Kimkim Trip Reviews

We just returned from our anniversary trip to Japan, and I can say with complete confidence that booking through KimKim was one of the best travel decisions we’ve ever made. In fact, this is our third trip using KimKim. From the very first planning email to the final farewell in Osaka, the entire experience was seamless, personal, and unforgettable.
Ben, our travel specialist, was phenomenal. He helped us build the perfect itinerary—listening to everything we wanted, adding thoughtful suggestions, and tweaking the schedule along the way to fit our style. Thanks to him, our trip struck the perfect balance of culture, food, adventure, relaxation, and those “wow” moments we’ll be talking about for years.
And then there were our guides: Peter and Ursula.
These two were an absolute gift to our journey.
Peter, our Tokyo & Hakone guide, made navigating Japan’s transportation system feel effortless. He taught us subway skills worthy of a Mario Bros. level-up, showed us how to experience Shibuya Crossing like locals, and gave us incredible historical context at temples and shrines. He even congratulated me on my sumo match at the lunch show (yes… I stepped into the ring and no, my training was not focused enough 😂).
Ursula, our guide through Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka, was equally fantastic. From sake tastings in Fushimi to zen moments at the Golden Pavilion, she blended humor, storytelling, and deep cultural knowledge in a way that made every day feel like traveling with a friend. She helped us navigate the language barrier, made sure we didn’t get lost on trains, and offered endless tips to help us blend in better than we probably deserved. Both guides were great to pack in as much adventure each day while still leaving us with free time to roam and explore on our own.
Every single day was packed with memorable highlights, many of which KimKim helped coordinate:
✨ Sushi-making with a 4th-generation master (we are now “certified” Nigiri makers and have enough footage for a full-length documentary).
✨ A tea ceremony and learning to whisk our own matcha at a university.
✨ Visiting a capybara at a café—one of Emily’s bucket list items.
✨ Riding the bullet train to Kyoto with snacks in hand and Mt. Fuji peeking through the clouds.
✨ Walking through Arashiyama’s bamboo forest and a rickshaw ride through its historic streets.
✨ A full cultural immersion day in Fushimi Inari, weaving through the famous vermilion torii gates.
✨ A relaxing soak and stay in Hakone with incredible views of Mt. Fuji.
✨ Exploring Osaka Castle and ending our trip at the Umeda Sky Building with panoramic nighttime views.
And beyond the excursions, the guides helped us handle everything—from ordering meals to using the Suica card. They answered every question, solved every hiccup, and made us feel completely supported the entire way.
KimKim didn’t just plan a trip—they helped create a collection of memories that feel like a chapter from our own personal, globe-trotting storybook.
If you’re considering a trip to Japan—especially if it’s a special occasion—book with KimKim. Ask for Ben, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get Peter and Ursula too. They helped make our anniversary adventure everything we dreamed of…and then some.
Arigatou gozaimasu, KimKim team.
We’re already thinking about following the green light to our next chapter.
—Ray & Emily

Katie at Kimkim was such a great fit for us. There were 10 adults (siblings and spouses) traveling to Norway for the first time. We only had 2 weeks so we wanted to make sure our choices fit our personalities and styles (which is no easy task with 10 participants). We gave Katie a rough idea of the things we liked and the things we wanted to avoid and she gave us choices to consider and was VERY patient as we changed our minds several times. We used trains, planes, automobiles and boats to get all around Norway and everything was seamless. Katie's attention to detail was perfect. Kimkim was available to us while we were in Norway (there were a couple of occasions where they didn't seem to have our prepaid reservation at a hotel and once, our shuttle was very late). Kimkim called these businesses for us to help make sure all was ok. Katie really listened to what we were looking for and chose hotels that we really liked. I also liked that we could leave some days unplanned but Katie still gave us ideas of things to do once we arrived. I would use Kimkim again and again!

Jehab arranged wonderful hotels. She was with us all the way, communicating rapidly to any questions we had. She spoke with us to review details before our departure. First class service

Hicham, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable and very patient with our gaggle of women. He was flexible and took everyone’s desires into his consideration. The best part of our trip was joining an Amazigh family in the Valley of Roses for couscous, music, and henna tattoos. I always loved seeing the sand dunes of the Sahara dessert.

Tiago was super helpful in the planning and then he was our driver. Although some things were a little on the expensive side, the quality was worth the expense. The weather was quite bad, and Tiago improvised well for us. In addition, I ended up with a mobility issue, so Tiago was helpful with that. The best thing Tiago did for us was to suggest visiting the national stud farm. One of my best experiences! He also showed us interesting local sites. The most memorable, was to a country lane in the pouring rain to see a stonehenge-like burial monument. We had no idea what he was going to show us, so it was very mysterious and exciting! Tiago made up for our poor experience with Alvaro and our Peru trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel República

Tomar

Great location, small room, hot water/shower did not work well

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful room, but small

Location

Staff

Very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shower

Quinta do Tedo

Douro Valley

Lovely room, wonderful food, but very expensive

Authenticity & Character

Room and view

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Not really

Premium Porto Downtown

Porto

Great staff, room was small.

Authenticity & Character

Average

Location

Our next hotel had a better location. Also we got driven to the wrong Premium Hotel from train station. It is confusing when hotels have same name and different locations.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Small room

Activity Reviews

Rabelo Boat Tour

Portugal

See last review

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to the Douro Valley - with optional visit to winery and/or Rabelo boat River Cruise

Portugal

Riverboat was pleasant despite pouring rain. Crew pretty much ignored us except to serve us a small cup of Port

Quality of Experience

Weather and crew attention

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Port Wine Tasting Tour

Porto

Excellent tour and tastings

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Porto (Half-Day Guided Walking Tour)

Porto

Great guide. Well prepared and interesting

Quality of Experience

The guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Well prepared and passionate

Transport

But there was no transport

Our guide, Kesab, was very good. He was very knowledgable about the area and the history of all the sites we visited. He was very helpful with our luggage and interactions with the local people.

Hotel Reviews

The Nanee

Bhaktapur

Amazing hotel…everything was great… Padlocks for the rooms can be changed to keyless entry… WC was after the shower area… inconvenient… Food was great… staff was awesome!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Namobuddha Resort

Dhulikhel

Great location… Views are awesome…. Hotel is dated…. Rooms are very low… i’m tall and had to bend to enter and could not even stand erect in the room… My room didn’t have a shower… Food was par excellent…

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Matan Chhen

Panauti

Hotel was shut…

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Thamel House

Kathmandu

Nice boutique hotel…they need to change the room locks from keys to cards… Bathroom needs shelves for the shower… TV was not working…. Some of my scotch was taken by the cleaners… Dinner was awesome…. Breakfast was ordinary… Location is brilliant…

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Bazaar Walk and Kathmandu Durbar Square

Kathmandu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I visited Japan with my best friend I've known since middle school. Ben has been very responsive with planning out the trip. Maru-san was our guide in Kyoto and he was awesome. He knew so much history everywhere we went. Betty-san was our guide in Hakone and Tokyo and she was a lot of fun as well! She knew all the great places to take a good photo.

Very responsible specialist, Ngima who personally went to the airport to pick us and sent us off on our departure day. He brought the guide to meet us the day before our trekking journey and kept in touch throughout our 4 days outskirt trip. We were lucky to have met 2 brothers - Pasang and Ngima - our guide and porter. They were accommodative and tried their best to meet our requests along the way. We had lots of laughter and fun even though we had some rough paths along the way. Highly recommend Ngima and his team for your Nepal trip!

Hotel Review

Hotel Country Villa

Nagarkot

The restaurant serves good food, and the view is fantastic. They also provide Spa service.

Authenticity & Character

The view

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Ultimate Mt. Everest mountain flight on a plane and Free Day to Buy Souvenir

Kathmandu

We were all on the window seats and were lucky the weather was perfect for the viewing. However, the time given on both sides were different. The lucky ones got to view longer as the plane was moving at a very slow pace but when it turned around it went quite fast, and some may not enough have time to capture Mt Everest.

Quality of Experience

to go slow after turning so that both sides of passengers can have equal opportunities

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Air crew make effort to inform which mountains we were seeing

Transport

Fight was delayed for quite awhile

Trek from Namo Buddha to Balthali

Namobuddha

There was a landslide which led to the regular path being closed. We had to use an untrodden path (Which is steep) to reach to the other side. Though it was challenging; both the guide and porter helped us to reach safely. This was the best part for our new experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The hotel arranged transport to pick us up at the remote area

My experience in Nepal was magical. Our trip that was curated by Amanda. I would describe our tour as a cultural tour that included trekking - a perfect balance of what I wanted.
Kathmandu was a bustling cosmopolitan with fantastic sites. I enjoyed the Hindu Shiva temples, Buddhist temples. palace, Darbar Square. The restaurants and coffee shops were excellent. We stayed in the Thamil House Hotel.
I loved all the places we visited - Patan, Panauti, Namma Buddha and Bhagtapur. The visit to the monastery in Namma Buddha was very captivating.
Our guide Keshab was wonderful - knowledgeable, helpful and very thoughtful. The driver was so experienced at navigating the narrow roads, traffic, etc.
I would highly recommend Kim Kim to organize your trip to Nepal.

Hotel Reviews

The Nanee

Bhaktapur

This hotel was the last on our trip in Bhaktapur and amazing. When we arrived at the hotel, our welcome was amazing - we were greeted by the manager who told us about the architecture, rooms, courtyard concept etc. We were served cake and a delicious hot lemon drink. The hotel was new and modern but had the old world Nepalese charm.

Authenticity & Character

The rooms were built keeping the Nepalese culture experience at the forefront

Location

In the heart of Bhaktapur

Staff

Very helpful. When I requested for anything, I would phone and staff were there in less than 5 minutes.

Cleanliness & Comfort

My room was sparkling

Namobuddha Resort

Dhulikhel

This was a beautiful resort in Namma Buddha. The rooms were in individual cabins. The views were breathtaking. My room was lovely. Some things for guests to think about were all rooms were different sizes. Some rooms were quite small. My younger brother who is tall kept hitting his head in the doorways. Some rooms only had a toilet and sink in the cabin and the shower area was outside the cabin. The wifi was not strong in the room.

Authenticity & Character

The Hotel had Nepali style cabins and eating areas.

Location

The hotel was up at the top of a hill with breathtaking views of the Himalayas. It was very calm and serene there.

Staff

The staff had a smile on their face and were always there to help

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Thamel House

Kathmandu

The hotel was very comfortable. The rooms were neat and clean and had all the amenities like phone and TV. The breakfast math at was included was delicious. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The hotel was in the Thamil area that had interesting shops and eateries.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel felt like you were in Nepal. The restaurant where we had dinner had an authentic Nepalese cultural show.

Location

Staff

They were responsive to my needs

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms had fresh sheets, towels, amenities, TV, etc

Activity Reviews

Explore Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur

This was our last cultural tour. The Darbar square was fantastic - beautiful temples, palaces, and architecture

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trek from Ashapuri to Panauti

Nepal

This was my first major trek in many years. It was an easy to moderate hike. I loved the breathtaking scenery, homes we passed, the crops in the firms etc

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Kathmandu: Patan, Boudhanath, and Pashupatinath

Kathmandu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Bazaar Walk and Kathmandu Durbar Square

Kathmandu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My trip to Equador and the Galapagos Islands was the trip of a lifetime. Majo and the KimKim team planned a fantastic itinerary! Unfortunately various travel challenges were incurred, but none of them were related to the KimKim experience. Majo was dealt with many interruptions in our trip, and she expertly navigated 12 people and our missed flights, lost luggage, etc. When I tell people about this trip, my experience was so good that the travel inconvienences didn’t overshadow how wonderful this trip was! Thank you Majo and the KimKim team

Hoa's planning of our trip was exceptional. Truly wonderful in every way - her patience, knowledge, kindness, recommendations and attention to detail were beyond five stars, for sure. The hotels chosen for us were all exceptional and the staff in them were amazing. The guides, too, were almost always wonderful -- kind, knowledgeable, flexible and easy to be with. We covered so much ground in our 2.5 weeks - three countries! -- and got to see so much thanks to the flawless planning not just ahead of our trip but as we were there. Our guides -- in particular, Ae, Mu and Pong (Thailand), Set and Rit (Cambodia), and Huang (Vietnam) -- deserves special shout-outs for their hard work, knowledge and humor! As do our drivers along the way, who safely navigated us through some crazy traffic! The staff on Orchid Cruises for our cruise on Ha Long Bay were also really wonderful. The trip of a lifetime with too many highlights to mention. Couldn't recommend this more. The only thing I would do differently is perhaps travel not so close to the end of the rainy season, as we did experience rain and very high humidity for much of the trip and build in a couple of days of downtime because we saw so much (which is what we asked for).

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra

So elegant and beautiful. Staff were lovely, as were the rooms, pool, restaurants (amazing pizza!), and just a great experience staying here, though too brief!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shintamani Angkor

One of my favorites! Just a gorgeous hotel with amazing staff (especially Kim at the front desk, but everyone was great). Great location near to Pub Street and the market, good food (both restaurant and breakfast). Room was gorgeous and so clean and beautifully appointed. I wanted to stay forever!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Apricot Hotel

Hanoi

Very elegant and seems to be in a very central part of town - lots of things nearby if you want to shop or eat nearby, both street food and restaurants. Nice location right by the lake. Very helpful staff. Gorgeous rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort

Wonderful staff, beautiful rooms. Large resort-style hotel. Amazing breakfast spread and wonderful pool. We took the boat at the pier down the river, which is a wonderful amenity offered by the Anantara. Also nice to have the little mall connected to the hotel for other eating options and if you need to pick up something.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They were wonderful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel des Arts Saigon - MGallery Collection

Ho Chi Minh City

Seems to be right in the heart of things. Beautiful design, friendly staff. Wonderful breakfast spread and they offer high tea.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Orchid Classic Cruise

Hai Phong

Staff could not have been nicer or more helpful. Rooms were very clean and well-appointed and we had a deck! Small boat made it feel intimate and not crowded. No rocking, so no sea sickness. Food was very good as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Really wonderful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!

Rachamankha Boutique Hotel

Chiang Mai

Truly beautiful and special in every way. Small, intimate, elegant. The perfect hotel, IMO. Wonderful staff, gorgeous restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Just a gorgeous design in the rooms and in the hotel and its grounds. Everything was so simply and beautifully elegant.

Location

Lots nearby that's walkable.

Staff

Kind, attentive, helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfectly appointed.

Activity Reviews

Shopping at Chatuchak Weekend Market

Bangkok

Ae did a great job showing us Chatuchak, which is vast and easy to feel overwhelmed by.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ae was wonderful!

Transport

Night Street Food After Dark by Vespa

Ho Chi Minh City

This was a real highlight of our trip. Seeing Saigon at night by motor scooter was such a treat and we had some amazing food, listened to wonderful live music and had some great cocktails with stunning views of the city.

Quality of Experience

Food

Such good street food!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Evelyn was a great guide and our drivers were wonderful!

Transport

The whole KimKim team was fantastic. They responded to messages promptly throughout the entire experience and handled a minor cancellation beyond their control extremely quickly. We had a wonderful, well-organized, fabulous trip! We highly recommend using them and will plan to use them in the future.

We absolutely loved our Costa Rica trip. Planning with kimkim and Bryan from Serendipity Adventures was simple and within a few days, we landed on a great itinerary.

We loved the accommodations - especially Chira Glamping in Monteverde. All of the guides and naturalists we worked with were terrific. So knowledgeable and friendly. We received fun touches by many vendors for our wedding anniversary including a bottle of wine, special desserts and a even a hot chocolate at the zip line adventure. The sailing adventure was perfect pace and vibe.

Our anniversary dinner at San Lucas in Monterverde was one of our favorite experiences that we've had in over 25 years of traveling together!

Hotel Review

Chira Glamping Monteverde

Puntarenas

We absolutely loved Chira Glamping! It was the perfect mix of luxury and the outdoors. We had a hot tub and ourdoor shower in addition to a lovely bathroom, full kitchen and the well appointed geodesic dome tent. The service was impeccable and Fabio was a great host for the breakfast each morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views from the room were fabulous and it was completely private

Staff

Fabio was lovely as our breakfast server and the food was terrific and so fresh.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mariano was a fantastic guide - knowledgeable and friendly and an excellent ambassador of Costa Rican culture and nature.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Organic Cooking Class

Arenal/La Fortuna

We absolutely loved visiting Paraiso Organico and Hubert and his family were wonderful hosts. The mix of learning about the local produce and preparing a typical (and tasty) Costa Rican meal in a home were terrific. Highly recommend for a couple or small group!

Quality of Experience

Food

The meal was delicious and we loved the coaching and tips from "mom!"

Guides, Drivers and Staff

San Lucas Treetop Dining Experience - Wine Pairing

Monteverde

This was a highlight of our trip. The setting, food, cultural tour (via food) and wine were all impeccable. This was one of the best dinners we've ever had. Highly recommend this experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

The food and wine pairs were delicious. We loved the modern take on Costa Rican classics and tasting items from all over the country!

Organizing a 16-day private tour with a dedicated driver through Morocco is no small feat, and we truly appreciate the efforts of Original Travels and the kimkim travel agency for making our journey memorable. The trip was well planned by Imane who provided excellent suggestions was in constant contact with out driver and was able to modify when changes needed to be made. We were able to see a large part of the country and had quality time in the sites we were interested in seeing.
Our driver, Soufian went above and beyond to make the trip convenient and to ensure our needs were met. He is a skilled driver and managed to calmly negotiate the chaos of busy cities, keeping a lookout for pedestrians, autos, busses, motorcycles and occasionally donkeys and carts. Furthermore, he spoke English well, shared information about the country and the Moroccan way of life. He has a great sense of humor but was never overbearing. He made sure we were comfortable, providing water and asking if we needed breaks throughout the trip. He made us feel confident about negotiating our travels and provided safety tips as well as an App to reach him. He was always prompt and provided the time we needed to tour areas of interest. As an older couple we never felt rushed. Further, Soufian ensured staff from the Rihad’s were available to guide us and assist with luggage through the narrow, cobbled Medinas. We were happy with our tour guides and enjoyed every single day of our trip.
While the detailed itinerary listed stops at Andalusian Gardens and the Musee des Oudias, we didn’t receive specific directions or information about these locations, and they were ultimately not included in our visits. Nevertheless, the trip was packed with unforgettable moments that far exceeded our expectations.
On October 26, 2025, in Marrakesh, Le Jardin Secret Garden was substituted for the Majorelle Gardens due to ticket availability issues. Although the trip was booked and paid for on September 2, 2025, it would have been helpful to be informed of any changes—such as this substitution—upon our arrival in Morocco, rather than at the time of the event. Similarly, the Moroccan storytelling scheduled at Café Clock was planned for a time when the activity was not available, which was a minor disappointment.
During the journey from Essaouira to Casablanca on October 29, stops at Safi, The Potter’s Capital, and El Jadida, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were listed on the itinerary but were omitted without explanation. We believe that discussing any itinerary changes upon arrival would enhance the travel experience and avoid confusion later in the trip.
Despite these small hiccups, our overall experience was fantastic. The team went above and beyond to keep the car clean and provide bottled water daily, and their responsiveness to unexpected changes, such as rebooking our initial nights at Pestana Casablanca due to a soccer tournament, was impressive. We understand the complexities involved in organizing such an extensive tour and appreciate the attention to detail throughout our adventure.
Our sincere thanks to kimkim Travel Agency, Original Travels and especially to Soufian for providing a wonderful trip that we enjoyed immensely.

We had a very poor experience with KimKim and with our specialist Nader. There was absolutely no communication to us of any details or coordination of the trip. After we had already arrived in Egypt, he informed us that he wouldn't even be with us and was sending someone else. There was also no communication to the actual in person guides with us - they were just as confused as we were. It was very stressful and frustrating as we literally paid tens of thousands of dollars to this company to exactly avoid having to do the planning and logistics ourselves. It was obvious that no coordination or care had been taken and the job we paid for was not done at all. Even our guides were shocked and saying this was all wrong and not normal. On the very first night, hotel rooms were not properly booked and our guests had to move rooms. The incorrect beds were given and our guests had to get roll away beds. It was a mess and horrible way to arrive after days of long travel. Our entire itinerary was requested to be changed last minute by Nader. We still don't know the real reason behind why. I said no multiple times to the changes but he kept pushing for it so we eventually agreed. Throughout the trip, Nader was unresponsive many times...again leaving out vital details and not there when major issues were occurring for us in country. The entire trip focus was spiritual experiences at temples which we paid great money for. And no special access was coordinated for us in any temple, when that was clearly communicated and plenty of money given for this. Some of the days, our whole group went without barely any food and were hungry and exhausted. One day, the only food all day was 2 box lunches- with barely any food inside them. Again, this is not at all what we paid for. After the whole trip with a specific guide, we were given a different guide on very last day. There was also a security guard and police randomly added only on the last day - then we were expected to pay money to all these additional people. We were never asked nor informed beforehand for any of this. And overall, one of the worst parts was the crazy amount of money being asked from us in tips. We were asked to not only tip our driver and guide (which is understandable), but also asked for large tips for the boat staff, for the random guides given that we never asked for, for the security (who then even yelled at us for more money). It left a horrible experience for the whole group. If there actually is a set tip amount expected, then at the very least this should have been told to our group so that we could properly prepare. Everyone spent hundreds more than they had prepared for which not only reflects poorly on your company but also on me as the trip coordinator.

We will never be using Kimkim again.

Elena was very attentive and very quick to respond. The planning was impeccable and we had a great experience. She was with us all the way through planning and all the way through our trip, which was truly appreciated. The guides and the experiences were exactly what we were looking for.

Trek portion of trip was fine.
Travel portion of trip was from hell. Every connection to and from the start of trek was terrible. The flight to and from KTM and Nepalgunj was delayed both ways by about 4-5 hrs. The air travel in Nepal is certainly third world class.
The booked flight from Nepalgunj to Dunai was cancelled both ways, resulting in a horrible jeep ride for 12 HRS each way.
I understand in talking with my guide that this flight is probably cancelled 75% of the time. This flight should not be in the itinerary of the trip, or at least some mention that it is likely to be cancelled and a 12 HR jeep ride is the only option. If I knew that I would probably be taking a 12 jeep ride on any leg of the trip, I would not have booked the trip.
Chhewang is aware of my position. This will be my last time to visit Nepal.

I recently organized a group trip to Japan for 15 travelers through KimKim and worked directly with Angel as our specialist. This was my sixth time working with KimKim and once again the level of customer service, communication, and genuine care stood out in a major way.

Even though I did not travel with this group myself, Angel and her team were responsive, patient, and committed to supporting a very full itinerary across Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Managing a group of this size with many moving parts is not easy, and overall the coordination, accommodations, and activities were excellent.

Our hotels in all three cities were beautiful, centrally located, and convenient for exploring on foot or by train. The activities chosen for the group were engaging and memorable. TeamLab Planets was a highlight for many and became one of the most talked about experiences of the entire itinerary. Travelers also enjoyed the castles, shrines, markets, and cultural touches throughout the journey.

We did encounter a few hiccups during the trip, which I believe are helpful to name for growth on both sides. Some of the full day excursions were too long and packed too tightly, which made the days feel rushed for travelers who wanted more time to absorb the history and culture. Time management and pacing are especially important for first time visitors to Japan, and future itineraries would benefit from shorter days, more breaks, and a bit more built-in flexibility.
We also had inconsistent experiences with local guides. One of our female guides was phenomenal, thoughtful, and highly communicative. Another guide struggled with communication and cultural expectations, which created some strain during one of the full day tours. That said, Angel was receptive when this was brought to her attention and took action to support the group.

There was also an issue with the tea ceremony and samurai museum tickets not being booked in advance even though they had been paid for. This was understandably frustrating for travelers who were looking forward to these activities. I appreciate Angel and Sandy stepping in quickly to help resolve this, and I am currently processing reimbursements on my end with their support. Mistakes happen, and I appreciate the team’s transparency and willingness to correct it.

Despite the challenges, what impressed me most was the care, grace, and helpful attitude Angel consistently demonstrated. She was in daily communication with our trip leaders, monitored the group’s needs closely, and made every effort to keep things running smoothly. Her dedication did not go unnoticed by the travelers or by me.

Overall, this was a meaningful trip for my community. My travelers experienced Japan through culture, food, history, and shared connection. The minor issues do not overshadow the fact that KimKim curated a beautiful journey for us, and our group made incredible memories together.

I would absolutely work with KimKim again and with Angel again. With a few adjustments to pacing and guide selection, I know future Japan itineraries will be even stronger. Thank you, Angel and Sandy, for your time, flexibility, and support through the entire process.

Working with KimKim was easy to figure out and book. The trip was a whirlwind of activities that kept us engaged in various historic sites, cultural specialities and unique aspects of Morocco. Overall the hotel in Boulemane Dades and Desert were the best hotels, and the others were satisficatory for my stay. I would have appreciated more personalization on the tour based on our requests and interests. On some occasions I felt that we were taken to places that we thought we would like versus what we found of interest or value. I believe this may be related to "finding places to stop" to break up the long drive for a "lofty itinerary". At times, I felt pressured to buy items from vendors at various locations even though our driver said we did not have to- Moroccans are very good salespersons. I would have loved to spend more time hiking in the Dades region. Our guide in Fez, was fantastic. Our driver was prompt and kept us safe. Efficiency in our trip was very important to me as we were trying to pack a lot in one week. Our driver even helped me arrange a last minute hamman experience which I highly recommend!

Overall the trip was great, and these specificities and personalization each day would have allowed for me to savor what we like on a trip. -Corina

Hotel Reviews

Barceló Casablanca

Casablanca

Felt like a cheap hotel, rooms are small, dining area was sterile with flourescent lights, and location seems a bit not super walkable to food options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Braya

FesfE

Least favorite hotel. Cluttered in rooms, bathrooms are not functioning well, and bed situation was challenging (two beds, and one we had to climb up on a ladder. Upkeep of aesthetics is lacking in this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

clash of modern energy with old did not seem to sync well.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Orient Desert Camp

Merzouga

Great place, nice and fun staff, great accommodations. Very peaceful. Definitely go out to see the stars away from the camp at night if it's a clear day. Dinner was great. Breakfast was average.

Authenticity & Character

Rooms are spacious and thoughtful

Location

This camp is next to several other camps, other camps have closer proximitity to higher dunes.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Beautiful and great service. Would have been good to know what to expect for meals prior to arriving, pricing and that the food was excellent, as we stopped somewhere before because we were hungry. Would have preferred to wait for this food. Staff and rooms were beautiful. Location is a bit far especially since we did not spend much time there in the morning or evening. Would have been nice to stay or arrive earlier.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Diamond of Marrakech

Marrakech

Clean yet not very sophisticated. Services were okay but not great (pedicure). Nothing special. Pillows and beds were not great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer from Fes to Casablanca via Rabat: Journey to Morocco's Modern Heart

Morocco

Driver was great, we hit tons of traffic in Casablanca and our driver was very patient. Maybe time the drive to arrive in less trafficky times.

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Great guide, Sherif.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Patient, helpful, and provided enough information but not overloaded with facts that made him boring.

Transport

Merzouga to Fes via Rissani, Midelt, & the Atlas Mountains

Morocco

Great guide. Needed this guide as this medina is harder to navigate then Marrakesh. 1/2 day is perfect if this activity. Again know what you want to buy in this medina.

Sand-Boarding in Erg Chebbi (Free of Charge)

Merzouga

We did it, need to be on a steep enough grade for this to work. Start on butt first if you are scared and lean back, and be barefoot. Hard to turn like a snowboard, straight down. You can do 3-4 runs if you are willing to walk up the hill. Nice little workout. This will be a 20-30 minute activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morocco Last Nomads Experience: Tea, Tales & Desert Adventures

Merzouga

Loved seeing the nomad populations, however our guide lacked knowledge and did not make much effort to educate us. The lunch was good at Cafe Zaid,- the egglpant dish in the clay was amazing,- berber pizza was not my favorite kind of pizza, yet interesting. Enjoyed the music and tea. Seemed like these places are set up for workers to come there and show us how these populations lived, but they do not reside their now. So some explanation of this would be helpful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

better english, better education

Transport

Drive from Boumalne Dades to Merzouga via Tinghir & Rissani, Sunset Camel Ride

Morocco

Desert was beautiful. Sunset was breathtaking, so make sure to arrive for the sunset. Our camel ride was private and the guide, Mohammed was super nice and creative with our pictures.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Marrakech to Boumalne Dades: Through Atlas Mountains, Aït Benhaddou & Rose Valley

Morocco

Lots of driving be prepared. Carpet Cooperative is nice, however was difficult to avoid a large purchase. Again research if this is something you want or not. Farm walk to the cooperative was quite lovely. Would really appreciate seeing the women who make these carpets versus the men who are the sales team. Could have skipped two stops: the Hollywood of the Atlas Mountains, and the store where they dress you up in scarves to look like a local. This would have given us more time in Boulemane Dades.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakech Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

This was great. Tried a variety of foods at restaurants and with street vendors. Process was easy and service was great. Just enough food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Very nice tour about history, culture and the medina. Mohammed was very knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Super knoweldgeable

Transport

Visit Majorelle Gardens

Morocco

Very pretty but not sure I would have put this on our the agenda. Great for pictures.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No guide here there was not much said about this place and finding the right line versus the YSL museum was confusing.

Transport

Faysel was on time and in a space that was easy for us to find him.

Cape Town was great and our guide Marc was knowledgeable about the history of south africa and kind and went the extra mile, always. We enjoyed the hike Tablemountain. We did not need a guide, it was quite well marked. It was intereting t have her there to educat us on the various plant and what to touch and not to touch ! There ar3e several hikes if you want to spend more time being active. The penguins were cute but it was quite a drive to see something small and very touristic. The drive was beautiful. We stopped at a local coffee shop, we also stopped at Cape of Hope for a picture and stopped at a winery on the way back. Full day!

A highlight of the trip was the visit on Robben Island. Advice for people planning, I would recommend the private visit. We had a very large group and it was difficult to ask question. I would return and spend more time in a private group. I think it would have been worth the money. The guides are ex-prisonner, making the experience even more moving and real.

We then headed to Namibia which was wonderful. The team at Salt Travel in Namibia (Andrea met us at the begining of the trip at our hotel, gave us a map with the highlighted routes to take, the time to travel, the type of road, the must do stops, etc.) was phenomenal. The came to our hotel to give us our rental vehicle and they picked it up at our last hotel (final destination).

Sandboarding in the dunes was fantastic, small group locals guys, we had a blast. The 4-wheeler in the dunes was super fun if you want to see the vast desert. However Desert Explorer is a big company with many employees and the guides are not very engaging, not invested int he experience for the customer as much. District hotel in Swakopmund was perfect, safe, small boutique hotel, good food, excellent staff.

The glamping in the desert when visiting Big Daddy was a great experience. It was quite warm! The poool was refreshing. We loved learning about Namibia.

Spheperd's lodge Safari was amazing. The facility are 5 stars and the staff very attentive. This is not roughing it ! The beds were comfortable, we enjoyed the outdor shower and the soaking tub. The guide was not as interactive as we would have wish. However, he was knowledgeable. The game ride were gr4eat and the animal got very close to us. Lots of rhinos, we saw elephants, giraffes, and various type of antiloop. We did not have the luck to see a lion, but we were there only for one evening and 1 days (3 game rides) and it was abnormally cold. I loved that experience. If we were to go back, I would want to organize a hike with a guide for 3-4h. I wish we could be more physically engaged. We truly enjoyed the safari in Pilansberg, great alternative if you want to go in a Malaria free zone. I couldn't take the regular anti-malaria drugs because of pregnancy, so Stephanie found us that alternative which was great and allowed us to also experience Johannesburg. Now, the Apartheid museum take a good 6 hours. We only had 1.5h. We had a museuum guide to help us get through it and hitting hte key points. It was moving. I wish we had spent more time there. Visiting Mandela house was interesting, this was quite quick, you don't need much time. I wonder if it would have been safe to just walk around Sowento for a bit.