Kimkim Trip Reviews

Alessandro was the best local guide we could dream of. He was very patient with us right from the beginning to understand our desires and after numerous discussions came up with the perfect 14 day itinerary. It included the breathtaking coastline of southern Italy to the historical sites of Rome and wine country in Tuscany and Torino, all of this would not have been possible without his meticulous planning. All the car chauffeurs were were extremely courteous and informative. The hotels he booked were all very charming. Thank you Alessandro and KimKim.

I really don’t know where to start!

EVERYTHING was so amazing! Ana helped us curate such an awesome itinerary that included so many varied experiences that we still can’t believe we fit so much in two weeks! I kept pushing Ana for more and more and not once did she say “no”! She made our dream Indonesia wishlist come true!

The fun orangutan trekking was the highlight in Sumatra.

The ancient temples and melding of religions and cultures (namely Muslim Hindu and Buddhist) was heart warming in Central Java.

Hot smoking volcanoes were breathtaking in East Java. The once in a life time experience of blue flames at Mt Ijen will always stay with us.

Bali was the hub of so much colorful activity … bike rides, rice terraces, cooking classes and we even made time to be pampered in spas.

Cruising through the waters of Komodo national park gave us the opportunity to see nature at its best… thousands of flying bats, hissing Komodo dragons, dazzling coral and the calm underwater sea life!

At the end of every trip we try to pin down our favorite experience but honestly there were too many in this one to point out just one.
Many of our family members and friends have asked for our travel consultant and our itinerary!!
Very happy to share!

Stephanie did a wonderful job in mapping my itinerary and coordinating all the points of contacts. Before my journey I was a bit nervous about how the trip would go. Honestly it went so smoothly that one can expect. She was thorough, up to the task and pleasant to communicate . She was always prompt to respond when I needed. I have enjoyed the company of my guide come tracker Mr Tebogo at Kruger Chalati and the driver Sam of Voomba transport. I would strongly recommend to use KIMKIM for any trip to South Africa.

Hotel Reviews

Tangala Safari Camp

Hoedspruit

The accommodation was less than my expectations. The managerial Team - Jannette and Chris were nice and friendly. The room was clean but definitely needs an upgrade. Particularly floor, water faucets, and shower area, and toiletries. While the driver and the tracker are pleasant to interact with but the lack of professionalism and depth of knowledge are very much evident. The game drive vehicle needs a replacement. The cook was nice and showed eagerness to cater your needs. It is in a nice location just right at the heart of the bush where you are more accessible to the animals.

Authenticity & Character

See above

Location

Perfect location to explore the big five’s

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kruger Shalati Bridge House Suites

This house suites lived up to its name indeed. Situated in a beautiful landscape over the Sabi river. The staff, cooks, waiters, receptionists, and the guide come game driver - all are amazing, and professionals. , They were always eager to help and made every effort to get me comfortable. My guide Tebogo is knowledgeable, friendly, and respectful. He is one of the best guide I had in my trip. He has answered all the questions I had about the animal behavior and the jungle. His explanation regarding eco system balance between nature and species were noteworthy. Receptionist Mr Lucky and waitress Angela was delightful and pleasant. The both chefs came and see me in every meal I had there. They would inquire about the quality of the food and what I would like in my next meal. Overall I had a memorable experience in Chalati.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

528 Victoria Falls Guest House

Victoria Falls

The host family- Meredith, Paul and their son William are amazing people. They made me comfortable in every way possible. William helped me arrange Taxi for Boma Dinner and Drum Show. Meredith was eager to help me with my dinner preference and the cook she know well. Paul made sure that my river cruise dinner was booked properly. Their daughter made sure my ride is on schedule to get me to the airport and said good bye before I left.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunset Cruise - Signature Deck

Victoria Falls

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kruger Shalati Experiences

South Africa

Pls check the comment made in the Chalati House Suites section.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls

The guide was very informal and passive and not feel like enjoying his job. He only talks when you ask questions. Minimal information. No enthusiasm. Reluctant to be helpful. Did the bare minimum. We had only 3 people in the group.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On Safari

South Africa

Quality of Experience

The guide and tracker lacks knowledge on their subject matters and professionalism. It Explanation of the rules and expectations before the game drive would have been appreciated..

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They needs proper training on professionalism, and the deliverable knowledge of the subject. Not joking consistently when relevant questions being asked. Can clearly feel the insensitivity and knowledge gap.

Transport

The vehicle 🚗 s uncomfortable and rundown

The trip planned by Francisco was excellent. Each of the outings (adventures) was exactly what we wanted. In many ways it was like taking a graduate course in biology, botany and zoology. We particularly enjoyed the morning birdwatching with Josee. He was extremely well informed and gracious. Our driver, Alex, to and from airport/hotel, was superb. The roads were terrible. On arrival, we met Alex around 11pm as our flight had been delayed. He drove the difficult mountain roads to LaFortuna in fog and rain. Tip for the future, have your clients arrive at SJO in the afternoon to avoid the drive in the dark. We arrived at hotel at 2am and were picked up that morning for horseback riding at 8am (not much sleep). The hotel El Silencio was fine, not special. The Danus outing was good. The butterfly garden was not special. The transfer to Monteverde was fine and a nice boat ride with an attempt to find shorebirds. The hotel Fonda Vela was fine, not special; but the location was far from the activities because of terrible roads. It took about 45 minutes to go 5 miles. The sky walk adventure was worth the time; and the tram not particularly interesting. The Curicancha hike was very interesting with a wonderful guide. The night walk in the cloud forest was a highlight of the trip with a superb guide, Oscar. We took all our meals at the two hotels. The food was OK but nothing special or memorable. I forgot to ask Francisco about tipping. We did tip each guide $20 and also Alex. At meals, we tipped 20%. The drive from Monteverde to JSO was long and difficult but Alex did a great job. The daytime scenery as very interesting. Unfortunately the trip home took 16 hours -door to door- due to delays and long waits at airports. Not your fault. In all, we enjoyed being in Costa Rica and will surely recommend your agency and Francisco to our family and friends. Thanks for all you did for us. These are just my thoughts. My wife, Jan, will send her own review.
Donald Hamburg

Liz is A1. She was good in communication. The plan like clockwork. We were going to Lima, the Amazon, Machu Pichu and the sacred valley. The private taxi showed up on time every time. The private guided tour of Machu Pichu was memorable. Our guide was so kind. She knew all the good spots for pictures and took all our pictures too.

We've been traveling for years and can say that the communication on this trip from Alfonso was like nothing we've ever experienced. Usually, once the trip starts you feel like you're on your own and you have a random customer service number to contact if you need any help while you're out of your own country. Alfonso was just as available and helpful during the planning as he was while we were on our trip. His constant text messages that reminded us of our schedule for the upcoming day, provided us detailed directions on where to meet our drivers, who were always right there and on time, and his ability to make us feel at home while traveling was unprecedented. We had wonderful local guides who were able to share wonderful information and show us amazing sites while not overwhelming us with dates and historical information that can often be way too much data. They were all just the right amount of info as we had requested. I feel like we were able to see everything we wanted to and at the same time did not feel like we were too overbooked and had enough time to explore on our own. Thank you Alfonso, and our guides Gloria (Malaga), Manu (Seville)Juan (Madrid) and George (Barcelona), we feel like you're all our friends now! Thank you for showing us Spain and sharing your time with us.

Activity Reviews

Private City Highlights Walk

Madrid

After traveling for 3 weeks we were tired and Alfonso and our guide Juan were able to accommodate us and make this walk through Madrid just perfect. We were able to see the sites and get super interesting info about them and also get valuable info on what to see, avoid, or do on our own. We went places that we likely wouldn't have walked on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Juan was amazing, he was with us on this tour and the next day and had a cool perspective on everything as an architect.

Private Toledo Day Trip

Madrid

I'm so glad we went to Toledo. We thought it might be a long day and while it was, it was super cool to see.The history, the art, the old medieval town were all amazing. We visited great museums, cathedrals, we ate and we even shopped and enjoyed the short train ride to and from Toledo. Might have been one of our favorite days.

Quality of Experience

Really an amazing day that was so filled with a little of everything. History, art, shopping, cathedrals and temples.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Juan's unique perspective as an architect was super fun to have on this trip.

Transport

Train is so easy!

Private Málaga Walking Tour

Málaga

Gloria was super fun and so informative without being boring. She took us through the Alcazaba with a passion for the info that kept us all interested. She then walked us through Malaga, leaving us to eat one of our favorite meals.

Quality of Experience

The only reason this isn't 5 stars was that the tour said it was 2 hours and it was closer to 4. Also, it would be awesome if there would have been details on where the tour was going to take us so we wouldn't have already visited the site. We almost visited the Alcazar the night before but were so lucky we hadn't since this was part of the tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gloria was fun and so excited about the information she shared.

Tapas & Flamenco Experience in Seville

Seville

We visited a couple of Tapas places and walked around Seville and saw what felt like all of Seville in one walk which is awesome. We had thought this was more of a food tour by the title of it but it was more like a tour that ended with Tapas, which was still great, but was different than what we had expected.

Quality of Experience

We didn't realize it was a city tour with history, tapas and flamenco, which ended up being wonderful, but our expectations were a little off.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Manu was amazing, felt like a friend by the end of the night.

Ancient Bath Experience

Spain

Super cool experience! The massages were really good and the facilities were wonderful. We could have booked a longer massage or had more time here to relax, 90 minutes didn't seem enough to enjoy.

Quality of Experience

Super cool place!

Guadalquivir Private River Cruise

Seville

This was a nice relaxing ride on the river. It was really only about 75 minutes, not 2 hours and the scenery wasn't that awesome compared to all the other sites we had seen.

Quality of Experience

The boat was nice, it was shorter that stated and didn't go anywhere with any major sites to see

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Evening Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Barcelona

Had a wonderful night tromping around Barcelona and seeing some of the highlights of the Gothic Quarter. Stopped for Tapas and had so much food! :) The title of the tour made us think it was kind of a Tapas tour instead of being a Tour that Also had Tapas. So that's the only reason for 4 stars because we had different expectations. But was a great night!

Quality of Experience

Cool to walk around the gothic quarter.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

George was so nice and informative without overwhelming us with information

I used kimkim to plan a Thanksgiving trip to Costa Rica with my kids and I could not have been happier with the experience. I'm a recent convert to travel agents, having used a local IRL agency to help me arrange a multi-week trip through Europe with my daughter last summer, and that was a great experience but very time-intensive and hands-on. I've been to Costa Rica on my own several times before, but for this trip, we wanted to hit several different destinations in a short time, so it seemed like having some professional guidance would be a good idea; a friend of mine had recommended kimkim. I liked the idea of using an agency that was actually located in my destination, and being able to do everything online on my own schedule.

Everything about the planning process was super easy; after I entered the information about where I wanted to go and what kind of trip I had in mind, I was connected with Holden at Serendipity Adventures. Holden was quick to respond to all my messages, had lots of options to offer for lodging, activities, and transport, as well as practical advice that made a big difference in our experience. Every time I'd visited CR before, I'd always gone to Manuel Antonio; this trip was going to involve three new destinations--Arenal, Monteverde, and Esterillos--with activities in each and transport between; there were a lot of moving parts. Holden got everything set up for me promptly and stress-free, and when it was time to get ready to travel, he was engaged and available for all my questions and had reminders and suggestions ahead of traveling. And once we arrived, things could not have gone more smoothly: every driver was prompt and courteous, every reservation was handled, and everything was as we expected it, or better. Two of our long car rides were handled by Holden's ace driver, Alex, who is the dearest man and a delightful travel companion (in addition to being a champ of a driver, ferrying us from the airport three hours to our hotel in the wee hours of the morning); Alex went above and beyond to give us the best experience, even stopping at a roadside stand one afternoon to pick us up a bag of rambutans to snack on and teaching us how to eat them :-) And throughout the experience, from touchdown to departure, I had Wilman available by text with any question, concern, or random inquiry that crossed my mind. It wasn't until two or three days into the trip that it occurred to me I was texting Wilman a LOT, ALL the time (basically with every question my kids came up with), but he was always quick and cheerful in his replies. As a single parent traveling with kids, it can be really stressful to feel like everything is on you--all the planning, all the managing, etc--and so having a team like Holden and Wilman to take care of things frees you up so much to just relax and enjoy the time with your family.

We got home from Costa Rica last night and I am already thinking ahead to my next trip--Portugal, with my daughter. I will definitely use kimkim to plan that one as well, and hope I get a team as helpful and professional as the folks at Serendipity!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Beautiful property with comfortable, well-appointed cabins situated at the foot of the Arenal volcano. Friendly, helpful staff, great food (I especially loved the Arboleda bar menu and its exceptional Costa Rican chifrijo), covered jacuzzi (soak with a drink while it rains), pretty pool area and great breakfast. Would've loved to have stayed longer and taken better advantage of the yoga deck, the hiking trail (wear good shoes, it's a real hike!), and the gorgeous grounds; will definitely stay again next time I'm in La Fortuna.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Gorgeous volcano views and proximity to many attractions.

Staff

Julián was a wonderful server but everyone we met was friendly and courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Housekeeping was outstanding, nice in-room coffee service, and the products in the bathrooms are really nice.

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

This is a gorgeous property staffed by friendly, helpful people, but the room itself fell short for me on a couple of measures. My three kids and I stayed in a family suite, which contained three beds--a full and a queen on the first level, and a king in the loft upstairs. I don't love this arrangement because nobody gets privacy--four people sleeping in one room is tricky for light sleepers and people who don't all go to bed at the same time. We were given a heads-up at check-in that the room contained neither heat nor AC; you're in Monteverde, it doesn't get very hot, and can dip quite chilly at night. I can never be cold enough when I sleep, so I wasn't worried about not having heat, but the room was pretty stuffy and the loft actually hot when we arrived--I suspect it hadn't been occupied in a couple of days. It did cool off once we opened it up, and by our second night the loft was very comfortable, but the first night not so much. Another complaint is that the room was *dark*--Costa Rica is known for its energy conservation measures, and of course Americans are spoiled with our expectations of bright lights and blaring AC everywhere we go, but once the sun went down (which it does in CR between 5 and 6 all year), this room was ridiculous. There was one mirror in the sleeping area, but it was practically useless because by daylight it was brightly backlit by the windows and by night it was too dark to see yourself; this left only the mirror in the bathroom for dressing and getting ready which, again, when there are 4 people gets complicated. Hot water can be a challenge in lots of Costa Rican hotels, and that was very much the case here, where basically one of us could count on a hot shower per day, even with long intervals between people. This hotel was also just missing lots of little touches--nowhere to put your suitcase (except the floor), no extra blankets or pillows, no key to the safe, not enough water glasses or coffee cups, or supplies to make everyone's coffee or tea. I'm sure all of these things could've been had by calling the front desk, but it's already necessary to call for a shuttle to get most places on the property (which is a mile long from end to end), so who wants to keep calling for blankets and a safe key? The lunch/dinner restaurant was good, pretty views and good menus, and our dinner server Carmen was lovely. My daughter and I headed over to the pool for a hot tub soak at happy hour after a long day of hiking, only to find there is no hot tub and the pool is not heated, so we bundled up in towels and watched the sunset with our drinks. Again--delightful young woman working the bar, good drinks, but how is there no hot tub in a place that gets so chilly?! I loved sitting on my deck with a cup of coffee and watching the clouds over the gulf of Nicoya in the mornings, and we saw lots of birds and small animals as well. The location is good, walkable to some restaurants and bakeries, close to town and attractions...just a little more rustic in terms of the actual accommodation than I would've preferred. But also not a bad value for what you get in terms of the whole resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

See above

Alma Del Pacifico Beach Hotel & Spa

Esterillos Este

We ended up at Alma del Pacifico a little bit unexpectedly after having to change plans for the last leg of our trip, but my hopes were high after viewing their website. As it turns out, the website does not do the accommodations justice--Alma is one of the coolest, most surprising and delightful little hotels I've stayed in. I prefer quirky boutique hotels to big chains, and Alma is absolutely a unique little property that I cannot wait to visit again--our two nights were not enough. The first great surprise came at check-in, when we were informed we'd been upgraded; instead of two regular beachfront villas, one of our rooms was actually a beachfront suite with its own private pool. Everything about the layout and appointments of these bright, airy rooms brought me joy, from the minibar area--each had its own sink, nicely stocked bar, generous assortment of snacks and coffee and tea supplies, plus glassware and silverware for all the available beverages--to the fact that each room had abundant seating, table space, a writing desk, and an assortment of fresh fruit. The bathrooms knocked me out with their size, spaciousness, and beautifully tiled open showers, which face sliding glass doors that open onto private courtyards so you can almost have the experience of showering outdoors--one of my favorite things 😂 These are the kinds of rooms you can stay a long time in, because everything you need has been provided. Each room faced the gorgeous Esterillos beach with floor-to-ceiling windows and a private patio with a table and chairs as well as lounge chairs. The suite also had a lovely little pool that we spent an afternoon in cooling off and reviving with coffee after hours at the beach (which is not to say the pool was cold--I hate a cold pool). In addition to all this, Alma del Pacifico also features two full size pools and a hot tub nestled amid gorgeous gardens--flocks of scarlet macaws passed overhead--as well as a spa that I regret not having had the time to visit. The restaurant has a great view of the beach, as does the bar where we enjoyed our second happy hour (we took the first poolside), and the food was delicious. I'm sorry not to have gotten the name of the young woman who was hostessing/serving on Thanksgiving night; we had a reservation for dinner but when we arrived, the live music was crazy loud and we could not hear ourselves think. I asked the young lady who seemed to be in charge if she could help us out and she promptly had us re-seated on the patio by the bar, where we ate our thanksgiving dinner under the stars at a much more enjoyable decibel level. The beach is not my favorite--we left one day for Manuel Antonio, which I love, and where we had booked a parasailing excursion--but it's beautiful and the sunsets are gorgeous. Just a different vibe, very quiet, not a lot of people, but if that's what you like then you'll appreciate the beach too. We showed up for the included breakfast with only 30 minutes til our excursion and were surprised to find it was not a buffet but a sit-down, order-from-a-menu situation--ordinarily a great surprise, except we were short on time. Not a problem, though, we told our server we were rushed and he got our meals to us in no time so we were able to enjoy a delicious breakfast before we hit the road. My booking was arranged by a travel agent so I googled the rates while I sat in the pool and could not believe how affordable this experience was. I was desolate to leave this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Beach Parasailing in Manuel Antonio from Esterillos

Costa Rica

This was our third time parasailing with Aguas Azules, and they never let us down. Parasailing is a glorious experience, especially over a setting as amazing as Manuel Antonio, and these folks make it easy, safe, and so much fun. A great bonus is that for a little extra, you can rent beach chairs and an umbrella on their plot of beach, make use of their boogie boards (and the lifeguard on duty) and order food. The public beach at Manuel Antonio is very popular, with lots of foot traffic, but this end of it tends to be a bit quieter; I also felt a little more comfortable leaving belongings at our chairs while we swam knowing that the folks from Aguas Azules were close by. I wouldn't say they provide security, but I think they'd chase a monkey away if it was trying to snag my phone :-)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver was great, friendly, and flexible, which was awesome. The only downside to our experience was that it's a bit of a haul from Esterillos to MA and the AC didn't really reach the back seat.

Camila was very cooperative and actually was there to guide part of the tour.
I worked with her throughout the planning stages of the tour and everything went ok with a bit of input
from my part.
There was an incident that 10 of us was not picked up by the sub-suppler that was supposed to pick us up from the Europa hotel to the La Paz airport. Camila was there to answer my phone calls and texts at midnight. It turned out the sub had forgotten all about it. We took our own transportation by taxis to the airport. And Camila was quick to ask the management of Sendas Altas to make reimbursements of the taxi fares. And we received it within a few days of the incident.
Oxygen tanks were readily available in the vehicles, which helped our senior tour members who sometimes struggled with the lack of oxygen in such a high elevation sites.

This is first time we traveled with a driver and used guides. We typically travel alone and are very spontaneous . The idea of traveling with a schedule was a bit unsettling, but it ended up working great.
We loved Kimkims digital process for putting together an itinerary. It enabled us to individualize our tour. We made special requests and they were able to accommodate them. We also thought the ongoing service /acccess once we arrived in Morocco from Said was excellent. The Riads they chose were excellent; the level of service the Riads offered was amazing( not to mention beautiful).
The highlight of Kimkims role was their connection with Original travels in Morocco and then original travels driver Tayeb.

Tayeb was not only a great driver(very safe) , but he was a delightful human being with a vast knowledge of many things, which made our driving time a lot of fun. He spoke English beautifully, provided us with historical background on the areas we were driving through, was willing to be flexible for our requests and was willing to have in-depth cultural conversations if we initiated them. All of this added so much to our trip. Much to my surprise and pleasure, the time with Tayeb became a thoughtful and insightful cultural exchange . One we will cherish for years to come.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Dar Dar

Rabat

This Riad was not only beautiful, but provided some of the best food we ate in Morocco ( traditional Moroccan cuisine) and had very comfortable beds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in Medina.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Fes Nass Zmane

Fes

Loved this gorgeous Riad in the heart of Fes. Staff were excellent, the Riad was stunning, roof top deck has gorgeous view of Fes. Staff served us a delicious dinner on the deck ! Good was excellent

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Beautiful Dar in small village. The staff was excellent, the food was like dining in 5 star restaurant. The restaurant used traditional Moroccan foods, but then put skittle twist in them. Fusion at its best! I wish this restaurant was closer to me.family owned and run

Authenticity & Character

Location

Located in small village, the location enables you to walk trails, see Moroccon life as it really is

Staff

Very accommodating. They did everything they could to make us comfortable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Yacout

meknes

Wonderful roof deck, beautiful, meals were fine, but not great. Family run and owned

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to restaurants , tourist attractiins

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

This was by far our favorite Riad ! The Riad itself was gorgeous, the location was perfect, the roof top deck with pool was so relaxing after a day in the Medina, but the staff was Superior! We have never felt so pampered by staff and accommodations. They arranged a Hammam ( in house) and we were able to visit their sister Riad to experience a jazz bar that made you feel like it was 1930. We also appreciated the music played (jazz) on the roof top terrace in our riad

Authenticity & Character

Location

It’s located in quiet residential neighborhood, but within walking distance ti FemaaEl square and activities. It’s also close to a neighborhood shopping area which felt very authentic

Staff

Superior staff! Friendly, extremely helpful! Spoke English

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dine with a local family

Morocco

Food was excellent, but we ate with two of the children. The mother was sick, the father came in at the end. The youngest son was delightful

Quality of Experience

Food

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

our guide was very informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Transfer from Fez to Merzouga Desert

Morocco

Gorgeous drive

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transfer to Dades Valley via Todra Gorges

Morocco

Great day because Tyheb took us to special spots he knew we’d like

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carpet Weaving With Berber Women

Morocco

For some reason , we were not given this experience though I believe we paid for it. The guide told us that they haven’t been doing it since COVID. If that is accurate it should be removed from the options.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike through Berber Villages

Morocco

Great walk with Mohammad! He was delightful

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Boumalne Dades to Marrakech via the Atlas Mountains

Morocco

Hammam & Spa experience in Fez

Fes

Quality of Experience

Desert Adventures around Merzouga

Merzouga

Food

Berber pizza and lunch were excellent

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yusef was a good guide

Trang did an excellent job of organizing my first trip to North Vietnam. She listened to all of my requests and ensures all of the details were complete. She made herself available during my entire stay and took care of any requests or questions. I was very impressed with the level of service I was provided.

Tina was able to create a personalized experience interacting through an initial recommendation she shared with us. We were treated in a VIP fashion and felt safe throughout all the trip. The guides in Bangkok (Raya), Chaing Mai (Pair) and the tours in Phuket were memorable. They introduced us to their culture and treated us like family always looking for opportunities to surprise us with new fruits, food, and snacks! Thailand will remain in our trip memories as a top destination. And KimKim tours a reliable agency that we will definitely recommend to our friends and relatives.

Activity Review

Phi Phi island, Khai island, Pi Leh lagoon & Maya bay by speed boat

Phuket

The high speed boat was crowded and the guide had limited English which made the experience not optimal. No life jackets were handed to us at the boat for a 1 hr ocean ride (they did have life vests, but were stored). Time was lost a couple of times which made us have limited enjoyment time at a couple of beaches. Snorkeling gear was very basic without fins. They tried, but it was not the best experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alphonso’s regular checks and comms kept us all very happy. Hie transfer drivers and local guides were fantastic. In particular Gloria in Malaga, Juan in Madrid and Toledo and the others were terrific too.

We had a wonderful trip seeing everything we could have possibly hoped to experience in Antigua and Lake Atitlan. Our accommodations were perfect and Esteban was the best guide we could have ever asked for. He was professional, always prompt, and adjusted the itinerary to our needs. We feel as though we learned more about the culture and experienced so much more than we could if we attempted to do this trip on our own. And, the car was comfortable and air conditioned, which is a huge bonus! Esteban taught us so many things and we will be eternally grateful for both Caty and Esteban for so many beautiful memories. We travel often to over 30 countries and highly recommend this tour.

Angel and his contacts were attentive and helpful. We are experienced travelers, but the logistics around getting from the airport in Puerto Natales to our various hikes and trips to and from the Torres del Paine were a bit overwhelming when planning on short notice. Everything went off without a hitch. We were able to message the local team and have them deliver trekking poles to our hotel last minute, our rides were on time, and generally everything was accounted for. I would definitely use Kim Kim for a future trip.

Wonderful trip to Greece in November. We were initially concerned about visiting Greece outside of the main tourist season, but November is the only month our schedules permit visiting. Our Kim Kim local specialist Angela immediately put our concerns to rest and crafted the perfect trip. The weather cooperated with sunny and warm days and temperate evenings. Our itinerary included Athens, Crete, and Santorini.

Athens was alive with people, but not overcrowded. Angela picked great accommodations that were clean, comfortable, and perfectly situated. We did the Mythology tour including the Acropolis, with Alternative Athens that was astonishing. The Plaka Sunset tour with Greek Cocktails was a particularly interesting as not only was our guide Vanessa charming and informative, she took us to areas with fascinating history and breathtaking views at sunset. Not to mention the cocktails she selected were unique and delicious!

If we had to pick a highlight of the trip it was Crete. We stayed in Rethymno which is a near perfectly preserved medieval town with an abundance of history and ancient alleyways lined with restaurants and shops. Angela arranged two tours highlighting the history of the island and civilization, combined with local experiences to gain an understanding of the historical significance of the island we barely knew existed. Our tour guides Joanna and Ioanna in company with Nikos our driver, are wonderful people who provided an abundance of fascinating history. We visited small villages, traveled winding roadways with panoramic vistas, and ate fabulous meals of local delicacies all at the recommendation of our incredible guides. We made memories that will last our lifetimes.

Our final stop was Santorini, which was the only destination where it was noticeable that it was not high season. However quiet, it did not detract from the natural beauty of the island. Our stay at Blue Dolphins was as comfortable as every other accommodation Angela booked us into. It was an absolute pleasure to take the All Time Classic Santorini tour with Elena without having to contend with summertime crowds. We visited the Akrotiri archeological site, red beach, black beach where we had a seaside lunch, wine tasting, then ending the day viewing a stunning sunset.

We travel frequently, and this is the first time we used a travel agency faced with the complexity of a visit to Greece. It was a great value and all we had to do was relax and enjoy not having been belabored with planning. We are tremendously satisfied customers and it will certainly not be our last experience with Kim Kim!

Hotel Reviews

Blend Hotel Athens

Athens

Now Bob W, the hotel was clean, roomy, and comfortable hotel in a terrific location. Unique in that there is no on site reception, the process worked flawlessly and the virtual staff was always available to help. Breakfast in the cafe was wonderful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Restaurants and Cafe's just outside on a largely pedestrian only street leading to Monastiraki square

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cressa Suites - Adults Only Rethymno

Rethymno

Beautifully restored hotel in the medieval neighborhood of Rethymno. Just be forewarned that the rooms are up a spiral staircase and there is no staff to offer assistance with luggage. We found this aspect quite challenging.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A short walk from the main roadway nestled in the midst of the historic city.

Staff

The staff was kind, friendly and delivered a scrumptious breakfast to enjoy privately on out terrace.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room featured a hot tub that was basically just an outdoor bathtub which was kind of gross and unusable. As I mentioned above getting luggage up a winding staircase is difficult.

Niche Hotel Athens

Athens

Everything was in line with a top quality hotel. Perfect location, large well appointed rooms, amazing breakfast in the restaurant with amazing views of the Acropolis.

Authenticity & Character

I would describe it as a luxury property.

Location

A block from the Plaka neighborhood in the shadow of the Acropolis.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bedding was very comfortable and they even offered a pillow selection!

Blue Dolphins Apartments & Suites

Firostefani, Santorini

Nicely maintained, clans and roomy hotel with absolutely astonishing views! The breakfast was incredible and delivered directly to your room each morning by a friendly staff member.

Authenticity & Character

Postcard hotel nestled in the hillside of iconic Santorini.

Location

Not only is the view amazing, it's situated just a short walk to Fira along charming walkways.

Staff

John was great and went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The entire property was spotlessly clean and the bed comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Plaka Sunset Tour with Greek Cocktails

Athens

The Plaka Sunset tour with Greek Cocktails was a particularly interesting as not only was our guide Vanessa charming and informative, she took us to areas with fascinating history and breathtaking views at sunset. Not to mention the cocktails she selected were unique and delicious!

Quality of Experience

Visiting "hidden" areas of Plaka with fascinating origins.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vanessa was a great guide and lovely person.

Transport

It was a walking tour, but we were met at our hotel right on time.

Knossos Palace & Authentic Crete with Local Experiences from East P9

Greece

We learned so much about the history of Crete, the Minoan civilization, the Venetian and subsequent Ottoman occupations that were richly informative. We visited a small village occupied by generations of locals. We had a sumptuous lunch topped off with a wine tasting that all together made for a perfect day.

Quality of Experience

Every stop and every minute in between was filled with interesting detail.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joanna our guide and Nikos our driver were passionate about Crete and genuinely interested in spending the day with us.

Transport

Nikos was like a guide himself and made the time spent richly rewarding. Plus he makes the best Raki on the island!

Luxuries of Mirabello with Spinalonga and Agios Nikolaos from East

Greece

Ioanna our tour guide is a true historian and kept us fully engaged with fascinating historical details as well as present day facts about Crete and its culture. We deviated a bit from the scheduled itinerary based upon her recommendation which turned into a truly memorable day. We learned about the history of Rethymno (where we were staying) which is a near perfectly preserved medieval town. Ioana brought the history of Crete and its civilizations to life with her extensive knowledge as we visited a bustling local village and traveled winding roadways with panoramic vistas. We toured a olive oil factory and enjoyed fabulous meals of local delicacies all at the recommendation of our incredible guide. Nikos was our driver again and brought even more charm (and Raki) to the experience than he did the day before.

Quality of Experience

The passion about the history of Crete combined with the knowledge of our guide made this a truly special day.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Ioanna and driver Nikos are genuinely caring and thoughtful people that were a pleasure to know.

Transport

Nikos was knowledgeable, funny, and an overall engaging individual.

Athens Highlights Mythology Tour

Greece

The tour was astonishing. We gently ascended the Acropolis until we reached the Parthenon while being entertained by stories of Greek gods and ancient history.

Quality of Experience

It was the Acropolis! What more needs to be said?

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was wonderful and caring.

All time classic Santorini 2023

Greece

Amazing day. We visited the Akrotiri archeological site, red beach, black beach where we had a seaside lunch, wine tasting, then ending the day viewing a stunning sunset.

Quality of Experience

Every aspect was great.

Food

Lunch was included and it was amazing!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Elena was great. She was passionate about us having a great experience.

Transport

Punctual and enjoyable ride in a luxury van.

The planning process with Felipe was very good. He was prompt in answering questions and providing information to customize the trip the way I wanted. The travel experience was excellent and the guides were great, especially Herman in the Amazon, who was very knowledgeable, friendly and accomodating.

The one big negative about kimkim is a lack of transparency when it comes to pricing. I requested for a breakdown of the amount that I was paying, which I was denied. You are charged a lumpsum and there is no clarity on how much of it is going towards the actual trip costs (e.g. how much of it was spent on flights. how much on accommodation etc.). As a paying customer, I have a right to know how my money is being used and if I am getting my money's worth.

I am happy with the planning process and the travel experience, but the lack of pricing transparency makes me hesitate to use the service for future travels or to recommend it to friends.

We really enjoyed the experience with Kimkim, and had everything planned before your trip, we just had time to enjoy the beautiful country. Everything was perfect, since the planning with Hue, our local guide in Hanoi, Mr Cau, and after in Hoi An, Ly. That’s perfect!!!

Hotel Review

Hanoi Pearl Hotel

Hanoi

Very well located, but it’s not exactly a 4 stars hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Immerse yourself in the Beauty of Ninh Binh (Hoa Lu - Trang An - Mua Cave)

Vietnam

It was really amazing this day. All the places we went is pretty beautiful nature.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ismail our guide was excellent, he was always early and very dependable as well as knowledgeable. He made the trip really good and I would highly recommend him.

Our trip to Morocco was our first time traveling with Kimkim, and I cannot recommend them enough.

Majid was responsive and helpful with everything we wanted to do and with all my questions about how kimkim worked, logistics of our trip, and locals customs. He was flexible with last minute changes (our incoming flight changed and our luggage was lost). He worked seamlessly with Zak (our driver and guide) to make sure we were comfortable and had what we needed.

With Majid’s help, my husband and I traveled through Morocco for 8 days. Zak was with us for the entire trip. Not only was he a safe driver, but he helped us learn some Arabic and Berber, took us to amazing viewpoints and lunch spots, and quickly became our friend. There are too many incredible moments to list out here, but some of our favorites were seeing the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca, seeing the Roman ruins in Volubilis, learning about the monarchy and current King in Rabat, exploring the Fes medina and food tour with Hakim (he was the best!), seeing the Jemaa el Fna square in Marrakech, experiencing hammam, and riding camels and stargazing in the Sahara. Zak put out the energy that we put in (when we were talkative, so was he; when we were quiet, he let us relax) and it was perfect for us! Zak, thank you!!

The riads and hotels we stayed in were beautiful, friendly, and the hospitality won us over instantly.

We will definitely use Kimkim again and recommend the company to our friends. And, when we are looking to go back to Morocco, I hope we will get to work with Majid and Zak again.

Our trip to Chitwan was fantastic! Sangita planned everything really well and the tiger tops resort was wonderful. There was one hiccup with the airport pickup but Sangita acted quickly to resolve it. The one major note to add was that if you fly to the nearest airport when coming to Chitwan, there is still an almost 2 hour drive to get to the park on an awful, bumpy road so be prepared!