Kimkim Trip Reviews

KimKim were very good at communicating and organizing with us a holiday in Slovenia at relatively short notice. Antonia was always friendly and quick to respond and booked extras at our request for us such as restaurants which was really great.
Alenka a tour guide took us on two walking tours, she was excellent, funny, kind, knowledgeable and a brilliant tour guide we loved her.
Liza took us mountain hiking she was exceptional, she knew so much about the local environment, flowers, plants and so on. She had so many good and funny stories to share she was a fabulous tour guide.
Slovenia is a beautiful country we were able to explore most of it in 10 days.
The company tried to secure good accommodation for us but at times, ‘resort’ hotels were not really what we wanted in such a culturally rich and beautiful country, as we wanted to explore not sit sunbathing when there were amazing historical and natural places to explore. Maybe we should have communicated that better at the time of booking.

Everyone was helpful and mostly worked out really well but there were some days where the schedule was very packed and we spent too long driving not enjoying the places for long enough, being on a tight itinerary determined by the slightly inflexible driver at times was not so relaxing and could have been improved. This could have been more tailored. For example at one historical site we were told to take only ten mins and get back to the car. This wasn’t necessarily our idea of tourism.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Plesnik

Solčava

Great food for dinner and a lovely view from the hotel outside. The room was comfortable and it was a great location for hiking. Unfortunately lots of smoking outside at breakfast from other tables whilst eating but that just seems to be the case in Slovenia not the fault of the hotel. Didn’t see the point in a swimming pool and sun loungers in this beautiful setting but other guest seemed to enjoy that.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Residence Soča

Soča

Great accommodation, beautiful rooms and very spacious and near a few walking trails. Other guests were noisy outside until quite late but it was a place for families and holiday season. We enjoyed the breakfast basket which was wonderful. We were a bit confused about the hot tub and sauna procedures on site as there was no shower for either or a changing room and when we booked it for the next day the hot tub water was cold. Also it wasn’t private they could be looked straight into from other people’s accommodations. Nobody was on site to help in the evenings at reception. Maybe we missed a point here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kempinski Palace Portoroz

Piran

Authenticity & Character

It was a beautiful building

Location

Too far from the old town. By a beach not really walkable to the old town so we needed taxis, if you wanted to sit on a sun bed on the hotel beach and not leave the actual hotel, it would have been very nice

Staff

Great staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Large room very comfortable

Hotel Bled Rose

Bled

A good location, nice staff but a resort hotel with lots of pink themed things around, a pink biclyce, pink artwork (maybe the colour was rose- the hotel name) the hotel glowed pink at night, which was a little odd and maybe retro tacky? I guess Lake Bled is a resort for many however so maybe we were missing the point. The advertising was odd, a video on loop as you entered, looking like a hen weekend sort of place. The rooms and facilities were really good and comfortable however. As was the breakfast and helpfulness of the staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zlata Ladjica Boutique Hotel

Ljubljana

A gorgeous hotel right in the city centre. Staff were exceptional, the food was amazing, the room was beautiful. We couldn’t fault this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Historical building.

Location

Right in the centre of the old city on the river.

Staff

Friendly, intelligent, knowledgeable and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and eco friendly

Activity Reviews

Postojna Cave Tour

Slovenia

Such an amazing place. It was very popular with lots of people but we still really enjoyed this natural wonder. Breathtakingly beautiful caves.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike to Debela Peč Mountain

Slovenia

Liza the hiking guide was fantastic. She was so experienced and a real inspiration. She was funny and so knowledgeable. We were so happy to have her expert knowledge. It was an amazing day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Air Balloon Flight Over the Bled Lake

Slovenia

An amazing experience I couldn’t fault it, very professional and funny we felt part of the experience and helped dismantle the balloon at the end. The views were amazing.

Quality of Experience

I’m

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Ljubljana

Slovenia

Alenka was amazing. Truly the best. Intelligent, knowledgeable and kind we loved her tours. She even took us to her favourite local cake and gelato place we wouldn’t have stumbled upon otherwise as she grew up in the area. Amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Bled Town and Enjoy Pletna Boat Ride

Bled

Alenka was an amazing tour guide, she was so knowledgeable and interesting and could answer any question. It was a top notch experience. 10/10.

Quality of Experience

I

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Slovenian Culinary Class in Bled

Slovenia

We had a wonderful time enjoying food preparation and eating lunch. It was amazing to be part of a family to enjoy such delicious food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayak on Soča River

Bovec

The team were very professional and safe and we felt very looked after. We were not aware that we were going to kayak on rapids however our tour company who booked this communicated and calm and relaxing time kayaking on the river. It was not calm and required some skill so not suitable for beginners we think.

Quality of Experience

I’m

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything about the trip was amazing! All our guides were so helpful! They went out of their way to help us with all our questions. We had a flawless 9 adventure!

KimKim team along with Serendipity adventures did a fantastic job in making our vacation a memorable one. We had very little time to plan our trip and they provided several options for itineraries. We ended up picking the one that covered Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna. Both were awesome destinations and offered plenty to explore. All the hikes, horse back rides, beaches, coffee tours, volcano tours, zip lines, thermal springs, are all really enjoyable.

Hotel La mariposa was awesome. It's location and views are out of this world. We got one of the corner sunset suites and it's amazing. Buffet Breakfast (includes omelette station) was fantastic and helped us get our early on time and get on the road. The restaurant is on a terrace with the most beautiful view of the beach and national park. Town of Quepos is a beautiful place. We wish we kept a free day for our selves to explore more of this town. Most of our time was taken by the planned activities/tours. You can walk to many restaurants and coffee shops from hotel, which was wonderful.

Hotel Arenal Kioro suites and spa is an amazing place. Situated close to the volcano with views of it from almost every room. This hotel also has breakfast buffet which was fantastic. This hotel has it's own hot springs. Property is very well designed and provides a lot to explore. Keep in mind that the hotel is about 10 minutes car ride to the town of La Fortuna. Town offers several restaurants and coffee shops etc.

All in all we had a wonderful experience and we will definitely use KimKim and Serendipity again.

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Views from the hotel and ability to walk into town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Organic Cooking Class

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding to the Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainmaker Conservation Park Excursion

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Michael, our advisor and chief planner was excellent throughout the process. Thank you.

Each of our guides and drivers chosen by Chaska tours was excellent. They were efficient and did more than was needed without hesitation.

Sandra in Cartahena, and Claudia, in Medellin were both excellent. Claudia warm, shared many stories and the history of Medellin, and we enjoyed her company.

One of us felt tired on our hike in Tayrona. Our guide helped us back via a short cut when we needed to come back.

Hotel Review

Villa Maria Tayrona, a Kali Hotels

Los Naranjos

Authenticity & Character

Constructed from locally sourced material, the cottages blend in.

Location

In the jungle.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Medellín Transformation Tour (Public Transportation)

Medellín

We used public transportation for this tour. It was a transformative experience. Medellin and Communa 13 was a highlight of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nicholas was the perfect local specialist, planner, driver, game spotter, and friend! My daughter (16) and I had a wonderful trip!
After telling Nicholas a little bit about what we wanted, he put together a draft of a trip that we then went through, asked questions, and made some changes. I’d been to Kenya 43 years ago and wanted to stay at one of the same hotels I’d stayed at all those years ago, and Nicholas had no problem accommodating my request. I had also been to Zanzibar before so wanted to revisit that island, which again Nicholas had no problem arranging.
Once the trip started, Nicholas continued to be able to accommodate us as needed. Our arrival was delayed by a day, but we were still met at the airport at the new arrival time and given options on how to try to make up for the lost time. Additionally there were times when my older body needed a little extra rest, so we could decide on the fly to start a game drive later or finish early. When I struggled with getting in and out of the truck, Nicholas got a milk crate step to help me and always was near by in case I needed an extra hand. A truly personalized experience that I appreciate so much!
The hotels that were picked out for us were wonderful. We particularly enjoyed the Ashnil camps (Masai Mara and Samburu). On top of that, Nicholas made sure our rooms/tents were located perfectly. At Ashnil Samburu, we looked out on the river where elephants gathered - what a way to wake up! At Ashnil Masai Mara, he got us a table that looked out at the river where the hippos would climb in and out.
Nicholas also has a great sense of humor and is easy to talk to. My normally shy teenager was joking with him and asking questions right away. He even let her use his personal camera to take photos and she now wants to take photography classes thanks to Nicholas.
Across our game drives, we saw not only the big 5, but a plethora of birds and animals. Cerval cats playing, a cheetah, black rhino, and baby leopard were some of the more special sites . What I enjoyed the most was finding a quiet corner of the park with no other trucks around, turning off the truck and watching a herd of elephant pass right in front of us. I can’t even imagine going on one of those big group trips now!
I plan to use a local specialist for any future trips from now on, and to anyone going to Kenya, highly recommend Nicholas of Animal Kingdom Safaris.

We had a fantastic time in South Africa!

Lucy, our local specialist, was fantastic with planning - despite us having postponed the trip last year (very last minute), she was always helpful and managed to negotiate the best possible trip for us. She kept in touch with us during the trip too, promptly answering our questions on flight bookings even at 8pm, which was lovely of her.

In Cape Town, our guide was Henrich at Capey Tours. He was a fabulous guide - knowledgable, candid, open and with a great sense of humour. He showed us so many lovely local joints, from coffee to Cape Malay cuisine, and was always flexible to accommodate our convenience. He went above and beyond to make sure we saw some of the gems Cape Town has to offer, from the Cape of Good Hope, to Table Mountain / Lion's Head, and the surrounding wine regions.

We then spent some time in Kruger National Park, where we stayed at Hoyo Hoyo Safari Lodge. I highly highly recommend - I do not think I have ever encountered such warm, genuine hospitality! The staff were ever-present to help us out, always smiling and made evenings in the Bush a true delight. Our safari guide, Pharence, was a delight - witty, knowledgeable about the animals, receptive to what we wanted to see and fun to chat with.

We highly highly recommend a similar trip to South Africa - our only advice is, stay longer!!!

Miglé was available any time we needed her. Most of the time we already had the information sent initially by her!
Her response time was almost immediate, how could you expect more.

When planning our trip, Miglé listened to our requests, this was evident as we traveled from place to place.

We would rate our experience with KimKim, especially Migle with an A plus!

Hotel Reviews

Zander K Hotel

Bergen

Well staffed, upscale and terrific breakfast! The staff were knowledgeable, courteous and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to train station and taxi availability

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Att I Kvadraturen

Oslo

It was challenging to navigate the check in/out technology. It was also difficult for taxi drivers to find the hotel. We would not recommend this hotel for older travelers, unless tech savvy and in good physical shape. It was difficult not having a person on site to help with questions. The space was excellent, especially for an extended stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cabin in Dingle

Dingle

The cabin was rural and rustic. Clean, excellent location for our needs

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Royal

Gothenburg

Great service

Authenticity & Character

Old and stately

Location

Close to restaurants

Staff

Helped us with walking directions and suggestions of places to eat

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Norwegian Nature Unveiled — Bergen to Nærøyfjorden, Flåm & Stegastein Day Adventure

Bergen

A very long day, but everything we saw was amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Sea Sauna in Bergen

Bergen

We did not participate in this experience, we canceled 24 hours before hand because one of our travelers became ill. KimKim is working to get us a refund

Oslo Grand Tour with Fjord Cruise

Oslo

The fjord cruise was canceled because of boat problems. KimKim is working to get a refund for us

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dinner Cruise on the Oslo Fjord

Oslo

Beautiful sights in the harbor

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Transfer

Sweden

Free day in Hällevadsholm

Hallevadsholm

Archipelago Brunch Cruise

Gothenburg

We were not able to attend because it was raining heavily and very foggy.

Gothenburg Like a Local - Customized Private Tour

Sweden

Kristina was very accommodating. She was knowledgeable and helped us see the highlights of Gothenburg

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Emerson was easy to work with while planning vacation. We had flexibility to do things on our own and meet with friends, yet also have tours and activities. Everything was perfectly planned. Hotels were beautiful and in perfect locations in he cities we visited. Pick up and drop offs were seamless. Tours were fun and informational with local tour guides.

Hotel Reviews

Arctic Light Hotel

Rovaniemi

Great location. Clean hotel with character. Wonderful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Solo Sokos Hotel Torni Tampere

Tampere

Cool hotel, clean, nice staff. Close to train station. Amazing bar on top floor to see sunset.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lilla Roberts

Helsinki

Wonderful breakfast, great location, clean with great character.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Short walk to many attractions.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Tour

Rovaniemi

Great guide. It was like storm chasing to find the northern lights. We were so excited that we found them! Pictures taken and sent to us very quickly are amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

River Cruise on an Eco Rubber Boat

Rovaniemi

Tour guide was so nice and kind. Nice relaxing ride along the river to a sand bar swimming area. Great traditional Finnish snack.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cultural e-fatbike Tour

Rovaniemi

Great guide. Bikes were easy to ride and a great way to see Rovaniemi. Ride up to Santa Claus Village was smooth and easy to get to with stops along the way to learn about Rovaniemi and Finland.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luxury Log Sauna and Finnish Dinner Experience

Rovaniemi

Beautiful sauna and dining area. Food was amazing. Best salmon we had in Finland.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Arctic Wilderness Hike (Summer/Autumn)

Rovaniemi

Great guide. Beautiful hiking area. Learned a lot about the plants and trees in Finland.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sauna Tour

Tampere

Guides were so knowledgeable about saunas. Interesting to try the different saunas. The Yurt was our favorite.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike in the Archipelago Sea

Helsinki

Great guide. Porkkalanniemi was beautiful area to hike. Traditional food was very good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taste of Helsinki & Tour of Suomenlinna

Helsinki

Great guides. Learned a lot about Finland.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Anna Marié was amazing at planning the trip. Everything was smooth and well thought. I loved it. Special mention for Delta Camp team in Okavengo Delta. The whole team was so nice and welcoming making the experience unique and exceptional. Highly recommend this trip.
Thanks a lot!

Day 1: Arrival in Sāo Luis: The arrangements went smoothly until check-in to Hotel Luzeiros. The reservations were not paid and had to be billed to my companion's Visa until proof of payment was provided. This took longer than expected because the Hotel accounts office was closed leading to an e-mail trial and error. Not a great start. The problem was corrected eventually that evening.

Day 2: Group transfer from São Luis to Barrierinhas. The transfer bus was one hour late, leading to some anxious moments about being forgotten etc. The communication was minimal between KimKim and us, so we just had to wait and hope. When the transfer bus (about 20 passengers) finally arrived, the air conditioning broke down, leading to an unscheduled stop at the SL airport where an alternate vehicle could be arranged. About an hour delay, but the van arrived and we enjoyed a nice air conditioned ride to Barrierinhas. Wonderful couple of tour guides were patiently waiting for us to check in so they could take us to Lençoise MNP. It was an unbelievably beautiful experience - the guides knew the back dirt roads, leading to us enjoying the swimming/walking experience to ourselves. Nice guide walked us there and back, offering assistance to we elderly women. Pousada Boa Vista was lovely: clean, with one English speaking staff member who helped us immensely. We had to text KimKim Angela to give us the departure time for the tour the next day. This was an ongoing problem - we should not have always had to text for departure times. This is a standing complaint. Please always give departure times for tours. We should not have to always inquire!

Day 3 Preguicas River Tour

Absolutely disastrous. The company who is responsible for picking up passengers operates the tour boat as a transfer boat for passengers who have luggage and are heading to Atins. The boat operator was disorganized, did not bother to organize luggage to accommodate all passenger who were only there for the tour and did not take luggage.. The boat operator took a great interest in two pretty passengers, totally ignoring the rest of the passengers on the boat. We two (2) were left on the beach on the final stop without explanation from the boat operator except that he would return in an hour for us. Our reserved seats on the boat were occupied by two strangers who were picked up for the run Atins, down river. Absolutely unacceptable and this boat tour company should never be used again. Also pretty sure the boat operator took time to smoke a few reefers in between stops, but of course cannot prove that. Just felt unsafe all around.

Day 4 Barreirinhas to Parnaiba

Pousada Villa Parnaiba was probably the best accommodation that Parnaiba could offer, but the rooms were in need of a great deal of repair. The toilet shower was not operable. No restaurant was within a reasonable walking distance, so at great personal cost, food delivery was made to the hotel. The hamburger worked out to be about 120 Reals. The pool was a little dicey - very shallow with no discernible pool cleaning system observed, so no swimming was done there. The tour that was supposed to pick us up at the hotel was over an hour late. This meant that return from the river tour would be well after dark. Nothing to see when the river is dark, so there was no point in taking the tour. KimKim would not refund the cost of the tour, as they thought the tour was only 1/2 hour late. No point arguing. There was no refund given by KimKim.

Day 5 Parnaiba to Jericoacoara

The driver was wonderful but without English, it was difficult to understand the day's schedule. Long drive in the vehicle but enjoyed all the stops and runs along highway and beach. Very generous stops, and very nice lunch spot where the hammocks dip into the lake. Well organized, expert driver who ran us up sand dunes.

Day 6 Jericoacoara

The planned activity for the day was something that perhaps younger generation enjoy, but a hot dusty and bumpy buggy tour at high speeds around sand dunes was not really what either of us wanted to do. We cancelled immediately when we saw what we would be in for. We did request age appropriate activity and this did not fit the request at all. We were perfectly content to stay in Jeri for the day and sit at the beach. We were transferred the next day to another room because of a leaky toilet, without incident. We would like to give a shout out again to Leandro, our friend at the front desk for being an awesome host.

Day 8 Fortaleza

Transfer from Jeri to Fortaleza took 9 long hours. We were advised it would be a 4 hour transfer. No idea why it took so much longer, but were again treated to expert driving along beach and road. Hotel accommodation in Fortaleza was 5 star awesome. Right across from the beach. Great room and location.

Day 9 Fortaleza City Tour

We did not have the benefit of an English speaking guide, but we did hire a guide who showed us around beautiful Fortaleza; the opera house, and market. Unfortunately we cancelled the planned tour, and paid for a tour ourselves. We kept some local families happy with that double payment. Poor choice on our part, not KimKim's fault.

Day 11 Manaus City Tour

Beautiful hotel. 5 star. Unfortunately the car provided by the guide was not air conditioned and the temperature outside was 40 degrees. We did our best, but had to return to the hotel because of heat exhaustion. We missed touring the Indigenous People Museum, unfortunately.

Day 12-15 Ecopark Jungle Lodge

Grateful that we did not have to travel 3 hours up river, the Ecolodge was only an hour away via vehicle transfer and boat. Accommodation cabins were lovely. 3 meal a day food was always superb. Special presentation at the beach one night with amazing food and 5 star entertainment. It would appear that this was for the benefit of special guests at the lodge who we guessed reviewed and recommended accommodation on the Amazon. We got the benefit of ths special presentation - and enjoyed it thoroughly.

The transfer from Manous to Manous Airport did not show up at 9 a.m. or at all.
We took an Uber to the airport instead.

After the original accommodation was cancelled at Turtle Lodge, which was 3 hours further up river, the plane transfer would have been doable from EcoLodge - Manous - São Paulo. An extra night had to be spent in São Paulo because of timing with original accommodation arrangement. Unfortunate.

All in all, a well organized tour, but again, it was not acceptable that communication had to constantly be made with Angela to advise us about tour starting times every day.

Original Travel provided us with an amazing trip to Morocco! We felt that every aspect of our trip was thoughtfully and professionally organized. The tour guides were knowledgeable. The cities were full of pleasant surprises. The Sahara and Atlas mountains were breathtaking. Our driver, Samir, was great! Thank you for planning such a wonderful vacation for us, Said!

What a trip! The Kimkim group did a wonderful job planning our activities and customizing the trip for our interests. They were very responsive and highly communicative during the planning stage of the trip. We particularly enjoyed the time spent in the fjords on the Norway in a Nutshell section after we left Bergen. They were awesome! After seeing those fjords, I think the fjord boat ride from Bergen could have been skipped and spent the time enjoying Bergen. We loved the lodging in Flam! Perfect for what we look for--quaint and with a beautiful view. We did a guided bike tour in Oslo that we arranged ourselves which I would recommend. Unfortunately, I had Covid in Oslo and spent most of 3 days in bed. Except for the initial problem with payment at the Bergen hotel that took about 1 1/2 hours or so to get straightened out (I believe that was the hotel’s mistake), all the arrangements worked very smoothly.
We’ve already recommended Kimkim to others and would use your services again for another trip in areas that you cover. Thank you

Activity Review

Norway in a Nutshell Tour

Norway

Absolutely loved the fjords! This was the highlight of the trip. All the transportation was planned well, the guides were knowledgeable and we were very lucky to have dry, pleasant weather.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and the ability to relax knowing that all details were taken care of and that we would be going to lovely hotels and have interesting and fun plans each day. Our local specialist came up with many ideas for our family and continued to work with us to perfect an itinerary, and the ongoing support was helpful for daily reminders and any necessary changes. Our local guides were outstanding. I travel extensively for work and really wanted my children to be able to have authentic and respectful cultural experiences for their first major international trip, and they did. We were charmed and delighted by the whole trip.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to your amazing and trustworthy company, especially to the specialist who arranged our wonderful trip to Finland (Emerson). He was very kind, cooperative and patient with us, and made a great effort to arrange the most wonderful trip. We were there in great luxury and comfort, and lived beautiful moments that will not be forgotten. We will definitely organize all our upcoming trips in cooperation with you. 😍♥️

Our trip to South Africa and Botswana was excellent.
Eileen and her team put together a wonderful trip that completely met our needs.
They listened to all of our requests and after several versions, nailed the perfect trip for our family.
While in country, her team (specifically Lucy) continually checked in with us to make sure that everything was going smoothly and we were having a great time.
I never felt like we were traveling alone and always had someone local looking out for us.

KimKim was a great option for planning a complicated, multi-city/country vacation for our family! We got to see the best of Spain and Morocco worry free. We had an easy to use app that helped keep the plans organized. I would highly recommend KimKim!

The TMB has become a top hiker’s destination, therefore, accommodations can be difficult to arrange. When we decided we would finally make the trip, Rashi shared that the accommodations would be difficult considering our shorter “lead time”. Shortly thereafter, she reached out to offer an itinerary from a couple who canceled their trip, but would require date changes. We were delighted with the news!
Rashi and Thomas were able to make some tweaks to this itinerary to customize the trip for us, e.g.; we added a couple days in Geneva on the front end, added a couple on the backend and were able to build in a break day after each 3 days of hiking. We hiked 9 days, around 100 miles overall and wouldn’t change a thing!
Rashi offered suggestions of “things to do and see” for each of our non-hiking days, which was helpful and gave us options.

We were overall pleased with our accommodations which ranged from 4/5 star rated boutique hotels to (a) shared dorm with bunkbeds and shared bathrooms. Most of the mountain huts have both dorms and select private rooms. We were pleasantly surprised to find most of our private rooms also had en suite bathroom facilities. We were expecting to share in these locations. I’m not sure if that was a special request from Rashi and Thomas on our behalf, or if we were just lucky?!

We chose the luggage service which I would HIGHLY recommend for this trek! It was worth every penny to know we didn’t have to carry everything on our backs, nor did we have to “go without” certain items.

This is the 2nd time using Kimkim for International travel with great results! They work with local experts, like Rashi and Thomas from Allibert Trekking, to handle the logistics AND there is peace of mind knowing there’s someone local to contact if in need.

Perfect trip! Hopped around to a couple of the islands and had zero troubles with any of the transfers or resorts. Awesome, thanks!

Hotel Reviews

Matangi Private Island Resort

Matangi Island

So much fun. Daily free snorkels and meals included. The BEST food we have had around Fiji by FAR and we stayed at many nice resorts. Everything was yummy. The ridge hike kicked our A$$ in the best way. (don't do it if you're scared of spiders, they do give you sticks). The shoreline hike was peaceful. The village singers and dancers were awesome and the little dance part after was a blast. Even the people who said they wouldn't participate were dancing and having a great time. How could you not. The massage was amazingggggggg and all the animals were awesome. Give Missy, Mary and Lucky some pats for me! I also loved that the visitors all enjoyed the friendly game of stealing the orange cat off of each others front porches. Such a friendly little sweetie! All the staff were great but we definitely enjoyed our free diving chats with bartender Jon, Dan telling us his story and about his time here in Colorado and our snorkels with the activity shack boys. The private time on the bay is a MUST for those who love snorkeling. Well done.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Jons the man!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Navutu Stars

Yaqeta Island

If my husband ever goes missing, I know to look for him at Navutu stars. Yes, I loved the resort too, but he said of all the places we have traveled around the world, this place just felt different. The people are authentic. Yes, they are in hospitality and you can tell but they were also just genuine and kind. I have worked in hospitality and nothing from them felt forced. Just great people. AND GREAT DOGS! If you love dogs, just stay here your entire vacation. I was about to pack Elsa in my suitcase, Dolly, Rocky and Snow White could come too. If you don't like dogs, they will leave you alone. I can say, of the 10 bures... those dogs had 9 of us fighting over them. Excursions were fun and adventurous. We hold very fond memories of this place, the people and the pups!

Authenticity & Character

What amazing people. I wish I would have went to the village to meet more of them.

Location

wow! Worth the long boat ride.

Staff

Authentic

Cleanliness & Comfort

Note, there is no air conditioning however the breeze is strong and the rooms were comfortable

Matamanoa Island Resort - see other listing

Mamanuca Islands, Nadi

Healthy, breath taking reef! For those new or in love with snorkeling you couldn't pick a better location. Shallow, gorgeous coral surround the island. We loved the massages and walking around the island. Rooms were amazinggggg. Only downside is no dogs on the island. Silly I know but we loved playing with the dogs on the other islands :)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fiji Gateway Hotel

Nadi

We stayed in 4.5 star hotels around Fiji and for some reason the Gateway just hits different! We loved our two stops here while breaking up the trip between different islands. The food was great, bed comfy, rooms cold, the chai tea was to die for and the music was awesome. My hubby and I joked we would be back and just stay and hang at the Gateway!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fiji Gateway Hotel

Nadi

We stayed in 4.5 star hotels around Fiji and for some reason the Gateway just hits different! We loved our two stops here while breaking up the trip between different islands. The food was great, bed comfy, rooms cold, the chai tea was to die for and the music was awesome. My hubby and I joked we would be back and just stay and hang at the Gateway!

Authenticity & Character

Location

walking to airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Taveuni

Taveuni

Wow that was a small plane (but safe and fun!). The views were awesome!!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Navutu Stars Charged Activities

Yasawa

ADVENTURE! So fun! Loved the cave but long, wet, boat rides. Snorkeling tends to not be from a beach but a boat so check with them about that if you are scared of deep water. Beautiful reef!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Navutu Stars Complimentary Activities

Yasawa

Honestly everything was perfect and the dogs were great adventure buddies if you wanted them there. Hiking, kayak or laying on the beach. They would hang if you asked them to :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our thanks to Clothilde for working with us to build a memorable trip. She was responsive and timely in helping us lock in an itinerary on relatively short notice. Our thanks also to Joel for stepping in to assist Clothilde while she was unavailable.

We were pleased with our main activities:
Funky Chocolate Shop - fun family activity, I don't remember our host's name but she was very good
E-Bike Tour - good outdoor activity, the Trummellbach Falls were the highlight. Pedro was an engaging guide and he helped us with medical attention when one of our sons took an unfortunate fall.
Trip to Jungfrauloch - maybe the highlight of the week, a unique and unforgettable experience
Riffelsee and Riffelberg Tour - Guide Herbie had the good idea to visit the mirroring lake to the Matterhorn first, before the crowds got there
Likewise, we were generally pleased with the accommodations.

A couple of items didn't meet our expectations:
After agreeing to our itinerary and paying the amount in full, we were notified that the E-Bike Tour we signed up for was not available. After some discussion, we were left with no choice but to pay an extra charge to secure the Tour we had already paid for. That still doesn't seem right to me.
For the private transfer from Zermatt to Zurich, we had instructions to meet our driver at our hotel. When he didn't appear, we had to contact him to find out that he was waiting for us in Tasch, as cars are not normally permitted in Zurich. We then had to get ourselves to the Zermatt train station and find a train to Tasch. This should have been avoided and in fact, I sent an inquiry that night prior asking for clarification on that issue.

But overall, a very enjoyable trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Glärnischhof by Trinity

Zurich

Hotel Alpenhof

Zermatt

Heart of Interlaken Apartments

INTERLAKEN

Activity Reviews

Riffelsee and Riffelberg tour!

Zermatt

Time at leisure in Interlaken!

Switzerland

E-Bike Adventure: Exploring Lauterbrunnen and the Enchanting Valley of 72 Waterfalls

Switzerland

Chocolate workshop in Interlaken!

Switzerland

We spent a magical week of wild life safari in Kenya thanks to the extraordinary services provided by Joseph and his team at Nariku Travel Experiences. Andy, was our personal guide and jeep driver who ensured that we had no difficulties in checking in to the various lodges and kept us informed and entertained during the several game drives we went through. Andy went above and beyond to ensure that we got to see the Big 5 animals and much more!

Joseph addressed all of our questions and concerns before and during our trip very quickly to give us peace of mind. There were no surprises either in the itinerary or costs - everything was well designed and transparent.

We very highly recommend Nariku Travel and will most certainly be using their services in the future…

Hotel Reviews

Pride Inn Mara Camp

Accommodation is excellent, and we loved the outdoor shower experience. Lots of modern amenities provided. Indian food here was the best we had on our trip, really fantastic. We celebrated my son’s birthday here, and they baked a cake for us, and had the Masai tribesmen wish him.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathroom shower and sink is very luxurious

Lake Nakuru Lodge

Nakuru

Location and rooms are good. Food was below average, and not many vegetarian options. They let the bonfire die by 8pm, and didn’t kindle the fire even when requested

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lake Naivasha Simba lodge

Naivasha

Good accommodations, and wonderful food! Hotel grounds are v exquisite. Hippos are shy didn’t come out of water

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fair Acres Boutique Hotel

Karen, Nairobi. P. O Box 1121 – 00208 Nairobi.

Rooms are good and clean. Room service is non responsive. Breakfast menu is very limited, Restaurant service is very slow.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kibo Safari Camp

Amboseli

Lodging is good , food is excellent and people are the best! My spouse fell sick while we stayed here, and the Asst Manager Mr. Joseph helped us so much, I will always be grateful to him.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Maasai Mara Game Drives

Masai Mara

Maasai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara

Lake Nakuru National Park Game Drive

Nakuru

Lake Naivasha Hells Gate National Park

Kenya

Our guides Kevin and Dennis made Hells Gate very memorable for us! Their energy and enthusiasm kept the trip very interesting and fun.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lake Naivasha Boat Tour

Kenya

Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff