Kimkim Trip Reviews

I booked this trip with my travel agent, Cruises-for-Africa in South Africa who uses kimkim in Japan.

Generally speaking, it was a good trip with very few things to complain about.

If I were forced to complain, then my big complaint would relate to the size of the hotel room in the first hotel we stayed in when we arrived at Tokyo. You couldn't swing a cat in it. It's a pity that they chose to compromise in that way on cost. I would happily have paid more to get a room of similar size to the rest of the hotels on our itinerary. The room in the Mount Fuji Hotel was enormous. The only problem was that there were no normal beds. There were just futons on the ground, but it was interesting, nevertheless.

As for the rest of the hotels, they were excellent, and all hotels, including the first one, had very good breakfast buffets.

Your correspondents, KimKim were quite responsive, albeit at times a little slow. All in all, they did their job well.

The vehicles that were used to transport us privately from place to place were of very good quality, with really nice features.

Our guides were generally good, save for the last one in Osaka whose English was way below par.

From a personal point of view, I found the itinerary to be too busy, and I ran out of steam, forcing me to shorten the day by eliminating things that I wasn't particularly excited about seeing. These related primarily to temples and shrines. When you've seen a few, they all become the same. If I had it over again, I would exclude many of the temple/shrine visits and do something else.

Selecting food to eat was quite intimidating as there is very little description as to what each Japanese dish comprises. Towards the end of our trip, we became a little more adventurous and I must say we had some very nice meals.

If asked whether I intend to return to Japan, my answer would tend to be no. I found that there was very little unique about Japanese cities beyond the shrines and temples. Tokyo itself wasn't particularly pretty. It seems that every square meter of space has been populated by skyscrapers of the size that I have seldom, if ever, seen. They might have been interesting if the architects had shown a little creativity, but sadly, there was nothing pretty about them, just monoliths all standing in a row with remarkably little space between each building. Could never tolerate living there.

The highlight for me was the Japanese people themselves. Disciplined, extremely respectful and very kind people. If the world was populated by such people, it would be a much better world than the one we live in.

Therefore, all in all, a good trip, but not for me to be repeated.

Thank you very much for your help and support throughout the process. You were, as normal, excellent.

Where do I begin? From the very start of the planning process to the ten wonderful days we spent in Greece, Sydney was incredible. She took the information we shared about what we wanted to see and do and turned it into a spectacular vacation. Every detail was thoughtfully arranged, making it easy for us to enjoy each day—whether we were meeting a guide or wandering through the towns on our own.

What stood out most was how personalized everything felt. Sydney truly listened to what we wanted and created an itinerary that perfectly matched our interests. From the activities to the pacing of the trip, it was clear that every choice had been made with care.

Each day unfolded seamlessly, with the perfect balance of guided experiences and free time to explore independently. We never felt rushed, yet we were able to see and do so much. Sydney’s organization and attention to detail made the trip completely stress-free, allowing us to simply enjoy every moment.

We began with a fabulous Evening Neighborhood Food Walk with Katerina of Greek Travel Tellers. This was our introduction to Athens and to Greece, and Katerina warmly welcomed us to her city. We sampled food and drinks from five different establishments while learning about the history, culture, and everyday life of Athens. It was the perfect way to begin our trip and immediately made us feel connected to the city.

Another standout experience was our day on Hydra with our guide, Elizabeth of Alternative Athens. Her knowledge of the island, combined with her warm personality and easygoing demeanor, made it feel as though we were wandering the town with an old friend. By the end of our time together, we wished we could meet her again the next morning for coffee.

We also thoroughly enjoyed our hike with Dimitrius of Yummy Pedals on the island of Mykonos. We walked along donkey trails and countryside footpaths, stopping at a small church in the middle of a field. Dimitrius explained that these churches, scattered outside of town, are family churches used for special celebrations and occasions. We continued to a peaceful beach, where we cooled our feet in the water while enjoying homemade lemonade and a local pastry specialty.

On Naxos, we took a bike ride with Manos of Aurelia e-Assist Bikes through the island’s rural countryside. Along the way, we visited an archaeological site, learned about agricultural traditions, toured a farm producing cheese using traditional methods, and stopped at an olive mill museum to taste local olive oils and olives. Afterwards, we enjoyed a light farm-to-table lunch featuring cheeses made on the farm, fresh produce, and local wine before returning to Naxos Town.

After a short rest, we joined a group for the Mythology Sunset Walk and Wines of Naxos, led by Elizabeth of Naxos Cultural Tours. Elizabeth described herself as a “mythology junkie,” and by the end of the tour, she had nearly made us mythology enthusiasts as well. She brought stories of gods such as Odysseus and Poseidon to life as we wandered through the streets of Naxos Town, ending in the medieval castle district, once home to the acropolis. We then enjoyed a wine tasting in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine, before concluding at the Portara—the gate of the Temple of Apollo—where we watched a picture-perfect sunset.

Our time on Santorini included a hike down the famous Karavolades Stairs—all 588 of them—which connect the Old Port of Fira to the clifftop town above. We made it down much faster than we made it back up and rewarded ourselves with gelato to celebrate the climb. We also hiked to Skaros Rock, a dramatic promontory on the Aegean side of the island that was once the site of a castle and later served as a gathering place for the Christian community until an earthquake in the 19th century destroyed the structure.

One of my favorite things to do while traveling is take a cooking class, and our class on Santorini did not disappoint. We visited a local winery, where we learned about the indigenous grape varieties that thrive in the volcanic soil and sampled several island wines. Our cooking class was led by Chef Chris of Artemis Karamolegos Winery, who guided us through the hands-on preparation of traditional dishes. I can’t wait to recreate them for friends at home.

Our final outing of the trip was a sunset catamaran cruise. We stopped at Mesa Pigadia and Red Beach for swimming and snorkeling and enjoyed a delicious Greek barbecue while watching a breathtaking sunset. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable journey.

While we did much more than what I have shared here, these were the activities we enjoyed the most.

Greece was truly unforgettable, and Sydney played a huge role in making it such a special experience. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a beautifully planned and memorable vacation.

We had an amazing time in Marrakesh. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the friendly face of Khalid, our driver-guide for the 4 days we were there. He’s responsive, helpful, friendly, informative, and very proud of his country. We really enjoyed being with him. Hamid was our guide for a food tour and cultural tour of Marrakech. He was super knowledgeable about the history and sites, and he brought us to great restaurants and shops. Hassan was our guide for the trek in the Atlas Mountains. He was very patient with us when we decided to change out the schedule for the day. This was our first time using Kim Kim, and I would go back to them in the future for other destinations.

Hotel Review

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

We enjoyed our time at Elegancia Riad. The staff at the front desk was very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Agafay Desert + Diiner with show back to Marrakech

Marrakesh

I would recommend selecting a camp that has European-American type tables and chairs. For older people who are not accustomed to sitting on the floor, the low tables with cushions are not comfortable. We were given chairs, but then eating at the low table was awkward.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hammam Spa in Marrakech before back home

Morocco

The women were very respectful and very good.

Day trip to the Atlas mountains 2 hours Trek and Lunch with a berber Family

Marrakesh

The hike was a bit more difficult than we expected, especially due to the altitude and the sun, so we didn’t meet and eat with a family. We had lunch at a restaurant by the side of a waterfall that was clearly under construction. I would suggest more info about the conditions for the hike and wonder if there is an option for a driving tour of mountain villages with the option to meet and eat with a family.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Majorelle gardens and Yves Saint Laurent with your private guide

Marrakesh

Highly suggest that this activity be planned in the morning, not in the late afternoon. It was very crowded and difficult to enjoy the Garden. I was also hoping that we would have a guide for this activity to explain the history of the garden and Yves St Laurent’s connection. I was not able to get a photo of the house.

Private Tour of Marrakech, the "Red City"

Marrakesh

I thought we would at least visit the grounds of the Mosque. We may have run out of time as my husband and I did a lot of shopping. I would suggest that Hamid select a couple places where visitors could sit for a few moments for a drink. We stopped at one place, but could not get served, so after 30 minutes of waiting, we left.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakech Food Tour

Marrakesh

Loved this experience and the choices for foods and beverages. We returned to one of the restaurants two more times in our own.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Greece was a once in a lifetime vacation and Sydney did an AMAZING job planning it. We loved that all of our transportation was done for us and we only had to meet our guides or drivers at the hotel. We all had different favorite things that we liked, but some of the ones we enjoyed the most were the food tour, the cooking class, the history of the Acropolois/Parthenon and the boat tour around Zakynthos. All of our tour guides were very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. I would 100% use KimKim for other vacations in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Capolavoro Suites

Zante

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leto Nuevo Hotel

Nafplio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Foundry Suites

Athens

We loved the roof top garden area where we could see the Acropolis at night!

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was near everything and we could walk to the different markets.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Beach Day

Zakynthos

This was the day that we split up for a bit. My daughter and husband went to the beaches, while I had coffee and read a book. It was a light, easy day where we could take it a little bit easy.

Quality of Experience

Private Island Cruise: Best Beaches, Caves, Small Islands

Zakynthos

Our driver picked us up at the hotel and took us to our boat. The experience was amazing as we saw the bluest and clearest water we have ever seen. We were able to see sea turtles, shipwreck beach, blue caves and dolphins on the tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Island Visit to Hydra or Spetses

Nafplio

Again, our driver picked us up at the hotel and took us to our boat for our day trip to Hydra. Hydra had a few beaches and lots of places to eat and shop.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our sea taxi was great and the driver gave us her business card for a ride back. She only needed 30 minutes of notice to pick us up.

Transport

Kayak & Snorkel Adventure in the Sunken City of Epidaurus

Nafplio

Our driver met us at our hotel and took us to the kayak/snorkeling. Our guides were very knowledgable and it was a highlight of our vacation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff were very knowledgeable about the history of the tour.

Transport

Our driver drove us from our hotel directly to the company to kayak/snorkel.

Private Cooking Class in Nafplio

Nafplio

This was another highlight of our trip. Costas and Agathi did a great job teaching us to cook Greek food. They were very knowledgeable when it came to Greek food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Savor, led by Costas and Agathi, were awesome at what they do and the food was amazing!

Transport

Our driver met us at our hotel, which was great, since the drive was about 10 minutes from hotel.

City Walking Tour of Nafplio

Nafplio

Our guide met us at the hotel and then showed us the historical facts about Nafplio. It was a good experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Walk to Palamidi Fortress

Nafplio

We climbed all of the stairs to see the Palamidi Fortress and it did not disappoint. The climb was a struggle at times and we had to take breaks, but overall it was a good experience.

Quality of Experience

Private Sunset Tour to Cape Sounion

Athens

We had a great time with Theo driving us to the Temple of Psoiden. He showed us things we might not have noticed on the drive there. And the sunset was pretty amazing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Food Walk

Athens

Our guide, Claire, did an awesome job of showing us the local foods and coffee we should drink.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Experience

Athens

We met our guide at the Acropolis and she did a fabulous job of showing us the Acropolis/Parthenon and the museum. We never would have learned that much history if we had gone by ourselves.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Local Markets Visit

Athens

All of the locals markets were within walking distance of our hotel. It was great to sight see by ourselves.

Quality of Experience

I didn't know what to expect when I chose to use Kimkim, but after having used them I would highly recommend it to everyone! From the very beginning of trip planning, our local specialist Ina was a fantastic resource. She helped us shape the EXACT trip we wanted and dreamed of. We had several iterations of our trip, but she was very patient and kept working with us patiently to get the trip we wanted down to the littlest detail. First of all, Ina knew all the best tours and activities in each location. We had an amazing tour of the City of Athens & Acropolis, followed by a tour following Paul's footsteps to Corinth, and then in Paros we had the BEST boat tour (glaraki cruises), followed by a super fun and memorable cooking class. On top of picking the best activities for us, all of the private transportation was taken care of so there was NO STRESS. I think out of the dozens of transfers we had, only one came past the stated time and it was only late by 5 minutes so it was wonderful that we could count on the transportation to be there on time. Finally, we had a hiccup with a hotel in Paros where there were issues and the hotel was shut down for the days we were supposed to be there and Ina and her team quickly found an alternative hotel that was incredible. Instead of me scrambling to find an alternative, the Kimkim team handled it all smoothly and quickly. So to summarize: a fantastic experience from start to finish which resulted in a fun, romantic, and NO-STRESS trip.

We very much enjoyed our trip to Cinque Terre and Rome. Leslie took the time we had available and our particular desires and made a truly memorable experience. The choice of Sestri Levante in particular was great as a base for going to Cinque Terre. The Colosseum and Roman forum tour with Gigi was phenomenal as was the Appian Way ebike tour with Alessandro from Bikeology. Kimkim provided stellar customer service and handled the details making this an easy trip. It was especially helpful to have they there to help when a 3hr customs line caused us to miss our train and they seamlessly obtained new tickets. They also were able to get a refund from a tour that was moved to a location and time that didn’t suit due to weather. Truly great customer service and I would highly recommend them to anyone visiting Italy.

We really cannot say enough good things about our experience in South Africa and Zimbabwe. It was an incredible trip. Cape Town was awesome thanks to Debbie, our local guide, and the staff at the Ocean View were so friendly and so attentive. Shiduli was amazing in every way. The food, service and guides were excellent. We saw the big 5 and much more. German went above and beyond to ensure we saw hard to find animals. He was eager to teach and we were eager to learn. Zimbabwe did not disappoint. The township tour was particularly interesting. Throughout our entire trip Nadia was on top of things and very responsive whenever I contacted her. Excellent service!

Hi,
The trip was wonderful. All the transfers were excellently organized, and the people who welcomed us were truly kind and helpful. We felt truly pampered.

If I had to find any flaws, however, I'd say that assistance in case of problems was a bit difficult and inefficient. In Salta, the bus transfer was the only one that wasn't organized, and unfortunately we missed it (to Atacama). I felt like I wasn't getting much help there, and for the price we paid, I expected better efficiency.

We had to make do...

The same goes for some hotels, which weren't up to par for the price of the trip. Others, however, were really nice.

I think next time I'll use Kim Kim (say huque), more for the transfer and welcome than for anything else... thanks.

Activity Reviews

Half Day Tatio Geysers

San Pedro de Atacama

wow, top place! excellent really loved

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Cejar Lagoon

San Pedro de Atacama

wow, top place! excellent really loved

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Humahuaca Gorge - return to Salta

Purmamarca

incredible place, really really good too feel a typical place

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Salta to Purmamarca - visit the Salt Flats

Salta

beautiful places too see.. too many person and actually a instagram place

Quality of Experience

too long to go there and take a picture... beautiful to see but not as the main thing to do of the experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-day Cachi

Salta

beautiful places really top!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Cafayate

Salta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

long trip

Half Day Walking Salta Tour

Salta

the guide was a really kind person, but what you can see in salta... not so beautiful...

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-day Nibepo Aike with Horseback Riding of 45 minutes

El Calafate

anna the guide incredible person, the place is amazing, a realyy good expreience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

incredible place, really good guide

Quality of Experience

incredible but better if we had a guide during the walk around perito moreno to explain more

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Buenos Aires to El Chalten

Argentina

top driver, top welcome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sarah was amazing! Our trip to Croatia was well planned and we loved all the activities. When we had a tour cancel due to weather Sarah was there to help right away. All the tour guides were excellent. Would definitely recommend Sarah and KimKim to anyone who wants to visit this wonderful country. We loved our trip!

Hotel Reviews

The Melegran

Rovinj

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

This hotel was great just has stairs so need to be careful if you have physical limitations

Hotel Degenija

Rakovica

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

They put us in an old room instead of one of the new ones. Husband did not fit in the short bed. Would make sure you are in the new section

Riva Marina Hvar Hotel

Hvar

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Porto

Dubrovnik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Pula walk and wine tour

Croatia

This is hard to judge. Our tour guide Isabel was a last minute substitution. She did a great job on the fly. The food was not what we expected after the tour in Dunbronik. Some of the restaurants did not seemed ready for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ivan was an excellent driver too and from the experience

Privately Guided Tour of Rovinj

Croatia

This was challenging for our guide as it was pouring down rain. She did a great job giving the history of the area. Wish it was a sunny day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Salona, Trogir and Klis

Split

Matt was probably our best tour guide. What I appreciated from him was one of our travelers had some physical limitations and he worked with him on the tour. Very knowledgeable guide. Brought us to a great local restaurant for lunch. He was just super.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Split

Split

Enga did a fabulous job giving us the history of Split and showing us around the old town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to the Caves & Beaches of Vis Island by boat

Croatia

This was cancelled so cannot review.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cooking class in the countryside

Hvar

This was my favorite experience. Mario and Hatla are amazing. It was wonderful to see their house and property and what they have built. Mario is a great chef. They invited us back for olive picking. Think they enjoy opening their home to visitors.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lumbarda wine tasting tour with local snacks

Croatia

Gabby was great. Communication was really good, she reach out to me the day before to tell me what she would be wearing when we met at the ferry. The two wine vendors were really wonderful. A beautiful region.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dubrovnik Food Tour

Dubrovnik

Dazen was great! We enjoyed this tour. Food was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All guides were excellent. But KimKim local coordinators totally failed! We never were booked for our train ride to Puno. Had to take 10hour van ride. And we had to call contacts to get our tickets throughout trip. The contractors KimKim uses are terrible in Peru. We will not trust KimKim again.

My holiday in Morocco was wonderful! The organising of the trip through Kim Kim was very efficient. Majid was very prompt to respond to any questions and in a friendly manner. The accommodation was of very good quality, and the local guides were excellent with their knowledge. A highlight of the trip was sharing a meal with a local family in Fez. Special mention needs to be made of our tour driver, Abdul. Abdul was such a joy and was always accommodating to our needs throughout the trip. He always had a smile and was always willing to help. I very much enjoyed learning and living Morocco!

Everything about the trip was incredible! Khaled, our travel specialist, worked diligently with me to customize and provide exactly what we wanted to experience. He was very helpful before we arrived and checked in with us during our trip.

We were met at the Cairo airport by Samara, a tourl leader guide, who made us feel very welcomed and well taken care of as he guided us through submitting our Visas and being admitted into Egypt. He took us to our hotel and twice more during our trip helped us go through security at the airport. What great customer service!

We were very fortunate to have two amazing top level guides, Yasser and Omar. Both had backgrounds in Egyptology and were incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the information they gave us. They brought the past alive for us! Yasser guided us through the pyramids, the GEM (Grande Egyptian Museum), old Cairo for a tour of religious sites, and introduced us to some Egyptian cuisine. We spent a few nights aboard a small, luxurious boat on the Nile. During the day Omar led us through many historic areas in the Aswan and Luxor areas like Abu Simbel Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and Luxor Temples. Did you know perfume was invented in Egypt?

The people of Egypt are lovely and this company is incredible. We highly recommend them!!

One final note: despite some broader concerns about travel in that area of the world, we personally felt completely safe the entire time. It did not affect our experience in any way.

Hotel Review

Iris Dahabeya

Luxor

This is a luxurious ship with a stunning deck and swimming pool. The meals were outstanding, and I enjoyed a deeply relaxing massage from the onboard physiotherapist. The staff were consistently friendly and attentive. It was especially peaceful sitting on the top deck, taking in the views as we cruised along the Nile.

Authenticity & Character

There is no motor, just a sail.

Location

Who wouldn't enjoy floating down the Nile?

Staff

All of the staff--the General Manager, the Executive Chef, and all other staff were very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The staff tidied and cleaned our rooms twice a day!

Activity Reviews

Arrival Hurghada by land from Luxor

Hurghada

We drove through mountains on the way to Hurghada that were quite beautiful! It was a scenic drive!

Quality of Experience

Luxor West Bank & East Bank | Disembarkation

Luxor

The Valley of the Kings was mind boggling! The fact that so many important Egyptians were buried here, like Tutankhamun, was incredible! We visited several burial chambers and the colours of the pictographs on the walls and the ceilings were so vibrant!! The story of Hatshepsut, a female Pharoah was brought alive by our incredible guide, Omar, and the subsequent destruction of her images in her temple by her stepson were evident. Karnak and Luxor Temples were also mind boggling.

Edfu Temple | Sailing to Luxor

Egypt

It was really interesting to see and hear the stories from our amazing guide, Omar, about the falcon-headed deity, Horus, his marriage to Hathor, the goddess of motherhood, and his victory over his evil Uncle Set. The pictographs here, like on all the temples were incredible to see! Abu Simbel Temple was incredible!! Definitely worth the visit! We got there early before the crowds and were able to get some really good pictures. This was the site of another engineering feet because it was moved brick by brick to prevent it from being covered by Lake Nasser. The figures are so massive!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Embarkation in Aswan | High Dam & Philae Temple

Aswan

Honestly as a woman I wondered before we arrived what the heck was so special about a dam. Learning about how much it fundamentally changed life for modern Egyptians was really interesting, as was seeing it was built like a mountain. I really enjoyed it! We also learned about the Philae Temple being moved brick by brick in the 70's in order to save it before the dam water covered it. Incredible feat of engineering! (There's some graffiti created by Napolean when he etched his name on the wall of the temple!) The story of the goddess Isis and her marriage to her brother Osiris was brought alive by our guide, Omar, as we walked through Philae Temple.

Quality of Experience

Kom Ombo | Temple of Sobek

Aswan

Cairo Walking Food Tour

Cairo

This wasn't a walking tour. It was a meal at a koshari restaurant our guide liked. We enjoyed the meal. Afterwards we went to a vendor to try Turkish coffee and my son smoked Hookah. We got an education of the process of heating and smoking it.

Day tour to visit Citadel of Salah El-Din, Old Cairo & Khan El Khalili market

Cairo

Our private guide, Yasser, did an amazing job of educating us about the Coptic Christians who reportedly hid Jesus and his family in the church we toured. We also toured the Citadel Mosque that Mohammed Ali built and the American boxer was named after. We entered a Jewish Synagogue and learned there are only a tiny number of Jews left in Egypt. We learned 90% of Egyptians are Sunni Muslims and 10% Coptic Christians. After lunch we walked through some touristy shopping areas where we saw small and larger items to buy. I got an Ankh (key of life) to put on a necklace.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cairo - White Desert

Bahariya

The scenery was absolutely stunning!!! It was so interesting to see the landscape change as we drove from Cairo--with farms growing lush trees, to black sand, to beige sand, to quartz rock, to white, white rock formations. We loved getting out and exploring the landscape. We had fun 4x4 driving up and down sand dunes and even tried sand boarding down smooth sand dune hills. Crystal Mountain was disappointing. The crystals were apparently removed from the park 100 years ago, despite marketing pictures of large crystals coming out ot the ground. Despite this, the other landscapes absolutely made up for it! We went to some hotspring pools which we didn't know existed in the desert. We got no information enroute (their driver may have told our guide who didn't translate that information) that the expectation was for us to go in them. As the only woman there and many Arab men, that wasn't going to happen. Eventually two other women came and we sat on the side of the pool and put our feet in. Weird experience in the hot desert. The marketing photos of the camps were be very different than the reality. We saw photos of a large canvas tent with a queen bed or two double beds surrounded by hanging lights and ornate tapestries embroidered in gold with hanging green plants. There were also different pictures of a group of small portable western style backpacker's tents. We stayed in a more utilitarian permanent cabin with mismatched furniture and no decoration. There was air conditioning but the power went out in the middle of the night and it became very hot. The bedding and towels were white and clean. It was basic and ok to stay in, but not what was depicted in the photos.

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch was pasta with tomato sauce (bland), french fries, some chicken (we think) covered in a stale tasting batter, some spicy pickles (yummy), and a bit of cucumber, tomato and carrot slices (good). Dinner, however, was delicious with chicken, rice, and salad. Breakfast was basic with some cheese, fresh pita, condiments, halvah and tea or instant coffee.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had 2 different drivers that didn't speak any English. The first used a translator option on his phone to talk about the natural hot, warm, and cold water they accessed beneath the desert. Interesting!

Transport

The vehicles were very clean inside and we enjoyed Arabic music playing as we drove. It seemed fitting!

Welcome to Egypt

Cairo

It was so helpful to have Samara at the airport to greet us and walk us through different lineups and eventually out of the airport. There were so many people and it was a big airport and after flying for 17 hours, it was really helpful to be guided through seamlessly.

Quality of Experience

Samara was friendly, conversant, and professional.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Samara's English proficiency was incredible!

Day tour to visit Pyramids, Sphinx and GEM

Cairo

Mind blowing to actually be there!!! It was so helpful to have a guide giving us information about each area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Having an Egyptologist introducing each area was so helpful and interesting!!!

Transport

Free time in Hurghada

Hurghada

We went for a day of snorkeling and dolphin watching that included lunch. The water colours were gorgeous! There were soooo many fish in the water and the coral reef was so colourful! I've never seen so many fish in any other ocean! Bottlenose dolphins swam by our boat for quite a while! What a treat to see them!!! The lunch was good too!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They worked hard to make everyone happy.

Hot air balloon

Luxor

We left at 4:00 AM and I was unsure whether we would actually fly. We did!! It was honestly spectacular!!! It was so interesting to see ruins that are being escavated now, to see the Valley of the Kings, and to watch all the other balloons rise before and during sunrise. Gorgeous!! So peaceful too!

Quality of Experience

The pilot pointed out points of interest to us.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing adaptability, catering and planning from our Kimkim specialist Lucie. Quick turnaround and really worked to ensure we got the itinerary we wanted. We didn't have a lot of guides on this one, but our private tour to Giethoorn was led by a champ. One of us was sick and he was very accommodating. Our private transfers to and from the airport were better than others we've had as well. Another memorable trip in the books!

Hotel Reviews

Buddy Hotel

Munich

Can't really complain as long as you know what you're getting into. Decent priced in the heart of the city. No real breakfast. Get your own cups and coffee/tea pods from downstairs. Basic toiletries and in-room supplies. Check yourself in and out. But other than that quite clean and roomy. A/c worked well. Basic necessities at basic pricing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Hardly any staff around to rate.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Altstadt-Hotel Zum Hechten

Füssen im Allgäu

Can't say enough good things about this place. Hotel and restaurant staff were super friendly and accommodating. Location is walking distance to eateries and groceries and a museum and the main train station. Room was quite large. 5 stars all around.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Premier Inn Heidelberg City Centre

Heidelberg

Location was great, right across the street from a tram station. There's a full grocery store downstairs. A/C was not working well though so it was pretty hot. Staff also made a mistake and billed my card for the full stay when it was prepaid.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Classic Hotel Harmonie Cologne

Cologne

Place seemed under-staffed although the existing staff were friendly. Pretty roomy. Main complaint is it overlooks a tiny public park where drunks and homeless gather at night and make a lot of noise. Walking distance from main train station and Cologne Cathedral though!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

WestCord City Center Hotel

Amsterdam

Totally awesome location next to the main train station as well as a tram station right in front. Walking distance to a lot of the sights and sounds of Amsterdam. No amenities and not much in the room, but that is to be expected I suppose for the location. Staff were also quite friendly and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Free Time in Cologne!

Cologne

The Cathedral itself is a main attraction in itself, but it's also next to a couple large busy streets lined with stores that you can spend hours or days going through.

Quality of Experience

Guided tour inside the Cathedral of Cologne!

Cologne

Guide was knowledgeable and interesting to listen to. The guided tour gets you into a gated section near the altar. I recommend it.

24/7 assistance in case of emergency

Germany

Kimkim has always been good at this. Text or call and they'll help you out with anything.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ben was very attentive and filled our trip with multiple cultural and food experiences which was exactly what we were looking for. I feel like we had a good taste and view of traditional Japanese life! So happy with our recent travels, would recommend.

Hotel Reviews

Centara Grand Hotel Osaka

Osaka

This Hotel is amazing! I regret not spending enough time here to enjoy it completely. We had a good dinner at the steak house restaurant and the views were amazing. Really enjoyed it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dhawa Yura Kyoto

Kyoto

The location of this hotel was everything. Near Pontocho alley, shopping and Gion District. Nearby metro station. We really enjoyed the stay at Dhawa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

Hakone

We came to this hotel on a very busy week since it was golden week. Very family oriented so if you are a young couple looking for a romantic escape this may not be the place. Still, the breakfast buffet was really good and our reservation included a Kaiseki dinner at a near by restaurant (they took us there in a shuttle bus from the hotel) It ended up being the best meal we had in our whole trip to Japan. Nice Japanese onsen experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel, A Pan Pacific Partner Hotel

Great Stay, staff is very friendly and professional. This hotel has amazing skyline views and a great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tokyo’s Cultural Vibes & Cozy Evening: Temple, Sumo & Intimate Bar Escape

Tokyo

THis day was great! specially Centofilia Bare

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Cultural Immersion with Public Transportation: Sake, Torii Gates, Tea Ceremony & Hands-On Ramen Making

Kyoto

This was one of my favorite days on the trip. I have to admit that a bit intense and we were very tired at the end of the day but amazing overall.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The WhatsApp support group during the trip was amazing! Prompt, helpful, and proactive to make sure we were setup with everything we needed on our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Modigliani

Roma

Charming spot, super nice and helpful staff, safe location.

Authenticity & Character

Upgraded but still had older charm elements

Location

A bit of a walk to main attractions, but nice neighborhood and fun to walk around to things nearby.

Staff

Very willing to help with luggage, bar, breakfast, etc.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Tritone

Sorrento

Fabulous location for exploring Sorrento! Clean and spacious

Authenticity & Character

Unique setup, with some modern touches

Location

Short walk to dining and shopping and main Sorrento attractions

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Accini

Great location, kind staff, great outdoor relaxation space.

Authenticity & Character

Some components were a little dated, but it gave it charm.

Location

Close to town.

Staff

Super kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spacious room and clean!

Alfieri9 Boutique Hotel

Florence

Adorable setup, extremely clean, wonderful staff. Was a little bit of a walk to main attractions, but not bad. Would recommend and stay again.

Authenticity & Character

Unique, cozy, great decor

Location

Little closer to main attractions.

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

No issues in room or lobby.

Activity Reviews

Private Pompeii Tour

Pompeii

More to see than expected and pleasantly surprised at the different bits of history to take in.

Quality of Experience

The 2 hours was plenty to take in the history and have time in the day for other things.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide shared lots of facts we wouldn't have known otherwise. We were able to see highlights and most important things in a timely manner. Very nice and thoughtful with answers and conversations.

Transport

Hiking the Path of Gods

Sorrento

The most incredible views! Great to experience the landscape and learn about the communities in the area.

Quality of Experience

The views and the guide sharing info along the way made it more memorable.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wonderful - outgoing, kind, and knowledgeable!

Transport

the drive to the starting point is a bit curvy and slow, so plan time accordingly.

Private Colosseum Tour with Underground Access

Rome

The guide was so sweet and knowledgeable. Was able to share info that made what you were looking at and walking through so much more meaningful.

Quality of Experience

Learning while seeing ruins was a great experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sweet and smart guide. She enriched the experience and made it worthwhile.

Transport

Meeting point was easy to navigate.

Vatican Guided Tour

Rome

We were happily surprised how great the tour went. The right amount of time and highlighting of key points of interest. Especially cool to learn things you wouldnt know if you didnt go with a guide.

Quality of Experience

So much history and info shared that only a guide would know.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

David was incredible - helpful with questions, balance of time to absorb and experience, but got through a lot of things to see!

Transport

Meeting spot was easy and the line didnt take long to get through.

Chianti Wine & Olive Oil Tour from Florence

Florence

The guide was funny, insightful, and made the experience really great.

Quality of Experience

The wineries and staff at the wineries.

Food

Lunch at the winery was authentic and paired well with the wine.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

shared lots of great history and info to make the drive and in-between time go by quickly

Transport

Bus was great

Our pre-trip Zoom meeting with Samantha was nice, however; she omitted several key issues that we faced before and during the trip— a primary reason we wanted to go to Sydney was to do the Harbour Bridge climb. Samantha neglected to tell us that if you’re 75 or older, you must have a doctor signed permission to climb.. this left us scrambling to visit my doctor the day before departure!! also re our flight to Sydney , when we checked into our connecting flight at Dallas, we were told we needed an Australian visa!! a total surprise to us!! so we spent a half hour at the counter, trying to straighten it all out and pay the extra money. Again, we should’ve known this ahead of time. We were able to do the Bridge climb and our air to Cairns was fine , but when we arrived at our hotel around 5 PM, it was already getting dark and we were so hungry!! everything was closed around the apartment because it was a holiday there!! the operations people at Kim Kim should’ve known this ahead of time. I did make an emergency call and an Uber and a restaurant was found for dinner which Kim Kim paid for.. finally, we missed the entire excursion to Kuranda because we were told by two different operations people that we would be picked up at our apartment. When I got a call 20 minutes after pick up time from the tour operator, I was told they could not wait for us any longer because we were supposed to meet them at the sky rail.!!! we were reimbursed money by Kim Kim for these errors— however we definitely would’ve preferred to have not had the aggravations. For seven years, I was a tour manager for several different tour companies, and so I know a good job in travel preparation and management—you should’ve been better prepared, Kimkim!!

Hotel Reviews

Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel

Mascot, Sydney, NSW

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Golden Sands Beachfront Apartment Resort

Yorkeys Knob

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vibe Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour

Sydney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Sydney Harbour Summit Bridge Climb

Sydney

Make sure you let climbers know if they are 75 or older they must have a doctor sign permission to climb

Quality of Experience

From the very beginning of our inquiry about travel in Sweden Kadri and Camila were very responsive and helpful. They provided the initial outline, responded to questions and made adjustments easily. The hotels they selected were just perfect: interesting, well located, and comfortable. Our train travel was very convenient. They provided good directions to get us from one location to another. I also want to compliment kimkim's "emergency" service. We had a late night question during the trip that affected the next morning's travel. Using the contact information kimkim provided prior to our trip, we connected and received an answer immediately. No worries! Most important for travelers is to have help readily available. Kadri and Camila (and the one-time emergency service) provided that peace of mind. This was our second trip with kimkim, and we will plan for a third soon! Thank you, Kadri and Camila!

Hotel Reviews

Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport

Kastrup

Friendly and helpful staff. Perfect hotel for a flight the next day. Easy to take the Metro into Copenhagen for dinner. Great pool!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Calmar Stadshotell

Kalmar

Great location. Comfortable room. Enjoyed the breakfast and dinners. Delightful spa!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PM & Vänner Hotel

Växjö

Great location. Helpful and friendly staff. Enjoyed the Bistro and breakfast. Loved the rooftop pool!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Home hotel Uppsala

Uppsala

Great location. Enjoyed the buffet breakfast and buffet dinner. Staff are very helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lady Hamilton Hotel

Stockholm

Very friendly and helpful staff. Interesting hotel with lots of "antiques" to look at. Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kalmar Castle Tour

Kalmar

We had a GREAT GUIDE! He was full of stories about the history of the castle, as well as the general history of Sweden at the time of this castle's active life. Interesting place to visit, not quite like the typical palace tour where rooms are loaded with fancy furniture etc, but instead magnificent rooms that have stories to tell.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stockholm Archipelago Tour with lunch

Stockholm

Glad we had the chance to see this extension of Stockholm. Very scenic. The lunch provided was very good, but unfortunately when one is in the dining room, we could not hear the narration of the boat's guide as he pointed out special locations and described some history. As nice as it was to have the lunch, I think that it would be a better experience to wander the boat or sit in one of the several passenger areas, use the snack bar if necessary, and soak in the sights AND the guide's narration.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Södermalm Tour

Stockholm

Sodermalm is not the most scenic place, compared to the Gamla Stan, but our tour guide added focus on the history of the area and the changing culture, as well as pointing out dining locations. A really good counterpoint to the usual glitzy tourist tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved our trip to Scotland and Ireland! Aleksandra did a wonderful job of planning the tour. She was also responsive to us, as we needed changes to the plans as we went along.

My most favorable experiences were the beautiful b&b’s, the bike tour on the Aran Islands, the tea and scones (everywhere), and the diversity of the food options and abundance of live music in the restaurants throughout the trip.

We found that one event per day was enough for us, and we enjoyed walking around the city streets and driving on the country roads.

One piece of advice I have for any traveler is to be clear with your tour planner what time you would like to start the day each day, when you need down time, and what transport you expect you will need and when.

Thank you, Alessandra and KimKim!

Hotel Reviews

Number 59

Dublin

We liked this hotel, as it had a sauna, a cold plunge, and massages (the latter for a fee). The lounge was pleasant to sit in; it had a bar and looked out on the back garden. We could walk downtown. Excellent restaurants nearby. The hosts were helpful too, as I left a book light and paperback in the room when we departed, and they gave them to our friends to return it to us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lancaster Lodge Hotel

Cork

Modern hotel, near English Market

Authenticity & Character

Basic accommodations but clean with lounge and large breakfast area

Location

Staff

They allowed us to store our luggage and use a charger outlet after checkout

Cleanliness & Comfort

Corrib House Guest Accommodation

Galway

Right on the Corrib River, and walkable to downtown. Bathrooms are small & in particular shower is tiny! Staff is kind and food is excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Small bathrooms

N°11 Boutique Restaurant and Rooms Hotel

Edinburgh

This hotel has delicious food and kind and helpful staff. The rooms are large and well appointed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer from Edinburgh to Edinburgh Airport

Edinburgh

Early, but on time!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Galway Bay Fishing

Ireland

Kevin was a great guide. We fished in the bay and caught 8 pollock (threw them back). You can keep them and eat the fish later if you like!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Food and Culture Walking Tour with Tastings

Ireland

I liked this tour but we would have liked to know we were going to be eating dinner ahead of time, and it was difficult to find the tour guide at the start. We visited three bars with food and also had Murphy’s ice cream of the street. The tour guide was kind and helpful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Aran Islands Bike Tour with Tea and Scones from Galway

Galway

I really liked this tour. Nice to have options for people who don’t want to or can’t bike. They offered a horse and carriage and e-bike options.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Holyrood Distillery Tour

Edinburgh

Great tour guide! Nice to sit in the bar after and enjoy the tastes of different gibs and whiskey.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The visit to the Maya ruin was spectacular and the guide that we had, unfortunately I don't remember his name, was so knowledgeable. He really made that tour such a great experience.

Just one thing about that particular day .... At 8: 00 AM we were expecting to get picked up. When he did arrive at approximately 8:40 we realized there were several of the people on the tour and that's why he was delayed. It would have been nice to know there was going to be a wait time.

Lisa was very helpful in organizing both our China and Japan trips. Everything was on time. She was also flexible whenever we had to make adjustments. Lily was our tour guide in Beijing. She was very knowledgeable.