaky clean and super comfy

Hotel Lady Florence Dixie

Puerto Natales

Not a welcoming front desk presence. Did not have hot water for the first 3 days staying at the hotel. Was told it was a regional issue, not a hotel issue (for hot water?) Once we did get water, it was lukewarm at best. The hotel was doing renovations during our stay and did not mention it, which was the real issue, as work crews were installing new water heaters that lay throughout the hallways. The rooms were designed like a cheap motel with paper-thin walls. The single person working the breakfast service was the only positive, inviting person. The location was pretty good, but there are a few other options nearby that may be better.

Authenticity & Character

it was a small and quaint hotel but had trash and building supplies throughout the hotel as they were going through a remodeling and failed to let the team know that was an issue.

Location

The location was OK, located near the central plaza, restaurants, and shops. There were other hotels that were closer to the water that may have be more inviting.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

it was a small and quaint hotel but had trash and building supplies throughout the hotel as they were going through a remodeling and failed to let the team know that was an issue. Hot water is must, cannot believe in the weather environment, the hotel was ok with their guess not having hot water to clean themselves.

Activity Reviews

Torres del Paine National Park - Private Panoramic Tour

Chile

Hampered by the weather, but we had a small window where the clouds parted, and we could see the mountain tops. Nacho, our guide, was great, very knowledgeable and inquisitive about if we were enjoying or stay.

Quality of Experience

The environment was incredible and very beautiful. We were able to experience the mountains, glaciers, incredible waters, pumas and other wildlife, and most of all - the WIND!

Food

We had sack lunches from the hotel, which was poor soggy sandwiches and random bagged snacks.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nacho was the best, it was great to hear his stories.

Transport

the terrain is a little rough, Nacho had a nice vehicle but was defiantly effect by the rough environment.

Visit the Saltos del Petrohue - Todos Los Santos Lake & Osorno Volcano

Chile

Our guide was very knowledgeable and was awesome.

Quality of Experience

Our guide made the experience special

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Victor was great and we had a lot of great conversations

Transport

Van was clean and very comfortable