Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our trip planning was extremely smooth and easy. We wanted to balance city exploration with experiences in country side, exploring local villages and exploring outdoors through activities such as walks, hikes, bikes rides, kayaking with lots of downtime as well. Our travel agent arranged a private tour with our own guide and driver. Every detail was arranged and handled. The trip went extremely smoothly. During our trip there was a historic heatwave that made parts of the program challenging but they handled these challenges smoothly and modified time or small details to ensure our comfort but without compromising the value. We appreciated the warm, hospitality, friendliness, and knowledge that our team shared with us.

Hotel Reviews

Victory Star Cruise

Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tam Coc Retreat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pu Luông Natura Bungalows

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mai Chau Villas

Authenticity & Character

Has all the amenities of a resort with the charm and village location of a home stay. Location was perfect for biking/walking around villages, visiting farm stand, or relaxing. Meals are home cooked and delicious. The cabins are beautiful and spacious.

Location

Staff

Still has the feel of a family owned establishment. They were friendly, kind, and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sunline Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Halong Bay - Hanoi

Vietnam

Pu Luong - Ninh Binh: Visit Hoa Lu & Tam Coc Boat Trip

Vietnam

Ninh Binh - Halong Bay Cruise - Overnight on boat

Ha Long Bay

Hanoi - Mai Chau

Mai Chau

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We could not be happier with the service we received. From the start, Nicholas was attentive and communicative, providing valuable feedback as we built our itinerary. We had lots of ideas of what we wanted to do, and he helped us organize them in such a way that maximized both our experiences and our time, while offering suggestions that complimented our goals. Where we had pre-booked travel and experiences, Nicholas seamlessly integrated them into our itinerary. And for the bookings we made with him, where possible, upgrades were offered that significantly enhanced our trip. Our itinerary was clearly presented, with the names and phone numbers of our guides to facilitate our communication. Moreover, the support we received from Nicholas while in Peru was immediate and effective.

Our guides, Nancy, Cesar, and Antonio, were always timely, always engaging, and they were all empowered to help us refine our itinerary further, based upon their own knowledge and experience, and our requests. That level of care and commitment was a true showing of their interest in us, and of their personal pride, both in their roles as guides, and as representatives of their respective cities. Our drivers were personable and safe, as well.

In sum, KimKim was a phenomenal resource to help us put together a memorable Peru experience!

Hotel Reviews

Colca Lodge

Cercado, Yanque

This is a popular hotel in the Colca Canyon. We booked it particularly for the hot springs and the spa, both of which were nice, the hot springs more so than the spa. The restaurant is very good, serving a full breakfast and offering local dishes for dinner. The staff were welcoming and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

The location of the hotel is its chief selling point. While comfortable, the rooms are not particularly memorable.

Location

Situated right next to the river, the hotel is scenic. The hot springs are also situated close to the river, which makes a dramatic backdrop for your time there. You are far away from any other property or facility, though.

Staff

Everyone we interacted with was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and cozy!

Palacio Manco Capac by Ananay

Cusco

A historic hotel situated twenty minutes (by foot) from the historic center of Cusco. Our room was very nice and comfortable, however, wifi was extremely poor in the room. It was stronger elsewhere in the hotel. We did not have enough time to make use of the restaurant for any meals, yet, the hotel did put together breakfast boxes for our early morning departure, and they were amply sufficient.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel is in a historic building, and care has been given to maintain that authenticity.

Location

Situated at the top of the hill, views from the hotel are amazing! The walk (downhill) to the historic center of Cusco is easy. The walk back (uphill) to the hotel is a bit tougher!

Staff

All the staff we interacted with were friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was clean and cozy. The only complaint was the wifi - which hardly worked in our room. The signal was better elsewhere in the hotel.

Activity Reviews

Classic Gastronomy Tour - Arequipa

Arequipa

We had spent several days with our guide, Antonio, already, so he was familiar with our travel style, and our preferences for food and drink. As such, he was able to curate a food tour that was particularly aligned with our tastes (quite literally). We had a great time eating our way around Arequipa, combined with a nice walking tour of the city, and Antonio's lecture points.

Quality of Experience

Our guide made great choices on which places to visit and when. All of our eats were tasty local favorites, representative of the city and region.

Food

We are really well; local dishes in neighborhood cafes and restaurants that were not part of the main tourist circuit.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Antonio was great, setting up a walking and food tour that was on point.

Hike to Chimpa Fortress

Colca Canyon

Getting to the starting point for the hike is an adventure in and of itself. It is in the middle of nowhere, in what's already the middle of nowhere! The hike itself is relatively short, but it is steep. If going in the midday sun, bring a lot of water - and trekking poles, though not strictly necessary, are helpful. The fortress itself isn't much, but the viewpoints from it, are spectacular and worth the effort to get to, both in the drive there, and the hike.

Quality of Experience

A great hike to a great viewpoint. The fortress itself is a bit "meh" but that is a small component of a much larger experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As usual, Antonio and Gonzalo did an amazing job of navigating the roads, and sharing the history and significance of the fortress, while also enduring the hike with us!

From {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve

Peru

The National Reserve is vast, and unspeakably beautiful. I would say the same of the Sacred Valley as well, but the landscapes here are totally distinct, with different wildlife and vegetation. You can take photos and videos endlessly here, and still fail to capture the magnitude of the area. If you're driving from Arequipa to the Colca Canyon this is a super worthwhile route to take.

Quality of Experience

Truly a wondrous landscape to drive through and make photo stops in. You can't venture far off the road as it is a protected area, but being able to make frequent stops and just "take it all in" is very cool.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Antonio, clearly loves this place, and he was eager to point out various wildlife and vegetation unique to the park. Also, he knew the best photo stops, yet was more than willing to accommodate our own requests to make stops to take in the sights.

Transport

Our driver, Gonzalo, was awesome. The road through the park is a two-lane highway, chock full of cars and buses and trucks. He navigated both the road and the traffic supremely well, and didn't get frustrated when we made stops, or asked for them.

Moray Terraces

Peru

Like the salt ponds, this is a limited experience. The history of the place is fascinating, and the photography opportunities are good (albeit less so here than at the salt ponds). If you are already in the Sacred Valley, this is a worthwhile stop. But if you are only in Cusco, I wouldn't make the trek to visit these exclusively.

Quality of Experience

A historic Inca ruin with some interesting history, and a cool photo stop. But not much more.

Maras Salt Ponds

Peru

The salt ponds are a wondrous sight. The scale of the development is impressive, and the photography opportunities here are vast, with different colors and elevations to point your camera at. However, that's all this is - a view of some salt ponds.

Quality of Experience

The scale of this place is impressive, and you have an opportunity to point your camera at a stunning backdrop of colors and elevations and textures.

Pachamanca: Traditional Andean Underground Cooking

Peru

The cooking method, and explanation, are good experiences. And the lunch that follows is very good! This is a more commercial enterprise and less personal than I would have preferred. There was a missed opportunity for this to be more inclusive with a tour of the farm (not just the distillery and beanery that were targeted for sales) and to have more interactions with the staff.

Quality of Experience

More commercial than interpersonal. Some missed opportunities for this to be a more engaging and fulfilling experience.

Food

Lunch is really good!

Ollantaytambo Village and Inca Site Exploration. Pinkulluna Hike

Peru

Olly (for short) is a small town that offers up a lot of sights and experiences. Situated about halfway between Cusco and Machu Picchu, and a stop on the railway between the two, it is easily accessible. There are serval Inca sights to see, and I appreciated getting to ones that were on and off the main tourist circuit. The town itself is very scenic, with a lively marketplace and historic center.

Quality of Experience

Viacha Community Experience & Pisaq Archaeological Site

Peru

We wanted to get our hands dirty with the local community, and this experience got us to do just that. From working with textiles to digging up crops, to dancing and sharing a lunch, this was an immersive, personal experience that was really impactful. Pisac is a large archeological site, and it would take more than a day to explore it all. However, our specific hike was tailed to our wants, and we spent a few hours on a 4km trail that got us to incredible vistas and historic sites that were well explained by our guide.

Quality of Experience

This was an impactful experience. Our guide was an able translator for us, but there wasn't much that needed to be spoken, rather, the engagement was in action. We worked with textiles. We worked with farming equipment. We shared a lunch. We danced together. If that's your thing, this is a great experience. Pisac is more of a hike, which is what we wanted, and our guide did a great job of explaining the historic significance of the site.

Food

Our lunch was very good! Sourced locally it was a tasty showcase of the community.

Sacsayhuaman & Cusco Guided

Cusco

Our guide, Cesar, was also amazing! He was enthusiastic and eager to share his knowledge and affinity for Cusco with us. Cusco and its surroundings are historic, beautiful, and widespread. Cesar helped us maximize our time and our experiences by adjusting our itinerary ever so slightly, enabling us to see and do more than what we had planed. His recommendations for restaurants were on point.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, Cesar was awesome. We appreciated the time he dedicated to us, and his suggestions that had us see and do more than what we had planned. He was super willing to take photos of and for us, which was great.

Transport

Wilmer did a super job of driving us around. He was polite and friendly, and a competent and safe driver.

Must sees in Lima

Peru

Our guide, Nancy, was awesome! She was punctual, friendly and engaging. More to the point, she figured out very quickly what we wanted to see and experience, and how we wanted to go about doing it. As such, she made on-the-fly adjustments that had us walking through the neighborhoods instead of driving through them, while also showing us to more off-the-path sites and sights, that were better aligned with our interests.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nancy did a great job of guiding us, and of hosting us. She was adaptive to our requests and to our general method of exploration, ditching our transport for more of a walking tour, with the points of interest and experiences more in line with our personal preferences, as opposed to a set menu of sights.

Transport

We didn't spend much time in the car, but our ride and our driver were both nice!

Welcome to Peru and Lima

Peru

We were able to find our guide easily, and he helped us with our transfer to our hotel. Along the way, he shared some thoughts about Lima, and its surrounding neighborhoods, all of which were useful. He pointed out various places of interest, and restaurant types that we could consider. He also gave us tips on how our process would go when we returned to Lima airport, to transfer from our domestic flight to our international flight, as we would be doing that on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide and driver were both great. They were on time, easy to find, and helpful.

Transport

Lima traffic can be pretty intense, Our driver handled it with ease!

I contacted KimKim in February 2024 for help in planning an 8 day trip to Iceland in late May for me, my wife, and our adult son who lives in another city. The three of us were hoping to spend some quality and adventure time together and decided to try Iceland. We were assigned to Èric and he took our suggestions/likes/hopes for the trip and created a very full itinerary with plenty of primary and secondary suggestions. The suggestions were mapped out perfectly for a driving tour and allowed us quite a bit of flexibility from day to day. He and his team took care of the vehicle reservation, all accommodations (including breakfast) for every night, and pre-purchasing tickets to all of the activities we had requested. Nearly everything about the trip was easy and seamless. I say nearly everything because one tour was cancelled due to weather and we thought we would miss it because we were flying home the next day and the only possible option for us was the earliest tour of the day, which the company's website said had no more availability. The KimKim representative spoke to them and was able to get us on the early tour. We were very grateful as this was something we had really hoped to experience.
This was my first time using KimKim but it will not be my last. Leaving the planning to an expert took a lot of the pressure off of me and led to a really enjoyable vacation. I'm old enough to remember going to a travel agent (in person) to help book a vacation. This experience was very similar. Thank you KimKim and Èric!

This was my first trip to Croatia and I loved it. Robi was instrumental in helping us organize our self guided trip and with his help we experienced Croatia in a way I suspect most people do not. One of our major goals was to see the country in a local way that many visitors don’t. From the onset, being met at Zagreb airport, we were in good hands. We travelled for two weeks visiting Istria, Hun, Plicvik Lakes, Zadar, Split, Ston and finally Dubrovnik. Each area was unique and Robi was in touch each day to answer questions and provide useful suggestions as to what to do. I would recommend Robi to anyone wanting to visit this beautiful Dalmatian coast.

We planned our trip with relatively little notice (just under four weeks). Planning would have been very time consuming and completely chaotic without our liaison, Nihad, who calmly and quickly got everything arranged. All we had to do was book our flights!

Once we arrived in the country we were greeted by our tour manager Jamal, who was AMAZING. He drove us around, helped us navigate the language(s) and the culture, and made sure we didn’t have to worry about anything. The additional guides and hosts we encountered at each activity were all so kind and knowledgeable, and seemed genuinely happy to spend time with us. We were hosted in three different family’s homes, and had multiple private tours with just our group (2 people) and our guide. Morocco is a beautiful country and the people there are truly so nice and kind.

This is the second trip I’ve booked through KimKim, and I have a third coming up later this year. I just love how stress-free it makes the planning and appreciate that we’re directed towards activities and lodging that offer more authentic and intimate interaction with the local culture(s). I loved this trip and can’t wait for the next!

We had a great trip to France!

The kimkim team organized everything from start to finish aside from our international travel. Our drivers were always punctual, waiting for us with signs in hand, as were our tour guides. The hotels selected for us were perfect and lovely. One of our tours was cancelled and we were notified and refunded promptly. If you want a perfect vacation but are not interested in spending a ton of time planning - this service is for you!

Activity Reviews

Monaco, Eze and La Turbie Tour small group tour

France

Casual way to see Eze and Monaco. Dropped by driver and mostly free time, which we enjoyed alot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Versailles Palace & Gardens Private Tour

Paris

The only reason this got 4 instead of 5 stars is the weather. we spent the day in the gardin in the pouring rain which was not super enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was superb and so sweet.

Transport

Saint Germain des Près Food Tour

Paris

This was a fun way to spend the morning in the area we were staying. Spent some time walking around and grabbing local bites from cheese, meats, wines, bread, desserts - and then had a picnic in a nearby park!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sunset Private Cruise on the Mediterranean Coast

France

Our favorite activity of the trip! Such a lovely way to see the french riviera

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

Quality of Experience

We had never heard of KimKim Travel Agency and were not sure what to expect, and boy were we surprised! They are outstanding! We were assigned Antonia as our travel agent, who worked with us to build an extensive itinerary for our private tour of Croatia. Every single tour guide and driver that Antonia assigned to us were exceptional – Ivana in Dubrovnik gave us our first Croatian history lesson; Mladen drove us to Perast & Kotor, Montenegro and taught us so much along the way, and Vasilija gave us wonderful tours there. We had Ivana in Split, who was charming and lovely and spent a lot of time with us at Diocletian’s Palace. Grgo was our tour guide on the island of Hvar and that was a great tour – his Mom cooked us lunch! From Split to Zagreb our driver was Duje and he was awesome – you can tell he loves his country! Duje took us to Krka National Park and Plitvice Lakes as well, and gave us a commentary on everything we passed. At Plitvice Lakes our guide was Petra and she was excellent – she clearly has so much love for her Lakes. Finally, in Zagreb, our guide was Kristina – she took us on a food and culture tour and it was so good! We had some good treats and a lovely walking tour of Upper and Lower Zagreb. We could tell that each guide and driver were so happy to be showing us their country – they were personable and amiable, and just a delight to be around! Antonia was so easy to work with and was extremely responsive to all our questions. She checked on us throughout our trip, and gave us real-time updates and information as our itinerary changed. We would highly highly recommend both KimKim and Antonia for all your Croatia travel needs! 10/10

Mar and Fenne were fantastic in planning our trip to Bergen Norway. I found Kimkim online and reviewed their credentials. Once I was satisfied with the basics of who they were I started planning with them. It was a great experience all around. All my questions were answered so fast, most within a couple of hours ! The sample itineraries are very helpful and can be adjusted to suit your needs. we wanted a moderately paced trip. Mar suggested a boat ride dinner at the Cornelius seafood restaurant. It was a wonderful culinary treat. We added 2 days to ours with some free time to relax and enjoy the fantastic view of the harbor and mountains from our hotel. We also had Julia's # to contact in case of any urgent issues while we were there. Happily we had none. I asked where we could rent a rolling walker for my husband who has mobility issues, on long walks. Fenne looked into it and 2 were delivered to the hotel ! No charge !! It was provided free from the municipality of Bergen. One was smaller for indoor use & the outdoor one with larger wheels. AMAZING! I would use Kimkim again in a heartbeat. Thanks again to Mar, Fenne & Julia my dream team!

Hotel Review

Clarion Hotel Admiral

Bergen

Very nice hotel. We had a superior double room that provided a 5 star view. Sitting on the deck was beautiful. Staff was so nice. The breakfast buffet is great, lots to choose from and very good. There is a small bistro menu for dinner. Overpriced as most hotel food is but very tasty.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Mostraumen Fjord Cruise

Bergen

An absolute must ! Spectacular beauty .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjord Cruise & Seafood Dining Experience

Bergen

So fun and great dining experience !

Food and Culture walk in Bergen

Bergen

This was the best time. Freida was our guide and she was outgoing and very knowledgeable. The tastings along the way are perfectly timed throughout the 3 hours. It is leisurely and not rushed. It was so much fun to walk through neighborhoods and all the tucked away spots.

Perfect honeymoon planned by Kimkim. The planning process was smooth and they took all of our wants and needs into consideration. We had an unplanned trip to Florence due to a rental car problem and they were able to give us a plan and restaurant recommendations for this new city within 30 minutes. Can’t wait for our next trip with kimkim.

Hotel Reviews

Villa Sabolini Tuscany

Colle di Val d'Elsa

Beautiful villa in Tuscany. Such a relaxing ambiance with rolling hills surrounding. The pool was a nice amenity. Breakfast was amazing! Would definitely recommend having your own vehicle.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful rooms with amazing views.

Location

Within an hour of anything you want to do in Tuscany.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo delle Grazie

Sorrento

The staff was so helpful and friendly! Rooms had a coast feel with beautiful tiles. The locations is great but, because it’s on a busier alley, there are always street lights on and noise from pedestrians. Still would highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

15 minute walk to the water or any restaurant.

Staff

Most accommodating staff of our trip. We had a 5:15 am check out and they made us a to go box for breakfast with assorted pastries.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Abruzzi

Rome

Good location in the heart of Rome. It felt like we could get anywhere within 10-15 minutes walking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Capri Island & Grottos Boat Tour from Sorrento

Sorrento

Beautiful and relaxing trip around the island of Capri with four hours to explore the island. We had fun on the chairlift up to the top of the island. Highly recommend walking down the hill to the port from the city center rather than taking the bus as the walk was short and peaceful and took us through some picturesque villas. The boat tour took us around and in all the caves and sights of the coast. The blue grotto was expensive ($18 per person plus a suggested $10/ person tip) but in our opinion something that you should experience once.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Boat Tour From Sorrento

Italy

We loved that this wasn’t a large group tour on a boat. We were with only six other people. Unfortunately, the weather was not great for this boat day, but we had breaks in the rain and we’re still able to see all the sites and even swim.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Pompeii Tour & Mount Vesuvius visit with lunch and wine tasting

Pompeii

Amazing day filled with education, great wine, and great food. Pompeii was so fascinating with so much history within the soil. The winery had the most breathtaking view of our whole trip. The wine was organic and the food was great. Climbing Mount Vesuvius was a little tough but worth it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Useful Information

Italy

Quality of Experience

Car Rental Drop-off

Italy

The car drop off was in the middle of Florence. It was a little unclear that there are two different locations within the city. One was the office and one was the drop off point.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chianti Winery Tour & Tasting with Lunch

Italy

Cool winery that was established in the 1400s. I felt like the wine tasting was very informative and I left feeling like I knew much more about wine than before. The associated restaurant was also great.

Quality of Experience

lol

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tuscany E-Bike Tour

Italy

Very fun and gratifying trip around the small villages of Tuscany outside of Chianti. Very educational and scenic with a little bit of exercise. The e-bikes made this 3 hour 16 mile tour easy!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Car Rental Pick-up

Italy

First car had a mechanical issue but was able to contact the company next day and arrange for vehicle exchange in Florence.

Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour

Rome

Educational and fun tour! Our guide was able to get us through long lines which would have eaten up some of the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked from the hotel but it was an easy walk.

Local transfer in Rome

Rome

Faida was very helpful and flexible during the planning period and also available and helpful during the trip.

Malaysia is an amazing country full of adventure and beautiful nature. Flights and transfers really worked well.
Also the tour guide in Penang, Lester, was excellent - his overall knowledge of culture, country and people made my stay really pleasant.

The driver in Langkawi, Shiny, was excellent - very professional and friendly.

In a short time I really got a good impression of the variety of Malaysia.

Activity Reviews

Flight en-route via Kuala Terengganu: Redang Island - Kuala Lumpur {{start_location}} and {{end_location}}

Malaysia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Langkawi: Skybridge & Mangrove

Langkawi Island

The Mangrove Tour was amazing - animals and really great nature. Boat driver was excellent - very friendly and gave us a lot of information. Weather in the afternoon was not good - because of the fog there was no view from the top of the cable car.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Langkawi: Island Hopping (Half-Day)

Malaysia

Driver was professional and friendly. Boat driver was unfriendly and not motivated to inform about anything. He only informed us about times when to be back. Islands are beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Penang: City D1

Penang

Lester was a perfect guide - very professional and a perfect company.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall we had an amazing experience in Morocco Hassan was always available, responsive, patient and kind. We appreciated the care and time he took to help us develop itineraries which provided a sweeping view of Morocco. Our hotels were stellar as were the guides chosen for each city. We learned so much about each region of Morocco, from the beauty and drama of the Sahara Desert to the sea blue city of Chefchaouen . Our visit was not to be forgotten. Kimkim helped us to create memories that will last forever!

This was our first visit to Viet Nam. We wanted to see as much as possible in 12 nights so our itinerary was pretty full on but it gave us the chance to have a fantastic look at and feel for the country.

It has made us want to return, do a more leisurely trip and choose to stay at the places we liked the most.

From the moment we made contact with Ashley to organise an itinerary, until the moment we boarded our last flight the entire trip ran like clock work and Ashley made herself available to us at any time should we need advice or extra info.

There were many highlights, we really loved the Vespa food tour in Saigon and the Capella cruise in Halong Bay. But seriously everything was brilliant.

Do not hesitate to book with KimKim travel, they are truly professionals and their ground staff/tour guides are amazing too. Special shout out to Vic for the Vespa tour for making us feel safe amongst the millions of bikes 👍.

Prepare yourself to eat some amazing food, and all the local beers hit the spot exactly after a long day (or a coconut coffee ). Just do it.

Our trip to Scotland was fantastic! From minute one, our specialist Aleksandra was an excellent partner in planning the trip. I can't say enough about how great she was. She was so responsive before, during, and even after the trip. Any time I had a question, she was there quickly with the answer, and I had lots of questions. The other amazing thing was how fast she pulled the trip together for us because we started the planning pretty late. Nonetheless, she made sure everything was top notch for us. Her responsiveness really lowered our stress and heightened our enjoyment of the wonderful country of Scotland. I highly recommend Aleksandra!

We loved all parts of our trip to Scotland. We had a terrific array of excellent guides (Chris in Edinburgh, John in the Highlands/Isle of Skye, Osh in Glasgow) and drivers. The guides were incredibly pleasant and knowledgeable and took us to such beautiful and interesting places. The trip was fascinating and went extremely smoothly even though we did so many fun things. Scotland is beautiful with wonderful people and kimkim helped us make the most of it.

Activity Reviews

The Ultimate Isle of Skye Tour from Inverness with Talisker Distillery Visit

Inverness

John was a great guide for us in this spectacularly beautiful place. We also liked the lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Glasgow Essentials Tour

Scotland

Osh is incredibly knowledgeable and showed us so much of the wonderful city of Glasgow in a short time. His passion for his city is inspiring.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loch Ness, Culloden Battlefield, Cawdor Castle & Much More From Inverness City

Inverness

Wonderful trip with John around the beautiful Highlands!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taxi to the Train Station

Inverness

Ilir was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taxi to Your Hotel

Inverness

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taxi to the Train Station

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Edinburgh Castle Tour

Edinburgh

We really liked touring the castle with Chris and the afternoon tea was delicious and fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

Chris was a great guide - the tour was so interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mar did a wonderful job of mapping out an itinerary that included the highlights of Norway that we wanted to see. We were able to use public transportation to get around and all the tickets for our major travels were provided ahead of time. Even when we had a hiccup (my fault) on the train journey from Oslo to Bergin, we were able to reach Julia (the emergency contact) and get things straightened out quickly.

All our hotels were within easy walking distance of public transportation and convenient to restaurants and major sights.

We really enjoyed the walking tour of Bergen with Magda as our guide. We saw back streets of Bergen and learned some history of this beautiful city. The highlight for my husband and son was the RIB boat safari in Flam exploring the Aurlandsfjord and Naeroyfjord, including the cheese tasting. I really liked the cider tasting and lunch in Balestrand, delightful!

We spent a lot of time on ferries and trains which is a relaxing way to travel. However, I did hope we would have had more time to do some hiking while in the smaller communities. I guess we should have scheduled a longer visit!

Hotel Reviews

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Location and character are terrific. Staff is helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

The old part of the hotel is a slice of the local history not to be missed. The views from the dining room are terrific, and make sure to make time to see the artwork, artisan pieces and historical references in the halls connecting to the main dining room.

Authenticity & Character

We are referring to the original building. We stayed in the newer 60's add on. It is well integrated, but lacks any of the charm and character of the original building. The room was fine, nothing to complain about, but not the original experience.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Great location for everything we wanted to do and see in Bergen. Short walks to the ferries, downtown and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

The chief recommendation for this hotel is its convenience. It is just a few steps from the central train station and bus, tram connections to all of Oslo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day trip to Fjærland

Norway

A boat ride into the small, charming town of Fjaerland is followed by a short bus ride to the glacier museum. The museum is small, but well designed and packed with interesting facts and exhibits. The highlight is a very short, well-done wide screen movie. After reboarding the bus you are dropped off a short walk to the base of a massive glacier. It is supposed to be the largest in Europe and one of only three that is expected to survive into the next century.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gudvangen to Flåm fjord cruise

Gudvangen

Riding the electric ferry is reason enough to do this cruise. You also get to experience some of the most vertical mountains and fjords you will see in Norway. Get close enough to waterfalls to hear the roar and feel the spray.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Viking Day in Gudvangen

Gudvangen

We thought this might be a little too artificial since it is a recreation of Norse/Viking life. However, the experience was positive due to the factual, accurate information provided by the guides in the village. Seeing and getting explanations of the Viking ships, weapons and armor helps understand the Viking Age. The blacksmith and his explanations of how things were done is not to be missed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjord RIB Safari & Undredal Cheese Tasting

Norway

It was great to get down to sea level and ride in a fast boat in the fjord. They provided and insisted we gear up for the temperature changes we did encounter on the ride. The guide was very knowledgeable and personable and spent time going over all the safety features built into the boat, communications, the gear we were wearing. The perspective from these relatively small boats cannot be duplicated on the large commercial craft nor the ability to interact and get one on one questions and answers from a well informed guide. The goat cheese tastings was a delight. We were surprised by how much we enjoyed the flavors and textures of this local delicacy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ulriken Cable Car

Bergen

We were unlucky with the weather. It was completely socked in and rainy. We saw very little and got a little wet. Ground transport, drivers and staff were all great, but there was not much point given the weather.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cider Tasting with Food Pairing

Balestrand

Much to love in this experience. We learned historical and cultural context for apples. The ciders were tasty and food pairings were a delight. Enjoyed every aspect of the experience including the walk back to our hotel.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Past & Present City Walk

Bergen

Our guide was terrific. Magda was knowledgeable and personable. She brought the history to light and made the culture understandable. We really enjoyed getting off the beaten paths and seeing some of the neighborhoods just a few hundred yards from the harbor. Magda answered all of our questions and provided great context.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Although we had a great time in Scotland, I can't get over the lack of transparency of the trip cost from this company. After we booked, I noticed how high the overall price was and compared it against the hotels that were booked, car rental, and activities and the total price of those did not even come close to the total we paid Kimkim. I reached out to Stephen and he said that his manager stated they were unable to provide a breakdown of cost. A hotel and the car rental company provided us with the invoices, and we were able to see the prices for each activity when we got to the location and nothing added up except that the fee to book with Kimkim was beyond astronomical and nothing short of highway robbery. Super unfortunate.

We began our planning with Debra months prior to our trip and she was always helpful with information and flexible for our requests about the area and what was the most important places for us to visit.
Our hotel, Queen Victoria, was gorgeous and right next to the waterfront. The transportation from our ship to our hotel and to our different destinations was impeccable. We did have one problem with a lost credit card and they took care of that. Our guide to the cape and to the wine country, Christine was fabulous! We had a rainy day at the cape and honestly it made it more fun. The vineyards chosen for us to visit were first class. No one should miss Table Top Mountain. What a fantastic view. From there we went to Umkumbe Safari Camp and had a fabulous five days full of game drives where we saw all the big five. Again transportation was right on point. The staff at the camp were fun. The luxury tent accommodations were nice. All in all, you expect a great experience when you go that far and that is what we had!! First class.

Hotel Reviews

Umkumbe Bush Lodge

Sabie Park

The staff here are what make it. The game drives with Charne and our trackers were great and we saw all the big five! The food staff, reception staff and the food were also terrific. Abagail and Sharon were particularly wonderful. If it weren’t for the staff I would rate the accommodations at a four, as we had a toilet that ran even after they tried to fix it. Lighting in the tent was poor and we never could regulate the shower temperature. However, the beds were very comfortable, linens first rate and we even got hot water bottles in the bed at night!!

Authenticity & Character

Very authentic. Sundowner game drives and drinks as well as coffe in the bush perfect!

Location

Right next to Kruger National Park

Staff

They were all amazing!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were very comfortable and linens great.

Queen Victoria Hotel

Cape Town

Amazing hotel in a perfect location next to the waterfront dining and shopping center. Daily breakfast was more than you could ask for and gorgeous. But what made it was the staff. They were so friendly, helpful and professional. Loved this hotel and would recommend it to anyone.

Authenticity & Character

History and decor

Location

Next to the waterfront

Staff

All the reception and dining staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Final morning game drive & next stop

South Africa

We had not yet seen lions and hoped to see them on our last drive and voila - we did.

Quality of Experience

Best last drive.

Food

Lovely pancake breakfast on this morning.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Found the Lions. Knew right where they would emerge from the bush.

Transport

Another Day in the Kruger with 2 private game drives

South Africa

Another awesome day viewing lots of animals!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Day in the Kruger Bush with Two Private Game Drives

South Africa

Fabulous game drives. We ended up seeing all the big five and the elusive Cheetah and Leopard. The animals were often within ten feet of us. Each day was different but you had the same ranger. Chantae was very interesting and a great ranger. She knew exactly where animals would pop out. The scenery was beautiful. It did rain on one drive but we still saw animals. Ponchos were provided.

Quality of Experience

Lots of animals and so close!!

Food

Coffee and pancakes in the bush.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great tracking

Transport

Loved the fact every seat was great.

Arrive at Your Lodge in Kruger & First Game Drive

South Africa

Lovely arrival and we were greeted by a drink and warm staff. We jumped right on the safari jeep and took off for gorgeous and peaceful scenery. Luckily we saw lots of animals and then had our sundowner drinks in a perfect setting.

Quality of Experience

Saw lots of animals. So different to see them in their environment.

Food

Loved the evening snacks and drinks.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Good ranger. Charnae.

Transport

Lots these land rover safari jeeps. Blankets and panchos in case you need them and you can see perfectly from each seat.

Full-Day Wine Tour

South Africa

Napa Valley move over because the vineyards in Africa were fabulous. Our favorite was the Babylonstroen, but we liked the two others for professional knowledge of wine, staff and different wines paired with chocolates as well as the views. A day that should not be missed!

Quality of Experience

Variety of experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helpful and fun

Transport

Nice van

Cape Peninsula & Penguins

South Africa

It was windy and pouring rain that day but we still had a fabulous time. Christine was great and the scenery perfect. Loved the funicular.

Quality of Experience

The scenery is beautiful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Christine was knowledgeable and flexible- also picked out a great place for lunch.

Transport

Nice van

Dinner at GOLD Restaurant

Cape Town

This is obviously for tourists but so amazing we were blown away! The entertainment fabulous and the sixteen different food items were simply delicious! The decor beautiful and the staff terrific!

Quality of Experience

Just the whole very unique experience!

Food

Authentic and delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was totally mixed up but Kim Kim kept in touch with us to get us there and back.

Transport

Driver needs to know where he is going.

We had a wonderful time during our trip. The boutique hotels (and attached restaurants) were excellent. We particularly enjoyed our guides in Assisi (Ms. Cinzia) and Rome (Ms. Simona). Weather was perfect all week, except for one rainy afternoon in Gubbio. Italians were all very friendly during our trip. We enjoyed the food and wine during our trip. Your representatives were on-time and helpful.

We were disappointed in Arezzo as it was Sunday, as the shops were closed, and churches had morning mass. We did not make it to Cortona.

GPS was amazing, could not have driven the routes without it, although a few times, it directed us in one way city centers! It was also a little confusing on where to drop the car off at the Rome train station.

In retrospect, we should have stayed in Rome one additional day as there is so much to see.

Thank you again.

Activity Review

Private Colosseum, Forum Tour & Palatine hill

Rome

Excellent Guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Slovenia/Croatia trip was so amazing and beyond our expectations! Nikola did an exceptional job in planning, orchestrating and following up on everything, start to finish. He listened attentively to the kind of trip we wanted and worked to make it all perfect! We especially appreciated the evening before check ins and availability 24/7! In Slovenia we had a car which was loads of fun for exploring and making it an adventure. The side trips in both Slovenia and Croatia were especially enjoyable: the beekeeper, Skocjan caves, truffle hunting, cycling tour, wine and food tour, Ston oyster experience, cooking dinner on a local farm. Accommodations were perfect and we especially loved the winery in Bale, hotel in Hvar. All in all ours was a great trip ! Than you, KimKim and Nikola for a truly remarkable memory!

Bruno did a fabulous job helping us design a perfect Croatia coastline itinerary — and was patient when we needed to make a few changes in the plan. He provided great suggestions on how to spend our limited time in the cities we visited, including restaurant suggestions. The places we stayed were just what we asked for. He arranged wonderful guides — Ana in Dubrovnik and Mia in Split — who were personable and knowledgeable…and knew just how much detail we could absorb. Bruno also arranged drivers to take us from city to city, with some stops along the way. He stayed in touch with us each and every day, and when we asked to change the pick-up times, he made it happen. We could not have asked for a more meticulous planner. Our trip was amazing, and much of the credit goes to Bruno’s guidance.

I was a skeptic in the beginning, but Holden nailed it. We had an amazing trip. Resorts and activities were exactly what I was looking for. Spent 5 days on the beach and 4 day in the rain forest. Both were spectacular. Can't say enough about Holden and his team of advisors. Never felt alone or confused. Serendipity Adventures was the local specialist that helped plan, organize, and manage our trip. Holden, Nancy, and Wilman were awesome! Thank you!!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

I loved this place! It was quiet and easy to feel relaxed and comfortable. Close to all the activities. The views were so amazing. So many birds, animals and beautiful flowers right outside my door.

Authenticity & Character

Hidden away from the business of the cities. Felt like I was in paradise.

Location

So easy to come and go. Parked right outside my room. The drive from Libera was incredible, so much fun.

Staff

Everyone was super nice and took pride in there work and the resort.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean and well maintained resort.

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

Everyone was so helpful and friendly. Super clean and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful beach and secluded rooms.

Location

Close to the airport, but never felt busy or full of people.

Staff

Super helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and well maintained property. Good food and drink selection on property.

Activity Reviews

Big Arenal Mundo Aventura Zipline

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a great activity. The views were exceptional. The staff was great and full of fun and information.

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was a great introduction to the area. Our guide was great.

Introduction to La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano

Costa Rica

Tropical Sunset Sailing Adventure

Costa Rica

We had a great time. The weather was just okay, but it was so nice to see the sites and swim in a private bay. Unfortunately no sunset to view that day. Crew was great, always there for questions and conversation.