Kimkim Trip Reviews

Truly unbeatable after a week of hiking and exploring to lie in a warm, peaceful natural spring with a face mask and a drink.

Oh my gosh, we saw the lights!!!!!

This was possibly the biggest highlight of the trip. The lagoon was gorgeous and we were *this close* to the most adorable seals in the wild!

This was our first experience in a natural spring, and it was so neat!

We saw a pod of dolphins, a loan porpoise, three Minke whales, and a number of beautiful sea birds. Our guide was entertaining and knowledgeable, and instructions and directions were clear and understandable.

This was a really nice place to stay. It is pretty spartan, but was clean, safe, food was excellent, hosts were very friendly, and walking distance to the center of Chichicastenango. Had some issues with dogs barking at night, but room otherwise comfortable. Consider this if you are looking for an authentic Mayan highland experience near the bi-weekly market that takes place here.

Ok - this is a punishing climb unless you are exceptionally fit. It’s not technically difficult (no special gear needed other than shoes and a hiking pole perhaps), but is an almost continuous climb for five miles starting at 8,000 feet elevation. If you are young(ish) and healthy, you will eventually get to the base camp. But if you aren’t, seriously consider training for this unless you are already reasonably fit. And read all the reviews and tips (like about how to dress in layers, be prepared for rain, etc - it’s all true). That said, the views at the top are phenomenal. Fuego is erupting almost every 5-10 minutes and puts on quite a show. We stayed at a cabin that was enclosed but allowed great views from inside. Probably a once in a lifetime experience for most of us.

Great tour. Esteban did a great job showing us around. Saw the main sights, went to some interesting places I would not have thought to visit.

I don’t bike a lot, but it was one of the best bike tours I’ve done. A bit challenging with the hills. Picturesque. Nice towns to stop in along the way. Great road condition. Not a lot of traffic to deal with.

This was a lot of fun. Easy to get to, just hopped in and set out. Worth doing if you are in Panajachel

It’s definitely a spectacle to witness. And has been going on for hundreds of years, so worth visiting.

The northern coast of Spain from Bilbao to San Sebastian is spectacular with a modern highway twisting around mountains, through tunnels, and over viaducts with great vistas of the Bay of Biscay at every turn. We were particularly interested in going to Guernica and San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Guernica, now famous because of Picasso's poignant painting, is the Basque town that the fascists bombed during the Spanish Civil War. This war crime perpetrated by Franco with the help of Nazi Germany purposely targeted a market day full of civilians in an unfortified town. The Peace Museum is a solemn plea for peace among all the people of the world. A large outdoor mosaic of Picasso's painting is a must see in the old town. The traditional Basque Restaurante Bolina El Viejo is a must, full of local families, with wonderful local wines and a menu specializing in sea food.

Riojas is one of the world's great wine producing areas, home to the famous tintos of Spain. This dry rocky region south of the mountains that separate this southern Basque country from the cities of Bilbao and San Sebastian has a terroir perfect for the traditional tempranillo, macabeo, and graciono grapes. Our guide, Angel, really knows his away around the region and the wineries. Our favorite wines were from Luis Canas in Araba where we tasted several blends of differing vintage, all excellent. The tour included the spectacular medieval town, Laguardia, residing on the top of a high hill overlooking a sea of grapes in cultivation. Angel also took us to see Richard Gehry's (Guggenheim architect) architecturally splendid Marques de Riscal winery.

We met our guide, Jose, at 7, rather early for Bilbao, but for us, the perfect time to begin our pintxos tour of the old town. Most of the Pintxos Bars we visited were in Plaza Nueva, a grand square surrounded by picturesque apartments and the home of some of the city's great food. Each of the establishments take pride in a particular style and ingredients of this seemingly infinite kaleidoscope of savory and sweet small plates. Typically, you take what you want from the beautifully curated displays and pay by the number of toothpicks left on your plate. Start with Basque country Txokoli, a slightly sparkling regional white wine and move up to fruity dry tintos from the Riojas wine region. Favorite tintxos include pulpo (octopus), anchovies, shrimp, and vegetables such as aubergine, tomatoes, peppers and olives.

Bilbao is more than the Guggenheim, but the Guggenheim is more spectacular that can be imagined. This spectacular building of soaring curvelinear architecture is a world class piece of art itself. The collection including Richard Serra's "Matter of Time" and the monumental sculptures "Maman" by Louis Bourgeios and "Puppy" by Jeff Koons, to name a few, are pieces that one can only see in Bilbao. The beauty and tranquility of the carefully curated riverfront blends seamlessly into the old town that has medieval roots and lovely 19th century art nouveau buildings. The Plaza Nueva is the hot spot of traditional pintxos and a gathering place for families of all ages.

Oviedo is the historic center of Asturia, home to the Cathedral that marks the beginning of the original Camino de Santiago. The 8th century old town, though extensively damaged during the Spanish Civil War, has been completely renovated to provide the markets, shops, homes, and public buildings that are the hallmark of a vibrant old town. Our guide, Alejandra, is passionate about her home and a fountain of knowledge concerning the history, customs, traditions, and culture of this beautiful ancient town surrounded by a modern urban community. A particularly fun tradition is enjoying "sidrar" a refreshing mildly alcoholic apple cider served ceremoniously by holding the bottle overhead and pouring the liquid into a glass held below the servers waist, all without looking at the process.

Apparently, few Americans who visit northern Spain take time to explore the Rias Baixas region. Actually, this is one of Spain's many hidden treasurers with forested terrain, picturesque estuaries off the Atlantic ocean, quaint small towns, and, of course, great Albarino wines. We visited Palacio de Finfena, a small historic winery, where we tasted wines from 150 year old vines in Cambados. Further along are the exquisite islands of Arousa and Toja including the surreal Ermida de Toxa church covered in huge clam shells. We enjoyed a traditional Galican lunch in a waterfront local restaurant, Asodor de Chiringuito.

Our guide, Cristina, is incredibly knowledgeable of the history, religious significance, architecture, literature, and art of Santiago de Compostelo. Particularly meaningful to us is her passion for the Camino de Santiago and for all those who undertake this pilgrimage both as an act of faith and of personal commitment. Cristina offered advice about further exploration of this historic town that we could undertake on our own and traditional restaurants that we could enjoy. There is much to see and feel in Santiago de Compostelo. Having a guide such as Cristina allowed us see and learn more than if we were to walk around with a guide book.

Absolutely amazing, literally everything from the location, the guides, the service overall and the food.

We were booked with this hotel which is highly rated but when we turned up, they tried to bunk us off into a guest house type of room in a dingy part of the hotel. A lot of the hotel was under construction. The staff member even told us not to tell our agency of this. Terrible experience with this hotel and fortunately we did not end up staying here at all.

Nice hotel, limited food ofer

Very, very pleasant.

Very nice and enjoyable. Reccommend it to anyone.

Very nice and indeed enjoyable hotel. A slight drawback is that we had to go to another hotel for dinner but that was an enjoble walk anyway.

Compared to other Riads it is less accommodationg. The shower was impossible to adjast.

Very well organised and designed.

Very good all up.

Very good hotel, staff was very pleasant and accommodationg.

Public holiday, everything was closed.

Amazing!!! Not to be missed.

Nice tour.

Not to be missed

Very interesting indeed.

Very competent and pleasant staff!

Great experience!

Exceptional place and the tour.

Nice place but had limitted viewing.

Amzing place, great guide!

The best guide one can get!

We were only there for a short stay but it is a gorgeous hotel!! The breakfast buffet is incredible. The staff was so attentive and friendly. I would highly recommend!

Excellent service! The room was beautiful and the breakfast was amazing. The only thing I did not like was having to leave key at the front desk and that I had to go to front desk to get lock for the safe in the room. Other that than, it is in an excellent location in Lisbon and wonderful boutiquey hotel.

This was fantastic personalized tour. We learned so much and the wine was delicious as well and the assortment of breads, cheeses and meats that they served with the wines. Excellent!

Fantastic food and staff!! Loved this place!

If you like riding on a boat for hours this fun but I didn't feel it was worth that trip. The dolphins were absolutely amazing but we drove another hour or more and saw a whale in distance and then drove over 2 hours back. I think swimming with the dolphins would be on my next itinerary!

Gorgeous palace! I would probably skip the house tour unless you are there first thing in the morning. Go on the very 1st tour. Touristy place

This is a must do in order to get the lay of the land in downtown Lisbon. Such a great way to see a city in a short amount of time . Our guide Alicia was fabulous. She was so informative with the history of the country and helpful with tip and restaurant suggestions.

New and has an upscale appearance. Water views while dining are fabulous.

Spectacular The only negative would be finish on the steps and shower floor in the downstairs shower area is very slippery when wet. My wife actually slipped and fell and thankfully was not injured. It is a vey unique feature but they should think putting non slip coating or tile in the steps and shower floor.

Shower next to bed is weird.

The staff were very good but the tubs were very dangerous to shower in as they had a very narrow flat to stand..

Very interesting area especially the Matusko winery. Our tour guide Mladen was a good driver and story teller.

The Luxury Camp Chebbi in Merzouga provided a unique and memorable experience. The service was excellent, and the staff was friendly and accommodating. The food was good, and the overall experience was adventurous.

The Palais Amani in Fes was beyond my expectations. The room was spacious, and the hotel was well-kept and beautiful. The staff was excellent, providing top-notch service. The pictures truly don't do justice to this place.

The Dar Jasmine in Chefchaouen was a charming place with a nice balcony and clean rooms. The service was excellent, and the staff was kind. The hotel was located high up in the mountains, so be prepared for some climbing.

The Hilton Tangier was beautiful, comfortable, and a great location. The room was spacious and well-appointed. The breakfast spread was impressive and delicious. The overall service was excellent.

Les Jardins De La Medina in Marrakesh was a high-end, luxury stay. The hotel was beautiful, clean, and had a great ambiance. The service was top-notch, and the overall experience was relaxing and enjoyable.

The service was excellent, and the food was good. However, they did have a water shortage issue, which was a bit of a surprise. The water only returned around 8 PM. I understand that this is due to the area's dry conditions, but it was still a bit of a inconvenience.

The hammam visit was a unique and wonderful experience. The traditional body scrub was invigorating and left me feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. The therapists were professional and delivered excellent service.

Another excellent tour with a mindful, respectful, and knowledgeable guide. He took us around the city, showing us the highlights without any rush, ensuring we had a quality time soaking in the history and beauty of Marrakesh. The experience was well-paced and left us with a rich understanding of Marrakesh's history and culture.

The desert stay was a magical experience. The camel ride was a highlight and the stay at the camp was fantastic. The service was excellent, and the staff was friendly, kind, and hardworking. The food was good and the overall experience was unique and adventurous. I did encounter a bit of motion sickness after the camel ride, but that's part of the adventure.

A truly enriching experience, the tour of the Imperial City and Medina of Fez was handled by a highly professional and well-educated tour guide. She made the entire experience feel personalized and intimate. I'm truly impressed by her knowledge and capability. The tour was a perfect blend of history, culture, and local life. The city's charm, the people, the historic sites were all explored in-depth.