Kimkim Trip Reviews

All the private guides were amazing. We really liked our time with them, usually they would pick a restaurant for lunch that included a local dish, which was very enjoyable.

Hotel Review

Hotel Fukinomori

We booked a private onsen under the stars... The authentic dinner experience was marvelous.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Fun-Filled Cooking Class in Tokyo - Wagyu Beef and More

Tokyo

Excellent food and instruction

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove & Arashiyama Walking Tour (Join-in)

Kyoto

We were unable to go on the boat ride, which took away a lot from the tour. Too many shrines and gardens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Really liked this island tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Rural Bike Tour

Takayama

Beautiful location to bike. Guide was very enjoyable to work with.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, the trip was good. We found Mieke very responsive during the planning stage and when on the trip there was 1 hotel issue on a Sunday Kim Kim's 24 hour hotline worked well. I think the error was more on the hotel's side and was resolved reasonable quickly. We found Amsterdam extremely crowded due to its overall destination desirability, Tulip season and travel right before Easter. In hindsight would have spent 1 less day in Amsterdam and another in Belgium.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel des Arts

Amsterdam-Centrum

Overall good. Location is nice being on a canal, however that comes with a lot more noise. Staff at the hotel were very accommodating, breakfast was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel FranQ

Antwerp

Had an issue checking in which I believe was the hotel's system issue as reservations were booked around 9 months prior. Along with responsive communication with Kim Kim's team we were able to resolve the issue without wasting too much time. Nice location, lovely hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Pand Hotel

Bruges

Excellent location, friendly staff, nice breakfast,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel des Galeries

Brussels

Only stayed for 1 night but was very nice. Excellent location but very poor signage meant it was difficult to find the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right next to the Galeries, hence the name and just a couple blocks from the main square.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ghent - Gravensteen - Castle of the Counts

The Netherlands

Bruges - Hans Memling Collection at Sint-Janshospitaal

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Public Transport Pass Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Very convenient, worked as expected.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

About a 25 minute walk from the hotel.

Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum

The Netherlands

Ghent - Adoration of the Mystic Lamb

The Netherlands

This was perhaps the best experience of our trip. We had the high tech experience which was simply mind blowing, it was like having a personal art expert with you.

Quality of Experience

Amsterdam - Day trip to Haarlem

Amsterdam

Enjoyed the city much less crowded than Amsterdam. The flower garden was massively crowded, made Disneyland feel empty by comparison. Go early!

Quality of Experience

Transport

Better signage for the bike route.

Bruges - Halve Maan brewery visit

The Netherlands

Excellent quality beer.

Quality of Experience

Haarlem - self-guided cycling route to Keukenhof & through tulip fields

The Netherlands

Signage was poor.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Better signage.

Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Transport

Close to the tram line.

Amsterdam - Walking Dinner private guided tour

The Netherlands

Excellent experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was great we enjoyed this experience a lot.

Amsterdam - Daytrip to Marken, Volendam, Edam and Zaanse Schans

Amsterdam

Enjoyed the drive and ferry crossing. Zaanse Schans was extremely crowded and felt like a tourist trap. Did enjoy the museum however.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bruges - Private guided walking tour

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was overly focused on architecture, did not show us some of the churches.

Antwerp - Chocolate Nation

The Netherlands

Pretty much as expected, nice chocolate samples. Good experience.

Quality of Experience

Antwerp - Private guided walking tour

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was 15 minutes late.

Brussels card 48h

The Netherlands

Did not fully utilize. Actually converting the voucher to a card was somewhat difficult.

Quality of Experience

Brussels - Private guided walking tour: food

Belgium

Expected to hit more places for beer.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Hamza, totally made this trip for us. He was interesting, thoughtful, steered us clear of any uncomfortable situations. Made good recommendations and always looked out for us. He is an excellent driver, careful and skilled. He shared much information about the country, its history and its culture. His English was great. He is warm , intelligent, and honest.

Mariana (McDermott's Travel) was amazing!

I am a self-planner for trips and this is the first time in decades I use a travel agency to plan a trip. Even further, this was a trip to my native country! My requirements were unique as I was combining a family visit with some tourism. Mariana suggested great ideas for local travel and she worked with me through multiple versions of a trip to Cataratas de Iguazu. The hotel she recommended was amazing and one of the best hotels I haved stayed at; all flights and transfers were flawless, and the private guide and adventure excursions were second to none.

The travel agency support was also spotless with immediate responses as needed.

I also would like to highlight the fact that when we had to make a last minute change in our schedule, Mariana was not only very responsive but also very creative in her solution which allowed us to work around the issue by re-arranging the tours without any cost impacts. We are so happy that she was able to do this for us, allowing us to enjoy our trip fully!

I look forward to booking my next trip to Argentina with Mariana!

Muchas Gracias!!!!!

Andres and Family

Activity Reviews

Tour to Iguazu National Park Argentina

Puerto Iguazú

Cataratas are Amazing. Leandro was a great private guide. We really enjoyed the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Safari in the jungle followed by a boat trip to the Devil's throat

Puerto Iguazú

This was quite a unique experience, which allowed us to experience Cataratas to the fullest!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Absolutely magical! Our Christmas trip to Italy with KimKim was truly the experience of a lifetime. From start to finish, every detail was thoughtfully planned by Caterina and perfectly executed by Martina and all the team.
Gianni was our guide in Naples. It was the perfect balance between iconic sights and hidden gems. His knowledge in Naples and Pompeii made it so much more interesting. Stefano was our guide in Mt Vesuvius. He went far and beyond with our son Lukas, making it the experience of a lifetime for him!.
We were received by Beatrice in Rome and did the Colosseum with Livitaly. Maura was our guide for all the historical monuments and made the day a very special one.
Beatrice escorted us to the train and Marta was waiting for us in Florence where Martina guided us through this wonderful city showing her knowledge and experience. How can we forget our day with Alessandro in Pisa! He made it more interesting since he is originally from there and knew all the stories!
Our last stop was Venice, where Beatrice met us and escorted us to the espectacular hotel! She also went with us to Murano and Burano for a magical day. We met Alessia for a wonderful tour around the city and spent New Years with fireworks overlooking the water! What a wonderful way to enjoy the season!
I want to mention our drivers, Carmine, Flavio, Giulio for being so nice and professional.

We spent 11 wonderful days with wonderful people. Every guide we met was friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about sharing their love for Italy. Special thanks to our drivers and guides-your enthusiasm, stories, and recommendations made each day unforgettable. The restaurants and gelato shop suggestions were spot on, and the private tours allowed us to skip the crowds and make the most of every moment.

What truly set this experience apart was the personal touch and flexibility. When we had a last-minute change or request, the team accommodated us with a smile, making us feel like family.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved-from the planners behind the scenes to our wonderful guides and drivers. You gave us a Christmas we’ll never forget and memories we’ll treasure forever. We can’t wait to return and explore more of beautiful Italy with you!

If you’re considering a trip, look no further, KimKim will make your Italian holiday dreams come true

Our trip to Spain was well planned and Coraima was very patient as we worked through many details. Our guides were outstanding and our hotels centrally located. The KimKim app was incredibly helpful and it made a huge difference for this trip. The only hitch we had was with the apartment rental in Granada. I would not recommend an apartment and unsure why we were booked into an apartment and not a hotel.
Thanks to Coraima and Lea for all their expertise and help.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Mandarin Oriental Ritz

Madrid

A historical and luxurious hotel, centrally located. Staff was outstanding!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Áurea Convento Capuchinos by Eurostars Hotel Company

Segovia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We requested a queen bed. They provided what they called a Double as two twin beds (made up as two separate beds) but then pushed together. I asked about to have a different guestroom but they said that was all they had left at our 4pm check in.

Hotel Abad Toledo

Toledo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kimpton Vividora Hotel, an IHG Hotel

Barcelona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Las Casas de la Judería

Seville

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was not helpful and I noticed many other guests being frustrated with their requests. If you stay here don't expect the hotel to offer suggestions on where to eat.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Soho Boutique Palacio San Gabriel

Ronda

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

U-Sense Granada Catedral

Granada

We were put in an apartment with no information for check in or other logistics. Our driver could not drop us off close to the apartment. We had to walk a few blocks with our suitcases and once we found the door to the apartment, it was just that, a door. Through the KimKim app we quickly found the USense phone number to call, they walked us through and remotely helped us enter the apartment building. Our key was located in our unit! they also told us we would be charged an early check in fee. I thought that was odd, since KimKim knew we were arriving early and we had a tour at 2pm. The apartment was in a good location, but it wasn't necessary to have an apartment and unsure why an apartment was provided and not a hotel guestroom. The thermostat wouldn't work either.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Alhambra & Generalife Gardens with a Historian

Granada

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Flamenco & Tapas Experience

Granada

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Trip to Ávila & Segovia

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private City Walk & Royal Palace Experience

Madrid

The guide was great, but we were unsure if she knew what we booked. The tour ended much earlier than the KimKim itinerary stated. All we toured was the Palace.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Ronda & White Villages Day Trip

Seville

Carlos was fantastic! He was passionate, fun and a great guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of Toledo Walk

Toledo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Gaudí Experience with La Sagrada Família & Park Güell

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private History & Culture Walk

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Gothic Quarter Walk

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Visit to Seville’s Cathedral & Alcázar

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I recently returned from a trip organized by Caterina, and I cannot recommend the service highly enough!
From the very first inquiry through my constant changes until the moment I returned home, the whole team provided outstanding service and attention to detail.

The planning process was seamless. Caterina listened carefully to my preferences and crafted an itinerary that perfectly matched my interests and budget. Every aspect was thoughtfully arranged. I especially appreciated the personalized touches, like restaurant recommendations and insider tips for each destination.

During the trip, everything went off without a hitch. We were met in Milano by our driver Alessandro and by Roberta who was always super responsive. Our tour guide Barbara was awesome! Her knowledge of the city and her personality made our day with her a very enjoyable one! Our transfer to Torino with our driver Michele was smooth and fast, same as the one from Torino to MIlano with our driver Francesco.

Transfers were punctual, guides were knowledgeable and friendly, and each activity exceeded my expectations. Once again It is clear that KimKim has strong relationships with local partners, which made the whole experience feel authentic and special.

I will definitely be booking my next adventure with them and recommending their services to friends and family!

Thank you for another unforgettable trip!

Activity Reviews

Private tour of Milan Highlights with La Scala theatre

Milan

Barbara was great! Lots of history and fun facts about the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour of Milan - Cleary Family

Milan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catherina, Esteban and their team did an almost superhuman job of organizing an incredible day trip from San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, Belize, to Guatemala's ancient Maya centers of Uaxactun and Tikal. Knowing that we were staying so far away and that we had only a day, they put together an itinerary that maximized the time we had on the ground by deploying planes, (almost trains), and automobiles...and a helicopter!!! Our chartered plane took us to the Belizean border, we were driven to customs, crossed over on foot, picked up by car and flown by helo to Tikal. Our plane pilot team--Trevor, Constantine, and Duane--were amazing. But best of all was our incredibly knowledgeable and personable guide, David Reyes. Able to speak to Maya history, archaeology, birding, ecotourism, and everything in between, it was a true pleasure to spend an afternoon with him at one of the most extraordinary places on earth. To stand on top of one of Tikal's pyramids and see temples piercing the jungle canopy, accompanied by forest sounds was something I'll never forget. Thank you!!!! It was a dream come true.

the recently completed a trip to South Africa including Capetown, Klaserie reserve in Kruger national Park, Victoria Falls and Chobe national Park.

right from the start Annamarie at Kim Kim was extremely attentive and knowledgeable. She even scheduled a Facetime call to make sure that she understood what we were wanting. Her recommendations were excellent and exactly what we were looking for. (in terms of accommodations). The only small part of the trip we regretted was Victoria Falls - it was a surprise to us that we had to pay $75US each for an entry VISA (we had been told $10) and the area was too touristy for us.

I would say the highlight was our safari in Kruger -we stayed at Ivory Wilderness Lodge and their accommodations and food were excellent. Most importantly our guide Wienand made the trip spectacular. He was extremely knowledgeable and put a lot of effort into making sure we got the most out of our Safari experience.

Hotel Reviews

Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge

Hoedspruit

top-notch lodge. Set in a very quiet area almost 2 hours from the airport. He will barely see another person. the accommodations are extremely comfortable and food was excellent. Most importantly their guide Wienand made the safari drives amazing - his knowledge and attention to detail were superb

Authenticity & Character

A very true African Lodge experience. We will definitely go there again when we are lucky enough to go on Safari in the future

Location

set far from any other lodges-you are in the middle of the bush

Staff

Great personal attention

Cleanliness & Comfort

rooms are just lovely

Tree House Boutique Hotel

Cape Town

Great location and very quiet. Easy walk to harbourfront and no issue getting an Uber to go out at night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shongwe Lookout

Victoria Falls

We just didn't love Victoria Falls - too touristy

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Day in the Kruger Bush with Two Game Drives

South Africa

Absolutely amazing - we saw huge variety of wildlife

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wienand is amzing

Transport

Boat life on the Chobe River

Chobe River - Namibia Side

We didn't love the river safari as much as the driving one - saw less wildlife

Quality of Experience

lodge amazing - awesome lodge staff

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

guide was not great - pointed out animals but had very little knowledge about the wildlife

Transport

We had an issue with our transfers both ways - had to wait over an hour to get picked up in Botswana and then again 90 minutes when boat driver from lodge took us back (there was no airport shuttle to take us to airport)

Kayak with Penguins

South Africa

Didn't get to do this due to rain

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner at GOLD Restaurant

Cape Town

Touristy and loud but good food and enjoyed the dances

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

we arranged our own Uber

Victoria Premium River Safari Sunset Cruise

Victoria Falls

we didn't end up getting to do this-we had a very long wait at the airport and the timing was just tooo tight. Sadly this was nonrefundable

Dusty Road Township Dinner Experience **highly recommended by our team

Victoria Falls

Dinner was fairly good and Sarah is trying to do a good thing. It just lacks entertainment I think. There was a short dance done by some local kids which was very sweet. Otherwise there was too much time to just eat dinner - everything went fairly slowly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our transport was arranged for 3 hours after drop off - this is really a 60-90 min experience. And we couldn't get ahold of Transport to pick us up early. Sarah was very kind and arranged for one of her workers to take us back early to our hotel

Our friend did all the planning throu Kim Kim so we're not certain what criteria he selected (standard /premium, etc....) but everything was very well done.....no hicups and the overall quality of each and every accomodation was excellent. A good mix of experiences as well. Overall we're impressed with the level of expertise and planning that Kim Kim provided and are considering using the services again.

Hotel Reviews

DFDS overnight cruise

Great cabin with ample space. Food was Ok, not exceptional. Access to the prvate lounge was nice but there were no views from the lounge....a little unfortunate. Overall a great experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karl Johan Hotel

Oslo

Great staff and the quality of the facitiy was excellent. Location does not get any better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Hotel Admiral

Bergen

Great location and excellent food both breakfast and dinner. The rooms and hallways were a little tired / worn looking. Our room was quite small (no room for 2 bags) as oposed to our traveling partners who has sufficient room for the four of us to sit together.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåm Marina

Flåm

For one, you can't beat the location. Having the extra sitting area in the room was very well appreciated. Breakfast selection was OK but the dinner was excellent. Walking through the houskeeping service area to get to the room as a litle awkward. The staff was cordial ovreall but not as welcoming as other placed we visited in Norway.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overnight Cruise

Bergen

Small cabin but had a nice view. Food was great. As was the common area seating. Felt like a commuter ship as things were being cleaned while we were boarding / sailing / disembarking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Norsk Folkemuseum - The Open Air Museum (museum tickets included)

Oslo

Quality of Experience

Transport

Viking Day in Gudvangen

Gudvangen

Learned a lot of details about viking life and culture. Good hands on demostarations but all were not staffed at the time of our visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nærøyfjord Cruise by Electric Boat (one way)

Gudvangen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Past & Present City Walk

Bergen

Eirik did an excellent job....being a lifetime resident with a great understanding of the history and culture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fløibanen Funicular Experience (tickets included)

Bergen

Tons of hiking opportunities at the top. Food in the cafe is limited and not very satisfying, We did not try the restaraunt but it looked amazing, as did the bar.

Quality of Experience

Overall, a great trip, with guides who were personable and helpful. We experienced a few logistical hiccups that could be corrected for future travelers:
1. Wrong info for train from Kyoto to Nagoya. Told car 10 then had to move to car 15 when traveling.
2. Needed more info for first train trip to Hakone.
3. Kyoto - would have preferred a hotel in better location - closer walking distance to train station, restaurants and shops
4. Arrived at flower arranging late but loved it
5. Hakone hotel and experience was excellent. Loved the Onsen.
6. Sushi making activity was great fun - very enjoyable
7. Instructions on how to find Hakone hotel would have been helpful, for example “the hotel is walking distance from the station. Walk up the hill from the train station. Entrance is via a gated path and signage is in Japanese only”
8. Takayama - not enough time to visit the museum and do sake tasting without paying driver and guide overtime. Not sure why that happened?
9. Takayama - long drive for 1 hour monkey visit.
10. Loved the tea ceremony and sushi making class.
11. Hotel in Tokyo in great location.
12. The guides who were provided were all good, and Johnny, who accompanied the Tokyo leg of our trip, was outstanding.

Hotel Review

Tokinoyu Setsugetsuka

Hakone-machi

Great onsen and room accommodations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tsukiji Outer Market Visit and Sushi Making Lesson

Tokyo

Our favorite experience in Tokyo! Teacher/chef was delightful! He was both expert and very funny, communicating in Japanese but making things clear by demonstrating the steps involved. We ended up laughing our way to a delicious sushi dinner!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kenrokuen Garden

Kanazawa

Definitely a worthwhile experience to walk through this beautiful park and gardens.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo Tour by Private Vehicle and Guide

Tokyo

Guide Johnny was great. Only note is make sure arrival to classes is timely.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nagamachi Samurai District

Kanazawa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto Tour by Private Vehicle and Guide: Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), Geisha (Maiko) Tea Ceremony & Show Nishiki Market, Nijo Castle

Kyoto

Well organized, interesting and beautiful experience with a geisha. Enjoyed the hands on tea ceremony and the Q&A session with the Geisha.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Japanese Kado (Ikebana) Experience

Tokyo

We were very interested in this activity and the hands on opportunity it offered. The instruction was excellent, and the individual feedback on our arrangements much appreciated.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Micaela's help was wonderful!!! We are so greatful for her guidance in our decision making and thoughts on each question we had.

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Buenos Aires City Tour

Buenos Aires

Our guide, Ramania (unsure of spelling) was amazing! Each place she took us helped give us a better understanding of the depths of BA history. Such a beautiful city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oscar was the best chauffeur ever!!!

Half Day Milonga with private tango lesson in studio

Buenos Aires

So fun! Hubby was hesitant, and it turned out great! Wish it were two hours so we could have felt a little more ready for the dance floor later.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Martin is a true professional and amazing at what he does.

Transport

Full-Day Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

Wow. Just wow. We traveled all over Argentina in our two weeks visiting, and this was one of our favorite site seeing experiences. Talk about amazing! We also were here in April, so there was not a lot of tourists. Great time to go!!! We visited the town as well. It was a great time. Go to Mi Vijeo for dinner!!!

Quality of Experience

The picutres don't do it justice!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pablo and Franco were great tour guides and chauffeurs. Fun and good humor!

Transport

Pristine Iguazú Luxury Camp | Full Pristine Program Day 3

Puerto Iguazú

Wow! So amazing to see this force of nature.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pamela is a GREAT tour guide. She is so knowledgeable and friendly.

Transport

Nautical Safari tour

El Calafate

Stunning to see the glaciers from both views of above and below. Worth the time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Iguazu's Pristine Luxury Camp! | Full Pristine Program Day 1

Puerto Iguazú

How do you say perfect and have it give justice to the experience? Everything here was amazing. Staff, food, location, activities. Wow!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

All of it! They even made a special birthday dessert and sang to my husband. So sweet!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So kind, so wonderful, so full of willingness to help us at any time.

Transport

Carlos is the best!

Pristine Iguazú Luxury Camp | Full Pristine Program Day 2

Puerto Iguazú

David's share of the cultural way and why of the Mate' was great. It was so fun to hear and expereince.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Goodbye Pristine Camps! | Full Pristine Program Last Day

Puerto Iguazú

Sad to leave, but an amazing time. Thank you so everyone here for making it so special.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine & Cheese Tasting at Palacio Duhau

Buenos Aires

This place was BEAUTIFUL! Wow. The staff was amazing, the wine and cheese were a great pairing, and the seating was great outside with the beauty of the location.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim arranged a ten-day tour of Portugal for our family of six. They did an excellent job of selecting, and organizing, site visits and activities, as well as providing transportation, lodging and dining recommendations. During the trip we were in frequent communications with our in- country agent, João, to make sure everything met our needs. We also worked with a team of exceptional guides and drivers who make every moment pleasurable. Our drivers, Renaldo and Carlos, were always on time, in good spirits, and filled every day with stories about the history, culture, and people of Portugal as well as many other topics. They made every day interesting and enjoyable and often went beyond expectations. A good example of this was when Carlos took us to the Lisbon airport to return home. We expected to be dropped off outside in front of the airport, but instead he took us to underground parking, then up an unused elevator directly to check-in where he worked with airline representatives to efficiently move through the check in processes leaving us only when we reached Security where he could go no farther.

South America Journey 2025

We are back in California after our two month journey in South America. Kimkim and Marcela assisted us during our first segment of the trip, Patagonia, and during our last segment of the trip, Peru. In between Patagonia and Peru, my wife and I completed a 30-day self drive trip from Puerto Natales to Santiago ..... 5,000 km. The entire experience was stunning, our weather was fantastic and we have returned with a lifetime of memories.

Marcella organized great adventures and accommodations for us during the 14-day Patagonia segment. We collaborated with her easily prior to this trip so that our plan was suited to our travel standards. She was most patient, knowledgeable and available during the planning process. There were no glitzes in this self-drive Patagonia excursion which included Torres de Paine, the El Calafate area and the El Chalten region. The glaciers, trekking, boat excursions and accommodations were wonderful. Marcela made it happen!

Our 30-day driving trip through Argentina and Chile was exciting. Though we planned and executed this part of our journey independently, Marcela was available to provide ideas for our "Carratera Austral" road trip. Additionally, we had the pleasure of having a rendezvous with Marcela in Puerto Varas and enjoyed a coffee together before we continued our journey to Constitucion and Santiago. She was very nice to meet after soooooo many planning communications.

Janice and I added Peru to our South American trip rather late during the planning stages. Marcela stepped up and did an awesome job at organizing our trip. The Cusco experience was epic and our guide, Mega, during those days was most wonderful. Her knowledge, organization, patience and grasp of Inca / Quechua history was so very impressive. We also just fell in love with her care for us as we traveled around Cusco, Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley. Our guide at Machu Picchu was Darcy and he really took care of us on that trip and had a wealth of knowledge regarding the site.

Iquitos and our stay at Pacaya Samiria Lodge was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us. Again the weather was beautiful ... we were very fortunate for our 2-months of good weather! We were picked up in Iquitos by Josiah and he was our guide for three memorable days at the lodge and on the water. We felt very fortunate to have such a scholar of wildlife as our guide. Josiah knows the birds and and environment ... and we felt very comfortable with him. The lodge was beautiful.

Our last segment in Peru was in Lima and again we had a very complete city tour with Lily (sp). Our free day in Lima was filled with many sights and again .... food.

The entire Peru experience assisted with great communications from Manuel, Ximena and Jennifer. Manuel Gordillo was particularly helpful with communicating our daily activities, planning for the next day and confirming our transportation.

Another big thank you to Marcela for helping us while we explored Argentina, Chile and Peru!

THANK YOU KIMKIM!

Bill and Janice Rolfing
South America 2025 Trip

Hotel Reviews

Sueños del Inka Hotel

Cusco

Hatun Inti Classic Machupicchu

Machu Picchu

Ava Spot Sacred Valley

Urubamba

Ikonik Miraflores

Lima

Casa Morey

Pacaya Samiria Lodge

Activity Reviews

Cultural City Tour in Lima

Lima

City Tour

Cusco

Iquitos Adventure Day 2

Iquitos

Sacred Valley Tour: Cusco - Chinchero - Ollantaytambo

Peru

Machu Picchu Excursion: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu

Peru

Iquitos Adventure Day 3

Peru

Pisac Market & Surrounding Ruins

Peru

Iquitos Adventure Day 4

Peru

Iquitos Adventure Day 1

Iquitos

I have used KimKim for two different European trips, and I love them. They make planning so easy. Our recent girls’ trip to Barcelona went smoothly and KimKim had everything to do with that. They arranged everything and we loved it all. I would without reservation recommend them to anyone.

Hotel Review

Seventy Barcelona

Barcelona

Seventy Barcelona was beautiful and comfortable. We ended almost every night of our trip at the bar/lounge there. We got to know the staff and they were friendly and inviting.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is near all of the great neighborhoods. Easily walkable to most of the important sights.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Towels are a bit scratchy

Activity Review

Day Trip to Montserrat & Lunch at a Farmhouse

Barcelona

Montserrat was a group tour that went very smoothly. Everyone was friendly. We had plenty of time to explore the monastery. The lunch at the farmhouse was lovely. It was peaceful and serene. The owners were pleasant and accommodating. It was great to sit family style and eat some traditional food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone spoke English

Transport

Comfortable vehicles

Svetlana did a wonderful job of working with me to make this trip memorable. My adult children and I were delighted with the overall trip - the trajectory and locals of our adventures were perfect. We had plenty of time to drive to the sites of interest and to ultimately get to our hotels which were excellent. Special thanks to the proprietor of Dunaree B&B who made us feel very welcome.

Overall an excellent vacation to Norway. Eliise and Fenne did a great job coordinating the travel plans with the hotels and other travel partners. Everything was exactly as presented with no issues checking into the hotels or activities. We really enjoyed the Havila cruise although we where on the ship only from Bergen to Trondheim. Response times from Kim Kim were good both during the planning and actual trip stages. I would highly recommend KIm Kim to anyone looking for a Norway experience.

Victor Alfirevic
USA

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Britannia

Trondheim

Staff

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

Great location close to main attractions. Also a 2 minute walk to Clean Kokos a self service laundry.

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåmsbrygga Hotel

Flåm

The hotel in Flåm was fine given the limited options. With only two main hotels I was aware of, it met my expectations. The beer and food were good, and I would give it four stars. It's a small place, but it worked for us visiting in April when it wasn't crowded.

Hotel Bristol

Oslo

The Hotel Bristol in Oslo was fine. We had a slight issue with the original booking due to Easter, but the problem was handled well, with us being accommodated at Hotel Bristol. The breakfasts were good, and overall, it was a good experience staying there.

Activity Reviews

Oslo Opera House Backstage Experience

Oslo

Excellent facility and worth a tour.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Transit to Airport at 3:30 AM was punctual.

Trondheim City Walking Tour

Trondheim

Very worthwhile. A visit to the Cathedral is a must, We were fortunate to experience the pipe organ playing which was superb.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was enthusiastic about explaining Trondheim's history.

Private Floating Sauna Experience

Norway

Fun experience, recommended.

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Plenty of food unique to Norway. Last stop was the oldest bar in Bergen.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was a bit inexperienced and not as knowledgeable as a couple other of our guides.

Norway in a Nutshell Tour

Norway

Signage could be improved,

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Local knowledge including flora.

Oslofjord Dinner Cruise

Oslo

Nice start to a trip to Oslo.

Waterfall Hike & Stegastein Viewpoint Experience

Flåm

Guide was fantastic. Local knowledge including flora.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fjord Cruise & Seafood Dining Experience

Bergen

Definitely a unique experience. Highly recommended for foodies. Could cut the overall time down by 30 minutes as we got back to hotel quite late.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostraumen Fjord Cruise

Bergen

Nice trip to see more fjords.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Ship is clean and very comfortable.

Fløibanen Funicular Ticket

Bergen

The Fløibanen Funicular was highly recommended. It's a beautiful place to hike with lovely views, and there's a restaurant at the top where you can relax. We had a sunny day to enjoy it, and it was spectacular.

We were very comfortable with all the guides and people helping us during the trip; our first guide, Mateo, was excellent and personable; our “food trip” guide (forgive me, lost her name) very knowledgeable; finally our Vatican guide, Danielle, was superb, making those few hours just breeze; liked choice of hotel, would definitely go back there; all the drivers professional and helpful.

Hotel Review

Kolbe Hotel Rome

Rome

Nice hotel walking distance close to all attractions , nice, friendly stuff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to all attractions

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Basic Rome Tour by Electric Golf Cart

Rome

Excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica

Rome

Excellent; hope we come again, this time to actually see Sistine Chapel

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Planning this trip was a bit difficult at first as we wanted a few things different than the Kimkim standard itinerary of a Yogyakarta to Bali trip in the defined amount of time that we had. It was frustrating at first as I assume that is not the way this company usually works. Finally, things got worked out and we had an easy trip with lovely drivers, Tata and Agung. They would stop when we asked them to and both made sure we were comfortable and their driving was safe. Yugga was very sweet and checked in on us frequently, she found us lovely places to stay when they were available, only one place seemed really basic but we also booked late. The beach hotel of our excursion was like staying in a small slice of heaven. Tours were organized well and we would have private guides.
Overall, the service was good. You just have to be firm on asking for what you want. Expense wise, you do pay quite a bit more than planning it yourself but for some, that adds ease to a trip.

Hotel Reviews

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta - MGallery Collection

Yogyakarta

A lovely hotel, great and friendly staff, beautiful surroundings. They upgraded our rooms and they were adjoining. The food was excellent, both breakfast and dinners.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable and the rooms were very clean.

Artha Cottages Tumpak Sewu

Lumajang

A basic room. Small hotel restaurant for dinner was our only option and the food though limited was good.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aston Jember Hotel & Conference Center

Jember

Great hotel, clean, comfortable. The only downside was that the poolside restaurant was out of many of the food selections.

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Taman Sari Bali Resort & Spa

Pemuteran

This place was amazing. We had our own villa with private gardens and swimming pool. King size beds. Breakfast and dinner with our toes in the sand. So happy we pushed for a second night here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nadira Bali Resort & Villa

Wonderful staff, rooms were great, clean and comfortable, pretty gardens, a private pool. Great breakfast. A jungle view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lava View Lodge Hotel

Not fancy but what we expected with our location. It's rustic look fit the surroundings Staff kept breakfast going for us due to our tour delay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ketapang Indah Hotel

Banyuwangi

Great huge hotel. Clean and comfortable, big shared pool. Really good food for dinner and breakfast. Staff was helpful and kind. Can I just say, as it's a shared pool in a Muslim country, that bikinis seemed really inappropriate. Something to think about.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunrise Trek to Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo, East Java

It was Idul Fitri so very busy. We missed our Mt. Bromo climb due to a 4 hour jeep delay. Drivers let out customers in the middle of the road and won't move until their customers return. It was crazy. On the good side, the delay allowed us to see the view as the clouds cleared. They really need a better system. Jeeps get incredibly uncomfortable after 2 hours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day - Pemuteran with driver

Pemuteran, Bali

We arranged an all day birding tour with Made Surya Bird Tours. Made was wonderful, instantly knew birds in flight and by calls. He took us to multiple places where we would see birds we most wanted to see. He even found owls for us. In one day, we saw over 40 new species of birds. It was a fantastic day. https://birdinginbali.blogspot.com/?m=1

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Prambanan Temple

Yogyakarta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Borobudur Temple

Yogyakarta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Tumpak Sewu

Indonesia

Beautiful waterfall. Lots of steps and climbing but very doable if you can do that. All the talk about really slippery can be true but our guide told us where to walk and it wasn't an issue at all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hector planned an amazing trip for us to Spain and Portugal. Our highlights of the trip included the tapas tour in Madrid, the private winery tour in the Douro valley, the private cooking class in Lisbon, and the sunset cruise in Lisbon. The itinerary flowed very well and it was so easy to be at the right place at the right time. The instructions were great. The accommodations were great, especially Hotel Urso in Madrid and the Quinta de Pacheca wine barrels in Douro Valley. Breakfast being included every morning was an extremely nice perk. Never had to think about that meal. Overall, shoutout to KimKim, Espiritu, and Hector. I would absolutely recommend to a friend.

Hotel Reviews

URSO Hotel & Spa

Madrid

10/10. This place is amazing. The level of service was the nicest I’ve ever experienced.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room service was excellent

PortoBay Teatro

Porto

Nice hotel in a great location. What it lacked in aesthetics, it made up for with location and the quality of the food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

Hotel was fine- nothing spectacular. The bar was very small and it felt very tight. The location was good, but a bit far from the water. I liked how it was close to the park, however.

Authenticity & Character

Not memorable decorations or interior. Very bland room.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Wine House Hotel - Quinta da Pacheca

Lamego

AMAZING. The trip wouldn’t have been the same without this. The room service breakfast was incredible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Porto's Culinary Scene and Bolhao Market

Porto

Great activity.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tapas Culinary Experience

Madrid

This was great. A must add for every trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sandeman Cellar Wine Tasting

Porto

I was expecting this to be better. It was a very short tour, you didn’t get to see much, and it just wasn’t that interesting. They showed you barrel, but didn’t show you any part of the winemaking process and just tried to sell you on sandman port.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Experience in the Douro Valley & River Cruise

Douro Valley

10/10. Miguel was amazing. This was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Get to know Porto by E-bike

Porto

I wish I had done a walking tour. The ebikes were cool, but it was hard to navigate the mass crowds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Portuguese Cooking Class at a Chef's Home

Lisbon

This was amazing. Artur was such a great instructor.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Sailing Cruise

Lisbon

I thought this was really fun. The boat was much more crowded than I expected, but it was beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport