Kimkim Trip Reviews

We travelled to Namibia as a family of 4 adults. I have an extremely busy life so to plan a trip like this is very difficult. Bianca planted the seeds of the adventure and have several iterations, we settled on a final plan. Bianca was very patient and responded quickly to any questions (we had plenty of them).
The trip was excellent. The accommodation she selected met the brief exactly....basic lodgings for the one nighters and more comfortable (upmarket) lodgings for the remainder. The car rental company were also top notch.
All in all, we had a very memorable adventure and would love to visit Namibia again (with the help of Bianca of course).

Activity Review

Windhoek day on leisure

Windhoek

Incredible India and that's exactly what it was! A trip of a lifetime..... we loved every minute. Thank you Ravi and Team Active India. We will be back! Ruth, Michelle and Evie.

Lydia was an extraordinary help in planning and implementing my trip every step of the way! I highly recommend her, New Zealand Fine Tours, and kimkim! It was a trip I wanted to do my whole life and didn't get around to it now. Every part of the tour was gorgeous, beginning with the journey into Hobbiton and the LOR sets were incredible. The Maori tours and shows were incredible. Mt Cook was especially beautiful, transcendent in a word. Took my breath away. Then on to Queenstown for stunning boat rides on the Lake and a dinner across the lake on one of the nights. Finally, the trip out to the West Coast of the South Island was yet another gem. All along the way my trip was planned step by step, the transportation was prompt with enjoyable and well informed tour guides, and the accommodations were clean and comfortable. The trip included some meals which were very good and memorable. Thank you Lydia and all the folks at NZFTs and kimkim.

Liz helped plan my trip to Peru with a group of 4 family members. She was attentive and customized the trip to our liking. Going to Peru was very memorable! It was def worth it! Lisabeth was available throughout the trip over whatsapp and answered all our questions and concerns regarding transportation and the tours. I am still daydreaming about our trip! I would have hoped the hotels be a bit higher caliber in Cusco but regardless was a fun trip overall :) THANK YOU!

Activity Reviews

Shared Quad bikes tour in Moray & Maras

Sacred Valley

very friendly staff and took the time for us to ride the quads and be comfortable with navigating before heading out! My sister was scared and the guide took her on his bike and she loved it! I wish it was longer and didnt know that there was a lagoon quad bike tour (perhaps worth exploring too!) with did the Moray and Maras and was fun to tour with Quads for sure!! We went in November and was still amazing weather.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Humantay Lake Trek: Small group

Cusco

amazing and a hike to remember!! Our guide Judith was amazing and was very helpful in having us navigate the hike. We went uphill using horses (since we were very sore from the Inca and Wayna Picchu hike) and loved seeing Lake Humantay!! A MUST SEE!!

Quality of Experience

Food

please change the food (breakfast and lunch) for this trip. Although the location is amazing, the food is terrible and we all ended up with an upset stomach...

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The driver was bad, very speedy and the road was very zigzaggy over the mountains. I felt nauseous partly from his driving and from the altitude. It wasnt like this on prior hikes

Shared Short Inca Trail Trek 1/2

Peru

Our guide Claudio was a Godsend! He was so friendly, informative and made the hike memorable. it was 7 hours long but we didnt feel it! He would wait for us and we loved exploring the ruins and the Inca trail. Reaching sun gate at the end was a dream!! The sun came out and illuminated Matchu Picchu! It was THE highlight of my trip...make sure to go!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner at Chicha Restaurant by Gaston Acurio - Creative Menu NC

Cusco

underwhelming food and service. I would not have booked it if I had known it wasnt anything special. KimKim was kind enough to cover it for our reservation..

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rene did a great job helping us plan an amazing trip to Mexico. He really helped us build the adventure we were looking for and organized an amazing hike to see the Monarch butterflies. The cabin we stayed in in Almanaco was breathtaking!! The biking around Teotihuacan was also a highlight as well as the recommendations around Mexico CIty! Very well organized!

Hotel Reviews

Hampton Inn & Suites Mexico City

Mexico City

Perfect hotel in the heart of the city. Excellent place to stay. Free breakfast. Spacious bedrooms. Even have a workout room!

Amanalco Alpine Cabins

such a cool experience. Amazing hospitality. Beuatiful sunrise and sunset in the mountains, Stars at night were incredible. Provided fire wood to make a fire in our cabin!! One of the coolest places I have ever stayed,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Surrounded by beautiful mountains in the wilderness, does not get much better than that

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mesón de Leyendas

Valle de Bravo

Great breakfast! Spacious and clean room in a perfect spot of the town. Only downside was that the walls are very thin and there was a lot of noise coming from the street and school across the road at night and early in the AM.

Activity Review

Embark on two-day trekking adventure to the Amanalco Basin

Amanalco

Such a cool and amazing hike. Monarch butterflies were so beautiful and so cool to see. Felt very safe with guide. Incredibly nice to get out of the city and be in nature and more remote. Amazing place to stay in the middle.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luis was an incredible guide who was so kind and informative.

Transport

Great taxi drivers. Felt very safe. Stuff always arrived. And they always showed up.

Our guide in Chiang Mai, Dare was extremely helpful, knowledgeable and with a good sense of humour

Hotel Reviews

Royal Princess Larn Luang Bangkok

Decent breakfast and large room but bathroom needed refresher

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Concierge good bar staff disinterested

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bodhi Serene Chiang Mai Hotel (SHA Extra Plus)

Chiang Mai

Good location and a real oasis. Breakfast could have been better but room was superb

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Katathani Phuket Beach Resort

Phuket

Lovely location with a lot of choice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half day Chiang Mai Elephant Jungle Sanctuary - Join tour

Chiang Mai

Great experience with the elephants. Only gripe was there were a lot of us there

Quality of Experience

Food

Simple but just what you need

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok evening Yaowarat Street Food Tour (KT)

Bangkok

Perfect after the long flight. Short but gets you into your holiday experience straight away

Quality of Experience

Food

Very simple but good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved the tuk tuk

Bangkok City Tour Full Day (KT)

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip on the long tail boat was nice but a little long

Salt Farm – Train Market – Coconut Sugar Farm - Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (Half Day Tour KT)

Bangkok

Loved the train and the train market. Salt farm was a little disappointing but the trip to the floating market was a great way to end.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My holiday in Vietnam was organized perfectly.
I visited Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An. Hanoi & Halong Bay ( Erina Cruise).
Every hotel excellent, all trip , privet transport on time .
I am very happy that I chose Kimkim.
Ashley is the best agent, She organize my trip perfect and communication.
She is lovely and very helpful.
I recommend 100%

Chris (Greece) was terrific! Listened to our preferences, crafted a terrific plan and patiently worked with us to include amazing places we found in our own. Available and responsive from planning to stages to support while on the trip. When we realized staircases in different villages were a challenge for one of us, Chris preemptively located a different (and perfect) hotel for us in Santorini. Chris organized wonderful tours with extremely knowledgeable guides and drivers for every leg of the trip. All just fabulous, recommend without hesitation! This was my 3rd trip with Kimkim & continue to be very pleased with the service and quality throughout.

Thank you Chris!

We understand that you were busy, but we were it appeared to us that it took an overly long time to finalize our plans. We have not experienced these types of delays with other companies with whom we have dealt. We do understand that you were were coming out of the pandemic, but we thought you should know how we felt. Overall, we were extremely happy with our trip.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Private Tour with a Local Guide

Kyoto

Excellent! Could not have asked for more!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

See Peter Zingg's review about needing a second ticket for one train.

Private guided day in Tokyo

Tokyo

He spent extra time with us at the end giving us advise.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip advisors Rene, Lizbeth, and Ximena were really helpful with any questions and concerns we had and they had taken into consideration that my friend was vegan when booking and trip planning. Thank You so much for your help!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Punto Mx

Mexico City

Hotel was really good!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Sueño Hotel & Spa

Puebla

The hotel was kind of hidden, but gives you nice fairytale vibes. The only reason I give this a 3 is because the toilet broke the night we got there but the staff was attentive and kind and moved us to another room--albeit a little smaller than the one we had before.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Be amazed by the pre-hispanic beauty of the chinampas in Xochimilco

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver was late (he got confused), and operator was not responding to us and didn't give us any contact info on how to contact the driver. Operator was also not picking up our phone calls, so we had to reach out to kimkim staff.

Tour of historic Mexico City with street food tasting

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Casa Azul Museum

Mexico City

We did not get to go to the casa Azul museum this time around

See Teotihuacan by Hot Air Balloon

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Food

I think they started running out of food by the time we got back from the hot air balloon 😅

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking in Teotihuacán "The City of the Gods" & Overnight in Puebla

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Afternoon in Puebla

Mexico

Discover the Magical town of Cholula

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I loved our guide!

Transport

Mole Poblano tour with cooking class

Puebla

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christina at Kimkim did a great job booking a wonderful trip to Norway for us. She was sensitive to our specific requests (I wanted spas and saunas everywhere) and also very knowledgeable about all things Norway - where to stay and what to see and how to get from one place to another. We were three people traveling together, and Kimkim walked us through all of the various railroad trips and transfers so that we very easily could find our way to wherever we needed to be. Christina chose beautiful and convenient hotels for us and arranged great experiences. All of Norway was wonderful, but the northern lights boat ride in Tromso, the Sauna/Fjord experience in Flam, the incredible Flam railroad, the Hotel Norge in Bergen all stand out. Mathia at Kimkim was the person on the ground during much of our trip and he was extremely helpful in making sure we made all connections and everything ran smoothly. We had a couple of little wrinkles - miscommunications with a hotel and a tour guide that caused some confusion and delay. And in both cases, Kimkim staff worked seamlessly to make sure our concerns were quickly addressed and everything was sorted. We would love to visit Norway again - it's amazing - and would be happy to return to Kimkim for help.

Activity Review

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

This was amazing from start to finish and 100% worth doing - so beautiful and great.

Quality of Experience

We had a great trip. Our three guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and overall just excellent. Each gave us insight into today’s Japan as well as the historic sites they led us to.

The Oku Travel written guides and maps were informative and clear, and we had no trouble using the train tickets and IC cards provided to us. We really liked the quality and variety of lodgings, dinners and breakfasts in Koyasan and in the Nakasendo post towns.

We had a great trip and would definitely recommend Kimkim's service. Our coordinator Tina was very thorough at putting together a custom itinerary based on our specific interests from the available pre-packaged tours. She was very responsive in the planning stage as well as during our trip and kept us up to date with details and changes.

All through our trip everything went as planned (with the exception of one tour pick-up time that was listed incorrectly, but it did not negatively impact anything else). It was great to have drivers and guides arranged each day, and a clear schedule laid out ahead of time. Great experience and we will very likely use Kimkim's service again in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Silom Serene Hotel

Bangkok

Very comfortable and clean. Had the best sleep of our trip here. Location is conveniently near BTS and some small shops to get a good breakfast.

Boutique Raft Resort River Kwai

Kanchanaburi

Amazing location right on the river! The scenery is beautiful and it was great to sit on our porch and put our feet in the water. Staff was very attentive and friendly. They helped us arrange a driver to take us to Erawan National Park and to take us back to the airport after checkout. The beds were not the most comfortable and it was difficult to get the room temperature ideal (the air conditioner could only go down to 23C to avoid overloading it). We didn't get the best sleep, but it was overall worth it for the location and memorable experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi via Mae Klong market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Thailand

The Maeklong Railway Market was a really fun experience. It's amazing to see the dense and varied shops and how smoothly they function around the arriving and departing train. Despite being a tourist attraction, it felt like an authentic local market with lots of interesting produce, meats, and crafts. The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, on the other hand, felt much more like a tourist trap. It was fun to ride around on the canals, but it was crowded and the vendors are all selling the same items with high pressure sales tactics on a (literally) captive audience. We wouldn't recommend this one. Overall the day was very nice. Shoutout to our guide Betty for being super fun and energetic! We got to see a lot of fun things and had a smooth ride from our hotel to our next destination.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

John Gray's Sea Canoe - Hong by Starlight

Phuket

This was among the best activities on our trip. The full day experience was really well organized from the transportation to the food and the scenery was beautiful. The staff at John Gray's Sea Canoe really went out of their way to make the experience full and memorable. We got 2 full meals plus a coffee & snack break in between travel segments, and we did multiple outings in the canoe to visit some really breathtaking sights around the sea caves. They even gave us some time to swim in the water and try paddling the canoe ourselves. In the evening each guide helped their 2-3 patrons create a beautiful krathong made from banana tree and leaves to set afloat after dark. It was a fun interactive experience and it was amazing to see the skill and variety in all the different krathong designs. After dinner we brought our krathong out on the water and got to enjoy it in the darkness of the cave. When it was extinguished we got to see the bioluminescent plankton up close! This was a great experience and we highly recommend it to anyone visiting Phuket.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Longtail Boat Bangkok Canaling Tour!

Bangkok

Fun excursion! We learned a bit about Thailand and Bangkok's history and we got to see a part of the city outside of the standard tourist spots. It was cool to see the variety of longtail boats and some of the culture around the canals. The tour is only a couple hours so it was easy to fit into our schedule.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We recently entrusted our honeymoon plans to Esther, and we couldn't be happier with how it turned out. Over 18 unforgettable days, we explored Cape Town, Franschhoek, Sabi Sands, and Mauritius. Right from the beginning, Esther took the time to understand our preferences and seamlessly integrated them into a personalized itinerary. Her responsiveness was remarkable, making us feel like a top priority.

The accommodations Esther curated in Cape Town and Franschhoek were nothing short of spectacular, and our Safari at Dulini Moya in Sabi Sands Game Reserve was the absolute highlight of our trip. Each of the hotels was truly a 5 star experience with incredible and attentive staff, luxurious accommodations, and delicious food.

We found ourselves stuck in Franschhoek during a natural disaster. Due to unprecedented flooding, there was no way in or out of the town, and we were unable to depart for our safari. Esther truly went above and beyond, tirelessly working at odd hours to find a solution. Her dedication and support during this unexpected situation not only alleviated our stress but demonstrated her professionalism and genuine care for her clients.

From the outset, every detail was meticulously planned, allowing us to relax and fully immerse ourselves in the joy of our honeymoon. We can't thank Esther enough for this truly unforgettable experience!

Our trip to Portugal was an experience of a lifetime!

We began in Lisbon and stayed at the Hotel Britania - a magnificent hotel. Our contact Marisa helped us to get an upgrade to this spot and it was so beautiful and historic. Located downtown just off Liberty it was perfect for us to get acclimated to Lisbon and the city.

Highlights of Lisbon were definitely the Fado performance, a truly unique mix of food, music and ambiance. We did a day trip to Sintra and took in the beauty of the mountain and castles. We also quite enjoyed our walking tour with Pedro who taught us about the history of Lisbon and gave us some tips on how to get around the city, also ensured we were set with the appropriate train details to get to Sintra

We then visited Porto and our driver Pepe was incredibly helpful and nice. He taught us a lot about the different stops we made along the way and gave some tips about what we could do in Porto. He provided amazing recommendations for restaurants and the sight/view from Nazare was breathtaking.

The highlight of our time in Porto was a trip to Douro Valley, our tour guide Jao was also fantastic and knew so much about the region and it's history. Douro Valley is a must see, absolutely incredible - we did a river tour and also visited Pacheca Winery for a delicious meal and wine tasting.

We then had a couple days in Cascais to enjoy some leisure, our hotel was right by the downtown area and made it very easy to check out local shops and restaurants.

Overall our experience was made by the people. This was the first time we used KimKim and will definitely do so again. Marisa and Jao were available at all times - as an example we misplaced our tickets to one of the tours and they were able to send them to us immediately. The overall kindness was apparent and the drivers/tour guides they connected us with were top notch.

Thanks for making this trip unique, fun, safe and magical!

Hotel Reviews

Vila Galé Cascais

Cascais

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Porto Royal Bridges Hotel

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lisbon Walking Tour + Delicious Portuguese Flavours

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Belém on a Scenic 2-Hour Tuk Tuk Tour

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour to Sintra + Tickets to the Pena Palace

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tickets to Lello Bookshop

Porto

Quality of Experience

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Indulge in Elegance on a Guided Winery Tour Infused with Tastings and a Delicious Lunch

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wendy and team put together an amazing trip for us! They were incredibly helpful, always available and we had the best experience. All of our guides were very kind, fun and knowledgeable. The accommodations and tours were just what we were looking for! Wendy made sure we always had the info for the day - whether it was info about our guide, or transportation, or hotel, etc - very organized and on top of it.

Hotel Reviews

EK Hotel

Wonderful boutique hotel in Bogota. Great location with many restaurants and safe to walk around. Room was clean and very nice. Room service was great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Safe

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Maria Tayrona, a Kali Hotels

Los Naranjos

Wow! Such a cute and different stay! We had our own cottage that overlooked the hillside and out to the ocean - just wonderful. Food was great. Lila the parrot was a fun addition!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nacar Hotel Cartagena, Curio Collection by Hilton

Cartagena

WONDERFUL STAFF!!!! So very helpful and friendly. Maria J, Kevin & Nellys truly made our time magical. Room was clean and very comfortable. Food was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Maria J, Kevin & Nellys - the best!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hyatt Bogotá

Bogotá

VERY nice. We were only here a short time, but it was a nice room and comfortable. Nice to be close to the airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paloquemao Farmers Market | Colonial Downtown & Monserrate

Colombia

Sarah was awesome! Her energy and friendliness set the tone. It was a fun experience and really interesting to get to know the customs and foods of Colombia!

Quality of Experience

Food

The empanadas!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking in the Tayrona National Park

Colombia

Not to be missed! Wow! Yube was one of the best guides. The trail was definitely pushing our limits, but in a good way - and the views were 100% worth every effort!

Quality of Experience

Food

The restaurant on the beach was my favorite meal of the whole trip!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena’s Street Food: The Soul of a City in Every Bite

Cartagena

Camilo was a great guide! It was very interesting to get to know more about the history of Cartagena and to taste some of their most popular foods.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Barú & the Rosario Islands

Colombia

What a perfect way to spend my birthday! The views were amazing and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect day! Valentina was a great guide - pointing out and sharing interesting history and places.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner in Cartagena

Cartagena

We had to switch to a lunch due to an illness, but our wonderful team was able to make that happen. Alma had great ambiance and fantastic food! The staff was so friendly and very helpful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip to Egypt far exceeded our already high expectations. Sherif, Dunes and Beyond, was the perfect partner for planning the trip. He was always open to our many ideas, and focused on helping us include these ideas rather than telling us to drop them. Sherif truly was superb…he made our trip the success that it was.

Our guides were amazing. Lena, our guide in the Cairo area, was excellent. She accommodated our needs fully, including some mobility issues of one member of our trio. She had great passion for the ancient wonders of her homeland. She enabled us to go into the Pyramids and to see historic sights, such as Coptic Cairo and Islamic Cairo. She was most patient for our deliberate pace in Cairo’s wondrous museums.

In Luxor (ancient Thebes) AlluhDin was our guide. An expert Egyptologist, he was without equal in enabling us to experience the wonders of Ancient Egypt; his passion was contagious. He never tired of our endless questions, and his answers reflected his deep knowledge and insight. He stayed with us throughout our visits to Thebes (home of the Temples of Karnak, the greatest manmade monument that I have ever seen in my extensive travels around the world), during our four/day Nile cruise and the historic sights along the way, and during our several- day stay in Aswan. He was the key to the success of our grand tour of Ancient Egypt. We could not have asked for more. Thank you to AlluhDin and KimKim and Sherif for giving him to us as our guide…that is what made all the difference.

Our 11-day visit (3 full days in Cairo, nearly 3 days in Luxor, the stops along the way during our cruise to Aswan, our 3 days in Aswan, and our flight and stop in Abu Simbel) was just right for a fulfilling introduction to and emotional engagement with the magnificence of Ancient Egypt.

I recommend buying the extra experiences along the way such as going into the Pyramids, taking in the panoramic view at Philae Temple, and adding the tombs of Seth 1 and Ramses V and VI in the Valley of the Kings. The experiences are well worth the added cost.

My only suggestion for improving the experience is to upgrade the cruise ship. The SemiRamses II was clean, but the meals were pedestrian at best. Getting into the bathtub/shower was a dangerous and frightful experience for both my wife and me.

Thank you, KimKim, Sherif, Lena and, most especially, AlluhDin for this grand experience, truly a highlight of our lives.

A friend from Denmark and I have just completed a most wonderful 3 week trek around Kanchenjunga. Everything went well, from the moment we were met at Kathmandu airport by Ngima Dorji Sherpa the Director of Nepal Myths and Mountain Trails to the moment we were farewelled at the airport 25 days later. Ngima provided us with an excellent guide Ang Gelu and very strong porter, Kunga. These two gentle men took us on a most amazing adventure. We are experienced walkers. Kunga led the way and Ang Gelu stayed with us making sure we were in good shape. If we wanted to stop for photographs, short diversions from the track (I am a geologist) or study the landscape, Ang Gelu kindly allowed us the time. His English is excellent and he joined in many of our discussions - both serious and in fun. Ang Gelu and Kunga always made sure we had accommodation at our tea houses and took an active role in organising our meals. We often saw Kunga in the kitchen assisting with the preparation of our meals and those for other trekkers.

The Kanchenjunga trek passes through beautiful country - through villages and farmlands, wonderful forests and then the barren landscapes above the tree line. The mountains and valleys are huge and Kanchenjunga is a true giant. Jannu is another magnificent mountain. I particularly enjoyed the two nights and days we had at Ramche, close to the South Base Camp. It is a wonderful mountain location. Another highlight was the day spent crossing the passes between the Ghunsa Khola and Kabeli Khola. The distant views to Makalu, Everest and the Himalayan foothills are breathtaking.

I can't thank Ngima, Ang Gelu and Kunga enough for organising and supporting such an amazing trip.

From the first contact, I was thoroughly impressed with kimkim's service. I worked with Rinolda to plan a trip for my family (my two parents, my sister, and myself) to Iceland to celebrate my mom's birthday, and she presented a thoughtful itinerary that brought together some of the best experiences the country has to offer. She really understood our needs and our expectations, and she suggested several activities and dining opportunities that we would not otherwise have known about. We were most concerned about booking accommodations, and she took care of those arrangements quickly, and selected hotels that were very comfortable and centrally located for our activities. She recommended a geothermal bakery tour and an ice cave tour that were highlights of our trip! She was very responsive to our questions and concerns throughout the planning stages, and then while we were in Iceland her response time to our queries was lightning fast. We felt supported and cared for throughout the entire process, and we could not be more pleased with our experience working with kimkim. We will definitely use them again for future travel! And we give Rinolda our heartfelt thanks and 6 out of 5 stars - working with her was a delight!

Activity Reviews

Hvammsvik Hot Springs (& Nature Reserve)

Iceland

This was our very first stop on our trip, and it was the perfect way to relax and refresh after our flight. The setting is incredibly gorgeous, and the operators have clearly worked very hard to build the tubs into the landscape and to keep a natural feel. We were greeted with a warm welcome and given clear instructions about how to proceed to the hot springs. We had an amazing lunch after our soak in the hot springs, and the staff was very accommodating on a busy day.

Quality of Experience

The atmosphere was relaxed, and the natural setting is incredible.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fontana Geothermal Baths

Iceland

This geothermal bath experience was so relaxing and restorative. The location on Laugarvatn is truly special, and driving through Thingvellir to get there was a beautiful trip. We took advantage of several different tubs and the dry sauna, which has a view to the lake that is really stunning. The food here was good - they had two types of soup, and the smoked trout was delicious! We also took the geothermal bakery tour, which we highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rye Bread tour (Geothermal bakery)

Iceland

The tour was a highlight of our trip! Our guide shared some history about the town as well as the hot springs, which we really appreciated. Learning more about the process of baking underground using geothermal energy was so cool, and it was a fun experiment to take part in. The bread was so delicious on its own, and then we were encouraged to add Icelandic butter and smoked trout caught from Laugarvatn, which really elevated the flavor.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that my family and I will never forget! First of all, the fact that the tour takes you inside a glacier is phenomenal. Our guide, Damian, was a delight. He had a good sense of humor, which he balanced with helpful notes about being cautious and safe inside the cave, and he was committed to making sure that everyone in our group had a good experience. He sensed that our mom might need a little extra help getting into and around inside the cave, and he calmly and politely provided assistance. He was patient with our questions and with taking photos, he shared many insights about the glaciers, the caves, and healthy respect for nature, and we could not have had a better tour.

Quality of Experience

Inside the cave is so beautiful and magical!! Unlike anything I have ever seen.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Damian was a true gem, and we feel lucky to have had him as our guide!

Transport

We were definitely safe the entire ride to and from the glacier, though the terrain is very bumpy in the superjeep, and it's a fairly long ride.

My experience with Bhutanese culture and people wouldn't be possible without the help of Mieke! Kimkim and Windhorse. In Bhutan, Namgyal, Phuntshol and I were a good team. I was very happy with how the trip went. As a solo traveller, Namgyal accompanied me everywhere, I think that was a privilege! They also helped me out with this and that when I was a little slow. So, yeah, that is how we got everything done! I have to kudos to them!

Hotel Reviews

The Village Lodge

Paro

We saw 2-3 Ibisbills here =) Beautiful scenery also

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dhumra Farm Resort

Punakha

I believed I got the best-view room here!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very caring stuffs.. they also introduced me to Ezay chilli paste! And that was when I became a happy tourist in Bhutan

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yangkhil Resort

Trongsa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dewachen Hotel

Phobjikha

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heritage Home Babesa

Thimphu

Authenticity & Character

Loved it!

Location

Staff

2 of their stuffs stayed overnight and taught me how to make Ezay in the morning! They were very friendly also.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The area was under construction so sometime there were no hot water. Or water at all. But they have traditional style stone bath which helped a lot.

Activity Reviews

Paro - Chele La pass (3988 m) & hike to Kila nunnery

Bhutan

I went there after I just landed. It was beautiful and a fun hike

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bongde village

Bhutan

I supposed to visit this place but I fell asleep in the car and they didn't wake me up.

Paro Birding afternoon excursion

Paro

Not bad but not good either Luckily in the day we left, we saw 3 Ibisbills!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paro - Kyichu Lhakhang

Paro

First experience with Bhutanese Buddhism.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birding on the way from Paro to Punakha

Punakha

We were lucky that the weather was so perfectly clear throughout the trip. I was happy we got to stop and walk a bit in between

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birding in Punakha Valley

Punakha

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phobjikha - Black-Necked Crane Information Centre

Phobjikha

They've got a good presentation overall

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birding day excursion in Phobjikha Valley

Phobjikha

Another highlights of the trip. It was amazing views especially in the morning

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trongsa Dzong & Museum

Bhutan

One of the highlights of the trip, it was a beautiful scenic drive and Trongsa Dzong itself was very beautiful on both the inside and out. Trongsa museum was closed at the time we visited

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paro - Hike to Tigernest Monastery aka Taktshang Goemba

Paro

A casual hike with beautiful view of Takshang Goemba as a reward. On the way down, we did some birding along the way. As I didn't went all the way through, we have some time to visit Paro museum. It was a good experience, very educational. I enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birding in Trongsa

Trongsa

No birds in Trongsa. But that was not the problem because everything else had made up for it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

National Institute for Zorig Chusum - aka Painting School (Thimphu)

Thimphu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Lunch @ Gangtey Lodge

Phobjikha

Very welcoming atmosphere, good food, beautiful view and stuffs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Birding from Dochula Pass with Lungchutse hike

Thimphu

A lovely hike near Dochula pass. We did some birding along the way

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thimphu - Trashichu Dzong

Thimphu

In Thimphu, we visited Takin sanctuary park, Choten stupa, Trashichu Dzong and the Buddha Point.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport