Kimkim Trip Reviews

It was a fantastic experience all around.
Planning the trip was easy with simply stating our interests and Emanuela assembled and booked the itinerary. We had plenty of input during the trip planning to make sure everything we wanted was included.
The trip summary and itinerary was well organized with sightseeing suggestions, food choices and reservation details. Each day had it's own plan with driving details through Google maps.
During the trip Emanuela was available via WhatsApp for any urgent questions or issues. She was very helpful and made our trip a lasting memory.
We will definitely be back and booking with her again!

Our trip to Panama was amazing. Reyna did a spectacular job working with us to plan our itinerary and fun, exciting, informative outings. We learned a lot about Panama's history (and how it is linked to CA history), were immersed in incredibly beautiful rainforests, mountains, and beaches, saw SO many animals and plants in their natural habitats, and ate some delicious food. Reyna also was very responsive during our trip to help with a couple of small bumps we hit along the way and shift our agenda when we found something else we wanted to do :). I would not hesitate to plan another trip to Panama or any trip Reyna recommends!

Hotel Reviews

Central Hotel Panama

Panama City

The location of the hotel is perfect and the hotel itself is beautiful and relatively comfortable. The room we got for 3 people was *very* small - we could really not all be standing at the same time without bumping into each other. If it were just 2 of us, I would have given it 5 stars. But the room was clean, staff were very friendly, breakfast was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

There is no way 2 beds should have been in a room that size. Way too small for 3 people.

Los Mandarinos Boutique Spa and Hotel

El Valle de Anton

Los Mandarinos was probably one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever stayed at. The views of the mountains from the hotel AND the pool were incredible. Our room was very comfortable, and the location was quiet and peaceful. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone traveling to/through El Valle.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The pools were fantastic; rooms very clean and comfortable; bathroom well stocked.

Palmar beach lodge

The Palmar was a very nice hotel and the only reason I gave it 4/5 stars is personal preference. Our room was very comfortable (A/C was critical to cool down once or twice a day), staff very friendly and helpful, RIGHT ON THE BEACH. The restaurant and bar were very nice and we enjoyed the variety for a week without tiring of the menu. The only drawback of this hotel (for us) is that some nights can be a little more of a party atmosphere - nothing too big and certainly not loud enough to keep us awake. I probably would have loved this in my 20s....

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Coast to coast trip to Portobelo

Panama City

I think this was one of my favorite days of the entire trip. Our guide Jose was very knowledgable about the rainforest plants and animals, as well as the fort at San Lorenzo. The drive to the fort and the walk down there road were spectacular - we saw so many animals and really got to quietly observe and have branches dropped on us by howler monkeys! The views were beautiful, and even though the workings of the Canal Locks was not my primary interest of this outing, I found them fascinating and am very happy we were able to watch a huge container ship going through the lock system.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sea Kayak - Panama Canal (half day)

Panama City

Beautiful setting for a kayak trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canal Rainforest Boat experience

Panama City

Loved this tour - what an amazing place. If we could put videos below, I'd add the 3 species of monkeys we saw up close. We also saw a crocodile, numerous bird species, iguanas, and turtles. Our boat driver knew where to find certain animals and being on the lake with the big ships nearby was surreal. Also, being in the shade on the boat kept things a little cooler and more comfortable in the heat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Casco Antiguo walking tour

Panama City

It could have been the timing of the particular tour we took, but we were a little disappointed with this tour. We shifted the time to 4pm to try and avoid the hottest part of the day. We did not get to do the chocolate tasting that our son was looking forward to b/c of the day it was scheduled for, and we were only able to see the interior of one church in town (and not the one directly across from the hotel). We also weren't even aware that the Presidential Palace was in the area until our driver the next day mentioned it while we were leaving town. My guess is we only experienced a portion of what this tour should have been... and again, this could have been b/c of the shifted time. It was a little disappointing b/c those were our surroundings during our stay and I would have liked to learn more about it. What we did see and learn about was very interesting. But there was not really any discussion about the current political environment around some of the changes the area has undergone to revitalize tourism (eg; we saw some signs on our own that locals were trying to resist gentrification - would have liked to learn more about how the will of the locals is balanced with tourism).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Taboga Island

Panama City

The island is beautiful, the water was warm, the food and drinks were delicious. It was a nice relaxing day after a few busy touring days.

Quality of Experience

We really loved it but probably would have preferred to come back a little earlier.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Slot canyon waterfall

Valle de Antón

This day was beyond amazing - tied for my favorite day of the whole trip. Cecelio was such a kind, fun, and warm host for us and the mountains are breathtaking. I kind of wish we had more days like this!!!! The slot canyon swimming hole is SO beautiful and refreshing - I cannot imagine a more perfect place.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the most remarkable trip to Italy with Kim Kim team Jessica, Arianna and Barbara. Our booking was easy, itinerary was well organized and coordinated perfectly. Transfers were on time and done with a high class vehicles. We always felt safe, well taken care of with a very friendly and knowledgeable team. There was free time for us to see some essential sites independently, and there was guidance on how to use the free time we had. Ladies , you did a fabulous job. We appreciate all of your hard work. We will definitely work together again!

Activity Reviews

Milan Last Supper Tour with City Highlights & Duomo (from outside) | Semi-Private

Milan

Private Transfer from restaurant to your accommodation

Venice

Market & Cicchetti Private Venice Food Tour

Venice

Private Walking Tour of Florence | City Highlights with David & Duomo

Italy

Transfer from your accommodation to Vatican tour's meeting point

Rome

Vatican Tour & Sistine Chapel

Rome

We had a great adventure with our guide Lina and driver Mohammad! Everything was so well planned. This was important since we didn't have much time in Cairo. I highly recommend working with Sherif for a customized trip.

Moonika was fantastic! She put together the perfect itinerary for us and we had the BEST Finland trip. All our excursions were super and loved all our guides. Phillipe on the bike and sauna tour was warm and friendly and very knowledgable. Our walking tour guide in Turku made it our favorite city, Joosi, Aku, and Juana from our canoe and backpacking excursion were so much fun. All our transportation was smooth with great drivers. Also loved the overnight train ride.
I will definitely be using Kim Kim again. This was the easiest and smoothest overseas trip I've taken. Loved all our hotels and the attention to detail. Having everything put together with transportation makes a huge difference. Moonika was even available to answer questions during our trip. Couldn't have asked for better. Thanks Moonika!

Hotel Reviews

GLO Hotel Art

Helsinki

Loved this place! Super cute, great atmosphere, and loved the breakfasts:) Just what we needed.

Authenticity & Character

Awesome decor

Location

Close to everything in walking distance

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kakola

Turku

Such a cool concept and loved that they kept the prison theme going. Visiting the sauna is a MUST!!!

Authenticity & Character

Great prison decor and touches

Location

Easy walking distance to the city, close to an AMAZING suana. A must!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lapland Hotels Saaga

Ylläsjärvi

Loved the mountain (fell) scenary and looking out to see reindeer grazing on the hills.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lapland Sky Ounasvaara

Rovaniemi

Loved the attention to detail and surrounding beauty. The trails around the hotel are fantastic and a must for walking (or biking, skating, etc).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Loved being up on the hill with the view and all the nature trails. Only a half hour walk down to the city center. The view from the restaurant is fantastic.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overnight Train

Clean and comfortable. Such a fun experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Love being able to see the countryside.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Helsinki Sauna Tour

Helsinki

This was a great addition to our Helsinki experience. Learned a lot about the Finns and Helsinki plus had a great time with our guide Phillipe. Highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Turku City Walking Tour

Turku

Our guide made us fall in love with Turku. It was our favorite city we visited. Highly recommended!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canoeing Trip on River Äkäs

Finland

This was a fun and easy paddle. Our guide Janna was great and we had so much fun. Loved how peaceful the river was and just what we needed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One-Night Camping Trip to the National Park

Finland

This was one of our favorite parts of our trip. The Fells were amazing and the scenary was better than expected. Our guide was great and we had so much fun chatting and playing Farkle by the campfire. Food was good and the gear was clean and comfortable. Highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

Trip was tailored for our desires.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Reindeer & Wilderness Sauna Experience

Rovaniemi

Eric was great! Super knowledgable and had tons of info on reindeer, Finland, and sauna history. Loved feeding the reindeer and the traditional sauna experience. The lake plunge was awesome.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide Arianna helped us plan a truly memorable trip to the Northwest of Italy. Turin has so much to offer - sights, food, shopping. Our local guide Salvatore helped us make the most of our time at sights like the Egyptian Museum and the Royal Palace. He also went above and beyond with chocolate samples, gelato and a great suggestion for dinner. Cervinia is a stunning place where the Matterhorn is always in sight. Lastly, Monterosso in the Cinque Terre was a stunning place to end our trip. Arianna got our train & trekking passes so seeing the villages was effortless. Jessica and Barbara checked in with us often and secured a last minute booking on a sunset cruise. We were able to sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Our driver throughout the trip was prompt, professional and friendly and our accommodations suited our needs perfectly. Thanks Kimkim for your wonderful plannning and customer service. We look forward to planning another trip with you in the future.

Our local specialist Margarita was helpful throughout the entire booking and travel process. Our local guides Aura (Cartagena), Valentina (Cartagena), Sol (Medellin) and Jimmy (Leticia) were all exceptionally kind and knowledgeable. All of the cities and experiences we encountered were memorable.

The best things about using Arianna to organise our trip was
1. The location of the accomodation. All accomodation was booked in the best possible location for the area and our planned activities.
2. The ability to select guides for one on one tours. With countless tour guides over our 3 week trip we only experienced one guide that was disappointing over the entire period.
3. All transfers were arranged. They were all in quality comfortable cars and the drivers were professional, courteous and always on time or early. It made moving from location to location far less stressful.

Planning our first trip to Canada was made easy by our trip planner Fernanda. She came up with some nice trip options for destinations that we had only heard of. Our hotels were nice and comfortable. Our favorite hotel was in Toronto (Chelsea Hotel) because it had a water slide. The Niagra Falls excursion was our favorite.

Unfortunately our trip was cut a bit short by illness but we were very happy with the ideas and options that KimKim offered. We will use them again.

Thanks Fernanda!

The Ivory Wilderness Lodge was The Best Safari ever!! Shane our guide couldn't of been better!! The food serves was delicious as well!! Then onto Victoria Falls, what a beautiful natural wonder!! And The Palm River Resort was absolutely beautiful!! The sunset cruise was nice as well!! The helicopter broke was a unique way to see the Falls!Then we were off to a Photo Safari at The Pangalon hotel, absolutely awesome place and people!! The Camaras they let you borrow get you up close and personal to several species of animals, even seen a wild dog attack on a Kudu, then a female lion come in and take it!! All in all, The Best Vacation Ever!! Thank you KimKim, especially Deb and Corlia!

Gary had some great advice on where to go to make the best use of our time. Our guide in Kangaroo Island was engaging, informative and pleasant to spend the whole day with. The snorkeling tour on the great barrier reef was memorable and our last days in Sydney a delight. The astro tour at Uluru was certainly one of the highlights. Truly a wonderful experience in all and the ease of travel with the car service helped. Jim and Carole

Hotel Review

The Reef Retreat

Palm Cove, QLD

Nice and quiet location, hotel management was very helpful and accommodating. Easy walk to restaurants etc.

Authenticity & Character

Location

easy walk to everything but off the main area so very quite

Staff

very accommodating and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

When we needed an extra towel or blanket it was there

Activity Review

Day trip to the Great Barrier Reef

Australia

It was so informative and the staff was so accommodating with all of our needs that it made it special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

One of our party has some medical conditions and they were able to create a great experience for them

Transport

boat was very open but the seas were rough so some of the areas became crowded

Daniela and Robi planned and executed our amazing trip to Croatia. We visited Split, Hvar and Dubrovnik. Robi gave us a personal tour of Ston and several wineries in the Pelješac peninsula. The hotels they booked were spectacular. Every detail was planned and executed to perfection from the catamaran transfers to the excellent restaurants they recommended and booked. We were in great hands! Thank you Robi and Daniela!

The guides and tours set up by Carmen were fantastic. The tour guides were knowledgeable, friendly and tailored there information to the interests of myself and my children!

It was an amazing trip ,the guides were very knowledgeable and interesting and we really enjoyed every day of our trip
The hotels were peculiar and gave us an interesting sensation of the city , we like them very much

Liz did a great job arranging just the right activities and convenient hotels for our group. We spent 6 days in Cusco, Sacred Valley, & Aguas Calientes. It was wonderful to have transportation each step of the way and not to have to worry about purchasing tickets. Everything was provided! David provided excellent tours of the Sacred Valley and even stopped to let us try the local cuy. Machu Picchu was the anticipated highlight and the students loved our guide, Lizbet, who was also quite the photographer. We came home with beautiful photos! The cooking class at Marcelo Batata was amazing and we all enjoyed cooking with Chef Kristin. Liz even helped arrange a last minute ATV adventure. I definitely recommend using Andean Travel to book any trips in Peru!

Tamer was an INCREDIBLE travel agent for our trip to Ecuador! He was all we could ask for:
1. Very attentive to our needs and wants for the trip
2. Patient when I needed time to make decisions for the trip
3. Helpful in giving us tips to prepare and pack for the trip
4. In contact with me daily during the trip to make sure we were well taken care of.

So pleased with his service and I highly recommend him to help you plan your trip to Ecuador!

Hotel Reviews

Patio Andaluz

Quito

Great location, wonderful breakfast, beautiful building. Two story room for the 4 of us which the kids loved!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

This hotel left a little to be desired. Staff in the front lobby was not helpful. Rooms were clean at first but a bit dingy and run down. Location was nice bc it wasn’t in the heart of town (aka noise) but an easy walk to restaurants and shops.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Front lobby staff and daily housekeeping

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

We loved this hotel! The staff really made the experience for us— so thoughtful and friendly. Great location facing the water and delicious breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were a bit tight for 4 people and our luggage but not unmanageable

Activity Reviews

Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument

Quito

We enjoyed this day tour, mostly bc of our excellent guides. Mitad del Mundo is a must see but it’s actually a little hokey when you get there (think kids’ magic show) Colonial city tour was very interesting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Another fantastic day tour. Lunch at Rancho Primicias followed by seeing the giant tortoises up close in their natural environment was amazing! Then seeing the baby tortoises at the Charles Darwin station made it a full circle day!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

This was a VERY full day but also amazing. If you’re not up for a high impact day, I would do both of these activities but split them into 2 half day tours. Tortuga Bay was beautiful. The 2 mile walk to/from the bay was also really nice but make sure you’re prepared for it (water, sunscreen, hat and not carrying too much). Kayaking in the bay was awesome. The second half of the day is more like an eco-trek and a swim in a very cool cove. Not much snorkeling to be had but lots of interesting sights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Speedboat to San Cristobal Island - Interpretation Center - Tijeretas Hill

Ecuador

The speedboat was ok. If you’re prone to sea sickness. I don’t recommend it. It was fine as a one time experience but I’m glad I didn’t have to do it twice. We only made it half way up Tijiretes Hill as the kids were tired but the halfway walk was nice as well. Snorkeling was the best part of this tour, as we saw tons of fish, turtles and sea lions!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She seemed a bit preoccupied with her phone

Wildlife Encountering at Lobos Island - Family Activities

Isla San Cristóbal

Absolutely incredible! We saw so much wildlife on this tour! Guide and boat captain/staff were awesome.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was an amazing trip in a truly special country. Forget your prejudices and views from the past of Colombia, this is an amazingly beautiful country, with wonderfully warm people and as safe as any other country or city I visited in Europe, Asia or the Americas ..... its not perfect, but the risks in my experience are similar to anywhere else I travelled - you just need to be aware and sensible ....
The support from the KimKim team was incredible - from my very first contacts with Margoth to created the trip, nothing was a problem I could change my schedule and she always came back with options and solutions, during our trip Margoth and her fellow their team members Felipe & Marcela were super responsive and always available to support with any question.... I mean any questions..... their guides Juan Fernando, Santiago, Juancho, Jose Miguel all professional, humble and knowledgeable guys who love what they do and love their country.
It was my first time working with KimKim and I was very impressed with the support they gave us..... If I go somewhere "new" and "different" again, I will definately consider them...... and I Do recommend them.

Our local specialist was very pleasant and extremely helpful as she created our 4 week itinerary to Italy. She listened to all of our preferences and shaped the trip around our requests. I have no idea how much time we saved with her booking all the hotels and many excursions. She also provided a lot of great recommendations for restaurants and activities during our down time. This was my second time using KimKim and I will be using KimKim for my next trip too.

I can’t travel without KimKim ever again! This is my fifth time traveling to Europe and I can’t imagine doing it without KimKim. Moonika took care of everything! The transfers were seamless, it was easy to access all of our tickets and passes needed. We never once worried about being on time for anything. Our guide Felipe for the Sauna Bike tour was amazing and was very knowledgeable about Helsinki and the sauna culture. Our Sea kayaking tour around the Archipelago was fantastic. Aavameri created a camping trip to remember. On to our Backpacking trip into the National Park with Ylläs Experiences, Yuusi put together our trip based on our experience and how far we wanted to hike. The food was great and who doesn’t love picking blueberries and cloud berries for breakfast. Nordic Odyssey was our final tour with a trip to a Reindeer Farm and a Lakeside Sauna. So fun to feed the reindeer and learn about this animal that makes Christmas so special. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend any of these experiences if you are looking to get to know Finland. Thank you Moonika we will back for a winter trip!

Hotel Reviews

GLO Hotel Art

Helsinki

Beautiful hotel, the staff was excellent! 15 min walk to 2 saunas and the beautiful water. Breakfast was great and they have plenty of seatings areas to enjoy a glass of wine or an Original.

Authenticity & Character

Great history and beautiful architecture

Location

Walkable to museums and the waterfront

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms and bathrooms were very clean

Hotel Kakola

Turku

Hotel Kakola was one of the favorite parts of visiting Turku, the Spa attached is incredible. You have to experience the saunas. There is also a brewery and cafe near but the restaurant inside was delicious! The history of converting the prison into a hotel a community is really interesting. When the Funicular is working it’s a fun way to drop down into the streets of Turku but you get your exercise on the steps if not

Authenticity & Character

Great history, love the way they preserved the characteristics of the prison but added modern style

Location

On top of the hill overlooking Turku

Staff

Great staff, very helpful and always available

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms and bathrooms were very clean

Lapland Hotels Saaga

Ylläsjärvi

Beautiful hotel, delicious breakfast. The rooms are modern and the sitting area outside was perfect for watching reindeer graze on the hillside

Authenticity & Character

Very Finnish, beautiful and modern at the same time.

Location

Away from other restaurants but during the winter you couldn’t ask for a better location

Staff

I can’t say enough about the staff, so helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lapland Sky Ounasvaara

Rovaniemi

Beautiful hotel, delicious breakfast. It is a 40 minute walk to the center of Roveniemi so unless you plan to make reservations for dinner there meals elsewhere can be tricky. The Nature trail created around the hotel is gorgeous a great way to start your day with an hour trek.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful style, very modern and rustic at the same time. Nature brought inside.

Location

It’s quite a ways from the city center but if being in Nature is your goal it is Perfect

Staff

The staff was very helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms and bathrooms were very clean, the saunas always had plenty of towels

Activity Reviews

Turku City Walking Tour

Turku

Anu was lovely! So knowledgeable and made Turku one of my favorites in Finland. Such a beautiful city with a fascinating history.

Quality of Experience

Anu made sure saw the interesting and beautiful sites in Turku

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable

Transport

Helsinki Sauna Tour

Helsinki

Fun biking around Helsinki. Felipe was fun, easygoing and had lots of fun facts and tips for visiting the Saunas.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hien was amazing. Nothing was too much trouble for her to arrange.
The organisation was flawless. Hotels were all excellent. The activities and trips were all very enjoyable and well organised. Guides were knowledgeable and fun. I would have no hesitation in highly recommending Hien and the Kimkim team. A++++
I’d recommend longer time in central Vietnam if you’re after relaxation.