Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our guided trip through Portugal was truly unforgettable. We traveled from Porto to the Douro Valley, Évora, Lagos in the Algarve, and finally Lisbon. Each destination offered something unique, from breathtaking landscapes and historic cities to charming villages and beautiful coastlines.

The hotels were all four- and five-star properties, each with its own character. Every hotel was comfortable, clean, and staffed by friendly, welcoming people. Our favorite was Quinta do Pego in the Douro Valley. The peaceful setting, surrounded by vineyards, and the spectacular views overlooking the Douro River made it an incredibly special place to stay. Our dinner here was exceptional!

One of the highlights of our trip was having lunch each day with our guide, Tiago. Rather than stopping at tourist restaurants, he introduced us to locally owned restaurants that reflected the true flavors of Portugal. Every meal became an opportunity to learn more about Portuguese cuisine, wines, traditions, and history.

One memorable stop was the beautiful hilltop village of Monsaraz in the Alentejo region, overlooking the Guadiana River. Another favorite was a small family-owned restaurant tucked away in the basement of an old building in Guimaraes. These are the kinds of places we never would have found on our own, and they became some of our favorite memories.

Walking through the historic streets of Porto and Lisbon was another highlight. We wandered along centuries-old cobblestone streets, explored magnificent churches, castles, and palaces, and enjoyed spectacular views of rivers, beaches, and the Atlantic Ocean. Everywhere we traveled, we gained a deeper appreciation for Portugal's rich history and culture.

The Portuguese people were incredibly warm, welcoming, and proud of their country. Their kindness made us feel at home throughout our journey.

This trip exceeded our expectations in every way. It was the perfect combination of history, culture, incredible food and wine, stunning scenery, and authentic local experiences. We returned home with wonderful memories and a genuine appreciation for Portugal. We would highly recommend this trip to anyone wanting to experience the true beauty and hospitality of Portugal.

Tiago was an exceptional guide—knowledgeable, patient, and passionate about sharing Portugal’s history, culture, and traditions. His thoughtful planning and genuine love for his country made this trip even more meaningful.

Hotel Review

Quinta do Pego

Tabuaco

Quinta do Pego was, without a doubt, one of the highlights of our trip. With only ten rooms, the hotel has an intimate, peaceful atmosphere that makes it feel like a private retreat in the heart of the Douro Valley. Our room was spacious, beautifully appointed, and exceptionally comfortable. The bed was one of the most comfortable we slept in during our travels, and the bathroom was equally roomy and well designed. Both breakfast and dinner were outstanding, but dinner was especially memorable. Enjoying an exceptional meal while overlooking the breathtaking Douro Valley, the vineyards, and the Douro River made for an unforgettable evening. The views from the dining room are simply spectacular. The large swimming pool was another favorite. Poolside service was effortless—just ring a bell, and within minutes a staff member would arrive to take your order and return promptly with drinks. It was a wonderful touch that made relaxing by the pool even more enjoyable. The combination of outstanding hospitality, exceptional food, luxurious accommodations, and breathtaking scenery made Quinta do Pego one of our favorite hotels in Portugal. We would gladly stay here again and highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Douro Valley.

Authenticity & Character

Outstanding staff, exceptional food, and breathtaking views!

Location

In the heart of Douro Valley this hotel had exceptional views.

Staff

The staff was attentive, friendly, and genuinely committed to providing excellent service. During our stay, there was a brief interruption in the water service. The staff responded immediately, working diligently until the issue was completely resolved. Their professionalism and dedication were truly appreciated..

Cleanliness & Comfort

From the beautifully manicured grounds to the immaculate interior, every detail of the hotel reflected exceptional care and attention.

Activity Review

Óbidos visit

Portugal

Our visit to the medieval town of Óbidos was one of the highlights of our trip. Walking through this beautifully preserved walled town felt like stepping back in time. One of the most memorable experiences was climbing the castle's ancient walls and narrow, rail-less staircases. Although only the bravest members of our group ventured around the walls, the panoramic views of the town and the surrounding countryside were well worth the climb. We enjoyed strolling the charming cobblestone streets, browsing the many unique shops, visiting beautiful churches.. Our favorite was Livraria de São Tiago, a remarkable 12th-century church that has been transformed into a bookstore. It was especially fitting since it shares the same name as our wonderful guide, Tiago! A must do when visiting Óbidos is sampling the town's famous Ginjinha drink. Ginjinha a delicious cherry liqueur they serve in a traditional small chocolate cup. It was a fun and uniquely Portuguese experience. Before leaving, we also admired the impressive 16th-century Aqueduto da Usseira, another reminder of Óbidos' rich history.

Quality of Experience

Our experience was amazing and what made our experience was the friendly and enjoyable people we met along our travels, the beautiful views of Portugal the wine country hills and valleys, the cobblestone streets, ancient buildings, churches and castles. The history and gastronomy of Portugal. And just experiencing the things we don’t have where we live and being able to experience the things that existed centuries ago and today in Portugal. We got to experience a lot of Portugal from Porto to Douro to evora, Algarves and Lisbon and we look forward to returning to Portugal again!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We were fortunate to have several guides during our trip, and every one of them was exceptional. Our first guide, Manuel, took us on a walking tour of Porto on our first full day in Portugal. He was friendly, engaging, and shared the city's history while showing us many of Porto's most beautiful sights. What we appreciated most was how thoughtful he was. As we walked through the city, he pointed out landmarks that would help us find our way back to our hotel later. Knowing we had a tile-painting class that evening, he also made a point of showing us exactly where it was located during our tour. Those small gestures made us feel comfortable and confident exploring Porto on our own. Every guide we met throughout our journey was knowledgeable, personable, and passionate about sharing Portugal's history and culture. Our main guide, Tiago, traveled with us for nine days, and by the end of the trip, he truly felt like family. His knowledge of Portugal's history, architecture, gastronomy, wine, and local traditions was remarkable, and he shared it in a way that was both fascinating and easy to understand. More than anything, Tiago's warmth, sense of humor, and genuine care for our group made this trip extraordinary. He introduced us to wonderful local restaurants, hidden gems, and experiences we never would have discovered on our own. He made us feel less like tourists and more like friends experiencing his beautiful country alongside him. Tiago is truly one of a kind. His passion for Portugal and his dedication to creating an unforgettable experience made this trip more special than we could have imagined. We left Portugal not only with incredible memories but also feeling that we had gained a lifelong friend.

Transport

Transportation throughout our trip was excellent. We traveled in a spacious, comfortable van that provided plenty of room for the four of us and made even the longer drives enjoyable. We were continually amazed by Tiago's driving skills. He expertly navigated the narrow streets of Portugal's historic towns and cities and somehow managed to park the large van in places we would have thought impossible. When parking wasn't nearby, he would conveniently drop us off at our destination and then pick us up afterward, making every excursion easy and stress-free. His thoughtfulness and attention to detail made us feel like VIPs throughout our journey. We never had to worry about transportation or logistics, allowing us to simply relax and enjoy the beauty of Portugal.

We are flying back now but rest assured we will provide reviews…. Marc was amazing. He “got” us and created the most amazing vacation we’ve ever been on. My only complaint literally, is that you don’t have a way yet for us to use him for all our vacations he’s amazing Kim Kim is amazing. Thank you.

Eirini planned an amazing trip to Greece. I have never used a travel agent before and will always use one again. She made everything so easy, no detail was overlooked--from the hotels, private drivers, to the tour guides and excursions she planned. We started in Athens and stayed in a lovely apartment right near the Acropolis. We had a private guided tour with Elena of the Acropolis and the agora. She really knew the history and the mythology and made it interesting for the entire family. We moved on to naxos and stayed at boutique hotel that was with an easy walking distance of several restaurants and the beach. We had another tour of the village of chilaki, and visited a small farm with a petting zoo that might kids loved. The following day we did a hiking tour of several villages and got to eat more of the local cuisine. Finally we did a full day catamaran tour that included diving off the sailboat and to the Aegean and snorkeling. Finally we visited Santorini with a tour of the island, visiting a monastery a museum about the lost city of Atlantis, and another sailboat excursion. I have already highly recommended Kim Kim and Eirini to several of my friends. I can't wait to visit Greece again. We plan to use Kim Kim again next year when we plan our next trip abroad.

Hotel Reviews

El Verano Suites

Santorini

We stayed out El verano hideaway which was a small private house with a small pool with a breathtaking view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cosmos Boutique Hotel

Naxos

Boutique hotel with several villas. Our Villa slept 6. Small kitchenette in nearby supermarket made it easy to feed the kids. Nice pool area with a bar made relaxing easy. Breakfast every morning was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

With an easy walking distance of the beach and several restaurants and a small grocery store

Staff

The breakfast staff and bartender were very helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This place was spotless.

Urban Stripes Athens

Athens

Very comfortable apartment with sleeping for six. Within walking distance of the Acropolis in several restaurants and grocery stores.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Several restaurants, grocery stores nearby. Within walking distance of the Acropolis.

Staff

Check-In was very easy and the staff were reachable with WhatsApp

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Activity Reviews

Athens highlights mythology tour

Athens

We had a private walking tour of the Acropolis and agora. Our guide Elena was very knowledgeable about the history of Athens and the Greek mythology. She kept it interesting for my family with kids ages 6 to 17.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Once upon a time in Naxos tour

Naxos

Quality of Experience

The visit to the farm was my kids favorite part of our trip. They loved George and playing with his animals.

Food

We had a fantastic lunch-- vegetables and cheese on nexo's are so much better than what you can get in America. We also got to try some local honey

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran day cruise

Naxos

This is one of the highlights of our trip. The kids love the sailboat and jumping off to go swimming. The provided lunch was actually very good.

Quality of Experience

Food

They served us a fisherman's stew it was actually fantastic

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alex and Thanos were great very patient with my young children and made the day really fun and easy

Hiking Naxos trails

Naxos

Stella was a fantastic tour guide that guided us through several villages on a few hours hiking tour. She was very knowledgeable about the local plant life and history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ms. Tang planned my trip from, so from beginning to the end her presence was there checking in with me. All the guides fantastic. I am grateful I chose this company.

Activity Reviews

Hanoi - Sapa – Tram Ton Pass – Love Waterfall - Sapa (Limousine Bus, Private Tour)

Sapa

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi city sightseeing- Hanoi street food tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

We had an amazing time on our trip and logistically it was perfect! Erica did a great job tailoring the trip based on what we were looking for. I would use KimKim again for future trips!

We had such a memorable trip from start to finish! It’s really hard to pick out favorites! Our walking tour through Edinburgh was fabulous. It was just the two of us with our guide Garreth. He goes by The Edinburgh Expert which is fitting. He was knowledgeable, funny, and loves the city which he does conveys so well. We also enjoyed our drive to the Fife area and all the coastal towns. The fish and chips were maybe the best we’ve ever had and the stop at Dunino Den was fun and surprising. We drove just under 1000 miles from the east coast to the west. All for us on the “wrong” side of the road! Lots of narrow, curvy roads and roundabouts of all sizes. Getting to see so much of the beautiful landscape is probably what we remember fondest.

Hotel Reviews

The Highland Club

Fort Augustus

The Scott

Edinburgh

Great location with beautiful rooms and delicious breakfasts.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Food & Drink Tour

Edinburgh

St Andrews Walking Tour of the Old Course

St Andrews

Meet the Highland Cows

Scotland

This was a great experience. The owner is very passionate about the cows and the environment. Plus, you get some homemade ice cream at the end!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

One of our favorite experiences from our trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lorenza made the experience of planning our trip to Italy so easy. She always responded right away to any questions or concerns that I had. Having the day by day itinerary was great, with all the times and meeting points and tickets included. Would absolutely plan another trip using this service!

Hotel Review

Corte dei Sogni Boutique Hotel & Spa

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Pizza Making Class

Italy

We had so much fun learning to make pizza. The staff was so friendly and knowledgeable, and our pizza was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It has been a wonderful adventure. We have many many pictures that record all our travels.

Our personal agent was Emerson and he answered all our questions during the planning stages and some small issues during the actual trip. In the planning stages, he worked to schedule what we wanted to do, what we wanted to see, with our preferred travel times, the kinds of hotels we like, and the types of tours that became very meaningful as the 10 days progressed. We had a phone meeting which really helped the backs and forth, about a month before all the details were finalized, and was always responsive to messages sent through the website. He gets an A+!!!!!

During the trip, we were in regular touch by text with Emerson, and again he was SO responsive and we applaud him for helping us like that. All those small issues related to drivers not being in the location given to us in our instructions. That is the only area of planning that needs improvement. For example, we were told to be at the door to the lobby of our hotel, but the driver was around the corner at the restaurant entrance, making us almost late for an inner city bus.

The tour guides were excellent in explaining history and culture and answering numerous questions we had. We enjoyed hearing from the diverse group of people who guided us on their experiences too, as not all were Finnish and one had lived in the US. That made for great conversations and we loved that the tour guides shared their stories with us, plus gave us all kinds of information on Finnish history.

We would definitely work with KimKim in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Apartment with Sauna in Kluuvi

Helsinki

The apartment was really nice. We didn't expect 2 full bathrooms, a nice addition since we were traveling with our adult son. The primary bedroom was roomy and the bathroom nicely setup. Our only issue was the pre move-in process, which we had to complete more than once as our data submitted before we left the US wasn't there when we needed to get our keys. We also found it difficult to find some information, and luckily our travel agent stayed in touch with us to guide us and get the info we needed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walk into the middle of Helsinki and to the National Cathedral where we were attending a wedding.

Staff

Issues with the pre move in process.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lapland Hotels Tampere

Tampere

Breakfast was amazing and the restaurant had great choices when we didn't go out for dinner. The room was clean and comfortable, although a bit small for Americans!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Solo Sokos Hotel Turun Seurahuone

Turku

Breakfast was lovely and the restaurant had great choices when we didn't go out for dinner. The room was clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Towers of Tampere Tour

Tampere

Liked our time in Tampere with Peter but the tour was laid out oddly so we lost some time in getting around via bus and tram. Being at each of the 3 towers gave us a great opportunity to see different areas of Tampere. It made less sense to us that we went from our hotel, across town via tram to tower #1, a long walk back to the observation from a hotel only a block from where we started, then a bus ride to tower #3 at the amusement park. That bus ride was so long because lots of riders were going to the park and traffic was backed up. Each location was good to see, and the walk across town gave us a feel for the city, but the transport took away from the experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

We ended with a lovely lunch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

See above comments.

Tallinn Day Trip

Helsinki

Our guide was Christopher Robert. We liked our tour so much we referred my brother and his wife, who were in Tallinn a few days after our trip there, to him. Christopher took us to many different areas of the town, which we didn't realize had such a mix of old and new. We navigated a meeting of heads of state which blocked some streets but didn't interfere with our walking, very different from the US security around such events. We loved that Christopher shared his background including time in the US, and how that played into the tour and his expertise on the places he showed to us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

all walking....!

Rauma City Tour

Rauma

Riina was our guide and despite a constant drizzle, she showed us the old city of Rauma. We wandered the narrow streets, saw lace being made by a small shop run by women who do this all by hand, toured a small church and saw many old buildings that explained the history of the old town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

all walking....!

Helsinki City Walking Tour (3h)

Helsinki

Our guide was Ruslan. He took us all around the center of Helsinki, meeting us where expected at the train station and then ending the tour with recommendations for authentic food! He was knowledgeable and fun to talk to, including my brother and his wife who were in Helsinki at the same time although not touring with us for the duration of our vacation. He planned the tour to meet our request to show us the history, which we learned was not as many years as that of other parts of the country, being the capital only about 200 years.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All walking....!

Magical Taiga Forest Hike

Helsinki

SO SO much fun. Quintos was our guide. He shared his story of being an environmentalist and working to show the national forests in both the Helsinki and Lapland areas to folks like us. He really loved showing us where all the goodies (fruits/berries/mushrooms) would soon be growing, making our lunch of salmon soup, and walking through different areas of the forest. He seemed extremely knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

We enjoyed hearing of his move to Finland and what made the country special to him, while we shared a bit of ourselves.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quintos was our driver and guide, and made the trip easy.

Unveiling Turku: History, Culture, and Culinary Gems

Turku

Laura from Magni Mundi was our guide for a 5 hour walk and lunch throughout Turku. She was very knowledgeable about the history of the town, and the current conditions. We liked how she blended history with today.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great tour guide.

Transport

We walked, Laura picked us up promptly where we were told to be.

Wow! Morocco was incredible! Made more incredible by the team at KimKim, Original Travels in Morocco, and our incredible driver. KimKim got us hooked up with Original Travels in Morocco, and they handled the logistics of our trip, which included hotels and tours in Marrakech, the High Atlas mountains, the Sahara desert, Fes, and Casablanca. We had a driver, Reda, who picked us up at the Marrakech airport, and he basically looked after us and our stuff until we said goodbye at the Casablanca airport. All of our accommodations were fabulous, and the nicer ones were quite nice, indeed. All were clean, comfortable, and safe. Our arranged tours were uniformly excellent, other than a misunderstanding with one guide revolving around payment for entrance fees, but that was handled internally, and no hard feelings were left. Food was incredible! All suggested restaurants were outstanding, although we ate many of our meals (especially breakfasts and dinners) at our hotels, which proved to be both wise and worthwhile. We did not have any hotel/riad confirmations prior to the trip, but they weren't needed as all accommodations and reservations were 100% taken care of. Should mention we all got a little GI bug, so bring your Cipro and be careful what goes down the hatch. Our guide, Reda, however, absolutely made the trip. Not only did he get us from place to place and make sure our bags did as well (this even included transport by mule when necessary!), he was quite interested in talking to us about his country, answering questions, providing guidance, always on time, always pleasant. Even when our questions could have been taken as probing. So, off you're reading this wondering if KimKim is the way to go to Morocco, our group would uniformly endorse it. Pull the trigger. Go. Use KimKim. And I hope your trip is as wonderful as ours.

Hotel Reviews

Le Casablanca Hotel

Casablanca

Beautiful hotel in the midst of Casablanca chaos (meaning we were back in the Big City after a wonderful time in smaller places), great service and food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Faraj Suites & Spa

Fès

Very impressive, beautiful property. A little out of the way if you're walking somewhere or getting an Uber/taxi, but we really enjoyed it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Incredible experience, much nicer than I had imagined. Our tent (and camp) was quite nice, clean, and safe. Food was good. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Berbere Palace

Ouarzazate

Really nice. Excellent food and assistance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasbah du Toubkal

lmlil

Took a mule ride from town up to the kasbah (along with our bags), and it was so worthwhile. Nice rooms, incredible views, nice people.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

A little hard to find, but worth the effort. Very nice spot in the medina. Good food, treated well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Marrakech Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

This was fun, although I'm pretty sure I got my bout of diarrhea from the snail soup. Maybe I'm wrong. But the experience was amazing, with good food and good guidance. We had several stops as "appetizers" before going to a rather out-of-the-way restaurant for an excellent meal on their rooftop.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Majorelle Gardens

Morocco

Interesting. Not entirely necessary for your vivid tot Marrakech, but it was still nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Fes to Casablanca via Rabat

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Outstanding. The Fes medina is a maze of wondrous sights and smells, but I wouldn't wander in there without a guide, even though you have GPS on your phone.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Morocco

Fun drive. Beware the monkeys on the side of the road and the men who give you peanuts to feed the monkeys with, while grabbing your phones to take pics, all for the one-time low-low price of a tip. No evidence of anything being taken, but it was an unsettling experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morocco Last Nomads Experience: Tea, Tales & Desert Adventures

Merzouga

Shocking. Of all the places in Morocco to create a community, this would seem to be the least likely. Harsh, remote, no water, etc. But I guess that's what tire looking for. Anyway, quite insightful look at an incredible situation.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ouarzazate to Merzouga via Todra Gorge, Erfoud & Sunset Camel Ride

Morocco

The drive was interesting and fun, but the camel ride out to our luxury desert camp was the highlight. Fabulous experience, even if it took a few days for my rear end to recover!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class at Amal Non-Profit Center

Marrakesh

Outstanding experience. Our hosts were professional, funny, fun, and gave excellent guidance. We did all of the prep and cooking ourselves, which added to the fun. And the food was yummy!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

The tour was interesting and worthwhile, but we had a different sort of issue. We were under the impression that the tour was completely paid for, but there were two places we had to pay entrance fees to enter. Our guide apparently forgot to bring money. So, we paid, with the understanding that he would reimburse us after the tour. Then, when the tour was completed, we reminded him of the reimbursement, and he said he would give the money to our driver. I let our driver know of the situation. But then the guide showed up, quite upset that we had informed the driver of the situation. He then hesitatingly reimbursed our 800 dirhams (about $80), saying something about a tip, despite the fact that my traveling partner had just handed him a generous tip. It all ended well after a few more uncomfortable moments, mostly because I gave him another tip, but this interaction turned an otherwise enjoyable visit into something that left us scratching our heads.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family of 6 (including two sets of twins ages 9, 9, 12 and 12) spent the month of April 2026 in Nepal trekking from Ringmo/Taksindu to Everest Base Camp and return to Lukla. It was our first time at elevation, however we are no strangers to challenging backpacking trips and adventure travel. This was our second international trip with Kim-Kim and I highly recommend their services to connect you with the best guides in a region and to reduce the stress of coordination and language barriers. In particular, this trip to Nepal was so phenomenal that this review cannot convey the level of connection and respect that we gained for our trekking team, their families, and the villages that we travelled through. You can find a break down of our journey at miller-6 dot com through the eyes of our kids.

What truly set this experience apart was the incredible dedication of our organizer, Ngima. We came to Nepal with a specific desire to give back to two community schools and two monasteries. My children purchased and delivered smart boards, uniform supplies, delivered postcards from our hometown and distributed 400 hand sewn school supply bags during the first 5 days of our trip. Ngima put immense effort into organizing the logistics and seamlessly weaving the school visits into our itinerary. It was a profound, beautifully managed experience that our family will treasure forever, and it wouldn't have happened without Ngima’s passion and hard work.

Our lead trail guide, Nuru Jangbu Sherpa, was a true master of his craft. Knowing his impressive guiding achievements and the massive expeditions he has led, we were humbled to trek with him. Yet, he had a remarkable way of making our family’s journey feel just as monumental and impressive as any world-class summit. His son, Pemba Sherpa, who runs the family tea house in Paiya with his wife, joined us for the trek as a second guide and added a youthful maturity to the trip. He was always eager to play soccer or build a tower out of playing cards with our children and was an excellent role model for them to look up to.

The team’s attentiveness to our health and safety was world-class. They monitored our well-being constantly, ensuring everyone felt strong and secure at every altitude. Each day we would fill out a table of metrics for each family member, including blood oxygen monitoring. When health fluctuations and altitude sickness required us to pivot our plan, the team adjusted our itinerary flawlessly on the fly, never making us feel like a burden or that we had fell short of an achievement. They replaced the original plan with something that was equally (if not more) incredible.

The kindness, warmth, and constant smiles of Nuru, Pemba, and our incredible team of porters completely stole our hearts. Their strength is unmatched, but it is their gentle kindness that we will remember most. As a family that has travelled all over the world, including sailing across the Pacific Ocean on our catamaran for 2 years, this is the trip that our kids want to repeat over and over again.

Final Thoughts
If you are planning a trip to Nepal and want an experience that combines flawless logistics, unparalleled safety, deep cultural connection, and a team that feels like family, look no further. Ngima, Nuru, Pemba, and the entire crew gave us more than just a trek—they gave us a lifelong bond with the Himalayas and its beautiful people. Five stars doesn't feel like enough but I hope that this review encourages you to take your own adventure to Nepal, specifically taking the time to explore communities that are on the fringes of high tourist areas. This is where the experience reached a elevated level of connection for our tribe of 6. Good luck!

Two beautiful weeks in Croatia

My wife and I spent two amazing weeks in Croatia. Thank you Sarah and Ivan for the meticulous planning of the trip. Our hotels were just what we were looking for, and all of the trips - wine and olive oil tastings, city tours and the truffle hunt were informative and well presented. All of the drivers - Zoran, Ivan, Mato and Marija (I’m sure I’m forgetting a few others) were friendly, professional and very informative. We’ve learned so much about Croatian history and culture that I can’t really pick any one place that I like more than another, although Plitvice lakes was probably the prettiest place we’ve ever visited. Our particular thanks to all the folks in Dubrovnik who made our five nights stay there unforgettable.

Hotel Reviews

Amadria Park Hotel Capital

Zagreb

Beautiful hotel in the middle of Zagreb

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Melegran

Rovinj

Great location inside the city. The rooms are somewhat small

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tesla's Gastro House

Prijeboj

Lovely B and B with wonderful hosts

Authenticity & Character

Location

Five minutes drive from the park in a beautiful country setting

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Splendida Palace

Split

Wonderful location and service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Steps from Diocletian’s Palace and the port

Staff

The staff at this hotel was simply amazing

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Porto

Dubrovnik

Great location, very good breakfast and a large comfortable room

Authenticity & Character

Location

It’s five minutes away from the old town by bus, and the bus stop is right next to the hotel. Perfect location for both the exploration of the old city and having a driver pick up for day trips

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Walking Tour of Split

Split

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Truffle Hunting + Exploring Motovun

Croatia

One of the highlights of our trip. Great truffle hunting, and a wonderful lunch to follow.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Hvar for a private wine tasting excursion (to and from Hvar by ferry)

Split

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Tour of Rovinj

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Olive Oil Tasting + visit Porec

Rovinj

This was a great olive oil tasing. Bembo is a wonderful small olive oil producer, and both owners were friendly and generous with their knowledge of details of every aspect of the olive oil production.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Kastela for olive oil tasting + seeing the beautiful old olive tree

Split

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oyster Tasting & Farming Experience in Ston Bay + Wine Tasting (Peljesac Peninsula) - Day trip from Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Great selection of wineries and a nice tour of the oyster harbor

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Trip to Cavtat & Sokol Grad

Dubrovnik

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Game of Thrones Tour

Dubrovnik

Ivona was very knowledgeable and passionate about the city and the filming process for Game of Thrones

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Boating Excursion to the Elaphiti Islands

Dubrovnik

Great day on the boat with Simon

Quality of Experience

The three islands we visited were all beautiful, each in their own way.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We booked 4 days in Norway, split between Bergen and Balestrand. We had a lovely time in both places, and we appreciated the travel recommendations made by our Kim Kim agent. Our two favorites were the Dragvik Fjordhotel and the cider tour at Ciderhueset, both in Balestrand. Our room at the Fjordhotel had big picture windows looking right out on the fjord, a truly spectacular view! The Hotel is family run and you can see the pride of ownership, and the staff was personable and attentive. The food was also excellent. We ended up eating dinner in the Hotel two nights and both meals were delicious. The tour at the Ciderhueset was run by the owner and he was very informative, and the lunch and cider tasting were lovely. We had a very positive experience on our trip, and we enjoyed the travel recommendations from our kimkim agent.

Hotel Review

Dragsvik Fjordhotell

Balestrand

Our room at the Fjordhotel had big picture windows looking right out on the fjord, a truly spectacular view! The Hotel is family run and you can see the pride of ownership, and the staff was personable and attentive. The food was also excellent. We ended up eating dinner in the Hotel two nights and both meals were delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cider Tasting with Food Pairing

Norway

The tour at the Ciderhueset was run by the owner and he was very informative, and the lunch and cider tasting were lovely.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lorenza did a wonderful job of understanding the kind of trip we wanted to have and made it happen! She chose wonderful, knowledgeable guides (Ricardo, Laura, Davide) and had clearly briefed them on our priorities. :) When we hit a bump they stepped in and made sure that it was JUST a bump and didn't derail our tight schedule. THANK YOU!!

We had an amazing trip thanks to kimkim and Christine, our local specialist. While I am a more seasoned traveler, my husband and our son are not. Having all of the transfers to and from hotels to the airport/train station was huge. We had two private tours, one in Seoul and one in Busan, and both experiences were excellent.

Jun was our guide is Seoul and started off our trip on the right foot. He knew exactly how to navigate the sights to give us the best experience, and even got me a discount on my purchase at Gwangjang Market.

Luke was our guide in Busan and was so informative and engaging, especially with our 12-year-old son. If we go back to Busan, I would love to go to more sights with Luke.

I would definitely recommend kimkim for anyone planning an international trip and Christine specifically for any trips to South Korea.

The personalized detailed planning was excellent. Our hotels were just what we asked for as were the tours. We especially liked our unusual day in champagne with the Vintage Tour Company in “Marcel” with Coline. All our drivers were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

La Poterne

EPERNAY

The welcome and personal service was like visiting old friends. Charlotte made the best cake and breakfast. Very welcoming and comfy B&B. Perfect location if you want to be in town within walking distance to shops transport and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely house and rooms

Staff

They make you feel like family

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the big tub and separate shower. Big comfy bed.

Hotel Dame des Arts

Paris

Great service, friendly and helpful staff. The food is excellent. Modern and stylish hotel with ambience. Our room was small but very comfortable with a king sized bed and well organized.

Authenticity & Character

Great style and ambience

Location

Close to every thing sight seeing, restaurants, metro etc.

Staff

All the staff were very helpful. Isi went the extra mile

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was spacious and comfortable

Activity Review

Guided tour of Paris and secret Montmartre in a Citroën 2CV

Paris

JR listened to us and gave us a very personal eclectic tour as we had been to Paris a few times and wanted to see some different places.

The planning was very thorough and helpful. All the transportation was on time and easy to get a hold of.

Emilie planned a wonderful Switzerland trip for us that went very smoothly. She was very prompt in her responses when we had questions and was very attentive to our requests. She checked in on us during the trip as well to make sure things were going well. Kimkim made the planning process very easy and Emilie was a pleasure to work with.

Hotel Reviews

Ruby Claire Hotel

Geneva

Interesting hotel as the hallways are really dark but the rooms are bright and cheery. It has a really cool rooftop bar/check in area. It's kind of hidden and I'm glad we finally figured out we had to walk into the walkway thru various stores to get to the right entrance point.

Authenticity & Character

Trendy, modern vide; it was very very quiet throughout the hotel

Location

Loved that it was 15 minutes walk from the train station and in the cool, older part of Geneva

Staff

Friendly, helpful if I had questions

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and quiet

Mona Montreux Hotel

Montreux

Right on the lake with great views; nice rooms & very quiet for a large hotel

Authenticity & Character

While it is a large hotel, it was very quiet and was a great place to stay

Location

Right on the lake in the heart of the city; loved it was right on the lake walkway

Staff

Very friendly staff who were helpful; breakfast buffet manager was really friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, quiet

Hotel Capricorn

Zermatt

Really nice and quiet part of town away from the business of the main street and train station area. The spa area is awesome and such a fun amenity!

Authenticity & Character

Really well kept Swiss hotel with very friendly staff

Location

It was a 15 minute walk to the train station however it was nice to be away from the business of downtown

Staff

Pleasant and very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and just a wondeful place to stay

Hotel Central Wolter - Grindelwald

Grindelwald

Very close to the train station which makes this a nice choice. We had a room near the back which was great as it was more quiet.

Authenticity & Character

It was a classic large Swiss hotel with a nice restaurant.

Location

Nice to be close the train station and to all of the action of town

Staff

Friendly and helpful check in desk staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Boutique Hotel KARL

Luzern

Loved that we were right on the river in the old part of Luzern. The room was very authentic and staff were all very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Really neat building with lots of character.

Location

On the edge of the old town which was nice as it made it quieter & we loved having a balcony on the river.

Staff

All were very friendly and helpful with any questions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great room and the breakfast was wonderful!

Hotel Bristol

Zurich

The hotel is very close to the train station which is it's major plus.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean---we were only there for one night and this was a good fit for us. There were 4 of us and the room would have felt a bit tight had we been staying longer.

Activity Reviews

Night Watchman Walk in Lucerne (private tour)

Lucerne

This was really enjoyable and the guide was very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He loves to tell the history of the town and we really thought this was a coll experience

Swiss Travel Pass

Switzerland

Very easy to use but definitely get the Swiss train app so that you know when trains are coming. Make sure you arrive before the train coming in gets there so you can get on the train right away as some trains get really busy.

Fondue Gondola (To book in advance & to pay on-site)

Switzerland

While pricey, this was a really cool night out and very memorable. We all enjoyed our time!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly wait staff

The Chocolate Train (tickets)

Switzerland

This was a really cool experience; loved that we had transport to both the cheese and chocolate factory ... the train ride up was really scenic. We brought along our own picnic and had it at the park near the church in Gruyeres. Highly recommend doing that as it made the day very relaxing to be able to sit outside for lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pleasant and friendly

Transport

Gornergrat panoramic train (return day-ticket & Priority boarding)

Switzerland

Really cool activity and the views are impressive. Going earlier in the day makes it less crowded up top.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful view and we really enjoyed getting off the train mid way down and hiking back to Zermatt (I would highly recommend doing that but makes sure you use a map app on your phone as it's easy to get lost with so many trails)

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Summer Kayak Tour Lake Brienz

Switzerland

Highly recommend! Awesome staff and a great way to get away from the vacation crowds! The lake is so peaceful!

Quality of Experience

Well run actvity

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was super pleasant and friendly

Transport

Easy to find as it's on a bus route

Jungfraujoch, Top of Europe (tickets and seat reservation)

Switzerland

It was really busy up top, however it is really a cool thing to see and a must do!

Quality of Experience

Very fun activity but doing it as early as possible makes it less crowded!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kim Kim was so helpful in developing a plan for our first trip to Australia. Particularly in a place with so many internal flights and transfers within country, it was great to have a single point of contact with getting that organized. We loved the personal walking tours in both Sydney and Melbourne. The snorkeling experience with Ocean Free was lovely, as it was on a small sailboat versus a huge "touristy" ship, which allowed us to interact much more personally with the guides and animals. The zookeeper who led us around the Australian section of Taronga Zoo in Sydney was so informative and both our interactions with the koalas there and at Moonlight Sanctuary were top tier.

When a tour was canceled by the provider, Alejandra was quick to get us rebooked on another experience in the Daintree Rainforest. They were a great team for our first trip Down Under!

Hotel Reviews

Golden Sands Beachfront Apartment Resort

Yorkeys Knob

The hotel itself was clean and the restaurant on sight was good. We didn't see anyone from the hotel during our stay. It is a quiet hotel, so that can be a good thing. I will say though if you are in the market for good amenities and service, this one might not be for you. It is a bit of a drive to Cairnes as well. Again, makes for a more quiet stay but if you are looking for more action, you might want to be closer to the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Avani Melbourne Jazz Corner Residences

Melbourne

Beautiful view of the city from our upper level room. Close to trams and train station. Easy walk to the Market.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Adina Apartment Hotel Chippendale

Chippendale

Super helpful staff and lovely hotel that allowed for a quick walk to the trains, but felt like being in a true neighborhood.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to public transportation.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Laneways & Arcades Discovery Walk

Melbourne

This ended up being a personalized experience with just our family. Our guide did a great job of leaning in to our 14 year old's interest in art. Such a cool feature of Melbourne.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great Barrier Reef Tour & Green Island Day Trip

Cairns

Ocean Free is a collection of folks who truly know and love the reef. We had a great day on a small sailboat. The staff was top notch. Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The transport from the hotel to the boat did not show up on time, which made for a rushed morning.

Our trip to Iceland was one of the best we have taken as a family. It all started with a message from Éric at Iceland Offbeat, who quickly put together a great and manageable itinerary for the Western peninsula and the southern coast, ending back in Reykjavik.

We spent eight days exploring glaciers, waterfalls, volcanic craters, and also the amazing countryside and food that this place had to offer.

Éric was so easy to chat with and made sure we were happy with our itinerary and excursions over the last few months. Definitely recommend using Kim Kim to anyone looking to relieve the stress of planning a memorable trip.

Activity Review

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

This hike was memorable due to being able to walk on a glacier that may not be here in the next 20 years. The guide, Dennis, was very knowledgeable and made sure that we found the coolest spots while staying safe. Very easy hike and anyone who can walk for about an hour or so can do this.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of our tour guides were very knowledgeable, friendly and great at what they do.

Hotel Reviews

Aigialos Luxury Traditional Settlement

Santorini

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The George Hotel

Mykonos

Great hotel, friendly staff , awesome location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Morus Acropolis Boutique Hotel

Athens

Staff are very friendly and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Nice room size with balconies

Location

Moderate walk to arrive at tourist sites, restaurants and bars

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Guided Athens Food Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mykonian Farm Wine & Local Products Tasting Visit

Mykonos

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Concierge-Class Small-group Sailing Cruise to Delos & Rhenia islands

Mykonos

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Trip to Delphi

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Acropolis Private Guided Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport