Kimkim Trip Reviews

Thank you, Paola, for helping us with our amazing trip to Galapagos and Quito!
Some highlights:
- Cooking class in Quito
- Quito city tour with Christian - terrific guide! As was his uncle ;)!
- Santa Cruz highland tour with visit to tortoises!
- Trip to Bartolomé island
- Isabella snorkeling at Los Túneles - Luis was a terrific guide. We learned a lot from him
- Biking in National Park on Isabella - Thank you to John!

The hotel accommodations were all wonderful
- La Casona de La Ronda in Quito
- Ikala Galapagos on Santa Cruz
- La Casita de la Playa on Isabella

Only hiccup was not knowing we needed to pay the National Park Fee when we landed in Baltra Airport in Santa Cruz. Would recommend making that clear to future travelers! Thank you!

Chris

Hotel Reviews

La Casona de La Ronda

Quito

Friendly staff, good breakfast, great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Beautiful pool and rooms! Wonderful restaurant view!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casita de la Playa

Puerto Villamil

BEAUTIFUL Location and view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Quito City Tour - Middle of the World

Quito

Christian was a wonderful guide. Loved our day in Quito.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito Cooking Class

Galapagos Islands

One of our highlights! Really fun - chef is passionate about Ecuadorian food. Excellent dinner

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transfer to Quito Airport, Arrival to Galapagos & Highlands of Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Snorkeling/kayaking guide struggled with English - would have liked more information about the animals

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Beautiful day - long boat ride

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

We had a rainy day, so we couldn't hike past the first view point.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide struggled a bit with English - would have like a bit more information.

Transport

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

Best experience on our trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luis was the best!

Transport

We were happy with the travel and the guide was friendly and on time. We felt a little disappointed with his knowledge of the facilities that we toured.

What an incredible adventure we had in Lapland with kimkim! From the start, dealing with kimkim was responsive, pleasant, informative and uncomplicated. We were grateful to have Emerson assigned to us for our Aurora Borealis adventure. We wanted luxury accommodations, private transfers, private/small group activities, and plenty of opportunities for daily exercise, including swimming, gyms, and lots of cross-country skiing. The website portal made it simple to stay in touch with chats and virtual calls. Emerson went above and beyond to provide support and was always available for insights or to smooth out any snags throughout the trip.

While Hotel Kamp was under renovation, they put us in an incredible suite! The hotel is terrifically located, and we loved the access to the community outdoor pool which was just a few blocks away. Our tour guides in Helsinki and Tallinn were great!

The overnight train to Rovaniemi was less than ideal but certainly memorable. We suggest future guests consider renting an extra cabin for personal belongings, as carrying baggage up to the crowded second floor was very difficult and room very cramped. Quite unexpectedly, all the bathrooms in our train car were malfunctioning for the entire train ride, which was very unfortunate. We believe it was just that the train company provided us with a 50% refund.

Emerson’s excellent transfers once again were on time and super friendly once off in Rovaniemi. We met our tour guide with Johka who picked us up at the station and brought us straight to Jaakkola Reindeer Farm. We had such a delightful, unique, and private experience! The third-generation farm and its history added a fascinating charm for us. Our story – Jaakkolan Porotila

Next, the Arctic Treehouse provided superior and truly breathtaking accommodations, kind staff and great restaurant. Tired from the day, we pushed on. Quickly we were jump started by witnessing a rare red Aurora during our Arctic Tree Float. It was truly spectacular and a once in a lifetime experience!

The next day, we had a playful adventure with the huskies. We returned to the Arctic Treehouse for another fabulous dinner with the entire restaurant lit by candles for Earth Day, creating a magical atmosphere.

Emerson again book us the top igloo at the Levin Iglut Glass Igloos. Our snow house offered spectacular vistas and the restaurant had fantastic and truly artistic food. All the staff there are so lovely and kind!

Kinos Safaris provided us a great snowmobiling experience, but what was memorable was the rest stop for salmon soup and possibly the best blueberry dessert that I have ever had at this small outpost with the most delightful overseer.
That evening, James from Green Track Wooden Shoe Adventures led a special and private hike on fresh snow,. He is well versed and delightful sharing his vast knowledge for nature and the environment.

Next day we spent an afternoon in town, exploring the Sami Cultural Heritage Museum, petting reindeer, and dining at the King Crab Restaurant - all that we recommend highly.

Switching gears as our witnessing no more auroras, but amazing snowfall that night allowed for a wonderful hike at Saana the next day, and Cahkal Hotel was really super; staff and guide great and has a terrific restaurant!

Our journey then took us to Tromsø. Emerson, once again research extensively to find us this time accommodations that had a pool and found Saint Elizabeth Suites. Unfortunately, access to the pool wasn't always available (and not even open before 9AM?!?), but they did have a well-equipped health club. Please note that the front desk staff were not very accommodating or friendly. (Our Wondering Owl guide mentioned that the tourism industry in Norway isn't particularly welcoming, and we found this to be true, especially when compared to the more hospitable atmosphere in Finland.)

BTW, there was a mix-up with Wandering Owl's booking communication. We were picked up at 9:10 AM and dropped off at the Scandic Ishavshotel. At 9:30, we received a call from Wondering Owl informing us that due to recent flooding, they would be delayed picking us up at Brescia Harbor. We clarified that we were not at the harbor, but at the hotel. Thankfully, the tour did not begin till 10AM and they then confirmed that we would then be picked up on schedule at 9:50AM as there are other guests there waiting there. The tour went well, and the fresh snow made it beautiful.

Overall, our trip was brimming with unique experiences and unforgettable moments! We are deeply grateful for the adventure Emerson crafted for us – he is truly a tremendous asset to kimkim!

With appreciation and regards,
J & J

Working with Tetiana for my first KimKim organized trip was wonderful. Absolutely great! Tetiana was very attentive regarding any questions I had. Her reply was always very quick and professional. During the planning months, Tetiana found options to suit our requests and needs and offered a lot of expertise. She know the UK very well and I am so happy with the suggestions she made.
We spent our first 6 days in London. Tetiana arranged for a private driver to pick us up at Heathrow and booked us in to very comfortable accommodations in Kensington. The location was perfect! The next day we had an amazing private driver named Dean take us out to Highclere Castle for a tour. I am a huge Downton Abbey fan so thoroughly enjoyed that day trip. The second day, Tetiana organized us for a Rabbies tour to The Cotswolds & Oxford. I was travelling with my 26 year old son, and we both enjoyed seeing this part of England very much! For the next few days, we figured out transit and made our way to all of the amazing sights we wanted to see in London.
Our second week was spent in Scotland. Tetiana arranged train tickets for us to head to Edinburgh. Any time I had uncertainties or questions, I communicated with Tetiana via Whatsapp and she helped us immediately. She arranged a walking tour for us that afternoon which was incredible! I asked Tetiana to help me find a real castle for us to stay in, and Melville Castle was perfect. Our two-bedroom suite was gorgeous and spacious and everything we did and saw in Edinburgh was just amazing. Our next three days were spent in Inverness. The Highlands of Scotland are just beautiful. The people were so incredibly friendly and I can't wait to go back!
Our last day was spent in London again and we really liked The Sanctuary House that Tetiana found for us. It is a very excellent location if anyone wants to be near all the most popular landmark sights.

I can't thank Tetiana enough! She followed my request list perfectly and Jackson & I had an stress-free, wonderful vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Glenmoriston Townhouse Hotel

Inverness

Dated. I understand that Inverness is very old, but the rooms definitely need an upgrade. As well, the restaurant options were not what we expected. Breakfast was excellent, but in the evening the restaurants were too upscale for what we were looking for after long days out on tours. As well, the stairs with luggage were not expected. There is no elevator.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel definitely needs to be updated.

Location

Staff

Very attentive, kind and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Twin beds are very small. Rooms are very small. Bathroom is a great size though.

Ember Locke

London

This location is perfect. It is in the Kensington area with wonderful pubs, restaurants, grocery stores and easy transit access within minutes. It is safe and very walkable. The restaurant in this hotel is very good. There is also a wonderful coffee bar in the lobby.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms could use some updating. The hotel was kept very clean; the rooms are just dark and a bit dated.

Melville Castle

Edinburgh

The hotel itself was gorgeous. Staying in a castle was more affordable than I thought it would be and our two-bedroom suite was stunning! We dined at the downstairs restaurant on our last night there and the food was excellent! The Library bar is attractive and the atmosphere was casual and relaxing! I also loved that dogs were allowed and we got to visit with a few owners and snuggle their pups. My only disappointment was the staff. Michelle was a very nice receptionist, but the other staff members did the bare minimum. Our very first impression was disappointing. No one greeted us at check in or offered to help us with our bags. Two young people stood there and watched us, without offering help or even a "welcome or hello". There was an elevator, but we still had to manage our bags with 4 stairs into our suite on our own. The staff were younger and more interested in visiting with each other; their attentiveness was lacking. As well, the outside areas of the hotel were also lacking pride. The outer small buildings looked dishevelled; pieces of the roof broken off, hoses and pails lying around etc. Unforunately this was the view from our bedroom windows and that didn't leave a great impression. However, the daily cleaning service was perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

As noted above. Our first impression was a receptionist who sat behind her desk and didn't acknowledge us until we said hello. Two other young people were on their phones and talking with each other but also didn't say hello or offer to help us with our bags. This was a disappointing first impression for our first time staying in a castle! The breakfast staff however were lovely and a lady named Michelle who worked later in the day & evening was very kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our two bedroom suite, the Library Bar and the breakfast room.

The Sanctuary House Hotel

London

Excellent location! Wonderful "extras" in the rooms that we didn't see at our other hotels.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Receptionist was "flat". Just not a great first impression when checking-in. The pub attached to the hotel had amazing, friendly staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was fabulous! Clean, great style, and really nicely stocked with extras!

Activity Reviews

Highclere Castle

London

I highly recommend this tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dean White was the driver our KimKim specialist hired for us and he was just so fun to be with.

Explore Glen Affric, Culloden, and Clava Cairns Tour

Inverness

Absolutely LOVED this full day trip. Our guide Ryan was funny, an excellent driver and wonderful at engaging with the tourists!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Private Tour

Edinburgh

Our private walking tour was great! Our guide was on time, very enjoyable and informative. The only thing I would have liked is if it was booked at least half an hour to an hour sooner. We only had about 45 minutes at the castle once we got up there before closing time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stirling Private Tour

Edinburgh

Our private guide Michael was SO friendly and wonderful. He was personally from Stirling and loved living there. He picked us up at our hotel and was dressed so professional. After seeing Stirling Castle, he took us to a local bakery that was incredible and he was just so professional, experienced and funny! A Great Day!!! Loved the area and highly recommend seeing Wallace Monument and the castle!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Churchill War Rooms & WW2 Westminster Small Group Tour

London

We misunderstood/so did Tetiana where we were suppose to meet our guide and didn't realize there was a one-hour walking tour involved before we went in to the War Rooms. Thankfully we found him just in time and it was all absolutely wonderful!!! :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Vaults Tour

Edinburgh

This was so cool! Great guide on this tour and really fascinating to even think people lived and existed in these vaults in the 1700's!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Skye and Eilean Donan Castle Small-Group Day Tour

Inverness

We had Ryan from Rabbies again on this trip. He is an amazing persona and an excellent, safe driver. We found this day far too long. Skye is nice, but being from Canada we didn't find it as "breath taking" as I had hoped. I think we could have spent the 12 hours doing something different and enjoyed that more. However, we met some really great people on the van tour and again, Ryan is the best tour guide we have ever had.

Quality of Experience

Our driver, Ryan.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the most amazing week in Jaipur, Agra and Delhi. Our driver, Girish, was FANTASTIC! He had cold bottled water for us, snacks, was punctual and friendly. All of our guides and escorts were excellent and the itinerary was so complete!
We were celebrating our anniversary and my birthday, and Ravi spoiled us completely. The hotels were beautiful and the attention we received was like non other.
I asked to have our rooms be on the top floor, and we were accommodated with rooms with a breathtaking view of the Taj Mahal.
From start to finish, Ravi was communicative and detailed. We will have one more day in Delhi at the end of our trip in a few weeks. I’m sure that it will be as wonderful as the first seven days. I recommend that everyone definitely use Active India and Ravi as your travel agent!

Hotel Reviews

Ranthambhore Heritage Haveli

Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Mercure Agra

Agra, UP

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Novotel New Delhi Aerocity Hotel

New Delhi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dera Rawatsar

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

I

Cleanliness & Comfort

Furniture was stained

Activity Reviews

Taj Mahal at Sunset

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning and Evening game drives at Ranthambore (Sharing Jeep):

Ranthambore

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaipur Sightseeing Tour

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bathe, Paint and Feed - (Un-forgettable - experience with elephants!)

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the marvelous and historic monument : Agra Fort

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agra beyond Taj: Leave for a Mughal Heritage walk

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

New Delhi Sightseeing

Delhi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Just returned home from two very exciting and truly intoxicating weeks in New Zealand. The utter perfection of my itinerary, planned by my local specialist Michelle from Once Upon a Trip, allowed me to relax and flow from one amazing experience to the next.
Michelle devised an itinerary based on my desire to see as much natural beauty as possible and managed to stay within a reasonable budget. She created a two week schedule that did not overwhelm and facilitated my ability to travel solo from the southern city of Queensland on the South Island to the northern city of Auckland on the North Island. I flew over glaciers to magnificent fjords, took boat trips on fabulous lakes, cycled through spectacular rainforests, visited botanical gardens, museums and cultural performances.
Every activity she chose for me was top notch, every accommodation fit my needs, driving directions, check-in information, timing, and general recommendations were perfect and completely reliable. I could not have asked for a more incredible trip. Thank you Michelle, Monika and KimKim!

An Unforgettable Journey Through Rome, Amalfi & Sorrento
From the historic streets of Rome to the breathtaking coastal views of Amalfi and Sorrento, every moment was a wonderful experience.

Rome was the perfect start, filled with awe-inspiring sights like the Colosseum, the Vatican, and the Trevi Fountain.
From there, we made our way to the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento, which left us speechless. The coastal scenery was like a postcard come to life, with colourful cliffside villages and sparkling blue waters. One of the highlights was our boat trip to Capri, where we explored hidden grottos and admired the island’s natural beauty.

Another unforgettable experience was our visit to Pompeii. Walking through the ancient ruins was like stepping back in time, and our guide brought the history to life with fascinating stories about the city frozen in time by Mount Vesuvius.
A special mention goes to Enzo, our incredible driver. His knowledge of the area, his passion for Italy, and his warm personality made our experience even more special.

This unforgettable trip was filled with beauty, history, and adventure.

My wife and I took a 13-day custom tour of Brazil, organized by Rachel at Kimkim. We visited Rio, Salvador, Manaus, the Amazon, and São Paulo. It took nearly two months of back-and-forth communication before we finalized our itinerary. Throughout the process, Rachel was incredibly attentive, patient, and courteous. Additionally, during our trip, she stayed in constant contact with us to ensure everything was going as planned. All the hotels and guides she selected for us were excellent. A special shout-out to Alex in Rio and Carlos in Sao Paulo, who made our trip truly memorable.

We will always cherish our experience at the Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge in the Amazon. This beautiful lodge, set in the heart of the rainforest, offers modern amenities while maintaining a deep connection to nature. The guides were highly professional, extremely knowledgeable, and courteous, and the restaurant was simply exceptional.

Overall, we had an unforgettable vacation. Thank you, Rachel, for all your help!

Hotel Review

Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge

Manaus

We will always cherish our experience at the Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge in the Amazon. This beautiful lodge, set in the heart of the rainforest, offers modern amenities while maintaining a deep connection to nature. The guides were highly professional, extremely knowledgeable, and courteous, and the restaurant was simply exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Christ the Redeemer & Sugar Loaf Mountain

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was wonderful! All details were taken care of. All transport services were on time. Hotels were very nice. Guides were excellent, so knowledgeable and helpful. Would definitely book another trip through KimKim.

Activity Reviews

Cusco City Tour

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guide

Food

Very nice restaurants and good food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

History and information by the guide.

Transport

Crown Jewel of Peru: Machu Picchu Sanctuary

Peru

Loved the train ride to Machu Picchu and the whole experience of being able to hike through the ruins.

Quality of Experience

Food

All food!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All drivers nice and on time.

Transport

Wildlife Encountering at Lobos Island

Galapagos Islands

Loved the snorkeling and the baby sea lions that played with us!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island

Puerto Ayora

Beautiful island and black sand beach. Saw turtles while snorkeling, baby sea lion and a marine iguana swimming and out on the beach.

Quality of Experience

Mo

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fabulous time. Puhlia is fascinating and we learned so much more with our guides. Clothilde in Lecce lead a tour that was the perfect balance of food and history. The pasta making class with Juanita in her home was so much fun, and I can't wait to try it at home. The itinerary was a good balance between guided activities and time on our own to explore. All the accommodations were great. It was reassuring to know that there was someone I could WhatsApp at any time to get more info and make an adjustment to the schedule. Absolutely wonderful!

Hotel Reviews

Chiancole Trulli Experience

Alberobello

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Personè Dimora Storica

Lecce

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

VIS | Urban suites & spa

Bari

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Alberobello Guided Tour

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Storywalking Experience: A guided walk exploring Matera's history and food traditions from Alberobello

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Street Food Tour of Lecce

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Bari

Bari

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fresh Pasta Making Class in Bari

Bari

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We just returned from an excellent two week trip to Japan organized by Sandy san of Odynovo in Japan, through kimkim! Some highlights were biking the Shimonami Kaido, spending the night in a ryoken on Miyajima with multi-course Japanese meals included, visiting the Hiroshima Peace Park and Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, plus the cherry blossoms, temples and shrines, and beautiful terrain. We had a mix of time on our own, group, and private tours.

The group tours were through Magical Trip: Kaiori san for the Hiroshima Peace Park and Fuji san for the Tokyo foodie tour were excellent. The groups were generally small, like 5-6 guests. Those were a lot of fun and well planned, and we learned a lot.

Our private guides Chinami san in Hakone, Hisako san in Kyoto, and Yuki san in Kanazawa were all knowledgeable and easy to be with. We ended up canceling one tour in Kyoto because we just needed a break, but since it was too late to get a refund, Jun san still showed up to drop us at the train station, and we instantly liked him too and felt a little sad that we missed his tour. The private tours can be interactive and customizable and are a great opportunity to learn more than you would on your own.

Accommodations and travel within Japan that were arranged by Sandy were all well planned. We had shinkansen tickets with luggage space reserved for most of the hops, and hired taxis between train station and hotel (easy!). Twice during the trip we shipped our checked luggage ahead with the help of hotel staff. The first time was required so we could do an overnight on bikes, the second time was just to avoid the hassle of big luggage on the ferry to Miyajima, although we probably would have been fine taking it with us.

We would probably do a couple of things differently next time:
1) On the Shimonami Kaido, we should have brought along a multi-tool so we could adjust the bikes along the way, and we had too much stuff in our backpacks. WAKKA turned out to be an excellent resource for us - super kind and helpful people who do bike taxi and rental returns, among other services for bike riders in that area.
2) We got excellent mileage from the tiny bit of Japanese we learned for the trip, which increased our enjoyment. Although we never really had any trouble communicating with the locals, we would like to learn more Japanese for next time.
3) We might spend more time in each location next time. Although this trip was a good first trip because it gave us a kind of overview of the highlights of Japan, it would have been nice to do more exploring in each location.

There are so many things to love about Japan (the food, the natural beauty, the public transportation, the clean cities), but I think what we will remember the most is the many kindnesses we received from random people, not just people in the hospitality business. For example, while biking we took a wrong turn and an older gentleman on a motorcycle stopped to tell us we were probably going the wrong way, then insisted that he meet us down the road to take our picture near a landmark! Japanese people are just so nice in general - at least that was our experience.

Anyway, kimkim and Sandy san took very good care of us. There is no way we would have had this good of a time if we had booked everything on our own.

We had an incredible time on our trip to Egypt. It was a full on sightseeing holiday but every attraction ran so smoothly it was stress free, and our guides were early / on time to meet us and were happy to answer any questions we had. Our guides were very insightful and knowledgeable about the places we were visiting. We particularly liked Mustafa, Ahmed and the guide who was with us on the Nile cruise who took us to Philae Temple, Luxor Temple and the Valley of Kings etc. (we're really sorry that we have forgotten his name!).

The overall planning of the trip was made SO much easier by KimKim. Highly recommend and would 100% use them again.

Activity Reviews

Pyramids and Cairo Sightseeing with Camel Ride

Egypt

This is a must see and the camel ride was amazing. We have some really good photos of us in front of the pyramids on the camels thanks to our guide leading the camels.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luxor West Bank to Hurghada

Luxor

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The driver to Hurghada was great but our guide who accompanied us fell asleep shortly after we set off and didn't speak to us. The driver could have got us there himself and he spoke more to us than the guide!

Awesome trip to Vietnam! This was the 4th trip that we have booked through KimKim and again it was an excellent decision for us. Working through KimKim and their associated travel agencies is an absolute pleasure. For Vietnam we worked with Doris at Asia Aventura. She put together a fantastic itinerary for us, starting in Hanoi and moving south to Ninh Binh, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh and the Mekong Delta. Everything was meticulously arranged, from accommodation, transport and activities. Thank you Doris for arranging such a superb experience for us in Vietnam, and a big thank you to our guides Huyen, Thuy and Ha, who looked after us so well and shared their knowledge of such a beautiful country! We loved Vietnam and its wonderful and friendly people and will definitely visit again.

We were extremely satisfied with the communication with Ali, from the Kim Kim team, for quick and thorough responses. Our preferences and schedules were taken into consideration when they planned our trip and we were also able to choose optional tours and experiences as we desired. We appreciated that because the tour operator knows the country and sights very well, so we trusted them to make decisions about the itinerary and it all worked out well. Our driver Tayeb was always punctual, polite and safe and we learned a lot about the culture and lifestyle from him. He and our other tour guides, Souhel for a walking food tour in Marrakesh and Hamman who showed us the Bahai Palace and the home of Yves St. Laurent all spoke very good English and explained everything very well. They answered any questions that we had about history, culture, or the sight, so that we felt that we understood so much more about Morocco than we would have if we had not had their assistance. They gave us advice about bargaining in the marketplace and about safety information. My husband and I loved the whole trip so much and we are already giving our friends and family your agency contact information for their future use. Thank you very much for caring for us!

Interactive development and tailoring of trip itinerary was excellent. Communications during trip were excellent. Local guides were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

Asakusa Tobu Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Staff

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kyoto Terrace Hachijohigashiguchi

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Forza Osaka Kitahama

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Staff

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sotetsu Grand Fresa Takadanobaba

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Shinjuku Gyoen (cherry blossom)

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

Full Day Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chase Cherry Blossom in Osaka with Osaka Castle

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Transport

Osaka Private & Personalised Local Food Tour

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi, Oshino Hakkai and Oishi Park

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Miyajima Island and Memorial Park Tour

Hiroshima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Well co-ordinated, everything flowed really well. The hotels were all excellent.

I had the most fantastic trip to Morocco with my daughters. We were able to spend an afternoon in Tangier, thoroughly explore the blue city, Chefchaouen, and then fall in love with the meandering market streets in Fes. Even though we had limited time in Morocco, we feel like we much better understand the culture, ideals and people of this amazing land on account of our cooking class in a private home, the time we spent with a family breaking the fast of Ramadan, and, most significantly, through the personal stories and experiences of our amazing driver and guide, Ismail. Ismail openly shared his experiences about what it was like growing up in rural Morocco and he was extraordinarily patient with all of our questions. We were fascinated by how the architecture reflects the history and religions of this amazing country and Ismail, and our other guides, really helped us appreciate this.

Majid made planning this trip very simple and stress-free! We would never have been able to experience, see and learn all that we did in Morocco without Majid's planning and organizing.

Hotel Reviews

Dar Laman

Chefchaouen

A beautiful hotel right in the center of Chefchaouen with a lovely terrace and a delicious breakfast! We felt very comfortable here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the center of everything!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Fes Nass Zmane

Fes

We felt like royalty staying here. The lobby is authentically opulent and the breakfast buffet is wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ONOMO Hotel Casablanca Airport

Nouaceur

This hotel is clean and perfect for a night's stay before heading to the airport. Nothing fancy, but the shuttle to the airport is timely and clean.

Activity Reviews

Explore Chefchaouen with your local guide

Chefchaouen

Our guide, Abdelwahed, made our tour of Chefchaouen phenomenal! He took extra time with us, he answered all our questions, he explained the history of this magical blue city and we tasted the food as we went. He was extremely personable and was a fantastic teacher to us, his touring students. Thank you, Abdelwahed!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchouen: Cooking class

Morocco

It is such a special experience to share not only a meal, but a meal cooked together, in a private home with delightful people. We highly recommend this cooking class. (And no, it did not take a full 5 hours.)

Quality of Experience

Food

Dinner with a local Family in Fes

Fes

We were fortunate enough to break the Ramadan fast with this fantastic family in Fes. We thoroughly enjoyed sharing stories and comparing our different (and similar) cultures. The food was delicious and the conversation fascinating and their children adorable!

Quality of Experience

Food

A Family's Guided tour of Fez

Fes

This is a spectacular and necessary tour! Not only was our guide fantastic, the history fascinating and the markets beautiful, but our guide was necessary because we would have been very, very lost in the market without him. With 9400 streets and alleys in the market, we had no chance of figuring our the maze on our own. Our guide was full of historical knowledge and he was able to offer us many delicious foods in market (even during Ramadan!) The day we spent in the medina in the old city was a favorite and is certainly full of memories we will cherish.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Doris was so helpful from the first time we discussed my trip to Vietnam. She was responsive throughout the trip when I had questions and was especially attentive because I was traveling alone. The sites and activities she recommended were really fun, my favorites being Hanoi, the Silk Village and Old town, the guide and driver were friendly and helpful throughout. The historical sites in Ho Chi Minh City were fascinating and the guide and driver were friendly and helpful. I also really enjoyed the tour of the Mekong delta, the activities were so interesting and the group I was part of was so much fun. I would love to go again and would be thrilled to work with Doris again.

Hotel Reviews

MK Premier Boutique hotel

Hanoi

Wonderful, a nice room, good food and excellent staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradise Sails

Wonderful activities, great food and the staff were awesome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Silverland Yen Hotel

Ho Chi Minh City

Nice room, good food and very pleasant staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi: Van Phuc Silk Village, Hanoi City Tour & Street Food Tour

Hanoi

Fascinating watching sill being woven and many shops with wonderful fabrics

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Halong Bay, Overnight on Cruise

Vietnam

The boat trip was wonderful, the food was grand and I really enjoyed the activities, the smaller boat ride and cave tour were grand.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta (My Tho, Ben Tre) - Ho Chi Minh City (Join in Small Group Tour)

Vietnam

The people in the group I joined for this tour were so friendly and we had a wonderful time on boat rides and the honey farm, the lunch at the village was stellar and I’d love to do it all again

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When we decided to travel to the South Island of New Zealand, we began by asking friends who'd been and by exploring the Internet: so many suggestions to sort through. Then we found Michelle on the KimKim team in New Zealand. She asked us for our preferences and some guidelines. Very quickly she sent us a planned trip. It looked so good, we added another week to make it a full month. Out of curiosity, we also asked Perplexity AI for an itinerary. The AI returned an itinerary close to what Michelle suggested which reinforced her good judgement in our minds. Of course an itinerary is only a starting place for planning a trip; there is so much more to arrange. We gave her the go-ahead to set everything up. And so she did. An amazing number of details she figured out, the arrangements she made -- everything culminated in a complete travel plan all ready to go well ahead of departure time. Almost everything worked exactly as she planned to our great delight. It was so comforting to know that Michelle, a locally-based travel advisor, was there for us every step of the way for our trip. We contacted her a couple of times with changes and she was very helpful. She was wonderful!

Hotel Reviews

Hapuku Lodge & Tree Houses

Kaikoura

This truly is an amazing place. We were surprised by the spaciousnesss and luxury of our suite -- and we didn't reserve a tree house. First class service in all areas. We had several meals there (it is some distance to drive otherwise) and the food was very good, although the menu was limited (which made sense for them). We used this place as our base for going to Kaikoura, so we din't take advantage of all the amenities offered. We would have liked a longer stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Excellent to be in the countryside, but roughly 15 km from town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Marlborough Boutique Hotel and Vineyard

Marlborough

First class in all respects. We especially appreciated the courteous service by every member of staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pihopa Retreat

Nelson

This was indeed a "retreat". Its location is in Nelson, but one would think it was in the countryside once arrived. Lovely spacious suite with all the amenities. We appreciated the graciousness of our host and the special kindness she showed one evening when I was too exhausted from a hike to go out for dinner. She brought to our room a very generously-sized cold plate for dinner. We wish we'd had even more nights there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Camp Estate at Larnach Castle

Dunedin

This was a unique experience. To be clear, it is down the road from the Larnach Castle and that's a good thing -- much quieter and more upscale. In a word, this place is elegant. Lots of stone floors, wide staircase to the second floor suites, big drawing room, etc. Very comfortable room with all the amenities. We had the special dinner at the castle one night and were disappointed. It was expensive and the experience dragged on for 4 hours. The next night we cancelled a repeat dinner. Staff at the Estate responded by serving us a special cold plate, heaped with more cheese, cold meats, bread, etc. than we could eat. And a staff member had to drive to the castle kitchen to get it for us. That's the kind of place this Estate is. Very impressed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Waiorau Homestead

Wanaka

This was not up to the 5-star experience we had enjoyed previously on our trip, so it suffered by comparison. It was certainly OK. This is a small homestead to be sure: up to 6 guests at a time. It was clean and our hosts were gracious. The bedroom was small and limited in amenities. The facilities like pool and hot tub very dated. The on-site dinner very tasty, but expensive. We did enjoy an intimate conversation at dinner with the other guests. A good place to go to "get away in the countryside".

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Fitzroy

Auckland

We were put here by our travel agent who believed we'd enjoy being in this neighbourhood of Auckland. Turned out we were in the wrong location. The hotel itself is unusual: an older building converted to several small suites. We had been in a huge suite in an upscale lodge the nights before, so we were under-whelmed when we arrived here. We went out to at dinnertime to explore the neighbourhood on foot and found we didn't resonate with the younger, funkier crowd. We really wanted to be in the harbour area, so we asked to cancel our second night. Our host was most gracious, allowing us to move without penalty. And, we left behind an item in the room. Our host contacted us in the new hotel and drove the time to us. That generous act greatly impressed us. We conclude we'd have been fine there except for the location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PurePod Rakiura Stewart Island (Hananui)

Christchurch

We had high expectations for this unusual place. It was challenging to get there -- both driving and hiking -- and it was tucked high on a hillside. Not a good idea if you are unable to walk up hills. The all-around glass building is quite something to experience day and night (we had one clear night for star-gazing). The place was clearly upscale in all respects. Very comfortable. The food provided was fantastic. We felt remote but still safe -- that was the idea and they delivered.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The particular unit we rented was above a town and thus not as remote and quiet as we'd hoped. We highly recommend the PurePod experience but not this particular unit.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Accommodation arranged as part of your Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise - Southern Secret

This was an overnight on a boat, part of a two day adventure on Doubtful Sound. The boat accommodated 12 guests plus two crew members. Our cabins were small, but quite adequate for an overnight. The crew made the trip especially memorable with their friendliness and knowledge. The food was fantastic, including lobster and fish that our fellow passengers caught during the day. This trip was a highlight of our month's adventure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fiordland Lodge

Te Anau

We really liked this first-class place. From the moment we drove to the door to when we left, we were treated with great respect and courtesy. As an example, this was the only place on our month long journey where they parked our car for us! Big place with everything one might want in a lodge. Our room had all the amenities we wanted. We used this as a base for a trip to Milford Sound, so we din't get to take advantage of all the services and features. Food was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tussock Hill Vineyard Retreats

Christchurch

We booked one of the two rooms there. It was modern, clean, well-appointed and looked out on a vineyard, overlooking Christchurch itself. It would be a great location for those who intended to hike the steep trails (which we didn't). The room was near the dining room which served until 5 PM. In other words, this is a lunch spot. Dinner items can be had, but that means an early dinner. We did so one night, and the food was excellent. It took about 20 minutes to get into the heart of Christchurch, but the traffic wasn't bad. Breakfast was brought to our room, but one of our days, the kitchen was closed that morning, which was disappointing. A highlight was the twin hot tubs on our very private deck -- very relaxing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Vicarage Geraldine

Geraldine

The Vicarage is, as expected, an older property that has been restored. Located in the heart of Geraldine, it was well-suited for us because we wanted to walk to our meals as this was a one-night stop for us. We walked to the local restaurant/pub and enjoyed being with the local folks at a sheep shearing contest outside. The room was small compared to the other hotels we stayed at on this trip. The bed was comfortable and the room clean. We never saw any staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Birds Ferry Lodge

Westport

For a small B&B, it was fine. Dinner was especially delicious and we enjoyed our conversations with our hosts. Lots of local knowledge. The room was dated but adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rimu Lodge

Ruatapu

Very pleasant staff. Very comfortable room (there were only 4). Beautiful view and a lovely deck where we had dinner one night. Close to Hokitika and the Gorge, but a car is essential. The breakfast was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki

Lake Moeraki

While a little dated, this is a big property with lots of guests (some of whom, a tour group, were a little rowdy). The staff were gracious and knowledgeable. The glow worms walk and the eels walk were especially memorable. The food was satisfactory, but we had the sense they were cooking too many plates at the same time -- just didn't feel like an upscale restaurant. It rained all day one of our days, so we did not get to use their kayaks and go on their special guided tours.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Aqua Taxi - Slice of Paradise (boat + optional walks) - full day

New Zealand

We had difficulty finding the starting place for this trip. The boat was late. The sea was rough and our particular hike plan was aborted. We dropped off a t a beach and were told to do another hike to reach our boat pickup place. We had no signal on our cell phones. The 6 km trail was steep in places, narrow and with very limited places to rest. To our knowledge there was no one monitoring the trail and we saw very few hikers on the trail. Part way, I (78 years old) got into trouble walking and fell 3 times. There was no option but to carry on. It took us 4 hours and we got to the beach just in time to catch the boat. This was one of the most traumatic experiences I've had for a long time. It could have been much worse if I hadn't struggled on.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Small boat, rough waters = difficult ride

Scenic Flight Twin Glaciers in a Helicopter

New Zealand

Well done! We enjoyed the ride, even though it was quite brief. Landing on the glacier made it special. The fog rolle din minutes after we landed -- we were lucky to have our flight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip itself was the trip of a lifetime. Thanks to Sebastian’s expertise and planning we didn’t have a single thing to worry about regarding scheduling or transportation. Some of our “small group” tours ended up being private which was a very pleasant surprise, and any time we needed to communicate we always received a very kind and timely response.