Kimkim Trip Reviews

The planning process with Eric was exceptional. Very attentive, timely and informative. Answered all my questions and provide provided valuable insight regarding the planning of our trip
Our guide/driver for the week, Siggi, was great.
We learned a lot about the history of Iceland, saw some amazing sites and had a lot of laughs along the way. We even invited him to play golf with us at Brautarholt !!! Eric and Kim Kim fried amazing experience for myself and eight of my high school friends. It was a memorable experience.

Activity Reviews

Sky Lagoon

Iceland

Great time And experience.

Quality of Experience

Great experience with opportunities to be exposed to cold plunge, sauna, steaming, salt, scrub, missing shower, and the overall sky Lagoon spa

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was terrific all week, the staff at sky Lagoon were friendly and accommodating.

Transport

Siggi is great

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Replaced to unwind, especially after a long flight from the United States. Very calming and refreshing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Langjokull Glacier Snowmobiling

Iceland

Snowmobiling was fun. Although we believe that the winter months would be better suited for this activity. Lack of snow on the nearby landscape restricted or travel area.

Quality of Experience

On time riding on top of the glacier… Would’ve been better if there was more snow nearby for a longer tour

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were fun and accommodating

Transport

Long ride to the Bass camp on rough terrain

ATV Tour

Iceland

Awesome time traversing through the volcanic area, mountains, and beachfront.

Quality of Experience

Fun time great experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides were extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and provided a great experience for our group

Transport

Siggi was awesome

Reykjavik Premium Whale Watching

Reykjavík

Fun time on the rigid hole inflatable boats. Weather wasn’t great, but we had a fun time. Able to see whales, dolphins and puffins. The all female bow crew was fantastic and entertaining.

Quality of Experience

Efficient operation with knowledgeable staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They all female bow crew were terrific.

We had a truly incredible trip to France! It was my children's first trip abroad (7yrs and 4 yrs) and my first time taking them on such a big adventure as a parent. Lucie made sure the trip was a perfectly tailored balance of things the kids would enjoy, parents would enjoy, and inclusive of enough downtime to make sure we all weren't overtired. We made several hotel changes and location changes and always had fantastic, kind, drivers to bring us from place to place with all of our luggage. Our hotels were wonderful spaces for us to enjoy as a family, and the neighborhoods she found for us to stay in were walkable and right on the Metro lines. We loved Paris - we had a wonderful, kid friendly tour of the Louvre. We saw the Eiffel Tower (my 7 year old's big dream for the trip), explored Montmartre, took the Metro all over. We travelled my train to the charming town of Nantes and saw the old town and the Machines de l'Ile, rented a car to go to Puy du Fou, and then spent 3 perfect lazy days in Ile de Re. It was a magical trip - Lucie handled EVERYTHING. When our flights got severely delayed (to the next day) she rearranged our cars, informed the hotel, and moved around our Louvre tour to accommodate our new schedule. The next time my family goes to France we will absolutely reach out to Lucie.

Hotel Reviews

Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Paris

We had a very short and very enjoyable stay at this hotel. It's right near the Seine and the Pont Neuf. Large space for a family to enjoy. Kind staff. Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Baronnie Hôtel & Spa

Saint-Martin-de-Re

This is the best hotel I have ever stayed in. The staff were so kind, so helpful, and so friendly. The room was stunning. My kids loved getting to have their own bedroom and loved the bunk bed. When we forgot our newly purchased stuffed animal on checkout, they called us and arranged to fly him home. We also got a cute little picture of him working at the front desk which charmed my children and me. I would love to come stay here again - it was magical.

Authenticity & Character

The most beautiful hotel I have ever stayed in.

Location

Ile de Re is amazing and this hotel is right near the spot you want to explore. It's stunning.

Staff

The staff is so friendly, helpful, and kind. They clearly really want you to enjoy your time at the hotel and on the island. They knew our names and we walked in and out of the building and would have bent over backwards for us to make sure the trip was perfect.

Cleanliness & Comfort

A truly wonderful family room.

Domaine Mélusine

Les Epesses

Wonderful breakfast. Perfect spot for visiting Puy du Fou.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel 29 Lepic

Paris

Perfect space for a family in a wonderful, charming, part of town. Would love to come back and stay a day!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect street in Montmarte.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discovery of the Machines de l'île

Nantes

Unfortunately the elephant ride was out of commission, which was disappointing, but we really enjoyed the machines.

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Visit of the Eiffel Tower with Access to the Summit (Entrance Tickets included)

Paris

Quality of Experience

Louvre Treasure Hunt

Paris

This was the perfect way to introduce a child to this massive Louvre. We saw 10 preselected pieces, discussed them, and left. It was the best way to get my child into the Louvre without overwhelming her. Our guide was wonderful and so engaging. My daughter adored her.

Quality of Experience

Our tour guide was fantastic!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide was fantastic!

Transport

We took the Metro.

Our guide Adi was incredibly knowledgeable and so excited each time we asked him a question. You could feel his love for Bali and the people. Out driver Ardi was also amazing!
We had the luck of being in Bali on a major holiday so got to see the people and temples dressed up!
Sofitel Nusa Dua cannot be beat!
K Club was in a beautiful setting- high in the mountains.
We had a packed itinerary so be sure when planning you’re ok with long drives and bad traffic or just stay in one area. It’s all beautiful!

Dean did a good job of arranging accommodations for us, allowing us to have a stress free trip. He also booked a couple excursions for us, that were enjoyable. Overall, our trip was a success!

That being said, it seemed clear that Dean's focus was on hiking and biking. His company is literally called Ireland Hike Bike Walk. He would do better with younger people who want to hike or bike. He gave us routes to drive, but we couldn't or didn't follow them. They didn't always match where we were, or where we were going. He gave us instructions to return our rental in Dublin, even though we rented and returned the car in Shannon. On 2 occasions, the route started or ended in the wrong town 20-40 km from our target. Dean's associate, Katie, checked up on us multiple times during the trip, which was reassuring, and she helped us to cancel one of the excursions, and helped us find a confirmation number on another occasion.

In retrospect, I could have made the arrangements on my own. We would have probably missed out on Inis Mor and Achill Island. Those were both fun and memorable excursions, so I'm glad that we got to do those, but I'll do the leg work on my own next time.

Hotel Reviews

Bunratty Manor

Bunratty

The staff in this hotel are exceptional. The food in the restaurant was amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to Bunratty Castle, where we spent a day

Staff

Everybody did.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was hot in our room, but the weather was exceptionally warm when we were there.

Tower View

Dingle

A great B&B in Dingle Town

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Old Weir Lodge

Killarney

Clean and friendly lodgings in Killarney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near the center of Killarney

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had requested a king size bed or 2 beds. We had a queen sized bed. Ok, but we didn't really sleep well

The Kingsley Hotel

Cork

The hotel was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We were well outside the core of Cork. Easy to get to and a nice setting, but I don't feel that we really saw Cork

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Granville Hotel

This was one of the best hotels of the trip. Very upscale. Great location. Great staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the waterfront a couple blocks from everything we wanted to see

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riverside Laragh BnB

Friendly people running this B&B, but the bed was too small

Authenticity & Character

Location

well located near the village and Glendalough

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had specifically requested a king sized bed, or 2 beds, but ended up with a double bed

Ashling Hotel Dublin

Dublin

Upscale hotel in the heart of Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to drive to, but also easy to walk about the city

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa

Sligo

This was a vey nice hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Outside of Sligo town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Louisburgh Cottages

Charming cottages in a small Irish village. Not a hotel or B&B.

Authenticity & Character

Small clean cottage in Louisburgh, run by the community.

Location

Staff

They weren't on site, but readily available and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Harbour Hotel

Galway

Located walking distance from the heart of Galway. Friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Skellig Six 18 Distillery Tour

Ireland

Cathen was our guide. He was fun and informative. The start was a little disorganized. The biggest drawback is that we had to drive to get here and drive afterwards, so I didn't really get to taste much.

Book of Kells and Trinity Campus Tour

Dublin

This was a bucket list item for us. The tour was very enjoyable

The entire trip in Thailand was absolutely amazing and a once in a lifetime must! Kien from Kim Kim planned our trip perfectly. We flew into Bangkok spent a few days there, then flew into Chiang Mai and spent a few days there with our last destination in Phuket.

Our guides were phenomenal. "Ae" took special care of us in Bangkok and Lisa did the same in Phuket.

We stayed at the most amazing hotel in Phuket where we upgraded to a super luxury villa which made our trip more memorable! The Slate is the most beautiful hotel, ever!

Some of our most memorable activities include the elephant sanctuary and cooking dinner with the locals in Chiang Mai, eating out in Bangkok and checking out the floating and railroad market, getting tailored suits made and daily massages and of course Phi Phi Island in Phuket ! We enjoyed being picked up by our guide at each airport too!

Kim Kim was perfect!

Hotel Reviews

The Slate Phuket

Phuket

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amazing hotel!

Aksara Heritage

Chiang Mai

Absolutely beautiful hotel! The rooms were so plush! The staff were so kind and attentive!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mode Sathorn Hotel Bangkok

Bangkok

The breakfast buffet was amazing but the rooms needed to be updated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Railway Market & Floating Market

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Such a cool cultural experience!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (Morning session)

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides really take good care Of the elephants!

Food

Lunch was delicious !

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lanna Lifestyle & Cooking Experience with A Local Family with dinner

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tossa de Mar was amazing. The hotel Noga booked for us had delicious breakfast, was less than 5 minute walk from the beach, and was very comfortable. We also took a guided kayak trip through Nicholau’s Kayak who worked with us and KimKim when there was scheduling problem. Raquel our guide was very knowledgeable and went above and beyond to show us an activity we could do the next day on our own.

Hotel Review

Hostal Boutique Sa Nansa

Tossa de Mar

Great no frills hotel. The beds are comfortable and breakfast is delicious. We had a family room with 5 beds and it was perfect for needs and gave us enough space. It is minutes away from the beach and Old Town has many very good restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Less than 5 minute walk from the beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kayaking & Snorkeling in Tossa de Mar, Costa Brava

Spain

Our guide Raquel was very knowledgeable and personable. She engaged with the kids about their interests while we rowed and she knew a lot about the Mediterranean and the area we visited. She went above and beyond to show us how to get back to a spot where people rock climb so we could come back the next day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Extended Visit to Sagrada Família

Barcelona

The guide was very knowledgeable and patient with our exhausted 9 year old. The trip to the tower was cool and she warned us about the tight curvy way down.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of the guides were very helpful and knowledgeable. They didn’t just give us a tour, but assisted with our planning and came up with suggestions that would work better. They were all very enthusiastic and loved what they do. Kimkim did an amazing job helping us plan our first trip to Japan.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Nikko Narita

Narita

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hiroshima Tokyu REI Hotel

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Yumoto Onsen Tsuki no Yado Sara

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Very authentic; amazing location next to river

Location

Great location, close to station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Knot Tokyo Shinjuku

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good central location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Enjoy Temples & Bamboo Grove in Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nara Day Tour from Kyoto

Kyoto

Our guide was so helpful and knew how to adjust our activities due to the weather and timing of our next locations. She also helped us find the information we needed to make sure our departure was smooth without us asking. She voluntarily helped us plan ahead.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Our guide was so helpful and knew how to adjust our activities due to the weather and timing of our next locations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

1-Day Tour: Port City Kure - Cruise, Battleships, Submarines & More!

Hiroshima

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Hakone and Lake Ashi Tour with Hakone Tozan Railway

Japan

Very authentic experiences; liked variety of a smaller town

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Tokyo

Appreciated guide taking us to viewpoints and some areas not specified (e.g. Gojira head)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guide was super helpful in teaching us the subway system so that we could do it on our own later

We loved our trip to Thailand. Sandi did an amazing job planning everything and patiently listening to our requests for a less-beaten track, helping us book memorable side excursions (the highlights for us: the ancient temples at Ayutthaya, and the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai). Our guides, Ms. Leena in Bangkok and Mr. Marty in Chiang Mai, were very knowledgeable, sharing much insight into their country's history and local culture. Great choice of hotels, transport, and logistics. Overall, a great experience!

Hotel Reviews

El Barrio Lanna

Chiang Mai

A beautiful boutique hotel within the Old City, with an architectural style of its own. Flawless cleanliness and very attentive staff. A welcoming oasis within a very busy center.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nysa Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 11

Bangkok

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Elephant Nature Park Visit

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We booked a private 11-day tour of Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia and Emerson did an amazing job. The accommodations were perfect and the guides were very knowledgeable, helpful and punctual. The drivers were much more than just a driver as each one provided information about the countryside and history of the country. One driver even included a special stop at an old soviet ICBM silo.
During the planning for the trip, Emerson provided recommendations for unique activities that were off the charts (i.e. Old Võromaa smoke sauna ritual) that we really enjoyed. From start to finish, he took care of every possible detail and everything went exactly as planned.
It was a great trip, Connie & Bud

Our trip to Portugal, visiting Lisbon, the Algrave, and Porto was totally wonderful. In both Lisbon and Porto, we had walking tours with guides who were quite knowledgeable and entertaining. In Lisbon we visited the Earthquake Museum, toured many churches and historic sites, and ate many delicious traditional meals. In the Algrave, we visited the Chapel of Bones in Evora, and stayed in a spacious beach apartment in Lagos. We had a boat tour along the beautiful coast of Portugal and spent a day on a scenic Portuguese beach. In Porto, we had a food tour and did a Port tasting across the river in Gaia. Then we had a tour of the beautiful Pineda-Garês N’ational Park, where we swam in a waterfall pool and had a delicious lunch. And of course, we did lots of shopping everywhere we went!

The finishing touch was the agency helping us retrieve a beloved bracelet my granddaughter left in our hotel room. This was far beyond our expectations and we greatly appreciate this extra effort. Highly recommend traveling with Kim Kim!

Margarita provided excellent assistance throughout the trip, beginning with the planning of the trip. She listened to our needs and planned a wonderful itinerary that accommodated a family of 12 ranging from 4 years old to 85 years old. Margarita, Oscar, and Wendy were all responsive during our trip. We just absolutely loved everything. The tours, hotels, and food were all wonderful; thank you! Juan Camillo, our guide in Medellin, was especially worth noting as we really bonded with him and wished he could have remained with us throughout the duration of our full trip. We stayed in Medellin (Wake Bio,) Santa Marta (Naio,) and Cartagena (Sofitel.) Highly recommend! Locals were all kind and thanking us for visiting as American tourists. We felt safe throughout the entirety of our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena

Cartagena

Super nice and fancy! Our room wasn't huge here but it was a very nice and high end resort. Food and drinks were great. Pool was awesome! Staff was on top of everything!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NAIO

Stay here! It was on the beach. We have the playa beachfront rooms. It was a very nicely sized room. Lighting was dim but it was fine. The hot/cold on the shower, if I recall correctly, seemed opposite of 'normal' for us so we took a cold shower the 1st day but figured it out. There were 3 nice pools. We didn't go in ocean because it was very choppy and my 4 y/o couldn't even stand in ankle-deep water without being knocked over by waves. But, it was a cool vibe to have the beach there and overlook it from the pool. Plus, we didn't have to worry about sand everywhere ha! Food/drinks were good! We got 90 min massages- very good. They're in an open hut in the jungle so if others are getting massages in neighboring huts, you may not have the privacy you are used to. I went in the morning and was the only person there but others in my family (group of 12) went in the afternoon and could see eachother so that could be a bit uncomfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wake BioHotel

Medellín

Stay here! We had a 2 bed, 3 bath, living room/kitchen suite on 8th floor. It was great. I also appreciated that the 1 day I did have housekeeping come in (I generally keep do not disturb on my door at all hotels and only get towels/toilet paper delivered) they did not mess up my stuff! They didn't reorganize any of my belongings which was MUCH appreciated and generally why I don't have anyone come clean my room during hotel stays! Food/drinks were good. Pool was small but we didn't even have an opportunity to use it due to touring so it didn't matter.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Knowing Cartagena to the Rhythm of Salsa

Cartagena

Everyone enjoyed this! None of us left as salsa experts but we thoroughly enjoyed the class and it was private so was not embarrassing to dance in front of anyone!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Comuna 13, Medellín's Public Transformation & Local Flavors

Medellín

Must add for Medellin cultural experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medellín Treasures: Gardens, Art, and Heritage Tour

Colombia

Juan Camilo was very knowledgeable and accommodating to our full group!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drum Safari - Sounds of Cartagena

Cartagena

Fun stop- definitely add! Good experience for our full family of 12 ranging from 4-85.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Arvi Park by Cable Car

Medellín

Fun way to start our Medellin adventures getting out to enjoy and see the city!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy the Beaches and Coral Reefs of the Rosario Islands by Private Boat

Colombia

Super cool trip highlight for our group. Nice boat, skilled driver. Thoroughly enjoyed by all!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Navigating Nature: Discover the Mangroves of La Boquilla

Cartagena

Fun way to start the day in a canoe enjoying the mangroves!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free day In Tayrona

Colombia

Much needed day of rest at the beautiful Naio Hotel!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colombian Flavors for Everyone: A Fun Arepa & Empanada Workshop

Colombia

Highlight in Medellin for our family. Chef/owner was wonderful and our family really enjoyed this. Nice, private homestead with ample space. Comfortable and food was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fruit Tasting & Picnic in Medellín’s Botanical Garden

Colombia

Nice time enjoying this with Juan Camilo before our departure! Casual time in gardens enjoying some fruit and chatting about our past few days together!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We loved this trip!! I think looking back my only change would be to reduce the number of in-country flights because they eat up too much of the vacation time - flights get in very late and then ruin the next morning. If I do a trip like this again, I would spend more time at each place and see less places overall, but I know some people really like a busy itinerary (I don't).

We loved everything about this trip - it was our first time hang-gliding (in Rio), our first time on a helicopter (over Iguazu Falls), and of course our first time in Brazil. So many memories we made, from walking along Copacabana Beach to being rained on for two days straight around Iguazu Falls to swimming with a pink dolphin at Tupana Lodge in the Amazon to eating the (gross) piranha that we caught there for dinner to listening to the great local music on Ilha Grande and waking up to the kiskadees with their characteristic loud song. We saw amazing animals and met amazing people, and it was an overall AMAZING trip!!!!

Yesterday, still jetlagged, I began to write a very detailed review of this trip, but got sicktracked. When I went back this morning to complete it, I found it was not saved! So now you're getting the abbreviated version!

1. Flight over, and car pickup went smoothly. Got to Giverny, where you had no connections, but I think it's too bad you
didn't suggest I make reservations for Monet's house and gardens. Luckily, that occurred to me on my own , or we
would have been very disappointed to get there to find the size of the crowds. Likewise, you had no relationships
with hotels in that area, but I was able to find a very nice hotel in nearby Vernon and it worked out well.
2. Caroline had suggested driving directly to Bayeux but I chose, instead, to take a stop-off in Honfleur, which I had read
was one of the most beautiful little towns in France. If there hadn't been a circus and market day in town that day it
would have worked out better, but we at least had a brief opportunity to drive through the town, even if we couldn't
find a place to park and explore.
3. Upon reaching Bayeux, we parked and went to our hotel. Le Castel was a very nice place, but more of a guest house
than a hotel! We arrived on Saturday in time for 3:00 check-in only to find a sign on the door saying check-in was at
5:00! The place was locked up tight! We managed to spend a couple of hours finding lunch and wandering through
the cathedral but it was a surprise and disappointment to not have a place to cool off and relax. Bayeux is a terrific
town, and on day 3 we had a great guided tour of the town, but unfortunately I don't remember the name of the
wonderful woman in the green hat and scarf! She was very knowledgeable and we learned many new
things, and got a healthy dose of humor from her! By now the heatwave was fully upon us, so it was not much of a
relief to go back to our room! We understood that France does not offer much air conditioning but the temperatures
were WAY beyond anything we expected. The really fun thing about Sunday evening was that it was Fete de la
Musique! That was quite the unexpected bonus, and we enjoyed it very much.
4, Monday was our D-Day experience and it was everything, and more, than we expected. Our tour guide Lucas, and
driver Estephe were very professional and Lucas's presentations, with photos to support what he was telling us,
were top-notch! The group was a good size, about 12, and it made asking questions, and keeping up very manageable.
A huge bonus was at the American Cemetery, where, after Lucas' explanation and instructions of when and where to
meet, we walked the cemetery on our own. Suddenly we heard the national anthem, followed by taps. That was
extremely moving and Lucas told us later that that is an infrequent occurrence, when family of someone buried
there visits. My only criticism of the day was that where Lucas told us to meet ("back at the van") was pretty vague
and it made it hard to figure out which van was ours. It would have better had he had us meet back where we started
IN the cemetery, so no one was wandering the parking lot!
5. Tuesday was our full day trip to le Mont St-Michel. Our driver/guide Lu/Lou was just fantastic! She had a great
personality and was very outgoing. It was a long drive, but there were only 7 of us, plus Lou, and so conversation
flowed, and we really enjoyed our time together. Lou was very mindful of our age, and was very conscientious about
stopping for short breaks as we made our way up all those steps to the Abbey itself. Her tour was excellent and she
was very clear about using our free time for lunch and shopping and what time to be making our way back to the
welcome center for the trip back. Perhaps it was because we had more time with her, but I felt that Lou was the
outstanding guide of all!
6. Wednesday was the day I was most worried about, as Caroline's estimation of how long it would take to drive from
Bayeux to Versailles was different from what Google maps estimated. It turned out that Caroline's time frame was
better, as we opted not to take any Autoroutes, sticking instead to secondary highways. We were worried about
parking at Versailles, expecting be forced to park far away, but we were pleasantly surprised to find parking was easy
and very close to the gates. We did have some trouble figuring out where to meet our group but we managed in
plenty of time. Again, I don't know our guide's name - even with headsets it was hard to hear everything she said with
the crowds. The crowds and the heat really made the day less than it could have been but overall it was good to
finally see a place I have so longed to visit. The temperatures of 100+ made us reconsider the gardens, but
otherwise it was good. The car return and train into Paris were fine, and the cab ride to our hotel was short and
painless.
7. Thank God for cell phones! Diliana texted and called about the change of meeting time for the tour of Notre Dame,
and offered us options if we wanted, of either the Latin Quarter, or the Musee d'Orsay. We had not seen Notre Dame
for 28 years so we were anxious to see how it looked after the fire. We were worried about exactly where and how
we would meet up with Sylvanie but she found us, and she did a wonderful job of showing us both outside and in. It
was a terrific tour, and she, too, was very knowledgeable.
8. Le Jardin de Brea was just great - AC was SOOOO welcome by then, and the staff in the lobby was fantastic, friendly,
and ready with recommendations for nearby restaurants! I know it was not your original recommendation, but it
was perfect! The half hour walk to Notre Dame from the hotel, through Luxembourg Gardens would normally be
easy, were if not for the 104 temps!
9. Our driver to CDG on Friday morning was excellent, and he had bottles of water waiting for us in the back seat. He
got us there in 50 minutes, which should have been plenty, and it was, except that due to the heat passport control
was down, and the lines were exceptional as each passenger had to be processed manually, rather than electronically.
That was the most stressful part of the week, except that we were all in the same boat, and the plane was delayed.

Final thoughts: I think there were a couple of things that could be tightened up, with regard to suggestions, meeting places, etc, but overall it was a wonderful trip and Kimkim took good care of us. Diliana did say that due to our not being able to see Sainte Chappelle we would receive a cost adjustment so I will look forward to more information from you on that. Overall the trip was a very successful one and were we to need travel services again Kimkim would be our choice.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel A La Villa des Artistes

Paris

This hotel was closed for renovations so this does not apply.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

AC was wonderful, breakfast was wonderful! This is a great hotel I would recommend you add to your list of recommendations

Hôtel Jardin le Bréa

Paris

Great hotel, excellent staff, clean, good location

Authenticity & Character

Charming

Location

A half hour walk to Notre Dame through Luxembourg Gardens. Lots of restaurants nearby!

Staff

The desk staff were very friendly, and had good recommendations for restaurants nearby

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lovely room, clean, great AC.

Le Castel & Au Loup

Bayeux

The hotel was very nice, the breakfast was good, the cleaning of the room from day to day was minimal, but Fred, our host was wonderful!

Authenticity & Character

A beautiful building!

Location

Within walking distance of everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Changed the towels but that was all

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Exploration of Bayeux

Bayeux

The cathedral was gorgeous and we enjoyed visiting it. The high point there was going down into the crypt and encountering a quartet of what we can only assume were music students singing a cappella. That was exquisite!

Quality of Experience

Monet's Giverny House & Gardens self-guided day Trip (Tickets are not included)

France

I felt that Kimkim gave us nothing on this! We figured out that we needed reservations, we needed to find our own hotel.

Quality of Experience

Private Notre-Dame & Sainte-Chapelle Visit with Priority Access

Paris

I only give this 4 stars because we were not able to visit Sainte Chappelle

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sylvanie rushed to get back from another toup to give us a private tour!

Self-Guided Day in Le Marais: Cheese Shop, Museums, & Market

Paris

Did not do this due to weather

Quality of Experience

Palace of Versailles Day Trip with Priority Access – Half-Day Tour

Paris

It was simply too hot and to crowded to fully appreciate!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mont Saint Michel & The Abbey : The Enchanted Island

Bayeux

In spite of the heat, and all the steps, this is an amazing place!

Quality of Experience

Our guide was fantastic!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Omaha Beach & American Cemetery War History Day Trip

Bayeux

Even better than I could imagine it to be!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Historic Bayeux

Bayeux

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Deedie and Anne did all of the trip planning with KimKim so I will let them speak about that.

The trip was beautiful and interesting and energetic. Norway is a series of engineering marvels with tunnels and hydropower and hairpin turns leading to glacial grandeur.
The Scandic Torget hotel in Bergen was average but the location was excellent. We did a hike from Ulriken, the top of the gondola, to Mt Floyen, the top of the funicular, along the ridge top which was spectacular (13 km on the Vidden trail). We ate dinner one night at the Daily Pot which was delicious, casual and inexpensive.

The other 3 hotels were great. All 4 of the hotels had excellent breakfasts and we made sandwiches for lunch (not encouraged by the staff).

The hike in the Aurlandsdalen was amazing and long, 19 km. We took a bus up to Osterbo and then were picked up in Vassbygdi. The hotel helped us with the bus tickets and details. The ride on the Flamsbana was beautiful and the walk down was wet, again beautiful, and interesting, stopped at an old church in Flam along the way.

Took the snow road to Geiranger, a must! Ride in the RIB was great, could have been longer. Hiked up above the Storsaeterfossen into the meadows which was glorious. Had a delicious dinner at the Westeras Farm, a short walk from the hotel.

Took the Trollstigen to Alesund, a must! Hiked the Storhornet on Godoya island, more remote than Sukertoppen and no people but much more difficult. We felt like explorers standing on the edge of the sea.

Hotel Review

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Small clean rooms, very small lobby, excellent breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hike up to Sukkertoppen

Ålesund

We decided to do a different hike. In retrospect, with 2 cruise ships in port, Sukkertoppen would have had a lot of people on it and Storhornet was a treat ( start from the Alnes lighthouse side)

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Self-Guided Waterfall Walk

Geiranger

If a cruise ship is in Geiranger, should start hike from hotel up to Storsaeterfossen and on up into meadows (trail continues) where there will be less people and an amazing view. We did not do the lower part of the hike as it is pretty "manufactured".

Geraingerfjord Safari by RIB

Geiranger

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike in Aurlandsdalen Valley

Aurland

Hike was amazing,

Quality of Experience

Canyons are deep with raging river

Sebastian’s help in creating a perfect honeymoon itinerary was amazing! The travel book was clear and easy to use. We had a great time in France!

We had an amazing experience booking our trip to Tossa de Mar and Barcelona through Kimkim. From the very beginning, the planning process was seamless and stress-free. The itinerary was thoughtfully designed, giving us the perfect balance of sightseeing, relaxation, and local experiences.
Every recommendation—from our accommodations to activities and transportation—was well chosen and made our trip even more enjoyable. Exploring the beautiful coastal town of Tossa de Mar and the vibrant city of Barcelona was unforgettable, and everything went exactly as planned.
What impressed us most was Kimkim's excellent customer service. The team was responsive, attentive, and always available to answer questions before and during our trip, giving us confidence and peace of mind throughout our travels.
We highly recommend Kimkim to anyone looking for a personalized, well-organized travel experience. They made our vacation smooth, memorable, and truly enjoyable. We wouldn't hesitate to use Kimkim again for our next adventure!

Eleanor helped plan the trip so perfectly. We began at Mizumari, a Ryokan on the Izu Peninsula for 4 glorious, restful days. The food was amazing. We took walks to waterfalls and went to the beach. From there we traveled to Kyoto. The train station at Kyoto was incredibly confusing and we struggled to find the hotel which was right there. Finally, a cook at the hotel showed us where it was. Otherwise, the app that was provided gave us all the information we needed to find temples, museums, Saihoji and wander the city. One rainy day we went to the Kyocera museum and were awed by the work of Ida Shoichi. We were in Kyoto for a conference with Japanese Psychoanalysts and Eleanor found us a hotel right around the corner from the conference. The conference was a highlight of the trip. Getting to meet people who live and work in Japan--not just hit the tourist spots. Wandering around the area where the conference was, gave us an additional feel for the city. We found the wood block prints of Hokusai--the 36 views of Mount Fuji, a fabulous food market and incredibly friendly, open people to chat with. Our final meal was with in a teeny restaurant with a couple who made us noodle soup. We fell in love with Kyoto.

We really had a great time in Greece. We did not have any issues with transfers or tours that we set up through Eirini. We particularly enjoyed the cooking class that we participated in on the island of Crete. We also enjoyed our wine tour in Santorini. We would definitely use this service again.

Just got back from two fabulous weeks in beautiful Morocco and Kimkim was excellent to work with -- taking our request for a "calmer" itinerary and yet still getting the most bang for our buck. We never felt rushed and yet we covered a lot of territory, starting in Casablanca, down to Marrakesh, Ait Benhaddou, Boumaine Dades, Merzouga, and back through Agdz to Essaouira. Each area had its own uniqueness and beauty, and it was very special to see such diffefent landscapes -- from the bustling medinas to the gorgeous valley area. There were times we were "in the middle of nowhere" with no other tourists around. We had a local guide in each place and enjoyed experiencing their perspectives. One stands out: Mohamed, our guide in the valley, who led us on two hikes that were unforgettable. He told us, "Life in my hometown is simple but beautiful." For anyone looking to plan a trip like this, Majid did a great job putting things together for us. But our daily "fearless leader" :-) was our driver and new friend, Hamza, who took excellent care of us. He was very professional and friendly and fun. He was our liaison when we needed to add or tweak a little something on our itinerary. Whoever is reading this and planning to visit, we hope you ask for Hamza. He's just a super nice guy and was very patient and kind to our group, which consisted of two "older parents" traveling with three teenaged boys. ;-) (Btw Hamza can sure cut a rug. Ask him to show you his Ahidous dance moves ;-) Such a wonderful holiday.

Lucy was amazing! My dad got sick at the beginning of the trip and would up in the hospital for a couple days. But thanks to Lucy, I had a place to stay close to the hospital set up as soon as she knew I needed it and she checked in on my dad through out the trip. Being so far from home it was nice to have a local helping with all the little bumps in the road.

Leon was our guide in Cape Town and made the whole experience wonderful. He knew so much and was funny and friendly. My dad didn’t always feel up to walking and Leon stayed and was a great companion while we adventured a bit. Definitely made that portion of the trip special for our family. The Romney Park Luxury apartments were gorgeous! Their elevator was not working and they moved us to a ground floor apartment to make it easier for my dad, the ground floor was not nearly as nice of an apartment, but we appreciated the accommodation since their elevator was broken.

Marine Dynamics was greatly enjoyed by my husband and kid's. The shark diving was the highlight of the trip for my daughter. The Abalone hotel was lovely and they really enjoyed eating in town at The Chard- best milkshakes ever! Steaks, calamari and side dishes were also delicious!

Moditlo Lodge was my favorite stay. We were treated so well, every need anticipated, every staff member kind and attentive. They knew it was our anniversary and we were treated with hearts and champagne in our room. My dad’s birthday was also celebrated with all staff singing and a cake at lunch time. Kailey the check was phenomenal and our guide and tracker (Dumi and Derrick) were so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about making sure we had the best time. The game drives were the highlight of the trip for me, seeing hundreds of animals and my children getting to see all the ones they wanted to and more. The hot water bottles, lined ponchos and warm drinks made the chilly mornings and adventure and something to look forward too. My words don’t do the experience justice. I do wish we had know that the entire experience was outside the park, we would have asked to spend at least one day in Kruger.

Victoria Falls - the Shearwater was a real downgrade after Moditlo, no one cleaned our rooms or replaced amenities like coffee and water without a request and the staff wasn’t very responsive. More than once I stood in line waiting to be helped while watching staff gossip about guests, one night the kitchen staff got in a huge fight and you could hear them yelling at each other from the dining room. Definitely a place you kept all the doors locked every minute.

Kuda was a wonderful guide to the falls, full of local information and willing to share a lot about the culture and what it was like to grow up in Victoria Falls. The helicopter flight was the highlight of my dad’s trip and fell on his 82nd birthday. The view from above was spectacular! We also great enjoyed our tour of the Wildlife Trust, the work they do there is so important and fascinating. Kuda went on that trip with us as well and said he learned a lot himself.

Bamba train was fun. The Chobe day trip was my son’s favorite day and probably tied for one of my favorites as well. Our guides, Captain O, Terrance and Kenneth, were funny and obviously enjoyed showing us around on bus, boat and safari. We saw THOUSANDS of birds and animals that day, it was unreal and felt like the scenes you see in movies. Our fellow passengers were also very fun on this trip.

Our last experience was the Dusty Roads dinner and it was informative, colorful, whimsical and funny. We were able to try grubs - my daughter ate two!! And all kinds of different local foods while learning about what plants they came from and how they were prepared. The owner came to our table and chatted for quite awhile, it was interesting to learn about her family and time in Zimbabwe. We loved it!

We would encourage people to follow the travel agents advice and to not walk alone and keep valuables secure. I should have Ubered from my hotel to the hospital! Had to cancel my credit card and file a police report after an encounter in the street with a few young men.

AirLink was a very hit or miss airline to travel with about half the staff was polite, friendly and helpful, the other half was dismissive if not out and out rude at times.

All in all it was a trip of a lifetime and I would highly recommend working with Lucy. She was so helpful, kind and if she didn’t know the answer she said so and told you she would get it!

Hotel Reviews

Shearwater Explorers Village

Victoria Falls

Didn’t really feel safe or welcome hear

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff gossiping about guests in another language, we may not have understood the words but the eye rolls, faces and tone are universally disrespectful body language and when you do it in another language and think the people around are to dumb to notice it is even ruder

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms could be cleaned up daily and amenities, like coffee and water replaced without having to ask

Moditlo River Lodge

Hoedspruit

Treated like family and special guests all at the same time

Authenticity & Character

Location

Outside the park

Staff

Would give more stars if I could

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything, the food was amazing

Abalone Guest Lodge

Hermanus

Beautiful rooms with ocean views!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to cliff walks

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lovely place to stay

Romney Park Luxury Apartments

Cape Town

Staff was lovely and helpful. Breakfast was tasty and quick in the morning. Top floor apartments were so cute and probably the nicest apartment we stayed in. Such a nice place to stay with multiple family members and not have to go in and out of separate rooms with separate keys.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Thoughtful and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was exquisitely neat and tidy

Activity Reviews

Ride the Bamba Tram – A Unique Journey Through Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls

Pretty view and another way to have people come and sell you stuff

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chobe Full Day Safari Trip

Victoria Falls

One of the best days of the whole trip!

Quality of Experience

Couldn’t imagine the amount of wildlife!

Food

Nona’s are the bomb

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and helpful

Transport

Going back and forth between two countries and changing vehicles so many times could have been confusing or difficult and they made it super smooth!

Flight of the angels

South Africa

Very efficient

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Views were fantastic and ride was smooth as glass

Dusty Road Dinner Experience

Victoria Falls

Awesome concept and execution

Quality of Experience

Great service and good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust – High Care Rehabilitation & Lab Tour

Victoria Falls

Cool to see everything they were doing and meet their current guests

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very informative

Transport

Sunset Cruise - Signature Deck

Victoria Falls

We wound up on the dinner cruise instead of the dinner cruise. It was too late and cold for my 82 year old dad. Our itinerary said sunset cruise, but what was booked was the dinner cruise. It was nice, but not what we had planned.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thoughtful and provided blankets for my cold dad

Transport

Tour Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls

Much better with a guide - Kuda had so much local knowledge about the plants, the river as an energy source and local history. Greatly added to the walk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Local knowledge

Transport

On time and safe

Shark Cage Diving

South Africa

According to my daughter - the best day of her life!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The boat ride was exciting and fast

Full Day City Tour, Robben Island & Table Mountain

South Africa

Love the look at local history by those directly impacted by the Robben Island prison. Table Mountain was spectacular and we felt lucky to have such nice weather.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helpful and thoughtful

Transport

On Safari

South Africa

Dumi and Derrick were the very best! It was so fun talking with them and learning from them.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides and trackers are amazing and funny

Transport

Always felt safe and looked after

Cape Point & Penguins Tour

South Africa

This day was amazing!! Leon really helped make it memorable with his local historical knowledge.

Quality of Experience

Views and penguins

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Leon was awesome, lunch staff was okay

Transport

Safe and always early